El Trompo Taco Bar

Helen and I ordered two tacos to share: pork and chicken with the cilantro requested on the side. I really liked the chicken taco that Helen chose. It was a bit saucy and less dry than the pork tacos. There were five on each plate.
We also ordered an appetizer, fried cheese. It had a ‘warning’ on the menu that this wasn’t fried cheese sandwich which made it even more appealing to order and try. It arrived ‘standing up’ on the plate and was indeed a flat piece of cheese that was fried. How interesting! We ate it piece by piece with our hands. It was only a little greasy and very chewy and cheesy. It was definitely something more interesting than just guacamole. Read the rest of the review at:

Ughhh so hard to stop.
We get the fish tacos.
Ease yourself in with one or two. Then say you’ll only have another, so you order a third. Then a fourth. Maybe a fifth. At this point, you are super full and you crave more, but force yourself to stop.
Service is super fast, and the ladies working there are lovely. We went a few times in the summer and it is so nice to sit outside on the kitschy patio area and down taco after another. It is a little crowded on the inside and tends to be super full on most weeknights.
Additionally, the pico de gallo is amazing and so are the chips they serve it with.

We went last week and ordered fish, grilled chicken and chorizo tacos. Very tasty. We also ordered guacamole and chips. Tasted fresh.

It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t the best.
Had the fish taco, pull pork and beef with pineapple (I forgot the name for it but it was the signature Mexican taco) as well as the bean soup.
I didn’t find the taco anything that spectacular although the tortilla was one of the better ones that I’ve had. The soup was a bit too salty for my liking.
But the staff was great. The waitress that served us was attentive and really friendly. She made sure the table was cleared of the plates to make room for the other food and also refilled water. c

I have been here a few times and love their tacos each and every time.
This time was no exception… Except service was a little slow considering we were the only other table there besides another couple. The waitress ignored us for quite a while and two other waitresses were busy talking amongst themselves at a nearby table. We had a hard time flagging a waitress down given how empty the place was at the time.
I like how the décor is vibrant and loud. It feels very upbeat and fun. The place can sit quite a number of people but can get a little crammed if the place is packed depending on the time of day.
The tacos are delicious. Can never go wrong with Al Pastor or Tinga. For the price there is enough to go around and share with others. This time we tried the tamale, the cheese one was cheesy and yummy. But the meat one was bland and was nothing outstanding.

Mexican food in Toronto disappoints to now avail. A city as cosmos as hog town should really be able to serve up a more authentic array of the Mexican staples but alas… Enter this little Kensington joint… Been back here a few times for a quick taco fix and have yet to be disappointed. Staples like the mushroom (hongo) and fish are simple tasty tacos served on fluffy corn tortillas. Give this one a whirl…

*restaurant was tiny and at best it can sit around 20 people.
*Coming here for brunch on a Saturday, the patio was packed with customers and a little bit cramped, thus you should get here really early as there was a line up by the time I left.
–Horchata (made from rice, vanilla, cinnamon and milk) — $ 1.75 for small
Personally the drink was a tad too sweet for me but the flavor was really interesting! The horchata was milky, had a nutty taste and a hint of cinnamon. It was the perfect refreshing drink for a hot summer day so I recommend getting this!
–Corn truffle/​Huitlacoche Corn Quesadillas — $ 5.99
Corn truffle is essentially a fungus and supposedly it’s very nutritious. I don’t recommend you guys to search up for the picture of it lol. This is my first time having this dish so I didn’t know what kind of flavors to expect. To be honest it tasted like a very earthy mushroom and the texture was a bit mushy, but I didn’t think the flavor was mind-​blowing.
–Fish taco (Fried fish served with Mexican coleslaw, pico de gallo and a signature sauce) — $ 5/​each
My favorite! There were nice chunks of fish in the taco and they were cooked perfectly, not oily and it didn’t have too much batter either. Though the fish was a bit too salty for my taste, the spicy signature sauce overpowered the dish but that’s why there were fresh pico de gallo and lemon juice to help
–Al Pastor Taco (Pork meat marinated in the traditional sauce, served on corn tortillas with pineapple, coriander and onion) — $ 9.75
You get 5 tacos for $ 10 which I think was a great value! Unfortunately the pork was really dry and bland so I inquired the server, which resulted into me receiving a glare from her and she dropped (literally dropped) the new order onto our table without saying anything. The new ones were incredibly fresh, pork meat was juicy and had good spices. The taco as a whole was not too spicy as the fish taco and the pineapple helped to ease the heat. Unfortunately while the taco shell was freshly made, it fell apart while I tried to eat :(.

Guacamole and fish tacos! I’ve been on a Mexican binge lately and enjoyed this place. We ordered guacamole, fish tacos, Al Pastor Alambres and a Quesongo. I really loved the guacamole (super fresh and generous with the portion and the tortilla chips were fresh and not too salty) and the fish taco (super flavourful, light and lots of fresh ingredients!). I didn’t enjoy the Al Pastor Alambres so much because it wasn’t very flavourful and pork tends to cook a little on the dry side. The Quesong was a little weird but interesting (grilled fresh mushroom with melted cheese in a flour corn tortilla) — I’ve never had anything like it. It was good but different. I would definitely return for the guac and fish taco

While surfing around Kensington market on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I feel like grabbing some tacos for snack. I usually go to Seven Lives but after seeing the crazy lineup there, decide to take a shot on other places. Come to El Trompo as per friend’s recommendation. Since it is my first time here and I don’t really what makes a authentic taco, so decide to go for El pastor house special. The taste is ok… To be honest not as good as I expect, pork tends to be on the dry side so really needs lots of green salsa and hot sauce to go with it. Ambiance is small yet cosy and the wait staff is friendly and attentive. It is a small place anyway so shouldn’t have any issue of getting service. They also have a small patio seating so it’ll be nice to have beer with friends while tasting some Mexican snacks. The portion tends to be light for me, probably better if they serve some sides with it. I think the price tends to be high for a snack. I’d like to try it again but since my favour taco place is a few steps away, don’t see that happening anytime soon.

I went to El Trompo for brunch and actually loved it. The customer service was excellent, with waitresses frequently checking in on us and having great attitude.
I had the chorizo breakfast and it was seasoned wonderfully and I found the portion great for a brunch menu. It also comes with coffee, which is a plus.
I also ordered the churro, which was drizzled in chocolate sauce. It was delicious, only improvement would be if it was served hot.
Overall. I definitely recommend this place for brunch.

I had the taco el pastor and it was cold and dry. The hot sauce was not hot at all. Ten bucks for 5 tacos is a pretty good deal though.
The servers were nice.

Walked in here on a Saturday evening for dinner. Though their patio was very busy a waitress came outside to seat us immediately.
We ordered their al pastor special with 8 tortillas and their tamales special that day. The waitress gave us good suggestions and explanations when we asked about the food and drinks.
The al pastor and tortillas came out to be a lot bigger than I thought which was good since I was sharing it with my boyfriend, it was a very satisfying dish to share. This is the first time I’ve tried tamales but I thought they tasted really good and smelled amazing!
This place is also very reasonably priced with the tamales coming out to 3 $ a piece and the shared dish at 12 $
Would definitely return here to try the rest of their menu.

Their horchata is great. $ 1.75 for a small and $ 3.5 for a regular although you can only get a regular for take-​out.
Their nachos looked amazing on the counter, so I’ll definitely be back for a meal sometime!

Had the tacos al pastor (it was recommended as the house special) along with some guacamole and chips.
The verdict:
The guacamole tasted fresh, but seemed to lack lime juice and any spices to give it sufficient flavour.
The pork tacos were ok (the order included five small tacos and cost $ 9.75), but the meet was dry. The green salsa (tomatillo?) helped provide a little moisture.
Service here is a bit above average. The outside patio is nice, but can be too warm on summer days.
All in all the meal was pretty good, but quickly neared the 20 $ price range after tax and tip. (Actually, had I not split the guacamole my meal would have been over 20 $). Although Toronto has a king’s ransom in overpriced decent restaurants, Kensington Market is the last place you need to spend twenty dollars for lunch.

This place is more proof that almost any place in this city with a west-​facing patio and a liquor licence will get a steady stream of customers. The food is not too bad but not good enough imo to justify its popularity — especially with so many better (and cheaper!) Mexican options so close by. Example: fajitas are pretty bland and reminiscent of cheap tex-​mex.
It’s a bit overpriced for the quality, has very few veggie options (which may of course not be a deal breaker for many folks) and ambience and service is kinda lacking. Meh overall.

Had the tacos chorizo and al pastor, guacamole and chips. The al pastor was a bit dry and chorizo was flavourless, saving grace was the onions and cilantro garnish.
The guac was smoothed to a paste, with chunks of tomato mixed in, and I prefer my guac chunky so I can see the avocados.
You get 5 tacos for $ 10, which is great value, but the quality and flavour of the food should be significantly better.

This place is perfect for an inexpensive taco meal.
But I would recommend only two varieties, the chicken tinga and the Mexican chorizo. Although the tinga was way better, the chorizo tasted much better once I added the green salsa provided at the table. The guacamole was pretty good but not the best that I’ve had.
I really liked the ambiance of the place, its not very large and the service is super fast! I will definitely be returning to have the tacos and maybe even try the fajitas next time.
PS: I’m not a big fan of pineapple and that turned out to be a bit of an issue since most specials have pineapple in them.

I’ve recently been spoiled by Mexican in the US and while El Trompo is good, its not my favorite Mexican in the whole world. I had the El Pasto Tacos last time I was here. They were pretty good and very flavorful. This restaurant has a bit more ambiance (and nicer seating) than neighboring hole in the wall «Emporium Latino», but I find the prices here a bit more expensive and the food not quite as tasty. Perfectly fine if you want a sit down meal though.

Stopped by after a long school day with a friend because we wanted to try something new. No regrets. The restaurant itself is tiny I can’t say if there are usually long waits or not as I have only been there once. I got a very «at-​home» vibe from sitting in the restaurant, legit felt like I was in Mexico: p
There were many options to choose from on the menu, I decided on the generic Spicy Chicken tacos.
The service was extremely friendly and helpful as I had no idea what to expect since i’ve never actually ordered authentic Mexican tacos before. The wait for our food wasn’t too long, we waited maybe 10 minutes or so which is ideal. The tacos were just delicious– the pulled chicken was soft and full of so much flavour! It wasn’t as spicy as I had anticipated but it’s great that they have two hot sauces on the table for you to choose from to add into your tacos. The price was very reasonable for its portions, it may not look much if you go in ready to eat an arm and leg but trust me that it is quite filling. We also got the chips and guac because I love trying out good guacamole. I only wish that it had a little bit more of a lime kick to it but it was overall still creamy and tasty!
All in all, I would definitely come back here as the food and service was pretty top-​knotch. Two thumbs up!

I’m Mexican and I can honestly tell you that that this is the closest traditional Mexican food that I have tried in Toronto.
I’ve been coming here for the last few years (pretty much since they opened)
All the staff it’s super friendly.
My fav are:
alambre de pastor
Guacamole
Agua de horchata
Michelada preparada con negra modelo
Café de olla
Pastel de mango
I work in the Industry and I’m always recommending this place, it’s super casual and great for brunch, the margaritas are REALLY really good… And pretty much I love it all, one of my favourite restaurants.

Et bien on aime beaucoup. Dommage qu’ils aient autant d’ennuis avec les inspecteurs de la ville, car ici c’est authentique de chez authentique. Le personnel en cuisine comme en salle nous arrive du Mexique et tout est bien relevé et plein de saveurs. Allez, un petit effort et ce sera parfait les amis ! Ce serait dommage de voir ce petit restaurant fort sympathique tomber pour une histoire de manquements à la propreté.