Carlos & Pepes

I had never eaten here for fear of experiencing the «morning after» that people talk about after eating mexican food. Luckily for me I was served by friends of mine who were able to help me navigate the unnecessarily large menu of drinks and distinguish between some of the food options. The first time we went the food was delicious, but a visit yesterday showed that the inconsistency means that it isn’t always so tasty. The service was wonderful even when it wasn’t people I know, and the décor is great, including the kitchen door stating that if you trespass you’ll be turned into a taco. Overall it’s a decent place when you consider the other mexican options in Montréal, could use a bit more consistency on the food and preferably a smaller formatted drink menu.

Idéalement situé en centre ville, c’est la place idéale pour des lunchs ou 5@7 entre collègues.
Les plats sont très bons, variés, il y a la possibilité de se faire une petite tournée de shooters avant, pendant et/​ou après le repas! :)
Ambiance conviviale, chaleureuse, les serveurs sont sympas, dispos, et vous passerez un bon moment à la mode mexicaine!

So I comhowe here often, I just found out that they are cheap with the chips. You now have to pay $ 2 extra for the small basket after the first round. Kinda sucks Considering that you are paying for a meal and drink. #howrestoslosetheirclients

Absolutely horrible dining experience. I didn’t realize we had to know French fluently to be able to order. The menu was entirely in French and Our waiter, after waiting for over 15 minutes to simply ask for drinks and an appetizer, seemed in a very big rush to get our order as there was only two servers for a full restaurant, and was very unhelpful and rude in translating the parts of menu. He brushed off most of our questions. It then took over 30 minutes for our appetizer of TWO tacos. And 50 minutes for our main dishes to come out. Waiter never attended to us or asked if we needed anything or if everything was okay. Food was okay but the customer service was terrible. If you’re in the mood to wait close to an hour for your food to come out, then this place is perfect.

If you haven’t been to Carlos & Pepes since they renovated a couple of years ago, you should make plans to go.
The place looks awesome — both floors got a makeover so the place looks trendy and cozy, and a lot less cheesy than it used to. The menu’s been updated, too, and now feels a lot less like Tex-​Mex from a box. Drinks are good and reasonably priced — the cucumber mojito is delicious and goes well with just about anything you’ll order. I found the meat in my Tacos Al Pastor a little tough, but I tend to be picky about that. The Tacos Cochinita Pibil (one of my favourites anywhere) didn’t disappoint. Plating is nicer than it used to be, and the portions are just as generous. Their salsa recipe hasn’t changed, and I wouldn’t want it to anyway.
Service is friendly, attentive without being distracting. The only issue I’ve had with service is that during a recent visit, our starters and mains were served to us at the same time. But it was Friday night and the kitchen was probably busy, so no big deal.
I used to go to Carlos & Pepes because I couldn’t think of anyplace else to go — now I go there because I know I’ll eat well and have a good time.

OMG the fajitas were gross and the salsa was sweet. They defiantly need to revamp their menu or fire the chef because this has nothing comparable to tex-​mex. Please go spend you money else where you will be very disappointed. Trust e I am doing you a favor you can by me a beer later.

Vraiment rien de particulier à dire sur la nourriture servie dans ce restaurant. J’ai pris un burritos au bœuf. Bien que j’ai l’habitude des restos mexicains façon «chaîné», la viande était vraiment pas terrible, la petite soupe terriblement épicée, ce qui gâchait tous les autres goûts. L’ambiance est sympa ceci dit. Mais il né faut pas y aller pour l’expérience culinaire…

Went here because I was a bit homesick… from Los Angeles… and frankly had had my fill of potatoes… no offense to potatoes but they are everywhere in this city! I visited on a Wednesday and it was fajitas night… The waiter/​bartender brought over chips (which were stale) and salsa… which was sweet and nowhere near spicy… kind of like a sweet and sour sweet???
The fajitas came out on a cast iron & wood plate… not sizzling as traditionally served and the condiments (sour cream, salsa, guacamole, beans and cheese, were all in little plastic cups? Quite a unique presentation…
I’m sorry to say but as for the meat. there was no seasoning or savory aspect about their version of fajitas… it was doused with WAY too much lime or lemon… made the food overly acidic… but I was hungry so I ate it.
I ordered the steak and chicken combo… the chicken was juicy however they added the spices on AFTER it was cooked… huh? My abuelita would have smacked me with her chancla if I ever did that!
The steak… was bland. no seasoning at all, not even after the fact. I was unfortunately disappointed… for a «Mexican» food establishment… it was painfully obvious that they do not have a Mexican cooking or one providing them with the traditional recipes…
I was extremely pleased with the Sol beer… in the bottle and authentic Mexican!
I’m sorry to say that this visit was my first and will be my last.

My kids and I ventured in here for lunch one day last month. We were starving and wandering the construction-​laden streets of downtown. I remember Carlos and Pepes from 30+ years ago (there were a few other locations back then); my CEGEP friends and I used to dine at C&P «back in the day» when we were in the mood for Mex fare. Glad to see it was still around, with the same logo and everything.
This restaurant interior looked totally new to me. Dim but trendy. «Hip».
Service was slow but they brought out warm tortilla chips right away with a few different salsas.
I had a salad with chicken and it was fantastic! My kids shared an enchilada with all the usual sides. They liked it but it was the typical Americanized Mexican fare. Living now in the States, we are more used to authentic Mex fare.
I should note that the guys at the next booth ordered nachos and the dish was shockingly HUGE, like a mountain. Enough for 4 – 5 adults to share, easy. In fact, all the portions here are quite generous
The bathroom on the main floor (downstairs, by the dining area) was a mess. I’m guessing it’s there to accommodate handicapped folks who can’t make it up the stairs to the primary bathrooms. Well, the facilities downstairs was grim and dark, housing various cleaning supplies. It was more of a utility closet than a bathroom, really, but at least the toilet was functional and there was t.p.(Upstairs the womens’ washroom was nicer, thankfully, but the music piped in upstairs was SO loud).

I unfortunately did not enjoy my experience here. The concierge at our restaurant recommended it as a good option for Mexican food, but I was not impressed.
The strawberry margarita was ok, but I asked for no salt, and yet chunks of sea salt kept working their way up my straw into my mouth.
Their salsa was unpleasantly sweet-​ish, the guacamole had little flavor, and although the chicken and shrimp fajitas my boyfriend and I shared were ok, the portion size was very stingy. There were only three shrimp included in the dish, and the peppers/​onions to chicken ratio was probably 5 to 1. Service was slow and a little uninspired. My bf lasted about 40 minutes before he got hangry and had to ask where our main dish was.
I’m not sure If I’ve been spoiled by the amazing, authentic Mexican restaurants at home, or if I’m just being picky, but whatever the case, I would not recommend.

Salads are great & so tasty! It is easy to change ingredients (add/​remove items) for no extra charge. On the other side, cocktails don’t seem to have alcohol in them… I would not go back for alcohol… nor the salsa; For a mexican restaurant it is very watery, and not full of flavours.
I’ve also seen better service… You have to ask for what’s missing on your table, cause waiters don’t come and ask if everything is ok throughout the meal (at least the 3 times I went).
I would not go there for a friend’s night out, but for a salad during lunch time.

My worst experience ever.
We went there last week before the cinema to eat and drink. We asked in advance how long we have to wait for dinner. The guy said 20 – 25. So we went upstairs where the music was as loud we didn’t hear each other, we switched the table. We we waiting for 10 minutes for somebody to ask what we would like to drink. We ordered the drink and food also. After 15 minutes all everybody around us already got their drinks…
I went to the guy (because they didn’t even realize what happened) and asked when we gonna get our drink and food?!?
Ha asked me «What drink?»
I told to him the drinks… He was watching me totally confused… He said he is gonna check it…
5 more minutes and the guy came to the table and said «sorry we don’t have your orders»…
That time we’ve been in the place more than 30 minutes without any drink, the air on the upstairs was warm and humid, we were swatting…
So we said ok let’s do again the orders, but for sure we asked could they serve the food in 25 minutes, because we had the tickets for a movie in the cinema.
The guy was laughing and said «minimum 45 minutes — 1 hour».
We said
In this case we have to go, we don’t have time.
He said ok, sorry, bye and left.
We were standing next to the table and realized this place just focusing to the money not for the people…
Definitely I’m not going back!!!

Well my last review was in 2013 we are now 2015 and I must say the renovation to the place is amazing! Very trendy look, luminous in comparison to my last visit of course! Believe it or not I thought I was entering the wrong place lol.
The food was as good as remembered it from the last time and the service was actually quick and my waitress was great.
The pricing always super reasonable for what you get and quality is certifiably perfect!
Carlos & Pepe keep up the good work and see you pretty soon

This place is not bad, not what it used to be. I personally think its still better than 3 Amigos. I love their fried ice cream, service is wonderful but not consistant. Unlike 3 Amigos this place is not a hangout joint which makes it a nice quiet place to enjoy a relaxing meal.

Amazing! My daughter and I were at the Eaton Centre and asked the staff for a nice authentic type place to go for dinner. They suggested here. The one girl said it is a little place… hole in a wall but very good! Well, let me say, this place is anything but a hole in the wall. This night was their grand opening for their newly renovated space and it is so cool. The atmosphere trendy and cool… the best Mexican food I have ever had.
The portions were plenty, the presentation was perfect. The service was top notch. My daughter who hates guacamole anywhere… ordered seconds. We also had the Mexican Ice Cream (which I have only liked at one place in Toronto 20 years ago… and this dessert surpassed that one 100 fold. Check out the libations… what a menu! It must be 1 foot by 2 feet and has all sorts of standard and not standard drinks. I could go on… but will say this is a must stop for any local or traveller to Montréal! Was the perfect way to close our shopping day! Tres bien et merci pour un bon super! Best wishes and success to you.

Good is great, especially for the price. Beer prices are good also. You get what you pay for; this is a very basic restaurant, nothing fancy but if you are into some good food and cheap beers this is a definite winner. Sunday’s they have dollar tacos, a huge plus for those on the student budget.

Back in the days Carlos&Pepes was a great restaurant. But a couple of years ago they changes ownership and the place lost the prestige from back then. It used to be the spot back in the days. Plates were full all the time… You would never finish the plate. But NOW… MY GOD… The increased the prices and they give less food that is bland, no taste whatsoever… I don’t like 3 Amigos so I can’t tell you to go there… I just have mexican food at Taco Bell, taste better then at Carlos seriously… Sad cause that used to be my favorite spot. Chicken Chimichangas was the bomb back in the days…

My girlfriends and I were looking for something different in Montréal last week and came upon this place. Didn’t expect too much going in but we had a really good experience. The waiter was very friendly and attentive and provided us with some good recommendations.
The food was above average and the prices below average. I would go back the next time I’m in Montréal!

Went to this place for my birthday with a party of about 12 after reading some fairly decent reviews about it. Took 20 minutes for a waiter to even acknowledge our presence and take our order. Food was decent but not worth the wait. Cocktails are HUUUGGEE and mostly ice and sugar with little to no alcohol. Still on a hunt for some decent Mexican food in Montréal…

Friends and I were wondering and needed a place to eat in the area. We needed real food (as opposed to bar food) so we find Carlos & Pepes. Yes, I know, it’s a bar too, but it at least has food with reasonable prices.
It’s been a long day and night, so we stumble in around 10:30PM? We are hungry and tired, so patient was low. Service was a slow but the waitress was nice.
I had some fish tacos, don’t remember what kind of fish, but it had avacados on top. The food didn’t stand out too much to me, but I didn’t really care. I was very tired and needed to go back to the hotel, so I ate as much and as fast as I could. And we were out of there by 11:30.
I didn’t get any drinks since I was DD, but I’m sure the drinks were pretty good. Not my first choice to eat around this area.
They must have renovated or something, because this place seemed clean to me and the washroom looks different from the pictures posted on Unilocal

If you think you found a place to eat tasty Mexican food with excellent service… you’re better off dining at your local Taco Bell.
My wife and I came in to this place thinking we’d have an enjoyable mojito with an appetizer. We were first «greeted» by a very annoyed server who sat us down. The chips and salsa that were brought out were not the best, the chips were better off eaten by themselves rather than being dipped in their bland concoction they call salsa. No biggie, chips and salsa are not why we came here, we then proceeded to order our drinks and appetizer.
After a good twenty minutes of waiting our server finally returned with our drinks (and mind you they were not too terribly busy) and that was the last time we ever saw our server. We continued to wait an additional 45 minutes for our appetizer, that never arrived. We noticed that other tables around us were asking about their food orders but were blown off by the wait staff. My wife waited and then asked the same question to one of the servers and his only response was to mumble and walk away.
My advice is to skip this place and spend your money at far better restaurants in the area.

Je né recommande pas ce restaurant, la nourriture est vraiment très mauvaise. Je recommande cherche un cuisinier mexicain ou latino-​américaine.
I do not recommend this restaurant, the food is really very bad.
No es un restaurant que recomendaria, realmente la comida es muy mala.

Je peu pas dire que je suis un grand fan. J’y suis retourner par nostalgie car certaines soirées de jeunesse bien arrosés s’y sont autrefois déroulées. Mais bon, la cuisine elle est restée dans le temps. Ingrédients douteux, apparence des plats désagréable et service au mieux correcte, je crois que c’est l’endroit parfait pour le manger mou si on vraiment pas regardant sur les saveurs.

I’ve been here a handful of times, food is nothing special but when I’m in the mood for some mexican, this location is always convenient and prices are good.
However in the past year, they have increased their prices without making actual menu changes.
I typically get soft tacos or enchiladas. If it’s stuffed with minced beef, it’s tasty, but the steak strips are chewy and tough. Their rice is dry, not seasoned well. Refried beans are hit or miss. One time I got refried beans that had such a stinky melted cheese on top, I wasn’t sure if they changed types or the cheese had gone bad. The dressing used on their little side of salad is quite yummy.
I haven’t tried their margaritas, but their sangria is very good.
Service has always been very fast. It’s not a fancy place, food isn’t that great but depending on what you order, it’s a good uncomplicated meal.

Décevant. Il y avait des lustres que je n’avais pas mis les pieds ici et nous y avons fait une halte au bar à l’étage pour le «happy hour». Les margarits né sont pas très cher (pour 24 oz, mais seulement 2 oz d’alcool) mais ils n’ont rien d’authentiques. Ils utilisent un mélange vert qui fait plus penser à du «kool-​aid» qu’à du jus. D’ailleurs la plupart des clients (des boomers presque exclusivement) présents étaient à la bière (cela aurait dû être un indice). L’ambiance est correcte (genre bar sportif) ainsi que le service.