Like so many other Taco shops, this one seems ear-marked for failure in this upscale neighbourhood. Next to the fast, easy, flexible options, service and huge portions at Chipotle, all others have fallen: Quesada, Chimichanga, etc..
Atmosphere: I thought this was going to be a real restaurant, with some free chips and salsa, attentive waitresses and a traditional style menu - not so. Even the menu is printed on a tiny piece of paper. They call this a Taquiera. With nice decor but cafeteria style tables and lack of any staff uniforms or very much staff at all, staff without even a basic uniform, looked indistinguishable from customers and caused a confused, rather than casual atmosphere (and who associates "casual" with $12 cocktails?)
Identity Crisis: The Philthy McNasty's was converted into this restaurant This place was turned into three separate bar/eateries, and his having an identity crisis that's making the food and service suffer. Along with La Carnita, you get Sweet Jesus ice cream shop (where people watched us eating through an inside glass window!?), and the downstairs Good Fortune Bar where they serve a total of Chicken fingers, a burger and pickles (none of which are offered at the taco bar).
Price/ Value: For tacos that cost 4.95 to $7 EACH, cocktails cost $12, cheapest beer is $9, I shouldn't have to eat at a cafeteria/ picnic table with strangers. $70 for 2 people, two tacos each (not tasty) guac and one drink each... not worth it.
Food: My Pollo Frito was nearly inedible. I really should have sent it back. The fried chicken was so dark it was bordering on black-brown, stuffed too full to eat like a normal human and overcooked and spikey (wtf). ($4.95)Since all over tacos arrived on the same plate (although there were two of us, so we had to guess what was what.) The cauliflower one my friend ordered that seemed to have a single deep fried cheese stick in the middle($4.95). The Carnitas (pork) my friend ordered looked like ground pork, not traditional (and delicious pulled pork) and she didn't like it either...($4.95) and the Beef cheek ($5.50) was sooo gamey, the beef was just salt and spice and tasted of overcooked dog-food meat. The Chips and Guac were kinda good, but $8 and the cup of Quac was the size of a side dish you normally get free with nachos at a bar (or for $2.75 at Chipotle). It tasted okay, but we both felt they should have offered salsa or pico di gallo or crema alongside.
Main issues:
* Taste: Over-cooked fried chicken that's so dark it's brown-black and almost inedible. Generally unappealing and not traditional flavours.
* size: Tacos had too much filling, and too much water/sauce so they dissolved...making them impossible to eat. They should charge $1 and give you the same amount of filling in TWO shells, that'd be a fair price for a taco that is about 4 inches in diameter!
* Drinks are too expensive and very... ummm mixology-based. No Simple Cape Cods or Sea Breezes here. It's hibiscus grenadine and cucumber syrup and stuff...The drinks are good, but there should be something on offer for under $12, even just a single
* not much value as you get zero side dishes for free (no chips and salsa, no side of rice or beans or salad)
* Menu offers daily tacos you can't get any other day. Seems very limiting.
* Too much seafood, only one vegetarian option and no vegan option and even the guacamole is served with queso fresco on top.
There are better places to spend your money unless they bother changing a LOT, especially making tacos 2/$6 with less filling and having a pulled chicken taco option (didn't even exist) or a grilled chicken. I've never in my LIFE had a fried chicken taco and I've been to Mexico 3 times, and Florida (home of Tex-mex) about 6 times. It's almost offensive they can't do pork or chicken right
Good luck finding the elusive good Toronto Taco!