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Bandidas Taqueria offers vegetarian and vegan Mexican dishes. Large plates of nachos, handmade soft tacos, fresh ingredients and cheap beer.
I am new to eating a more vegan or plant-based diet, which means that my choices for going out for dinner have changed significantly. Once you cut out things like meat or even cheese for that matter you realize the world of eating out is not at all geared towards you. In fact, you might be lucky if there is even one thing on the menu you can eat. So recently I have been trying out a few local vegetarian restaurants and the main thing that we have noticed is that the service is always not that great. For instance, the foundation makes pretty good food but their idea of service is "here's the table, here's your food (usually on a severely chipped plate)...here's where you pay" - end of story. Same goes for the Naam but that's nothing new.
This leads me to my experience today at Bandidas. Today six of us went for lunch there and not only was the food very good but the service was exceptional. Our waitress "kir" (not sure of spelling) was really nice and friendly. She also made it very clear that they could make anything vegan if needed, she made sure we didn't need anything before and after we got our food, which came super fast btw. I would totally recommend this place to anyone. Thanks Bandidas, I'll be back for sure!
I guess the title pretty much sums it up. I think I had a burrito. I think it was good. Obviously it was not spectacularily awesome or Id remember more. I think the glass of water was ok too. The two friends I were with love this place so, I can't really knock it. The watiress never smiled or even talked.
However, the whole place felt kinda in need of a good scrub down. The bathrooms were sort of rinky dink. The whole thing is one of those early 70s hippie leftover deals like the Naam or Sophie's. It's just on the wrong side of town.
Verdict. I think I'm getting too old to eat at places like this.
As a meatitarian, I always make the mistake of not reading Dine Here before I decide to check out restaurants. I've done the same thing with Budgies Burritos, Foundation and other restaurants and up a little disappointed to discover the meatless menu.
The decor inside is a little shabby but it was clean. I ordered the Leona Gail (3 tacos option) which are chipotle tofu tacos. To my surprise, they were very tasty despite the absence of meat. All the ingredients were very fresh and the chipotle gave them a little spiciness. For $7.00 for three tacos, the value was very good as well. I am not sure if I will be back because of the whole vegetarian thing, but I definitely enjoyed the tacos and would recommend this restaurant.
Meh...food is good. In house tortillas are a nice touch. I don't eat cheese or soy cheese, so it all felt a little bland without it. But the tacos I had were actually quite creative for being veggie - not bad.
Service is lackluster and didn't like the attitude of our waitress. Ambiance ? Needs a good dusting. So do most of the patrons. But I'd probably come back if I'm in the neighborhood and feel like some nice corn tortillas, mediocre toppings and hipster bangs.
I read the other reviews on the website but neglected to clue in it was an "all vegetarian" taqueria... I begged for some chicken, beef, or even fish... to no avail. The ladies behind the counter could see my visible disappointment, but I stuck it out and had the three "Linda May" tacos washed down with an ale for 10 bucks (lunch special)... I told them I would spread the word to my veggie friends.... The tacos were nice and semi-crunchy and everything the bandidas used for the filling was ultra fresh and visually appealing. However, I do think they should put "vegetarian" in their name to make sure people know it's not your typical taco place.
There are restaurants for people who don't know how to make scrambled eggs and wouldn't know good food if they were crushed by a giant slab of wagyu. There are restaurants for people who know how to cook and know what a Berkshire is. Bandidas runs dangerously close to the former.
The food is actually quite decent, though not outstanding. We did like their own home-made corn tacos, which was quite tasty. But aside from that, the only people who would give this a big thumbs up are those who can barely turn Kraft dinner into something edible.
Their management skills are also SORELY lacking. The couple ahead of us waited about 5-10min. to have an empty table cleared. And then another 5-10min. for them to be seated and get a menu. And then we had to wait...
Then there was the food. We had the taco's (which as I mentioned, quite decent) and their breakfast. The Breakfast had salsa, roast potatoes , 1 chunk of roast yam (yes, seriously, just 1 tiny cube) and generous tidbits of mystery carbon, (a.k.a. burnt bits), a few shreds of cabbage, beans, scrambled eggs and a piece of cornbread. Hey, that was kind of tasty too! But you'd be less impressed if I told you about an hour had elapsed since we stepped into the restaurant before we got our food. (Oh, we were lucky. The couple ahead of us still didn't get their food by that time).
??? Most dishes on the menu are variations on the taco or breakfast. Nobody in their right mind would make all of the stuff "fresh" for each order except the eggs. So I'm asking, do they know how to cook for a restaurant? A lot of that stuff should've been prepped that morning, so it should take no more than 10-15min. to deliver any table.
On the plus side, the price is decent, the food is decent. On the negative side, it definitely is not worth the wait for such unimpressive food. Except for the corn tacos, I could've whipped up the entire meal (yeah, including roasting the potatoes) and eaten it in less time than it took them to deliver, and it would've been just as tasty.
Unless they shape up, I'm seeing them heading for an epic fail, as there is no way they can achieve enough turn over to pay the bills.
Place was packed with granolas and hipsters and after a 20 minute wait, granted it was lunchtime saturday, I had high expectations for the vegetarian menu. Service is not grand; you don't get so much as a nod from the one gal acting both host and waitress, that she sees a bunch of customers waiting there until she has a table. Though having a nice manner, she comes and goes during the meal without you realizing, which is just fine for the type of joint that it is.
Was recommended The Breakfast of free range eggs, side purple cabbage salad, beans, salsa, cornbread, and roasted yams/potatoes. It was as she said, simple. Simple can be satisfying...but not in this case. The cabbage salad was very simply, sliced cabbage, and the firm cornbread was not hugely inviting. All items on the plate taste better at home. Tofu-filled taco looked, smelled and tasted very healthy, not bad for vegan. Drinks looked great and organic coffee refills are aplenty.
A slightly disappointing rating as food is supposed to taste better when you're famished. But it was not so. I may be back, but probably at the request of friends, to try less generic breakfast items or different sauced enchiladas and other tacos.
Decor makes the food look interesting. Nice to include HST into menu prices. OK value overall.
The food was ok. I was expecting it to be a bit better because it's always so busy there. I had the tortilla soup. It was pretty gross. It was the consistency of spagetti sauce. Tasted more like a sauce for pasta than a soup. It had avocado and tortilla chips in it but not enough spice and was gross.
I also ordered the tofu tacos which were pretty good except they were soggy. I liked the sauces they stuck on the tacos. They had some other varities of tacos that seemed a bit weird like walnuts, and pineapple and some other weird items that didn't sound good for tacos.
Also I ordered a side of rice w/ my tacos. They say you can order a side or rice, or a side of beans. I was figuring the rice would have had some flavour. It was plain rice. It was specifically listed as a side order for the tacos. What am i supposed to do with plain rice for tacos? I asked the waitress what am I supposed to do with this rice? Is there anything it comes w/ any sauces? I was def expecting some spanish rice being its a mexican restaurant but it was plain / nothing came w/ it. She brought me a side of enchilada sauce for the rice it was gross. Who eats plain rice???
My vegan friend asked the waitress if their dessert was vegan the waitress said it was and then after they were half way eating it the waitress advised they made a mistake and it wasn't. Not very cool...
My other friend had some sort of a burrito. It was pretty boring tasting. I don't know why people think this place is so great.
I have eaten here a number of times. It is usually very busy, but I have never had to wait more than 5 mins for table so far. All of the food I have had so far is extremely delicious, especially the veganized cheese. I am not vegan, but I have tried it and it is something special. I prefer it to most real cheeses, as other places use cheap real cheese and this is better than that. My one issue with the restaurant is that when you buy nachos they provide you with extremely small amounts of salsa, sour cream or guac which is quite expensive. I really wish they would up these sizes so that you could enjoy a solid dip on your chips.
Cycled out from Kitsilano yesterday for a late lunch and was overjoyed at the operation these Folks are running.
Service-friendly low key and efficient-vary capable likeable Staff.
Food-excellent value very tasty.
It's been ages since I had real fresh Tortillas and the Tacos were delectable, outstanding value too.
A nice touch was the bike rack out front-for some reason it's the only one on that block I guess the other business owners just don't care but Bandidas sure does!
Make sure you got your tattoo on before you eat here. I think I was the only one that didn't have one in the restaurant. That's all good. I felt like the people just left MEC on their bikes and went straight to the restaurant for a convention. Lots of treehuggers, that's all good. Oh yeah, that;s right vegetarian. The food is quite good. Probably the best vegetarian I have had. Solid stuff. Do recommend it for sure!
If you don't eat meat this is a great place to eat. I have no complaints. I liked my food... I just wish there was some dead animal flesh somewhere in it.. Other than that, Mmmmmmmmmmmm. The servers didn't come by too much, or not enough. That was nice. The price is pretty good too. And I got full. So that's a plus!
I have been here about a handful of times and have always thoroughly enjoyed myself. Service can be hit or miss, last time we were there service was kinda sub-par but the time before our server was friendly and efficient and even laughed at our terrible inside jokes. Last time we were here was with a group of 9 for mine and my friend's birthdays and everyone had a different item off the menu and even though there were only 3 of us who are vegetarian no one complained about not having any meat. We all shared nachos, vegan and nonvegan, with a side of guacamole which is definitely a must! Their burritos are good sized and delicious and those that had the enchiladas said the same thing. My nephew had a brownie for dessert and his only complaint was that it wasn't big enough. I find the price for their food very reasonable, if you're drinking margaritas your bill might stack up a bit but as a poor student I can easily be sated and not feel it in my wallet. I personally love the decor and ambiance as it feels very relaxed and homey, but I know not everyone would share my affinitiy for loud music and bikes on the wall. The place is on the smaller side so chances are you will probably have to wait for a table, but even if you get a disinterested waitress who forgets your beer, the food will be worth the wait!
I don't know what the other reviewers are talking about regarding the service, as myself and my party of 4 were seated, served and finished all in good time. The food was delicious and prompt. My only concern was that the waiter didn't return to refill our water throughout the meal. Minor issue in what was overall a pleasant experience.
Two friends and I decided to try out this place on a Thursday night. We were impressed by the menu selection (tons to choose from) and prices (super cheap!). The ambiance is laid back and comfortable. We all ordered different types of burritos - when they came they were HUGE and super tasty! I got the Leona Gayle with a side salad and was stuffed! We were happy that the food was pretty healthy and wasn't overkill on the greasy, melted cheese. One friend doesn't like overly spicy and she found her meal perfect (there is hot sauce avail for those like me who like a little kick!).
Overall the bill for 3 people only came to $28 - very cheap considering it was dinner and we were all full beyond comfort! The place was pretty busy for early on a Thursday and I now can see why. Would recommend this place to anyone who likes healthy food to taste good (and good on the wallet!).
Having recently made the shift to pescetarianism, I'm always interested to try out vegetarian restaurants. Bandidas had been on my list for awhile and my first experience exceeded my expectations.
Let me get the criticisms out of the way first. There isn't a convenient place to stand while you wait for a table, so you're always semi-hovering over someone's table. The stools are right in front of "The List" where the host puts your name down, so you're constantly in the way. And the decor needs some work. It seems like something's missing that would pull the room together. Maybe if the walls were painted something other than white? They're obviously going for an eclectic, homey feeling, but it felt cluttered to me. However, these are minor quibbles, and they do takeout so the ambiance isn't a dealbreaker for me.
Onto the food. I was thrilled to learn you can mix and match tacos because I wanted to try several. I settled on the Ronny Russell (roasted yams) and the Leona May (chipotle tofu). Both were stellar, if a little messy to eat because they are generous with the fillings. Be sure to get the "beautiful side salad" (the house salad). My boyfriend and I agree the pepitas and guac make it something special. I sampled his Dave's chipotle tofu burritos with mole sauce, which finds the right balance of sweet and spicy.
Our server was friendly and helpful. She even commiserated with my distaste for cilantro and made sure they left it off my salad. It's nice to find a Mexican restaurant (even if it's not authentic Mexican) that gets that some of us have the cilantro=soap gene.
I like what you're doing here, Bandidas. Keep it up.
We went to Bandidas based on the reviews that we have read. We were not disappointed in the least! The only one draw back is that it is vegetarian with no meat options. However, there are plenty of items to choose from - and all looked tasty!
We started with the small nachos (which was a loaded with toppings), and for mains my other half ordered Dani's enchiladas with rice and beans, and I the house salad with added roasted yam and tofu.
He found the enchiladas a little sweet for his liking but was still impressed with quantity and quality. I really enjoyed my salad - and I couldn't even eat it all!
Ambiance is not high end, but more of a comfy feeling. I loved that none of the chairs or dishes matched.
Service was very pleasant and attentive. Even though they were busy, our server still managed to come and check on us a few times.
Dinner total for 1 litre white sangria (really good!), small nacho, enchilada, and house salad $50 after tax. Saturdays the sangria is on special for $15 for 1 litre.
We will be back!
This place is on Commercial and 12th. You won't miss it. There's free and metered parking around the area. This place is absolutely delicious: fresh ingredients, hand-made tortillas, and great mix of flavours. Great for sharing too. My friends and I only had enough stomach room for 3 tacos (Ronny Russell, Wolf and Goat, and Estelle) and the Dave's enchilada. The Estelle and Ronny Russel were the best out of the 3 I ordered. The enchilada was good (melted cheese and savoury spicy tofu), but I probably wouldn't get it again. I'm going to try their nachos next time. I'm more of a taco fan.
Ambiance is pretty good. Small, cozy place that looks like it will get very very busy on the weekend. They use empty jars as cups. It's kind of neat. My friend had the tequila lemonade and she said it was really tasty.
PS. No meat here but the waiter "guaranteed we won't be disappointed" and we weren't.
Tasty vegetarian tacos! Went and ordered 2 of everything and shared! Surprisingly filling and even the meat lovers weren't missing the meat. Healthy and affordable, what's not to love? Try the sweet potato and pumpkin seed, will not disappoint!
Very casual setting, typical east van hipster decor (think; foundation, little nest, zubees, anything and everything on the drive...) and that explains the scenester kids with their flip up hats and hollow glasses frames that tend to find themselves here. Even fun if you're not into that sort of thing. But as a warning, not somewhere to bring the in-laws ha ha.
When I think mexican, I usually think of texmex with lots of processed cheese on fried tacoshells and loaded with greasy ground beef. Think again. Bandidas makes their own corn tortilla unlike any tortilla wrap i'd have before (think smaller and thicker, almost polenta-like in texture), topped with fresh ingredients. I enjoyed my "Estelle" tacos, which had roasted pineapple and chopped fresh tomatos, which made it on the wet side, but still delicious. Washed down with a pink lemonade of half order cranberry soda and half order lemonade. My companion appeared to have enjoyed his "Ronny Russell" meal. We went midday, and it was nice and relaxing, with no hub of children. The restaurant does seem to be child friendly, with crayons and paper handy to keep kids busy. Will try to get the window-side table with two rocking chairs next time.
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