THE MULE, Hamilton - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Reservations

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About

Hamilton's crowdfunded taco bar. Serving all the tacos from whitefish to pork belly, and must-try ceviches. We have a vast selection of tequila and bourbon, and if straight spirits aren't your thing, our extensive craft cocktail selection will suit your tastes. Join us late night Friday and Saturday for funky retro vinyl sounds in a stylish, grown up atmosphere. Oh, and there's weekend brunch too!

PRICE RANGE

$3.00 – $35.00

CUISINES

Mexican, Bar, South American, Central American

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.5

323 reviews

Excellent

173

Very good

118

Average

19

Poor

8

Terrible

5

John B

Toronto2873 contributions

Fabulous tacos (and guacamole too!)

Oct 2020 • none

The Mule is a very casual spot serving up great tacos and other savoury Mexican dishes. Do start with the guacamole - enough for two to share and comes with a nice spicy bite and plenty of tortilla chips. There are seven different tacos on order (including a vegan option) so your biggest challenge is figuring out what to order. If you're hungry three should be enough (they are $5.50 to $6.00 each) and I would highly recommend the pork carnitas (beware of the very spicy pickled Anaheim chilis!) and the achiote chicken. Lots of cocktails, beer and wine on offer. Service was good and they take COVID very seriously here - you take the food from the server's tray and mask wearing is strictly enforced when not at your table.

Written October 24, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TruReviewAncaster598

Ancaster32 contributions

Standout flavors and excellent service

May 2022 • friends

We are trying new restaurants in uncharted locations and tried The Mule. Loved the unique food and drink variations of classics we never would have imagined. Most unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable. Server was well informed and perfectly attentive. Only criticism was that the variety of tacos ordered by 4 people were presented in groups of 6 with everyones mixed in with the others. At a steak house you wouldn’t put my potatoes and vegetables on someone else’s plate and then say “you guys sort out whose is whose.” Makes no sense. Anyway… 5/5 and highly recommended.

Written May 22, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Diane M

Brantford25 contributions

Excellent experience

Mar 2020 • none

Service was perfect -prompt and very friendly, good sense of humor. There for brunch on a Sunday about 1:30pm - no wait, plenty of choice for seating and no rushing to get you out. Food was excellent varying from "breakfasty" types of tacos to regular "lunch" types Personal surprise was the brussel sprouts taco - never anticipated it being that delicious. Highly recommend if looking for a new experience in a relaxed atmosphere.

Written March 9, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Relax23027470547

Thank you so much for coming Diane! No one ever suspects the brussels sprouts and then BAM! Flavor country!

Written March 16, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mike W

1 contribution

Mediocre Service, Not Going Back

Jan 2020 • couples

My girlfriend and I went for dinner. We were seated at one of the high tables near the front door. It was directly across from the stairwell down to the bathroom (lovely smell). The table itself was tiny, barely enough room for one plate and a drink each. I was driving that night and I soon as I ordered a non-alcoholic drink the server’s demeanour changed, probably because we were a less profitable table than others that ordered alcohol. The seats were extremely small. I’m an average sized guy with a pretty skinny frame, but I had to keep one foot on the floor at all times to avoid slipping off. When the food came the tacos were delicious but pretty small considering the ~$5 price. We decided to order more because we were still hungry, but ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes for our server to come back over to us. In the meantime, he visited all the other tables behind ours to take their food and drink orders (most of which were ordering alcohol). He also spent a fair amount of time by the bar talking to other staff members. When he finally came over and we ordered more, our drinks were empty at that point and he didn’t offer to refill them or ask if we wanted anything else. After we finished the second round of tacos we waited another 15 minutes before he came back to offer us the bill. The hostess seemed to be the only one who had a clue what was going on, as she came by to clear our plates and dishes throughout the meal. The tacos, while pricey, were pretty solid. But overall, not worth the subpar service. I’ll likely never go back.

Written January 24, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marc J

Ancaster10 contributions

Birthday dinner for my son,

Feb 2020 • family

Birthday dinner for my son, eight in our party. We liked the layout of the restaurant. It was crowed and a little loud but that’s ok Tacos were ok. Nit bad nail great. Margaritas were not good. You think a Taco restaurant would make a good Margarita, but I guess not Service was very slow and didn’t seem to be concerned about our table. Restaurant was half full and it took 10 minutes to get a draft beer. I won’t be back

Written February 23, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kari

Prince George28 contributions

Didn't expect THAT!

Jan 2020 • none

Never had calamari that good before. Not only was it gluten-free it was soaked in buttermilk leaving the bits soft under the crisp. I ruined my appetite for the tacos by eating so much calamari. The friend I went with really talked it up and it delivered. Loud, crazy and sitting at a high table (just like us).

Written March 8, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Seamus

Oakville1660 contributions

HIts the Spot

May 2024 • family

One of the many fine eateries in downtown Hamilton (with several locations elsewhere in southern Ontario), this joint was my daughter's choice after her graduation from nearby McMaster University. Five of us showed up at noon without reservation, and were easily accommodated this Thursday. Service staff are friendly and efficient. We were advised first the menu is being reprinted so is available only on line. No problem, so we all got out our mobiles. This is not exactly a tacquira; more like a long space in the side of a corner building, and purely southern Ontarian in metallic tables and chairs, splashy art on the walls and professional grafitti in the bathrooms. With lots of sunlight, we loved it. Once seated at a long table (which was later shared by another proud family of a graduate), service by Katelyn was prompt and attentive. Appie was the guacamole, and it was done right: slightly chunky, limey, a little spicy and just good. One order is not enough for 5, but price is high no doubt to the high cost of avocadoes in Canada. Now, you must eat tacos here. At $7 CDN each, three is the recommendation for a meal. The variety is large, so I will just review my order. I went with fish, habanero brisket and the achiote chicken tacos. Each was served with a generous portion of shredded veggies and other condiments. They all schmecked, and the achiote chicken was the best. I sampled the cease and desist, and it was fantastico. One recommendation: for those of you (like me) who like to turn up the heat, ask for the salsa and you'll 3 flavours. You gotta eat here. With 8 pints of house brew and one pineapple express (for the graduand), $221 before tip. I apologise if I don't identify all the taco varities in the photos.

Written May 24, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Renee

Kitchener128 contributions

So many tacos to choose...!

Oct 2019 • none

There were so many taco options and daily features plus appetizers. The flavours of all the tacos tried were so tasty and authentic! The atmosphere was lively and service was great. Its a busy place on a Saturday night but they will text you when a table is ready.

Written January 12, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

max j

18 contributions

Gluten Free Heaven !

Sep 2022 • none

Just found out this year that I can no longer have Gluten. I have been coming to the Mule on occasion for years and had no clue they were Gluten Free. Normally, some Gluten Free options suck but I am excited to know that I can eat amazing food with zero concerns. The whole menu is Gluten Free ! My partner and I dined here last night and had 5 tacos each. Cease and Desist, Chicken, Pork Belly, Fish and Brisket. All were great except for the Chicken was good still but not outstanding like the other 4. Service was quick, like food was out in 10 minutes or less which was great as we had a movie to catch. Thanks again to the owners for allowing people with Gluten intolerances to be able to still dine and feel normal.

Written September 14, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bill Dandie

Toronto175 contributions

Pretty good fish taco but long for better :-)

Dec 2022 • none

The Mule is a good spot to fill up on tacos! While staying with my aging mom in Hamilton I searched for top restaurants as I will be spending more time with her. The Mule popped up and so did my curiosity because of my love and pursuit of the best fish taco! I've traveled the world, tried hundreds of fish tacos and The Mule would hold an "average" rating. The environment is inviting, edgy, the staff super friendly and service great! Each taco is around 6 bucks so you have a higher sticker for a lackluster kicker. The guacamole and queso was good, bridging on great and if the chips were served warm the experience would have been tight. We visited Saturday for lunch and unfortunately hit a brunch wall that limited our choices and led us to opening a menu on our smartphones to choose food! The margarita was good and all in we invested about 115 for two of us. Will I return...no and I will search for Hamilton's top restaurant!

Written December 4, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sean W

Pittsburgh123 contributions

Trendy, but not authentic

May 2024 • business

So there's been a proliferation lately of trendy Mexican places that serve strange taco recipes that aren't really authentic Mexican. This place is one of them. They have a few different choices, strange combinations of ingredients, nothing really to write home about. It was average at best, if you want authentic Mexican don't go here. Seem to be a lot of 20 to 30 something young professionals, hip trendy types. Food was okay, just not my style. I didn't think there was anything that was outstanding, hence the average review.

Written May 2, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynne J

Vancouver238 contributions

Where the cool people go! We went anyway!!!

Nov 2023 • family

Although it's really loud the food was great and the cocktails were excellent. The cease and desist has excellent flavour with the burn. Honey garlic fried chicken was also ordered a few times. Chocolate pot was also a good choice to share!

Written November 11, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maryanne S

Hamilton378 contributions

Another fab lunch!

Jan 2023 • none

Recently took five others for their first lunch visit to The Mule. They all loved it as much as I do! We ordered a few 'starters' (whitefish ceviche is one I recall). We then each ordered various tacos. Soft shells. Extremely flavourful. Excellent, fun staff. My only 'complaint' is how loud the room is. Not a place to go for a 'quiet' conversation. But a great 'buzz' to the spaces which is always great. Great place to hang out for a drink at the cool bar as well. Highly recommended!

Written January 23, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Peter M

Mississauga16 contributions

Zero if possible

Feb 2020 • couples

I would love to review the food at this restaurant but , alas I never had the opportunity. Initially told it was a 2.5 hour wait. Gave our information after talking to the hostess for over 5 minutes. Not that many coming through the door then. Came back 2 hours later to be told they don’t remember us, no information, and it would be 2 more hours. Such BS. I would never go there again.

Written February 22, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lauren

Hamilton137 contributions

Awesome brunch

May 2022 • couples

I’ve dined at the mule a few times over the past few months. Most recently we dined in for brunch. The food was outstanding, great staff, fun environment. I had the fried chicken, so delicious and such variety on the plate. Would return for brunch

Written May 23, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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