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Restaurant

Cartel del Taco - Hawthorne

290 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne QLD 4171, Australia

Recommended by 71 people

Updated

Find Cartel del Taco - Hawthorne

290 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne QLD 4171, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 7 3096 0516
HoursMonday: 5:00 – 9:00 PM Tuesday: 5:00 – 9:30 PM Wednesday: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM Thursday: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM Friday: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM Saturday: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM Sunday: 12:00 – 3:30 PM, 5:00 – 9:30 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Cartel del Taco - Hawthorne

Cartel del Taco brings regional Mexican street staples to Hawthorne with sharp cocktails, tender suadero, and rich birria w/ consomé. The room stays lively—often packed wall-to-wall—with tables and chairs brought straight from Mexico and kitchen views right from the bar. Diners swear by the house guacamole upgraded with a slab of crisp pork chicharrón alongside warm corn chips. The taco list hits hard across slow-cooked beef cheek and charred elote dusted with tajin, washed down with a chilli margarita or house-made horchata.

  • All-You-Can-Eat Birria Nights: Tuesday sessions feature 90-minute seatings with up to three tacos per round served alongside dipping consomé.
  • Guacamole & Chicharrón: Fresh house guacamole paired with corn chips and an add-on slab of crispy pork chicharrón.
  • Imported CDMX Furnishings: Dining room fitted with tables and chairs imported directly from Mexico alongside an open-kitchen bar setup.
RestaurantMexicanRestaurant

What's On at Cartel del Taco - Hawthorne

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Dine at Cartel del Taco

Why locals and visitors choose Cartel del Taco for authentic Mexican dishes, lively events, and welcoming dining

  • Authentic Slow-Cooked Meats

    Traditional slow-cooked specialties like suadero beef brisket, birria with consomé, and chef special beef cheek deliver melt-in-your-mouth richness.

    GET THE BEEF CHEEK - it is so soft you almost can’t believe it’s not butter

    Jenay Brown

  • Fresh Guacamole with Crispy Chicharrón

    Freshly made guacamole paired with a crispy, substantial add-on pork chicharrón slab provides an exceptionally satisfying starter.

    adding the chicharrón (+$10) was absolutely worth it. It was so delicious and much more filling than we expected.

    Eaden Pavia

  • All-You-Can-Eat Birria Taco Nights

    Recurring Tuesday all-you-can-eat birria sessions offer high-tempo rounds of juicy beef tacos paired with dipping consomé.

    The tacos (29$ for unlimited tacos) were sooo juicy and delicious I’m still thinking about them.

    Celeste Nel

  • Lively Barside Mixology & Kitchen Views

    Seating at the bar offers interactive hospitality from skilled mixologists crafting chilli margaritas alongside open kitchen views.

    we love being seated at the bar engaging in conversation with the mixologist giving us recommendations

    Leigh Williams

  • Kid-Friendly Comfort & Swift Service

    Attentive staff ensure smooth dining for parents through flexible table arrangements and quality meals that satisfy young eaters.

    I have a toddler and I was happy that the kids menu has really good quality meals for him, also the service was very prompt

    Janette Amezcua

  • Accommodating Group & Family Hospitality

    Large groups and families find generous seating and accommodating staff that make celebrations and late schedule adjustments effortless.

    Samantha kindly helped us by adjusting our reservation and giving us a great table (Table 8), which had plenty of space for my two kids and me.

    Mario Castro

The authentic taco specialties guests return for most

  • Birria Tacos w/ Consomé

    Slow-cooked beef with lime, onion and coriander, served with consomé for dipping. Very messy, but pretty good, even when you don't dunk it.

    Lynn

  • Fish Tacos

    The Fish tacos were to die for... I rarely find a good fish Taco!

    Christine McGregor

  • Beef Cheek Tacos

    GET THE BEEF CHEEK - it is so soft you almost can’t believe it’s not butter

    Jenay Brown

  • Suadero Tacos

    The slow-cooked beef brisket was so tender and juicy that it was perfectly caramelized.

    Kristin

Other favorites

Starters, sides, and craft beverages to complete the dining experience

  • Guacamole with Chicharrón

    adding the chicharrón (+$10) was absolutely worth it. It was so delicious and much more filling than we expected.

    Eaden Pavia

  • Elote

    chargrilled corn was amazing that tajin chilli with lime and mayo sauce was a favourite.

    Kristin

  • Chilli Margarita

    they make the best chilli margarita in Australia and serve authentic Mexican cuisine.

    peter rundle

  • Horchata

    creamy and lightly sweet, made from rice water, condensed milk and cinnamon.

    Lynn

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the all-you-can-eat birria taco night work?

The venue occasionally hosts Tuesday all-you-can-eat birria taco nights featuring 90-minute seatings where orders can be placed in rounds of up to three tacos per person served with consomé. A small fee applies for any uneaten tacos to reduce waste, and dates are announced on social channels.

Should you book a table in advance?

Yes, reservations are accepted, and booking ahead is strongly recommended because tables fill up quickly during busy evenings and promotional taco nights.

Are there gluten-free and coeliac-safe options?

Yes, the restaurant serves corn tortillas across much of the menu, making many taco dishes accessible for gluten-free diets. However, coeliac diners should note that certain items like pork belly share fryer space with gluten products, so notify kitchen staff to arrange safe protein substitutions.

Is Cartel del Taco accommodating for young children?

Yes, the restaurant offers dedicated kids' meals—such as kids' beef tacos and fish and chips—alongside prompt service that suits dining with toddlers and children.

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