Escondite Cerveceria de Barrio is a Mexican restaurant situated in downtown Montreal steps away from le Quartier des Spectacles, that serves Mexican goodies and house crafted Tequila cocktails.
Overall, reviews depict Escondite as a lively, welcoming Mexican spot with great décor, a warm atmosphere and a strong drinks program that pairs well with a broad menu of tacos, tapas and shared plates. Tacos are frequently highlighted as excellent, especially lamb birria, al pastor and Baja fish, with guacamole, mango salad and churros also praised, though a few dishes are called out as small or uneven. Service is consistently described as friendly and attentive, with staff offering good recommendations, while occasional notes mention slower pacing or a two-hour reservation limit that can feel rushed. The ambiance is described as vibrant and authentic, making it a good choice for groups and celebrations, and many guests say the experience justifies returning for the tasting menu or a repeat visit. Some mention price or portion size as a trade-off, but most agree the quality, variety and atmosphere make Escondite a standout option in town.
Great Apps, basic tacos were mid. The Carnitas was the best, the Baha fish was the worst (we didn't finish it). Should have probably tried the more unconventional tacos on the menu.
The service was excellent, very attentive. As usual, the cocktails were on point, & the tacos & appetizers were delicious. We found the atmosphere warm & energetic, & our server was amazing. We had the guacamole, twice, & the baja fish, fried chicken, al pastor, & Korean beef tacos. It's hard to say which one was best.
Dec 17, 2025
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I'd give this place 6⭐? if I could.
It was packed at lunch today. I sat at the bar as I was solo. I had a margarita & fish & steak tacos. Damn so good & tasty. Wish I could have had a couple more. I'll be back soon.
Escondite on Union has delicious tacos & a fun atmosphere. Staff are fantastic, quick service, great cocktails including a fab non-alcoholic mojito. Had the fish taco, Al Pastor & steak tacos. All great choices
Awesome!! We loved the cocktails, food was good, but the fish tacos a little bit spicy. Overall, everything was amazing!! We're coming back for sure!!!
I have been here countless times since I opened up a business a few doors down a year ago. Escondite is one of the last bastions of quality food at affordable prices downtown. Add in excellent service, great atmosphere, & a nice terrace. What more can you want? Yona in particular stands out. He goes the extra mile every time - management take note! My favourites are the tuna tostada & the fish tacos. The mango salad is also really nice.
Aug 29, 2024
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The tacos are delicious. I love tacos, so I go to many different Mexican/Latin restaurants, & their food is usually good, but this place has amazing texture in their bajas fish & sirloin steak. I got the bajas fish taco, fried chicken taco, & Korean sirloin beef taco. The moment I bit into the bajas fish taco, I felt the soft fluffy but crispy texture of the batter of the fish. I'm very impressed at this fluffy texture. It was so delicious. The fried chicken taco was lacklustre, but still good, similar to what I get elsewhere. I was expecting the sirloin taco to be tough & chewy, as they usually are, but this was marinated, soft, & easily bit, chewed, & swallowed. The flavour was great on this taco, too. I didn't get the chance to try the shrimp taco that I wanted to try, & some other flavours, but I will definitely go back when I get the chance & try the other ones. Edit: I came here in early 2023 & you were still able to get individual tacos of whatever flavour you want, so you can try more flavours. I came here again in November 2023, & this time, you had to get two tacos of whatever flavour you choose. Very disappointing.
I've never had such poor service in a restaurant. From the moment we were seated at our table the waitress made it very clear we were unwelcome. We asked questions about the menu & got very little by way of response. It took forever to get our menus & then an hour to be served & then the order was missing items. When we addressed it she had an attitude & walked away. She never asked if we'd like another drink or if we needed anything.
The food we did receive was, fine. The chilaquiles looked like something you made at home when you're drunk & throw stuff in a bowl - my colleague said it looked like dog food. Fried chicken taco was good - never received our guacamole & chips. The fish taco smelled so bad it made me wonder if it would make me sick. Fresh fish doesn't smell. I'm very surprised given I'd heard great things about the food. Maybe an off night?
When we were able to flag her down she pointed & yelled at me that the item we were waiting for was'coming'. I can completely understand when a restaurant is swamped - it happens - but she made no effort to speak to us or advise us. Every interaction with her made us feel that we shouldn't have come & she didn't want us there. We were there for dinner while on business - we wanted more drinks & were prepared to spend money, but it was clear that it was impossible to order & that she really didn't want our business. Even when we went to pay, she never made eye contact or asked us how our food was, instead stood there with crossed arms looking away. I get it - everyone has a bad day - but I travel all the time, & eat in restaurants frequently & never in my life have I had such poor service. I can understand a kitchen it busy, & service is slow, but that's where the server is supposed to shine. Check in - ask if we need anything. Ask if we want another drink - instead it ruined our evening. I honestly can't recommend this restaurant to anyone - which makes me so sad, because it's a beautiful space in the old port. I'm so disappointed.
Was recommended to be by a friend & it way surpassed my expectations. Our party of 4 arrived on a Friday night with out reservations. We were greeted at the door & told it would about a 15 minute wait & was offered a spot at the Bar. The first thing you notice is the great décor. Not your cheesy Mexican joint, but a cool hip South-of-the-boarder vibe. At the bar we enjoyed some fantastic & unique cocktails (try the one with the chilli powder, can't remember the name). Within minutes our table was ready, we were seated & our wonderful server Alisha was ready to take our order.
The food choices are outstanding & vast. With it's tapas type menu it was fun to order food to share. The fish tacos, veg quesadillas & guacamole dip were outstanding, but personal favourite were the ribs (ordered a second plate just for myself)
Being to full for dessert we opted to move back to the bar, which was now fairly full & hopping, to enjoy some more cocktails.
All in all, it was a wonderful evening, with great food & excellent service & I cannot wait to go back for more.
