On our way home from the cottage, we stopped in Peterborough for lunch. We found La Hacienda on google and took a chance. I was surprised to find a Mexican restaurant in Peterborough but hey, rating were okay and we were craving so why not. It was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant is a decent size that you could easily have a larger group have food. The staff was kind and patient and made sure we had everything we needed. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered a couple of tacos and the Mexican hot chocolate though everyone else in my group ordered full meals. Everything looked super legitimate and reminded me of my favourite authentic Mexican restaurant near home - Mexico Lindo. Not one person left unsatisfied. The starter chips and salsa also got cleared out by our group, they were so good! If you're in the Peterborough area, hit this place up, you won't be disappointed. read more

La Hacienda - a group of people sitting at a table with plates of food - Mexican Near Me - Peterborough, Ontario

Whoa! I didn't expect to visit Peterborough and eat delicious Mexican food! I was surprised at the good reviews on here, so I decided to give it a try. We ordered the lunch special (comes with a soup & burrito) and got the Tortilla Soup (Soupa Aztec) and a chicken burrito, and then fish tacos, and a shrimp taco. I really enjoyed the tortilla soup, which is really beautifully plated and the pico de gallo and guac are delicious. My second favourite thing were the fish tacos, which were not fried like at most restaurants but grilled, and that was a pleasant surprise! All the food was fresh and appetizing. The only downside to the patio is that there were wasps that kept bothering us :( Other than that, a really great experience! read more

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Decided to eat inside even though the patio was open. Next time, I would eat on the patio as it was probably cooler outside. The good- nachos and margarita were great. The need improvement- wait staff and kitchen was either overwhelmed or slower then most other Mexican restaurants. read more

La Hacienda - Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Peterborough, Ontario

I absolutely love eating on the patio/in the alleyway of this restaurant is very cute. I love the whole atmosphere. The free nachos are amazing and the food is very authentically Mexican. read more

I LOVE Mexican food. If you want something authentic, come here. The portions are massive. I'm taking some home for later. I got the chicken enchilada with the green sauce. Super tasty. The beans were delicious. The meal went well with the homemade chips. Lovely shaded patio and very friendly, quick service. read more

La Hacienda - Complimentary and tasty! - Mexican Near Me - Peterborough, Ontario

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For authentic Mexican I was not impressed. Chips stale. Service was good, food was just bland. I did live a for a few decades in California and Texas so perhaps my expectations were too high. read more

For authentic Mexican food in Peterborough, La Hacienda is an excellent choice. If you're expecting North Americanized chain-style Mexican food, you won't find it here. What you'll find is freshly prepared dishes using house made sauces and salsas. Munch on fresh made tortilla chips and salsas while you peruse the menu. Our favourites are any of the pork, chicken or fish dishes. The portions are good sized. The margaritas are very good, as well. Don't miss the flan if it's on the dessert menu. Some of the best we've had! We've eaten here many times for lunch and dinner and recently attended a special event at the restaurant. We've always been pleased. It's a small restaurant, brightly decorated but homey at the same time. In the summers the side patio is open which has a rustic courtyard feel to it, but nicely shaded. The owner, chef, and servers are very friendly. read more

For someone who has been to Mexico 5 times, I can certainly say this place is the most authentic I have experienced in Canada! For those that are not aware, authentic Mexican taste a little different from the standard US/Canadian "Tex Mex". We went for lunch on Saturday. The place was not overly busy. The service was very friendly and chilled. All the food we tried was enjoyable. prices are average to slightly more expensive. I would be happy to return! read more

Great food. Very authentic. Server was great. The tortilla soup is to die for! Had the tacos and they were good too. A real find for Peterborough. read more

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Local owned and operated. Truly delicious authentic Mexican street food. Never disappoints read more

The food was delicious with really good portions. Beautiful decoration and setting. Reminded us of when we went to Mexico City. They allowed our dog on the patio. The staff were safe and cordial, very kind. The prices were also reasonable. Loved it, would go back. Aztec Soup, Churros, Tacos read more

La Hacienda - Taco Al Pastor and Taco Carne Acadia - Mexican Near Me - Peterborough, Ontario

My go-to mexican restaurant when im in town. Great service and fresh ingredients. Strongly recommended.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting but I definitely wasn't expecting it would be this good! I went here on valentines day, so you can imagine the busyness and stress placed on the staff, and yet they remained calm and very friendly. The atmosphere felt authentic and welcoming. The food however, was the best part. I loved everything they served me, It was all amazing!!!! Honestly I think this is my new favourite place in Peterborough I can't believe that I haven't came here before. For anyone who hasn't been here, I would defiantly recommend. The food is slightly pricy, but the quality and quantity make it so that you 100% get what you paid for. read more

Loved this place as soon as I sat down. The staff are friendly and the food is prepared fresh and authentic. Everybody loved their food and there was lots of sharing going on to try the different dishes at the table. They have build a simple outdoor eating area in the side alley and, with my back to the street and the sun shining, I felt like I was on vacation somewhere in Mexico. Worth the visit. read more

Interesting decor inside that is kind of Mexican. It could use a little more light. The server was nice but very very slow. We were her 3rd table in the restaurant and she took forever to come back and take our orders, deliver food, and check up on us. Margarita - GROSS. It had no alcohol and was super super sweet. It was like drinking candy. Definitely not worth getting. Chips & Salsa - stale chips with a mediocre salsa that needed more salt. The guac was nothing special either. Mole Enchiladas - the chicken was dry and the sauce was flavorless. The only thing that was good on the refried beans. This was just not authentic and so overpriced for not so good food. I do not think I will be coming back as I cannot spend over $30 for food that I cannot even finish eating. There are way more dining options in the area and this should not be one of them. read more

If you want Mexican in Peterborough, then, well, you're pretty much stuck with La Hacienda. And you better believe the service reflects this non-competitive market! We arrived this evening, admittedly without a reservation, only to be greeted by indifferent staff. After about ten minutes of standing in the middle of their restaurant, looking a large table that had been used for a party of 12 or so (based on the number dirty dishes left at each place setting), we were taken to a table in the courtyard/alley. Location was decent, however there were still blotches of salsa on the table from (hopefully) the previous party. Another 10 minutes passes before one of the waitstaff/owners came over to give us our menu and finally wipe the table after being asked multiple times. Shockingly, the orders were taken quickly, however this only served to highlight how long we had to wait for the food (45 minutes!). The food was alright, if a bit bland; I've had better but I've also had worse. And as you may have guessed, we had to wait for the bill. This was my second visit, the first was many years ago when I was finishing my undergrad. This was also my first visit back to Peterborough and I was shocked to see how little change had occurred in the downtown's culinary scene. Perhaps if there was some competition service levels would improve. Tl;dr poor service, bland unremarkable food. I give it a pass, if not, i hope you've got mad dinner conversation skills. read more

I'm from Mexico and trust me, this place has authentic mexican food, it makes me feel like home! The food is fresh and made from scratch. It's amazing that they offer veggie and vegan choices. Oh! And order a margarita, you won't regret! read more

This restaurant has a patio extended into their alleyway. They have set up tables that are DIRECTLY in front of my bedroom AND my BATHROOM window. It makes me wonder what kind of people are totally ok with exposing their customers to the smells and sounds that come from a bathroom that 2 people use and 3 cats use. This is also annoying for me, especially when the employees are drinking after hours and being loud outside my BEDROOM window at midnight, even when there are all the other tables to chose from. The sound is annoying enough but the fact that i can see their silhouettes is disturbing (meaning i can also see customers silhouettes daily and hear their conversations) and that the only thing stopping customers from seeing me is that my window is THANKFULLY frosted. But if i were to open it we would both have a clear view of each other. I have never been to this restaurant nor would i EVER order from them after seeing the complete disrespect they show, not just for their neighbours, but for their very own customers. I would be disgusted to be sat infront of somebody's bathroom window and i think its a horrible thing to do to paying customers read more

Ordered the $13 guacamole which was the size of my fingernail. I also got a fish taco and a shrimp taco. The food was tasty but very overpriced. It gave my friend and I food poisoning. I am writing this from the toilet read more

Excellent food, wonderful staff, and a colourful atmosphere. Choose from a wide selection of authentic Mexican food, including burritos, soups, and plenty of other traditional dishes, featuring homemade corn tortillas! Come here in the afternoon and enjoy their lunch special, which includes a choice of soup with a burrito for only $16! In addition, you may pair your meal with sangria, wine, or beer, as the restaurant also has their liquor license. read more

La Hacienda - Pork burrito - Mexican Near Me - Peterborough, Ontario

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Best Mexican food I've ever had. Weird but still cute patio area. We don't go often, unfortunately, but we've never had a bad experience when we do. read more

Great little place - really reminded us of restaurants in small Mexican towns. The poco de gallo was very fresh and tasty with homemade nachos and the Aztec soup was excellent. We'll be back for sure. read more

I ordered the mole enchiladas and it was amazing, the ingredients were very fresh, and you can't miss the churros. The whole experience was really nice. read more

Truly authentic Mexican food. Everything is made true to traditional family recipes and tastes divine. Can be expensive, but if you love Mexican food this is one of the best places to go in Peterborough! read more

Ordered food for delivery. I can only hope that those dining in the restaurant have a better experience, although take-out/delivery should be equal to or close to the same as in house as far as food quality/quantity. There was nothing wrong with the food taste/prep, it was simply that the portions were small, and it was quite over-priced. Do people in the restaurant also get a side of about a cup of rice, spoonful of refried beans, small dollop of guacamole and equally small dollop of salsa, and 3 or 4 nacho chips? Oh, and the little side salad - which consisted of about a handful of mixed greens and that's it. Even if I were to have had the same meal in house, I would be rating it the same 2 stars, because I HAVE, in fact, experienced better when it comes to Mexican cuisine - certainly I have experienced better price and quantity / value for dollar. read more

I am from a large Canadian city and discovered La Hacienda while studying at Trent University. I now must eat here every time I visit Peterborough. It's that good. I cannot speak to the authenticity directly but I can say this: this is NOT Texas Mexican, nor is it Californian Mexican or many of the American/Canadian adaptations. Any time I eat at a restaurant that claims to be authentic or someone from Mexico is cooking for me, this is the kind of thing I am eating. The food is NOT bland! It is bursting with flavour! I am fairly certain "bland" is their code-word for mild. Every dish is either rich or burstingly fresh. If you want heat, you have to ask for it. As a Hungarian-Canadian, I have encountered this before: heat is not a flavour and too often I have people tell me "this is so flavourful," only to taste it to find it is suicide hot but has no depth or genuine flavour. La Hacienda does FLAVOUR. Every time I go, I have a different appetizer and order a dish with their mole sauce: a beautiful rich sauce where, in La Hacienda's version, you can taste it is made with good quality chocolate and taste the smokiness of the roasted chiles. I've tried many a mole sauce and La Hacienda makes the best I have ever had. However, my dinner companions are constantly giving me bites of their plates, echoing "we know you love their mole, but you are missing out by not trying the rest of the menu." Well, through them, I have tried the rest of the menu and I know there is not a dish that I have not enjoyed; where the mole is rich, the salsa dishes burst with freshness. They are right that I am missing out but I am always so afraid I will regret not having that mole. When I move back to Peterborough, I will have more faith that I can come back when I please. Not to say I have never seen the owners in a bad mood, staying reserved as a result, but that is not the majority of my experience. They have stayed open for years not for being the only Mexican in town (they're not) but for being the best and caring deeply for what they do. Cozy, bright atmosphere. Worth a bite. read more

As a Mexican, this is the place where I feel most like home, the food is delicious and authentic, every dish is so vast. The "chilaquiles" were even better than in some places in Mexico. The service is great. I can surely say, the best Mexican place in Peterborough. read more

Way over priced for Peterborough and for Mexican food. With a $25 fajitas dinner, there was only about 1/3 of chicken breast mixed into about 1-2 whole green and red peppers and onions. Not enough chicken to make 3 tiny wraps. Guacamole was $15 and was only a tiny bowl. These are both unlike what we normally see at Mexican restaurants where you would get a huge bowl of tableside guacamole for the same price (about 3 times more) and $25 fajitas would be about a pound of meat and enough for 2 people at that price. We've tried the place across the road which is casual Mexican, and it's about 1/3 of the price and way better food, but they don't have drinks so we came here instead. We were sorry we did and feel ripped off. Also it was empty in there and the last time we tried it the people next to us were saying some of the same things: way too expensive for entrees with scrimping on meat in the expensive entrees. We won't be back sadly. read more

Situated in the heart of Peterborough's Cafe District on Hunter Street, La Hacienda is the real deal. It features authentic Mexican food and drink and advertises to "take you on a culinary trip through Mexico". When you first walk into the restaurant, it is clear that La Hacienda has rich ties to Mexican heritage. The walls are painted Calypso Orange and the floor tiled with Terracotta. The lighting creates a warm and welcoming feeling, like you've just walked into Abuela's (grandma) house. It was a beautiful summer day, so we chose to sit out on the patio, which features around 12 tables, (some covered and shaded). Our waitress was lovely. She greeted us with a smile and allowed us to choose our spot on the patio. She gave us a quick minute to look over the drink menus, before coming back to take our orders. My husband ordered a Dos Equis, because, he was "thirsty, my friends"! To our surprise, they have it ON TAP! So awesome! I ordered a mojito. Seriously, I need to tell you about this mojito! My goodness was it delicious. Served with ice and a hint of sugar at the bottom, it featured fresh, vibrant mint leaves and 1 1/2 ounces of rum. In the hot, summer heat, this drink was a perfect choice. The menu is filled with lots of authentic sopas, appetizers, and entrees, ranging from $8 to $21. Each dish is described in detail and to our surprise, almost everything on the menu is Gluten free. Of course, I love gluten, so that doesn't really win me over, but for some of you, I know it might. Jason ordered the Pescado Jalisience. I was having a difficult time deciding between the Enchiladas or the Pollo con Mole. I asked our waitress if she was able to recommend one over the other. Her response, "oh, I love the pollo con mole, but you could just Enchiladas con Mole with chicken". BRILLIANT! After we ordered, the waitress brought us back some freshly made, complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. She offered us the mild rojo salsa. My guess is she didn't think we could handle the spicy option. The salsa tasted homemade and had lots of bright tomato flavours. Jason and I both agreed that we probably could've gone for the spice, as the salsa was very, very mild. Gringo mild, in fact! It wasn't long before our mains were delivered. I don't love fish, but even I could have eaten Jason's dish. The perfectly two pieces of grilled fish was swimming in a sea of rice and salsa verde and topped with mango salsa. It looked like a piece of culinary art. My plate also looked like a work of art. The enchiladas were smothered in mole sauce and showcased a drizzled design of sour cream. On top, was a fresh garden salad and refried beans and rice on either side. The mole sauce at La Hacienda is a taste to desire. The smokiness of the chilis really shines through, and there is just a faint undertone of chocolate. The enchiladas were packed full of seasoned chicken and cheesy goodness. Eating bites of the salad with the enchilada really helped lighten the richness of the mole sauce. I am still not sure what the flavour in the refried beans was, but it was also delicious. So here we go...let's rate La Hacienda Food - 4 Stars - The menu features a variety of authentic food and has gluten free choices. The flavours are amazing and the food is presented like a work of art. Drink - 4 Stars - Not a ton of variety, but based on the fact that they have Dos Equis on tap and that mojito...definitely a solid 4. Service - 4 Stars - The waitress was super friendly. She was very knowledgable and was very attentive to our needs. Atmosphere - 5 Stars - Clean. Super cool vibe. Entertainment - 3 Stars There was music playing inside, but we sat out on the patio. The patio is good for people watching!!! No TV. OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4 STARS We will definitely be going back to La Hacienda. It was a great experience that left us wanting to try more on the menu. Will this be our home away from home? Probably not. But I can see us going back and eating at La Hacienda at least once a month. Hasta Luego! Find my other reviews at: http://makemesomethinggoodtoeat.blogspot.ca read more

Whether this is "authentic" mexican or not I cannot comment on. But the food here needs more flavour. I don't know what it is, either they don't spice their food enough, or it's not fresh enough, it just falls a bit flat. That being said, everyone is friendly, and the restaurant itself is cozy. read more

Came in for a five course tasting menu done in the style of Oaxacan cuisine. Absolutely fantastic! We've been here several times before, and have never had a bad experience. This is def the spot for authentic Mexican, and one of the most underrated joints in Peterborough! A must try. read more