El Catrin Destileria
Toronto
At a glance
El Catrin Destileria, located at 18 Tank House Lane in Toronto, is a vibrant destination for those seeking both traditional and modern Mexican culinary experiences. The restaurant is renowned for its extensive collection of tequila and mezcal, reportedly the largest in Canada, which complements its diverse menu. El Catrin's offerings are designed to be shared family-style, adding a communal element to dining that is well-suited for groups and gatherings.
The atmosphere at El Catrin Destileria is unmatched, featuring a stylish setting that enhances the dining experience. The restaurant's patio is a notable feature and is considered among the best in the city. It provides an inviting space for patrons to enjoy their meals al fresco, especially during the warmer months. Regular DJ nights take place on the patio every Friday and Saturday, adding an energetic vibe to the overall ambiance.
Inside, the decor is lively and colorful, reflecting Mexican cultural influences, which helps set the tone for a relaxed yet festive visit. The restaurant's layout is thoughtfully designed to accommodate both intimate dinners and larger social events.
El Catrin Destileria caters to a broad array of dietary preferences with vegetarian options available. Families are welcome, and with specific options for children, it's a family-friendly venue. The staff at El Catrin strive to offer excellent service, aiming to make each visit memorable beyond just the flavor of their dishes.
Reviews
If you like to eat in a loud place, this place checks that box. Food was delicious, no denying that. We had reservations for 8. Didnt see a drink for 45 mins. Food was 2 hours to come out! Good thing they fill you up on chips and guacamole because their serving sizes are small at best. Again, flavor, texture, temp, all good but come on, for $30, I'd expect a bit more food. Maybe a hot sauce tray or Pico with the nachos. We had a party of 16 for a birthday. The bill was no small fee. Server tells us that he is bringing us a desert tray for the table and for nobody to leave because he'll be right back. 35 mi uses later dude shows up with 4, yes 4 FRIGGIN CHURROS!!! And hands us like 8 small plates and forks for us all to share. Over 2k for the bill, tiny meals, no extra sauces, and 4 friggin churros? Im not going back.
Mehul was my server, and he was fantastic. The cocktails he recommended were delicious, and the guac and chips were just as good. The patio is lovely, and the interior décor is beautiful. The only thing that kept me from giving 5 stars was the music. Some songs on the playlist were great, but others made it feel like I was at a children's birthday party. I think the atmosphere would be much better with a more cohesive playlist. Since you have plenty of Latino staff, they may have great suggestions for music that better fits the vibe of the restaurant. Overall, I had a great experience, and I hope that on my next visit I'll enjoy an even better music selection.
The food is fantastic and the service is great. We sat outside on their awesome patio. Even though it was hot, they had fans and mist going to keep it cool. The server was very attentive. Our margarita flight was the only slight dissapointment. We only like 2 out of the 4 flavors. The area around the restaurant is great too. Lots of shops and areas to hangout.
We absolutely loved our lunch! The food was delicious, and the service from Josue was exceptional from start to finish. He was friendly, attentive, professional, and made sure we had everything we needed without ever making us feel rushed. He truly went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable. Honestly, if we come back, we hope Josue is our server every single time because he made such a positive impression. The only disappointment was our interaction with the host. Unfortunately, she came across as a bit rude and not very welcoming, which wasn't the best way to start our visit. First impressions matter, and we felt that the greeting could have been much friendlier. Thankfully, Josue completely turned the experience around with his outstanding customer service. He made us feel welcome, took great care of us, and reminded us what great hospitality looks like. We left happy because of him. Thank you, Josue—you are a huge asset to the restaurant, and we'll definitely be back!
We went to this restaurant to watch a Fifa game and have some Mexican food. Overall experience was pretty poor in my opinion. We ordered guac, grilled octopus and some other rolled type of fried tacos. The rolled tacos we didn’t finish because the taste wasn’t good, too oily and the corn tortilla taste was over powering the food. The guac was not gully mixed hence a few parts were too salty and some parts lacked taste. Also we found a big chunk of avocado skin in the guac while eating. The grilled octopus tasted nice but the portion was as much as an appetizer and it was located under the speciality dishes in the menue. Service was ok, the food got ready fast. The ambiance and interior also was not great, too noisy and stuffy and dark. It didn’t create a great experience. The patio looked nice and also they have really famous margaritas that people try but we decided not to try and leave as the experience was throwing us off. Also the price range for the is extremely high in my opinion. As a level 6 local guide I don’t really recommend this place for food.
