Tacos El Asador

Good neighbourhood gem. Fish tacos were definitely my favourite.

I got two tacos. The first was steak. The meat was good, and was topped with nice potatoes. The second taco was chorizo. It was quite disappointing, with little flavour. The tacos were served with a nice side of onions and jalapeño and some hot sauce. Each taco costs $ 3.55, but they are generous in size.
However, I had several complaints. For starters, the corn tortilla was not good. Moreover, it got soggy in no time, and completely fell apart. The second complaint was that the flavour was not really there. For me, tacos should be about big bold flavours, but these were bland. However, all of these would have been forgiven. My main complaint is that this place is not clean. One trip to the toilets and I lost my appetite. I usually try to focus my reviews on the food, but I’m sorry, this place could use a good scrub.

Friendly hole-​in-​the wall serving comfort food.
Their fish tacos are my fave. Some of the others a touch dry. No attempt to steer away from the traditional, which is fine by me, as there are lots of places already doing that in TO.

I only had 2 tacos here: fish and al pastor, so my review is narrowly focused.
Actually, the tacos are pretty okay here. Old fashioned and simple are the descriptions. And these descriptions fit my concept of tacos well. My concept of tacos is that tacos are very simple, every day food. A good taco must get the 2 key components right: the tortilla and the protein. Otherwise, all the excessive quantity of gourmet toppings can’t save the day. The fish taco I had contained a big fillet of white fish, pan fried. 1 star. The al pastor was grilled to lean, marinated with spices, and served with pineapple (yes, old fashioned). Another star. The tacos were served with 2 soft corn tortillas. The tortillas were store bought/​off the shelf tortilla. But considering each taco costed only $ 3.55, and the tortilla was soft and at room temperature at least, I was happy. Third star. If there is any complaint, it is that the ingredients, though not too old, could be more fresh. The fish taco was a little bland as a result, to which I resolved with lot of lime juice. Freshness can significantly enhance the flavours and enjoyment of simple food, such as Mexican food.
I am looking forward to returning to try other offerings at Taco El Asador, so that I have reasons to revise my rating higher. Until then.

Some of the best tacos in the city are served here. Plus they serve beer too! Nice little hole-​in-​the-​wall that cranks out some amazing Mexican food — possibly the best I’ve tried. There is plenty of seating and even though the place gets packed we have always been offered a seat, even sharing with others because of the need for cooperation. Step inside and get greeted with mouth-​watering aromas and soft lighting urging you to get close to the counter and peruse the menu. Even though the selection appears average, the effort they take with their fresh ingredients and careful presentation always blows me away. On the table you will find a bowl of chopped onions and hot peppers, along with a bowl of red hot sauce, both excellent. So far I’ve tried the shrimp, fish, pulled chicken, and chorizo tacos and a tamale. The soft shells are doubles and the hard one is a little more difficult to handle but has a nice crunch. Either way, delicious! I’ve been told to try their soup as well as it’s supposed to be very good.
The service is top notch. Love their style here! Go order something. Sit down. They plop it in front of you. Eat it, and if you’re half way done, stop and order more if you’re still hungry. Then get up and pay and leave, so great! Super friendly dudes working there — with big hearts. Decent prices. No wonder the stellar reputation at this taco stand.

My go to taco place. One of the only places that has hard shell tacos (other than chipotle and taco bell) my absolute favourite is the crispy fish taco. I could inhale them for eternity if my stomach permitted it. The staff are super nice and if they have the cookies… Get them. They are some of the best cookies i’ve ever had. The place itself is little with some picnic tables you order then when you eat you pay. It’s cash only so bring them dolla bills.

I had 3 different types of tacos & they were all dry and awful. Never again.
If you’re looking for a real taco place, go to Seven Lives.

My first Unilocal review, exciting!
So I recently started a new job and one of my coworkers mentioned this place that had really good tacos. Me and my other co-​worker went here yesterday. It’s a fairly small spot but the food is great. I had 3 tacos and a guava Jarritos and was stuffed by the end.
It’s a pretty authentic spot. The music playing was in Spanish. The men working in the front spoke to each other in Spanish. The guy I talked to also explained what was in a chorizo taco. The picnic tables are a cute touch.
I did find it odd that two of my tacos didn’t have cheese. We were wondering if that’s how an «authentic» Mexican taco is made? Idk. The chorizo taco was by far the best of the three I had (also had chicken and beef). I also saw someone with what looked like a shrimp taco. I’m gonna try that next time.
It’s a decent spot and I’d go again. The menu has other stuff I’ll probably eventually try. In regards to pricing, the tacos were $ 3.50 each. My meal came up to $ 15 even. Also, bring cash!

I stop by for lunch here occasionally and have recommended others to this restaurant.
Affordable, authentic Mexican food. I always get the fish soft tacos here. (Approx $ 3.50 ea). Definitely need to add the lemon, salsa and onions to these for extra flavour. Two tacos are just enough to fulfill my hunger.
Overall, good place for a quick bite in this area.
Downside: Cash only

Good for them, bad for me; too busy!
Honestly I think they have the best burrito I’ve ever eaten, tacos also excellent.
I pass them all the time but rarely enter; the line and tight, tight, crammed space is claustrophobic. I want to go more often but the line is brutal. Be great to see them take a vacancy next door or down the street, there is nothing cute/​quaint about the location/​décor, it’s just super busy with limited seating/​space.

This place has been here forever! I lived on Clinton street years ago and would pop in often for a veggie burrito! Seriously tasty and very affordable as well. I for years just got the burrito and take and and more recently i have been back and each time i ask who is working to recommend something new so i can branch out. The best thing is they are so super friendly and helpful. You can feel that they are into what they do and love food!
I recently tried the crispy chicken (i know its called something else :/​) and it was super yummy! I would have never ordered it on my own but took the suggestion, he said it was available fried or soft. I so went fried! bring it on!!! I also got the cheese pupusa which was quite plain, i thinks thats just how they are, but added their salsa and it was out of this world. Those two items totally filled me up and I think it was around $ 7 pre tip. It was fast and friendly, i was in a rush to get somewhere right after, and the guy i ordered from checked in on how i like things and we chatted a bit about other items.
If you like a casual and friendly atmosphere I totally recommend it. Very low key in and out and you can share tables with other customers which I like when I am alone, even tho its so not a north american thing to do :)

You’d miss the place if you aren’t actually looking for it but the place sure is busy at dinner. A different dining experience where you order first, get seated, eat then pay after.
I got fish soft tacos and cheese pupusa. The fish was okay. I’d have better. Definitely enjoyed my pupusa more. I’ll get the bean and maybe another cheese next time. I’ll try other soft tacos too. The pupusa was very corn-​y which is what it’s supposed to be. The sauce that came with it goes well with it. Whats better was the red chili sauce that was on the house for the table. It was spicy at first but once you keep eating it, it gets addicting. I deff slabbed that on my taco and pupusa.

While writing this review I have encountering feelings: In one hand, this place was used by my husband 2 years ago in order to remember the Mexican flavors he enjoyed while we were together in Mexico (he told me he biked to eat at «tacos el Asador» almost every week because he missed Mexico…)
He ate Birria everytime he went.
Birria is a really fulfilling stew&soup, 100% comfort-​food when is made with love. I dare to say that it is an alternative to the «healing» properties adjudicated to the chicken
soups, because it makes you feel less decrepit when you are: hang over, suffering the flue, starving (they give you tortillas and it is suppose to have so much tender goat meat floating, that you can make tacos out of the straight plate of soup…)
Going back to the joint, I love hanging out in there… It really feels like home. So the ambiance is really authentical, and they have beer… And they even had the gem of the beers this summer: modelo especial!!!
I feel bad giving a bad rating because we have been there many times, and I see they have a nice multicultural supporting clientele. They are really busy for been a small joint and it seemed that they are popular with the food to go.
This is a wake up call for this establishment.
Every customer and everyday counts. If the product is not ready to serve, use diplomacy; apologize, and offer another option that makes your kitchen and effort proud. Keep and treasure the trust people has on you, otherwise they won’t recommend you.
We went there before they even opened and there was a couple with a stroller waiting outside because they wanted to brunch in there. We went to the park and ate a 3 dls korean empanada while wating for the birria…
Once we went back to ‘tacos el asador’ almost all the tables were taken, just one empty bench waiting for us… I was salivating for the meal we waited for… 20 min and no birria in our table, lots of to go food, lots of calling no our names, and when the birrias finally arrived, OMG. I started to play with the spoon to cool the birria down, but I caught a horrible circle of bones, meat, and everything together piece of meat… A second one… Ohhh… it looked horrible and I wanted to take a picture, but I forgot my phone in the car, and Mateo was too kind to suggest to try the soup first.
As usual, my husband (thinking he is more Mexican than me) put two spoons of sauce before even tasting the soup. When I tried it: just water, no flavor at all, no condiments, no salt, no dedication, no love, just raw onion and cilantro floating in the most disappointing soup I have ever tried. When my husband tried the birria, his opinion of the place also changed, and we decided to just go and leave the place behind to never go back.
I went out and my husband payed 20 dls for those bowls of water. He said one of the crew asked: «you didn’t liked it? Cuz is the same soup»… Yes sure… Hasta la vista and to my black list.

Yummy, fresh food at a cheap price! This is a tiny place and can get very busy. I recommend for 2 people (4 if you can wait a little). Line up, order at the front, wait to be seated, once you’re seated they bring the food to you. Once you’re done eating, pay at the cash (they take CASH ONLY). Service is fast and friendly. They also do take-​out.
I recommend the shrimp and fish soft shell tacos, but my absolute favourite is the Pupusa (mixed) — it’s like a stuffed tortilla pancake with beans and melted cheese on the inside. I will definitely be back for those!

Having lived in LA before, I have pretty high taco standards. Didn’t have high expectations for Toronto, and I’ve actually been avoiding them here just to prevent disappointment. I’m glad I tried this place, because the tacos are really good.
I tried the fish, carnitas & goat. The fish would have to be my favorite. I’m not sure what ingredients they added to the fish, but it was a great combo. The goat was good too, although I expected it to be more gamey. I’ll probably pass on the carnitas next time.
They are really flavorful, and quite big (although I need about 3 – 4 to fill up). I like the atmosphere of the restaurant too (except for the compactness of the place. its really cramped).
Ordered a horchata too. I’m not sure if the El Salvador version is meant to be different, but I didn’t like that as much as the version I’m used to getting at Mexican places. That being said, my wife enjoyed it. It comes in a pretty big mug.
The tacos are not as good (and more expensive) than my favorite places in LA, but they are still delicious. I’ll definitely be back!

The food was fresh, service was fast, and atmosphere was lively– felt like Mexico City– too many people, too small a space– it goes to the authenticity though right?!
Each taco is about $ 3.50 and about 5″ in diameter, they fill ‘em up so 2 tacos will give you enough to bite on; order another taco, pupusas, enchilada and share or keep it to yourself if you’re really hungry.
Don’t bother with the nachos and guac– though the guacamole is wonderfully fresh and full of chunks– it’s just not worth the $ 7.55 for about 20 chips and half a cup of guacamole. Besides, they load up the tacos with the guacamole anyways– so you won’t miss out.
Beer was a bit expensive, about $ 5 a bottle.
Salsa served at the table is really spicy– about 4 chillies, so stay alert!
They have unusual hours so you have to make it there between 12pm-​9pm. The turnover is quick so you wont stand around for too long for a seat.
I’m also loving on the «family run» atmosphere of the place!

The tacos were really good! I ordered the chorizo and beef hard shell taco and it was roughly around $ 11 — 12 which is not bad because the tacos did not disappoint :)
I would recommend getting some nachos on the side because the 2 tacos really did not fill me up! The tacos were really juicy and the meat was cooked just right
My friend got a soft shell chicken taco and said that she regretted getting it just cause compared to the beef it just was not as good and it fell apart really quickly so that’s just a heads up.
The restaurant was tiny but gave off very chill vibes so I definitely enjoyed my time at Tacos El Asador: DD
Would recommend to anyone who is in the mood for some good tacos.

Small & tight place, roughly 8 tables for 4 + a counter for 3 or 4 persons (?). Kitchen staff is literally pressed back to back & easily visible to everyone. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s bad that the place is small because everyone running that joint was efficient & we were assured that seating was no problem.
After placing our order, we shared a table with other guests. Food was top notch quality. We had 3 soft tacos & a burrito. we’ll be coming back to try their pupusas, tamales, nachos & some more tacos & burritos.
Certainly one of Toronto’s best!

I’ll admit it. Sometimes, I get tired of being charged 5 bucks a pop for a fancily topped aesthetically pleasing taco in a dimly lit restaurant. Pupusas and tamales aren’t pretty and I don’t care. They taste good. Sometimes, I want to just wear unattractive clothing (not that I often do) and eat authentic tacos that are cheaper because let’s face it, I can’t afford going to have $ 5 tacos all the time.
That’s what you have at Tacos El Asador with their picnic tables indoors and the super laid back vibe. It’s cute and more importantly I’m comfortable. I like that you get your money’s worth (and instead of buying 2 $ 5 tacos, you can get 3 tacos for $ ¹¹⁄₁₂). I also like that I can get a bottle of corona with my taco and not have to choose a locally brewed special on the tap kind of beer.
But most of all, I appreciate that the food that I eat is coming straight from people familiar with the culture source. I know someone out there is going to call me a racist but it’s the same way that I’m a born and bred Vietnamese person and so when I go to Phở restaurants, I want to know that it’s a Vietnamese run restaurant who knows what they’re doing.
So if you’re ever in the area and want tacos without feeling like you’re not pretty enough for them (baby, you’re always pretty for tacos) hit up this spot because it’s awesome!

This place is not far from Christie Pits on the north east corner of Bloor and Clinton. If you want to eat inside there are I think 5 picnic style tables so it is pretty tight in there to begin with. You have to line up and order at the cash register and pay there and then they bring it out to your table (if you were able to get one).
It’s not that expensive for single items but usually a person like me will get like 3 or 4 different things because each item is too small for a full meal. There are many ways to fill whatever your order whether it’s burrito, tacos, etc. Personally I like the cheese pupusa and I think they even have corn tamales. We’ve had the fish before as well.
If you’re a group they will bring everything to your table. They have salsa and sides of fresh jalepenos, onions and other things for different dishes that you order that go with it such as cabbage for the pupusas.
They have mexican sodas and beer like Dos Equis and Corona too. Overall I’d have to say if you get a variety of items it will be something like 10 to 15 dollars a person not including drinks.
Also it’s El Salvadorian as opposed to Mexican I think. I don’t really know what the difference is but either way I like this place and I’ve been going for years.

Vous souhaitez manger bon pour pas cher, c’est l’endroit qu’il vous faut! un bourrito pour moins de 6 $ et en plus bon, que demander de plus! hun!
En revanche il vous faudra patienter un peu pour avoir une table ou commander à emporter car l’endroit est vraiment très petit, mais le patron vous accueille comme il se doit et fait tout pour vous mettre à l’aise!
Les boissons typiques Amérique du sud son bonnes mais plus cheres car exportées!
PS: seul le CASH est accepté, soyez prévenu!

Petite perle mexicaine à 2 pas de la maison! Oubliez les chaînes Taco Bell et KFC rhymant avec assassinat gastronomique et abonnement longue durée aux toilettes…
Les cantines sud américaines que j’ai fréquentées à Paris étaient au top: je pense en particulier au salsa rumba; le plaisir est retrouvé ici avec el asador. Service rapide, menu simple et nourriture excellente. Le burrito au boeuf et le taco au porc étaient simplement délicieux, un bémol sur le prix de la dos equis à 5 $, bienvenue au Canada où tu paies le prix fort pour boire de la bière d’importation.
/​/​Little mexican pearl located at 5 minutes from my house. Forget all about Taco Bell and KFC which sound like murder in your stomach and long subscription to the bathroom…
South american cantinas that I used to go to in paris were very good: thinking especially about the Salsa Rumba. Pleasure of mexican food is found again at el Asador.
Ordering food is quick, the menu is simple and the food is awesome. Beef burrito and porck taco are delicious. One negative point on the bottle of Dos Equis at 5 $, welcome to Canada where you have to pay high prices for import beers.