The food, speed and prices are awesome. So glad we found this place! Very flavourful and the…read moreportion size is perfect.

WOW! The little hole in the wall that leads you straight into the streets of Mexico! Everything at…read moreEl Este is fresh and delicious and served with the passion of good food rooted in true authentic Mexican cooking. Just a tiny likely shop tucked away in Dartmouth, a few high top seats and a menu that nails the essentials. The burrito was AMAZING and the tacos will knock your socks off. Definitely try the pork! Awesome service and great vibe. Worth the stop!

Our server was dialed in. Had great recommendations. Was money on everyone. Had the 3 guacamole and…read morea pork pastor taco. Delicious

It was my second time there, and really enjoyed sitting at the bar. Down to earth and friendly…read morestaff! Loved the 3 salsas and choices of hot sauces - all greens favorites for me :) keep up the great atmosphere, food and service! Quesedillas and Lake city cider - A visitor from Montreal!

Best Michelada I've ever had compliments of the amazing Morgan! We are new to Halifax and will be…read moreso sad to see this gem go. I'm literally trying every combination of ingredients trying to duplicate this drink!!

Heard good things about this place and it did not disappoint. The food was amazing and the…read morecocktails were exquisite. Will definitely be going again.

Obviously no attention to detail as ordered tacos with cheese- no cheese/ ordered salsa on the…read moreburrito bowl- where's the salsa? Seriously

I love the chicken Burrito so much and the mango sour cream. Their burritos are jam packed with the…read moregoods. Great portions and service.

Delish! Had pastor, fish tacos, guacamole. All were amazing. Ate outside. Would definitely go backread more

Wonderful restaurant! Wish it was larger, sometimes quite busy. Best tacos in town.read more

Living in a pan-Latino community I'm really spoiled. But visiting Halifax this place was like home…read more(and mirrored local home-cooking travel and food experiences in both Guatemala and Mexico). Claudia is the sweetest hostess/owner/proprietor. Her Huevos Salceros was a terrific brunch entree. Her Argentinian potato empanadas pure dining perfection. But the best part of the meal was the aromatica hot fruit drink. The combination was mesmerizing.

Stumbled upon this quaint restaurant / shop while looking for brunch but unfortunately left hungry…read more As other reviewers have pointed out, the menu is chock full of Latin American eats but the portions are miniscule. For instance, tostadas are pictured in the menu resembling the size of a large fist but arrive closer to the size of a two bite brownie. The plate in my picture costs nearly $35! This place has potential, but you'll have to be sure to order lots if you want to leave full.

Obviously, I love this city. Are we Toronto or Vancouver? No, but that's okay. We've got just about…read moreanything you could need or want but with better harbour views and less traffic. Suck on *that*, big cities. But, every now and then I'm reminded of one thing that we lack that hurts me to my very core: great Mexican food that isn't North-Americanized to death. Short of moving into Mexico Lindo in Fairview, I often times find myself in great need of a Mexican feed. And that's why the folks at El Gallo at the Seaport Market deserve a big giant hug. Their tostadas and tamales bring me to a whole new level of happiness every time I decide to indulge and a healthy selection of fresh salsas and sauces take my vision from black-and-white to rainbows of peppers, tomatos, avocados, and more. I'm serious about my love for Mexican, you guys. Can't find 'em? They're upstairs in their own lovely little corner so that you can enjoy your feast in peace without having to worry about someone knocking your tostada on the ground. Because, let's face it, that should be a punishable offense.

One of my favorite Farmers Market vendors…read more Not only will they make you a delicious burrito to eat while you're out - you can also buy their products to take home! I really like their corn tortillas and I can't get enough of their guacamole and cilantro sour cream. Actually, I think it was their sour cream that finally turned me on to cilantro. While I'm still a huge fan of Burrito Jax - I think El Gallo is giving them a good run for their money.

Our first time at Bar Sofia had us swinging by for a friend's birthday. There was a good dinner…read morecrowd although it ebbed before a switchover to the late night crowd. The interior design is fun and bright, with splashes of colour and fake plants, and on-brand for their target audience of millennial and Gen-Z women. The fully open kitchen is a nice touch, and I regret not having a view of it, but that's what happens when you show up last! The menu has an assortment of Latin American dishes like yucca fries, empanadas and tacos, as well as local/contemporary fare that gets a Latin touch like aguachile oysters, bravas Brussels sprouts and adobo-roasted cauliflower. My wife and I went for a mix of big and small plates, ordering the beef empanadas, Brussels sprouts, and the cauliflower. For an adult beverage, I had the Oaxaca old fashioned. It was adequate cocktail, although a smokier mezcal would have made it more memorable. Someone who I assume was a manager had spotted the gifts on the table and not only brought over a shot for the birthday girl and her partner, but for the whole table! While it was a low ABV liqueur, it was a lovely gesture and savvy business move. We must have arrived in between seatings, as despite a fairly full dining room, all our dishes came out surprisingly quickly and all together. I started out with the smaller plates. Some variation of fried Brussels sprouts has been a common sight on restaurant menus for a decade, but hey, it works! Bar Sofia's iteration gets a dose of savoury and tomato-y bravas sauce, and also gets topped with a colourful assortment of thinly sliced veg - radish, carrot, pickled red onion, jalapeno, and some sprigs of cilantro. The sauced-up sprouts lost a good bit of their crispness, but the bravas sauce was undeniably tasty, with a balance of richness and acidity. The veg accoutrements added welcome splashes of colour and texture. The empanadas come two to an order, so perfect for sharing with my wife! The hearty beef was cooked to perfection, and the olives and egg completed the traditional filling. The pastry itself was supple and flaky, with a golden brown and crisp exterior. When we swapped dishes, I was glad to get my hands on the cauliflower. The generous portion of half a head of roasted brassica came with rice, a cashew crema and the aforementioned veg toppings. The char of the cauliflower played well with the nutty sauce, and although a bit repetitive, the veg accoutrements brightened up the flavour profile. While Bar Sofia's origins as a Toronto-based restaurant company's idea to fill the commercial space at Queen's Marque isn't exactly a stamp of authenticity, they are bringing some dishes that aren't common in Halifax (other than the Brussels sprouts). I enjoyed my meal there and it's a fun vibe, but there was no 'wow' factor for me. I'm sure I'll tackle more of the menu and patio some day, but as I continue to catch up on the Halifax food scene, I'm not rushing back either.

This review is the only one you need to read. Choosing a restaurant on the Halifax Waterfront isn't…read moreeasy. Lots of good choices. The vibe and reasonable prices are what drew me into Bar Sofia when I was walking the boardwalk to decide on a place to grab dinner. The restaurant was half full when I arrived and quickly filled up. I received excellent service from both the bartender, Lance, and one of the servers (or manager) who was making his way through the room offering constant help to his teammates. I ordered the mixed grill although it had a fancier Spanish name that I don't recall. It had a little bit of everything with the perfect amount of spice. When I return, do I get it again, or pick something new to try? It's a really tough decision. Might need to make multiple trips back! They have a great drink list. I landed on a local IPA which had a lovely flavour and I would order again.

The best arepa I've ever had. WOW! The arepa itself is not too mealy, the "bun" is thin and…read morenicely grilled/crisped on the outside but still soft and moist enough on the inside. And both the beef and the pork fillings were oozing with flavor. The beef almost tasted like a french reduction or something, very rich. The pork was more traditionally flavored garlic, etc., but all the spices, sauces and such complemented each other and elevated the overall dish. GO HERE! Fast casual system is great, and prices are reasonable, especially considering the quality of what you get.

The Short Version: Venezuelan restaurant with tasty but…read moreexpensive food. Lunch cost $70 and we were still hungry. The Long Version: This place is highly rated and raved about on many platforms. It's only open for breakfast and lunch and is very popular with locals. We tried to go the last time we were in Halifax but they were closed for vacation or something we didn't expect. Anyway, I was excited to try it this time around for lunch. I got the Pabellon plate ($24.50) and my husband got 2 empanadas, a pork one ($9.25) and a beef one ($9.50). I got a bottle of water and my husband got a Jarritos (the mandarin flavour). I'm not sure how much the drinks were but with taxes and tip our lunch came out to $70, which I thought was expensive for what we got. So I later saw locals asking for a pre-chilled bottles of tap water behind the counter and they had clean empty glasses near the hot sauce bar. I wish I knew this before I paid for bottled water :/ Anyway, my plate looked like a lot of food, but it didn't really fill me up. It was white rice, black beans, queso, 4 pieces of plantain, 3 triangles of a cut up arepa and a pile of shredded beef. The beef was tender and full of flavour. The plantains were crunchy on the outside and a bit softer on the inside. The arepa pieces were a bit crispy on the outside. The rice was soft, as were the beans. I mixed the beans and cheese with the rice and it tasted good. My husband's empanadas were good (I had a bite). The outside was crispy and the inside had tender meat and melted cheese. They were small for the price. I'm used to paying up to $6-7 an empanada, which I thought was pricey already, so I found $9+ for an empanada very expensive. I'm guessing the drinks totalled $7-8, which is a high mark-up. I suppose the meal would have been more affordable if I got the bottled tapped water like the locals did. Wish I had known. You order at the counter and pay. They give you a sign with a number on it. You seat yourself and put your numbered sign on your table. When your food is ready, they bring it out to you. The place was packed. I know it was all locals because everyone was in business casual attire and had their work badges on, lol. (It was a Thursday lunch and the place is surrounded by office buildings) Service was pleasant and the wait for the food wasn't too long considering how busy they were. Street parking only. Review #125 (2026)

I love Habaneros. I love the variety and the good blend of spice and veggies. Their spicy chicken…read morequesadillas I got one today for lunch. My only concern about it was the two male staff both had significant facial hair and no netting.

The three male staff did great yesterday. Friendly cashier. Customer service is nice and fast…read more Serving is how it should be! However, I totally understand why they end-up closing their downtown location.