La Carnita

I came here for a birthday dinner and my first impression of the place is that it had a very hipster vibe. Dark, cool lights on the ceilings and it’s very loud and crowded.
The place was really hot I don’t know if the AC was broken but some areas wreaked of BO. My friend and I sat by the window and we were allowed to open it (thank god!)
The food was absolutely delicious! We ordered the tortilla chips with all 3 dips, Mexican Street Corn, In Cod We Trust and the Pollo Frito.
I would easily give this place a 5 however, our server took forever to take our orders + we waited another 45 – 50 minutes for our tacos! We were starving so by the time it came we didn’t have a chance to actually enjoy our food because we scarfed it down so quickly.
I’ll definitely come back but maybe to another location.

The place receives a 3.5 but I’m rounding it up because presentation and atmosphere were really cool for me.
My friends and I decided to pop by La Carnita for a quick bite before heading to Sweet Jesus (which is next door but is accessible from La Carnita).
The tacos here are around $ 4 – 7 each but they dress them up nicely so I feel like you’re paying for presentation of the food, location, and the design of the restaurant.
I ordered the day’s special — a mixed mushroom empanada that had kale, queso fresco, corn truffle crema, & chipotle. I expected big flavours from this one but it didn’t quite hit the spot for me. While the flavours of the mushroom were evident, which I appreciate as a mushroom fan, I feel like the other flavours weren’t bold enough in comparison.
I also ordered the pollo frito which was my favourite — if the empanada was a 3/​5, the pollo frito would be a 4.5÷5. The pollo frito is made out of crispy chicken thigh, peanut mole, honey, hot sauce, green cabbage, & salsa fresca. The crunchiness of the thigh paired with the crisp of cabbage, the nuttiness and sweetness of the sauce, and the freshness of the salsa fresca was near perfect — I should have ordered two of these. This is my absolute recommend from the taco part of the menu.
La Carnita has other locations and I have yet to try them out. I like the food they serve, though pricey, the attitude/​design of the restaurant (though a bit dark where we sat), and the servers are accommodating, friendly, & helpful (though they were pretty busy which was understandable). I recommend checking this place out, at least for a quick bite — the pollo frito, hands down, is a must-​try.

My bro in law and I popped into La Carnita for a quick bite after the Jays game this past Saturday. I’ve passed by this location many times and technically even been inside the building considering it shares the structure with Sweet Jesus hidden back in the corner.
The dining area seems rather tight and cramped. The bar area to the left when you first enter seems much more spacious and less concentrated than the dining area just to the immediate right of the entrance which is where we sat. The layout is not very open considering there’s stairs leading up and the tables are basically around that with the hallway towards the back leading to Sweet Jesus. The Sweet Jesus line seems to get longer these days I supposed because it’s become so popular and it’s hot enough to enjoy ice cream during the day.
We had ordered 2 items each. I had went with the special which on Saturday was the pork belly al pastor as well as the ceviche tostada. My bro in law ordered the beef cheek and carnita tacos and we had a beer each.
The food was good but it would have been nice to have some cutlery since the food is rather stuffed and some things will fall out perhaps. We were served all 4 items on one plate and used the tiny side plates to eat from. This sort of made sense since the table is small but it would have been nice to have both our tacos on our own plates each instead of all 4 on 1. Still, the food was good and they were a decent serving each. That and the presentation is pretty attractive.
Around 5 bucks a taco seems like a lot but it’s not entirely bad. This place just serves what looks more fancy and it’s not made to look like a hole in the wall. I rather like more casual Mexican places though. This is not Kensington or Tacos El Asador but rather a Entertainment/​Theater District restaurant so I don’t get that feel.
We weren’t planning on staying for a long time but our quick stop was just that… a small snack before heading back home and a space to have a cold beer in a sit down place.
I had wished they’d serve Sweet Jesus’ ice cream but you have to get in that horrible line if you want some of that since they don’t serve it from the restaurant. It’s a shame because you’re so close (you can see it from inside) but if you want the ice cream you have to get in whatever line for Sweet Jesus is going on which these days when I see it, it seems busy enough to block the stairs to La Carnita.

Seven lives was my go-​to place for tacos but it looks like it’s going to change.
Got seats in the patio Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend. Service was quite attentive. Food was so so good.
Tacos were about $ 5 to $ 8. Kind of like Seven Lives.
In my opinion, I like the saucey, messy tacos. I got the 3 tacos: cod, pork belly, and another fish (I think).
All three had beautiful servings of avocado and a good share of the meat. That’s what I loooooove about tacos; that you can fit all the good stuff in a tiny tortilla. (Maybe it could of been a bit bigger to be more filling, but I feel that it’s the same amount of food as Seven Lives and same price except there’s actually a place to sit here.)
Avocado + Mango Salad (9):
So unique! This dish was filling with lots of avocado, a type of Spanish white cheese, dried plantains, and jicama. It was crunchy and savoury but I totally didn’t feel guilty for eating it.
The patio is right out John street, very roomy with several benches. Give you a perfect view of the line of for Sweet Jesus that day.
Overall would come again and am so happy they opened another location on Queen East (woot leslieville!)

Had dinner here in the patio yesterday, and felt the view was really nice. Food in my opinion was mediocre.
Mixed mushroom empanada– ³⁄₅. The waiter recommended this as an appetizer and I was so disappointed. It basically looked like a samosa with mushrooms in it.
Carnita taco: ⁵⁄₅. This was a really good taco, and I would highly recommend it. It was loaded with pork, salsa guacamole and cilantro.
In cod we trust: ³⁄₅. I was most looking forward to this taco, because the fish was huge! I’m not sure what it was, but it was not as good as the carnita taco.
Beef cheek: ⁴⁄₅. This taco was loaded with beef, avocado, jalapeño, cabbage and salsa. This was also tastey.
Meatballs: ⁵⁄₅. Loved this as an appetizer, meatballs were drenched in a sauce that was very similar to BBQ sauce.
Overall, I feel like there are other Mexican places in the city that are far better than la carnita. The only good thing la carnita has over the other Mexican places (like seven lives and grand electric), is the location.

Checked out La Carnita for an early dinner before a movie at the Scotiabank Theatre.
Even though there were plenty of tables, they sat us a communal table of 6 for just two of us. There were 2 people already at the table when we arrived.
We ordered the tortilla chips with guac to start ($ 8), followed by two tacos each. I got the cod ($ 4.50) and the beef cheek ($ 5.50). No boozy drinks tonight because we had to stay awake for the movie.
Chips and guac were pretty standard… I liked that that the chips were lightly dusted with a spice. Cod taco was decent but the toppings were just way too sour and tart for my liking. Beef cheek taco was much better and flavourful.
Finished off with an order of the churros ($ 6) — 3 warm deep fried dough sticks with a nice carmel dipping sauce.
Service was good from our cute Shawn Ashmore-​lookalike waiter. Music was a touch unnecessarily loud for that early in the day, which let us concentrate on the food rather than conversation.
A decent dinner option if you’re looking to get away from the chain restaurants like Milestones and Jack Astors in the area.

Love the combination of ingredients and the colourful presentation of the tacos. For example, green apple with cod fish — love. The menu is kept short and simple so you can try all the tacos in one shot. I’d say 3 tacos plus sharing an appetizer is a good portion for one person. My least favourite is probably the beef cheeks. I had the Tuesday taco special (wish I could recall the name) and that was my favourite. Too bad the scorpion wings were sold out because the last time I had their wings at the College St location I was extremely satisfied. Churros are a nice ending to the meal :)

I was very excited to come to this place. I must say that all the tacos I ordered (Cotija, Cod and the Tuna Tostada) were amazing. All of them had crunch, a little bit of kick, color, and a sweet factor. They were all tasty, really really tasty!
The reasons why I did not give the 5-​star rating was because of the service, the server was a little slow, plus one of the waiters that brought our tacos practically slammed the plate, maybe he was in a hurry or something.
Overall, great food but the service needs improvement.

Service is meh. It wasn’t attentive nor nice. Took forever to flag down a waitress for the bill… just take my money!
This location apparently is more spacious but the line up is still crazy. If you go during lunch (12PM) or dinner time, you gonna have to wait more than 30 mins. Food is a bit expensive with small portions as well.
–Beef cheek taco $ 5.25
While the beef cheek was tender, I thought the overall flavor of the taco was underwhelming and bland. The taco was a bit too saucy and the tortilla was limp, and fell apart upon eating.
–In Cod We Trust taco $ 4.95
The cod was lightly battered with a nice crunch, and the fish was perfectly tender and moist. I found the tartness from the red cabbage and green apple to be quite overpowering though, perhaps just pick either one would have been good enough.
–Mexican Street Corn $ 8.5
You don’t go to La Carnita and not order their famous Mexican corn. The combination of the rich creama and salty flavor from the queso anejo are incredible! A touch of chilli powder on top to give the succulent corn a nice kick

We had the Sunday ribs, carnita and cod tacos. The ribs were very flavourful! The tacos are pretty small, but very good. Since they’re bite sized, it gives you opportunity to try a variety but the cost can add up quickly. It is a very casual atmosphere — even the servers are just wearing casual every day clothing and sneakers.

Usually a line-​up for a table makes me go somewhere else, but my friend really loves this place so we left our names and grabbed a drink down the street.
They texted, we grabbed a table upstairs, and everything was perfect. The playlist was strictly Drake songs, which I didn’t mind — the timing was right. We got served right away and grabbed some Detour — they have it on tap!
Started with some meatballs (a little expensive) that were incredible. The sauce was nice and sweet, like sugary molasses. We also got some avocado/​mango salad which was also really good.
On to the tacos! The crispy chicken thigh was probably my favourite, but there was a duck special that came a super-​close 2^nd place. If you see it on the specials I would definitely grab an order.
I like the vibe of the place a lot. Both the food and service was excellent. I can imagine the line-​ups get pretty hectic (along with the chaos of also running Sweet Jesus) but it’s well worth the wait. Can’t wait to come back!

I recently came here for the second time, mostly because I adore corn so wanted to try their amazing looking Mexican street corn. Did the corn live up to my expectations? I would say YES. Believe me, I have eaten a LOT of corn during my lifetime, but I will say never with flavours like this. Topped with Mexican crema, queso anejo, arbol & ancho chili powder, each bite is just bursting with these wonderful flavours. Even though I found it to be too spicy with the chili powder, I had to continue eating because it still tasted so good.
As for the main feature, the tacos, I can say with certainty that they are quite good, but not the best I’ve had. Most recently I had the beef cheek, the special of the day (Thursday — duck) and crispy cotija which is a vegetarian one with cauliflower and beans. I can’t complain about them, because I thought they were all flavourful and tasty. I have to say I like the soft taco shells at Campechano (
) more though, they just tasted fresher and full of corny goodness.
I also couldn’t resist trying some of their desserts this time! The churros came out hot and fresh — the order comes with 3 and they are pretty big. Taste just like the tiny tom cinnamon donuts mmm. I also tried the tres leches cake — it comes in a pretty sizeable portion in a little glass jar. The cake part is light and fluffy, but topped with many many layers of cream which really fill you up. I really liked the large coconut flakes at the very top — if you like coconut things then you’ll enjoy this because the flavour is really strong. I couldn’t finish this in the end because I got too full, perhaps share this with another person.
In terms of the ambiance, it’s a bit hit or miss for me. It feels hip and trendy and lively, and I like that. Both times I came, the music was on point, great hiphop/​urban jams. The downside to all that is that it gets super loud and rowdy — if you’re looking for a place to relax after work and chat with your friends then I would not recommend coming here, you’ll just be shouting at each other. Also it is incredibly dim in there, to the point where you can hardly even read the menu. I think in general I’ve had more enjoyable dining experiences at other places — I remember at Campechano I was able to really focus on all the tacos I had and all of the flavours in each one, but at La Carnita I just get so overwhelmed by all the activity and sensory overload that the actual taco flavours take a back seat.
In the end, my friend and I each had three tacos, a cob of corn each, and shared the desserts, and left feeling super stuffed. Prices here are reasonable, we each threw down $ 35 and called it a night. I will be coming back in the future, the corn has captured my heart and I’ve heard the Mexican meatballs are also a must-​try item.

Had the meatballs, duck taco, ceviche taco, carnita taco, and beef cheek taco. The meatballs were excellent but I’m not good with too spicy and it was a touch spicy for me, but I loved them. Duck and carnita taco were okay with the ceviche and beef cheek being outstanding. The ceviche had a very light underlying sweet flavor which was delicate and delicious. The beef cheek was flavorful and the meat tasted perfect!

Great atmosphere and tracks with a touch of hipster. Service could have been better and the food just ok.
Surprise stand out was the Pollo Frito (crispy chicken thigh, peanut mole, honey, Rossy’s hot sauce, green cabbage, and salsa fresca). Wasn’t impressed with the other tacos however the choritzo meatballs had the perfect amount of spice and cheese– try it!
For dessert, only paleta’s are served. If you’re looking to try their infamous Sweet Jesus lattes and ice cream cones, you’ll have to wait in line next door.
Will give this place another shot.

Great little reclaimed historic building on John st south of Adelaide — it wants to be Mexican themed food but doesn’t bill itself as authentic. So don’t hit here thinking you will get world class and accurate Mexican spiced dishes. Still the food is flavourful and fun and is paired up with great drinks and margaritas. can you make a margarita with less than two ounces of tequila? I think there is a law that says you can’t and that makes me happy.
Service was quick and attentive and friendly. There are an upstairs and downstairs so check out both sections for more comfortable seating.
They are co businesses with sweet Jesus the ice cream place so go get a fancy burrito and a ridiculously gourmet ice cream and then wash it all down with some Cuervo.
Pretty good day.

I’ve been to La Carnita a bunch of times and I love this place for the food, the service and vibe. The several times I’ve gone I never had to wait long for a table (maybe I was just lucky, who knows!)
Food wise, their cod tacos are the bomb. So delicious and everything in the taco works together. The mexican corn is delicious as well — the char from the grill with the crema and chili powder gives the dish a good kick. Messy to eat but worth every bite. Churros and the paletas are a must too (love the key lime pie one!)! If you don’t want to wait in line at Sweet Jesus for paletas then get them at La Carnita. Sangria is awesome as well!
Service is friendly, waiters are attentive. The vibe is casual and the hip hop music is loud, but it’s a fun place to be at for lunch/​dinner. Would definitely take friends there who haven’t been there before.

I came here a few weeks ago with a friend to finally try it out. It was a good experience! The servers were friendly and quick considering how busy it was.
I started off with the cesar which was named something else because it was Mexican style. Instead of vodka it had beer which was an interesting change as I am a frequent cesar drinker but not much of a beer drinker. I had to ask at one point for some more clamato. It was definitely good but not something I’d order often.
My friend and I split the street corn to start. It was good but very spicy and a little cheesy, be warned!
For my main I got two tacos, the tuna and the chicken. Definitely liked the tuna better, it tasted very fresh and healthy. The chicken was fried which was kind of disappointing but it was my own fault for not reading that much into the details. Would have preferred grilled but that’s okay!
We were much too full for dessert but I noticed that they had sweet jesus ice creams on their dessert menu so good on them!
I would definitely return eventually

A true 3 star. I’ve always wanted to try la carnita since it was on college street. But, i was skeptical about trying when i read some reviews on Unilocal.What stood out in the reviews were the small portion sizes relative to cost. I was expecting a 2 star place, but to my surprise, this is a true 3!
There’s two levels for dining. We went to the second floor and saw that they can accommodate large groups. The décor was rustic and music was hip hop, which I really liked. Very comparable to their sister company, home of the brave.
Waitress was a bit cold and unapproachable in my opinion, but she did her job. Service is very slow. It took about 15 mins to get our appetizers and 15 minutes to get our dessert. The waitress had to go check on the order because it was so slow. It was pretty busy though, but servers came quickly to clear our table.
We ordered:
The Sunday rib special ($ 15) — 6 pieces of fall off the bone ribs. Pretty spicy for me (I don’t do spicy at all), but full of flavour with some crispy little bits. Grade: A
Corn ($ 9) — my fave. Got it based on Unilocalers recommendation and I wasn’t disappointed. Very flavourful. Loved the sour cream and spices. By far my fave — grade: A
In cod we trust ($ 4.95 per taco) — my fave taco. Cod was freshly fried, sauce and flavour was good. Reminds me of grand electric’s fish tacos. Grade: A
Carnita ($ 4.95 per taco) — not good. Tasteless, and the meat was very liquidity. Grade: C
Tostada de ceviche ($ 6.50) — disappointing. The shell was good. Deep fried, but the Ceviche had no taste and was very watery. There was a touch of coconut pieces, which gave it a nice sweet contrast flavour, but there wasn’t enough. Should add more to it. They didn’t skim on the tuna pieces. They were chunky, but unfortunately, it had no flavour. Grade: C
Dessert: key lime Popsicle from sweet Jesus ($ 4). I really loved this Popsicle. In fact, I like it more than the soft serve at sweet Jesus. It’s not your typical Popsicle. It had a lot of flavour with little pieces of lime inside the Popsicle. My tip, skip the line at sweet Jesus and come to la carnita for the Popsicle! Grade: A+
The portions is on par with other taco places. They are very generous with the stuffing/​ingredients in my opinion compared to Wilbur.
Price is about $ 1 more than grand electric and Wilbur, but isn’t bad. Competitive to be honest in my opinion. For 2 people, without drinks, we spent about $ 67 including tax and tip.
Overall, I would come here again for Popsicle, corn, and to try their other tacos.

Really really great tacos — ordered the pollo frito and the carnita. LOVED the pollo frito!!! It’s fried chicken (which is usually weird for me in tacos) but our waitress recommended it and I’m glad she did because it had so much flavour and texture. The carnita tasted a little bland after the pollo frito but it is spicy! Would order the pollo frito again for sure.
Also had the chorizo meatballs and scallop ceviche as appetizers. Both great options for sharing, but the food itself was not good enough to order again but it was enjoyable.
For drinks, had the grapefruit/​pineapple one (forgot what it was called) which was nice and sweet. Had the cookies and cream ice cream bar, which was good because it wasn’t too sweet! And at a decent price.

After realizing la carnita opened up a new location right next door, I jumped at the most immediate opportunity to try it out. I’ve been to the original location on college and have experienced the infamous wait times so I was pleasantly surprised that this location consists of 2 stories, is MUCH bigger and no lineup!
I tried their Mexican sweet corn for the first time and thought the corn was SO sweet and juicy and perfectly charred. I’ve never tried dressed up corn on the Cobb before and liked the play on flavours — party in your mouth!
The tacos on the other hand were a bit of different story… the beef cheek and the carnita (pork) and felt that they were excessively saucy and the tortillas were just limp and inspiring. The cod tacos that came next were better as anything with lots of pickled cabbage wins my vote.
My main complaint is that the tacos are tiny! After downing a whole thing of corn + 2 tacos which is almost $ 20 pp including tax and tips, I left the place still hungry and ended up having a second dinner. I feel like the average person will need at least 4 tacos each to feel full.
The service was excellent and very attentive and so I think I’ll be back again sometime as I’m a sucker for Mexican food and this is such a convenient location. But maybe some improvements on the tacos please?