Cinco De Mayo is coming up fast and I don't know where to go! Or what to do for food. I'm like a Mexican food newbie and I want to try out everything I can!  I just tried my first horacha and I want more!!

Any recommendations would be so appreciated!

Thanks for your help :)

I think there is a really good one at Broadway & Main?  There might be two there, but I heard one is pretty authentic (not american)

Does anyone know the name?

And there's a good one at Victoria and 50th ave-ish????

IMO the best thing to come out of mexico was Tequila!

However, having worked in several latin/mexican/central american eating establishments I have had the tasty pleasure of getting closely acquainted with this cuisine. Here in Van i've been extremely disappointed w /the offerings but accept that I have traded Baltimore's mediocre-to-crap Asian food and good Mexican eats (yes, surprised? baltimore/dc has a growing hispanic population = good/authentic eats) for great Asian food and craptacular Mexican. But, I digress....Salsa & Agave has good authentic mexican, there's a Salvadorian/Honduran place on the drive that's pretty good and then there's Lolita's on Davie and Havannas on the Drive for fun times and a 'fusion' or 'fancy' take on the cuisine.

I think I would disagree that Havana's on the Drive is remotely latin american. It's not bad, but it's definitely not latin.

I've been wanting to try Lolita's since the yelp reviews are good and their menu looks really nice too.

So far Las Margaritas is, unfortunately, the best Mexican I've had in this city. And it's not thaaaaatttt great.

Kath, are you referring to Rinconcito Salvadoreno? I've never had a pupusa but they sound like something I should experience!

Reena, have you tried the food there?

I'm curious if anyone else has tried Primos? I was told that it is the oldest Mexican restaurant in Vancouver ...

The place near Broadway and Main is Zocalo, haven't tried it yet. Las Margaritas is tasty, but it's definitely Tex-Mex, not authentic Mexican. I've heard good things about Tequila Kitchen in Yaletown, anyone else tried it? The place on Victoria that I know of is at 35th: Dona Cata, which I also haven't tried. On the Drive, I would really call Rinconcito a Salvadoran place, not Mexican. There are Mexican places nearby though: Tio Pepe's, Me and Julio, and Bandidas Taqueria. I don't want to vouch for any of these places, like Kath I don't eat a lot of Mexican now that I've left the DC area, but I think they would all be worth a try. They're all on my list, though it'll take me a while to get to them...

Crystal, I've eaten food at Las Margaritas (yes it is tex-mex), and Havana's. But not Lolitas.

Yelp the place you try out!

Crystal - dona cata mexican foods @ 5076 Victoria Drive.  The best tacos!

Great. Now I have an even longer list of places to go and eat.

The Salvadoreno place sounds right up my alley. I saw a review pop up for it a couple days ago, and made a mental note.

There just aren't enough hours in the day to eat!

Crystal, yes I've been to Primos!  I forgot all about it!  On 12th near Granville if I remember correctly.  I always enjoyed the food there, but have not been in years...I seriously just forgot all about it!

Thanks you guys - I have my list hit list ready to go

...but what I really need to know, and I should have asked before, is who has the best guacamole...I've been craving it since I went to Don Guacamole's and they didn't have it!

Try  "Don Guacamole" on Robson St.

I'm mexican and it's my favorite mexican restaurant  LOL

Sorry, after 9.5 months here we're sad to say there's not many authentic Mexican places here :-( but there are some good "fusion" ones. Like El Caracol on Victoria and 36th. It's Mexican, Honduran, Y Salvadorian. It's like a little oasis in there from a not too exciting 'hood.
Ooh! I need to post a review for that!

mexicali is pretty good..i have a friend that lived in LA for years and he said it's the closest in vancouver he has had to LA.....Andales is in no way authentic..but good cheap mexican eats!

he he he I made it to the U.S. in my tiny town known for good mexican food: I got a taco wagon at my door step!

La Casita on Abbott and Cordova is pretty good, and has prices reminiscent of a Mexican restaurant.  

Topanga- in Kits, near McDonald is pretty good!

Tio Pepe's on Commercial Drive!!!  Its small but has been a winner of 'best of' vancouver.   It was such a surprise to me!  I've never had anything better.  A friend I went with who came from Mexico was also felt she was getting a genuine food experience which is not what she found at say,Las Magritas.

tiopepes.com/page.html

i loved the Tamal.  Chicken wrapped in banana leaves. Mmmmmmmmmmmm

La Casita in Gastown is run by mother-son team from Mexico. I haven't eaten at this particular location, but the food at the original venue in Powell River, B.C. was always delicious, plentiful and fresh. The decor was humble, the stained glass home-made, and the tables slightly gritty, but everything tasted wonderful. I've heard mixed things about the Vancouver location but nevertheless I plan to try it out ASAP...especially now that I recall the delicious complimentary dishes of fiery pickled veggies they gave you while you waited for your meal...heavenly with a strawberry margherita!

Wow! My bookmarks list just keeps growing and growing! These are great...I knew there was good Mexican about town!!

@Dani - Any little bite of tapas splendidness would be great right about now...and a margarita. Nice bit of info about Powell River too.

@Geraldine - anything of the menu you'd recommend? I just looked at their website - it's a big menu!

Any recommendations for desserts to try? I haven't had much luck in the Mexican dessert arena yet :)

I amend my April 10 comment with a recommendation to everyone to try El Barrio on Hastings. Not Mexican but more a fusion of Hispanic cuisine. And, yes, Crystal they do have some yummy looking deserts here :-)

Ooooh....This sure looks promising:  scoutmagazine.ca/tag/la-…

That does sound exciting!

Being from California, Las Margaritas is by far the best.

Hey Crystal (and everyone), I just posted a couple of relevant reviews. Salsa & Agave in Yaletown was yummy (and they have flan for dessert, my favourite!). If you haven't been to Me & Julio yet...don't. A brutal disappointment. Has the Taqueria on Hastings opened yet? Am excited to try it out!!!

@ Jessie - FLAN? at a mexican resto? i didn't know that was their thing..!

Flan in spanish-speaking countries is like a rich creme caramel, not the pie crust with custard and fruit we think of here. Soooooooo good!

Thanks for the reviews Jessie! I just ate at Salsa & Agave last week - and I loved it too! But I did not know about the flan! I will have to try that out :-)

We ate at La Cantina which is just down the block from Salsa & Agave it's brand new. tinyurl.com/m5kpvm

@Jessie- Taqueria on Hastings.... where ? do tell !
@Rachel- Yeah Flan is totally on Mexican menu's all over in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico.... Why, even Toronto! pfft. (Why are there more Mexican people in Toronto? it's weird.) -but then, why are there more West Indian people out there, Arabic, West African..... -oh hell! There are a smorgasbord of cultures out there that we are missing here. -:-(   When I think of all that yummy food.....

Ooops! Jessie, I see the new one is on West Hastings where Nuba moved, (thanks Marc.)

A couple of yelpers ate at Budgies Burritos last night before the Elite Event at the Wallflower - does anyone else like their stuffed goods? yelp.ca/biz/budgies-burr…

I love Budgies! I'm there almost twice a week!

More love here for Salsa & Agave too! On the weekends its packed with Spanish-speaking customers so that must mean something. The menu has other South American items besides just Mexican too which is fun. There is more to life than tacos and burritos! Take note: only a serious Latin restaurant would have pozole and/or menudo...great soups which are  great for curing hangovers. Not that I would know ;)

I heard immigration went to Salsa & Agave some weeks ago during a Mexican football game and busted a lot of ppl who didn't have papers to be here... (nothing to do with the restaurant itself though)

Update on La Taqueria opening scoutmagazine.ca/2009/08…

Reena == holy crap! just like in the U.S. !
I hope they didn't take any of the cooks away!  -kidding.

I know, it's crazy hey??

Can I just say that I love that "menudo" is soup made with tripe? Whose idea was it to name a boy band Tripe Soup?

Wow - that's crazy about the immigration stuff!

Thanks for the update on La Taqueria Nadine!

If I didn't mention before - try LOLITAS on Davie... really good food - oh AND drinks , we cannot forget that..... I had the two tacos option... and there was a soft- shell crab thing.. so yum. the plantains, which i tried for the first time were delectable.

Salsa and Agave on Pacific is pretty good I'd say.

Me and Julios on Commercial Drive is absolutely divine. It has a sister restaurant on Davie Street that is extremely popular too but I haven't been there yet Lolitas. It is supposed to be fantastic.
I went to Julios a couple of weeks ago and ordered the sweet potato/chicken empanada turnovers and they were to die for. And I highly recommend the smoky crispy tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole. They come warm and are so addictive it is incredible. Of course lots of Margaritas.....HELLO!!!!!!!! and you are all set. Cinco de Mayo here we come. You can even sit on the rustic terrace and people watch on commercial. Fun, loads of it.

Sister and I gorged ourselves on Tacos at Dona Cata on Victoria Drive tonight. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. So good.

i think Don Guacamoles is the best!!
im mexican ... so i can tell you the taste is so similar to mexican food..
you should try " Pico de Gallo" is a hot sauce .. with tomato, onion, peppers is delicious..! :)

I heard from a Mexican Girl that  "Don Guacamole" on Robson St.  is the best. I have never been there myself but I will one day. Just do not order appies at Las Magaritas coz they are frozen things you can buy at Costco. Have fun Crystal!

@ Michael -- Don Guacamole is good! I have a hortchata craving!

Got a taco craving? Can you make it for lunch next Thursday at La Taqueria? yelp.ca/events/vancouver…