Mezcalero — Restaurant in Toronto

Mezcalero, nestled in the heart of Harbord Village at Bloor & Bathurst, is a culinary gem that left my taste buds dancing with delight. With its vibrant and beautifully decorated ambiance, it sets the stage for a memorable dining experience.

The tuna tostada, a generous portion of culinary artistry, was a showstopper. The marriage of the fresh tuna and the crispy tostone was a harmonious blend of textures, while the flavors were elevated by the accompanying sauces.

The fried chicken was a crispy revelation, with a flavorful punch that had my palate singing. The sweet and slightly spicy sauce provided the perfect balance to each crunchy bite.

The octopus dish, served with tender potatoes and a sauce that was nothing short of sublime, showcased the chef's expertise in pairing ingredients to perfection.

Now, the paella, available with both chicken and seafood options, is a must-try. Its aromatic, saffron-infused rice and the medley of ingredients transported me to the Mediterranean coast.

Mezcalero's cocktail menu is a treasure trove of unique concoctions that tantalize the senses. It's the kind of place you'll want to revisit to explore every libation on offer.

In conclusion, Mezcalero delivers a culinary experience that is both unforgettable and highly recommended. From the beautifully crafted dishes to the diverse cocktail selection, this restaurant is a true gem in the heart of Toronto. Visit once, and you'll find yourself returning time and again to savor its...

Good Mexican restaurant in Downtown Toronto. While other Mexican restaurants in this city don’t meet the minimum for Mexican cuisine, I can say this one does.

Guacamole, chicharrones, empanadas (although not Mexican) were decent. However, you can tell that not all the ingredients were homemade, such us the chicharrones and tortilla chips. Cheese empanadas are stuffed with cheddar cheese and cream, which would not be the best cheese to use.

On the other hand, ceviches, carne asada and tacos were very tasty and surprised my palate. As a small critic, the size of the tacos was too small, but the quality and taste of the pibil was greatly achieved. Pork belly tacos were very good as well, having that crunchy taste we look for when ordering this meat.

Something to highlight from this place are the drinks. Mezcal here is very good, properly giving the name to the restaurant, and they make some drink called “mezcaleritas” which was surprisingly good. Staff was attentive and gives a mezcal with pomegranate shot to everyone as welcome compliment of Mezcalero.

Overall, this restaurant is good to enjoy a casual Mexican meal. However, I missed some (key dishes, in my opinion) typical Mexican plates such as quesadillas or enchiladas, which should be a minimum in these type of restaurants. Staff was attentive, but service ended up being slow with a long period of time between plates.

Price is very affordable and not regrettable for the quality and...

Like other reviews that aren’t dazzled by the drinks and location, the food which is the primary purpose of being a restaurant wasn’t good. The guacamole was greasy as another reviewer had mentioned. I guess it hadn’t been rectified as the restaurant said they would look into it.

I ordered some beef tacos and the strips of beef were bitter because they were burnt. I also read in other reviews that they cook this way for the octopus also. Maybe (con carbon) is the way the cook is trained? Anyway perhaps not for everyone as it ends up being bitter.

We didn’t order the paella but we were surprised to see a tapas sized plate come out for our table neighbours. I had to ask them how it was and they said it wasn’t that good.

Maybe it’s just our palette. The atmosphere was good though! My Sol beer was served to me almost room temperature. It certainly wasn’t cold.

I think this place is great for atmosphere and cocktails but for food they fall flat. But as for the other reviews that are similar, suggest the restaurant look into this as this is the raison d’être of any restaurant. THE FOOD.

Also a minimum 20% suggested tip on the point of sale machine is a bit much don’t you think? Pay your wait staff a proper wage please and lower the suggested tips to the normal 15%, 18% and 20% that...