z-teca
Category: Restaurants Tex-Mex Tex-Mex [Edit]
Commerce Court199 Bay St
Toronto, ON M5L 1G4
(416) 862-9200
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 pm - 7 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
10 reviews for z-teca
10 reviews in English
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Review from Tina D.
Mississauga, ON
8/15/2011
I really liked this place. For the location that's it's in, it works for me. I will admit calling it Gourmet Burritos is a but much. By all means they were really good, but I wouldn't say gourmet.
I went here at midnight because my friend and I just didn't want the typical deep fried, cheese covered whatever that you normally get after spending a night out. We both got the $10 special which got us a burrito, drink and chips (that they make themselves). I thought the price was good for all that. I didn't even finish everything. The burrito was huge.
I would definitely go back here and would recommend it to anyone who wants something different from pub/ fast food.
It's too bad not more people like it. -
Review from Lilliane G.
Toronto, ON
8/11/2011
This place is right around the corner from my condo, so it gets one star for the convenience.
Their burritos are average, not spectacular and nothing to write home about for certain. However, I do have a special spot in my heart (read belly) for their burrito bowls. They're quick, relatively healthy, if you ask for less rice, and portion size is ok.
They have a good selection of toppings and I like building my own burrito.
My issue with this place? Their prices. Fairly pricey for what you get, which is average "Mexican" food. However, when hungover or just plain lazy, I'll fork over the cash, albeit begrudgingly. -
Review from Nathan B.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011
In a nutshell?
Uninspired
Boring
Overpriced.
I'm a loyal burrito boyz fan and I decided to try Z Teca at a friends recommendation and I completely regretted it.
Toppings are limited, selection is boring and standard. What exactly makes this place gourmet?
You would be better to make your own at home.
Don't let the line ups fool you. -
Review from Thom H.
1/11/2010
People in the Zteca line, please get a life. How badly do you actually need a burrito? Why do you put up with such crappy food, high prices and disdainful service? And why, why are there so many of you?!
I don't get why people throng around this place, eager to pay $8 for starch wrapped in starch, flavoured with some sad looking meats. Oh you want sour cream. That's extra. You want guacamole - super extra. And heaven forbid that you haven't got answers to the questions they are mumbling at you. Pathetic.Listed in: Lunch in the Banker's Bunkers
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Review from Ktimene G.
4/3/2009
Lame, lame Chipotle (also lame) knockoff with decent decor (brushed metal lunch tables). "Gourmet Burritos"-- OK concept, but the cardinal rule is that the cheaper the mexican food, the better the mexican food. Gourmet has nothing to do with it unless you're in San Miguel de Allende.
Dry chicken practically had me wheezing and the salsa tasted like tin cans. And where the *** are the corn tortillas?
Can someone get me a real tortilla? A corn one, not a wheat one? I'm desperate! -
Review from Kat T.
6/25/2009
I finally can complete my Yelp list with this review of Z-teca burritos. We were able to order in a group for delivery at work. Yeah! So, I can't say anything about what the store looks like, and maybe the transit time decreases the quality, but it needs to be able to stand up to a 10-15 minute walk down the street, right?
Anyway, I ordered the vegetarian, which is a unique combo of Guacamole and grilled corn. The grill/char on the corn lends a suble, but tasty flavour. The Guac is creamy and thin- whereas I prefer a spicier chunky version. Seems like it might have come out of a caulking gun a-la Taco Bell. I asked for HOT salsa, which is supposedly made with chipotle peppers- which are not a hot pepper to begin with. So, the results were that there was flavour, but no spice throughout a very rice-y burrito. By no means my fave. I would suggest if you are near this location, keep walking west on Dundas to Mission Burrito for a little more magic.Listed in: Burrito Magic
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Review from Hratch P.
Toronto, ON
5/5/2009
Ok, to be clear if this place was not in the PATH (which provides nothing but mediocre lunch options for all of us poor financial district dwellers that it holds hostage) it would maybe have a 2 person line, sometimes. Instead it has an unexplainable line every lunch hour so go late, or early.
While I agree it's no authentic Burrito, and how I miss the Mission in SF for that, as far as PATH options go, it's not that bad.
Here's how to almost make it a 4 star option - customize the burrito to hell: No rice, double meat, add grilled corn, add fajita veggies, add guac, and tomatillo as well as spicy salsa. The only problem - it becomes an $11 or $12 burrito. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
9/26/2008
My ongoing quest to find good fast Mexican food led me to Z-Teca, a relative new comer on the scene. I say this because if it had existed earlier I would have heard of it. Z-Teca is banking on the new burrito craze, and I for one couldn't be happier. I never thought that the words "gourmet" and "burrito" would fit so easily together but surprisingly enough they do. I visited the location in commerce court located on the PATH and while it was in a food court setting, it was classier than you would think. I went with my usual vegetarian burrito mostly because I love cilantro rice and the veggie burrito has it in spades. The burrito was made before my eyes and somewhat customized to my taste which I liked, it guaranteed that no one was spitting in my food. I liked Z-Teca, the burrito was huge (almost too big for one sitting) and it was very tasty. I would recommend Z-Teca for anyone looking for a good cheap fresh burrito.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from S. S.
Toronto, ON
8/8/2008
Although a little pricey. $7.95 for a chicken burrito, $8.95 for a steak burrito and $8.25 for a beef baracoa burrito, it still is the best burrito I've had in Toronto.
These by no way compare to the Burritos in San Francisco, but they are still better than Burrito Boys in my opinion. Although when drunk, late at night, I'm sure Burrito Boys tastes like Heaven. Dont get me wrong, Burrito Boys is good too, but I'd give them 4.75 stars out of 5 for Toronto Burrito standards and Z-teca gets 5. -
Review from Chris E.
Milton, ON
2/2/2010
For fast-food burritios, Z-Teca is my favourite place to go in Toronto. When it comes right down to it, it's pretty hard to screw up a burrito. It's rice, beans, cheese, and meat rolled up in a tortilla. As long as the tortilla isn't stale and the fillings are cooked to an even mediocre quality you've got yourself a serviceable burrito. That being said, there are more than enough places that find a way to get it wrong. Z-Teca offers steak, chicken, pork, and seasoned beef as meat choices, all of which are delicious. I typically get chicken but the seasoned beef is a real treat. It's worth mentioning that all of their meat is grilled and sliced; no ground meat or microwave shenanigans at all which scores big points with me. Their fillings give you more options than your typical burrito bar with grilled "fajita vegetables" (peppers and red onions) and grilled corn (my personal favourite). They offer mild, medium, and spicy salsa and I like that their medium salsa has a noticeable kick to it unlike other medium salsas that err on the side of bland in so many other places. They also offer guacamole but at a $1 incremental charge which is the one strike I'd give against Z-Teca. What sets Z-Teca apart from other burrito bars in Toronto is the fact that they don't try to over-season their contents. Beans, rice, meat, and cheese create a great medley of flavours and textures on their own yet I'm always surprised at how often Mexican places douse their food in generic taco seasoning which kills the natural flavour of everything in the burrito. While some would assert that this may make Z-Teca's burritos "inauthentic" I prefer to say that Z-Teca takes a "less is more" approach to their seasoning to great effect. I wish, like I do for all burrito bars in Toronto, that they'd make their own tortillas or acquire ones freshly made that day. I'd gladly pay a dollar or two more to eliminate pre-packaged tortillas.
