Birria Catrina — Restaurant in Toronto

Birria Catrina – Honest Review 📍 131 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON M6R 2L2

Walking into Birria Catrina, the first thing you notice is how clean and well-kept the place is. It’s spotless, with plenty of aisle space so you’re never bumping elbows getting to your seat. There are cozy tables for two that can easily be pushed together for bigger groups, plus a sleek high counter with four tall chairs overlooking Roncesvalles Avenue – perfect for a bit of people-watching while you eat.

The atmosphere today (Saturday, August 9, 2025 - 1:00PM) – the air conditioning wasn’t at full power, but surprisingly, it wasn’t uncomfortably warm. Ventilation gets a thumbs-up from me: despite the open cooking area right in the middle of the space, there’s no heavy lingering smell of food sticking to your clothes, which is rare for a birria spot.

🤤 What We Ordered

1️⃣ Gringa – $9 Birria (beef) with cheese sandwiched between two slightly crispy corn tortillas, topped with fresh cilantro and onions.

2️⃣ Quesadilla – $7.90 Birria (beef) with melted cheese inside a folded corn tortilla, finished with cilantro and onions.

✅Portions: Both the Gringa and the Quesadilla are perfectly sized for one person. If you’re just looking for a light snack, you could share one, but if you’re coming in hungry, you’ll probably want two pieces to really satisfy your appetite.

The Taste Test

Let’s talk about that birria beef – it’s a showstopper. Soft, tender, and incredibly juicy, with each bite bursting with savory depth. You can taste the careful blend of herbs and spices, balanced beautifully so nothing overpowers the meat’s natural richness.

And the consommé? Think of it as the soul of birria. Here, it’s flavorful yet light, earthy with subtle warmth, and has a slow-building savoriness that keeps you going back for another dip. It’s not greasy or heavy – just pure comfort in a cup.

😊 Service

The staff were smiling and had a welcoming aura. Service was really fast — we hardly waited more than 10 minutes before our food was served (keep in mind we were the only guests when we arrived, which definitely helped with the quick service).

✅ Overall Verdict

We left happy and full. It’s an affordable, hearty meal that hits the spot whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or a casual dinner. The only thing keeping it from a perfect score today was the AC – while not stifling, a cooler dining room would’ve been ideal given the summer heat.

🏆 Final Score: 9/10 — The food and overall experience were fantastic. The only reason it’s not a 10 is because the AC wasn’t working properly today. Other than that, it’s a great spot I’d...

Not sure if the wait staff has ever worked in the restaurant industry prior to working here but the service that was provided was disorganized and slow. We ordered some chips and guacamole that was never brought the table. Our order of tacos and quesadillas took about 30 minutes and when they arrived the cheese was not cooked and the center was warm at best. I had ordered the famous Birria Ramen and was extremely disappointed. The Ramen took about 45 minutes to arrive at our table with the ramen not fully cooked and the soup lukewarm. When I told the server about the ramen he apologized and walked away. I was left with cold ramen and no alternative option. Fortunately my friend had a couple of tacos left that he offered me one and I waited until I could wave down the server but by the time I got his attention and he brought the menu everyone had finished their meals. I didn’t want to wait an additional 30-45 minutes so I decided to forgo a meal. When we asked for the cheques I was surprised that I had one for the ramen I didn’t eat. When I asked the server if he had made a mistake he said no and that the ramen was charged to my bill. I reluctantly paid my bill and we left.

I had high hopes for Birria Cantina however their lack of organization, quality of food, and customer service I will not be returning. This place will go on my list of places not to go for...

It's disappointing that there isn't a single vegetarian option on the menu. But what's worse is that they flatly refused to do any modifications with ingredients they clearly had on hand from other dishes. They were so rude about it that we just left. My friend was going to happily order meat dishes but I would have had to sit there with literally nothing to eat and be mocked for it by the staff. Skip this place. Looking at the owners nasty replies to other feedback here tells you everything you need to know about how much they do not care about their customers.

Well as expected they lied in their reply. I live in the neighbourhood and many people have come in looking to eat but cannot find a vegetarian option. The server told me themselves that many people come in and ask and there are at least two people who have come in, myself and the other reviewer here.

Just say you don't care about your customers and leave it at that. My dining partner ate meat but we left because he was shocked and wasn't about to rudely let me starve.

You could accommodate it. You choose not to. Good grief even steakhouses have a veggie option in this...