I had the pleasure of stepping into El Grito Mexicano in downtown Hamilton, and what an experience it was! From the moment I walked in, the vibrant energy of the place grabbed us. The lively Mexican music playing in the background immediately set the mood; each strum of the guitar and rhythm of the percussion made us feel like we had been transported straight to the heart of Mexico.

We started our meal with their fresh, creamy guacamole paired with perfectly crisp tortilla chips. A simple pleasure elevated by bold, authentic flavors. It was the kind of appetizer that makes you savor each bite while the music dances around you.

For the main course, we dove into chicken fajitas, sizzling hot and served with all the traditional accompaniments. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned, and the colorful mix of peppers and onions added a burst of freshness. Every bite was a celebration of classic Mexican cuisine done right.

To complement the meal, Debbie chose a frozen margarita, a refreshing and tangy delight, while I enjoyed a michelada—savory, spicy, and the perfect drink to pair with the fajitas. The drinks were just as thoughtfully prepared as the main course, showing attention to detail that makes dining here feel special.

Beyond the food, the ambience and service really stole the show. The staff were friendly, attentive, and welcoming, making us feel at home from the first step through the door. The décor, infused with vibrant colors and playful touches, along with the rhythmic Mexican tunes, created an atmosphere that’s festive yet cozy—ideal for a casual date night or a fun outing with friends.

The patio at El Grito Mexicano is truly one of its hidden gems. Nestled along James Street North, it feels like a little sun-soaked escape in the middle of the city. As the daylight pours in, the space comes alive with warm energy, laughter, and the gentle rhythm of Mexican music drifting through the air. Sitting outside with the sunlight reflecting off the colorful décor creates a relaxed, almost vacation-like atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and savor every sip and bite. It’s the kind of patio where time stretches out comfortably, whether you’re enjoying a frozen margarita, a michelada, or simply watching the buzz of James Street North unfold around you

In short, El Grito Mexicano is more than just a restaurant. It’s an experience. From the music and décor to the sizzling dishes and thoughtful service, every element works together to create a true taste of Mexico right here in Hamilton. We left with full hearts, happy palates, and plans to return soon.

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Teo Paul owner of Union and Cote de Boeuf in Toronto has brought his magic to Le Tambour Tavern in Hamilton.

Teo Paul has taken a former rooming house and live-music avenue and converted it into a rustic Parisian Steakhouse in downtown Hamilton. Le Tambour Tavern is the latest addition to James St. North’s amazing restaurants and the buzzing food scene in Downtown Hamilton.

I am heading to Le Tambour Tavern to celebrate my 22nd wedding anniversary. Kendall did call me about my reservation and I told her that we are looking forward to coming and celebrating our anniversary.

As you enter the Tavern, the bar is impressive. The dining room is behind and the high ceilings and original flooring give it a relaxed atmosphere.

I like to see all the action and decided to sit at the extended bar section.

It gives you a good view of the bar, the dining restaurant, and the kitchen.

The food menu is classic Teo Paul, homespun, back-country, bold flavors in your face, and changes daily. The piece de resistance and game changer that adds that extra flavor and smoke to the food is an open-fire grill. This is primal cooking at its best.

The beverage menu is nonfussy and shouts try me with any of the rustic meals.

Debbie orders a Cosmo and I have a glass of Jean-Paul Daumen Mediterranee. The earthy and spice-driven red gets me ready for the evening.

We order the Cote de Boeuf and know it will be an hour before it will arrive. Who cares? I am surrounded by hip servers, and bartenders and the crowd is humming.

Debbie wants another cocktail. I tell her to tell Kendall what alcohol she likes and see if they will make her a cocktail. The versatile bartender acquiesces to her wishes and comes up with Bee’s Knees. I have another glass of La Paria.

The Cote de Boeuf with grilled vegetables and French Fries arrives.

The steak is delicious, the vegetables done over fire are amazing and the food is more than enough for two people.

It is time for dessert and we go with the Sticky Apple Cake and it is scrumptious. Debbie wants a cocktail and I tell the bartender to make something with the dessert and he delivers again.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Le Tambour.

When I go to a restaurant I want the host to greet me warmly and have a sense of humor, check. I want the place to be clean and the washrooms to be extra clean, check. I want the servers to be friendly but also have their own unique personality and style. Every server is warm, and friendly, with great smiles and funky tattoos, check. I want the food to tell a story and deliver in taste, texture, smell, and flavor, check. I want the bartender to be open to serving something from outside the menu, check.

Go and have a meal at Le Tambour. I had a great experience and strongly recommend having a meal here. Kendall is hands down, the best server in Hamilton.

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Mesa Hamilton is a classic Mexican eating place offering quesadillas and tacos with cocktails in a comfy atmosphere.

I love Mexican food. I have been to Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Puerta Vallarta and Costa Maya. So I know when I am getting the real ethnic stuff.

To get a real taste of Mesa Hamilton, I made two trips to the restaurant located at 255 James Street North.

All the guests are always greeted with warm smiles and I sat at the window seat both times. The views are amazing.

For drinks, Debbie had the Honeycrisp Apple Cider and I have a coke.

A French chef is judged by how he/she/they makes an omelet, an Italian by pasta, and an Indian by their naan. For a Mexican restaurant, it is guacamole.

We order the guacamole with chips. Guacamole brings together buttery avocado, acetic onion and garlic, herbaceous cilantro, and the game changer acidic lime juice finished with Maldon salt and fresh minced peppers. The guacamole delivers on all counts.

The tacos come with different options of meat, vegan, gluten-free, and spice level. I order the chicken with a high level of spice. Debbie has the Chicken Flautas.

The chicken is slow-cooked in chile guajillo sauce, green peppers, onions, and Mexican spices, resulting in flavors that burst in your mouth. The tacos also come with salad, rice, and a bean puree. The tacos are authentic and top-notch.

The Chicken Flautas are two rolled crispy shell tortillas, stuffed with chicken, on a bed of lettuce, topped with salsas, sour cream and pico de gallo.

On our second visit, we tried different kinds of tacos.

We tried the beef and chorizo.

The tacos as usual were outstanding.

No visit to a Mexican restaurant is complete without having Churros as a dessert. Churros is a Mexican dessert made from fried dough and covered with cinnamon sugar. The Churros at Mesa Hamilton are amazing and served with dulce de leche sauce. Magnifico, excepcional, fuera de este mundo.

The service at Mesa Hamilton is outstanding. The food is as authentic Mexican as you will find in Hamilton at a great price. The drinks, the atmosphere is amazing.

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The Diplomat is a dilettantish, disparate restaurant in Hamilton, inspired by the street scenes and food markets from around the globe.

The Hamilton Food Scene

Hamilton is a sui generis city, called the Hammer by locals and Steel Town by outsiders. Hamilton is the waterfall capital of the world with more than 100 waterfalls. Hamilton has a rich past, vibrant culture, and nature surrounding it. The urban feel is unique, the arts scene is pulsating and authentic, with a vibrant downtown.

The City that gave us Tim Horton’s has a bustling food scene with incredible restaurants. I am heading downtown to have dinner at The Diplomat and then to check out the St. James North Art Crawl in Hamilton.

The Diplomat

The Diplomat is located at 43 King William Street in Hamilton. The road is closed during the summer. There are a whole bunch of restaurants on the street with patios that give it a European vibe.

I am greeted with a huge hug by Aaron who is the manager and shows me the restaurant. The Diplomat is beautiful inside. It is sleek and modern.

We decide to sit inside the restaurant, facing the street.

The tables are set properly and they have cloth napkins.

Our server is Kiri who from the first go is outstanding. Debbie orders the Current Crush cocktail and I stick to sparkling water.

Kiri recommends we try the Summer Eats menu. I tell Debbie lets order a dish each and we will share the dishes. This way we can taste all the dishes. I like the fact that Kiri understands we want to share the food and she brings us side plates and extra cutlery. As an ex-hotelier and a hotel school graduate, this attention to detail blows me away.

Appetizers

The first course consists of Strawberry and Watermelon Salad, Beef Croquettes, and Fried Green Tomatoes. I am hungry and cannot wait for this sit-down square meal bonanza to start. I notice four dishes coming to our table. Aaron brings us the Smoked Salmon Rillettes and it is on the house.

Strawberry & Watermelon Salad

The Strawberry and Watermelon Salad is so beautiful, that I am scared to even touch it. The lime ponzu (Tamari, lime juice, mirin, katsuobushi, kombu, and rice vinegar) takes the watermelon to a different level and is the perfect salad for a hot blistering day. The rice chips with the strawberry have this prodigious flavor and I am in heaven. The colors, the contrasts, and the texture are all there. This dish is exceptional.

Fried Green Tomatoes

The Fried Green Tomatoes is set to tell you what are you waiting for? Go ahead. The tomatoes are crisp. There are no after flavors, it is not soggy and the chef has mastered the tempura. The fennel herb salad brings the licorice gusto to the tomatoes. The goat cheese remoulade (a traditional French sauce made from mayonnaise, herbs, capers, and horseradish) is a classic accompaniment to fried tomatoes. An exquisite dish, cooked perfectly with all the classic complements. This dish is phenomenal.

Beef Croquettes

The Beef Croquettes (a small often rounded mass consisting usually of minced meat, fish, or vegetable coated with egg and bread crumbs and deep-fried) are crisp on the outside and moist and delicious inside. The coriander chutney is the perfect marriage for the croquette. I can taste the Dukkah spice (Dukkah is made with basic ingredients, including nuts, sesame seeds, coriander, and cumin) and it adds a nice toasty and citrus add to the chutney. Bravo, bravo, encore, encore. Wowza. I am gobsmacked by the flavors.

Salmon Rillettes

We leave the Salmon Rillettes (Rillettes is a preservation method similar to confit where meat is seasoned then slow-cooked submerged in fat and cooked at an extremely slow rate for several hours. The meat is shredded and packed into sterile containers covered in fat) to the last. We did not order it as any of us wanted a fish-flavored dish on a summer day. I take one bite of it and the complexity of the flavors hits my tongue. Olwyn and I agree that this is our favorite dish. The Green Goddess dressing (A salad dressing, typically containing mayonnaise, sour cream, chervil, chives, anchovy, tarragon, lemon juice, and pepper) makes this dish the Goddess.

Mains

The second course consists of Thai Grilled Chicken, Shrimp & Grits, and Grilled Pork Chops. Aaron also brings Vegetable Mango Curry.

Thai Grilled Chicken

Gai Yang is traditional street food in Thailand. The glaze is the most important part of this dish. The lemon grass-soy glaze is perfect. Coconut rice and peanuts are classic accompaniments. The shishito peppers give the perfect heat to the sweetness of the grilled chicken. I feel like I am sitting on Pattaya Beach and someone has brought me takeout from the local restaurant. All the complex nuances are delivered.

Shrimp & Grits

A classic brunch dish from Charleston, SC, and Low Country. I have had this with bacon and mushroom before. This dish surprised me. I was skeptical about the confit tomatoes and garlic scapes. Also, would the chorizo be too salty? The grits are amazing. The shrimps are juicy and cooked perfectly. The combo does come through and you do need to take the morsels together.

Grilled Pork Chop

The is juicy and moist. The succotash (A Southern favorite named after the word “msickquatash” of the Narragansett in New England is a vegetable dish consisting primarily of sweet corn with lima beans or other shell beans) is delicious. The cashew gremolata is what chimichurri does for a steak the gremolata does for the chop.

Mango Curry

A curry consisting of yam and chickpeas and garnished with Brussel sprouts makes for a perfect vegan dish.

Dessert

The desserts were Coconut Fritters, Vegan Basque Cheesecake, and Vanilla Millefeuille.

Coconut Fritters

The sauce and the colors all come together. I loved the caramel and the play on the purple yam. Outstanding dessert.

Vegan Basque Cheesecake

A perfect vegan dessert. The pineapple compote brings the right amount of sweetness and texture to the dessert. Remember this is not your classic New York cheesecake. The Basque cheesecake isn’t smooth or dense; instead, the dessert—baked at a high temperature—is light and scorched and caramelized on the top with a rich, gooey interior

Vanilla Millefeuille

All the trappings of a classic French dessert are here. A perfect dessert after a great meal.

The Diplomat offered me flair, great hospitality, great food, and great drinks at a great price with no snobbery. The Summer Eats Menu takes me on a tour around the world.

Before you head to The Diplomat read my strategies on how to have a good time at a restaurant.

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