The ByWard Market is one of Ottawa's most expensive casual dining neighborhoods by default — the tourist footprint pushes prices up and quality down in ways that make finding a genuinely good cheap meal there harder than it should be. Ahora is one of the honest exceptions.
The tacos, enchiladas, and burritos start at $9.25 and reflect a kitchen that is thinking about the food rather than the setting. The flavors lean toward the traditional rather than the Tex-Mex dilution that characterizes most Mexican food in Ottawa — chile-forward rather than cheese-forward, with acid present enough to lift the dish rather than buried under components that make the plate look full.
A genuinely satisfying meal in a neighborhood where that combination — quality, honesty, and a price under $15 — is rarer than it ought to be.
