Reviews show that Tacos Tin Tan serves tasty tacos with standout birria and fresh ingredients, and the overall vibe is welcoming with friendly staff and a lively colorful setting. Many diners praise the birria tacos as among the best in Montreal and note solid drinks and occasional brunch options. Some readers express disappointment with portion sizes for the price and with changes to the recipe, such as pico de gallo toppings replacing the previous grilled peppers and onions, which affected the flavor for some. Service experiences vary, from quick attentive visits to longer waits or uneven service, and a few drinks or cocktails are described as underwhelming. Nevertheless, regulars often return for flavorful meat, the vibrant atmosphere, and Tin Tan's consistency that keeps it a popular spot for Mexican food lovers.
For years it's been one of those places I pass almost daily heading to & from the gym, always glancing inside with curiosity, but somehow the timing never lined up.
Finally, on an absolutely glorious spring afternoon around 3 PM, the moment arrived.
My wife & I were wandering back from Mile End while St-Denis was closed off for a comic art festival. The terraces at Taco Tin Tan were absolutely bopping with energy & people enjoying the weather. The whole place felt alive.
That was enough for me.
I finally said:
'Today's the day.'
What I Liked:
The atmosphere immediately pulls you in.
They have two separate terraces:
* one directly on the street,
* & another attached to the front of the building.
Both looked fantastic, but we opted to sit inside where it was quieter & where my wife's aggressively pale complexion could avoid turning into a rotisserie chicken under the afternoon sun.
Honestly, it may have been the best guacamole either of us has had. Fresh, bright, perfectly textured, topped with tomato, onion, & radish, served alongside excellent house-made tortilla chips.
We demolished it.
Completely.
Unfortunately… we also managed to finish the entire guacamole before our drinks even arrived, which kind of summarizes the service experience overall.
The tacos themselves were fresh & enjoyable. Not life-changing'best taco of my existence' territory, but definitely solid & satisfying.
Atmosphere & Vibe:
This place absolutely nails the visual vibe.
Inside, it feels warm, lively, & authentically inspired without crossing into over-designed'theme restaurant' territory. The music, colours, energy, & open-front layout all work together really well.
& on a sunny day with St-Denis buzzing outside?
The whole experience feels very Montréal summer.
Exactly the kind of energy you want from a casual taco spot.
Now unfortunately… this is where the service issue becomes impossible to ignore.
After being seated, we waited roughly:
* 15 minutes before anyone returned,
* no drink order,
* no water,
* no acknowledgment.
I was personally ready to leave after about 10 minutes, but my wife convinced me to give it a little longer.
Right as I was preparing to stand up & walk out, the server finally arrived & apologized before taking our order.
The frustrating part wasn't that anyone was rude.
They weren't.
Everyone was friendly enough.
The issue was simply inattentiveness & pacing throughout the meal:
* long waits for drinks,
* long waits between courses,
* long waits for the bill.
At multiple points it felt like we had simply disappeared from the restaurant's awareness.
Closing:
Overall, I'm glad I finally stopped into Taco Tin Tan.
The food was good.
The guacamole was exceptional.
The atmosphere was fantastic.
But the service unfortunately held the experience back quite a bit.
That said, I'd still absolutely give it another shot because there's enough good here to make me want to come back. I'm hoping this visit was more of an'overwhelmed busy day' situation rather than the norm.
Because if the service matched the quality of the atmosphere & food?
This place could easily become one of my regular Montréal stops.
We were a group of 5 people & everyone loved their plates. The flavours are delicious & authentically Mexican. They serve brunch until 3 pm so you have more options.
The staff was friendly & welcoming ! There wasn't any wait time when we visited. Definitely worth a try !
Last Saturday, my husband & I went to this restaurant to try Mexican food. I am Mexican & my husband is Canadian, & where we live it's very difficult to find truly good Mexican food. I had heard that Montreal has great Mexican cuisine, so I was very excited to come here, especially because of the good reviews.
At first, the service was friendly & everything looked very authentic, which made me even more excited. However, the experience quickly became disappointing. We waited 30 minutes just for someone to take our order, while other tables that arrived after us were served much faster simply because they were larger groups. After waiting another 30 minutes, we were about to leave, but the food finally arrived.
Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait. I ordered tacos gobernador & they were extremely small & not good at all. The salsas had no flavor, & no one ever came back to check on us or ask if we needed anything.
This experience completely took away my desire to try Mexican food at another restaurant
If you are a taco lover, you have to come here! Easily one of my favourite taco restaurants in Montreal! Great taqueria atmosphere & excellent service! They have a great selection of authentic tacos! The birria tacos are a must try, simply delicious! 🌮
I discovered this spot from taco fest! I love the downtown location & got to discover a few local shops around it too. We got shrimp tacos & they were very good. The tortillas were my favorite part, soft yet crunchy, clearly authentic & home made. The shrimp was a very fat meaty piece of breaded shrimp & I loved it. The guacamole kind of disappointed us because it was nothing special for over 12$.
Oct 15, 2024
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I recently visited Tin tan, & I have to say, it truly brought back the flavors I've been missing from Mexico. It's been a while since I've had such an authentic & satisfying meal. The tacos were absolutely delicious, hitting the spot just like I remembered. A big shoutout to Erika, who provided exceptional service. She was attentive, friendly, & made sure everything was perfect. Her customer service really enhanced the entire experience, making me feel welcome & well taken care of. If you're looking for genuine Mexican food with outstanding service, Tintan is the place to go. I left feeling completely satisfied, & I'll definitely be back for more.
Tasty tacos, we got birria-cheese & pollo tacos. They gave a lot of protein in it. The vibe was fun because of the music & restaurant design. I see most of the employees are latinas so maybe that's why it feels authentic.
I highly recommend this taco shop in Montreal, & it can easily be considered one of the best taco places in all of Canada!
The restaurant has a great Mexican ambiance & specializes in classic taco flavors. The portions are generous, offering fantastic value for your money. The meat juices have rich, authentic flavors, & every bite is a delight. Please have to try their crispy fish taco! The fish is tender, & the batter is wonderfully crunchy! I love this place, it's a place where every bite is astonishing!
From the food garnishes to the references on the wall I can wholeheartedly say that this place is an actual authentic Mexican taco joint. I come to Montreal from Texas a few times a year so I’m really happy I found it.
Sep 18, 2023
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