Tinga Kim Taqueria

We started with “appetizers” including the K-Wings or Korean style wings in both flavours. I preferred the Oro K-wings ($20 for 6) the crispy chicken left neutral but having been marinated in arbol (type of chili pepper), soy, and oyster sauce was very flavourful. Juicy and crunchy this is what makes Korean fried chicken so good. The Rojo K-wings ($20 for 6) were too strong for me: the gochujang, ginger, soju, and oyster sauce base tasty on the first bite but overwhelming by the last. Rest assured, Tinga Kim doesn’t baby their diners and makes these spicy. I’m glad we got the quesabirria ($18) for the table as the shredded beef saturated in consommé was so rich and salty that one is sufficient. They don’t skimp of the cheese so it’s nice and gooey but could use more raw onion and herbs to counteract the heaviness. Strangely this arrives with chili oil and a sour cream aioli instead of the beef consommé you’d expect to dip it in. It seemed more quesadilla than quesabirria. Their single order tacos are great for building your own main. Ideally, the chef should have left the shrimp in the pingo Coreano ($12) neutral rather than saturating it in soju, soy and oyster sauce. By this point, I was getting tired of this flavour combo and was looking forward to what the menu describes as shrimp, soju-based salsa, guacamole, cotija & Oaxaca cheese, and cilantro. No where did it mention soy and oyster sauce, which completely covered the sparse guacamole and cheese but did help soften the tostada, so it was foldable and easier to eat. I’m really reaching for the silver lining here. The maapo libre ($10) tasted the same since the main protein was Korean marinated galbi. Except this was topped with an overly salted citrusy red cabbage slaw. Quite frankly, by this time I’m not sure what on their menu doesn’t contain soy sauce. After all that salt I was craving something sweet. The Mexican flan ($10) was calling and while it wasn’t terrible, if the recipe includes white chocolate in the custard they really should have left the syrup thin rather than dousing it in a thick caramel that brought this to cloying sweet level. Moreover, the custard became too dense. The silver lining? At least each order contained two mini flans that makes it perfect for sharing. My perception is that the chefs at Tinga Kim create one sauce then use it on everything. That same caramel was drizzled onto the already sweet tres leches cake ($17), which means yes this is tooth achingly sweet as well. At least the cake was nice and moist. Even the cinnamon sugar dusted churros ($10) didn’t escape the sauce, which needs to be served on the side. The actual pastry was a bit dense but at least freshly deep fried and hot.

Incredible. Never even thought about Mexican-Korean, but it actually makes perfect sense with the shared love of sauces, spice and corn! To start, the elotas were incredible. Extremely tasty corn seasonings. Another incredible highlight were the quesadillas, but be sure to add a protein (all are great). The ceviche was substantial and a great sharing plate with all the chips. Get that or the tortilla chips with dip. I ordered the burrito with Korean maapo beef and kimchi fried rice. Very tasty and a good fit with the rest of our food. This is fusion done right in the heart of Leslieville!

Follow @bredgyeats for more food posts! A rare Korean-Mexican fusion that results in bites as delicious as their individual elements. The marinated Korean galbi was brimming with a sweet and savory marinade, contrasted with a refreshing, crunchy cabbage salad and a zingy citrus sauce. Meanwhile, the pescado offers more familiar Mexican flavours with two giant, flaky pieces of fish, with a delicately crispy batter that held its own during takeout. A refreshing mayo-dressed jicama slaw offers the creamy backdrop that doesn't overpower the fish, and the flavourful squirt of chipotle mayo and citrus blend makes it a better taco. Both are topped with crumbled cheese, red onions, cilantro and served with green and red salsa. The orange, sunny ceviche has cured sea bass in a citrusy coconut milk, with an interesting and piquant addition of Sichuan chili oil that works surprisingly well on my Chinese palate.

This place is amazing. The fusion of mexican and south Korean is phenomenal! I love the corn elotes and both flavours of the chicken wings. The Jasmin infuses cocktail is to die for.

A good fusion restaurant. Nobody expected a Korean Mexican fusion but we have it finally! Restaurant is nice, owner is nice and food is really nice. Tofu Kimchi taco was delicious (number 1) then the shrimp one is also yumm( Number 2) In my opinion the lobster one takes the third place. I would not recommend the fried fish one ( pretty bland). The real question is $11 -$12 for taco is reasonable? Maybe not. Churros were ok as well, not something out of the box or special. Overall very nice food. Unfrozen, not going to visit again.

If you're in the Queen St East area and looking for a cozy Korean/Mexican fusion restaurant, I highly recommend this little gem. Our waitress, Lisa, was incredibly sweet, helpful, accommodating and more than willing to assist us with any questions we had about the items on the menu. We had the nachos and wings to start and I must say every reviewer had it right, the portions were huge and full of flavor. Our main was the Taco flight, which I recommend if you have room after the apps. Their cocktails were unique, not only in ingredients but flavor. Everything is made to order with fresh ingredients. We can't wait to return to try everything else on the menu.

I’m so happy I found this cute restaurant! The tacos were delicious and packed with flavour. I definitely recommend this restaurant if you haven’t checked it out already!

Really good food, the flavour was exactly what it needed to be. Blew our expectations away. The staff were super nice, very attentive, and friendly. our waiter made sure to check for any allergies or dietary restrictions before we ordered. It’s a cute little spot with a nice bar, wonderful coloured chalk board menu, well thought through decoration, and a cute tiny patio out back which is dog friendly. the bathrooms are clean and cute but a bit dark which fits the ambiance of the restaurant. would 100% go again and recommend to others.

A Korean Mexican restaurant in the heart of Leslieville in Toronto. Food is so good here and I can't stop thinking about it! It's a small cozy restaurant with not too much seating. Tuna Tostada 5/5 - This was amazing and looks like a salad on top but the tuna tostada was on the bottom. Refreshing, light and a great starter. It comes with tuna, onion, avocado, cucumber, mango and pickled onion. I loved this! Taco flight 5/5 - Comes with Chef's choice of 3 crispy and 3 soft tacos. I can't recall which tacos we got but can confirm that all of them were so delicious, packed with flavour and so aesthetic to look at! The taco flight/ platter comes with sauces and some salad in the middle. Even just looking at the photos you can tell that it's so good! A great restaurant with amazing food! Server was great as well with a super chill vibe!

Tinga Kim is a cozy little taco spot downtown that blends Korean-inspired flavors with Mexican classics. It's small but charming, with a super friendly owner who makes you feel right at home. Finding good tacos in Toronto isn't easy, but Tinga Kim really delivers. They offer taco flights--three regular tacos or six premium ones--which is a fun way to explore the menu. Their prices are on par with most taco places in the city, but the creativity here sets them apart. Where other spots can be forgettable, Tinga Kim's unique flavors leave an impression. We tried the Longosta (lobster), Pulpo (octopus), Pescado (fish), Maapo Libre (Galbi beef), Al Pastor, and Carne Asada. All were tasty, but the lobster and Al Pastor were definite standouts. Even the taco shells were great--fresh and not too dry, which is sometimes a problem at other places. One of us has a tree nut allergy, and the staff was amazing about accommodating it. They double-checked everything and made sure we felt safe, which we really appreciated. Another nice touch? They offer a 10% discount if you pay with cash, which is always a plus. We also tried the tuna tostada. It was good, but at $15 for just one, it felt a bit pricey compared to the tacos. Overall, Tinga Kim is one of the more memorable taco spots in Toronto. Between the creative menu, great service, and the little perks like the cash discount, it's definitely worth checking out. I'll be back for sure!

Tinga Kim Taqueria located in Leslieville along Queen St. E. and Jones Ave serves up Mexican food with a Korean twist. The restaurant is small and intimate, with about seating for 25-30 customers. The menu consists of sharables, soft tacos, crispy tacos, and desserts. They also have a separate lunch menu with different items as well. Reservations can be made online and they also have delivery and take out as well. My party of 4 stopped by Tinga Kim Taqueria on a Fri night. We made reservations ahead of time although it likely wasn't needed. The restaurant was only half full when we arrived. We sat near the door which was a bit chilly every time customers or delivery drivers opened or closed the door. Service was friendly throughout the whole night and the staff didn't rush us or ask us to leave despite us staying for quite a while (about 2.5 hrs). They were even nice enough to give us some Mexican snacks to try! Food wise, my partner and I shared an appetizer and had 2 tacos each. The items we ordered: - Quesabirria (grilled flour tortilla cooked in barbacoa consomme, beef barbacoa, chihuahua and oaxacan cheese, onion, and cilantro) - The tinga kim crispy taco (chipotle braised chicken, pico de gallo, guac, crema, cotija, oaxaca cheese, cilantro) - Pingo coreano crispy taco (salted shrimp, soju based salsa, guac, cheese, cotija, oaxaca cheese, cilantro) - Maapo libre soft taco (Korean marinated galbi, red cabbage salad, citrus sauce) - Pescado soft taco (battered white fish, jicama slaw, red cabbage, chipotle aoli, citrus blend) - Churros The tacos and quesabirria was quite filling and all the flavours were good. I particularly enjoyed the salted shrimp taco! Overall, a unique take on Mexican food, friendly service and a chill vibe!

An interesting find. I tried this place as it was in a promo for a delivery app. I enjoyed the barbacoa trio as it's flavorful and filling. Maapo libre didn't fare well. One has to adjust expectations in Canada for his cuisine I guess but this is an ok option if you are craving this type of food.

We went there today for Mom's Day. I was able to make a reservation for the seven people we would be (5 adults and 2 kiddos). We arrived just before 11:30 when the restaurant opened. The food we delish. We had the nacho plate which was chock-a-block with EVERYTHING. We went with the vegan chorizo as our daughter doesn't eat meat. It was really tasty. Other dishes included tacos for Barbacoa, Carne Assada, El Pastor, Pescadore and several others. The portions were very hones and generous. The service was somewhat slow but I give them plenty of leeway on this as we were the first to arrive and the kitchen was just getting the oven warmed up. The one strange thing is that they do not have warm bevies like tea or coffee. How do you serve food and not have these? Ambiance-wise, the music was nice and contemporary without being too loud. Overall, we would definitely return and maybe take pics, but we devoured the food.

Premium stoner food. I keep coming back for the sea bass ceviche which has the most addictive sauce made of coconut milk, radish, yuzu, and sichuan peppercorns. It's just different from any I've had and I feel I could drink the sauce even when the dish is done. This kind of taqueria is reminiscent of the LA or Californian food trucks with Korean-Mexican fusion, but less cheese-dominant. All their tacos are jammed with toppings and saucy but tremendously satisfying. I've been lucky to grab a 90min table right before the Saturday prime dinner hour since they seem to get pretty booked with weekend reservations.

We're eaten at other Mexican taquerias before in Toronto area. These were the best tacos we've ever had. Díos mío. My god...We had the Taco carnitas (Meats Taco) and the Taco pescado (Fish Taco-battered). We will be back.

Amazing little spot, great price, cosy atmosphere. Tacos always hit the spot, always tasty. Prompt and friendly service. 10/10

Quite good and reasonably priced for the quality. Nice servers. Cute too. Would love to return but it's far from home.

Delicious Korean taco fusion spot! Super cute patio in the back to enjoy too. A new Leslieville favorite.