When it comes to Mexican food in New York City, there are several excellent options. Whether you’re seeking a romantic dinner for two or a family-friendly dinner for four, these restaurants have something for everyone. From Michelin-starred restaurants to traditional family-run places, there’s a restaurant for you.
El Cantinero
El Cantinero Mexican Restaurant in New City offers Mexican food in a casual, lively atmosphere. The cantina provides margaritas and lives music. It also features a popular happy hour. The staff is friendly, and the Mexican food is excellent for sharing with friends and family.
The bi-leveled restaurant features an extensive menu of authentic Mexican cuisine, including an extensive lunch menu. There is a full bar, and the restaurant is kid-friendly. There is an outdoor terrace and a roomy dining area. The restaurant encourages patrons to come as they are.
El Cantinero has a menu that is both traditional and modern. The menu includes classic fajitas and hard-shell tacos. It also features nachos and frozen margaritas. It’s a popular place for NYU students to eat Tex-Mex.
El Cantinero Mexican Restaurant in New City serves authentic Tex-Mex food. Its menu is updated often to feature the latest ingredients. It also offers a full bar and an extensive wine list. Guests can enjoy live music and margaritas at the bar during happy hour.
El Mitote
If you are in the mood for a smoky, spicy Mexican chow, El Mitote is the place for you. This colorful cantina serves tasty Mexican sandwiches, margaritas, and Aguas Frescas.
El Mitote serves daily lunch and dinner. It is an excellent spot for a family meal or date night. You do not need a reservation to dine here. The atmosphere is amiable, and the service is friendly. Although this is a popular spot, you don’t have to make a reservation.
If you are looking for an excellent Mexican meal in New York City, you can head to El Mitote. This popular restaurant is located in Cobble Hill and features a sister-brother duo. The menu features dishes from their native Michoacan state. The restaurant also features a full bar with a wide selection of margaritas and other alcoholic beverages.
The authentic Mexican food at El Mitote is among the best in the city. The restaurant’s owners hail from Guadalajara and have a deep passion for authentic Mexican food. The menu features dishes such as epazote-brothy black beans and beefsteak tacos, served on colorful plastic trays. The giant mason jar margaritas are another highlight of the menu.
Oxomoco
If you are in the mood for Mexican food, Oxomoco is a must. It serves delicious wood-grilled dishes in a pale, modern space with cascading vines. You can’t go wrong with a plate of shrimp ceviche, pork cheeks, or flank steak. Chocolate cakes, coffee ice cream, and crumble around the dessert menu. The restaurant also serves brunch seven days a week.
This chic Mexican restaurant opened in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in June 2018. Chef Justin Bazdarich, formerly of Speedy Romeo, brings his wood-fire magic version of Mexicana to Oxomoco. The restaurant’s name comes from an Aztec goddess. Oxomoco is an upscale Mexican restaurant serving various modern Mexican dishes that combine traditional and contemporary flavors. The food is also fresh and modern, with dishes like Delicata Squash Tacos and Beef Tartare Tostada. The restaurant also serves Mexican brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and is close to other restaurants like Karczma Polish Restaurant and Black Rabbit.
Different regions of Mexico inspire the menu at Oxomoco. Its wood-fired plates, perfect for creating authentic Mexican flavors, are served on a large front patio. You can even try a shrimp ceviche tostada at the restaurant.
Oaxaca
There are a few excellent Oaxacan restaurants in New York. La Morada in the South Bronx, owned by Yajaira Saavedra, is a perfect choice for a casual lunch or dinner. It is not only known for its savory food but for its social activism as well. It was named a Thrillist Hero in 2020. One of its most famous dishes is the Mole chicken, a blend of Mexican and Indigenous ingredients. The rustic plate comes with red or green sauce, cactus, and chorizo.
Another popular place to try Oaxacan food is Ruta Oaxaca in Astoria. The restaurant features an electric pink patio structure and offers a mezcal flight. It also serves excellent mole-covered enchiladas. Brunch service is also available on the weekends.
Claro, located near the Gowanus Canal, is another excellent choice. The chef uses authentic Oaxacan ingredients in his menu. The four-course dinner is $72 and includes mezcal pairings. A la carte dishes are also available.
El Jefe
Tacos El Jefe Mexican Restaurant opened on August 10th in the former location of the New China Buffet. The new site is owned and operated by Antonio and Melissa Estrada, who also run a dine-in location in Centerville Mall. Antonio and Melissa started a food truck in late 2018. They sold it on opening a walk-up restaurant in November of this year and have since expanded their business with a second location in Fort Valley.
El Jefe has a reputation for serving authentic Mexican fare. The restaurant’s staff donated burritos and chips with all the dips to the Ochsner Lab, and the participants raved about the food. While there, you can also enjoy a drink from the bar and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere.
El Barca Cantina
If you’re in the mood for authentic Mexican cuisine, La Barca Cantina in Pier 81 is for you. This floating restaurant offers a unique dining experience. The menu features traditional street food, and several dishes are made with agave spirits. There is also a full bar and flights of mezcal, tequila, and other Mexican spirits.
This restaurant has a great ambiance with exposed bricks. The staff is friendly and attentive. The menu is extensive, and it’s a good place for groups. You can enjoy tacos, flan, tortas, and carne asadas.
Legendary spots inspire the decor at this Noho restaurant in Mexico City, and the food is delicious. You can eat tacos for as little as $4 at this all-day spot. The menu has everything from shredded suadero to al pastor to trip taco. The trip taco is one of the best in the city, with an earthy flavor and chewy texture.
Rosa Mexicano
Rosa Mexicano opened on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 1984. It was a glitzy destination that helped to popularize regional Mexican cooking. Founded by Josefina Howard, the restaurant was a fusion of the traditions and culinary techniques of Mexico and the world.
Among its many offerings, Rosa offers an excellent margarita. You can choose from mango, pomegranate, blood orange, or spicy cucumber margaritas. The spicy cucumber margarita has cucumber juice and a chile salt rim. Unfortunately, the drink was a little too watered down. You can also try the Mezcalrita, which is agave-heavy and arrives on dry ice.
This restaurant also offers a wide variety of seafood dishes. Their menu is full of fresh ingredients. They also serve authentic Mexican cafe food.
Paloma’s
Paloma’s Mexican Restaurant offers a traditional Mexican dining experience. The decor is dark and rustic, with menus written on blackboards. Seating is available indoors or outdoors. The diner offers an extensive menu and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Its Mexican fare is inexpensive, and the service is friendly.
The restaurant’s menu is based on regional Mexican cuisine. The menu includes regional specialties, like the atypical tacos and the fadish moles of Mexico’s southern region. The regional ingredients are combined in complex pre-colonial combinations that can be a meal in and of themselves. For example, the Oaxacan chile colorado is a smoky, scarlet mole with hints of sesame.
Owner Fabiola Maldonado opened Paloma’s BK in early March. It’s located at the intersection of Johnson, Bogart, and Knickerbocker avenues, in a neighborhood of old manufacturing buildings. The meeting sometimes creates dust storms because the wind whips. The interiors have a nightclub ambiance.