La Mezcaleria

The wait is a bit long here — there’s even a waiting list for the bar — but I thought the food and drinks were better than expected. One of the better places that serve Mexican food that I’ve tried in Van so far.
So many things looked good on the menu, but I finally settled on a few tacos (carnitas, beef cheeks, chicken, and fish) — all were good — meat was ample — but my favorite was the fish taco. Granted, it got a little soggy as I ate it, but the cod was fresh, moist and flaky and the three salsas that came with the meal were really good. Thankfully our waiter gave great recommendations on which salsa would go best with what taco.
Drink wise — everything I tried was very good. From pisco to mixed drinks/​cocktails… this is also the first restaurant I’ve seen offer passion fruit as an option to add to drinks! Pretty awesome. \o/​. Oh, and with happy hour starting at 11pm til closing: its worth trying $ 5 drinks, ceviche and whatever other items jump out at you. Yum.

Loved this place, will definitely be back. The food and service were great! It’s not very big and we got there just before 6 on a Sat night and managed to get s seat at the bar. The staff were very friendly and as we weren’t familiar with the food they helped us with the menu.
I had the queso fondido which was by far their most popular dish and it was delicious! We had the mushroom one. I then had the lamb that was cooked in banana leaf. It was so tender and tasty. Can’t say enough about this place!

This place is outrageously good. The food is excellent — very authentic Mexican flavours with a modern twist. Prices are reasonable. The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable of the mezcals and tequilas, in case you want to do some tasting. They don’t take reservations but will put your name on a list and call you when your table is ready, so you can go to one of several nearby watering holes for a drink while you wait. The molten cheese bowl is essential, and the tacos are super delicious. It’s not really known as a breakfast place but their breakfasts are excellent too, and it’s much less crowded than at dinner time.

Definitely the most authentic tacos I’ve had in Vancouver so far. Tastes exactly like a good taco in Mexico, but unfortunately the prices are tenfold more. Oh well. This is Canada, and traditional taco sources are greatly lacking. Extremely tasty tacos, nice atmosphere, and I have yet to dive into the cocktail list, but it looks proper. ⁵⁄₅ for the best authentic tacos in Vancouver (from my experience)

If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I would… it’s THAT good. I have been multiple times and celebrated my past two birthdays here.
I first came here after going to La Taqueria and hearing about their new sister restaurant. The tacos are amazing there but for some reason they taste even more amazing at La Mezcaleria!
Things I recommend:
— Queso fundido with salsa verde and a side of mushrooms
— Chicken Enchiladas
— Carne Asada
— De Cachete taco (the BEST one)
— Carnitas taco
Every time I have been here, I haven’t been disappointed. Service is great and everyone who works here is always happy and engaging.

I went here with a girlfriend to catch up over some dinner and drinks and was definitely not disappointed! I had the Frijoles Charros Con Queso (minus the queso, since I’m vegan) and the Hongos Con Kale. We also split some guacamole and chips. Everything was delicious, but the real star for me was the beans. Normally restaurant re-​fried beans are tasteless glop resembling kindergarten paste, but these were as rich and flavourful as my grandma used to make. I also had (several) Passion Fruit Sours and OMG, so lovely!
Apart from the food our server was attentive and pleasant, and although it was pretty packed in there my friend and I had no problem holding a conversation. All in all it was a perfect first experience and I can’t wait to return!

This was not my first time here. I’ve been here a few times & I’ve always enjoyed the meat tacos here. You can get 4 for $ 14. The ceviche appetizer was also good. The Mezcal selection is pretty amazing, but a little pricey. Try a Mezcal margarita; it’s pretty fantastical for the tastebuds.
On the downside, we waited about 15 minutes for our first beers. I understand they were very busy, but that’s a long wait for beer. Drinks need to arrive more immediately while you decide on food orders. After asking about our beer, they came fairly quickly. Our food came fairly fast as well. It’s obviously a great place for food & mingle as it’s always busy.
Now…as for a bit of shocking aspect. While we were eating & chatting, we noticed some ants crawling on the wall before us. We were seated in the waiting area where food still gets delivered. It was a little disturbing to see the ants coz what does that say about the kitchen? Just saying.
Overall, it’s a good spot to go if you dig tacos & margaritas. I give it a 3.5 with all factors included.

Rodrigo’s overall rating: ⁹⁄₁₀ because getting to try everyone else’s meals made up for what mine lacked
Julie’s overall rating: ⁹⁄₁₀ I could have cried, but the chilaquiles didn’t even need salt.
read our full review here:

Went back to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We ordered the enchiladas, assorted meat tacos and the carnitas taco that’s off the menu. This carnitas taco is a mixture of pork belly, pork tongue and pork cheek. It was really tasty! My boyfriend HATES cilantro and avoids mexican restaurants because of it but the server was great and made sure nothing came with cilantro.

Been here before and it was alright. Expensive and tasty but the service and wait is always a chore. Went today for brunch. It wasn’t busy and we left after no one had come by to offer a coffee or beverage.
I don’t see what all the rage is over this place…

La Mezcaleria Vancouver on Commercial Drive offers traditional Mexican food. This Mexican Cantina is not only about tacos (as so many people automatically relates to) but also about dishes that mirros traditional Mexican recipes, Mezcal and Tequila flights. But what about Mexican breakfast and brunch?
To being a slow, lazy Saturday we ordered a couple of morning friendly drinks.
Don Pimm 10: Serrano infused tequlia, Pimm’s No. 1, grapefruit pop, ginger beer, cucumber, lemon and agave. If you know me, my knees gets weak at ginger beer.
Michelada 10: Pacifico, petroleo, salsa huichol, cilantro, clamato, and tajin rim. Add a shot of Oro Mezcal for five bucks — we highly recommended! This light fizzy Caesar goes down so easy, you’ll want to order seconds!
Chilaquiles 12: house made tortilla chips smothered in mole sauce (deep, dark and delicious Oaxacan style) and topped with crema, queso fresco, sliced white onion, and beans. Top it with a poached egg, pork belly or braised chicken for protein. Chilaquiles is a great sharing appetizer where the sauce simmers over crispy tortilla triangles until softened.
Huevos Benedictos Salmon con Tequila 15: Everyone was ordering divorced eggs (Huevos Divorciados); we can’t blame them (and will get into this later), but toasted English muffin topped with tequila and citrus cured salmon, two poached eggs and chipotle hollandaise was to hard to resist. It is served with seasonal greens and crispy hashbrowns. We really liked the citrus fresh flavors of the cured salmon. It truly gave it a vibrant color.
On the other hand, the table next to us, all five of them ordered Huevos Divorciados aka divorced eggs. If you check their Insta feed, you will notice a flood of divorced eggs also. Whether or not these eggs reached a maturity age for marital status is worth a try!
Huevos Divorciados: Two corn tortillas, two sunny side up free-​range eggs, one topped with salsa ranchera and one topped with salsa verde, divorced by refried beans, and finished with crema, queso fresco, cilantro and crispy bacon. Add a third wheel of say extra free-​range egg for two bucks; hash browns $ 3; extra bacon $ 3; or guacamole $ 3.
Barbacoa 19: slow clooked lamb shoulder wrapped and roasted in a banana leaf. Served in an Aztec volcanic rock with fresh onions, cilantro, pickled habanero red onions and a side of corn tortillas. The meat is tender, moist and marries well with La Mezcaleria house salsa. My favorite being the linger deep heat of pineapple habaneros peppers.
If you have never been to La Mezcaleria on Commercial Drive, we invite you to explore their culinary culture. We may very well add them to our list of Best Brunch Vancouver simply because of the great options and diversify our list. Breakfast /​brunch is served 9 am to 3 pm.
Buenos Días!

It was a wee bit loud walking in but what do you expect when there’s a live mariachi band! They were fantastic, you didn’t feel like you were on The Drive anymore.
My friends and I went on a Sunday through recommendations and it did not disappoint. The staff were very friendly and quick even though the place was bumping!
The restaurant is a bit narrow and small but I prefer more intimate places like this. The food has a lovely twist on Mexican food, and the fresh homemade guacamole is mouth watering.

Ambiance & Service ⁴⁄₅. A little loud but very authentic décor, made me feel like i was in a small restuarant in Mexico again (the hot weather may have given me that impression: P) Great service and open kitchen.
Food ⁴⁄₅ lamb claypot dish was really good. They provide you with the ingrediants to make your own tacos. but dont drink the dip! The owner said «it’s like mexican miso soup» but really it was more of the au jus from the meat. Small but good selection of beer on tap including 33 acres. Our Ceviche was really fresh (we went to boathouse the week before it their’s was «over cooked» and had been sitting in the juice or something). Great variety of tequila and even a tequila sampler option.
Location 3.5÷5 Meter parking. A ⁷⁄₈ block walk from commercial drive skytrain if you’re feeling that. Along the 20 bus route. Close to other shops on commercial drive.
Price ³⁄₅. Pretty pricy but worth trying.

La Mezcaleria is a great place for tacos and drinks, but the limited seating means it really busy on Friday — Sunday night. Reservation can only be made by email. Dinner reservations are for parties of 6 or more and must be made at least 24 hours in advance. A week in advance for Friday and Saturday bookings is required.
My party usually order the quesi fundido, amigos flight and some tacos. The tacos here are excellently good. My favourites are pescado (zarandeado fish), cartinas (pork confit) and al pastor (pork). Drinks are excellent too and highly recommended.

I went for bunch for Sunday, stepped into the restaurant at 11 AM. I was disappointed to learn that the website language was a little unclear about reservations. They only reserve for 9:30 AM OR 1:00 PM, not for times between 9:30 AM-1:00 PM. The reservation person only works an 8 hr shift, so you better reserve 24 hours in advance and for a party of at least 4 or 6. Note that parties with more than 6 people automatically get charged gratuity. Price of meals range from $ 15-​$ 20, and a bit more (~$ 3+) if you want extras of anything.
It’s far easier to get a seat if you’re willing to sit at the bar. Their bar is quite long and seats quite a few people. It sits as many people at the bar as it does on tables, due to the long and narrow layout of the space. The kitchen is open concept so you get to watch the folks at work. Their reservation system when you get into the restaurant isn’t bad. They text you when your table is being setup and allow you to go walk around the neighbourhood.
Unfortunately we were with my mum-​in-​law, who walks with a cane and taking a 30 minute walk around the neighbourhood would be difficult for her. There isn’t much space to sit around to wait for the table, only two chairs at the entrance. Standing at any other spot, you are in the way of the servers.
We eventually got seated at a table for our party of 4. We waited for our food, and it turned out that the waiter had forgotten to enter in our order for the kitchen, but did take it down. They gave us complimentary appetizer of nachos and a bit of salsa when they noticed we still haven’t received our food, and offered to discount our bill for the inconvenience plus rush our order. The waiter who took our order also apologized profusely.
The food was excellent. Very tasty. I had ordered a side of hashbrowns and avocado and was pretty full after my dish of «Divorced Eggs». Hashbrowns were great to dip in the leftover sauce on my platter. In fact, it was perfectly cooked hasbrowns in my opinion. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.
After that experience, I would still recommend the restaurant because I felt that they really cared about their guest’s experience, taking full ownership their actions. This was my first visit. I’m now interested in returning for dinner in the future.

Solid 3.5 stars.
Came here on a Friday night and the place was bumpin! One of the reasons I love Commercial Drive. Though it’s quite small (long and narrow), the ambience felt very Mexican cantina-​esque which.
Overall, it was pretty good. Our group of six started with the Amigos Flight ceviche; great presentation and very fresh. We followed this up with the Queso Fundido with chorizo — I get why this is what they are famous for… it was decadent and delicious! Agreed with some other reviewers that it could have used a few more tortilla shells but luckily we still had some tortilla chips left from our appy and this made a pretty stellar combination! I just don’t know if it is worth $ 23?! Service was very attentive and friendly.
We were so full already but also had the tacos. Yes, they are a bit small but priced right, and we’re actually the perfect size for our already full appetites.
The cocktails were ok. Mezcal is not really my thing but I do love a tequila cocktail every now and then! The cocoquito was refreshing.
A great place for mingling with friends over dinner, I would go back!

This has become one of my top 5 restaurants in Vancouver.
Apparently they got a new head chef two months ago and made some menu changes in the last month. Tonight was the first time trying the new menu, and probably my 8^th or 9^th time here. Menu has been updated with Ocean wise seafood, and added a few staples like chicken mole, which was outstanding.
Highly recommend including this on your go to list. Keep up the great work!

This might be my fave taco resto in Vancouver.
Slightly bigger tacos than you get at some of the other cheaper places at really not that more expensive.
They also have a set of much nicer creative appetizer and share plates.
Additionally– they have mole tacos. And let me tell you about mole tacos– if they don’t have mole on the menu it’s not a proper taco place.
These people know what they are doing.
4 tacos fo 11.50 is a good sized meal. But if you really want to get fat go ahead and order an appetizer– I suggest ceviche.
This place gets really packed but they will also take your number down and call you when a seat is ready.
I suggest you go half an hour before you want to eat to put your name down and then take a walk on the drive til they have seats.
Also– sit at the bar– you can watch all the taco-​making!

I finally got to try this place sitting in rather than taking out. I came here last night with my sister and my girlfriend before the Sam Smith concert because we had all decided we needed to try the Queso Fundido because of how much we loved it in Mexico and this seemed to be the only place to try it in the city. First off, the place is tiny, dark and very loud but the open kitchen is really cool and it gets very busy so I’d suggest you come right around 5pm when they open to get a table.
Now, the food… the Fundido is served in a stone pot just like in Mexico and comes bubbling to your table. On looks, smell and taste it gets a ⁵⁄₅ BUT when you factor in that it’s $ 18 and only comes with 6 tortillas… plus another $ 4-​$ 6 to add sausage or mushrooms it’s feels like a massive rip off. We added mushrooms and without doing that the dish would have felt empty but as I said it was very good.
We also had 2 tacos each and from what I remember when I had take out from here in the past the tacos were good but last night they were extremely disappointing. The Rajas con crema was so salty and bitter. it was basically uneatable, the Al pastor was pretty good though. My gf said her pollo con mole tasted like a peanut butter sandwhich with chicken in it LOL! she couldn’t finish that one either and my sister didn’t finish her Tinga de pollo either because she said the chicken tasted off.
Both of them also had a drink which were $ 8-​$ 10 each, which again is pricey but they enjoyed those, just be warned that the drinks were on the stronger side.
All in all for the price, Mezcal doesn’t even come close to delivering IMO. I’d have to say this was one of the worst all around meals I’ve had in the city in a while when factoring taste, service, price and ambiance.
I don’t think I’ll be back, especially when the tacos are far worse here than the likes of: Sal y Limon, La taqueria, and tacofino.

I dithered about the score for this place — one of the few times I wish for half stars! This is a 3.5 for me for sure. I’ve always had a good time here, but I’ve never been blown away, and there are a couple of little things that bother me.
We arrived at 6pm on a Wednesday and it was already completely full, apart from bar seats. Alice S and I were happy with spots at the kitchen bar where we could observe all the food being made — both of us had been once before and sat in the same spot! We had lots of catching up to do so we were chattering away a couple of times when our server came by to take our order. We grabbed a couple of happy hour wines — the «glass of white» was actually rose that day, but it was tasty! A very nice balance of dryness and a touch of sweet.
Once we were ready to order our server did seem to disappear for quite some time, but I can’t blame her as we had taken our time until that point. Alice ordered the tuna ceviche, I got four meat tacos, and we splurged on the guacamole; $ 9 seemed pretty crazy to me for guac, but we thought we’d give it a shot. Our food took quite a long time to arrive, and unfortunately it all came at once — I was really hoping to nibble on the guac before my tacos arrived. I saw other people’s food arriving more spaced out, but ours was clustered. That said, the guacamole was truly excellent — perfectly acidic, smooth, great texture, and the avocado was very fresh.
My tacos were good, but quite small portions. $ 11.50 is a good price for 4 tacos, each with two soft corn tortillas, but the filling was no more than a tablespoon for most of them. The flavours were good, and I liked that the server who delivered them told me which was which.
One sadness was at 6.27(ish) we flagged our server to try and quickly grab a glass of wine before happy hour ended, but unfortunately she was busy and didn’t come by until 6.40, at which time she said happy hour was over so no happy hour wine price. It would have been nice to have a little leniency, but it wasn’t a huge deal.
The décor is gorgeous here, and the open kitchen is great entertainment. The servers are friendly, but always very busy. The food is mostly great, but I do find it very expensive. I really want to adore this place — and I know I’ll give it another try!