Corazon De Maiz

Easily one of the standout dining experiences in Ottawa — this spot delivers on all fronts. From the vibrant location to the warm, attentive service, every detail feels intentional and well-executed. But it’s the Latin-inspired cuisine that truly steals the show. Flavorful, authentic, and beautifully plated, this is hands-down some of the best Latin food in the city. Whether you’re a first-timer or a regular, the consistency and quality never disappoint. If you’re craving bold flavors and a lively atmosphere, this place is a must. #LatinFlavours #OttawaEats #MustTrySpots

Loved our vegan tacos! The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable about what vegan means. They took the time to explain which sauces and ingredients were suitable for us. Plenty of space to sit and enjoy the food. Great location in the ByWard Market!

Really it’s just too expensive. 52.00 for 2 people and two burritos. And a burrito that was embarrassingly small. After a horchata and soda plus tax it was 52.00. Oh here's a good part I asked for one nacho to finish my meals and they wanted to charge 3 dollars for one nacho. Obviously it's the rich civil servants that we're all paying their salaries for that can afford all this.

Highly recommended Mexican food, tried tostadas and quesadillas, great service and friendly staff.

Corazon De Maiz was my first meal in Ottawa, and it didn’t disappoint. The beef soft tacos were delicious, packed with way more meat than expected—no need for extra! Prices are a bit high, but the quality and portion size make it worth it. Friendly staff, too. Highly recommend if you’re looking for authentic, hearty Mexican food with great service! Will definitely return!

There were two strand of a hair in my food. The taste was mid. It's not the best yet it's not the worst. The staffs were really nice, they offered us to give our money back but we refused because we feel bad.

Best tacos I had in Ottawa, they were authentic, owner is amazing and very nice to talk to even remembers his regular customers. The tacos are jam packed and full of flavour. And I absolutely love the amount of different salsas they have to pair with your tacos!

I ordered 3 tacos and a glass of water which came to $23.45. The tacos were quite small. The tortillas themselves tasted excellent but the chicken inside was lukewarm and bland. The remainder of the filling seemed to consist mostly of tomatoes which were reasonably fresh but there was not much else in terms in terms of other toppings or spices/flavours. There was nothing outright wrong, but it was simply not worth the price. Service was friendly and good, no issues with the atmosphere. Unfortunately I would not recommend this restaurant as the portion you receive is quite small and flavour is lacking.

While stopping off for food, we decided to order from this place. It's a cute little restaurant that seems family owned and authentic. We ordered a beef burrito and a chicken burrito. The hot sauces came on the side, which we really liked because we could control how much we wanted to add. Definitely worth going just for the hot sauces as they were so flavorful. The server was really kind and really informed on the menu.

This was so hard to find it's in a market in Ottawa we had to only stay here for less than two minutes cuz our boat was gonna leave I told the owner she rushed it we got the tacos and a beef burrito, with mild hot sauce, I have tos at this is one of the best Mexican food I have ever tasted so far, it's a small place there's a juice place beside it, but the burrito was so tasty the Meat pulls apart very flavourful and it had slice with the hot sauce not too hot though lol I don't want to sleep in the washroom all night. I could eat ten of these burritos, but I'll get so fat, I could come to Ottawa just for this food amazing

I was visiting Ottawa for sightseeing. I came to Byward and this was a typical tourist area. There are restaurants, but everywhere is expensive. Corazón de Maíz is not cheap, but they gave us portion enough and quality of foods were good. They cooked well and Salsa was very very good.

I got the small beef burrito and man was it filling. I forgot to get pictures of the tacos, and quesadilla's my hubby and sister got, but they were just as tasty. The prices are not bad at all for the amount of food that you get. The service is always top notch! It is a very small seating area so you might have to wait to sit if they're full but the food is worth it. I'll definitely be eating here again when I'm in the market!

This place is fantastic! We had their delicious beef burrito and I love their hot sauce. The service is friendly and the atmosphere is fun. It is right in the middle of the market, which makes it a fun date night. I would go back again!

I felt teleported to Mexico! The friendly staff, the music, the food... Many Spanish speaking customers, which says a lot about the authenticity. Mexican imported products for sale. Great experience!

I wasn't in the best of moods when I got there, but I'm very happy to say that the service genuinely made me a lot better and was extremely welcoming! They made sure to ask everything I could've possibly wanted while also being patient with me, as I tend to be anxious when I first visit new places. I had their large nachos, and they were absolutely delicious! The portions & the toppings were so generous, I had to share half of them with a friend to be able to eat it all. They also came with guacamole & sour cream too. I ordered them as takeout, but I honestly suggest eating them while still close to the Byward Market to be able to enjoy them while they're still warm since the place is generally very small and there are very few tables. Overall, I would absolutely come back whenever I crave nachos & I'd definitely be down to trying out their burritos & tacos as well!

My favourite Mexican restaurant in Ottawa (and my 2 kids, my sister etc.). Another family run restaurant that we have been going to for quite a few years. The staff and owners are such lovely people, I really enjoy coming here for Mexican food! There tacos are so damn good. There burrito's are so damn good (get the burrito either in a bowl or in a wrap). I love there soup of the day, I have never had one I didn't like!! They of course make there own hot sauces, which are super delicious, and I think they make the best Guacamole in Ottawa!! I have NEVER had a meal that I did not like or an order that was incorrect! I have pretty well have had everything on there menu! Visit them you won't regret it!

The food at Corazon De Maiz is outstanding, and possibly the most delicious Mexican food I have tasted to date! We had the chicken burrito, the chicken quesadilla, a steak taco, and a few of their delicious sauces. The price range was very reasonable at approximately $12-13 for a burrito or quesadilla, and $7 per individual taco. We visited on a Saturday evening in February and we were able to find seating in the restaurant and our food was served within about 10 minutes. We attempted to return the following evening, but were disappointed that the restaurant had closed about 20-30 minutes early that night. We will definitely be dining at Corazon De Maiz on our next trip to Ottawa!

It's one of the small restaurant stalls inside of Byward Market. They provide quick and kind service. I had the taco and quesadilla that were both delicious! The guacamole they provide is fresh and they offer a selection of great homemade sauces to add extra flavour (or extra heat!)

This place is a lunchtime favorite and offers authentic, fresh and delicious Mexican staples such as burritos and enchiladas. Excellent quality of food, outstanding selection of homemade hot sauces, great charming family service.

This is a small restaurant located in the ByWard Market. Ordering can be kinda confusing depending on where you enter the restaurant. You need to place your order first, with the cook, then tell the cashier what you ordered to pay for it. We made the mistake of not ordering with the cook and went straight to the cashier. As a result, our food was never made. I had to tell the cashier before they made the meal for us. We ordered the beef tacos, and the pulled pork tostadas. Both dishes were good, but the tacos stood out the most. I really enjoyed the guacamole and the jalapeño garlic sauce because was delicious. All the sauces complimented the food well, but that one stood out. The tostadas were good too, but I felt it was a little too salty for my liking. The pork, and the feta cheese overpowered the whole dish. There are very few seats, probably 10 or so I would recommend taking the tacos to go.

Expertly prepared fresh made to order with very little waiting. The sweet smoky chipotle and salsa verde sauces were our favorites. Guac is superb. 3 generously portioned tacos made for a filling meal. Perhaps better than the food was the sweet service. Without my knowing, our youngest son was eager try his new Spanish skills and tried placing his order in his broken Spanish. The warm employee jumped right in taking extra time to slowly coaching him in how to properly place his order in Spanish. She made a huge impression and my son wanted to return for every meal. Wish we lived closer!

Yum! Went on a food tour and discovered this little gem inside the Byward Market! The beef tacos with the verde sauce were just excellent - it was a perfect mouthful of flavours and well seasoned beef, not too empowering, just right. Would definitely come back for more tacos!

We did takeout instead of dining in since at the time we were not allowed to dine in, nor did we want to. As a result, I cannot discuss the atmosphere. I don't know anything about burritos. I ordered a beef burrito. I liked the tenderness of the beef! The rice and beans made the already large burrito really filling and I liked the guac which didn't make it too dry. We were given a complimentary sauce, so I got the habanero ranch. It wouldn't have been a problem if I had water on me, but alas. I enjoyed it nonetheless. I will recommend this place to my friends when we decide to dine at Byward once it's safe.

It's hot out And slow inside (Hilarious!) Tacos average Only thing left was BEEF, not great I guess come early

They serve such goood food!! I'm from Toronto but whenever I fly to Ottawa, I always make sure that I eat here! The staff are so kind and nice as well! And I always buy 2 burritos, one to have for lunch and one to bring back to Toronto. And it's still good after that 1 hour of flight, a bit soggy but it's worth it! It gets pretty busy especially during lunch time and there's not a lot of tables in the restaurant, so I always take it to go and find somewhere else to sit at. Overall, I love this place! I've recommended this place to my friends who are visiting Ottawa.

Corazon de Maiz did not give us our full order and won't respond or refund us for items paid for but not received. We've already waited one week. DO THE RIGHT THING: REFUND OUR MONEY! p.s. Re the food, everything was cold and bland. (Yep, bland Mexican food!) But the nachos were ok.

All of these positive reviews made us feel this was a definitely good place for a late lunch. Not good at all. The tortillas were rubbery. The three chicken tacos were bland and cold. The chicken wasn't flavorful or hot. The pico de gallo and guacamole seemed fresh but didn't help. The beans were runny mess on the taco. The large quesadilla was all cheese and some raw veggies (onion, bell peppers and tomatoes) tossed in. There wasn't any flavor for the quesadilla. The tortilla was rubbery. The burrito was tiny and greasy with pork. We couldn't finish our dishes. Skip it and find something else. I'm lucky I know what good Mexican food is and have plenty of tasty taquerias in my town that make me know what good food is. And you have to pay for hot sauce. We didn't and I guess that you should to cover up the lack of flavor

This place is simple but fantastic!!!! All homemade, fresh, and such great flavors! Tortilla soup is a meal and is the best I've ever had! Tacos were fantastic, as were the veggie quesadillas.....and their house made salsas were so good! 8 levels of hot....so good! Homemade horchata! Can't go wrong here....plus the NICEST people working there!

Holy Hot Sauce!! Firstly, this is the best burrito Ive had in Ottawa hand down. Everything was super fresh, clean and healthy.... and also awesome to have biodegradable take-out wears. What I really want to get to is their selection of amazing home made hot sauces. I am picky when it comes to hot sauce flavour....I can rarely seem to find one I like. I often buy locally made hot sauces....these outstand them all. Seriously. Even if the burrito wasn't good, it would just be a carrier for their incredible sauces....yummm. They have them all available to buy a jar to go home with. I bought a jar of their hottest sauce which is also surprisingly flavourful for an extra-hot hot sauce. However, I would have bought several more if they weren't out. The garlic and jalapeño is divine. I cant wait to come back and buy the entire collection for my fridge. Thank you for this discovery :)

I've always walked by here, and I have always been intimidated to stop in, until the hubby raved to me about how great the tacos were here. We decided to make a trip out here yesterday for a quick bite. I had a veggie taco and the hubby had a chicken and beef taco. The veggie came with a small side of guac. Everything was bursting with flavor. Guacamole was perfectly seasoned. The hot sauces/salsas are phenomenal. The green ones were milder and went great on the veggie taco. I wish I could bottle it up and bring it home. They should really consider selling those hot sauces in shop, I think they would be a hit! Customer service was amazing. We were greeted with a smile and they explained what went on the tacos. They brought our tacos to the table when it was ready. I could not ask for better customer service. There were two tables to eat at, and one long one (bar style) near the condiments. If you are shy when you eat, you should take it to go, because everyone who was walking by stopped to look at our tacos. Yes, they looked that good! If you are in the area, and love authentic tacos, you have to check this place out. I'll be back to try the nachos out next.

A favourite spot in the market. Best burrito I've had in Ottawa. Got the pork and chicken mixed! The bright green sauce/salsa is to die for. Make sure to buy a jar of it at the counter before you go home. The staff is patient and kind. They had great suggestions when we asked (mixing the 2 meats) and gave us tons of extra sauces for take out. It's great during COVID that the store is still very generous in portions and add-ons. I ate half the burrito for lunch and half for dinner because it was so big and I wanted to savour every bite. Parking isn't easy but it is worth it. Even if you park a distance away you're walking through the market which is always nice. Do yourself a favour and stop by this landmark and hidden gem!

Cute little place in Byward Market. I had the chicken burrito. They have 2 sizes, medium and large. The people in front of me took the large and it looked sooo big i went with the medium, which i dont regret since the medium was also pretty big. The burrito was filled with Mexican rice , beans, guacamole and more. The chicken was in cube and not shredded, which i didn't mind. You can also choose between brown or white pita. I had the brown pita and it was so good and satisfying. Other people around me had the nachos and it looked sooo delicious! They also have tons of salsa for you to choose from. They put stars for the level of spicyness. I had the salsa verde and another one which i don't remember but it seemed to have grilled peppers in oil. It was so tasty!! The only downside is that there's not many places to sit but since it's in the middle of the market you can always find a place outside. I will definitely come back.

4.5 STARS Dropped by this shop in Byward Market on recommendations from internet reviews. My partner and I each ordered a set of 3 tacos. He had one of each of the meats, and I had 3 vegetarian tacos. We both through they were yummy and tastes authentic. Would give this review 5 stars if they were a little cheaper. Otherwise, great place for Mexican food!

I don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review, given this is a staple value pick for mexican in Ottawa! I tried their nachos, and added beef. For $15 including tax, it was a very hearty and flavorful meal, with tons of cheese, toppings, and tender/tasty beef. I didn't feel as though they skimped on the toppings. The best part was the huge variety of sauces you could add. I tried every single one of them (there were maybe around 6)? And each sauce had a different spice level, so it added tons of flavour to the nachos. Imagine biting into a nacho with meat, cheese, veggies, sour cream, guac, AND more sauce! The only thing that would make it better is if they had a condiment bar like Ahora, which has jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, cilantro...I love piling on more fresh toppings. But I guess you can't have everything! Service Is friendly, and it's fun to sit near the windows and people-watch.

I wasn't expecting this place to taste as good as it was. For the first time ever, we found a place that has nachos with more toppings than chips. Amazing! Tacos were great too. Very limited seating in this place. I wouldn't say the menu is kid friendly.

Service and food was great! I went with a friend because we had to grab some lunch, but we didn't know where and saw that this place had great yelp reviews. I ordered the small nachos and it was amazing!! They don't cheap out on the ingredients one bit. It was super cheesy and yummy! I'd recommend coming here. Seating might be a little hard to find during rush hours. As well, when I went, the card machine was broken, so it was cash only.

Picked up a shredded beef burrito from here on my way to the airport. It was quite delicious, filling, and affordable! The beef was very tender and flavorful (less dry than the pork), the ingredients tasted made from scratch, and they toasted the wrap to seal it closed. Aside from beef, rice, and black beans, the they also added lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream, and a little bit of quacamole. Not bad for about $11 (CAD). If I ever find myself in the area and can't decide what to eat, this would be a good default option!

A little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant in Byward market. Honestly the best burrito Ive had. I usually order the beef burrito and the meat is so incredibly soft and tender. They have a huge sauce bar on the side. My favourite is the sweet chipotle. The people there make you feel like you've just transported to a homey little spot in Mexico. Seating there is very limited - 2 tables and a few seats at the food bar, but if you catch it at a good time, you could catch a table. Definitely one of my favourite places in Ottawa. 10/10 Highly recommend!

Big shout out to fellow Yelper Jennifer P. for this great Mexican joint inside ByWard Market. The menu is simple, authentic Mexican fare in a small booth but with big tastes! The food here is fantastic as the tacos and nachos that we had were delicious and flavourful. The kids loved the food so much that I had to order seconds of everything... note to self...have less kids;) Order process is simple, order at the cook's counter, pay at the cash and if you eat in they will deliver to your table and if you eat out theyll call you for pick up. Service is very good and there's a great selection of hot sauces that you can add. Definitely a great place for some real good food! Thanks again Jennifer P!!

Fresh, delicious food. I love their nachos, usually add beef. Totally worth it, they load it up with meat not stingy at all. Beans are flavorful and rice cooked just right.

Always amazing and delicious food. Very reasonably priced and generous portions. The burritos and tacos both meat and veggie are so good and as close to authentic Mexican as you can get. The horchata is also very good and you get the takeaway glass to enjoy at home. Highly recommend!!!

I can't believe that I walk by this place all the time, but never noticed it. One of my co-workers told me about it and I said "there isn't a Mexican place in 'the Markety thing' (a.k.a. Byward Market Square)". Well, I'll be darned, there is, and it is great! I went here recently for lunch with my usual dining companion (my husband). It was my first time there. I had 3 soft tacos (one beef, one pork and one chicken) - $8.50. They were topped with black beans, the meat and some salsa and came with a side of guacamole. My husband had 3 tostadas (one beef, one pork and one chicken) - $9.00. They were topped with black beans, the meat, lettuce, cheese and sour cream and came with a side of salsa. I love the fact that you don't have to get the same meat on all the tacos/tostadas. The chicken was grilled chicken cubes. The pork was pulled pork in a BBQ-like sauce. The beef was pulled beef also in a BBQ-like sauce. They are not stingy with the meat or the toppings - my taco runneth over - but not that I'm complaining. The tacos were delicious. Everything tasted really fresh. The guacamole was nice and creamy. They also have a selection of sauces that you can add. I tried the Sweet Chipotle (which I really loved) and the Garlic Jalapeno (which was not as good in my opinion). Can't wait to try the others. The people who work there are so friendly and nice. Since the place is in the actual Byward Market Square building, there is very little seating, maybe enough room for 15 people or so. We went for a late lunch so managed to snag a table. Otherwise, I think takeout is the way to go. I'm sad that I didn't know about this place earlier, but am super happy that I know about it now. I will definitely be back.

Was able to visit again after a long time away. I'm glad to report that the food here is just as good as I remember. The food is amazing! Eric, the owner, has done an amazing job running this place, and his customer service is amazing as well. I HIGHLY recommend this place. It's one of my favourite spots in Ottawa.

The tacos are better than last time!!! I had to break my one a day review to update my review of CDM because I want more people to go. This time around I had a chance to try the beef tacos and try some other hot sauces. Solid flavours. The taco shells are still the weakest part of the taco, I hope they eventually make their own and I guarantee I'd bump my rating up another star. This place has the best tacos in Ottawa. I do prefer burritos at other places but I'd definitely come here for tacos. The owners are always friendly, funny and super awesome. Sit at the counter and chat with them about food!

My wife took us here as a replacement for the Mexico Pavilion at Walt Disney World's Epcot because we weren't able to go one year and I must say for a tiny little restaurant tucked away in the market building, it definitely filled the role. The food is amazing, I discovered a new favourite brand of soda, and there is an amazing Luchador Last Supper mural that I want up on my own kitchen wall.

We got the nachos with chicken and then 3 tacos. The price was a bit high in my opinion, but the portions were pretty large. 3 of us ate on the nachos and couldn't finish them all. The pork taco was really tasty. We ate in, but we had to sit at the bar as there was only 1 table that could seat 2 and one table that could seat 4. Very very cramped space.

If you like Quesadillas this place makes quality fantastic tasting ones! They were very flavorful and very generous on the ingredients. Would recommend!

Ermagawd - tortilla soup! My first time trying it, but I know a savoury, spicy, tangy broth replete with crunchy tortilla strips, sour cream and other delicious yumminess when I try it! An absolute must-try! At $5.xx a bowl, you can't go wrong! A friend and I stopped in to eat at Corazon de Maiz on a snowy evening as we were exploring Byward Market. In the "Market" building itself, this local gem is a cross between a stall and a super casual sit-down restaurant (only about small 4-5 tables). I assume many people get their food to go, but we sat down and had a fairly quiet (wonderful) meal, where we ordered at the counter but were served at our table. We each had a soup and shared a small nachos... we had been warned that the nachos would be too much food for 1 person, but it proved too much for 2! Expect them to be fully loaded, and do be sure to try all the homemade salsas (=sauces = not chunky) at the serve-yourself station! They rate them by spiciness - the one with 6 Xs (xxxxxx) is certainly worthy of a dare! And it's tasty! Our favourite was the salsa verde (the green one!) The guy at the counter was super helpful and friendly in explaining the menu items upon ordering too - all around a friendly and welcoming experience in Ottawa!

Having lived in Mexico for a few months, I'm willing to endorse this place with a stamp of approval. It's legit. I went with 3 quesadillas; 1 with chicken, another with cochinita pibil, and another with barbacoa. Got them to go with an authentic Mexican Coke in the bottle for about a $9 total. I put together some different sauces to go and all of them were delicious. The staff is friendly and pretty much all of them speak Spanish (the line cook busted it out right away not even knowing I speak it too). I think she was a bit taken aback when this gringo replied in her native tongue. The only two things that seem to suck here are the portions and the hours. My quesadillas didn't come close to filling me up, which just made me want to go back for more. The only problem with that was the hours. They're located in the Byward Market area where just about everything seems to close around 6 or 7. So by the time I wanted seconds, it was demasiado tarde. Que pena.

I had the quesadilla (beef) spose had one of each taco's. We both enjoyed them alot. I loved the flavour of the meat and fresh cooked but still crunchie veggies inside. I recommend this place for quick and really tasty food.

I've read somewhere that Mexican food in Canada should not be tried and doesn't taste authentic. If you think so too, you stop by this little family owned restaurant in the Byward Market. Great portions, amazing flavor and friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Very good food Great service Friendly staff highly recommend Mexican food in the market

Excellent, authentic, tasty, juicy tacos! Located in the Byward Market, this place makes really really good tacos. They only have 3 meats: beef, chick, and pork, and I rate them in that order. 3 soft tacos cost $10.50 The beef tacos are simply outstanding, rich with flavour and super tender and juicy. I had to order 3 more after the first bite! The chicken is moist and the pork I find is just so so... However its all about the beef, which just blew away my taste buds! The prices are very reasonable and they don't skimp on the meat. The beef taco gives this an automatic 5 stars, I recommend this far and away over the other options. Note: They do not put cheese on their tacos, but do give you guacamole. You can get cheese if you so desire for 50 cents

I had the pulled pork burrito and it was excellent. The pork had amazing flavor on its own. It got even better with all the fresh ingredients added to the mix. Refried beans, guacamole, lettuce, salsa, cheese and all the different hot sauces. Very delicious and I highly recommend if you're in the area.

Very disappointing. I got the soft shell tacos. Very bland. Veggies not fresh. Just not much flavor

Stopped by for a quick lunch on Friday. Split two orders of soft tacos, 2 times chicken, pork and beef which came with a helping of avocado on the side. We enjoyed these dining in and paid once done. While there is limited seating, we arrived between 1-2 Pm and found a spot to scarf these bad boys down. My boyfriend enjoyed the hot sauce with four X's - some have a higher spice tolerance than me I'll say. Great value for the price and friendly service. We'd return in a heartbeat.

Everything you'd expect from a Mexican place. Great everything, good prices and very friendly staff. I recommend the guacamole with chips

Absolutely delicious and filling . Staff is really friendly. Wonderful gem in the heart of the byward market.