Los Gyros is a vibrant Mexican restaurant known for its live Mariachi performances, colourful frozen margaritas, and larger-than-life taco platters fit to feed a crowd. 

Located in Corktown where where the Dominion Pub used to be, this is the second location of the family-style taqueria.

With 150 seats, the spacious restaurant is complete with impressive wall-to-wall neon murals from local artist Alex Noya and an updated menu to boast.

Old-time customers will find classics like tacos carne asada, and new additions such as crispy fried shrimp available only at this location.

"The goal is to transport you to Mexico without having to leave the country," shared Manager Jesus Cruz. "Everything is fresh, prepared to order, and we try to respect the flavours of Mexico."

If you're not planning a trip south of the border anytime soon, there's no better way to beat the cold than by pretending you're on a sun-soaked beach with a refreshing tropical drink in hand (complete with a miniature umbrella, of course). 

The Pina Colada ($13.75) is a classic done right, blending white rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and condensed milk. It has an icy smooth consistency and is topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon, a maraschino cherry, and a wedge of fresh pineapple.

The Luces de la Habana ($13.75) is a star player on the cocktail roster. Combining coconut rum, pineapple juice, and orange juice, it's sweet, fruity, and the most colourful beverage I've ever had. 

Daiquiri lovers will be spoiled for choice with the Daiquiri ($12.75), available in strawberry, mango, or tamarind. It comes piled high in a chili frosted glass.

If you're in the mood for something non-alcoholic but equally exciting, the Mangoyada ($13.50) delivers a spicy-sour punch. This frozen mocktail blends mango, lime, tajin, chili, and chamoy for a flavour combination that's as bold as it is refreshing.

While the word gyros might evoke images of thick pita and creamy tzatziki, Cruz explained that in Spanish, "gyros" means "to turn." Best known for their spit-grilled al pastor, the name Los Gyros seemed most fitting. 

A must-order, the Tacos Al Pastor (1 for $6.50, 4 for $22) are complete with the traditional fixings of pineapple, cilantro and chopped onion on a corn tortilla. The pork is tender and well-seasoned, each bite striking a balance between savoury and sweet, and I appreciated the generous amount of thin slices portioned on each taco.

New to the menu, the Taco Gobernador ($7.50) is a battered fried shrimp taco paired with crunchy cabbage slaw, fresh cilantro, onion, and a drizzle of creamy chipotle mayo.

Another new menu item and also Cruz's top pick is the Picana Tacos ($24.50). These premium grilled beef tacos come with a pineapple, onion, and habanero chili relish that's the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. 

For something cheesy, the Mulitas are the way to go. Melted mozzarella cheese, guacamole, cilantro, onion, and protein of your choosing are sandwiched between two corn tortillas to create a crunchy eating experience. The Sirloin ($16.75) was savoury, flavourful, and delightfully messy - best to keep plenty of napkins on hand!

The warm and comforting Chicken Fajitas ($24.50) comes on a sizzling platter of mushrooms, bell peppers, and sauteed onion. Perfectly smoky, one order comes with four flour tortillas. 

For those who want to try a bit of everything, the Molcajete Los Gyros ($50) should satisfy even the heartiest appetites. A cornucopia of plump shrimp, grilled nopal, pork chops, chorizo sausage, and skirt steak, it comes with eight flour tortillas and all the fixings, allowing you to mix, match, and sample as you please.

Los Gyros is located at 500 Queen Street East.