El Chino Snack Bar

What a hidden gem! Everything about this place is fantastic. The food, service, and ambience, not to mention the prices are super reasonable and the food is unlike anything else in the city. 10/10 recommend!

I went to El Chino for my sisters Bachelorette party. We wanted a mixology themed event and K and her team really delivered. They organized a super fun, informative & delicious evening. They were incredibly friendly and helped us through all the steps of crafting our own cocktails. They went above and beyond by decorating the space and crafting personalized cocktails. We also tried some of their snacks which were very tasty and generous. Can’t recommend them enough! Perfect space for a small event or just an evening out with loved ones!

The atmosphere was really cool I really enjoyed the art and setup. Food was good really enjoyed the dumplings and the general tao wings. We had a few other items which were fine but those two were the stand out. Drinks were great i really enjoyed several of their margaritas. Will definitely go again! Ive added a picture of the pork belly bao which was not bad!

Amazing food, great for sharing! Must haves would be the blueberry cilantro margarita and dumplings!

Cute spot, cute ambiance, great fish tacos and margaritas (I have no experience with margaritas but I liked it)First off, fish tacos were so good! Fish was perfectly fried in a crispy batter with great toppings.Pork taco was loaded but lacked a wow factor (looked good and was filling and juicy though)Chicken wings were dry/overcooked and the flavour wasn’t great (reminded me of a cold Chinese fried fish dish-also might be a me thing but I wouldn’t get it again)Nachos were yummy but basic so I felt like the price was a bit high. Chips were very fresh and crunchy.Pork belly bao was yummy but lacked a fresh flavour like cilantro or pickled veg (might be a personal preference) but the pork belly was yummy and the bao was fantastic.We ordered the classic margarita and I thought it was great (I usually hate tequila but I’m trying to open up and try it again) and the agua de Jamaica wasn’t my jam but that might be a me thing.Female Asian server was great! So nice and helpful BUT there was the grumpiest looking white female server that… might be in the wrong profession. I felt intimidated whenever she glanced at our table. She brought out our nachos and practically rolled her eyes while adding another table to ours (I told her to leave nachos on the bench (table was full) beside me no biggie). Just big frowns the whole time we were there.Overall pretty good experience, kinda pricy ($135 for 2 people) but will be back for more delicious fish tacos and margaritas.

The owner was vibrant and welcoming, the mouth watering pork belly bao has been on my mind ever since, and I've told countless friends about the dangerously yummy green tea collins. Not to mention the Latin music had me dancing in my seat. I love this unique addition to the Halifax restaurant scene and I can't wait to come back.

Someone recommended this place to my friend, I thought it’s a very interesting combination between Mexican food and Chinese food, it turns out to be very well, the fish taco taste great, best this is that all sauces are house made so it’s not as salty as I thought it would be. Pork belly Bao is a very traditional Chinese dish but it taste a lot different with the house sauce and some cucumber as refreshment. Fish balls are very fresh and almost crispy too! Highly recommend! Last but not least, the server is very nice and friendly, if you want to chat with someone, definitely try to talk to them!Btw, each dish is about 2 pieces, good to share with a bestie or your loving one!

Great food! Got the nachos and fish tacos. FISH TACOS ARE SOOO GOOD! Friendly staff, fast and good vibes.

Great food, great service! The restaurant itself is quite small, they don't take reservations. It's worth the wait though! The Bao are amazing, the cucumber salad is refreshing, the nachos are a big serving great for sharing but pretty basic.

Really enjoyed my first experience here at El Chino. A friend recommended it because of the tacos and we were excited to try it. We had the pork dumplings, General Tao chicken wings, and the pork tacos. Everything was delicious. The standout item was definitely the tacos. They were jam packed and very authentic Mexican tasting. It’s definitely a little bit pricey for what you get, which is the only reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars. However, they do call them self a snack bar so it’s not exactly a dinner destination so I may do it right next time and just pop in here when I crave a little snack rather than a full meal.