Great food..great service..let me in for a drink before they were open..thanks for a great afternoon!!
Love the food the atmosphere got to get there early or be prepared to wait...always a great time!
Staff was very friendly and the food was delicious!
Dave and staff made our night! Wonderful people, delicious food and a vibrant ambiance. �
Great service.....food was really good!!!! The drinks tasted great and authentic...
AMAZING service, FABULOUS food. Highly recommend visiting
Terrific food and customer service. Great atmosphere. Also wonderful place to go before going out for dinner.
I go to this place almost everyday. Its the best. *wink wink
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Mount Pleasant is probably the most hip part of town, so of course that’s where you’ll find a hip Latin American street food joint called El Camino's. They were featured on season 2 of You Gotta Eat Here! and were named as the #1 Best South American 2017 in Westender’s Best of the City Dining issue.
We visited on a Friday night and it’s good to note that they don’t take reservations. You’ll know that you’re in the right place when you see their logo, which is, of course of an El Camino. It can be a busy and happening place, so if you don’t want to wait getting there early might be useful. The vibe of the room is very cool, with cinder block walls and spray painted lettering across them. The lights are dim and the bar is busy. We were seated at a booth and began to peruse their clipboard menu. We were also given a bowl of lime-seasoned popcorn to munch on as we did so, which always scores incredibly high in my book! Who isn’t happy when they see that popcorn is coming their way?
But first, I excitedly noticed their special drink feature on the chalkboard near the front: Hot Buttered Rum ($10.00). My all-time favourite cold weather beverage! I asked for one of those. This was absolutely perfect and exactly the way that I like it, cinnamon stick and all! Hot, sweet, and butterscotchy, it’s the perfect thing to enjoy on a cold day. It’s like a comforting hug in beverage form. Maybe not the most Latin American of choices like all of their fun margaritas, but I didn’t care.
I like that they specify that their food has been crafted to be enjoyed as is. They do not allow any substitutions, which is a policy that I can appreciate. We began with a sharing dish, and while several sounded very good (Atun, Pao de Queijo) we went with the Bolinho de Bacalao (Four salt cod croquettes with dill lime yoghurt aioli, dressed cabbage - $12.00). These were nice. The salt cod was prepared very well and was fried to a crispy perfection. Inside each golden orb, the fish was flavourful and delicious. I liked the aioli a lot and it acted as a great cooling dip. The dill matched the cod very well. The cabbage was supposedly “dressed,” but I couldn’t discern any type of dressing. That being said, I enjoyed the crunchy cabbage strands because they tasted very fresh. The cabbage tasted great in the dill lime aioli as well.
For my main dish, I decided to order an Arepa; a grilled & stuffed corn pocket, garnished with cilantro & onion, served with house salsas. I chose the Gambas (Prawns sautéed with coconut & chipotle, cabbage - $8.00) from the seven types available. While this was supposed to be served with housemade salsas, and the menu lists six different salsa types, we were never offered any of these. There was one bottle of housemade hot sauce on our table and that was it. I added cheese to my arepa for $1. I also got a side dish of Mexican Corn ($5.00) expecting that it would be Elote (Mexican corn on the cob), but it was not. So a few disappointments there. The arepa was very good though, packed full of delicious goodness. I especially loved the plump and juicy shrimp which were super flavourful. Spicy and sweet from the chipolte and coconut, such a wonderful combo. The corn pocket itself was very toothsome and provided a great texture. The cheese was the right choice.
While the corn wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for, it was actually very tasty. It was super juicy and there were other vegetables and even some cheese mixed in. I was pleasantly surprised with this.
We had to have dessert because they serve one of our favourites! Pastel de Tres Leches (Spongecake drenched with three milks, maple chantilly, dulce de leche, crushed pecan praline - $8.00). This was an excellent version of this delicious cake!! So creamy and soft and amazing! Tres Leches is kind of like a South American version of an Italian tiramisu, except I think that it’s the better of the two. The pecans were extra good. The whole thing was incredible and you should order it. Order it now.
Overall, the food at El Camino’s was very good, albeit a bit expensive for what you get (isn’t street food supposed to be cheap?). Their flavours are expertly created and if you want great South American food this is a solid bet. They also offer weekend brunch, which sounds like something worth going to try.
My first time having Pisco Sour, it was deeeelish. There's eggwhites, does this mean I will be buff? only time will tell . Vegetarian tacos w poblano peppers. Greaaat with sauces. Rly enjoyed them. Other vegetarian one w black beans. Also very good, more hearty. Again, good w sauces.
If you're into easy parking, service with a personal touch, handcrafted margs with a shot of fresh green zap-juice that you won't find anywhere else, and snacking on tacos that taste like the person who made them actually cared that you got a little bit of everything delicious in each bite - then go here. The best people already do.
After our epic Cuban meal at Pambiche in Portland, we immediately came back to Vancouver and looked for restaurants that served Cuban food only to be disappointed… why are there no Cuban restaurants in Vancouver (and I don’t count Havana on Commercial)?. The closest I could find was El Camino’s on Main Street which serves up Latin American food. Despite not satiating my desire for Cuban food, I was very impressed with the food at this hipsterish locale. They have the phrase “Nada como una revolución para curar la sed y el hambre” (nothing like a revolution to cure thirst and hunger) graffitied on their cinder block wall.
Wicked little hipster Mexican joint on Main. The arepa was the glowing highlight if the meal and are an absolute must have, however the muscles were also unreal. They were cooked to perfection and the broth was drinkable. Fish tacos were crunchy, but not to greasy. I also love how they give you popcorn to start, and there house made hot sauce is dope! Service was really lacking. The waiter walked away with my credit card agree saying goodbye. This was after having to flag someone down to actually pay after 10 minutes.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Don't know why we haven't been here for dinner before. The restaurant has a great vibe to it, though a tad loud for me personally. But it was not a big issue. We arrived at 5:55pm tonight and were pleasantly surprised to see that it was also taco Tuesday, bonus. All tacos are $5. Plus I squeaked in my drink order before happy hour wrapped up at 6pm, double bonus! A nice cold bottle of Pacifico for $4!
We ordered 4 different tacos: carne asada (beef), pescado (fish), al pastor (pulled pork), and pollo (fried chicken). Each serving came with 2 tacos and all were delicious. I would recommend the carne, pollo and the pescado. I wasn't a fan of the pulled pork, it was too runny. We also ordered a Moqueca (Brazilian seafood rice bowl). At first taste, I thought that it was a Thai dish. It tasted so similiar to a coconut curry. It was delicious regardless of whether or not the flavours were authentic Brazilian. All the seafood were perfectly cooked, not overcooked at all.
Everything arrived FAST despite a full house! We were in and out in 40 minutes. All the staff we came in contact with tonight were friendly. Great execution on food & service. We'll definitely be back!
Unique and tasty Latin American style food. Crepioca is a must try! So is Paso de Queijo. I don't like the steak stir fry as much. Seems like everyone likes the arepas here too. Besides good food, it's a good-but noisy- place for a late drink.
William G. Hernandez
+3.5
I've been wanting to try this place out for a while now but never got around to it. This time though, I was in the neighborhood delivering some things to a friend and we decided to head out to grab something to eat.
El Camino's was pretty packed for a Wednesday at 7 pm, but taking to the waitress she told us the wait was never too long. True, since we only had to wait about 20 mins to get a seat. Pretty good.
The ambiance was what you would expect from a place that tries to sell their Mexican or Latin American look in my opinion. While the drinks were great, I was a little bit let down by the meat. While I was expecting traditional Mexican with good carnitas, I ended up getting something more Tex-Mex. The vibe and service was great though, so I'd def come back for the ambiance and drinks.
Got some takeout from this place yesterday. Be warned it is a bit of a wait for takeout so I'd call it in first next time.
The vibe of the restaurant having waited there for quite some time is pretty cool and I'd love to try their cocktails. The bartender really looked like he made a mean drink.
So we got the fish , chorizo and steak tacos, Pao de Queijo, Gambas and guacamole and chips.
My absolute favorite dish was the Pao (Brazilian cheese bread with stir fired veg on top) this was amazing and I could have eaten like 2 of them. Just such well blended flavors. Then I loved the Gambas, the shrimp really worked well with the paprika aioli. The tacos were decent, steak was the best in my opinion. Guacamole was okay not a traditional gauc but good and the chips were crisp.
All in all I will for sure be giving this place another go. I'd love to try breakfast here and have many cocktails as i think this place could be a blast.
Tara Lopez PG Radio Prince George
+5
Super delicious!!! One of the best Mexican restaurants I`ve eaten at IN THE WORLD. Must tries are: The Crepioca (prawn crepe) and The Vegetarian Bocadillo (warm veggie sub). Prices are very reasonable (not expensive). Highly Recommend this place! Try to make reservations in advance, as it gets packed quickly. I was pleasantly surprised, and will be back for sure! :)
Chicken enchiladas and crispy chicken tacos are must haves. The steak tacos come in close second. Service was on point and our margaritas were especially tasty using fresh lime zest. Def worth checking out if in the area.
This is hands down my bfs favorite brunch spot. It's only open for brunch on weekends and opens after 5pm on weekdays. Service is great and it's one of the best Mexican foods we have in Vancouver! I also love the taxi and driver service numbers they have on the bottom of each bill.. you know it's a drinking joint when..
May 14/16: more added photos. Scrambles were ok..not as good as the other pix I posted previously
Sept 10/16: can't keep us away! More pix to share. The brunch sandwich was killer. Just look at that yummy egg and ham! Stacked!
Greaaaat place on Main Street, the best of the Cascade Group. Amazing atmosphere and decor. I have come here a few times - come for BRUNCH and get the breakfast nachos...seriously.
Taco Tuesday is solid -- their carne asada tacos are the best by far.
Heeeeeeey. This place has some tasty brunch! I need to come back and try the rest of the menu. I had the hash... I always order the hash everywhere. This place also has a crazy steak sandwich with ham and bacon... and maybe even chicken if I remember correctly. Definitely coming back for it. Try this place out.
Update:
I came back for the breakfast steak sandwich. It was amazing. My new favorite breakfast item to date. I will be coming back for it again and again. It was moist and flavourful and was paired with the perfect bun and, and, and...!!!
i love this place. the tacos are awesome! chimichurri on the beef taco is off the chain. I always order at least 3 orders whenever im there. I also have the sandwiches, the diablo is pretty good. the spanish rice :/ meh... and well im asian so rice is kind of my forte.
i will always come back to this place. its a great atmosphere and during the summer, its nice to eat outside
Love this place! Awesome tasty sharable food - except no sharing the gambas arepas- too tasty to share.
Friendly service. Good margaritas!
Busy but attentive service.
Lively atmosphere.
Kate Bouchard Senkow
+4.5
The best tacos and margaritas in Vancouver, in my humble opinion.
Great for dinner with a friend or a date night, but always struggle with groups of 4 or more. Just way too busy and small, and they don't take reservations (an issue city-wide, I would suggest).
To get a table for my husband's birthday for 6 of us it took almost 2 hours!! Which was about an hour longer than we were quoted. And as a former hostess, the seating decisions made along the way were questionable. We could have been seated more efficiently. No apologies or empathy for the staff, which would have made all the difference. How about some popcorn while we waited, or letting us order a drink (were told we couldn't) when standing.
Luckily, the food and drinks makes up for these issues. (For now)
Very chill and laid back. My girlfriend and I tried this place out and it's really nice. Music and ambience was chill with the candle lighting. Steak tacos packed a punch of flavor. The gluten free item was the biggest surprise because it was SO good. I would definitely recommend this place for date night or any night really.
I didn't mind the wait in the line up, as long as the food and service can deliver and they absolutely delivered. I had a wonderful time.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I had plans to meet Mac-n-Cheese for lunch but no actual destination in mind. After some back and forth over text I suggested El Caminos as I’ve walked by a number of times while exploring Main street and always seen it as being quite busy. I had no idea what to expect for the lunch rush on a Saturday, so we agreed to meet around 1:30 hoping that most people would have cleared out by then. As you approach the entrance you you walk passed an interesting little green house-like patio, a glass room with a swinging door to enter. If you enter the main part of the restaurant you’ll find yourself standing directly in front of the bar boasting an impressive variety of tequilas. We found the place was packed full, not a single table available inside or out. Thankfully a table was just settling up outside and only had to wait a few minutes to get a table. Looking around, the food on everyone’s table looked fantastic and made us even hungrier. They have a special brunch menu on weekends from 10AM-2PM so we were just in time for that. Looking at their website it also seems they have a dinner, late night, and even a siesta menu. The siesta menu is offered between 3-4PM and is a subset of the dinner menu with identical prices, and then a short closing before dinner starts back up at 5PM. It’s an interesting idea, but seems a little odd to only close for 1 hour. Something else I noticed while looking at their website is that these guys are owned by the same group that does Cascade Room, The Union, and Charlie’s Little Italian, all except The Union in very close proximity though very different in style from one another. I had quite a few drinks the night prior with Oracle and Blue Coat so I wasn’t quite in the m
I've heard great things about brunch at el caminos and it's so close to my house there was no way I could go another weekend without trying it! I went with my friend and we were both extremely hungry, thankfully we hardly had to wait as the waitresses were very quick and efficient at getting us a table which was awesome and the food came out right away too. I ordered the chorizo eggs Benny and my friend ordered the hangover which is pretty much just nachos with eggs on top, sounds a bit unorthodox but it was absolutely delicious. I ate my eggs Benny so fast that I even considered getting seconds. I love going to el Caminos for drinks and this was my first time trying the food and I definitely recommend it - plus they make a mean Caesar for those hair of the dog type of mornings!
Om. Nom.. Loved that I could eat brunch where they serve up humanely-raised meat, organic free-range eggs and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Got the Tomatican Hash and I could barely finish it, and I'm a big eater. Beautifully braised meat piled high on tomatoes, peppers, onions and potatoes and topped with a perfectly poached egg and hollandaise – what is wrong with that? The answer is nothing. Nothing at all.
Can't wait to come back!
Great brunch, service.. Great brunch options. Eggs were perfectly cooked and service was great for such a busy place. Will definitely go again.
Great place!. Great little place on Main Street. The best chicken wings I think I've ever had...sweet and spicy...amazing. Great atmoshpere and the staff were great. We were there on a sunny day so it was perfect to sit next to the open window and wait outside (since the wait was pertty long). We ordered a whole bunch of things so quite the buffet. My biggest regret is not having room to try the Churros...I bet they would have been a perfect way to end the meal.
Yummy brunch. I came here with a few friends on Saturday early afternoon and this place was packed for brunch. There was three of us and we sat at a two person table, no problem just a bit snug. I tried the vegetarian eggs benedict with a side of their special guacamole - yum yum! the beans, avocado and tomato with the runny egg was delicious and a bed of nicely done hashbrowns toasty and yummy.
Love this place. The food is so tasty ! I've been there twice in one month. I've tried most things on the menu because I was lucky to go with two groups & got to try a lg selection of different things. The chick pea fries are a must . They only weak menu items are the desserts. The service was very slow one of the times we went .once the food was ordered it came from the kitchen quickly . The servers are a bit inconsistent as far as checking in on there tables goes.
Amazing Amazing Amazing!!!! GREAT FOOD! GREAT ATMOSPHERE!! GREAT SERVICE!!!! Gluten free options that are entirely edible and enjoyable!! I have yet to order something that I didn't loooooove!!! MUST GO!!!
Come to El Camino about once a month for dinner. Wait on Friday and Saturday nights can be long, even for just 2 people so super sad the patio is closed for the winter. I really like the tacos and prawns and my husband loves the wings. Popcorn that comes to table is too salty for me but we enjoy the beer and wine options, tho they keep suggesting something from their extensive tequila list. Came here for brunch once but wasn't fan of selection.
Good food but slow service. The restaurant looks and feels like a bar but the atmosphere is pretty good. I went for brunch around 12:30pm on a Saturday and waited 10 minutes for a table. The hostess/waitress was nice and set my expectations accordingly. For parents with young kids, be wary of their "high chairs" as they are just booster seats that don't tie down (ie. your kid could fall off the bench or chair with the high chair still strapped to their bum).
The service wasn't bad, but we waited over 20 minutes for our food. Other tables around us had similar wait times. The group of 5 a couple of tables down from us waited over 30 minutes for their food.
The food was really good and I would go back just for the food. We tried a pulled pork bennie and it was really good. I'd like to try the dinner menu next time.
Went on a sunny evening and really liked it. We had a few tasty margaritas and each had a bocadillo (I had the fish
One and my hubby the beef) and it was delicious! Simple, well priced food in a cool environment. The staff is a bit slow but it's Main Street! It's nothing to complain about if you are there to relax and enjoy the scene.
No More Gluten For This Newton
+4.5
Great food. Visited El Caminos in October. Delicious food, even better wine!
Taco Tuesday is a great deal and delicious! Tacos were Sooo good and GF!
I will rerun next time I'm in Van!
YUMMMMM. Went here the other night with some girlfriends. Great funky little place. The food is cheap and delicious! Although portions could be a little bigger. Had the cheese Arepa and it was amazing!!A must try if you are gluten free as its like you are eating a burger. Highly reccomend this place
Brilliant. I just discovered this place and I'm sold. The food was top notch. As were the drinks. I found the portions small, but filling. The price is right, however. I think they could get away with raising the price and giving you bigger portions...
One of my favourites. I come to Latitude fairly often and have never been disappointed. The food is consistently delicious, service is attentive but unobtrusive and the drink selection is excellent. My only complaint is that they took the bolirepitas (sp?) off the menu! It's a great date spot to boot, not super loud and perfect lighting.
Delightful!. My boyfriend and I have been going here at least once or twice a month, and it has been a great experience each time. The appetizers are very yummy, and the cocktails are even better. The atmosphere is upbeat and the staff are always very friendly. I highly recommend!
Great food, great drinks, a little pricey. I've come here a few times and have enjoyed it every time. Staff are super friendly and they know their stuff. I love their cocktail menu! However, since this runs more in the vein of cocktail bars, you have to expect to pay a little more than at your average resto-bar, so it's more of a treat for me.
The Fledgling Basement Foodie
+4.5
Superior Seafood at Latitude. My wonderful boyfriend took me to Latitude last night for a special birthday dinner. I knew nothing about it, but I did have a sneak peek at their menu online. I was really impressed with the prices and the dish descriptions.
The room was beautiful: sophisticated and sleek, but warm and inviting as well. Comfortable seating also.
The service was friendly and unobtrusive; it was perfect.
We shared the Saltpspring Island mussels in a coconut curry sauce, which were delicious. They were served with strips of pita bread, which I happily used to mop some of the delicious sauce.
We also tried freshly shucked oysters for the first time. My boyfriend had two and loved them. I just stuck with one and while it was good, the oyster texture is just a little too "slimy" for my taste.
We both ordered the rockfish tacos which were fantastic. Excellent toppings (mmm, sweet onions!) and a perfect portion size, with some freshly squeezed lime on top to polish it off beautifully.
The flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce (with a birthday candle in it of course, accompanied by a sweet boyfriend serenade) ended the night.
You get some incredible seafood dishes at a big bang for a small buck at Latitude. I'll definitely go back to try the arugula salad, chickpea fries, and polenta main dish.
I majorly recommend!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
My new favourite. I went to Latitude with a friend for the first time last week and found the food and service outstanding, a welcome addition to Main St. I didn't realize until we got there that the owners used to operate the Raincoast in Tofino which was one of my favourite restaurants ever, so no surprise at the quality of this place.
With more than three dozen wines by the glass, it was hard to decide what to try first, but we managed! Same with the menu - we wanted everything. For starters we settled on the Qualicum scallops and arepas (deep fried
cornmeal cakes, common street food in South America) with the best guacamole I can remember. We also shared the mussels with smoked chili coconut broth and the soccas which are chickpea crepes stuffed with shrimp sauteed in lemon cream. For our mains, my friend had the bison flank steak with chimichurri and I had the fresh halibut, perfectly cooked with avocado creme fraiche and cheese quinoa fritters. We were too stuffed for dessert, so we'll try those out next time which will be soon!
All in all, one of the best new restaurants in Vancouver, for quality and value. They said their winter menu is coming in the next few weeks with the end of the fresh fish season, looking forward to it.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Needs work!. My wife and I checked out Latitude last week. We went on a weeknight and there were a few tables taken. We were seated in one of their booths. There is a long banquette opposite the booths. The room looks very sophisticated but I found the design was lacking any character. I didn't get the feeling I was in a "hip" room and the music playing was not helping. I'm not sure what artist it was they were playing but it was a female vocalist and it was very boring, whiny pop music. They would be much better off playing some good alternative music or old hard bop jazz.
On to the food…For an appetizer we shared the scallops. They were the highlight of the evening. We were served 2 very large scallops with a housemade guacamole. The guacamole overpowered the delicate flavor of the scallop but it was still an excellent dish.
For dinner, I had the lamb shank and my wife had the paella. The lamb shank was tender but lacked flavor. It was served with a rather bland sauce and the sides were also bland. I only tried a bite of my wife's paella but she was not overwhelmed. Our meals were certainly not bad, just not great. We had a few glasses of red wine with dinner that were quite nice.
For dessert, we had the pannacotta. It was too light for a pannacotta and the texture was also not creamy enough to make it a good pannacotta.
Overall, I think Latitude needs to step it up a few notches in the kitchen if they are going to succeed. The dishes other than the scallop appetizer were lacking punch. The design could also use some work to flow a little more with the cool and relaxed Main St. vibe.
I hope things do improve as it is a stones throw from my place!
El Camino's is another restaurant that was featured on You Gotta Eat Here. We went there this past weekend around 12:30pm and found parking right in front of the restaurant. One of the servers took my name and informed me it would be 5-10 minutes for a table. It took a little less than 10 minutes before we were led to our table, at which point I asked for a highchair for H. A few minutes later the server forgot about the highchair as she went back to cleaning tables, so I reminded her. She came back with a booster seat that couldn't be strapped down to a chair, which wasn't very safe for H, so I returned it to her and brought my own from the car. J and I ordered a Mexican Cola and a Ginger Beer, both of which were served promptly and came by the bottle. We put in our orders and waited for the food to arrive, which took over 20 minutes. The tables around us had similar wait times, and we noticed that a large table nearby of about 6 people waited closer to 30 minutes. I ordered the Huevo
I would recommend coming here, but don't bother with the appetizers. Just come here for the entrees and atmosphere.
We all remarked how Latitude seemed like a hidden eatery on busy Main Street as we were surprised by our enjoyment of the meal based on limited info and word of mouth. It was good eats. Yum.
There Is Always Room
+4.5
We ended up at what was then Latitude, but is now called El Camino, and that was lucky for us.
A couple of Fridays back, a group of six of our friends decided to try out a new restaurant for dinner, and I managed to get us some last minute reservations at Latitude restaurant on Main Street after doing some checking around. I had heard a few things
So I was looking forward to try the newly opened Latitude Restaurant. There was some apprehension as the reviews have been mixed but I wanted to give it a try. I believe in the benefit of the doubt..and I’m glad I was right. I LOVED IT. It is a great addi
Melody Fury - GourmetFury.com
+4.5
Exciting, contemporary, comfort cuisine.
Great place for cocktails and has a solid food menu that has many items you wouldn’t see everyday. Staff is always on point and very friendly. Worth a visit if you’re in the area. For the five star, you’d expect either, a bigger cocktail/food menu or a bigger special board. As a local it’s easy to loose it’s wow factor
This is an excellent joint for Mexican cuisine, focusing on street style dishes. If going here, the “Pan de Maize” or cornbread is a MUST. It will melt in your mouth, too good!! Following which the rest of the entrees are just as good, so really has to do with preference. But if you are feeling sandwiches then the butter milk fried chicken sandwich is excellent! From the tacos I really liked the shrimp tacos. Service was excellent, quick and accommodating. Our server had good recommendations. Great drink options as well!
El Camino serves some of the best drinks on Main. Their Pina Colada is the best. Their corn bread is second to none. Calamari delicious. I tried the Brazilian Style Shepherd’s pie for the first time today and it was yummy too. Good service and yummy food here. Highly recommend!
Came for drinks and we had Micheladas, pina colada, calamari. The calamari is fresh and soft. Must try. Pleasant atmosphere, awesome customer service and attentive.
WOW. The service was fantastic; warm and attentive without being overbearing. The flavours we're delish and the vibe was hip.
The cornbread with the side of burnt onion butter is delicious. I don’t go out of my way to add corn to my meals, however, based on reading the reviews here, I ordered the cornbread and paired it with a Main St Pilsner, it was good.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes