Taco Taco

Perhaps it was a particularly "on" night for Taco Taco, or maybe the manager adores my friend, who is a regular. Either way, I had a great experience here.

Having spent the last 5 out of 6 years living in San Diego, I never thought I'd want to see a burrito again. San Diego is so steeped in Mexican culture that the go-to drunk food at 4am is a "California Burrito." Trust me, I tried to find a decent slice of pizza and diners open past 10pm for 2 years, and finally caved.

Taco Taco happens to be my friend's favorite restaurant, so I decided to give it a try. Now I don't know what kind of person you are, but when someone raises my expectations that high, I am inevitably disappointed. Not so with this Mexican food!!! This is the best guacamole I've had since returning to NYC. We got a serving for 2 and easily could've polished off a bowl for four. It is perfectly salty, lime-y, they don't skimp on the cilantro, and they mash the avocados right in front of you. It is truly excellent.

We ordered shredded steak enchiladas and a (giant) veggie burrito with cheese and pico de gallo. We were both in heaven. There was nothing standard about this burrito, either - the vegetables were fresh and flavorful, and even when I hit Full I had to have another bite. This may or may not have happened 3 times in a row.

The service was excellent and they took really good care of us. The best part, aside from the food, may have been when our waitress came up to my friend, shook her finger in his face, and said "You've been a bad boy! You bring too many girls here!!!" He took it well -- blushed, then admitted it, and let me make fun of him for the rest of the night. I mean, it was deserved... who takes every single girl to Taco Taco on a date???

At least he has good taste. In food. Oh, and girls.

¡Caramba! Taco Taco indeed plays the part it looks, unlike Tiger or Bernanke, for two very different reasons of course. The restaurant has an earthy charm that, coupled with the dim lighting and understated decor, lends it an appeal that is undeniable. Bordering on Spanish Harlem, Taco Taco is a long Northbound trek for most of us, and I must confess that I wouldn't make the effort unless another reason brought me to the general neighborhood.

Service at Taco Taco is accommodating and friendly, although I remember they messed up my vegetarian order on my first trip. The nachos are thick and crisp, and provide a stable base upon which to load the pico de gallo or guacomole, topped with japalenos and cheddar cheese. The vegetarian soft tacos and the burritos seem quite ordinary, but I quite like their plate of enchiladas. On one occasion, I tried the soup and found it to be hearty and thick--just the way I like it.

Prices are appropriately raised for the UES audience. But for food that is seemingly similar to Holy California Mexican, surely Taco Taco deserves to command a premium.

If you happen to find yourself between SPAHA and the UPPER EAST SIDE you are in for a special treat. At 2nd and 90th you will find a small Mexican restaurant called TACO TACO. I have been many times and I suggest you get a table and enjoy. Now it's a good idea to get there early since it does get very busy and seating is limited, especially on the weekends. This would not be an ideal spot for big parties due to the small space but I think that helps makes this little restaurant a intimate spot.

Start off with a tasty Pomegranate Margarita or a tall pitcher of Sangria to share with your friends. You won't regret it especially if you are on a date that isn't going well (long story).

Now to my favorite part, the food!!!!

Start with the taquitos. With a side of sour cream and guacamole you can't go wrong.

Niki and I share our favorite entree simply because it is huge. The fish tacos are spectacular with incredible presentation and did I mention, Delicious?? It really takes two to finish this unique dish. Perfecto!!!

Now you can't leave without a coffee and a piece of tres leches cake. For those of you that have never experienced tres leches cake, you haven't quite lived yet. Take the subway, a cab, scooter, or walk as fast as you can and get yourself a piece now!!!

Holy Guacamole!

I have been coming to this little place for years even before it was renovated. It used to look like a pinata exploded in there with all the colors, things hanging from the ceiling, on the walls, etc. It was Cinco De Mayo year round! Now it is more toned down. On weekends it can be quite busy and cramped.

That being said, food here is solid. Guacamole made right at your table has a good amount of taste and zest to it. Tacos (soft and hard) and burritos (huge) are very good and will do the trick for your Mexican craving. I tried the Tortas recently which is a type of sandwich with beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, avocado, jalapenos, mayonnaise, cheese and your choice of chicken/meat and it was tasty. Other things on the menu are standard as with most Mexican places, but they also have lunch and nightly food and drink specials. Free chips and salsa on your table.

I have never had delivery from here because I heard it was bad. This type of food is meant to be eaten fresh as it is served to you. I found found that most Mexican food using delivery always is just not as good, and a little cold by the time you get it. Also, they are cash only now if under $25 so no credit cards.

Some outside seating and front is open when weather is warm and nice. Not a bad choice if craving Mexican and in the area.

I have has a dozen or so things off the menu and they have all been pretty good. I fall back on the enchiladas, and my guilty pleasure is the chorizo. All the dishes remind me of my days in Colorado with great real Mexican restaurants. This is there, but it is a lot closer than many out there. They also have chimichangas, how can you go wrong with a fried burrito? You can't.

The dining area is not the biggest, but a manageable size.

The chips and salsa on the table are good, the salsa has a little kick to it, a little. They make the guacamole table side, I have never had it, but have seen it in the works many times.

I have gone there with many people and they all enjoy it.

HOT HOT HEAT! No, not the band - the taco. I ordered the Taco Taco taco with marinated pork with roasted jalopenos. It was spicy and quite tasty. It also came with a small side of rice and beans. At first, I thought there was jalopeno in my rice and I was burning up. But apparently it was the roasted jalopeno on the side of the plate. I picked it up ready for my third bite, and my friend stopped me before I made the same mistake again! Friends don't let other friends eat spicy jalopenos. Apparently the heat is in the seeds.

Note: There is a scary looking statue downstairs by the restroom so don't be alarmed.

I'm with Helen N and Flora B on this one. The Sunnyside taco truck may be able to rival California for cheap, quality mexican food, but I have not yet been able to find any sort of sit-down restaurant that compares out here in NYC. Taco Taco is as close as I've ever come.

The guacamole is something you absolutely must get. It is prepared table side using completely fresh ingredients and is divine. Be warned, if you like it spicy, the one spoonful of chopped jalapenos is not enough... you should ask for 2 or 3.

The mole burritos are excellent, so go for that if you're into mole. There is no equivalent of chile verde (where can I find that in NYC???) so I went with the Alambre (steak fajitas), which were excellent also.

-1 for not having horchata available during the afternoon (he said it would be available later in the day). Other than that, no complaints.

This is my 3rd time at Taco Taco.
It works. Don't get the margarita, they are sour mix heavy.

Sangria is okay, although, not what I expected.

Food is... consistent.

It's not a run as fast as you can, I must must must get there, wait in line for 20 minutes, type of place.
It's more of a.... well, nothing else really sounds good, and at least I know I'll like it enough, type of place.

After dining here, I am once again faced with the question of which carries more weight in a dining experience, food taste/quality, or service? Either, if bad, can ruin a dining experience. My notes on Taco Taco...

Food: This is easily the best Mexican I've had in NYC - it was very good. The chips were thick crunchy - none of those paper thin chips that break when you pipette 1mL of salsa onto them. The salsa was great (it tasted fresh and had a nice kick), and the produce was great. As Randall F points out, with a name like Taco Taco, I expected a hole-in-the-wall food stand, but it was actually a cute little restaurant. There were people all around us having (interesting) conversations and the decor is kitchy in an endearing sort of way. The gauc looked pretty good as well - they make it tableside, however I didn't order any.

Service: I think our server meant well, she just didn't seem that with it. My dining companion and I, both being vegetarians, specified that we wanted our dishes without meat, in great detail. Yet, when our food was brought out to us, my date's had chicken in it, and my salad was weighted down with a mound of ground beef! The server realized her mistake almost before we said anything to her, but it (almost) left a bad taste in my mouth.

That said, the food here is GREAT and I wouldn't hesitate to come back, but not before learning how to say 'vegetarian' in spanish. (maybe loco?)

So, back at square one... what rating does this place deserve? I would say 4.5 stars, because I believe the bad service was not ill-intended - it was an honest mistake. I am rounding up because, well, I am simply a fantastic person, and I like to spread the love (more importantly, the food here knocks many of the other Mexican restos in NYC out of the water). I plan to go back for the chips, salsa, and guac, and to give TT another chance at figuring out what 'vegetarian' means!

*bonus: paper on the table + a pen = fun and games before your meal!

As much as I love the big city, I will always partly identify myself as "just a small town girl". So when I spot places with the familiar small town feel, my heart instinctively reacts.

I've spotted two in the city so far: Jack's Stir Brewed Coffee and Taco Taco.

On walking into the small Mexican restaurant last night, I instantly fell in love with its orange walls, Christmas lights lining the edge of the walls, small bouquets of handmade papier-mache flowers on the tables, and little candles. The music was quiet yet upbeat, remindful of what you would find in a fiesta of a small Mexican village. Granted, I have never been to a fiesta in a small Mexican village, but in my mind, this is what it would sound like.

The service was great, the waiters warm and attentive--perhaps like the residents of my imaginary Mexican village?

As for the food, not quite as authentic and fiesta-like as I had hoped. I've definitely had better burritos, though the nachos, especially the guacamole, were excellent.

But the sangria was a disappointment. Sure I downed it because I love sangria, but as I drank and tasted mere hints of fruitiness underneath the sting of alcohol, I felt like I was at a bar where alcohol content counts more than taste. Unacceptable, as sangria is supposed to be a fruity delight.

But for the atmosphere and the guacamole, Taco Taco was definitely worth it. And when the city gets to be too much and I find myself craving a fresh breath of small town air, I'm sure I'll be back for a fiesta taco or two.