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.
On nous vend une formule dégustation'8 plats' sans même annoncer clairement le prix, en promettant une expérience exceptionnelle. En réalité, ce sont de minuscules portions à partager à plusieurs, dont certaines n'ont même rien de mexicain (poulet frit très basique qu'on retrouve dans n'importe quelle brasserie).
Pour le reste : quelques tacos, un peu de guacamole, une mini-salade, des churros à l'unité… & c'est tout. Résultat : 60$ chacun & toujours faim en sortant. Clairement abusif. À ce prix-là, on s'attend à vivre une vraie expérience culinaire, pas à goûter à de simples échantillons.
Une expérience exécrable, je vous conseille fortement de faire demi-tour surtout que Montréal regorge d'excellents restaurants mais celui-ci n'en fait clairement pas partie & n'est absolument pas à la hauteur de sa réputation.
This was a perfect meal, not one we particularly expected. It was just a block from our hotel, so we said why not? Turned out that it offered the best, most imaginative tacos we've had lately, a great cocktail program, & personable, efficient service. Darling, our server & apparently a manager, could not have been more delightful. Did I mention the best guacamole we've had, maybe ever?
Mar 5, 2026
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Our new favourite Mexican restaurant! We went for dinner last night for the first time. Everything was terrific - the décor, lovely menu, delicious guacamole, cauliflower tacos, cornbread (!!) & the service! Thank you SO much for a wonderful experience all around. We can't wait to go back.
Guacamole, Fuego margarita, birria tacos, churros & key lime pie. All were fantastic. Service was great, they didn't rush us. Decor was very good too, as well as prices for the quality. Hoping to return soon.
Comment dire… le pire service que j'ai jamais eu de ma vie. Un groupe de 27 dont 12 adolescentes (compétition à MTL). Menu fixé à l'avance à 35$/ch même pour les enfants. Repas inclus salade, guacamole, muffin de maïs, tacos, poulet général tao, dessert. Jusque là ça va. Ça se corse: 45 minutes pour recevoir les boissons qui étaient ordinaires, pas reçu la moitié des plats, ça fait 2 heures. Le serveur parle à peine français, il est totalement perdu. On fait venir le gérant… impoli & condescendant comme jamais vu. On lui demande quelle langue il parle pour lui demander ce qui se passe & il répond l'espagnol mais c'est un francophone. La moitié des gens n'ont pas reçu leurs plats & il voulait leur charger quand même. Certains ont reçu la mauvaise commande. Les enfants ont à peine mangé. On est parti tellement ça n'avait pas de sens. On a refusé de payer les plats non reçus. Vraiment décevant & éviter de recommander.
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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We had the pork, lamb, shrimp & fried chicken tacos. We love the lamb best with little spice. We also had the Gyazo Nacho (they are Gyazo but with Guacamole on it) & pork ribs. All the seasonings are perfect!! The person serving us was top notch, it was our first time there, the person recommended the portion which was very helpful! They even try to replicate a drink they don't have on the menu!
J'aurais du connaître ce restaurant plus tôt! L nourriture est vraiment bonne la guacamole épicé pour entré & les tacos W.O.W En plus du service très chaleureux de Darling. Je recommence fortement!
Très belle soirée sur la terrasse sur rue ce soir. Tacos tous plus goûteux les uns que les autres. & excellente guacamole. C'était une première mais certainement pas une dernière fois.
We had eaten at another one of Escondite Cerveceria de Barrio restaurants on a previous visit to Montreal, & really enjoyed it. They describe themselves as "Escondite Cerveceria de Barrio are Mexican restaurants situated in Montreal, West-Island, Laval & Repentigny, that serves Mexican inspired goodies & house crafted Tequila cocktails." We'd already had lunch, so the choice of small plates was ideal. We chose some guacamole to start with, followed by some very tasty tacos. Really nice: well presented & very delicious. We ate: - Guacamole served with smoked paprika totopos - Coliflor: corn tortilla, paste, crispy cauliflower, black bean pepper crema, coriander - Cochinita Pibil: corn tortilla, pork cooked in banana leaf, marinated onions, black bean paste - Ensalada De Mangos: mango, cucumber, coriander, peanuts, shallots, pickled shallots, crispy chamoy dressing, serrano chile Also posted to my food blog on Instagram @AbbeyKing16
Loved our time at Escondite. Catherine's service was amazing! She was super friendly & professional. We loved the guacamole & steak tacos. We'll definitely be coming back!
Feb 29, 2024
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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.
J'ai adoré cet endroit! J'ai été charmé par l'ambiance chaleureuse & le décor à l'allure vintage. Mes amis & moi avons partagé un menu de dégustation élaboré par notre serveur. Ce dernier était très sympathique & poli. Il nous a servi rapidement. La guacamole est l'une des meilleures que j'ai eu la chance de goûter! Les tacos au boeuf & au poulet ainsi que les quesadillas étaient délicieux eux aussi. Les prix sont très abordables. J'ai dépensé 20$, service inclus, & je suis sortie du restaurant avec le ventre bien remplie. J'ai très hâte de retourner chez Escondite pour déguster d'autres plats savoureux!
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.
