Cartel del Taco

Cartel Del Taco brings an authentic taste of Mexico City to Brisbane's eastside with traditional tacos, tequila cocktails, Mexican cerveza and more.

The brainchild of Mexican ex-pats and friends, Erick Martinez and Marco Ramirez, the bright and cheerful, retro-inspired taqueria is as authentic as it gets, from the delicious food on offer to the furnishings imported from Mexico, including the shiny red tables and chairs, plates and glasses, and Indigenous art such as the vibrant bull's skull hand-decorated by an Oaxacan artist.

Guests are greeted with a neon sunburst along one wall, and a sleek illuminated bar on the other, with dining provided both inside and outside on the footpath. 

Entradas or starters, perfect for sharing, include fresh oysters served with a Mexican mignonette, coriander, green jalapeno chilli and a touch of Tabasco; authentic guacamole served with homemade corn tortilla chips; chargrilled corn with lime, mayo and Tajin chilli powder; pescadillas (deep-fried quesadillas filled with red snapper) served with pico de gallo, salsa and lime; and octopus tostadas - crunchy corn tortillas topped with slow-cooked octopus, salsa, coriander, lime, mayo and homemade secret spicy sauce.

The Taco menu boasts 7 tasty street food treats including the most famous taco in Mexico - El Pastor - spit-grilled pork marinated with guajillo chilli and axiote adobo, served with a sliver of pineapple.

Otherwise, there's Suadero (slow-cooked beef brisket), Pork Cochinata (slow-cooked Yucatán-style pork, Axiote recado, pickled red onion & salsa roja), Maya Fish ( grilled barramundi fish, avocado salsa, coriander, lemon-cured cucumbers,
pomegranate & red cabbage) and Oyster Mushroom (wood grilled oyster mushrooms cooked in plant based butter, garlic, salsa macha, crispy chickpea & avocado salsa), 

Plus, there's Chef's Special Beef Cheek Taco, Mexican street sandwiches and a selection of Mexican desserts including Flan( vanilla egg based custard, baked in caramel lined dish in a bain-marie); Churro Taco (crispy sweet taco with cinnamon sugar, filled with smooth orange diplomatic vanilla cream and fresh strawberries) and Pastel de Cajeta -  baked-soft caramel lava cake, ricotta cheese, served with french vanilla ice cream and chocolate dust.

Cartel Del Taco is fully licensed with Dos Equis and Montieth's on tap, served along with Tecate, Corona, Modelo and more, a carefully curated concise wine list, and a refreshing array of tequila and Mexcal-based cocktails including classic Margaritas and signature cocktails such as The Gardner (Patron Silver, Cointreau, passionfruit and citrus), Plata Picante (Patron Silver, Cointreau, coconut, pineapple and citrus with a dash of Tabasco) and Frozen Margarita.

By Deb Lidster

The menu may have changed since our visit.

A guide to the best Mexican restaurants in Brisbane

Still hungry for more suggestions on where to eat out in Brisbane, head to our comprehensive Eat & Drink section HERE! Happy grazing!