La Mexicana

Great service and fantastic food. Minus a star because the kitchen always takes forever and things are priced a tad high.
I’m a fan of the chimichangas, but if you’re looking for a smaller meal try the taquitos. They also have great horchatas and a wonderful back patio (in the summer).
On weekends they sometimes have a mariachi band come by and sing/​play as they walk from table to table. I hadn’t experienced this before and it was really neat.
It’s too bad they won’t be around for long, sounds like the condo developer for 1 Yorkville is kicking them out as early as March 2015.

Sloooowwwww kitchen and service. Nice atmosphere. Overpriced, bland and small-​portioned food. Inattentive service. Did enjoy free chips/​salsa appetizers. Elote could use cilantro and lime and way more chili pepper …
Vegan friendly sauces and rice, beans — that’s a plus. I don’t enjoy waiting half an hour between courses though.
Flan is not bad tasting, but not great as far as flan goes (grainy). Churros were shameful …

My wife and I just ate here. The atmosphere is nice but the food left much to be desired. We shared the amigo sampler platter. it included duck taquitos, which were good. It also came with two chirozo empinadas but we only got cheese ones, and a shrimp salad, which wasn’t bad. There were not enough dips for the platter. at least not enough guacamole or salsa, and even when we requested more, we were only given a very small amount. I had the black bean soup; it was not bad but not special either. And my wife got the spinach salad; for $ 9 there wasn’t much to the salad and some of the spinach leaves had spoiled, looked like it came from a bag and they cut up a hard boiled egg on it and a tiny bit of nuts and avacodo. Overall, not an overly impressive meal, wouldn’t rush back.

Went here for a Brunch tasting. We got there early, the waiter was very attentive and made sure we were comfortable with anything to drinks (mango mimosa) while we waited for the rest of our party to get here.
They’re complimentary chips and dip were really good especially the red salsa dip.
We tried the huevos rancheros, it was very good I can’t compare it to anything because it was my first time trying this dish. My Bf doesn’t like sunny side up eggs and they were able to accommodate with scrambled eggs on his. Next we tried the Mexican benedict and it was very good. I am a huge bennys fan!
For dessert, we had the plantain pancakes. It was sooo good. It was very different. I really liked the flavours/​textures.
I definitely will be returning when I get my Mexican food cravings. It was very tasty and the service was very good. This was the first time I have been to a really good mexican restaurant… which is hard to find in Toronto?

Alright. So the food was fantastic, no complaints. They also give you free nachos with spicy guac and spicy salsa; my wife is pregnant and I asked for mild and they brought it right away! The drinks. No complaints there either; I had Tommy’s Margarita and the Mexican bulldog. The reason this place gets only 3 stars is the fact that the heat was very high, there are flies everywhere including the bathroom as well as spiders; lastly, the service could be a little faster although the waiters were great and friendly. Definitely would go back for the food though.

#MEXICAN # UnilocalTO #SUMMER #TACOS #BURRITOS
5 stars because we had 3 musicians serenade to us in Spanish. Ola! So what if they were a tad loud (which they are and conversations are difficult), they made my day!
La Mexicana is such a cute restaurant. Small, cozy with a great ambience. Perfect for some family time, and great for dates. The margaritas are delicious — the traditional one was the best I’ve tried ever; and the frozen one was not bad either.
For appetizers, we tried Tostadas — mini crispy tortillas with mexican chicken topping, 2 a plate. Not bad. But it’s the actual entrees that are totally rave-​worthy. My friend and I shared a Combo Platter that consisted of the best quesadilla ever, an enchilada and a burrito. The portion was huge and totally shareable. What a steal for $ 16. I highly recommend this one — especially because you get a taste of a few things on the menu. My cousins ordered an entrée each and the portions were massive. So, if you’re not a big eater, it’s safe to say that everything here is very shareable.
Verdict? I’m coming back :)

Love the atmosphere, waiter and the music! It’s a great place to go to in you’re craving nachos or anything Mexican! Food was great and waiters are very friendly and helpful — they knew they menus well. This is my second time here and haven’t been disappointed ever! I believe now they give you a free appetizer of nachos and very unique sauce to dip in. I recommend this place to hang out when catching up with friends or feel like nachos!

A very good place for Mexican food .
Service is very good, food is great and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

We had a good experience. It was a hot July afternoon and a lunch on a small neat patio was a perfect remedy. I had a cactus salad with chicken — the portion was very generous and the food was fresh and delicious. I also had a michelada, which was a bit too sour but still good.
I recommend sitting outside as the dining room inside has a faint but persistent smell of smoke.

On the last day of our visit to toronto we were in a particularly cranky mood. We had been screwed over at our previous restaurant choice, and now it was late and we were starving. We came upon La Mexican and figured ah what the hell!
The restuarant appeared slightly dive-​y and quite small, we were seated in a booth by the window that was VERY small.
They had imported beers for 5 $ which is awesome, and we were served a basket of tortilla chips with two types of salsa.
I ordered the enchiladas and a side of refried beans. The beans were served in this cute edible cup which I liked. The enchiladas were decent but the rice was kind of stale tasting.
My boyfriend ordered the combo platter, A beef burrito, a cheese quesadilla, and a chicken enchilada. He loved his meal.
The pricing was fair and the staff were friendly.

Went here for a birthday dinner. Got there around 530 and it wasn’t too busy. Service was ok. We ordered drinks, an app and our entrees. After 30 minutes our entrees came but we never received our app. When we told the server she said «oh I guess I never put that through. Do you want it now?» Hum no thanks. My husband got the steak which he said that really good. I had the combo platter which was also good. Server never stopped by to ask how our meal was. Had the fried ice cream for dessert and my husband got the churros. Both were great. Total bill was with tip was under a hundred dollars. Might try another location because I didn’t think the service at this location was that great.

ordered ceviche ($ 12) and fish taco ($ 16) for take out.
The portion of the ceviche is generous! It tastes fresh but nothing else.
The fish taco was a disappointment: the coleslaw was not refreshing at all, the fried fish was slightly below average, the taste was mediocre and it cost $ 16. It is not expensive but it should be better.
The people were nice and friendly, but when I finished my taco I realized there was NO NAPKIN!
Waited about 20 min for my take out. Maybe not a very good choice for a quick lunch for ppl works nearby.

I’ve been going to their Yonge and Bloor location since they opened and it’s one of my favourite places to go. Every time I’m there, it’s packed — and I don’t even go there on the weekends! So it’s disappointing to see so many negative reviews about my go-​to spot.
I’ve tried pretty much everything on the menu, and while I have my favourites, I always leave there satisfied with their service and a full belly.
I love their back patio! It’s enclosed and away from the Yonge street chaos, which means I can be outside and enjoy my meal without eating exhaust fumes too.

Been to this place a few times since it’s close to work.
I find all their main dishes made with quality and care, however they are a bit slow. Usually takes 15 – 20 minutes for dishes to come out and if you have a big party, it may be more.
Good place to come, just make sure you have enough time.

Visited la Mexicana the night of March 27 @ around 6:30pm. The place was fairly busy and although we did not have reservations, we were seated without having to wait. We were a group of 3 and the restaurant was the suggestion of one of my dining companions, who has been here several times, and recommended it as she «loves» the place and it’s in walking distance of her condo.
Myself and my partner were not so equally impressed.
The food is not authentic Mexican fare, but more along the lines of Tex-Mex…which is not a bad thing if you go in expecting to get Tex-​Mex food. I had hoped a place called La Mexicana would be a bit more authentic, but hey… to each their own.
They start you with some tortillas and salsa (a creamy version, not a chunky kind that most people are used to). They were fresh and tasty.
One person ordered a pre fixed meal… soup, entrée and dessert. It was reasonably priced at $ 20. The waiter came back about 5 minutes after taking her order to let her know that they were out of what she ordered, but he did offer her other more expensive options and would still charge her the pre fixed meal. Nice recovery but still…
Soup was Potato/​Cauliflower, entrée was a Tamalita (sp), I had no idea what the dessert was… looked like a creamy rice pudding. She liked it, which I suppose is the most important thing, as it was her meal.
Two of us each ordered the Sample Platter… it was $ 16 and contained: salad; black re-​fried beans in a tortilla shell; enchilada (covered with a slightly spicy red sauce); shredded beef burrito (very, very, very, bland); and a cheese quesadela (sp). It was good, not great. Everything was fairly bland other than the chicken enchilada.
Décor is ok… however our table was uneven and «rocked» whenever it was touched. Drove us crazy as we’re «elbow resters»…
While I wasn’t that thrilled with the place, I will give it another try and will enquire if the heat factor can be taken up a notch.

I really tried to like this place. I mean, it is not bad. There is something about it that rubs me the wrong way. I must admit it is completely subjective from my part. However since I am Latin and have lived in D. F I do feel like my opinion does carry some merit.
They do try a lot with the decour… Hey, they even hired my friend’s Mariachi band to play on Fridays –actually if you go for a drink or two and watch them perform this place can be quite a lot fun.
However, you will get some dirty looks from the staff if you don’t order something to eat. So we did, and we got the Amigo Sampler which at $ 16 was really not a lot of food for the price. Like really, not a lot.
I think a lot people will agree with me, La Mexicana is on the expensive side for what you get. I mean, that is how normally it rolls with Mexican restaurants in Toronto but this place is a particular example of that.
The truth is most Mexican food, like a lot of ethnic is food is meant to be well, pleb food. Meant to be neither difficult or expensive to make. Now, don’t roll your eyes because what I am saying may sound odd but trust me, it is also 100% true.
So if someone looks at me square in the eye and expects me to pay $ 10+ for refried beans, then that means I will have to keep checking for my wallet in case you later try to steal it outright, sans refried beans, of course. Now you don’t have to worry because as far as I could tell they are not even offered in their menu not even for breakfast/​lunch.
For example, Google Image ‘Mixiote de Borrego’ and look at the photos that come up, it is a good dish in general but priced at $ 23? Ay, que robo! I think not.
Also, remember my rule of thumb regarding authentic Mexican restaurants:
«If it has Fajitas anywhere on the menu, then it is not authentic or it has authenticity issues.» Specially when they sit at $ 18 a platter.
I would say this place tries to be Mexican and for some it might be enough but it is not as authentic as it claims to be and at their menu price point, I would expect it to be a serious contender.
Case in point, their ceviche was not authentic. Heck it looked like the type of ceviche I could easily make for cheap at home but one you could not serve in any Latin American restaurant unless you wanted to get laughed at… and using tons of lettuce as filler in the ceviche? That’s just wrong. Mind you it is not on their menu that I saw but they do serve it as part of their Amigo Platter. Yet sneaky.
It is not completely their fault. You see, unfortunately, when it comes to authentic Mexican (or Spanish/​Latin) restaurants the bar has been set way too low in Toronto as most restaurants have to Gringo-​up their menus and as such there are only a very few serious contenders.
If you want something more authentic, look for authentic ingredients on a menu, like say, crema fresca for example.
Still an alright place for a beer, if come outside busy dinner hours.

It was an alright experience. The Enchilada’s were good and the décor sure fits the place! My friend ordered the combo platter and as you can tell from above I ordered the Enchiladas. HOWEVER, I ordered Chicken and my first two enchiladas were chicken. The last one was steak. So For that reason not a good experience not to mention to get one of the servers attentions was like pulling teeth!

Toronto is becoming less of a Mexican food dessert I suppose, but the Mexican food in a lot of places in the city has a long way to come. La Mexicana is a place I found while sort of wandering around the area close to the Toronto Reference Library. The food was ok, i found the salsa to be ok, the guac to be fine, I got a quesadilla. The food wasn’t bad per se, but it wasn’t really very good either, and the prices were pretty steep for what we were getting. I didn’t have any real issues with the service that I could notice. It wasn’t stellar service, but it wasn’t bad service either. Overall, I found it to be a very middle of the road experience.

I gave La Mexicana another shot today (it’s been 10 months since my first visit), and things have improved a bit. This time, I avoided the fajitas and had chicken enchiladas ($ 14). The chicken was tender, and they were served nicely cheesy, saucy, fatty and terrible for me – all the factors I look for in a good enchilada. The accompanying rice was kind of dry and the salad had a little bit of wilt. Unlike last time, the service was far more attentive; I only had to ask once for stuff (water, sour cream) and it was brought quickly.
Authentic it still ain’t, but for Tex-​Mex, it’s not half bad.

When it is cool and cold outside, I always crave for something hot and spicy! And when I don’t feel like driving very far, La Mexicana is a good choice for me.
My favorites:
Cochinita Pibill (Chunks of pork seasoned with achiote and habanero peppers, steamed in a banana leaf). Pork was tender and juicy, with the right amount of spiciness from marinated sauce.
Mariscos al Guajillo (Tiger shrimps, basa fish, scallops and Atlantic lobster gently sautéed with onions, guajillo pepper and salsa verde). Love how the guajillo pepper and salsa verde bring the shrimps, fish, scallop and lobster together. This dish is probably very spicy for some people, but for me, it needs a notch or two of guajillo pepper!
Service was prompt and friendly. Go early, if they’re busy … service usually slows down a lot.