Cañonita

I ate at the Canonita for dinner with some friends in January 2016, and was not very impressed.
The restaurant is located in the Venetian Resort. The service was good. The décor/​ambiance was pleasant.
I ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad for $ 15. The chicken was flavorless and chewy. I ate about a quarter of the chicken. I informed the waiter that the chicken was not very appetizing. I expected him to either offer another dish or to remove the item from my bill. He did neither.
I also had a Cadillac margarita for $ 12.50, which I thought was very good. My second drink I asked for the happy hour margarita for $ 5. I laughed when I got it, it’s half the price, because it’s literally half the size. Despite it’s «short» comings, I thought that it was also very good.
In defense of the restaurant, all of my friends said they really enjoyed their meal and would come back. Maybe I just lucked out with my entrée selection.
If you like expensive Mexican food, give it a try.

Great location, next to gondola ride. Food was excellent. Veg option was really nice.

This is always our first stop when we drive into town. Great margaritas! Tasty chips and guacamole. Taco sampler is awesome. You get one of each carne asada, chicken, carnitas, fish, and mushroom (my personal favorite). And the service is always top notch.

We had our wedding reception here and it was amazing. Our table was right on the canal and easily sat 15+ guest, the food was incredible, and the service was great. My wife took care of all of the planning and she had nothing but high remarks for coordinator handling our event. The food was incredible. When all was said and done guests are still talking about the guacamole and short rib. The next time I am in Vegas we will stop here to have dinner again. Vegas in my opinion is full of over rated fluff food but Canonita is a great place that won’t break your budget and isn’t stuffy.

Absolutely fantastic! Been here twice, two years apart, and both were THE BEST Mexican food I’ve ever had EVER. Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about Canonita, from the quality of the food, to the service, to the atmosphere. Get a table near the grand canal, sip a margarita with some chips and salsa, relax and enjoy. The flautas were perfectly executed, tasty, crispy outside, flavorful chicken inside. The Sonora Filet Mignon was melt-​in-​your mouth tender, with a divine sauce, and the tamale was excellent (and I don’t usually even like tamales.) Just writing this review and remembering how good it was, I’m drooling. The prices are on the high side, but worth it, in my opinion. If I had money to burn, I’d fly from NY to Vegas just to go here for dinner. Sorry if this sounds over the top, but I’m serious, Canonita is Mexican soul food at its best!

Lunch today with Stephanie as my server. She was attentive, made good recommendations on the menu and some «local» insider tips. Food arrived very quickly. It was delicious! I had the carnitas with chipotle BBQ. Beans & cilantro rice also very good. Sangria margarita was also very good.
I wish I could go back. Trapped in off strip resort for three day conference. I know I’ll starve!
Oh and the location? Charming! Gondolier’s serenaded throughout the meal.

Best breakfast I have ever had in Vegas. Sometimes spur of the moment ideas are your destiny. I research and plan almost every minute of my vacation. Throw in a 21 year old and you have to be able to adjust. As she slept in, our breakfast buffet plans went out the window. like Doug’s mattress.
So, down the strip we went in search of a place for a late breakfast. She had never been in the Venetian and as she stared wide eyed at the tables next to the indoor canal, she said, «At some point I want to eat here.» I took a quick look at the menu & they serve breakfast until 11:30am.
We were seated immediately, right on the water. It was so lovely to watch the gondolas pass throughout the meal. This restaurant is in a prime location, right where the boats stop for a brief serenade. We heard numerous versions, from the traditional to the light hearted for the kids.
Now for the food. I am still thinking about my plate here. I have searched high & wide for an excellent Huevos Rancheros and Canonita truly delivered. The rice was light, pillowy, fresh and full of that deep stock flavor that a good Mexican rice deserves. The beans were also fresh, seasoned perfectly, and had a hearty texture. Each side of the plate featured a sauce, red to the right and green to the left. The red sauce was slightly sweet and complimented everything on the plate. The green sauce had just the right kick to make your tastebuds sing. Both were complimented with a perfectly cooked, over easy egg and luscious jack cheese.
Service was wonderful and the prices were great, especially considering the ambiance. The whole experience was truly 5 star.

We decided to explore the Venetian, soon needed a refreshment and discovered Canonita. We each had a cocktail. C had a margarita and I had a Absolute martini. Both very good; as expected, since these two drinks are really hard to screw up. We were shocked that this «Mexican» bar didn’t have any Mescal available. Shame, shame, shame.

I visited this place on Friday night. It’s location is absolutely beautiful and it is so nice to sit there with a drink (especially at happy hour) and enjoy the location.
When I visited it was past 9pm on a Friday night and the restaurant wasn’t too busy so we easily got a seat right by the water.
The prices on the menu seemed very reasonable given its location in the Venetian, so I will definitely be returning to enjoy a meal there in the future.

Excellent food I didn’t expected to be so authentic. Great ambiance very romantic also since you can seat along the gondola canal. Food was very tasty I got the tres tacos and a coco piña. OMG super Delicious it’s a must when you are at the Venetian

This is a pleasant surprise to find a really good Mexican restaurant in an Italian themed casino.
Our reservation was for a small table facing the screen to watch the Pack play the Cardinals, when we arrived they tried to seat us out by the canal. When we made the reservation from a seat at the bar 2 hours earlier the hostess wrote down our request and over the next two hours it was forgotten. Hence the 4 star and not 5.
These folks work quickly and with a smile when you sit at the bar which is where we ended up again.
The Mahi, and Mexico Citi Enchiladas were very good.
The drinks were well done for a happy hour, and totally acceptable.
Sitting at the bar, while not what was planned was just fine for us.
We will be back.

Dessert is perfect ! Service is great. The best dinner so far in Las Vegas.

My friends picked this place for a casual Mexican place. They liked it more than me so take the review with a rim of salt.
Margarita was fine if a bit pricey. The guacamole was pretty good with warm chips.
But the maindish of enchiladas were just lack luster. Add green rice and beans and for $ 22 you just felt like the markup was about $ 18.
Friend got the salmon which was probably a better call but overall the menu doesn’t have a ton of choices and there just are so many other better places.
Plus side: good view of canal.

Excellent margaritas (just say you don’t want it sweet). Great service tonight. Delicious chicken tacos! Excellent veggie fajitas. Chips and guacamole and salsa were fab too. Nothing about this place disappointed us. We are glad we stumbled upon it. I think it might be a different experience if it was very very crowded at the hotel, but tonight it was wonderful.

I’m typically not a fan of Mexican fare on the Strip because the outrageous prices tend to lead to disappointment and regret. But, Canonita proved to be a pleasant surprise with it’s quality ingredients and above average execution. Located in the Grand Canal area of the Venetian with much of the narrow restaurant overlooking the man made waterways and sitting under the faux sky, the ambiance can be surprisingly relaxing.
Their drink list is full of custom cocktails and margaritas. The pineapple infusion margarita ($ 11) was excellent with tropical flavors and hints of vanilla. For those that can’t decide, they’ve got a margarita flight ($ 15) with a classic, jalapeño, and pineapple version.
Plenty of popular dishes can be found on the menu like flautas ($ 12), three per order, all crispy and tightly rolled with ample amount of ground beef inside topped with an avocado-​tomatillo sauce, lettuce and quest fresco. The entrees were quite good. The wild mushroom enchiladas ($ 21), covered in a poblano cream sauce, were an excellent vegetarian option. The Santa Rosa pork barbacoa ($ 21) was a hefty portion of for-​tender meat topped with a slightly acidic sauce, surrounded by fluffy and buttery cilantro rice and accompanied by tortillas to make your own tacos.

Average food but great location! Ask for the table by the canals you wont be disappointed.
Food is average mexican food with high price!

Group Dining Event Review:
We had a banquet here. We had a party of about 18. It was a bit difficult for me to plan since I’m out of state. I had some issues dealing with some other restaurants and finding a place that worked with our budget. For the event pricing, the prices were reasonable and the food and ambiance matched what we were looking for.
The event coordinator, Jessica, was great to work with. She was accommodating and very responsive. In our party, we had a child, an infant, and someone with special needs. Jessica and the restaurant staff were accommodating.
We had a special menu that our guests were allowed to pick from at the time of the event. I liked that we were able to do that instead of deciding days/​weeks before the event. Our table was along the canal and we were situated a little further from everyone else. It worked out perfectly for us. Everyone at the table enjoyed the chips, salsa, guac, and their menu items. I had the Vaquero Beef Rib. It was excellent! It was tender and the polenta that came with it was great. I also tried the Chile Relleno. It was good. We had a great time and great food — we couldn’t be happier with our choice.

Food was amazing! Super delicious, wonderfully prices and great porky on sizes. A little upset the meal didn’t come with chips and salsa but other than that I love this place.
The biggest issues that I had was with the hostess. Upon entering the restaurant I was told rudely that «UM YEAH WE DON’T ALLOW OUTSIDE DRINKS IN HERE SO THROW THAT AWAY NOW». If she had simply informed me politely that they didn’t allow outside drinks that would have been fine but she pretty much went out of her way to make a scene. When I finished my drink and was seated with my party the ENTIRE night she kept motioning and pointing to me, telling the wait staff to keep and eye on me and kept shorting me dirty looks and shaking her head. A shame that the hostess really ruined a great meal for me and my party… just remember: it’s not what you say but how you say it!

Fantastic breakfast! Great food and great service with an incredible ambiance! We had a beautiful morning breakfast early at this great spot.
I had the special and my Mother had the Clasico eggs and bacon.
The coffee is wonderful and our server Clint was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive.
Thank you for a great start to the day!

Eh, this place was so unimpressive. The prices were fine since the portions were large.
I had the ahi tuna which was overcooked. *side eye*
We were staying at the Venetian for a bachelorette and sone of the girls decided on this place so I just went along with it… so many other places to eat in Vegas, so bummed we wasted one of our meals here.
The server was very nice and the ambiance was nice, hence the 3 stars. Go somewhere else.

OMG! We had breakfast on the canal, steak and eggs and bacon and eggs. You really can’t mess up a classic breakfast of bacon and eggs. The Steak and eggs was good. Our waiter was attentive and asked throughout our meal if everything ok, without being annoying. The breakfast menu selection is very limited.
If you would like to enjoy the ambiance of the Venetian atmosphere then this is a great place. For a wider selection of breakfast dishes this is not the right restaurant.
Sometimes you just have to change it up and enjoy being in the moment.

Absolutely delicious! Had dinner meeting here and had table of 20. Specific menu with appetizers, salad and 4 entrees. The queso fundido and empanada appetizers were so good! Loved my spinach salad and the salmon and sweet corn were to die for. I only wish I didn’t eat so many chips with guacamole and appetizers so I could of eaten all my salmon and corn! The sweet corn was so good! Definitely worth a stop next time in Vegas!

Canonita is located at the Venetian Hotel and Casino, second level in the shopping area… past the food court. (depending on which direction you’re coming from.) Try to get a table by the canals so you can see the gondolas with gondoliers serenading guests as they go by the restaurant. Very beautiful ambiance. Service was quick and friendly.
The chips and salsa and guacamole (guac is an additional extra cost) is a must try as a sharable appetizer! Very flavorful and chips tasted fresh and not stale.
I came here for a weekday lunch. Ordered the chicken enchiladas combination plate. It came with 3 enchiladas (choice of green or red sauce) and cilantro lime rice and black beans. I opted for all rice. BIG PORTIONS!!! If you’re not that hungry or got a small appetite, it’s best to share dishes with your party. My co-​worker got her usual favorite chicken mole entrée with beans and rice.
I think this is a great option from your other many wonderful restaurant choices the Venetian/​Palazzo has to offer. I’m glad they have a Mexican restaurant here since there’s so many steakhouses and Italian places, it’s a good alternative if you’re not a fan or craving the more common restaurants. Try to make a reservation here as it does get busy… especially on holidays, weekends or when there’s a big convention in town.
I’ve always wanted to try Canonita and I’m glad I did. The food did not disappoint at all.

Canonita gets four stars because of the great food, cocktails and the gorgeous view from the tables! I have been to Canonita each time I’ve visited Vegas. It is conveniently located along the Venetian Canal. I love having my meal at the tables along the water and watching the people on their Gondola rides. It’s an excellent spot to listen to them sing their beautiful Italian songs.
I always order the Queso Fundido as my appetizer. Their homemade Guacamole is in a league of its own. My favorite entrée is the Pork Barbacoa tacos. The pork is slow cooked inside a banana leaf. The rice and beans are excellent. Canonita also makes excellent margaritas. They have a $ 5 margarita special around happy hour.
They don’t mind if you just sit and watch the canal after your meal is done. It’s a great place to stop for lunch during a day of shopping!

So happy to have stumbled upon this place while shopping it’s a definite comeback to restaurant for our future trips.
Service: 5 stars. We were seated quickly and the food was well paced. Our waiter was friendly yet not overbearing. Clearly knew the menu, offered great suggestions, and took note on our special requests.
Food: 5 stars! Thank god for advertising or else we would have by passed this place. On the board outside the restaurant each colored slide of their food looked amazing, orgasmic we kept moaning and commenting on every picture haha. When girls are hungry! Lol. And we can now add that the pictures live up to the hype… Everything was fantastic here, wish we would have tried more. The queso fundito was amazing amazing, the highlight of the appetizers. Their tacos plates are awesome as well, I’d recommend the sampler plate but if I had to recommend one I’d say go with the carnitas. Even the little things were good, awesome rice and beans.
A tecate with lime juice and Ice brought the final scoring up to 5 stars! Can’t wait to come back next vacation. So yummy!

Invited Chef’s Tasting, Not Billed but tipped appropritately:
Told that the Chef would be cooking for us, but offering up menus in case something specific struck our eye, it was with gracious tableside service from a middle-​aged Hispanic gentleman that the afternoon commenced and with a jokey sort of professionalism guiding us through the afternoon one really could not have asked for better, Northeastern-​born but Border Grill educated Chef Donna Willey also stopping by frequently to discuss her inspiration and training, as well as techniques implemented in more than a dozen plates plus two trios of drinks.
Undoubtedly a ‘touristy’ setting, the views of artificial sky alongside the canal juxtaposing traditional Mexican decorations within the restaurant’s confines, it was with a trio of Margaritas and chips rewarmed from an outside source that the dining began and finding both the green salsa and Jalapeño Infusion far too poignant for my tastes it was on the Vanilla tinged pineapple cocktail and guacamole that I focused, the former a formidable refresher with alcohol well balanced by the fruit while the later was rather dull without a bit of the chipotle salsa added to taste.
At this point ready to see what the kitchen could do, tables around us receiving all sorts of divine looking plates, it was perhaps ten minutes later that a sizzling cast-​iron skillet arrived and with the smell of smoke quickly filling the air it was only once things finally cooled down that we finally had a chance to indulge in the snappy butterflied shrimp, meaty mussels, and housemade chorizo teaming with spice, each taste as good as the last with a second dish of queso fundido proving most fortuitous in timing as the still-​bubbling cheese topped in jalapenos was a bit timid on its own, but a near-​perfect addition when spread on flour tortillas with some of the seafood piled on top.
At this point requesting service be slowed as our sizable two-​top was already filled to capacity with plates, glasses, and utensils it was next to a trio of the Chef’s signature appetizers that we were treated and progressing left to right one would be hard pressed to cite a single bite as less than superlative — the ceviche showing clean acidity alongside its accoutrements while the Pozole was equally well balanced and intensely vegetal, the ‘gordita’ a lightly fried set of bites that was at once bold yet nuanced, creamy but acidic, and entirely greaseless with just the right amount of heat.
Obviously unable to forgo anything stuffed with duck, plus generally fancying most things featuring mushrooms, the next three plates were served in slow succession and although the cinnamon tinged fowl stuffed inside a smoky pepper was indeed quite good it was in fact the fungus that saw me swoon, both the black bean laminated Portobello bathed in fennel tomato sauce and the signature enchiladas showing a deft hand with quality produce, Chef Willey’s time at Border Grill undoubtedly well spent.
At this point progressing towards heavier proteins, plus an entirely unexpected Brazilian fish stew, suffice it to say that while the Carne Asada struck me as something I could have just as easily had anywhere both the Barbacoa and Moqueca were amongst the very best bites of the meal, the former brightly spiced and easily cut with a spoon before being added to corn tortillas to form makeshift tacos while the later was a seamless marriage of sea and sweet with coconut milk playing foil to notes of spice that only became evident after a satisfied breath between bites.
Moving onward to desserts, originally offered two but eventually seeing three, it was with a double espresso over ice that the meal would come to an end and although personal preferences obviously have much to do with all things in dining one would be challenged to find a better tres leches in town, the fully saturated sponge entirely sweet yet finding levity in strawberries and meringue, while both the brownie and the flan were also quite good — the former obviously quite hefty while the latter proved far lighter than other versions offered in town, the XO just boozy enough to give it some kick while the unrefined sugar syrup helped soften the blow.
Clearly given the VIP treatment, and as such sampling a far greater swath of the menu than the average duo possibly could, the food that Chef Willey is creating at Canonita is at once almost universally approachable yet at the same time bold and complicated in a way that few other Casino-​based ethnic restaurants would dare. Admittedly underwhelmed by more routine plates like guacamole, queso fundido, as well as carne asada and still perplexed as to why the restaurant would outsource something like tortilla chips when executing more complex items so well there is no doubt that a great meal can be had at Canonita by those willing to venture away from the tried and true, particularly when taking into account the vibe and the view.