The ambiance leaves a lot to be desired. But it definitely feels authentic that way. The food is incredible. I cannot say enough good stuff and I will be back. I do wish they had more sitting room on the patio. The good news is turnover is pretty quick considering it's street food. I must say the food makes it all worthwhile. I was a little surprised by the price point for tacos but I would honestly pay it again. Surprising midday date with my husband. Just make sure you come after oakwood collegiate institute lunch break is over.
Oscar Cuellar
Tasty mexican food, nice people, nice area.
Shahid Hossaini
No nonsense authentic tacos - none of that Tex mex stuff. The saudero and lengua were my favourites.
This is a must visit!
Maarika Arget
Really great tacos! Had the carnitas, choriqueso and pastor. All were really flavorful and delicious!
Mike Lynch
Delicious and authentic. Best taqueria in the city.
David Orton
The tacos are excellent and filling and I think I can safely say the chicken mole tamale was the best I’ve EVER had ! Large and generous , it could have been a meal on its own. Fresh out of the steam bath, it just melted in your mouth! Thank you!
Ian C
Had food from here in the past through friends but now that I live closer I tend to come eat here more often. I find their tacos to be extremely flavorful which is one of the reasons I like them a lot!
I definitely recommend them for a good tasting meal.
Colette Vallieres
Had the carnita nachos today .. omg so good and super filling.. huge portion for $25 👍🏼👍🏼 Pulled pork was delicious!!
Malcolm J. Cardoza
Authentic food and vibes. Everything we ordered was 10/10 delicious. Will definitely be back for more!
Andrea C. Briceño
It's always a bit sad when a place you once loved doesn't quite live up to expectations.
Having fond memories of Itacate from a visit back in 2018, I was eager to revisit this Toronto spot after seven long years, hoping to recapture the magic that drew me in initially. Unfortunately, my recent experience left me with a sense of disappointment.
While the staff remained as friendly as I remembered, the quality of the food seemed to have taken a noticeable dip. In a city like Toronto, which now boasts a vibrant and diverse Mexican culinary scene with over a hundred restaurants, the dishes I tried this time simply didn't impress. The flavours seemed to miss the mark, lacking the authenticity and vibrancy I had hoped for.
Adding to the less-than-stellar experience was the continued inconvenience of their cash-only policy in this day and age. Furthermore, our order wasn't entirely accurate; my horchata was forgotten and only arrived after we had finished our meal, which was a bit of a letdown.
It's truly heartbreaking when a beloved spot doesn't live up to past experiences. While the service was still commendable, the decline in food quality in a competitive market like Toronto leaves me unlikely to return in the near future. I sincerely hope Itacate can recapture the essence that made it special in the first place.
A real Toronto hidden gem. I want to gate-keep this spot, but they deserve the exposure. The ladies running this establishment have to be doing some kind of sorcery in the kitchen because the food is so damn good.
They’re slinging out some of the best and most authentic tacos I’ve had in the city. I had the lengua (beef tongue) and suadero tacos - absolutely sensational. My friend and I also shared a chilaquiles with some fried eggs on top - delicious. Two tacos alone had me stuffed, they do not skimp on the meat here! The lengua in particular was my favourite, the meat melted in my mouth like butter.
The atmosphere was great. Very big on the homey vibes. You can see the love and care the owners/staff put into their food. Feels like my long-lost Mexican tías were taking care of me. I will definitely be back again, and again, and again!
Cash or e-transfer only by the way.
Natasha Ochshorn
It's one of my favourite Mexican spots in Toronto. It serves delicious tortas and tacos. The place is small, with just a few tables, but I usually order takeout to enjoy at home. The flavours are reminiscent of Mexico City, and I love it! Also, the portions are pretty big.
Arun Badrinarayanan
Great people, great service, simple and authentic Mexican cuisine.
This isn't Tex-Mex type of food. This is real Mexican, so don't go in thinking about a taco overflowing with sauces. This is bare bones - corn tortillas, a good selection of meats and 2 different chilli based sauces (green Serrano and reddish-orange habanero).
Tried shrimp, volcan steak, choriqueso, vegetarian and I liked the choriqueso the most, followed by the shrimp. Horchata was good, but a bit high on cinnamon (this varies by the restaurant from what I've seen).
The people are just awesome though. When I asked for more habanero they wanted to warn me, not knowing that I can take that and more!
A must visit and I'm glad I chose this restaurant over many other fancier ambiance providing Mexican restaurants in the downtown core.
Sarah Ahmed
Had a strange and disappointing interaction during our visit. We ordered our meal to go, as we were never planning to stay and had multiple items that made takeout containers more practical. After waiting quite a while, I (being pregnant) opened the bag to have a quick bite as the food took forever to be made. A staff member came over and told us, “Next time, don’t say to go if you’re sitting,” implying that using to-go containers while seated was an issue.
We explained the situation as well, but the tone felt more accusatory than understanding. We had every intention of taking the meal with us—it just took longer than expected, and I needed a quick bite. It’s frustrating to be made to feel like an inconvenience when we paid for our food and the packaging. A little empathy and clearer communication would have gone a long way.
The ambiance leaves a lot to be desired. But it definitely feels authentic that way. The food is incredible. I cannot say enough good stuff and I will be back. I do wish they had more sitting room on the patio. The good news is turnover is pretty quick considering it's street food. I must say the food makes it all worthwhile. I was a little surprised by the price point for tacos but I would honestly pay it again. Surprising midday date with my husband. Just make sure you come after oakwood collegiate institute lunch break is over.
Tasty mexican food, nice people, nice area.
No nonsense authentic tacos - none of that Tex mex stuff. The saudero and lengua were my favourites.
This is a must visit!
Really great tacos! Had the carnitas, choriqueso and pastor. All were really flavorful and delicious!
Delicious and authentic. Best taqueria in the city.
The tacos are excellent and filling and I think I can safely say the chicken mole tamale was the best I’ve EVER had ! Large and generous , it could have been a meal on its own. Fresh out of the steam bath, it just melted in your mouth! Thank you!
Had food from here in the past through friends but now that I live closer I tend to come eat here more often. I find their tacos to be extremely flavorful which is one of the reasons I like them a lot!
I definitely recommend them for a good tasting meal.
Had the carnita nachos today .. omg so good and super filling.. huge portion for $25 👍🏼👍🏼
Pulled pork was delicious!!
Authentic food and vibes. Everything we ordered was 10/10 delicious. Will definitely be back for more!
It's always a bit sad when a place you once loved doesn't quite live up to expectations.
Having fond memories of Itacate from a visit back in 2018, I was eager to revisit this Toronto spot after seven long years, hoping to recapture the magic that drew me in initially. Unfortunately, my recent experience left me with a sense of disappointment.
While the staff remained as friendly as I remembered, the quality of the food seemed to have taken a noticeable dip. In a city like Toronto, which now boasts a vibrant and diverse Mexican culinary scene with over a hundred restaurants, the dishes I tried this time simply didn't impress. The flavours seemed to miss the mark, lacking the authenticity and vibrancy I had hoped for.
Adding to the less-than-stellar experience was the continued inconvenience of their cash-only policy in this day and age. Furthermore, our order wasn't entirely accurate; my horchata was forgotten and only arrived after we had finished our meal, which was a bit of a letdown.
It's truly heartbreaking when a beloved spot doesn't live up to past experiences. While the service was still commendable, the decline in food quality in a competitive market like Toronto leaves me unlikely to return in the near future. I sincerely hope Itacate can recapture the essence that made it special in the first place.
Restaurantji Recommends
A real Toronto hidden gem. I want to gate-keep this spot, but they deserve the exposure. The ladies running this establishment have to be doing some kind of sorcery in the kitchen because the food is so damn good.
They’re slinging out some of the best and most authentic tacos I’ve had in the city. I had the lengua (beef tongue) and suadero tacos - absolutely sensational. My friend and I also shared a chilaquiles with some fried eggs on top - delicious. Two tacos alone had me stuffed, they do not skimp on the meat here! The lengua in particular was my favourite, the meat melted in my mouth like butter.
The atmosphere was great. Very big on the homey vibes. You can see the love and care the owners/staff put into their food. Feels like my long-lost Mexican tías were taking care of me. I will definitely be back again, and again, and again!
Cash or e-transfer only by the way.
It's one of my favourite Mexican spots in Toronto. It serves delicious tortas and tacos. The place is small, with just a few tables, but I usually order takeout to enjoy at home. The flavours are reminiscent of Mexico City, and I love it! Also, the portions are pretty big.
Great people, great service, simple and authentic Mexican cuisine.
This isn't Tex-Mex type of food. This is real Mexican, so don't go in thinking about a taco overflowing with sauces. This is bare bones - corn tortillas, a good selection of meats and 2 different chilli based sauces (green Serrano and reddish-orange habanero).
Tried shrimp, volcan steak, choriqueso, vegetarian and I liked the choriqueso the most, followed by the shrimp. Horchata was good, but a bit high on cinnamon (this varies by the restaurant from what I've seen).
The people are just awesome though. When I asked for more habanero they wanted to warn me, not knowing that I can take that and more!
A must visit and I'm glad I chose this restaurant over many other fancier ambiance providing Mexican restaurants in the downtown core.
Had a strange and disappointing interaction during our visit. We ordered our meal to go, as we were never planning to stay and had multiple items that made takeout containers more practical. After waiting quite a while, I (being pregnant) opened the bag to have a quick bite as the food took forever to be made. A staff member came over and told us, “Next time, don’t say to go if you’re sitting,” implying that using to-go containers while seated was an issue.
We explained the situation as well, but the tone felt more accusatory than understanding. We had every intention of taking the meal with us—it just took longer than expected, and I needed a quick bite. It’s frustrating to be made to feel like an inconvenience when we paid for our food and the packaging. A little empathy and clearer communication would have gone a long way.
Authentic delicious tacos
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