Escondite Drummond — Restaurant in Montreal

I’m solely reviewing based on service for take out. I used to eat here often about a year ago and back then all the waiter/waitress were nice and welcoming as well as very accommodating. They knew me as a frequent there. And of course the foods are good although it is not as authentic but I still think it’s good considering that there aren’t many tacos restaurants in downtown that are decent.

I revecently came there for lunch and the service was just unacceptable, I decided to go for take out because they dont accept you eating there if you bring children or under 18 yo (so I was told) because they serve alcohol. It was during lunch rush hour. All the waitress refused to take my orders for take out especially the one that served outside. I couldnt go inside because I had my baby in the stroller and finally I asked the greeter to watch my children quickly as I went inside ordering.

When I finished I asked if at least the waitress could bring the food to me because I didnt want to leave my child outside alone again and she just answered it’s not her job to do it. I understand that the restaurant have their policies etc but there should be some kind of exception to a situation where people need help but cant do it by themselves or at least be kind without needing to be rude. I came not to ask for free foods. I paid. Yet the treatment I received was rude and unpleasant. Another thing I noticed that I saw children were allowed eating there (8-10 years old). So they should just put notes that women with toddler or babies are not allowed to be in the restaurant.

Oh and I was still nice enough to give extra tips for take out. So definitely will not recommend it solely based on the service. I dont think...

WOW! What a find!

I went to Escondite, the one on Drummond - NOT the one on Union Street, to take a look at Stikki Peaches’ artwork, which I have been following around the city. Much to my surprise, I found something I didn’t except!

My initial intentions were to have a quick coffee but the authenticity and hospitable ambiance of this little Mexican restaurant won me over and so I took a seat. As usual, I chose a table next to the window, but this time not so I can have a view to the outside, but rather to have a view of the whole place.

I let the sweetest young waitress named Pascale bring me her recommendation, according to my “food mood”, which was something light (remember I had only intended to have a coffee). Well, I was in for another surprise… the food was out of this world! Or, at least, out of this country, as it traveled me to its place of origin… Mexico! Then I took as sip of my mojito, another super recommendation by Pascale. And BOOM, that’s when it happened - it was love at first sip!

I just had to know who created this killer mojito, and believe me, I’ve had my share of mojitos! It turns out it’s Francesco, the barman who has his own little secret recipe (which I will never tell). Then along comes Pedro claiming that his mojito is better! So, how can I refuse to try it, right? Now, the question is: Who makes the best mojito eveeeeer? I’ll let you decide…

The décor, the music, the ambiance, the staff, the food, the drinks – these are all what make this gem of a place my absolute favorite in Montreal! So much so that I even contemplated NOT sharing it with the world. Just so I can always find my spot, right there… next...

Quirky decor creates a fun atmosphere. Lovely hostess greeted us. Despite my stubborn friend refusing to make reservations, we were seated right away (at 6 pm) and kindly advised that we might have to leave at 8:15 pm if a new reservation is added online in the interim. That's cool. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. We never felt pressure to order alcohol, more food, or leave. Our waiter answered all of our questions with humor. The food is amazing and came out so fast! The guac and chips were devoured in seconds (hence no picture sorry). The mango salad was perfectly seasoned with a kick. The Nachos 2.0 were actually cheese filled gyozas with guac drool. So many taco options! I wish I had a bigger appetite to try everything. Vegan options include cauliflower and tofu tacos. The baja fish tacos were delicious, although I like mine with more sauce. Of course we couldn't leave without dessert. Churros with Nutella dip? Yes please! We ended up chilling there for a while. Our waiter continued filling up our water and never pressured us to leave. I will be back! I heard interesting things about the cornbread with jalapeño butter.

Score changed after 2nd visit: cornbread was so cold the jalapeño butter...