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Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
"I just tried this place, and it's a real nice cafe with good food. I tried the Vietnamese sandwich, which tasted traditionally Vietnamese.…" read more »
i went back the other night, super late and very happy they were still open. had a fresh and tasty chicken tamale w/chipotle sauce. it was part of the special of the day: sangria or margarita + chicken tamale w/an enchilada mole all w/rice and beans, of course. get this: $11.95. un-freaking-believable, right?! mmm, mmm, good.
as a public service annoucement, ill spread the news: they'll start serving tamales on the regular.
holla.
yes, the initial free chips/salsa are skimpy, but its still a great lil intro to a hearty and tasty… Read more »
One of my favorite brunch places- $10 gets you a huge plate of various permutations of beans, eggs, tortillas and optional meat, plus a drink of your choice (best value would be a margarita, but my personal favorite is the hot chocolate- they put some extra spices in it for maximum deliciousness).
Also, never once have we had to wait for a table- we like to walk by Clinton Baking Co on the way and scoff at the line.
There seem to be a lot of low reviews which really surprises me. However, I have not been here in several years, so it's possible the quality has diminished in recent times. Though I doubt that, this place is small and really takes pride in their food.
I came here with a large group on Cinco De Mayo. What a blast that was. There were many large groups and later in the meal there were several beer chugging contests between tables and winners would get more beer and free shots. Flippin' sweet.
The food was great. I had the Enchiladas al Maguey. Damn they were good. We had tons of food, HUGE pitchers of STRONG margaritas and sangria. Good times had by all.
This is my favorite restaurant in the world. Go for the Camarones a la Diabla or Enchiladas Suiza. I can't even describe how much I love this place because I'll cry now that I have moved out of the neighborhood.
This nacho adventure was a big one, and by big we mean 7 people, 2 pitchers of margaritas, and 3 different plates of nachos. This authentic Mexican restaurant was dead when we initially walked in but by the time we headed out the place was packed with hungry patrons eagerly awaiting $25 pitchers of frozen margaritas and their choice of 7 different kinds of nachos. SEVEN different kinds of nachos. We were able to narrow it down to nachos with homemade chorizo, vegetables, and grilled steak with al maguey sauce.
Hands down, my favorite was the chorizo nachos.I have decided that if there's going to be a meat on a nacho it needs to be shredded, diced, or ground. The steak just felt too heavy on the nachos and the sauce was overwhelming. Our table was divided but thankfully no one was left unsatisfied. Kristin was the lone steak lover at the table while Mia, (insert people who liked veggies in video) loved the green. The vegetable nachos were pretty banging. I think in just one bite I had zucchini, broccoli, and tomato all drenched in cheesy goodness on a still crispy tortilla.
The folks at El Maguey y La Tuna were also oh so kind to bring free flan to finish up the meal. I normally cringe at the eggy thought of this caramel custard. However, this flan certainly hit the spot. El Maguey y La Tuna has easily taken the top spot of our favorite nachos here at Nacho NY but we are no where near finished. I feel a Lower East Side nacho crawl in our future!
We only be will reviewing Nachos.
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I totally forgot I had been to this place- just goes to show what I thought of the food.
...and WHO the hell said Horchata is made with a powder mix & water? *gags*
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Decent tastes for New York. I will come back, but it is a little pricey for what you get.
This kind of place doesn't have factory production like consistency as some other places do as it's more like home cooking. I thought the black beans were about average, luckily mine didn't come with the 'can juice' as another reviewer mentioned. My fish tacos were on par with all other fish tacos I have ever had. The guacamole was simple - I could swear it was only avocados - but it was fresh and inexpensive. The margaritas are good, and they also give you a tiny shot of cheap tequila at the end of your meal.
All in all a good local joint but don't come here expecting a gourmet experience.
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The tacos are really good. But not great. I appreciate the homemade chorizo. Not too greasy like the pre-made stuff often is.
A sampling of some of my friends' tacos proved that they were also good. Carne Enchilada was yummy, as was the Al Pastor, which had a wonderful sweetness to the meat.
The location however is kind of inconvenient for most of the world, and the fact that you can't just get a taco a la carte for $2.50 (or whatever) is kind of annoying.
That being said, whenever I'm at Parkside Lounge, I think I'll grab a pair to go.
The food is not bad but its definately not memorable either and lacks in authenticity. It tastes kind of generic to be honest. Though not expensive I still think the food is overpriced for it taste and level of quality. Thier rice was bland and kind of soggy. Quality rice is critical at a Mexican restaurant!
On the plus side The staff was incredibly friendly - the service was great and it the atmoshpere was warm and casual. They also serve yummy free tortilla chips while you wait for your entrees.
We did shots too!
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Went to El Maguey last week for dinner. Although a little small the spot has a nice vibe about it. We had a pitcher of Margaritas, made very strong which was a plus. Food was good but not great. All in all a good experience and I will definitely be going back.
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I have been here twice now - once for their anniversary where they were offering people free tequila shots and having a drinking contest and once last weekend. The staff is so friendly and it's always been overall a good meal. My b/f and I were walking around the Lower East Side trying to find a place without a 2 hour wait and I remembered this place. It is off the beaten path and is very small & cozy.
I also learned something new - I thought I always hated mole sauce - but this restaurant offers 3 types of mole - the brown kind - which is chocolate - which tastes bland like refried beans and the green and red kind which taste good!
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Authentic Mexican food and strong margaritas = happiness :)
Don't get me wrong, I love fast-food melted spicy velveeta nachos as much as the comic book guy from the Simpsons...but...
If you are looking for *real* Mexican food where the portions and spice are just right, then this is the spot :) Try it out before the rest of the world finds out about it and it loses it's "cool under the radar little local Mexican place" street cred.
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Great authentic Mexican food.
I generally order delivery (it's very fast) from here as the restaurant itself is pretty bare bones.
Highly recommend:
Enchilada Verdes
Enchilada Suizas
Enchilada El Maguey
Spinach Burrito
Make sure you're hungry: the portions are huge!
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Been going to this place for about 4 years now. Being a Cali girl, finding a yummy Mexican restaurant is key to survival. My friend from TX (another Mexican food snob) and I have put this one on the list. The people here are great, and I always leave super happy.
Except for this one time....
I usually come here for Cinco De Mayo bcs it's always a LOT of fun, food is great, and ppl are awesome. This year, this place was NUTS. Man, word got out! It was way too crowded to be enjoyable... So no more Cinco De Mayo at El Maguey for me. I had so much fun the first couple years we went for Cinco de Mayo. The place was full, but not packed. We would play "Pass the Sombrero" with strangers at the next table over. But this year... First of all, they had a set menu that did not have much options (esp for my veggie friends). Second, they ran out of 2 of 5 of their main entrees by like 8:30pm! And third, there was line out the door when we left around 10:00 - they were really trying to rush ppl to get out of the restaurant. Too bad... I still love the place, but I won't go back there for Cinco de Mayo anymore.
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Mexicans need mexican food to survive. It's a little known fact. Our veins are filled with mole and we cry pico de gallo tears. Our bones are made of corn and we wrap ourselves in blankets made of corn leaves (true story).
Being mexican in Manhattan is tough. Not enough mexican immigrants have yet to arrive (though they're starting to show up in droves - check out Astoria) so the traditional mexican cuisine has been found in tex-mex places run by chinese people. It's...not tasty.
But, every once in awhile, you stumble along a mexican place that makes me want to wear cowboy hats and listen to tejano music. El Maguey y La Tuna is that kind of place.
I went for Cinco De Mayo and even though the place was reservation only and filled with white frat boys and sorisotutes, they still fit me and my two friends in. The service was efficient considering how many people were in the place, the prices okay considering it was a set menu for cinco de mayo and the food was amazing. AMAZING. I'm not use to celebrating Cinco De Mayo the St. Patrick's way - I'm use to low riding down Federal Blv'd in Denver - but El Maguey y La Tuna took the celebration in stride. It's been around since 1993 - the beachhead for the reconquista. Viva El Maguey y La Tuna!
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What's not to like when the waiter, who looks like your abuelo brings out tequila shots and gently requests that you do him the privilege of taking them.
I abhor shots, but really who's gonna turn down grandpa beseeching you to just try one. Later in the night (10:30/11 ish) they get a little goofier and I've seen dancing. (Which given the lighting is strange).
The food is perfectly fine for authentic mexican. (Order the shrimp and fish with impunity). And dollar for dollar, it's the best I've had in the city. Aside from the porc torta at "Fast & Fresh Deli".
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After strolling through the lower east side trying to find something besides a deli or pizza joint, I was happy to see this little gem. I was enticed by the happy hour specials on the margaritas and sangria, so I checked it out. I am glad I did. Prices were alright but the the food was really good. Excellent service and it was a nice moment where I felt a little bit of separation from the city. This is a great place for enchilada-lovers as they have a nice selection.
A good place to check out if you are in the mood to eat some authentic Mexican chow
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I came here for dinner with friends and had a great time. The mole chicken burrito was delicious, and I loved the sauce that the shrimp fajitas were cooked in ( really garlicy) . The chips tasted homemade.
My friend, who's Mexican, says this place in the best authentic cheap Mexican in the city.
This place is the real deal for mexican food. The brunch specials are great, and at $10, it's a manhattan-steal!
The chiliquilles are authentic and yummy!
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So in my continuing quest to find good Mexican food in New York since moving here from the west coast, I decided to drop into this place for take-out. I wanted to get a little sampling of their offerings, so I got the steak burrito and the cheese nachos. I was a little put off by the fact that the cheese nachos were $8.95, but once I got home and saw the size of the dish I not only understood the price but also (almost) regretted ordering two items.
So the pros; the beans (black) were actually really good. The pico de gallo, which I usually don't like anyhow was incredibly chunky, fresh and tasty. I was happy that they put pickled jalapeno quarters with the burrito and the nacho. They were actually a little spicy. The cheese was also nice and the sour cream was more like the Mexican style which was good. They served the burrito "enchilada" style by default, covered in sauce and cheese which I'm always a sucker for.
The cons; there wasn't all that much steak in the burrito and what was in there was crowded out by an ungodly amount of that insipid yellow rice. What is that stuff, Dominican or something? It's certainly not like any of the rice that I've ever had in Mexican food on the west coast and I can't say I like it all that much. Also, the red salsa was not hot at all or that tasty. The green was also not that good and only mildly warmer. Okay, and one last thing... the burrito was square and that always bothers me.
The verdict... I would go back. I think next time I'll eat in instead of taking out though, I'm sure I would have enjoyed my experience much more that way. Also, I think I'll try one of their recommended specialties next time, perhaps the mole.
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El Maguey Y La Tuna is a little gem of a Mexican restaurant stashed away all the way on the east side of town on Houston Street. The place is pretty small but there are plenty of tables so you can go with a group of 8 or 10 and get seated after a reasonable wait. Seating for one or two is easily accomodated on most nights and the food is well worth the hike to the East side.
The atmosphere is very nice and comfortable and the service extremely friendly. It feels like a nice family-run restaurant and that quality shows through everything, including the food. The first time I was there one of the ladies actualy came out of the kitchen and chatted with everyone at our table for a bit offering us a discount next time we came. Not that the prices were so high that I would need a discount in order to come back. Things were very reasonably priced at just over $10 for most entrees.
As I said, the food is also excellent. Very authentic Mexican with everything you'd expect to find on a Mexican menu. If you're ever out this far East give it a try, but it's definitely worth a trip from another part of town. Highly recommended!
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I came here on the hunt for some delicious guacamole that I wouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg for (read Dos Caminos or Rosa Mexicano). Heard this place was the shit and had their Mexican food down cold.
Alas, I was disappointed. The guacamole was small and just fine. No more, no less.
Entrees were also fine. All in all, the whole dinner was just meh.
Talked my friend out of getting any sort of meh dessert and headed over to get ices from NYC Icy (too bad that's no longer around!).
Wouldn't make the trip over there again. But, I also wouldn't not eat here again either. So there.
It's true about the free chips being scant, but I'm here to order food, and still be hungry enough to eat it. And the food IS good. The drinks are nice, and will get you warmed up quickly. Portions aren't huge and overbearing, just the right amount. The place is small and not much to look at, but if you want to stare at pretty walls all day, go to the museum.
*Edit* Went back again on 11/8.
It seemed like there were slightly more 'on the house' chips this time, but the waitress tried to take them away after the food arrived. Whoa there! Keep 'em on the table!
The margaritas were strong and tasty, and are not salted, unless you ask.
It was a cold night, so they turned the heat on, then off as needed; the warmth helped my drink kick in, but was comfortable throughout.
The Moles Poblanos is pretty much the highest price item there, and you get 2 pieces of chicken, including a drumstick. Meh. They give you warm CORN tortillas, which aren't as flexible as flour, but I am thinking they wanted me to make my own enchiladas version. I could stay at home and do that! Considering that halfway through my first margarita, my motor skills were shot (yes I am a cheap and easy drunk), I just skipped the work.
The black beans were awful and plain, the 'can juice' not even drained. The rice was quite good though.
Traditional Mexican music, special bonus of the Police spanish songs.
It lost a lot from the first visit. A third visit is still on the list, just lower down.
one word for El Maguey: OVERRATED
I have to say the main entrees were a solid 3.5 stars. With that being said I can't give this place more than 2 stars and I seriously don't get the hype that's going on here. First of all what kind of place serves you a dinky tiny bowl of about 6-10 complimentary tortilla chips for 2 people with about a tablespoon of salsa - they proudly proclaim on the menu "the first one's on us!" Yippiee! Should I kiss the owner for that? And I only have to pay 1.95 if i want another basket of 6-10 chips? Come on, don't be so damn cheap.
Then there was the service. Hahahaha. Is all I can say. The waiter took our order 2x and still got it wrong. He delivered a neighboring tables dish to my wife then picked it up and brought it to the corect table....later he returned to ask the woman to see what was inside the quesadilla making her move the layers apart! Mind you she was already eating it. My meal and my wife's came out nearly 10 minutes apart - I noticed the same thing at another table. I also noticed that the margarita's which were on sale for 4.50 at happy hour were litterally like 4 or 5 oz tiny wine glasses. You know the kind they serve wine in dive bars. Somehow this also looked so pathetic and cheap. Oh yah the waiter never came by once to ask if everything was ok. That's simply inexcusible. Maybe he was too embarassed at being such a bad waiter. At least he should be.
Overall both our entrees were good. Good quality ingredients and taste for sure, but for the price - and the service I would honestly never return. Too many places in the city to roll the dice here again - and the stinginess on the normal mexican freebies just left a sour taste in the mouth. For real good Mexican head to El Paso - it's so worth the trip.
I agree with the naysayers here, and I am a TexMex snob from Texas. Dinky portions of average pico de guillo (they didn't even have a salsa verde - traditional tomato based salsa) and sub par over salted beef fajita-ish dish. Maybe it's a case of not ordering the right thing, but what I got came recommended by the waiter. The best Tex Mex in NYC is still unfortunately the most expensive: Rosa Mexicano and Dos Cominos, which is surprising given the seemingly rapidly increasing Mexican population in NYC.
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I cannot begin to express my joy at finding El Maguey Y La Tuna. As a displaced southwesterner, I am too often left wanting for proper Mexican fare in these parts and leave many a restaurant feeling disappointed and homesick.
I've only been here a couple times thus far, but each time the service has been beyond friendly and the food phenomenal. This isn't some hoity-toity "salmon taco with seared spinach and apple salsa" place. We're talking about a burrito the size of my forearm drenched in the bittersweet warmth of a perfect mole sauce! On my last visit I tried the green mole chicken and wow - what an interesting and amazing concoction! Yes, please. Appetizer-wise, the guacamole is unparalleled and the stuffed jalapenos have a whole shrimp inside, amidst the sweet melted queso fresco to help cool your mouth from all the spicy love. If that wasn't enough, they have sopapillas for dessert, served with bananas and chocolate sauce and ice cream. Which is also a hearty portion, so you may want to come with friends to share (or try to restrain yourself during the meal and maybe take half home with you for later).
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"Quality rice is critical at a Mexican restaurant!" - JoJo C.
brilliant deduction. if the love is in the rice then it'll also reflect throughout the rest of the meal. the foundation of a great mexican meal sits on the side of the plate.
the rice is bland. good chorizo and bean soup. i'm not investing in any more anti acids for this place anytime soon.
-c
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Go here for authentic Mexican food that is declicous. The service is often but not always very friendly. This is another one of those hidden gems you hesitate to write about but I've never seen it that busy and would hate for them to go out of business. Very casual.
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I'm really not sure what the hype is about.
My friend and I walk in on Tuesday night. There were maybe 4 patrons in there. The vibe was warm and cozy. The music was great, although the CD did skip a few times and made us laugh.
The chips and salsa were standard.
I ordered the mole verde with pork. The pork was tender, but the mole was really salty. The side of rice and beans was pretty meager, considering a lot of Latin restaurants give you MOUNDS of the stuff.
I wasn't too impressed. My quest to find good Mexican food in New York City continues.
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To start, they served about 10 stale chips and a tiny bowl of salsa. They gave me a margarita I didn't order but decided to drink because I hate to see alcohol go to waste. It ended up being pretty great, especially the unique salt they use on the rim. Cactus Burrito was all right, definitely filling and not too expensive. Boyfriend's enchiladas el Maguey were tasty and mole-esque. There are better Mexican food places in Manhattan, but if you're in the Lower East and looking for something decent, you could definitely do worse.
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If you want a comfortable, relaxed, friendly, and no frills atmosphere with delicious and affordable Mexican food, then look no further! A group of us went here for dinner the other night and had a great time. The margaritas were made to perfection, the entrees were fresh and full of flavor and the staff was outstanding! I will definitely be returning with friends to make sure this hidden Mexican haven gets the recognition it deserves!
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Neighborhood: Stuyvesant Town
Free Appetizers for Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Mexican
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Category: Nightlife
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West Coast import- so I've taken it upon on myself…
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