A small neighborhood restaurant with a warm atmosphere, located in the heart of the Plateau, La Selva is a nice Mexican restaurant and a great restaurant for a quiet evening with friends and/or family. The quality/price ratio is one of the best in town. Come and enjoy the generous portions of excellent shrimp, fish and meat accompanied by rice, salad and beans.
La Selva Restaurant Mexicain delivers authentic Mexican flavors with generous portions, a friendly and attentive service, and a warm cozy vibe that invites return visits. Guests praise tender octopus and ceviche, tacos such as Jefe, carnitas and al pastor, as well as chilaquiles and desserts like chocoflan and tres leches cake. Drinks shine with fresh cocktails and aguas frescas, including horchata and a tamarindo margarita. The menu offers good value and the atmosphere is lively yet intimate, making it a great spot for groups or a quiet night out; reservations are advised because the space is small and in demand.
This is the best Mexican food I've had since moving to Montreal. We had the octopus appetizer, which was delicious & cooked perfectly. The tacos de asada & tacos de carnita were great. The flan de leche de coco was incredible as well, & we also enjoyed our cocktails. The service was attentive & friendly. Looking forward to coming back!
My friends & I came here for my bachelorette party & we had a wonderful time! Thank you very much for the warm welcome, friendly service, & delicious food! We especially enjoyed the octopus appetizer, the carnitas tacos, & the cocktails!
Mar 3, 2026
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Tacos Jefe, Gobernador, Gringa Carnita, Pulpo A La Plancha, Tartare De Atun 🌮🌮🌮
I think my fiance & I have found our new favourite Mexican restaurant in MTL. We are always on the hunt for good authentic Mexican food & this place really hit the spot. Our recent favourite has gone a little downhill for us as of late so we were so happy to stumble onto this place @laselvamtl
We really couldn't decide on just one thing, we rarely do, so we had to get a bunch of stuff! We got the octopus & the tuna tartare dish to start. Honestly so plesently surprised I didn't think tbh the octopus would be so tender & flavorful as it was. I know Mexican cuisine from what I've seen doesn't feature octopus so often but it was cooked as well as some of the best I've ever had. We saw like every table around us order it so we knew it was a must. Same with the tuna, light, fresh & full of complexity.I didn't expect to have in a Tartare with raspberries!
For me the star of the show was the Taco Jefe. It comes with four corn tortillas that really lend to the authenticity of Mexican Cuisine. Thinly cut ribeye with homemade chorizo an absolute must & then you get the added freshness from the grilled onions & Cactus all tied together with some cheese. Really a 10 out of 10 dish. Super impactful, bold, & extremely good portion very Hardy Taco in itself!
My fiance, her favourite was the'mini' quesadillas, the Gobernador. It was very different from a traditional taco or even quesadilla that I've had it came in a blue style tortilla with shrimp & cheese which I thought would be odd but actually really goes together very well along with some grilled vegetables Chipotle mayo & some guacamole & pico de gallo to tie it all together. I would also opt to ask for their two homemade hot sauces very spicy both of them even for someone who likes spicy but also very flavor forward!
Last but not least we have the Gringa carnita which is layers of pulled pork with cheese, vegetables, guacamole & other goodies packed in between two flour tortillas. Toasted on both sides so they get nice & crispy & the cheese melts evenly throughout!
It's important to note that you need to reserve in advance, as the place is very small.
The pulpo a la plancha was amazing! It was perfectly cooked & seasoned, the vegetables were a nice addition. I wouldn't get the Mexican plate again though. The carnitas tacos were good, though they needed the additional sauces. The special beef tacos were okay, a bit strange that you dipped the beef tacos in beef juice.
Overall nice spot & atmosphere.
2nd time going :
This time we got the octopus again because it was so good the first time & it did not disappoint! The chicken tacos were good though I think the rice isn't necessary & should be replaced with beans. The steak eye quesadillas were very tasty & cheesy.
After years of searching, I think I finally found the closest thing to an authentic Mexican restaurant in Montreal! The guacamole was superb, as were the beef & chicken tacos. The octopus entree was amazing & the coconut milk flan was perfect!
Exceptional small neighbourhood restaurant. Fresh vibrant dishes. We tried the octopus & it was tender & savory! The fish tacos were fresh & flavourful. The tuna tartare was simple & elegant but masterfully done. We will come back many many times to try every dish on the menu. What a fun discovery!
This is the best Mexican food I have ever had!! I have traveled to San Diego & live in the Boston area & I will say that I have never had such tasty Mexican Cuisine like I have at La Selva! We shared a Green Salad, Octopus dish, Carnitas tacos & Chicken Tacos. Everything was flat Ful & fresh!! The staff at the restaurant are extremely nice & always smiling!! I cannot wait to return to Montreal & comeback to this restaurant for more food!! Gracias!!!!
May 5, 2024
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I've already been 3 times & intend on going again. The atmosphere's very pleasant & cozy, the staff is extremely friendly & the food is excellent. On the Food; there's a good variety of items (tacos, quesadilla, sea food, etc.) to chose from as well as being within a very budget friendly range. Favorite items so far has been the Tacos de Asada & the grilled Octopus (forgot the Menu item name but it's currently the 6th image when viewing the restaurant on google). Be sure to ask about their Nachos (new item they've recently added). Additionally, book your reservations online ! There's limited seating available & they an be filled very quickly. Overall, excellent food served in a very cozy environment. Strongly recommend if you're in the mood for Mexican food.
Absolutely excellent experience from start to finish. Cute little restaurant with an open kitchen & well-stocked bar. We were so busy eating, we forgot to take many pictures. The guacamole was amazing (& I'm very fussy about my guac) as was the octopus (pictured). The fish tacos were light fried in beer batter & then served with an amazing mayonnaise with avocado & habaneros peppers. Yummy! The steak tacos were equally good - rib eyes grilled on charcoal & sliced thinly. Great service. Highly recommend.
We're so thankful that La Selva has survived the long twilight of Covid closings & is again open for business. The food is spectacular & the waiter's recommendation of their signature dish, the tender octopus with chocolaty mole sauce, was much appreciated. In a party of five, four of us had it, & one had it as an appetizer. We'll be going back soon to enjoy the Sunday tasting menu, as well as the Taco Thursdays. The prices are reasonable for such great food & service. Bring your own bottle & be sure to book in advance; it fills up quickly.
