FR
Montreal Restaurants: RestoMontreal.caMontreal Restaurants: RestoMontreal.ca

Logo RestoMontreal.ca

0
×
Loading filters...
Restaurant Top Pick

La Cantina

Authentic Mexican soul finds its home in the vibrant heart of downtown Montreal.

Downtown
4.4$$
CLOSEDOpens Tomorrow at 11:30 am
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Photo of La Cantina, Downtown - Montreal
MexicanLatin AmericanTacos
Loading suggestions...

About

La Cantina delivers an authentic exploration of Mexican culinary traditions through a diverse menu focused on bold flavors and traditional techniques. Guests encounter a variety of street-style tacos featuring marinated meats, slow-cooked carnitas, and fresh corn tortillas prepared daily. The kitchen emphasizes high-quality ingredients, incorporating vibrant salsas, tangy lime, and authentic spices into every dish. Beyond standard offerings, the menu showcases regional Latin American staples designed to satisfy cravings for hearty, spice-forward profiles. The atmosphere maintains a focus on casual efficiency, prioritizing the delivery of consistent, flavorful meals in a straightforward setting. This establishment serves as a reliable destination for those seeking a direct, no-nonsense approach to classic regional cuisine that avoids unnecessary embellishments while maintaining strict adherence to traditional preparation methods and authentic flavor balances across the entire selection.

Details

Amenities, services & more

Loading other locations...
Loading restaurants nearby...
Loading...
5★
65%
4★
19%
3★
8%
2★
7%
1★
2%

Mentioned in:

La Cantina was featured in the article(s) below.

Restaurants in DowntownView More

Sésame Restaurant

Sésame

305 Rue Ste-Catherine O
(3799)
Bivouac Restaurant

Bivouac

1255 Rue Jeanne-Mance
(2735)
Siam Restaurant

Siam

1325 Boulevard René-Lévesque O
(2656)
Tiradito Restaurant
Le Taj Restaurant
Loading nearby events...
Loading related links...

Reviews for La Cantina

Food
Service
on Google4.4 (1600+)
*as of 2026-08-01
5★
65%
4★
19%
3★
8%
2★
7%
1★
2%

Review Summary

La Cantina is widely regarded as a vibrant downtown destination for Mexican cuisine, frequently praised for its delicious tacos, ceviche, and impressive variety of cocktails. While many diners highlight the friendly staff, fast service, and authentic atmosphere as reasons for their repeated visits, some experiences are contrasted by reports of inconsistent service, confusion regarding pricing and happy hour promotions, or dishes that lacked flavor or freshness. Despite mixed feedback concerning portion sizes and occasional lapses in service quality, the restaurant remains a popular choice for both casual lunches and group outings, with many guests particularly enjoying the churros and the lively, well-decorated environment.
Page 1 of 3 - 21 Reviews

The food is expensive & not that good. Plus, they offer free drinks & appetizers for a 5 star review, which I'm pretty sure is illegal (at the very least, it's unethical).

May 25, 2026
on Google

Great service & food & drinks!

May 6, 2026
on Google

Been here twice now & this place never misses. The food is incredible-easily one of the best Mexican spots in Montreal. The drinks are authentic & delicious, & the service is fantastic & super fast. I'll definitely be back. The deep-fried brisket tacos & the ceviche are a must-try!

Apr 25, 2026
on Google

Me & my friends were on our visit to Montreal & wanted to grab food & drinks. Saw this place, looked nice but as soon as we came they saw us & just straight up said they can't serve us. I guess ppl working their judge people by looks or something?! The place literally had just couple of ppl dining there, it was dead. Instead of apologizing, the manager (i assume) just left is some snarky comment on our way out just cuz we said that it does look dead & not overbooked like they made it seem lol. Never seen such a bad customer service.

Apr 4, 2026
on Google

We visited for the 5 à 7 Happy Hour before a concert. Service was prompt, despite there only being one server & the restaurant being busy. The drinks were great, & the portions were decent for the prices.

Apr 3, 2026
on Google

Overall experience is amazing!!! Food & drinks are excellent!!! Tried the mango margarita & passion fruit margarita 🍹 sooooo good!!!!!

Feb 8, 2026
on Google

La Cantina was so good. We went on a Monday, when not many restaurants are open, so it was a great find. The place was completely empty during our visit, which meant the service was all for us. The staff was incredibly kind & attentive, always refilling our water asking if we wanted anything else to drink etc. The food was delicious 🤤 honestly, nothing bad to say. Prices can be a bit on the higher side if you don't go during happy hour (we didn't), but everything was very filling & worth it. I would definitely go back, especially for happy hour. Margaritas were delicious

Feb 6, 2026
on Google
2.0

The drinks were fire but the food not so great!

Jan 13, 2026
on Google

The food was not fresh at all. We had beef & duck; they were definitely not made fresh today.
The drinks were good but very pricey.

Aug 7, 2025
on Google

La serveuse a oublié nos bières, à oublié de faire le last call drinks (donc nous n'avons pas pu avoir une deuxième bière lorsque nous avions demandé) & nous n'avons pas eu les plats en même temps malgré le fait que nous ayons insisté sur ce point (nous n'avons donc pas pu manger en même temps car le guacamole est arrivé seul en premier service). On nous a aussi servi un plat que nous n'avions pas commandé.
Malgré cela nous sommes restés patients & courtois car nous avons l'habitude de venir ici & que nous travaillons en restauration, ce n'est pas dramatique. Toutefois, juste après avoir reçu les factures alors que la musique avait été coupée, les employés ont décidé de jouer une musique en mettant le son EXTREMEMENT fort, qui disait dans les paroles qu'il était temps de partir. Nous regrettons de ne pas avoir plutôt été avertis de vive voix. Un simple « excusez nous nous allons bientôt fermer le restaurant » aurait été plus apprécié que cette méthode de sauvage, d'autant plus après avoir reçu un service d'une qualité très discutable.
Nous avons trouvé cela choquant & sommes déçus de l'expérience de ce soir, malgré le potentiel de cet endroit.

Jul 29, 2025
on Google