TOP 10 BEST Restaurants in Australia - Updated November 2024

Contrabando

83/100 (2863 ratings)

Restaurants

Mexican

Latin

South American

Central American

Mexican

Latin

Vegetarian Friendly

South American

Central American

Gluten Free Options

Vegetarian Friendly

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

After-hours

Prawns

Ceviche

Lamb

Fish

Beef

Pork

Tapas

Fish Taco

Tacos

Sit down

South American

Mexican

Central American

Latin

Serves Alcohol

Full Bar

Reservations

Seating

Table Service

Lunch

After-hours

Dinner

Mid-range

"Highly recommend the fish tacos here! The fish was so crispy and was served perfectly with various sauces. Super affordable feast if you come on..."

Eunifoodie

"Great service. Food came quick. Would recommend getting fish and bulgogi tacos...."

M&N

"really very good food - not authentic mexican - more latin-californian but still really kick ass - so so goodfun staff - really friendly..."

Bob Sacamano

"I visited this place on a Tuesday when they have the tacos for $3 special. This was a really great deal for some really great tacos. The crispy fish..."

IEats

"Absolutely buzzing for a Tuesday night with their $3 Taco Tuesday promo. The tacos are really fresh and flavour packet. My favourite was the beef..."

Danushi Fuller

"We ordered chicken tacos but were convinced that it was tuna when it arrived ?? Didn’t dispute cause it was good anyways. The squid was superstar..."

Irena Lim

"We couldn’t do the all you can eat tacos because we wanted to go in for dinner and drinks on the Friday night, but the reviews and pics were good..."

Katw

"Took up the all you can eat tacos Groupon deal for $23 pp and was so pleasantly with the variety of tacos on the menu!! The Groupon didn’t have any..."

EMZ EATS

"Delicious tacos, for $3 on Tuesday, it is an absolutely steal! The tacos come out as quickly as you can eat them. They are saucy (Also juicy!) and..."

Lien Nguyen

"Food and service was great and fast. I went in a big group and couldn’t get enough of the fish tacos so I highly recommend it. The cocktails they..."

D&T

"Yummy, fresh tacos - we loved best the fish, bulgogi and chicken ones. Really good value. Service was really good too. Not over the top but..."

Princeofharts

"What is not to love about two dollar ‘Taco Tuesday’? This place is fun, cool and always buzzing on a Tuesday when tacos are two dollars. I must..."

Marianna Tuccia

"On a long awaited return to Sydney my partner and I came here before the Opera and absolutely loved this funky place. We partook in the all you can..."

Esther Gresswell

"Taco Tuesday here is the best time in the week to go! $3 tacos and $14 margaritas, awesome place for drinks and dinner mid week 👏🏻👏🏻 Been..."

Liz Elton

"I dined here with a friend for Taco Tuesday. Contrabando offer $3 tacos from a select menu every Tuesday. There are plenty of flavours to satisfy..."

Theeconomicfoodie

"This is a good choice for going to the Opera House or hanging out at Circular Quay and on a Wednesday night was surprisingly pumping. The wait staff..."

Andy Quan

"Amazing food, amazing service. Highly recommend the Fish, lamb and beef tacos, it is aaaamazing! Cheeseburger spring rolls were a crazy twist...."

Chay

"Had a dinner with Groupon All-You-Can-Eat voucher. Normally I’m not a all you can eat person but this time really surprised me. They have good..."

Blair

"The food is delicious and the tacos aren’t too expensive either. We loved the fish and chicken tacos. The gin cocktail was really good! The staff..."

Kadambari Bhatte

"My first visit of many to Contrabando! The atmosphere, ambience and staff were AMAZING!!!! We ordered everything on the taco menu and to my..."

Fiona Nguyen

"Awesome Cheeseburger Spring Rolls and tacos off the charts good! Great venue with fun atmosphere. Def coming back asap to try other great looking..."

Zoe Mila

"Amazing food! Love this place! Will def come back! The cheeseburger spring rolls were so good, like an actual cheeseburger- weird i know! But..."

Jessmrobinson9

"[invite] Bianca: Back in 2007/2008 Mexican food was going through a major resurgence in Sydney. I was a bright-eyed 20 year old with a newly..."

Forfoodssake

"Got a groupon to try their all you can eat tacos. The place had great ambience, it’s definitely a place you’d come with a group and just catch up..."

Tanya

"great new fit out in new location - great food, service and vibeeasily best tacos in sydney - no question about it - cool artwork and..."

BarraFina Tapas Bar

"Everything you want in a taco and more! The tacos are presented beautifully and bursting with flavour every time. Easily the best tacos I’ve had in..."

Sarah

"Came here for Taco Tuesday and I have to say it did not disappoint! Contrabando definitely ticks the boxes for atmosphere, service, and..."

Anthony Nguyen

"Really cool funky fit out, amazing vibe great food. Came here for a birthday celebration and feel in love with the 12 hour slow cooked rib and..."

The Next Rush

"After building demolition and subsequent temporary closure, Contrabando has reopened on Macquarie Street, around corner from the original site. As..."

The RnB Diary

"The waitress who accomendated us was super nice. And the service from other team members were friendly too.We had four tacos each person, and..."

Ann

"Re-opened in The city lies a funky, vibey and awesome restaurant. The menu offers a wonderful selection of delicious dishes and perfect for sharing...."

Lollieats

"The much loved Contrabando of formerly Bent St has now reopened on Macquarie St where Aesops Greek Restaurant used to be. A first look at the fitout..."

Simon Leong

"This was the most amazing Mexican style food experience ever. It blows Mexico nz out of the water. We ordered way to much thinking portions would..."

Samitches

"Taco Tuesday ($3 each) is my obsession! This restaurant is very popular with the corporates. At lunch there are only 2 sittings so make sure to..."

Sweetandyummie

"Excellent service only to be matched by exceptional food. Fresh and friendly. Got my first $50 from Liven as this is a partner resto. I would..."

Tyrone Chae

"This place is pretty cool, they serve a wide variety of tacos and they are well made and bursting with flavour! Cool vibes, good music and..."

2Foodiefrogs

"A few times this place has had coupon offers through sites such as Scoupon & Cudo. We have bought them a few times for unlimited tacos with..."

TheFatCouple

"Great tasting and cheap tacos on Tuesday. All tacos were $3. The place was so crowded with young people but had a fun and vibrant atmosphere...."

Wendy

"'ALL YOU CAN EAT TACOS!' YES PLS! The fish & prawn tacos is definitely the show stopper; something you'll come back to. We loved the..."

Sarah&Gluttony

"An underground gem! Extremely difficult to find – we found ourselves walking around the vicinity for nearly 20 minutes before resorting to help..."

Liam Tay Kearney

"We got a Groupon voucher for all you can eat tacos. There is a good variety of tacos. Most of them are spicy but you can order them without..."

Little Miss Hungry

"The best tacos in Sydney! These guys started the taco Tuesday revolution and they are still number one. Excellent food, great drinks and..."

Peter Aitken

"Booked a table for 10 using Groupon's deal for all you can eat tacos and we sure had our money's worth. Tried all the flavours and the fish and beef..."

Johnny Pan

"Tacos here are very tasty. There was Tuesday special last year, 3 dollars per taco. My friends normally can eat 3-4 and feel really..."

Ashley Xu

"I went here to lunch on my Birthday this week. The food was fantastic. We got the $20 4 course menu with a complimentry drink. I had the beer and my..."

KatrinaELewis

"My family and I loved the food, although my kids are not so big on sauces (their loss). The service was excellent, the atmosphere and decor were all..."

IanFJ

"Great experience; Good taco's and fresh latin street food, great service and a really inviting ambience. Entrance is a little hidden but you go..."

Kevin Kwok

"When we read "all you can eat" on a menu we consciously prepare ourselves to eat more than we can bear or at least get our money's worth. Late..."

The Fat Girl Inside

"We came here on a Friday night without booking and were lucky enough to get a table for two. A nice little place tucked away in the basement of what..."

Bw_betman

"Used the groupon voucher for 4 with a group of high school mates. Went following a long Thursday at university and the all you can eat tacos for..."

Michael Li

"Amazing tacos here!! So much variety but my faves are the fish and the popcorn prawn tacos!! The beef cheeks and kimchi chicken deserve a special..."

JDub

"My friends and I went there using a Groupon offer for all you can tacos night. The tacos were really good. Some fell through like the beef one, but..."

Wannabe Foodie

"These guys really, really know how to make a taco. Interesting fillings made up of spicy, bold flavours that are truly authentic but modern at the..."

Two Girls One Fork

"I had bought a group buying voucher for "a beer and all you can eat taco's for two" meal. I originally booked well in advance for 22 April 2016, with..."

Rachael Elle

"This place is easy to walk past without noticing if you don't know it's there. But well worth a visit for taco Tuesday! The fish taco is especially..."

Lawrence Wisdom

"Really friendly and efficient service here. I had Chargrilled Corn, Wagyu Beef Cheek Taco, Cheeseburger Taco, Suckling Pig Quesadilla, and Churros..."

Eatwithmyfoodsafari

"Came here on a groupon voucher and the entrance to this place was very unwelcoming!!! it looked like we were walking into some underground night..."

Kathrine Fraser

"If you're in Sydney on a Tuesday you've got to make it a taco Tuesday! Contrabando is deceivingly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of CBD in an..."

Sp

"Contrabando is a hidden mexican place with good ambience and food.I tried the korean chicken taco, the shrimp popcorn taco and truck stop..."

Richa Thakur

"Great gourmet tacos, and cheap voucher deals, service between orders is slow ive noticed after repeat visits, so order several options in one go to..."

Jay Aka Areacritic.

"Came with a Groupon two months ago and was pleasantly surprised so I came back again tonight. The tacos here are delicious and are only $3 on..."

FoodGloriousFood

"went to dinner last had a groupon voucher all u can eat tacos very nice the waitress are friendly nice place its a good setup u..."

Xr62007

"The new Contrabando is amazing. great fit-out - fun staff and still serving killer tacos - easily still the best Tacos in Town! Hands down. Takes me..."

Ida Peters

"$3 slider Monday's. $3 taco Tuesday's. A hidden underground Mexican restaurant with Great Wall art and delicious food. A fabulous CBD lunch spot,..."

Always_eating

"As my friend worked nearby, we decided to check this place out for lunch as they had daily deals. On Fridays it's 4 tacos for $20 and this turned out..."

Miffy7

"When you have a team lunch to celebrate a team members promotion and they mention a lunch spot that is a great place for a quick lunch with a good..."

Rani Smith

"Had an all-you-can eat taco voucher and had all tacos except veggie.I must say I enjoyed the seafood tacos better (fish, calamari, prawn...."

FMBGD

"Best Mexican in Sydney. Surprised i hadn't heard about it sooner. Was referred here by a friend but undoubtedly the most delicious Mexican Ive tried..."

Vanna Baka

"After some crazy weather in Sydney, we finally decided to brave it and head to Contrabando (be it approximately 30 steps from the front door of our..."

La Petite Bobo

"Contrabando is an underground den that's kind of hidden away but venture down their enticing and mysterious stairway and you'll discover a hidden..."

Sir And Mlady Dine Out

"First one they tried was the wagyu beef. The meat was deliciously tender and the pomegranite seeds offered a refreshing, light crunch to the..."

DroolWorthyWorld

"Nice food and delicious tacos but nothing special. $10 cocktails on Wednesday. Didn't like the desserts at all. The churros were soggy..."

Berniecakes

"Taco Tuesday !!!. Had a few different $3 tacos this Tuesday.....all great. Fantastic deal . Special mention to the fish n prawn..."

Grapsta

"A bit late to post, but the best tacos I’ve ever had! The bulgogi beef taco and fish taco are AMAZING. Haven’t found a fish taco that is..."

Steph

"Arguably the best way to spend Taco Tuesday in the CBD. They've got a selection of tacos for everyone's taste and they're only $3 on Tuesday! ..."

Christian Dodd

"Popped in for the express lunch and it was so great. Perfect amount of food and LOADED with flavour. You can tell everything has been thought out and..."

Sixfoot & Salty

"Are you hungry and want a bunch of flavours to tackle your mouth harder than those dudes playing NRL tackle each other?! Contrabando is a place I..."

Clara Atkin

"I bought the tacos from Groupon, the tacos are great, I love it!!! The staffs are nice, pretty and helpful, but I think they need more staffs to..."

Sindhu Wardhana

"Best tasting Tacos in town! Came here for taco Tuesday. Tacos were perfectly priced at $3 each. We each had one of each taco. The service was decent...."

Jacob Timol

El Loco At Excelsior

80/100 (1261 ratings)

Quick Bites

Mexican

Bar

Pub

Bar

Pub

Mexican

Gluten Free Options

Dinner

Lunch

After-hours

Drinks

Fish Taco

Tacos

Prawns

Nachos

Burger

Torte

Fish

Pork

Beef

Salad

Tapas

Sit down

Mexican

Bar

Pub

Seating

Wheelchair Accessible

Serves Alcohol

Full Bar

Accepts Credit Cards

Outdoor Seating

Takeout

Accepts Mastercard

Accepts Visa

Accepts American Express

Street Parking

Reservations

Lunch

After-hours

Drinks

Dinner

Cheap Eats

"Came here a while back with a bunch of friends. Food was excellent and I really enjoyed the vibe of the place. The venue had a little hiccup with our..."

Cynthiaeats_

"Staff: very friendly Food: the beef taco was my favourite but the SALSA, omg, the salsa inside the beef taco was incredible!! I need to know how..."

Kathy

"Pricey! But love the old school venue, food has always been amazing and the Margaritas are top notch! Cool place to go with a few pals for a fun,..."

Jos Reynolds

"Can’t go wrong with $5 taco Tuesdays! Quite busy at dinner time but they have plenty of seats inside and out. Order at the front bar, but I believe..."

Nibble And Wander

"nice atmosphere to spend some time with friends. food was good and portions were moderate alongside with the prices. A nice mexican bar for..."

Josie

"Decided to give El loco burgers a try! It definitely did not disappoint! You honestly can’t go wrong with chicken and classic burgers, probably the..."

HANGRYHUNGRY

"Loving the Mexican deco of this place! The chorizo quesadilla was OK. The shrimp taco was just so-so; while the carne asada taco was spot on...."

Jo

"I love the ambience. It’s perfect for a late night drink with friends. Unfortunately the foods that we tried (baja fish tacos, pollo tacos, and..."

Veronica Indrawan

"I went for lunch with a friend here once and it was a decent experience. Since it’s more of a bar your expectations shouldn’t be huge, but it was..."

Varsha Chand

"Fun Mexican atmosphere, highly authentic (I think?). The food also seems very accurate to Mexican cuisine which naturally, is pretty tasty. Main..."

Eric Tompson

"El loco is ideally located in Surry Hills and is easily accessible. It serves some delicious food and offers an authentic experience.Went..."

Juhi- Culture And Cuisine

"Such a great mexican bar! Fantastic service, food and atmosphere! I love their asada (beef) taco's and their chorizo quesadilla's are delicious too...."

The Naked Food Addict

"Ordered the nachos, chicken quesadilla, fish and beef tacos and churros for desert. Overall everything was great, especially the chicken quesadilla...."

Beatrice Bursa

"Really enjoyed the tacos! They are quite big and well made. Fantastic atmosphere when there is not to many people in there. I would say go early if..."

Andy Trieu

"Way back when, in the mists of time, when El Loco opened up at the Excelsior, it was cause for a serious buzz. Merivale was making its mark, and..."

Andy Quan

"The first and only other time I was here, I loved their food although they got the hot dog part of our order wrong, we ordered one hot dog and one..."

Knife Fork N Chopsticks

"Thought this place was very charming. Quick service and super delicious food. Tacos and nachos were so yummy and the churros just hit the spot...."

Carolyn Nash

"I have been waiting to come here for a long time. Now I am working in the area I decided to give it a good. The venue is quirky and has out door..."

Goopee Howard

"Nachos and tacos. Loaded with filling but the menu seems very limited which is surprising. Would I come back....yes, because you can also have a..."

Lunch Pie

"So good!!!!!!! Frozen margarita was incredible and the food holy hell like it was insane, best taco I ever did have and the chips were thing and..."

Sophie

"Good selection of authentic Mexican: tacos, burritos, nachos, mex dogs. Good selection of margarita, cocktails, and slushies. Colourful Mexican..."

Hungrysydneysiders

"El loco is an amazing Mexican restaurant with food full of flavour... and spice! After trying the hot sauce my mouth burned for 15 minutes afterward!..."

Matt

"It's been a while since I've revisited el loco, safe to say that it is still the same. Love the vibe of this place! The drinks, food, staff are all a..."

Randomness_of_existence

"El Loco at the House. Throughout January (4-28), your favourite Surry Hills Mexican cantina is coming to the iconic Sydney Opera House. Officially..."

Postcards From Peta

"I came here for a birthday dinner and it was definitely a good night for all. Thank god we made a booking for 30 earlier otherwise there would have..."

Nancy Luu

"Finally have time to rewrite this review after the latest zomato update deleted my almost completed review,this is the short version El..."

Sydneyguyrojoe

"Delicious! During a short time in Sydney, I had already been to El Loco every week! The prawn and fish tacos were a particular favourite. We had the..."

Clarissa

"Swede took me here coz Queenies forgot his mains. Cute little taco join with tasty tacos! Swede had the beef and i had the prawns!! Once u ordered..."

Snowbunny Ang

"Came here on Friday night and had the grilled fish with radish and fennel salad as well as, some fries. The fish was cooked well and tasted..."

Safwat Hossain

"remember in Sydeny about 6 years ago EVERYONE was doing soft tacos? from pubs, to burger joints, to crappy food trucks and their pop up stores? this..."

Ben Goodman

"Yum! El loco you always deliver the goods! Ordered the 200g steak with mexican rice with salsa and a side of salad and it was spot on! Took a little..."

YUXIPANDA

"This place was loads of fun. Super busy! Long lines and waits, but that didn't matter because the atmosphere and music were great. Food was..."

Kat

"More food variety would be nice but otherwise sensational in every way! Great vibes and great music. Pacifico buckets are great, best during the..."

@forfoodiesake

"Very cool, but always so packed. Love the food and drinks, great for a quick feed or Friday night dranks. The hot dog is really good, they make fab..."

@eatingupwiththehannashians

"WHEELCHAIR ACCESS! GET OUT AND HAVE FUN! - El Loco Surry HillsMexican food, like its culture, is fun, vibrant, and relaxed. Situated in the..."

MarchOn

"Really enjoyed the quick feast we had here - great little tacos, the corn looked fantastic and the flavours were punchy (as expected). Absolutely..."

XCarajo

"I really rate El Loco! The vibe is casual and relaxed and the staff are also chilled but very friendly and attentive too. I love how they do a..."

Bottomlesspit

"El Loco is a cool little joint set inside a pub that does pretty good tacos and churros. The hotdog is delicious too. Good selection of margaritas,..."

Thefoodbotherer

"Pleased I found this little gem. Wonderful atmosphere and staff were super tentative epically due to my partners allergies. Now the cocktails were..."

El Bretnall

"Great menu with big flavours, fair prices, and fun vibe. Very "dude food", so right up my alley. I've even had a crack at recreating the El Loco hot..."

ThatFoodDude.

"Tried the pork crackling salad , like the way they present this dishes - looks like a volcano, complex textures that u can taste crackling, cheese, ..."

Tiffany

"Great place to come for a few chilled drinks and a bite to eat. The setup is nice with an outdoor and indoor area, with neatly decorated walls and..."

Will

"Great place to catch up with friends midweek as its only 5 min walk from Central station. Super tasty, cheap and cheerful, highly recommend..."

Mandy Montana

"Had a ball! Loved the place. 6-8pm a lot of drinks are for $6 including house spirits and tequila. It was a friends birthday and we went overboard...."

Nandini Gaur

"This is one of my most frequently visited places for after work drinks. Its fun its contemporary it serves frozen margaritas what's not to like?..."

Food Obsessed

"Good location and fun atmosphere. Go there with a couple of friends and order tacos and beers and your night is complete. I highly recommend all the..."

Sweetandyummie

"When you find yourself in a place with colourful streamers hanging from the ceiling and murals featuring images of cacti, Frida Kahlo and skulls with..."

I Ate My Way Through

"Great food, great location! The cheesy hotdog was amazing, as well as the chorizo quesadilla and fish tacos. The bar also have Mexican..."

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed

"Located off the main street of Foveaux in Surry Hills, this place was where we first tried El Loco. We rocked up after work.. excited to relax, grab..."

FoodsterAu

"El Loco at the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills could almost be considered an establishment in itself. The Mexican food, tacos in particular, are a..."

Charn Tangson

"El Loco at the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills could almost be considered an establishment in itself. The Mexican food, tacos in particular, are a..."

Charn Tangson

"Possibly the best Mexican food in Sydney, definitely one of the most fun restaurants in Surry Hills. Delicious food, great drinks and fun atmosphere..."

Sam Molloy

"{ _anne_with_an_e // review }I came here during an odd hour, so it wasn't very busy, and received quick and friendly service. We tried the El..."

_anne_with_an_e

"All in all, not a bad place for casual food and drinks with friends. When busy, El Loco may not be the best place to go given the ambience or the..."

Nora Ng–Na

"What a fun night. Pretty intense atmosphere - busy and loud (a crowd enjoying themselves and a DJ) but fun. Fantastic decor/set-up with colourful..."

Peony

"Cool place, great atmosphere, perfect location for a cheap fun time with friends. Food was good, my husband thinks they are the best tacos he has..."

Brooke Fraser

"El Loco is a great place to have some casual drinks and snacks with friends. Set within a pub, the atmosphere is really chill. I had been craving a..."

Weekendfoodescapes

"Cheap tacos, cheap drinks! Nice place up the hill in Surry hills, cool place to meet friends and have a cheap meal and some drinks before a night..."

Sydneybelly

"Gluten Free Tacos!. SEE YOU LATER TORTILLA & HELLO LETTUCE LEAF! A mini victory for the gluten free Mexican fiends of Sydney. Living gluten free is a..."

Glutenfreehunter

"Sort of a chance finding really walking past. Cool vibe and atmosphere. Nachos were incredible and the frozen margaritas also amazing. I’m not sure..."

John R

"The lady that was working last night as the manager (forgot her name) was so excellent. She was so friendly and accommodating, and made the whole..."

Sydney Beauty Room

"Excellent selection of Mexican classics. Great flavour and variety in the tacos, quesadillas were super cheesy, nachos really hit the spot, and..."

Vi Girgis

"I come back to this place every time I get. Good Mexican food in a relaxed setting, a good beer selection, and good cocktails. A good selection of..."

Lain Gonzalez

"Heard about this place many times from friends. Tonight came with a bunch of friends because we heard the food was amazing and drinks were unique. We..."

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