Good Mexican food near Union Square in NYC?
November 11, 2015 12:22 PM
Mexican food here is horrible or I'm not looking in the right places, anywhere in midtown that recreates the SoCal/Texas experience?
I should say there's fancy pants authentic Mexican places but I want nothing more than simple salsa and chips and soft tacos. I would love taco trucks too.
I've been going to Taco Bell, but there has to be something between Taco Bell and a place like Black Ant that offended my visiting Hispamic friends, "We don't eat insects! This isn't authentic!"
I should say there's fancy pants authentic Mexican places but I want nothing more than simple salsa and chips and soft tacos. I would love taco trucks too.
I've been going to Taco Bell, but there has to be something between Taco Bell and a place like Black Ant that offended my visiting Hispamic friends, "We don't eat insects! This isn't authentic!"
Dos Toros? Not anything special by West Coast standards but it is the only place I ever went in the city that used nice thin warm flour tortillas rather than those horrible thick Frisbee-like ones.
posted by Owl of Athena at 12:38 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by Owl of Athena at 12:38 PM on November 11, 2015
It's been years since I moved out of the city, but as nearly as I can tell, this remains as true for the city as for the broader region: If you came here from the west coast or the southwest, and you're looking for the Mexican food you're accustomed to, you're going to have a bad time.
It's not completely nonexistent, and maybe someone can steer you in the right direction here. But the kind of stumbling into any old taco joint you used to be able to do with glorious results in your previous locale will lead only to disappointment and suffering here.
The good news is that the Italian food here will spoil you. I've taken to switching between the two when I travel: Italian east of the Mississippi, Mexican west.
posted by willpie at 12:41 PM on November 11, 2015
It's not completely nonexistent, and maybe someone can steer you in the right direction here. But the kind of stumbling into any old taco joint you used to be able to do with glorious results in your previous locale will lead only to disappointment and suffering here.
The good news is that the Italian food here will spoil you. I've taken to switching between the two when I travel: Italian east of the Mississippi, Mexican west.
posted by willpie at 12:41 PM on November 11, 2015
Not exactly Union Square, but:
La Esquina in Soho
La Superior in Williamsburg
Tulcingo or Tehuitzingo in Hell's Kitchen
Taqueria y Fonda or Noche Mexicana in Manhattan Valley/UWS
posted by melissasaurus at 12:48 PM on November 11, 2015
La Esquina in Soho
La Superior in Williamsburg
Tulcingo or Tehuitzingo in Hell's Kitchen
Taqueria y Fonda or Noche Mexicana in Manhattan Valley/UWS
posted by melissasaurus at 12:48 PM on November 11, 2015
Good Mexican food is not really to be found here in NYC, alas. Bodega Negra is near Union Square and is ok, but it's certainly not in the same universe as what you find on the west coast. There's a really good taco truck, El Rey del Taco, but you'll have to come out to Queens for it. As noted, Dos Toros is ok, although they melt cheese on the tortillas before they fill them, which isn't exactly authentic (you can ask them to leave it off).
posted by holborne at 1:03 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by holborne at 1:03 PM on November 11, 2015
A little farther north, (27th & Madison), Choza is pretty good.
But yeah, as willpie said, NYC is not a bastion of Mexican cuisine.
posted by mkultra at 1:20 PM on November 11, 2015
But yeah, as willpie said, NYC is not a bastion of Mexican cuisine.
posted by mkultra at 1:20 PM on November 11, 2015
A 15-minute walk east of Union Square, Zaragoza, a little bodega serving authentic food at a few tables in the back.
posted by essexjan at 2:41 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by essexjan at 2:41 PM on November 11, 2015
Ok this is a huge secret by if you promise not to tell anyone go to Great Burrito on 23rd St.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:58 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:58 PM on November 11, 2015
If you don't mind walking to the westside, there's a pretty decent taco truck on 14th and 8th Ave.
posted by cazoo at 3:42 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by cazoo at 3:42 PM on November 11, 2015
Dorado tacos are pretty good.
posted by joeyjoejoejr at 5:19 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by joeyjoejoejr at 5:19 PM on November 11, 2015
Dos Toros commits the unforgivable sin of using one tortilla per taco (but their burritos are ok). It's sadly not in the minority of shops that do this, so if you are a discerning taco eater, do your research. I consider Tehuitzingo (695 10th Ave), a place on East 7th Street that I can't find the name of on my phone, and the Super Tacos truck at 96th Street and Broadway to be the only places worthwhile in Manhattan. If you're in W'burg, Loco Burrito on Graham Ave at Metropolitan has righteous burritos.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:27 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:27 PM on November 11, 2015
Midtown options:
Tehuitzingo with locations at 48th and 10th (older) and 42nd and 9th has some fantastic tacos, sopes, and huaraches. Great variety of meats (and other fillings).
Leon Bakery is a bakery/market/taqueria at 48th and 9th. I loved their gorditas, sopes, and tamales (when they were in!)
I moved to NYC from Arizona and these were the places that scratched that itch for me. I live in San Francisco now but those places still end up on the to-visit list when I go back.
posted by mountmccabe at 5:52 PM on November 11, 2015
Tehuitzingo with locations at 48th and 10th (older) and 42nd and 9th has some fantastic tacos, sopes, and huaraches. Great variety of meats (and other fillings).
Leon Bakery is a bakery/market/taqueria at 48th and 9th. I loved their gorditas, sopes, and tamales (when they were in!)
I moved to NYC from Arizona and these were the places that scratched that itch for me. I live in San Francisco now but those places still end up on the to-visit list when I go back.
posted by mountmccabe at 5:52 PM on November 11, 2015
A lot to unpack here.
Firstly, there is no Mexican food in NYC that "recreates" the SoCal/Texas experience. Most Mexican immigrants in NYC are from Mexico City, Puebla, and southern Mexico and do not have the same traditional cuisine as the Chicanos and Tejanos who developed SoCal Mexican and Tex-Mex.
Furthermore, Mexican food in Midtown and around Union Square (which are totally different parts of town, not sure if you are really being clear enough about what neighborhood you're looking for?) is unlikely to be authentic cuisine aimed at the local Mexican population, but much more likely to be Americanized Mexican aimed at, if you're lucky, local gringos, or if you're less lucky, stupid tourists.
All of the above said, Dos Toros Burrito near Union Square isn't the worst. It's a much more NorCal/Mission-style burrito than anything that could truly be called Mexican. Calexico also doesn't suck, but I don't recall whether they have a shop in Manhattan or where in Manhattan it might be.
Also, if your baseline here is Taco Bell, what exactly is the reason you haven't hit up a Chipotle? It's not authentic, but it's not goddamn Taco Bell, jeez. Even SoCal folks will enjoy the occasional Chipotle without feeling to bad about things.
posted by Sara C. at 6:34 PM on November 11, 2015
Firstly, there is no Mexican food in NYC that "recreates" the SoCal/Texas experience. Most Mexican immigrants in NYC are from Mexico City, Puebla, and southern Mexico and do not have the same traditional cuisine as the Chicanos and Tejanos who developed SoCal Mexican and Tex-Mex.
Furthermore, Mexican food in Midtown and around Union Square (which are totally different parts of town, not sure if you are really being clear enough about what neighborhood you're looking for?) is unlikely to be authentic cuisine aimed at the local Mexican population, but much more likely to be Americanized Mexican aimed at, if you're lucky, local gringos, or if you're less lucky, stupid tourists.
All of the above said, Dos Toros Burrito near Union Square isn't the worst. It's a much more NorCal/Mission-style burrito than anything that could truly be called Mexican. Calexico also doesn't suck, but I don't recall whether they have a shop in Manhattan or where in Manhattan it might be.
Also, if your baseline here is Taco Bell, what exactly is the reason you haven't hit up a Chipotle? It's not authentic, but it's not goddamn Taco Bell, jeez. Even SoCal folks will enjoy the occasional Chipotle without feeling to bad about things.
posted by Sara C. at 6:34 PM on November 11, 2015
Also, for the love of all that is holy, please never darken the door of any establishment called Fresco Tortilla.
posted by Sara C. at 6:38 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by Sara C. at 6:38 PM on November 11, 2015
Ah I wasn't clear, live in Union Square and work in midtown, so either location is convenient. I eat chipotle too often each week!
posted by geoff. at 8:19 PM on November 11, 2015
posted by geoff. at 8:19 PM on November 11, 2015
In the past I liked Gonzalez y Gonzalez on mercer but the last time I wanted to go they demanded a cover charge.
posted by brujita at 12:43 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by brujita at 12:43 AM on November 12, 2015
I like Paquitos on 1st avenue - it is a little bit similar to Texas Mexican food. I like the nopales burrito which I don't think is something you would have in CA.
posted by goneill at 12:33 PM on November 12, 2015
posted by goneill at 12:33 PM on November 12, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by neushoorn at 12:29 PM on November 11, 2015