First of all I must say that I almost never write reviews of any kind. But after reading some of the comments and ratings for Amaranto on this website, I felt compelled to do Amaranto some justice. I find it hard to believe that somebody would wait 2.5 to 3 hours for their meal to be served. I think those reviewers are either grossly exaggerating or they are simply not telling the whole story. My experience was that of a fair time for meals to be served, great authentic mexican dishes and a professional and friendly service. You have to take into account that this is a small family-run restaurant. Owners do most of the work and I think they do it to the best of their abilities. Do they have the fastest service in town? Probably not, but there are some ways to get around this: you can order in advance, order for take out or simply enjoy an entrée while waiting for the main course (I´ve heard that their guacamole is one of the best, in town). The place is small, 4 to 5 tables but I think it is safe to say that in this case the size of the restaurant is inversely proportional to the taste and authenticity of the dishes. I haven't really tried other mexican joints in Montreal, but as a mexican myself, I can say without any hesitation, that the dishes are as authentic and tasteful as can be, outside of Mexico. I tried the Sopa de Aguacate (Avocado soup), Tacos de Pastor, Tacos de Carnitas, Agua de Jamaica (hibiscus tea), Agua de Chía (very refreshing kind of lemonade) and they were all very well prepared, delicious and brought to our table in a timely manner. The menu is rather small, but what they offer is made at the moment (even their chips and salsas, which by the way are also excellent), which gives it even more taste and freshness (both of these elements are essential to mexican cuisine). It is true that they have an open kitchen and the smell of food might find it´s way to your clothes, but I wouldn't say this is overwhelming. Besides, many food joints in Mexico have open kitchens. We mexicans like to see what's going on with the food we're about to be served!! They also play authentic mexican folk music at Amaranto making it so much more enjoyable!! So, in a nutshell, take the poor reviews with a grain of salt, give Amaranto a try and not only will you not regret it, I´m pretty sure you'll keep coming for more. If TASTY and AUTHENTIC mexican food is what you're looking for with a good and friendly service, then go to Amaranto.