Fish tacos in Toronto?

[Olivia]

Does anyone know where I can get a fish taco in Toronto, preferably downtown? I'd like to try one.

I think they're a Californian invention, where lightly breaded or grilled fish is snuggled into a taco shell with coleslaw, but please correct me if I am wrong.

Would the halibut burrito at Burrito Boyz be a close approximation to the real deal?

[gastrojunkie]

The only place I have tried them in Toronto was at Moxies at Yorkdale. They were pretty good, but after just getting back from Mexico nothing compares to the ones I had there. If you try to make them at home try adding a mango chutney or tamarind sauce with them.

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Yorkdale Cafe
1 Yorkdale, Toronto, ON M9M1B9, CA

[kingsway]

the best I have had in TO and very close to the California style are at JOEY DON MILLS. They are pretty amazing. Nicely battered, yet light fish and baby shrimp, good corn tortilla, nice cilantro sprig, guac and hot sauce

[courtneypants]

i know!! i ate these yesterday and i can't stop thinking about them, soo delicious!!

[gillyb]

South of Temperance has good fish tacos. They serve three as an appetizer. Best I've had in Toronto.

On a side note: not sure how anyone could like the fish tacos at Chimichangas...I had to pick the fish out in order to eat them. Ultra disappointing

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South of Temperance
20 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5H, CA

[dplawiuk]

Agreed. Bland and boring at Chimichangas.

[PoppiYYZ]

@gillyb, Do you know what fish SofT uses in their tacos ? Mahi mahi ?

[LUV_TO_EAT]

There was a post sometime ago for something close to this....this was my c&p at the time.

The Fish Store, 657 College, at Grace, 416-533-2822 - grilled salmon sandwich

WHY: This nautically themed noshery on the College strip offers some of the freshest takeout seafood in town, whether in wraps, salads or chowders. Grab a bite and a seat on the small curbside terrace and take in the passing parade.
WHAT: A quarter-pound of grilled Pacific salmon – the ethical variety – slathered with secret-recipe garlicky chili pesto on a Portuguese paposecos bun from Golden Wheat Bakery, garnished with tomato, red onion and romaine. $7.95

Google search:

http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/the...

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The Fish Store
657 College St, Toronto, ON M6G1B7, CA

[dannyboy]

all they do is add avocado and throw it in a wrap - their fish is killer but it isn't proper fish tacos

[Wil]

I've never had an "authentic" one, but the chain Turtle Jack's has it, and I quite enjoyed it.

[vaiguy777]

Here are some suggestions....http://www.postcity.com/Post-City-Mag...

[lsk]

Stockyards has fish tacos on its menu now -- "beer battered Lake Huron Walleye w/ avocado chipotle crema, slaw, smoked green chili". Tried it on Saturday. They were very tasty, but this was my first fish taco, so I have little basis for comparison.

[scarberian]

Every time I go to San Diego to visit family I always end up eating lots of fish tacos, and carne asada burritos and soft tacos and ... Well it becomes a regular food fest for me. Anyway fish tacos can be battered and deep fried (the fish I mean), breaded and pan fried and, my favourite, grilled. The grilled version IMHO is the best way since I love that smokey flavour. If you really liked it Isk, then that should be enough for you, no need for comparison. Also each version uses different types of fish so that also affects flavour.

[dannyboy]

Milagro - they have red snapper and tuna ones - i love the place there's a dish tuna jalisco that stews them with cactus in a tomato'ish salsa & it's awesome with some guac and hot sauce...
there's one on queen west and the original on mercer street

[dplawiuk]

Also a Milagro at Yonge and Lawrence.

[pinstripeprincess]

oooo... i've been looking for cactus dishes! thanks!

[dplawiuk]

I've had a tough search for good fish tacos in Toronto after getting used to really good fish tacos in Phoenix AZ courtesy of their huge mexican community. Just had the fish tacos at Milagro on Yonge north of Lawrence (1 or 2 other locations too, i think at king west, and downtown).
Lightly battered whitefish and an awesome slaw. Simple, fresh, clean, and a ton of flavour. Try them for sure.

[scarberian]

There's not much to a fish taco. I had a few of them when I was in San Diego last year and if you like fish then by all means get one you'll enjoy it, but I had a totally different expectation to what I actually got. Mind you what I got tasted good, but I was expecting something... different. It was a nicely grilled fish in a soft taco with various chopped vegetables, fresh (I mean FRESH) salsa, and at one joint I had it with some type of creamy sauce. What really makes the experience more enjoyable is the tortilla. Down there it's fresh and has this incredible flavour. I did have one version in SD where they deep fried the fish instead of grilling it and it was still considered a fish taco. I still preferred the grilled version.

If you know how to grill fish then I suggest you do it yourself and find a recipe for fresh salsa either verde or the regular. The veggies that were in the tacos I had were shredded lettuce, thinly sliced onions, diced peppers, and tomatoes. One other place I had the taco included cheese. If you're going to deep fry the fish then try it with coleslaw and tell us what it's like.

[Bobby Wham]

closest thing to a good fish taco here is a filet o fish sandwich at Donnie's

[SweetSweetPotato]

T Cafe - where Dooney's used to be - has some tasty fish tacos on their menu right now.

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Dooneys Cafe
511 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S1Y4, CA

[missnomer]

I have had the fish tacos at Rancho Relaxo on College, just west of Spadina. They're decent, but not quite S. California style. The fish part is really tasty (not sure what kind of fish) and is lightly battered. Lettuce, pico, and some kind of mayo type sauce. RR servces them on a flour tortilla instead of a corn tortilla. I prefer corn tortillas.

They hit the craving for me, and I think they may be the only kind I've had in the city.

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Rancho Relaxo
300 College St, Toronto, ON M5T1R9, CA

[panko]

Not sure if it is still on the menu, because they change it every season, but at Mitzi's Sister, they have had fish tacos. Normally in the spring or summer.

[phoenikia]

Yep, Haddock tacos are on Mitzi's Sister's current menu:

http://mitzissister.com/menu.html

Has anyone tried them recently?

[domesticgodess]

I noticed on the menu at Safari's (on avenue road, north of lawrence)...that they serve tilapia tacos. I did not try it though so I have no idea.

[Kagemusha]

Blech! Farmed Tilapia? Try to get something way firmer and better--halibut does the trick for me at home. Not cheap but mushy farm fillets just aren't right--or even very tasty.

[johnboycanada]

Absolutely the best fish tacos in Toronto are at Chimichanga at Yonge and Eglinton.

I'm from the states and love my fish tacos however, Chimichanga's are the best I've had in T.O. Fresh breaded pacific cod with a homemade salsa, they are really really good. Corona is the perfect complimentary drink. I think they're only $11 for three.

Chimichanga
2360 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4P 2E6, Canada
[phone]

[phoenikia]

I wasn't a fan of the fish tacos at Chimichanga- they didn't taste like anything I've had in southern CA. Breaded fish instead of lightly battered, not enough lime, not enough cilantro, no shredded cabbage in sight, no crema or mayo/hot sauce, and doused with what tasted like bottled hot sauce. But, I guess it's a little closer to the real thing than the jumbo fish burritos at Burrito Boyz..

I recently heard the Drake is serving fish tacos again, but haven't had a chance to try them out.

[phoenikia]

Thanks for posting the link, Kagemusha. I actually made some fish tacos last night. Not authentic by any stretch, but much closer to the real thing than Chimichanga's.

Looks like Tuesday is Grilled Fish Taco night at the Drake:
http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/_ftp/menus/dining.pdf

The Drake also serrves Drake Tacos (which are pan-seared Trout tacos) on their lunch menu http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/_ftp/menus/lunch.pdf
- but by the looks of the website, the lunch menu is only available Thursday and Friday 12-4, since the brunch menu is in effect 11-4 on the weekends. http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/dining

Not sure I'd really want trout in my taco- has anyone tried the Drake tacos?

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The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J, CA

[georgie64]

i had it last fall. i never want to give props to the drake because i live too close. their non management of noisy patrons at 2am is appauling.
by day it's a different story. their fish taco is really a treat. best i've had since La Esquina in NYC. more expensive though--

[froglegs]

Mmmm ! I must go there and try the fish tacos. Are they still as good as before?
Too bad about the noise at night!

[Sarah Cat]

I must try them!

[Olivia]

Thanks for your replies everyone; much appreciated.

Well, sounds like we have a few investors lined up for Toronto's first So. Cal. Fish Taco joint <lol>

[TestKitchenChef]

Might recommend making a version at home, found the Baja version just a bit over the top for me - this recipe (prep and ingredients) is dead easy, quick and really delicious.

Poach shrimp in shell, cool slightly to deshell and devein
Fill warmed soft corn tortilla with cabbage or broccoli slaw (make or buy) a few shrimp
and top with avocado or guacamole and tomato or tomatillo salsa (again make or buy).

Fast food at its' finest

[domesticgodess]

ive just returned from a ski trip in Tahoe...needless
to say Fish Taco's where everywhere.
I have no idea why we cant find Fish Taco's here!!
Ive heard that the Cheesecake Factory opened in Buffalo
(at the Gallery mall)...you might need to take a drive.
Its worth it.!!

[BLM]

It's not found in Toronto(or very unlikely), because fish tacos is a regional speciality of Southern California(in particular around the San Diego-area).

[Kagemusha]

No go for TO. Burrito Boyz is like fish&chips in a tortilla. DIY works. Try grilled instead of fried fish.

[BuggySer]

I'm not sure about Fish Tacos, but Bel Burrito has an awesome fish burrito!

[spades]

I have attempted this futile search myself. You've better off trying to make them at home. There is absolutely nothing in Toronto that even mildly approaches an authentic SoCal fish taco. But if you do find a place, I beg you to report back.

[spigot]

That's correct - I've looked too :-/

[AlexandraCanada]

Its near next to impossible to find good fish tacos in T.O., except I had a half decent one at The Stockyards on St. Clair. The online menu is now seemingly up-to-speed. A little hard to eat insofar as you are distracted by all the other things you think you should be eating (like their new burger Green Chile Pimento Cheese burger).

[bluedog]

The halibut at Burrito Boyz is nothing like a fish taco. It is truly a wonderful dish, however the halibut is battered and deep fried and wrapped in a flour tortilla with veggies and sauces.

You mogh try chimichanga which has actual fish tacos, with lightly breaded white fish in a corn tortilla, but I am not sure about the coleslaw.

[pescatarian]

I've had fish tacos at The Drake, however, they were not enjoyable because the fish was a bit dry and "too fishy". I hear the chef has changed since then though, so if it's still on the menu, perhaps they've improved on them.