VIBE This feels more like a Cuban little hideaway off a side road than it does on Dupont and Davenport. Clandestine is putting it mildly. You can almost doubt yourself that you're going the wrong way here. Note: walking from Dupont will be a shorter walk than walking from St. George station. Both can be done. That said, you could immediately feel the warmth and coziness of Playa (from herein called PC). I know this place is busy, so I called to make a reservation and even then we had to wait for their brand new back patio. It was definitely worth it! Note: this was at 9 p.m. on a Monday night on a holiday weekend so if you're coming here on a weekend come very early. The bartenders were nice (and not bad to look at) but they know how to make a mean margarita. Also, they have MOJITO PITCHERS. That said, it wasn't as strong as I expected. Back to the back patio: it's very cute! They've got outside heat lamps and trees that make it very intimate and the ideal second date place (good Mexican food deserves to be reserved for date deux or trois). They can also accommodate groups as well and have high tops. It works! Service was good. WE ATE Oh, we ate! The guac has lots of flavour with lime and a bit of a spicy kick. It definitely filled us up while we were waiting for our tacos. First choice were the fish tacos and they sold out. So we moved onto the chicken tacos and the steak tostadas. I did feel there was a bit of a charred taste to both the tacos and tostadas but otherwise, the taste was ALL there. Everything had plenty of accoutrements (including more guac, bestill our heart). My favourite dish was the steak tostadas. It comes with this orange rice; I'm not sure what exactly is in the rice but all I know is that I wanted more and more. OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK A busy restaurant that lets you talk until it's closing down is a good restaurant in my books. It's nice to have a quality Mexican restaurant that's intimate and doesn't feel like it's in Toronto. Don't stop. Get it. Get it. read more

This place needs a reno. Food is consistent over the years but it smells like dirty mop water and the seating is way to uncomfortable. Food is good but needs to go to the next level now . Time for a change. read more

Playa Cabana - POLLO TINGAS CRISPY - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Hallelujah, praise the lord! I've finally found good Mexican food in Toronto! Playa Cabana had been recommended to me by several people, but it was so hard to get a reservation. I walked in with a friend at something like 2:30 PM on a weekday, and it was still packed...luckily we just got a table. First off, the food: The chips and salsa were very nice. Great crunchy tortilla chips which they had clearly fried in-house that day (thank you for not using Tostitos). The salsa was good, but oddly not all that spicy. I had 3 absolutely delicious fish tacos though. After the nachos, it was so much food, I didn't need a side of the rice and beans. The fish was expertly cooked and completely fresh. They make it with whatever the catch of the day is. Sweet! Perfectly accompanied by heat, acid, and cream. My friend loved his food too. Second the service: The waiter was great, but he was pretty busy. Sometimes it felt like it lagged a tiny bit, but I think we were coming in around shift change and the place was packed. Nonetheless, he knew his food and kept us happy. The atmosphere: It was rainy, but looks like they have a sweet little patio. Inside is cramped, but not unbearably so. I'd rather get in and get a table. My one complaint: The music. Mexican rap. The choice of music wasn't the problem, it was the volume. You might have thought it was 1 AM in a Vegas dance club in there. I'm sure the staff in the kitchen were loving it, but I did not really want to shout to my friend for the entire lunch. Try turning it down, your customers will still hear it...trust me. The tequila selection looks pretty good. I'll have to check it out on my next go around. read more

No Chimichangas here. Nice restaurant in an offbeat location on Dupont. Easy to get to if you get off at St George subway and just walk straight up Bedford for 5 minutes to Dupont. Its basically right there. Small little place which gets larger with the amazing patio on the outside. We started out on the patio but unfortunately the rain took us inside to a very hip locale with bar seating in the middle of the restaurant. Not sure what it was but there was lots of groups of young women at the restaurant this night. Service was quick and had waters to our table super quick. Unfortunately two of the three waters had remnents of left over food items in them. Getting past this the night only got better. The food was fantastic. We started with the Guacamole/chips. Loved the baked tortillia chips. The Guac was tasty also. I ordered a burrito which was beyond huge. Filled with chicken, rice, black beans and all sorts of other goodness was super tasty and super rich. Desert? After you just served that oversized piece of goodness? Don't think so. Overall a super spot and fairly reasonablly priced food. Drinks were slighly pricey but where aren't they these days. I definately recommend. Josh read more

LOVE this place. Do not love, however, the fact that weekend reservations now have to be made weeks in advance. This means Playa Cabana needs to expand its small space and fast. I would say it's the best and most authentic Mexican in the city I have come across, with the exception of the "street meat" style food that can be found in Kensington Market at El Trompo. Here you will find amazing guacamole prepared to your spice tolerance and accompanied by homemade tortilla chips, grilled corn, tacos and other favourites served up with the best Margaritas in the city. The Margaritas deserve a second sentence to express just how good they are with many variations in flavour and tequila. I just have a couple qualms: 1) the prices would be a little lower in cities with more Mexican options and 2) please expand! read more

Seriously, THE best Mexican restaurant ever! I just love this little restaurant so much that I cant get enough of it. I even took my parents there once and between the three of us we had 3 pitchers of Margaritas! yup, its THAT good! Make sure you make a reservation though, the place is pretty small, and always packed no matter what night of the week it is. Its pretty loud in there too, so don't expect a romantic date night there. but its a MUST try restaurant, the food is just amazing, they've done a pretty good job with the decor too. I cant wait to try the patio. For the trying-so-hard-to-stay-in-shape-calorie-counter FOOD lovers, try their bean salad. Its soooooooo yummy and filling but really healthy and low in cal! read more

This place is great! Great atmosphere, incredible food, and awesome service. We started with the fish and short rib tacos - both incredible. My wife and I then shared the breaded chicken burrito. The only problem with the menu is that everything looks and sounds SO GOOD it's hard to choose. The service was truly as good as it gets. The staff is friendly, helpful, and attentive. They really make you feel welcome. I can't wait to come back. read more

I haven't really had real good Mexican food until I came here! The food was so good that I had to come back a second time with my friends. I love how many options they have on their menu and the service was friendly and fast. Their sauce goes so well with their tacos. Definitely one of the best Mexican restaurants that are clean and have good flavours! Can't wait to go back again when I'm craving real Mexican food! read more

Great place! Good authentic Mexican food and nice atmosphere (though a little cramped). Had the choriqueso tacos, the meat was well seasoned and cooked right, the cheese was queso Oaxaca, you can't usually find that here and when you do it's often not good but not in this case. Service was prompt, it's a small place but they had plenty of people on staff. Would definitely dine here again. By the way, I'm Mexican so believe me when I say it's authentic. read more

A friend and I were looking for a nice lunch spot after visiting castle Casaloma. We came across this small but cozy authentic Mexican place. They served us house made chips with guacamole as appetizers. The guacamole is served in a molcajete (stone bowl). I thought that was pretty cool!! For our mains we got fish tacos (Tacos de Pescado) and beef short rib tacos (Ancho Braised Short rib crispy Tacos). They were amazing!! I would definitely go back to this place on a daily base if I lived in Tdot. Thank you Playa Cabana!! I will be back. read more

I can't say anything bad! Food was great, prices great, service great! It's a small little place so keep an eye open while driving by. Gets busy quick so call ahead and make reservations. read more

Absolutely great service, server was very patient when explaining the sauces on the table! Tacos were super yummy, will be back read more

Playa Cabana - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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A little hard to find, but the food was simply amazing We had the lobster, beef ribs and fish tacos and the guacamole. All delicious! read more

I took the recommendations of many and did make a reservation for a Saturday night a few days in advance, which was wise because we got the last table available. The space might be tiny, and the chairs might wobble a little bit, but the latin music will keep your body swaying. You will definitely find an authentic Mexican feel compared to any of the other restaurants in the city, but on to the food! We started with the grilled corn with lime and quesco fresca. It is permeated with lime, and it tastes as if it has been swimming in a vast sea of lime. It is quite flavourful and delicious. Just wish it came with more cobs! For our mains, we shared a plate of the ancho braised short rib tacos in the golden crispy tortillas, and a plate of tacos al pastor. The better of the two was definitely the ancho braised short rib. The crispy taco sets them apart from some of the other taco joints in the city, and the flavour and texture was quite superior to the tacos al pastor. The only downside is they can be a little messy. The tacos al pastor was pretty light on the pineapple, and could have used a little sauce, and even seemed smaller than the short rib. Plus they came in a soft tortilla shell which wasn't as special. I don't think I'd order them again. On the other hand, the short rib tacos were good enough that we ordered another round. And on to dessert. The tres leches cake was amazing and one of the best desserts I've ever had. At a reasonable 7 dollars, and big enough for sharing. This is a dessert you don't want to pass on. It isn't overall sweet, and it doesn't taste one note. I found the taste and texture of the dessert transformed in my mouth and finished differently on both accounts. 5 stars for this dessert, and would be the main reason I would go back. It will leave you feeling good about your choice of passing on a McFlurry from McDonald's on the way home, and if that is not a win, I don't know what is. read more

The homemade tortilla chips are really fresh and crispy. It's really difficult to hold back from consuming baskets of them. But you MUST leave room for tacos! Shrimp bucket is another worthy app. Shrimps are tossed in shell in some arbol-garlic butter.They are juicy and buttery with a little kick of heat. They are a little challenging to peel and I found that a lot of the flavour was actually in the shell. The actual meat was not as flavourful as the shell. The braised shortrib brisket tacos are an ABSOLUTE MUST! The brisket was soooo tender and juicy with a little hint of sweet. The chorizo burrito didn't quite live up the expectations that the braised beef tacos set. It didn't pack the same level of flavour. read more

It's a really tight space here but the food is to die for. Had the baha fish tacos and chicken burrito and I want to eat it all over again. Guaranteed food coma. Reservations are hard to get around peak hours so you're looking at a 9:30-10:00 pm seating if you're lucky. Music can be loud so it's not the greatest place to have a conversation. Washroom cleanliness is alright; cleaned every hour. Pricing is fair and on par. Will return!!! read more

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In terms of success I guess the Mas Playa group of restaurants has its footing deep into Toronto's Mexican food trend obsession, growing from this Dupont Street location to several others around the city centre. A bit hidden off and a tad pricey for something that is essentially Mexican street foods, Playa Cabana is small, cramped, dark, lively... and zesty. Food-wise it is fresh as it get here in the cold gloomy north; quality comparable to some of the Mexican stuff I recall dabbling in whilst in Los Angeles (though I am certainly no authority of "authentic" Mexican food at all). But damn they big! Flavours and textures were bursting as we bit into our overstuffed (maybe way too overstuffed) tacos and tuna ceviche. Good grilled flavour in the chorizo in my taco. Fresh guac all around too. Of all the noise I hear about how crowded it gets at dinnertime, try coming in at lunch instead. Of all the noise I hear about on-and-off service, my experience with the servers were generally positive and friendly. {TTC: a short couple blocks walk from Dupont subway station. The Bay and Dupont buses also serve the area, but bus service here really stinks.} read more

This place is pretty popular, and it was tight getting a seat on a Friday night, but thankfully there was only two of us and small table left in the back. The atmosphere is cozy, hip and modern Mexican, sometimes, it's nice being only six inches from your neighbouring table! And I'm glad we were able to sneak in, because everything was fabulous. We started off the meal with homemade chips and salsa. I wish there was an endless bowl of each for me to munch on all day and all night. The salsa was bright and fresh with just enough heat to slap your tongue around. The chips were warm and crisp and the perfect vehicle to get the salsa to your month. Next came the chicken tostadas and ancho braise short rib tacos. The chicken tostadas came piled hight with guac and crema with some black beans thrown into the mix to give the meal some weight. The surprise of the dish though, the rice! I chased down every single grain of rice that was on that plate. The short ribs had a delicious depth of flavour that was balance by the pico de gallo. My mouth is watering while I write this review just thinking of the salsa and rice. Next time, I'm going to have to wash all that delicious food down with a margarita! read more

Playa Cabana is a great spot for dinner and drinks. Here are a few highlights from my experience... 1. Like others who have mentioned this, I did feel rushed to order, then to order more, then to leave. This was slightly annoying, but we were having a good time anyway, and didn't really think much of it until after we left. 2. The tacos are a bit small, but they are fresh and delicious. I would order the chicken tacos again. (Be warned! Some of the table sauces are quite spicy!) 3. If you like guacamole, you will love their chips and guacamole. The chips, which can be a tinge greasy, are tasty and made in house. 4. The service, aside from being a bit rushed, was good. The recommendations for food and drinks were perfect. 5. The vibe is loud and fun. I noticed that there was quite a diverse crowd here, which is nice as well. 6. They have indoor and outdoor seating. To be mere steps from the corner of Davenport and Dupont, the outdoor patio seems quite removed from city traffic and noise. This is a great spot. There probably aren't many places in Toronto that can match Playa Cabana for Mexican food. read more

Yes, yes, yes. I came here on a Friday night with reservations for two (Tip: make reservations! I tried to come once before this without one and the wait was insane). It has a casual, relaxing and fun vibe to it. The washed-out wooden accents give the place that beach house feel that the restaurant is named after. We had the best seat right at the front of the restaurant with open windows looking out to the street. Awesome. They really do appreciate food presentation here. Near the back half of the restaurant they had all the seafood sitting on ice! Lobster, crab, oysters. This ice tray of deliciousness was positioned near the guy that likely prepares it and some other dishes. It made me want to order the seafood, so good on them. I ordered a margarita made with Tromba tequila. Very tasty. It was the perfect balance of sweet, sour and tequila. And you could actually taste the tequila. We shared the guac and chips. Their chips are so good! Fresh and crunchy like they should be. For my main I ordered the Tacos de Pescado (Baja style). Also excellent. If you're getting an appetizer to share I would recommend getting these tacos without the beans and rice. They were very filling on their own. They had this light but creamy coleslaw mix on top of the battered fish which was a nice contrast to the deep-fried-ness of the fish. Including ours, all the meals I saw served around us looked very fresh and well presented. The food has definitely lived up to the hype, in presentation and taste. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and made good recommendations. The only downside to the evening was the time it took for our appetizer and food to be served: longer than normal. I also wish their sipping tequila wasn't $14 minimum an ounce, I passed on it this time. It's expensive because it's excellent quality, so I understand. The cheaper tequilas were ones you shoot and they had a huge selection. I will have to explore their tequila menu more next time I'm here! All in all, excellent food, fun vibe, good service, but a long wait on the food. Make reservations! read more

Playa Cabana seems to be on par with Grand Electric in terms of actual mexican and taco authenticity style but is a little more stuffy with the Yorkville crowd flocking here young and old. Where as Grand Electric is a little more Parkdale trendy, fun, laidback and gritty. I came on a Sunday with my boyfriend with no reservations and had to wait for about 35 minutes. Definitely make a reservation as this place is busy. We shared tacos and some guacamole. Like I said, Playa serves some tasty tacos but they come a little too fussy as I like my mexican simply authentic. Service is decent, our waiter seemed to be a little absent minded but he made up for it in apologetic charm. The only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because it also seems to be the most expensive in the city for what you get. Not quite worth it in my opinion. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! We've been here a few times for special occasions. Every time we come it's always a great experience. The food is on point! I always get the chicken tostadas...these are VERY filling and DELICIOUS! We usually get a pitcher of the mojitos to share, their mojitos are the best in town. The churros aren't the yummiest, but still not bad. Would recommend this place for any night out, but make reservations as it's a small place and it's always busy. read more

Great atmosphere - I love coming here with my friends and sharing guacamole with a variety of tacos. Last time I came, I ordered the fish taco (fried) and pork sausage with roasted pineapple taco. Loved the fish taco (meaty and flaky), but felt the pork sausage was overly salty, though the pineapples were a nice touch. Pricing seems reasonable (3 tacos starting at $15). I thought the cocktails were overpriced ($13 and up), and did not order any. read more

I went to Playa Cabana with a relatively large group (12-13 people) and they were great. I had the Guaca Fresca, which was amazing. Large portion of guacamole (mild is actually not spicy at all), and the chips were delicious as well. For the main, I had the Tacos De Pescado, which is the fish tacos. The tacos were on the sour-side of the taste palette, especially with the coleslaw in it. I would recommend not putting any more lime on it. The fish was very fresh. Overall, customer service was great as well. read more

Food was excellent, service was sub par. I would give 5 stars if the service was as good as the food. Our waiter was friendly, took our orders, brought the appetizers and then never came back. Never to ask about food, never to ask for more drinks, nothing. He disappeared to go talk on the phone! We had to flag another waiter down for even water. Then again flagged another waiter for my bill. The other waiters seemed very attentive, asking their tables about drinks, food and desserts. Not us, our waiter was inside on the phone. Eventually I asked another waiter to bring my bill and he sent our server out. I asked him what happened to him and he said "We are inside polishing the forks!". Well excuse me, didn't know the forks being polished were more important than your customers! read more

Loved this place A friend and I randomly discovered this place and we couldn't have been happier with Playa Cabana. The ambiance was great, it felt very authentic and rusty, the food was phenomenal! I had the fish tacos and I don't know if it was because I was hungry but they were perfect! The customer service was also really good, very friendly and welcoming so that was really nice for a change. I will definitely be back! read more

We made a reservation at Playa Cabana a few days prior for 3PM on a Saturday afternoon. When we arrived at 2:30PM a little early for our reservation the place was packed. They were able to seat us early and were very accommodating. The restaurant is small and tight with a casual & fun atmosphere. It was loud but not so loud you couldn't hear each other. The service was very good, we got severed quickly, received our drinks quickly and food in a reasonable amount of time. The chips and salsa are very good as were the other items we ordered. Overall the food was very good. My husband & I both agreed that La Mexican is still better but would go again without hesitation. If you are planning to go, make a reservation, you will be happy you did. read more

Food was great, loved my fish taco and chips with salsa, service was nice. Only downsize is that it quite small that I'd imagined. read more

Playa Cabana - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Food was good. Atmosphere was really great. Cocktails were amazing. However, they turned off the music with a half an hour left until close. Some tables were still getting served and we were still eating. They had three servers on our table which was great for check ups! But, they asked if we were finished yet a bit too much. It has the potential to be a really great place! The food was tasty. The guac was a bit under falvoured -- it lacked some serious bite and was nothing special. The only issue was really just with the staff. They really wanted us to get out of there so they could close down. The second time I went, over a year later, we had a better time. The food was really great, however they brought us our main JUST as our appetizer was sat down in front of us. The server/food runner tried to fit it onto our tiny table, which we weren't pleased about. Finally, I said "Um, I don't think we're ready for our main" and he took it back. Later, the timing was great once our plates were cleared and our stuff came back nice and hot. Again, we felt a little bit rushed. I get that it's a busy place and they likely want to get as many sittings as possible, but the vibe of the entire restaurant is something that just screams slow date night, so I wish they wouldn't be so rushed. read more

The tacos here are simply amazing. Even though the place was super busy on a Tuesday night, the service was on point. I will definitely visit again. read more

Small tight place but the food makes it up for it, where the fish taco was AMAZINGLY and their homemade chips with salsa. read more

Playa Cabana - Fish Taco and homemade chips with salsa - Mexican Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I went to Playa Cabana for my birthday lunch with a friend. Unforunately, what was to be a memorable experience turned out to be not so much. I had heard about this restaurant, and the reviews i'd seen made it sound delicious. So I was really excited to go there. We were seated at 12:10pm, and we knew what we were ordering by 12:15pm. Both of us ordered burritos. Needless to say, at 1pm, we had not received our food. I understand that it takes time to cook burritos, but 45 minutes is an absurd amount of time! We saw other people seated who received food before us. Because we had to go back to work, my friend had to ask for take-out boxes and to pay the bill immediately. First of all, if the food was going to take that long, in my opinion, the restaurant should have at least offered chips and salsa for the table (at the very least)! They should have actually comp'd our meal. I've been to restaruants where they've cooked a steak faster than this! It's unfortunate i'm having to write a bad review, because the food actually was good (albeit cold when i got back to my desk) and I was really excited to try this place. I sincerely hope that they look at their staffing issues, and how they treat their customers if they know there's a delay. I won't be going back anytime soon. read more

This is the place to visit if you love Mexican food- Real Mexican food. Had some yummy short rib tacos and washed them down with plenty of authentic margaritas. The place does get busy so reservations are a most but worth it. Don't expect to linger and relax. The place is busy and food comes out at a rapid pace to get you to eat and get you out for the next guests to enjoy. read more

Going to this place has become a ritual for my boyfriend and I. We go every year when the patio opens. We don't go more often only because we eat way too much every time. I'd recommend getting more appetizers than meals. My fav combo is the guac, the corns and the shrimp (sorry I don't recall the Spanish words). I personally didn't love the Chorizo sausage. It was too spicy and saucy for me. Service has room for improvement. Last time we were here we had to wait for the menus for 20 minutes, but to their defence it was super busy on the patio and it's not like they could fit any more servers. Unlike other patios on Dupont, this one is on the street and super cozy. I highly recommend! read more

I love Mexican food. I love all of it. Give me tortilla chips and some salsa and I am a happy lady. But there is so much more to Playa Cabana than just chips and salsa. Thanks for opening this resto so close to where I live! What I wanted to mention first is that I don't think it's fair to judge this restaurant when you were there with a group of 26. This restaurant does not fit 26 people. If you were there once you would realize that very simple fact. I wouldn't go here with more than 6 people (unless the patio area gives them more space in the summer). It's not fair to score them down solely based on being a difficult group for any restaurant. With 26 people, you would have issues at any resto. We ordered the cerviche, chips and salsa to start. The chips were nice and crispy, the salsa was very fresh and nicely spiced and the cerviche was amazing. I had the tostadas as my main meal with carrnitas. The dish was simple, fresh and not overloaded with many other toppings which would have hidden the flavours. Very delicious. I also tried their higher end margarita and it was awesome and authentic. Sometimes margaritas are made too sweet but this one was very good and refreshing. I will definitely be back here many times to try out all the other things on the menu and as suggested here, the Mexican cola. Can't wait to go back and can't wait to check out the patio in the summer. You cannot go wrong with some mojitos on a patio. read more

Hard to find a worthy rival for Mexican food in the city. The outdoor patio is relaxed and tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. The service is attentive but it is, as often sited, difficult to get reservations. read more

By far, the most delicious Mexican food in the city. The biggest problem is that there's no air conditioning, or at least, no air conditioning that guests can FEEL. I strongly suggest guac and chips, the fried fish tacos, and any of the absolutely massive and delicious burritos! read more

Love this place! It is tiny, so definitely make a reservation. But, the atmosphere and food is great! We've been here a couple of times, and our favourite dish is the burrito. This thing is HUGE, but I actually managed to eat all of it. It is stuffed to the brim with deliciousness, and then topped with different sauces. I couldn't tell you what the sauces are, but it's magic. The homemade chips are salty, crunchy and fresh, and make an awesome pair to the homemade guacamole. On our first visit, I had the ancho braised short rib brisket crispy tacos, and I wasn't a fan at all. The filling was really heavy, with no citrus or acidic flavour to contrast. The tacos were also soggy, and I couldn't eat them with my hands. We will definitely be returning for the burritos! read more

I came because of the yelp reviews. But now I'm going to keep coming because the food proved itself. It's soooo good. It's a little bit pricier than some of the other places in Kensington Market but they offer some really good stuff here. One of my personal favorite is the Playa burrito. It's so filling you can probably split it with someone. They also have a really big patio at the back so don't be fooled by how tiny the storefront looks. Service was really slow but good made up for it. read more

I came here on a Sunday evening and it wasn't too too crowded. There was street parking available around the block. Their service was great. I ordered their guac&chips and braised short ribs tacos. Food was authentic and delicious. Definitely coming back here again! read more