Tacofino Commissary

Absolutely love this place! The tacos are AMAZing! We were out for a late brunch and for our unfortunate mishap at *chem* Red wagon, we decided to walk a block to Tacofino for some mexican food instead.
We were greeted by an enthusiastic lady, actually all the servers there are enthusiastic and looked happy working there. We were told that they’d be switching menus in 10 minutes so all burritos will be taken off so if that’s what we want to order we may have to do it in a jiffy (no pressure there).
Their menu is simple. Taco’s on the left, burritos and soup in the middle and desserts on the right. In a quick glance, I didn’t see the nacho’s which everyone’s been telling me to try so I just decided to go with the flow and order the taco’s and a burritos. I’ve had their burritos from the food truck and they were no only huge but also very tasty.
At last we ordered:
–2 x fish tacos
–1 x tuna taco
–1 x pork jowl taco
–1 x chorizo burrito
–1 x banana churros
My favourite taco was the tuna taco. The flavours were exploding in my mouth. So full of asian flavours and the seared tuna was just yum! My friend once told me that adding pickled ginger to sushi is crazy good, I’d have to say adding pickled ginger to taco’s is ever better! My friend liked the fish taco the most. The fish had a nice crunch and the veggies kept it moist. The pork jowl was not bad, not our favourites. It had a tropical taste to it due to the diced pineapples on top.
The burrito was also very delicious. It’s a bit smaller than the ones you get from the truck but with our meal, it was a good size. Half of the burrito was filled with thinly chopped cabbage and cheese and the other half was chorizo with some minced meat paste? What stood out to me was how flavourful the cheese and I normally don’t like eating cabbage but I’d say I prefer the veggie side of the burrito more than the meat.
For dessert you get two banana flavoured churros with a dipping sauce. Not sure if the churros were actually made with bananas but I definitely got the taste of it. It was not overly sweet but if you like a bit more sweetness to it, there’s a caramel colored dipping sauce that tasted to me, like condensed milk. Yum!
Glad we ended up eating here and definitely will be back to try their other items.

I was given the choice to pick out the restaurant for my birthday dinner, and I chose Tacofino! We ordered the Pozole, Pork Jowl Taco, Crispy Chicken Taco, Banana Churros and Milk & Cookies. The tacos were both amazing and I still dream abut them. Both of the desserts had a spicy component, which is still too weird for my palate. I wish they had a non-​spicy version. Oh well, I think Tacofino is still my new favorite restaurant.

Ok being originally from Mexico I am very critical when it comes to mexican food or tacos. So that been said lets start
Ambience: really nice place, I like the communal table thing.
Service: efficient, fast.
Price: good for the quality that they serve.
Food: the tacos are really good they are mexican inspired with and Asian twist. They are not cheap but are filling and the taste is really good.

TATER TOT NACHOS?! HELLER?
Why do you even need to read on? Homemade tater tots turned into nachos with a whole mess of delicious crap on top. Boom. BUT Vegetarians beware… ensure to order sans meat.
The veggie tacos are incredible. I won’t bother listing ingredients, just know that they include amazingness.
The crazy blown glass planter sculpture light extravaganza full of air plants is stunning, and I really dig the communal seating they have going on. Say hi to your neighbour why don’t choo?
The service is always fast, friendly, and attentive. They have great beers on tap and some pretty sweet drink specials. I have only been in for the dinner service, but definitely dream about getting my hands on those lunch time burritos.

It’s a 4.5 star taco place. Perfect combination of flavours. The place is decorated with bench-​like tables and a cool multi-​bulb ceiling lighting (um, you just have to see it for yourself). Tacos are approx. $ 7 with other dishes around that price range. Please try the tater tots, they are phenomenal. It would be 5 stars if the pricing was slightly better. They are daily specials on drinks and late night special; please see my picture for more details.
And, a manager (Paul) came out and said hello and greeted us. Generally, the entire staff was friendly!
Go for: great tacos and the tater tots!
Don’t go for: budget tacos, private seating (i.e. place can get busy and not lots of individual seating)

What happened to this place? It used to be fantastic. But it seems over time, they’ve been skimping on ingredients to increase profit margins. The fish taco is 80% batter, 20% processed fish flakes.

I tried this place for lunch with a friend today. We shared the chips/​salsa/​guac to start, and I had a fish taco and a tuna taco. Both were delicious, and the serving was really generous. I wasn’t able to finish everything. 2 tacos for $ 10.

Came here after a canuckus game. The place was packed, as usual, we sat at the bar. Me and my date got lucky! they gave us a extra set of tacos. I don’t think they realized this. Besides getting extra tacos this place is the bomb.

Love their nachos and the fish taco is to die for: D

Amazing fish taco and burrito’s. This is a gem in the heart of vancouver.
The food truck scene is great in Vancouver and this is probably the best they have!

+1 squash and cauliflower tostada ($ 6): I wish this didn’t end, and at first, it seemed like it wouldn’t. Yummy kabocha squash and pickled cauliflower piled high and topped off with crispy onion strings and queso fresca.
+1 black beans accommodation: I was craving black beans for some reason. Just black beans. Kitchen made an accommodation and prepared some real tasty ones for me (same beans they mash for the dip). True they had it already, but they still could have said no as it is not on their menu specifically.
+1 crispy potato taco ($ 6): nice combo of crunch and overstuffed mushy potatoes splatting all over the place.
–1 mushroom quesadilla ($ 6): excessively greasy; too much cheese, not enough mushroom.
–1 margarita ($ 10), which was fine, but that’s about it.
Neither here nor there: the corn fritters are great for sharing, but you’re not missing anything if you choose to pass.
Miscellaneous notes: Service was fast and friendly; very matter of fact and to-​the-​point. Not ‘authentic’ Mexican, but worth a visit IMO.

Food 4/​5, Service 4/​5, Ambiance ⁴⁄₅
I’m not a fan of taco, but I like their taco! First time trying was at the food truck, then I
Price is not ‘cheap’ for a taco, but they are good. I have tried tuna and pork, both good. But be ready to hold taco with dripping sauce (or some sort) every where.
I like their interior design, and how it’s next to platform 7 for good coffee after your meal!

Oye I wish place was open 24/​7, YUM with a capital Y. U. M.
I’ve normally gone for dinner, this time tried the lunch menu, simple and delicious, tacos or burritos!
They have both corn and flour tortilla’s and the substituted their flour for wheat for me for their fish taco, thank you!
Serve is good, staff are hip and on trend! Give this place a try if you’re in the hood or not, make a special trip! Definitely worth the trip!

If you haven’t been up to the original Tacofino in Tofino, BC, go pack your bags now and check it out. Seriously.
However, you won’t be disappointed with Tacofino Commissary as it features some of the signature tacos as well as some variations unique to the location. For instance, the pork jowl taco is a wonderful treat for the senses as it combines a combination of crispy and juicy pork (with just the right amount of melt in your mouth pork fat) and a light citrus-​y salsa on top.
Classics like the fish taco and one of my favourites the tuna taco are just as delicious as the original location. The tuna taco comes with seared tuna and a perfect complement of pickled ginger and seaweed. I know, picked ginger? Trust me. My mind gets blown every time I have it. Though eat these tacos first as they get soggy quickly.
If you still have room, get some of the ice cream. You’ll thank me later.

Started off with our usual, chips and salsa with a creamy guac on the side, a must every visit. A refreshing ginger beer for me and a tamarind soda for him. Today, trying one of the vegi tacos today, squash and potato, high expectations. Wow! Was not disappointed, there are no words. What a great vehicle medley, wonderful flavour. A touch on the spicy side but I’m kinda a wimp. ;) I would definitely order this again and it’s in a toasted shell, nice surprise.
Only thing about tacofino’s amazing creations is you can’t eat them in a lady like manner. So delicious and juicy.

I’ve hit the Gastown joint several times but it was my first time at the Commisary.
The space is cozy with several long communal tables.
Selection is a tad different from the Gastown location with different tacos (pork and the yam tacos are not offered at the other location) and beers (33 acres and Tofino were on tap) to choose from.
All in all it was good meal. It felt like the tacos were larger than the ones served at the Gaston location. I felt full after 2 tacos; whereas, at the gastown location, I could easily eat 3 or 4 + an appy in one sitting.
Given the limited beer selection, I’d probably choose the Gaston location over this place, but it’s still good option if you’re looking for good tacos.

It’s a good taco joint but quite pricey.
The burritos are more filling.
The ahi tuna fish tacos had some Korean style seaweed which was a nice touch. The fried fish taco was solid and similar to LA tacos. That’s a plus in my book.
Décor and staff all nice.
Bonus: They serve alcohol.
I’d come back

Came here to see how their tacos compared to their food truck, which I tried first a few years back.
Parking is available on the side streets, as well as along Hastings outside of rush hour.
The inside is most definitely hipster, with some pretty cool looking lights. A bunch of glowing spheres held in place with bendy wires. Instead of individual tables, the place is set up like a high school cafeteria, with long shared benches. Makes ingress and egress difficult, but adds to the hipster experience. The place was absolutely packed when I went (on a Tuesday), with a lineup going out the door.
Tacos are somewhat reasonably priced at $ 6 – 7 apiece, though I do wish it was a buck or two cheaper. Eat 2 – 3 of these things and see the price go up real fast.
I had the fish taco. It tastes pretty much exactly like the food cart version. Absolutely delicious. Nice crunchy fish, fresh toppings. The lime slice adds just that little bit of tang that balances out the saltiness.
I would definitely be back, though it would be more for a snack than a meal. Recommended.

Had a faaaaaabulous dinner at the Hastings Street commissary. A friend and I stopped by for an early dinner and were seated instantly. GO EARLY. By the time we had finished there was a lineup out the door. Seating here is long-​table style, so you will be seated very close to other parties, but we weren’t fussed.
My pal had a margarita, which was served in a salt-​rimmed mason jar (a teensy one, for $ 9) while I opted for the hibiscus grapefruit iced tea. It was very bitter and I wouldn’t order it again, but I made do with the pitcher of water our server had brought to the table when we sat down.
We both opted for the fish tacos and the yam tacos, and both were out of the world. Totally fresh, warm, almost-​too-​stuffed-​to-​eat, and just an amazing combo of flavours. We also had the jalapeño-​queso fritters, which were crispy and cheesy and decadent, with a hint of… we weren’t sure: a sour plum sauce? A sour cherry sauce? Something bitter and fruity, anyways, but wonderful.
And then dessert: oh, dessert. The Diablo cookie is a specialty I remember from the food truck, and I liked it OK, but served warm here, with Mexican horchata? AMAZING. One of the best desserts I’ve had in a while. The warmth and spice of the cookies (chocolate & chili) paired perfectly with the cool, creamy, sugary horchata. We also had a kind of lime custard, served in a small jar, with fresh cream and crumbly graham topping. I found the flavours a little too subtle, after our Diablos, but my friend waxed rhapsodic.
Service was great — all the servers on shift served us at various times — and the price, given we’d had drinks, tacos, appies and desserts, was more than reasonable. Officially my favourite of 2015 so far.

Came here during my day off with a nice friend of mine for lunch. I would say not bad of a place for lunch. 2 for 10.00 tacos is not a bad price either.
It’s a fairly hipster kinda place. They have long tables where you need to share the tables with other people and they place a block with your table number on it. That’s an interesting feature to have. On their ceiling they have interesting light bulb like things with plants hanging in them. That’s pretty cool I would say.
The menu was a bit smaller than the tacofino truck that I’ve seen. But I still went ahead and ordered 2 tacos, 1 fish and 1 pork. The pork was a bit spicy but was bearable for my liking. The fish was huge. I had to cut it with my fork and knife and just ate it that way. My friend and I even ordered a plate of chips and salsa to share. Love how their salsa has a lot of tomato. I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes in my burger but when it’s diced up and spiced up it’s awesome. We were so full by the end of it.
Service was meh because all the server did was sit us down, take our orders and grabbed us our bill. Nothing special at all.
I would totally come back for another taco and maybe a beer with that. I would recommend this tacofino to people who are looking for a place to sit if not I think having a bigger menu at the tacofino truck would be better. I’m all about variety.