Have you got a hunger for tacos? Where to visit with the thousands of options available?\
We’ve got you covered. Our Mexican food enthusiasts got to work in finding the restaurants for the best tacos in Toronto.
Discovering the Best Tacos in Toronto
If we didn’t know any better, we’d say that Toronto was taco town. You can’t walk into any pub, restaurant, or eatery without some form of taco. Even Asian and Italian venues offer their take on this Mexican comfort food.
Do we take issue with that? No way! Tacos are undoubtedly a local favorite, sharing the same passion for the dish as they do down south.
So where can we find some of the best ones? We went on a mission to find out.
How Did We Determine the Best Tacos in Toronto?
Hundreds of taco-dedicated restaurants in Toronto and thousands of other establishments serve them. It makes the criteria to filter the best tacos in town a challenge, considering that so many places are different and seek to offer various experiences.
So we’ve decided to go straight to the bedrock of the taco experience, the food itself. Not to mention the experience of acquiring such a product. We defined our favorite places in Toronto using the following criteria:
- Quality of tacos
- General service in the restaurant
- Ambiance surrounding the tacos
- Customer feedback
We kept things simple, but sometimes that’s the best way to get what you want.
Our 5 Favorite Restaurants for the Best Tacos in Toronto
So with our taco criteria and mind, here are our favorites from our crawl.
Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos
“The best Baja-style tacos and seafood in the city”
When we think of Mexico, we think of some great food, charged atmosphere, and sun and sea. Seven Lives Tacos y Mariscos captures the essence of the country perfectly, dishing up what we’d argue as some of the most fantastic Baja-style tacos and seafood in the city.
The place has a rustic charm, being more of a storefront with a few benches rather than a complete restaurant. However, there is no denying that the food quality is out of this world.
Locals flock to Seven Lives to experience Mexico through fine cuisine, including the fish favorites of spicy shrimp and fish tacos. If you’re a Mexican food connoisseur, a trip to this Kensington Market institution is a must.
Pricing: Starts at $7.00 for a taco
Pros:
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Excellent customer service
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Some of the highest-quality tacos in Toronto
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It has the charm of a Baja-style street food joint
Cons:
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More expensive than other taco places
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There are not many places to sit down and enjoy
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Options are limited if you have specific dietary requirements
Location: 72 Kensington Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2K2
Google Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 Stars (2,859 Reviews)
Seven Lives shares our reverence for the quality of their food, scoring an average 4.6-star rating across 2,800 reviews. It may not be a place to make a whole evening out of, but if it’s only the taste of the tacos that matters, you can’t get any better.
El Catrin Destileria
“Flavourful Southern Tacos”
So if you’re looking to infuse some stylish Mexican flair with your tacos, look no further than El Catrin Destileria. It’s a venue made to ignite the party, pairing a central American atmosphere with loaded flavors to match.
El Catrin Destileria offers a range of Baja-style tacos with beers and tequilas that complement every spice and sauce. There’s no doubt that this is one of the best places in the city to share tacos with friends, indulge in the seasonings of the south, and create some flavorful memories.
Pricing: Starts at $23.00 for three tacos
Pros:
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Great place for an evening with friends
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Flavor-packed Baja-style tacos
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Fantastic beer, tequila, and margarita pairings
Cons:
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Slower service
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It’s not a cheap experience
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Only a few types of tacos are available.
Location: 18 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
Google Rating: 4.2 out of 5.0 Stars (6,677 Reviews)
El Catrin Destileria is by no means a casual establishment for a quick taco. However, locals continue to make the evening a visit to get their Mexican fix. The venue scores 4.2 stars, with over 6,600 reviews praising the experience.
Wilbur Mexicana
“A Mexican street food experience”
Wilbur Mexicana aims to make its namesake cuisine a more authentic experience, incorporating the street food vibe into the establishment. The setup is an ‘apothecary-style’ counter where patrons order, pick up their tacos, and take them back to their seating area.
It’s tacos in the form they were meant to be; filling, delicious, fast, and relaxed. It’s undoubtedly a Mexican street food experience, with bustling service, a lot of noise, and a high turnover. But it’s hard not to love it!
Pricing: Starts at $4.00 a taco
Pros:
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Delicious tacos in an authentic environment
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Service is fast, getting your tacos to you quick
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Diverse, large menu
Cons:
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Not everyone enjoys a chaotic dining environment
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Inconsistent opening times
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Some customers raised issues about health and safety
Location: 552 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M3
Google Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 Stars (3,703 Reviews)
Anybody going on a Toronto taco crawl would surely be missing out if they didn’t stop by Wilbur’s; at least, that’s what the locals say! The venue has 3,600 reviews offering it a high 4.6-star average rating, meaning it should be on your list of places to try.
La Carnita
“Contemporary tacos with an artistic flair”
There’s always one taco place that tries to take its game to the next level. La Carnita is taco-focused regarding cuisines but attempts to break boundaries with its ambiance, fusing contemporary Mexican with edgy artistic flair.
Whether you’re on board with it or not, it’s up to you. However, there’s no denying that La Carnita dishes up some fantastic tacos. And for those yearning for something a little different in their comfort food, you can find some very creative, tasty taco innovations here.
Price: Starts at $6.75 a taco
Pros:
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Great tasting, innovative tacos
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Friendly staff
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An edgy ambiance to modernize the experience
Cons:
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It gets swamped; make a reservation!
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Not for those who enjoy classic Mexican cuisine
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Service is noted to be slow
Location: 106 John St, Toronto, ON M5H 1X9
Google Rating: 4.1 out of 5.0 Stars (3,378 Reviews)
La Carnita does push boundaries regarding the taco-consuming experience and has polarized enthusiasts of the traditional cuisine. That’s probably why the restaurant has a lower 4.1-star average of 3,300 reviews.
However, the positive feedback it does have is outstanding, and it certainly made an impression on us!
King’s Tacos
“An easy-going Taco experience”
And finally, let’s return to that casual taco dining experience we all know and love! King’s Tacos is the epitome of a place where you can drop in, get an excellent taco feed, and leave completely satisfied with no fuss or bother.
You get the immediate family-owned charm walking into the place, where you’re served quickly, the food is quality, and the staff is friendly. Anyone seeking the most easy-going taco experience, we can say that King’s Tacos is the restaurant to visit!
Pricing: Starts at $19.90 for 3 tacos
Pros:
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Excellent value with great tacos for reasonable prices
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A family-owned establishment with a focus on quality
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No-hassle visits
Cons:
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It gets hectic during peak times
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Not for those who prefer more ambiance
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Not the most authentic tacos
Location: 1190 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M6E 1B4
Google Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars (1,404 Reviews)
King’s Tacos is one of those places you’d go with your friend after agreeing you feel like tacos at the last minute. Not many tend to leave disappointed, with this smaller business scoring a 4.5-star average across 1,400 reviews.
Andale por los Best Tacos in Toronto!
If there’s one food that’s rife in Toronto, it’s tacos. These flavorful comfort foods can be found on almost every city corner, even if the restaurant isn’t a Mexican cuisine specialist.
That means there are always options to get your fix, but the five venues above are the ones enthusiasts must visit. So if you’re planning a Toronto taco crawl, make sure to put these on your list!