Escondite Vieux Port

If you’re in the Old Port of Montreal and craving some fun, vibrant Mexican food with a creative twist, Escondite Vieux-Port is definitely worth checking out. We stumbled upon this spot while wandering the cobblestone streets and were drawn in by the playful vibe, colorful decor, and upbeat music. The interior is eclectic and cozy, with Day of the Dead artwork, quirky details, and a lively but chill ambiance that makes it feel like a hidden gem. Now to the food — overall, it was very good, with a few standout hits and a couple of misses depending on your palate. The tacos are the star of the show. We tried a variety (the Gobernador, Pollo Frito, and Camaron), and each one had its own distinct flavor and presentation. The shrimp tacos were my personal favorite — crispy, fresh, and packed with flavor. The guacamole and chips were solid — not mind-blowing, but fresh and satisfying. We also ordered the queso fundido, which was ooey-gooey indulgence, especially when paired with the chips. The Mexican street corn (elotes) was delicious and charred just right. Drinks-wise, the cocktail menu is creative, and the margaritas are well-balanced with a little flair. Great spot for a round of drinks with friends or a date night. Service was friendly but could’ve been a bit more attentive. It got busy during peak hours, so there were some small delays in checking in and getting the bill, but nothing major. Prices are fair for the area, especially given the quality and portion size. Definitely on the trendier side, but not overly pretentious. All in all, Escondite Vieux-Port is a fun and flavorful stop in Old Montreal — a cool vibe, bold flavors, and a solid addition to the Montreal taco scene. Would definitely return to try more of the menu!

We loved the Baja Tacos here! We were looking for a Mexican restaurant after coming back late in Montreal from Quebec City. The kitchen was about to close in 5 minutes, but Daniel, our server, accommodated us still. The tacos were amazing.

Excellent food. Black bean soup was top notch. Chicken tacos came on a hard shell corn tortilla. Both had a nice cheese added. Atmosphere was pleasant except for the volume of noise. It bounced off the walls. Fortunately, we weren't in the busy, full section. Hard to hear the person across the two-seater table It was too dark to read to menu. We needed to pull out the flashlight on our phones. It repeatedly felt like we were interrupting the host and server.

I had a great lunch experience at this place 3 years ago. So, I was excited to return. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by their tacos and drinks during my recent visit.

If you are looking for a good taco restaurant, don't look any further. It has got a variety of taco dishes, entrees and drinks. Friendly and helpful staff and delicious food. I recommend the Baja 2.0 if you like it spicy!

Bigger come down than the Roman Empire. A few issues that I hope they can learn from, as many are basic. 1) How dare you not give and charge for hot sauce with your tacos. Which Mexican restaurant does this? 2) Any less sauce in your tacos might as well remove it as an ingredient 3) Not overly new but decreasing your quantity of 3 tacos per order to 2, while skimping on protein is diabolical $100 for 2 people is not okay for this.

This place was a very nice atmosphere and they make fantastic margaritas! We did not get anything to eat so I am not sure about the food, but they make some excellent drinks!

The service was amazing- our server was so nice and enthusiastic and gave great recommendations. The food was delicious- particularly fantastic cornbread and delicious tacos. I had one of the best mojitos I’ve ever had. Their churros for dessert were also incredible! The patio also had a lovely atmosphere. 100% would go again and would certainly recommend to others!

Stopped in on whim for a quick bite. The restaurant is funky but cool and the staff was great. We started off with an order of guacamole and gyoza nachos. The nachos were definitely the best part of the whole meal, to the point we ordered another order of them at the end. The cauliflower tacos were also tasty and crispy. We ordered a tuna fish that unfortunately was not up to snuff and we had to send back but our server quickly remedied the issue. Overall a cool little spot with pretty good food.

Pooh and I came here for lunch. Pooh had the tacos and I had the nachos 2.0. Pooh commented that the taco shells were quite chewy. My nachos 2.0 were more like tapas stuffed with cheese but the toppings were delicious. Both dishes were tiny for the price we paid. Pooh's meal arrived quite fast but mine arrived 15 minutes later - not impressed We both had a Margarita which tasted amazing. We will not be returning

To everyone: Don't go on the reviews of tourists. That's all I'm going to say. Not every city in the world serves buckets of food for $10. It's quality that should count, not quantity People come to another country expecting the same of what they get in their own without realizing they're not in. their. own. country. Anyway. Great spot to eat. Fish ceviche was fresh and delicious. The tacos were two small ones for the price, so if I were hungrier I'd have ordered two orders. But I found a ceviche and 2 tacos more than enough for a meal; not to the point where I'm so stuffed like I ate at a buffet but it was to where I was full. This place definitely beats out the touristy crap downtown. The beef + nopale was excellent. Definitely on par with the tacos I had at a great spot in Brossard. The chicken ones were also good. Overall, I'd definitely come back, and try all the rest of them to settle on which ones are my favourite. TLDR: If you want QUALITY food, come here. If you want QUANTITY CRAP FOR CHEAP, go to 3 Amigos or some other place.

Really nice food, the mango salad is my favourite, with nice music and service is awesome! Totally worth it!

I was highly disappointed by this place. We had a party of 11 of which 6 were children under the age of 10. The kids hated the quesadillas from the kids me menu and thought the tacos Al pastor was gross snd too chewy

DO. NOT. GO. I'm guessing this is aimed at tourists who don't speak French, but our waiter DOUBLED everything we ordered. Started with a mojito my son and his girlfriend wanted to share, she brought 2. We sent one back. We ordered the guac, 2 came. We thought they were being considerate and separated 1 into 2 to make it easier for all at the table, until we got the bill and realized they charged us for both. We all also ordered tacos. Menu describes them as 2 tacos for $10. When we selected the two we wanted, for instance fish and steak, what should have been a total of 10 tacos for 5 of us, turned into 20 tacos arriving at our table. For various reasons, most notably we were already starving, and the language barrier, I didn't complain to have the entire order removed and have to wait again for the right amount to show up. Anyway, all I can say is if you don't speak French, go to a more trustworthy Mexican place.

Great food and relaxed atmosphere. Service was good and portions were ample for the price paid. Not sure what other reviewers are saying about small portions. But for $10 you get 2 nice sized tacos filled generously. Mango salad was unique and refreshing. Corn bread muffin was nice and spicy especially with the spiced butter. Can get busy later evening and reservations could be warranted. Had a great time and would return.

Escondite Old Port is probably the nicest of all locations with their terrace facing Boulevard Saint-Laurent directly and the Latin music blasting. We didn't have a reservation but we were directly greeted and seated by the hostess. We ordered drinks (mojito and wine) which were generously made. As for the food, we ordered tacos: pork, fried chicken and beef. The beef was a little dry, but everything was perfectly seasoned otherwise. We also ordered the nachos which look like dumplings with cheese inside and guacamole on top. It was delicious as well. Perhaps, the portions could've been more generous, they were small. Overall, Escondite has good food and great service!

Wasn't expecting much based on rating, but was blown away and IMHO food was 5 stars, patio is awesome but only 4 stars as chairs and benches could be a tad more comfortable (ya I'm nit picking) Nachos 2.0 were super creative and so so good. Beef tacos were bang on, quesadillas with truffle so decadent and richer than rich. Drinks were amazing, but just order the the Nachos 2.0 and thank me later

Great drinks! The cilantro smash is excellent and their margaritas are also very good. Just be warned that if this were a true Mexican restaurant, it would be disowned by Mexicans. The servings are diminutive and do not correlate with the prices. Expensive for what you get. The servers don't seem to know how to smile.

The service and ambiance is so nice. Best place to pass time and chill out . Food is a typical fusion, nothing really special but worth a try.

Wow, the reviews on this place are all over the map! We were looking for a new Mexican experience and decided to stop in on a Friday night without a reservation. The host wasn't pleased with our impromptu visit and offered to seat us at the bar, which was fine by me. In fact the bar seat might have been a gift as the bartender turned out to be super friendly and quite knowledgeable about tequila. BTW, the place was half empty when we arrived and remained that way for our entire visit so I'm not so sure why the host was so huffy over the seating. We started with traditional margarita's made with Ajenjo Tres Generacions and some guacamole. Both were excellent with the guac having lots of texture and flavors, a very good example indeed! Next up were Baja, Shrimp and Pastor tacos. The shrimp was the best of the lot although all three were very good. As mentioned in other reviews, there was too much slaw on the Baja (an all too common issue for this dish) but after removing 2/3 of it the tacos were great. Total tab for two with tax and tip was about $100 which seemed about right. Half of that was in margarita's! The decor and vibe of the space was excellent, service at the bar was excellent, altogether a really great experience for us and we will definitely return.

Came here for some late night eats! We sat down and ordered see tacos. We both ordered Baja tacos which was interesting. The fish was crispy and good but there was way too much slaw on it with a seasoning that overpowered the whole taco. I got the carne asada tacos As well that had tons of meat but was alittle too sweet over all. The best tacos is what my friend got which was shrimp tacos! The shrimp had lots of flavor a ton of guacamole and was delicious. Overall a good late night meal. We were thankful the waitress sat us down and let us order right before the kitchen closed :)

We were walking around the old port looking for a quick snack and we stumbled upon this Mexican restaurant. We are so glad we did because the guacamole was top notch! The guac was very creamy and it had a subtle hint of heat! The kind of heat that makes you want to go for another dip over and over. The smoked paprika tortilla chips were very crispy and tasty! Overall, this is one of the best guacamoles I've had so far! The Jarritos mango soda that we ordered was amazing as well! Also, I love their indoor and outdoor seating, especially their lovely terrasse! We chose to sit outside in the terrasse because we wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather we had yesterday. The servers were wonderfully polite and attentive! They would come by and check if we needed a refill throughout our meal. Guacamole with smoked paprika tortilla chips ($6.95) Jarritos Mango Soda ($4.95)

Good tacos. Fried chicken wasn't a hit but the fish and steak were solid. I get the 3 stars but the music and the ambiance is worth the visit.

Food was horrible - served on a pile of iceberg lettuce. Apparently, you can't have your guac with your meal - "it will come when it will come". Worst Montreal experience.

I think the food here is a little bit different from other Escondite. Less quality than others. No tasty food... so disappointing.

Very very bad service and the BAJA tacos are a -5, can't even taste the fish. Margarita 7/10 I was thirsty and it was hot outside

If I could eat the fish tacos for lunch here everyday I would (do you ship to nyc). The ambiance is so super cool and you just want to hang out there all day. Ping took care of us and she was so friendly and helpful with suggestions from the menu. The classic margarita is highly recommended. The guacamole is fresh with freshly fried chips. The fish tacos are fresh light crispy and just the right size. It comes with creamy sauce and pickled cabbage for crunch! There is a lovely outdoor space as well to enjoy during primo weather. I'm leaving Montreal today but will be making a outdoor here before to leave for freshly made tacos (fresh tortilla also) before I go.

Good food, however, for larger groups each individual is required to pay a flat rate of $40 for a meal worth roughly half that price if purchased normally. We were informed of this only once we sad down and the server ensured us that the food provided by this plan would be more than we could have bought for that much under regular circumstances. Additionally we did not receive the promised amount of food for everyone and items which guests were allergic to still counted against their meal and could not be switched out for more appropriate options. Additionally, with complete disregard to the allergies of their guests, despite having been given prior warning, they served peanuts to the individual who was allergic.

Came here for my favourite cuisine, Mexican food. The ambiance and decor is VERY eyecatching and eclectic. Unfortunately, the food did not meet my expectations at all. We had the guacomole and shared a few tacos. It seemed that something was wrong with their fryer or the way they were deepfrying foods. Every dish that had been fried was full of oil, it seemed like they needed to change some old cooking oil. The pork tacos were quite bland with no flavour. The baja fish tacos we also saturated in oil and the flavour combination just wasn't right. There were about 5 other tables and the service was quite slow and unfriendly. Wanted to love this place but unfortunately it was quite a disappointment.

If you wanna eat "nachos" definitely don't go there, you will have gyosas ‍ the service is terrible. I felt insulted because I didn't include the service and the waitress told me "In Montreal the service is not include" I live in Montreal and I felt so disrespectful and racist. I just didn't pay for such a bad service. For me the worst in Montreal. Definitely, DON'T GO

Very good tacos. Bajar fish taco was so good. The pineapple pulled pork was also delicious

Wow. Truly what an experience. I came into the city with family staying near by at an Air B&B looking forward to exploring the lively city and the amazing things it offers. However, this restaurant surely is not at all one of those things aforementioned. As a party of 8, we were told that it is the "policy" to put a down payment of $40 per person that ensures that each patron would "experience the whole menu" and that "it's basically all you can eat". All I can eat if I was a lactose intolerant child in an ice cream store. Between 8 people, we got to share 2 orders of chips and guac, 2 orders of the mango salads, each person got 2 tacos, and finally everyone got to enjoy a churro. Now let me tell you, with the prices of food and the portions, we got absolutely robbed. For starters, AFTER putting in our food allergies with our server, we received mango salads with peanuts despite peanut allergies, and I am in fact lactose intolerant and I wasn't able to enjoy any of the tacos except for the chicken taco which they ordered for me, we did not get to choose. Finally with our churros, I was unable to eat it because there was dairy with it. So overall, I paid about $70 for a handful of chips and guac, some bites of a mango salad, two tacos that I didn't get to choose, and no dessert. An absolute joke of a "policy" and the unfortunate part is that we likely would have had a fine experience if we had free reign over our food orders. But due to going with the "Escondite experience", I'm leaving with an unsatisfied appetite and an unsatisfied review. Would not recommend to parties 7+.

Very disappointed. The staff forgot we were there, and we had to ask every time we needed something. The food servings were small and overpriced for the quality. Fine if all you want is a drink and a snack. Not good for dinner.

Went here twice on a recent visit to Montreal. We had to wait a bit the first time but ended up making a reservation the second time. Definitely worth the wait. The food is great, we were able to try three different appetizers and two sets of the tacos- everything delicious! Coming from the NYC area, I wish we had a place like Escondite. It is extremely affordable and the food is top notch. All the servers were also lovely and there was always someone around to refill drinks or grab empty plates. Definitely recommend this place!

A fun restaurant with fresh and delicious food and drinks! The service is fast. It's one of those places you crave to return to. They are very accommodating for groups and kids

Food was pretty good bit portions are small. Steak and korean cabbage was very good. Decor not really designed for kids, more of an adult theme (didn't know when walking in). Margarita was excellent! A place well suited for hanging out for drinks and some light fare.

This place is a terrible. 3 people for lunch was $90. They also charged me an additional $11 to get 3 tacos instead of 2. They said they only sell them in pairs and they did not tell me until they brought the bill. Do not go here! Small food portions left hungry.

If I could I would give it zero stars !! The food was not good... I tried the tacos " Al Pastor " you expect the tacos to be served with the option of putting salsa but nooooooo extra for the salsa!! WTF? The portion of the foods are like appetizers never going back

I ordered a salad..?? It was a bowl of beets, watermelon, apples, blackberries, celery, vinegar and jalepenos. Fresh ingredients but it was just so weird... all fruits would have tasted better on its own, instead it just tasted like it was drenched in vinegar ( which is exactly what it is ). Still left confused about the dish I had.. Quesadillas were okay. Virgin pina colada was terrible. Its my fav drink but I couldn't even finish a third of it. Waitress made a mistake so one of our orders took forever. Interior is cute but wouldn't come back. Maybe their tacos are good. Friendly servers tho!

I love this place. Service is excellent, and the food is always delicious. Pricing is reasonable, and the wait time to eat and settle the bill is prompt. We eat here often, and everything is consistently great.

Food was good. Main Server was inattentive and was periodically having drinks with a group of patrons on another table that seemed her friends. She did not seem satisfied with her tip (I left 7%) and let me know that service charge was not included. She was politely told that she was given what seemed appropriate. Restaurant itself was nice with a cozy outdoor space.

I've never had such poor service in a restaurant. From the moment we were seated at our table the waitress made it very clear we were unwelcome. We asked questions about the menu and got very little by way of response. It took forever to get our menus and then an hour to be served and then the order was missing items. When we addressed it she had an attitude and walked away. She never asked if we'd like another drink or if we needed anything. When we were able to flag her down she pointed and yelled at me that the item we were waiting for was 'coming'. I can completely understand when a restaurant is swamped - it happens - but she made no effort to speak to us or advise us. Every interaction with her made us feel that we shouldn't have come and she didn't want us there. We were there for dinner while on business - we wanted more drinks and were prepared to spend money, but it was clear that it was impossible to order and that she really didn't want our business. Even when we went to pay, she never made eye contact or asked us how our food was, instead stood there with crossed arms looking away. I get it - everyone has a bad day - but I travel all the time, and eat in restaurants frequently and never in my life have I had such poor service. I can understand a kitchen is busy, and service is slow, but that's where the server is supposed to shine. Check in - ask if we need anything. Ask if we want another drink - instead it ruined our evening. I honestly can't recommend this restaurant to anyone - which makes me so sad, because it's a beautiful space in the old port. I'm so disappointed.