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Latin Thing - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
61 Lexington Ave(between 25th St & 26th St)
New York, NY 10010
Neighborhoods: Kips Bay, Flatiron
(212) 213-2522
- Nearest Transit:
-
28 St (4, 6, 6X)
23 St (4, 6, 6X)
23 St (N, R)
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
65 reviews for Latin Thing
Review Highlights
"I usually order the pollo negro it is very flavorful."
(in 15 reviews)
"The Ecuadorian chicken was moist and flavorful."
(in 11 reviews)
"Latin Thing is Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Columbian food..."
(in 7 reviews)
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65 reviews in English
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Review from nicole h.
New York, NY
10/19/2010
I can't believe this place closed! They had the best pollo negro I've ever had in my life. I still restrain from walking on that side of the street because not having Latin Thing there makes me want to cry.
And their prices were so cheap!! such a great loss -
Review from David W.
Queens, NY
3/21/2011
Awww, why did this place have to shutdown?? I remember it being very good!
Guess it's true that you never know what you got until it's gone.
I've only been here once a while back, and then forgot about it ---
-- Oh wait, maybe that's why. -
Review from Brian A.
New York, NY
5/31/2010
I can't believe this spot closed down.
Yellow rice, "red" beans, Ecuadorian chicken, tomatoes, avocado and chipotle dressing did me good for months! -
Review from Angelina K.
New York, NY
4/28/2010
I ordered a small, thinking that it would be a light meal since they grabbed this tiny container he put he food in. Boy, they really pile the stuff on! I had the pollo ecuatoriano, and it was quite good. Very juicy and tender! I usually don't like eating chicken from take-out places because my experience has been that the chicken tastes like rubber... but Latin thing's chicken is really good!
The flan is good too, although I regretted ordering it since I was freaking full after the small plate.
Actually, I'm going to be going there now... *check in please* -
Review from Peter D.
8/20/2009 1 Check-in Here
I ventured out with five of my colleagues to get lunch; the destination was Baoguette. But apparently everyone in a ten-block radius decided it was a banh mi day. I don't like lines, and I beat my own drum in March, as my mother might say....so I went next door to Latin Thing, which for some unfathomable reason, was empty around 12:45 pm. So much the better for me.
I walked up to the counter and took my time, chatted the guy up. He was more than happy to construct an ENORMOUS burrito with the Ecuadorian chicken, black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, olives, corn and the spicy chipotle sauce. I was still in and out in 5 minutes. It cost me $7, and was easily enough food for two people. It was wonderful. The chicken was tender, the ingredients were all fresh, and the sauce gave it a nice little kick in the pants.
Cheap. Quick. Delicious. That's everything I want at lunchtime. Although, I am a bit peeved that I wasn't offered the Hot Chick Discount someone mentioned in another review. -
Review from Jane K.
12/15/2008 1 Check-in Here
Secret lunch spots seem to be popping up all over the place near my office and I'm certainly not complaining! Latin Thing suffers from a seriously odd name and it really is hard to determine whether the cuisine is Spanish, Mexican, Puerto Rican...Latin? What I do know is, they offer cheap, gut-busting lunch options with a crazy variety of flavor. Feel like a stewed carne burrito with jalapeno dressing? No problemo. Craving some shrimp ceviche? Claro que si!
The chart topper here so far is the Pernil, a slow-roasted seasoned pork that you can devour in burrito, plate or salad form. Keep in mind that they only have 2 small table and 4 chairs total so prepare to take it with you. And don't skimp on the napkins...those burritos are bursting at the seams! -
Review from Mog C.
9/9/2008
WOW!!
Why the heck did I wait this long to eat from here? I've passed by here so often and finally decided to go in today. That had to be the best decision I've made all day. They don't make their tortillas from scratch but it seems everything else is freshly made from the stewed meats to the salsas. I saw many people order the rice and bean platter and while it did look delicious, I didn't really want to fill up on rice so I went with a burrito.
Him: "You want white or yellow rice?"
Me: "No rice please.
Him: You want salad instead?
Me (surprised that he's thoughtful enough to offer something different): Yeah, that'd be great!!
Him: What kind of bean?
Me: Red.
He thoughtfullly scooped the beans out of their juices into a mesh strainer and pressed the beans a bit, rendering them almost into bean mushy heaven.
Him: What kind of meat you want?
Me: What do you have?
Him: Well, this one is beef marinaded in caribbean seasonings. This other one is stewed beef..
Me: I'll have the stewed beef.
My burrito then gets passed to the Toppings guy who asks me:
Him: What toppings you want?
Me: Salsa.
Him: Guac?
Me: Yes.
Him: Sour Cream.
Me: No
Him: Which cheese?
Me (pointing to the whiter of the two)
Him: Anything else?
Me: Jalapenos and hot sauce.
I realize by now how humongous the pile of food on the tortilla is. And I'm amazed when he's able to turn that into what has to be the biggest burrito I've ever seen. It barely wraps around once and the tortilla had to be at least 15 inches across when everything started. I tell myself there's NO WAY I can finish that much food and already plot how I'll scoop out the meat and eat that first.
For all this food, I get charged $8.62. The guac is an extra dollar and the stewed meat is probably an extra $0.75 but for close to a pound of burrito, I can't complain.
Moral of the story: I CAN eat all that. In less than 20 mins. Everything is super fresh and this was probably the best burrito I've had since I've lived in TX. Service here is great. The guys that work the counter are friendly and helpful. They are sanitary (all wear gloves). They don't skimp on portions either and while I don't know how good it was for me to devour the burrito that fast, my tummy was quite happy. I've already convinced the guys at work to order from here later on the week.Listed in: Cheap!! Yep, that's what I…
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Review from Lauren L.
Manhattan, NY
2/20/2010
11:30pm Friday: Beginning of intense burrito craving whilst perusing Yelp instead of going out and taking advantage of my youth
11:32pm Friday: Cussing at myself because I live in a neighborhood with a craptacular subway line and getting to the middle of Manhattan at night would take about an hour
11:33pm: realized the Latin goodness place I was salivating over was probably closed for the night anyway
1:30pm Saturday: Finished rehearsals at NYU, looked up address on Blackberry, scurried for the 6 train
1:36pm: Cussed and bitched about crowdedness of 6 train
1:42pm: got off at 23rd street. Raced toward Lexington. Apparently knocked in to some bitch with my bag full of sheet music. She made some "well exCUSE me!" comment. I flipped her off and kept going.
1:48pm: arrived at Latin Thing. Jaw agape over the sights of delicious looking meat, beans, and fresh veggies.
Latin Thing Employee: Hello, what would you like?
Lauren: *Dumbfounded gaze* Um..... I'll take the pollo negro burrito (which in my midwestern hoosier accent came out as PO-LOW NEE-GROW)
LTE: White or wheat tortilla?
Lauren: (To self: WHAT!?!? Another choice!?! I shouldn't be eating a tortilla the size of a manhole anyway. Empty carbs!!! The wheat makes me feel better but it probably has sugar or honey in it which is gross, so I should probably get white...) WHEAT. I'll take wheat.
LTE: Yellow or white rice?
Lauren: (To self: MORE empty carbs!! No no no no no) Yellow rice please. Not a lot though (See, I AM health conscious!)
LTE: Red or black beans?
Lauren: RED! (The first decision I made with confidence!)
And he finished making my burrito. And it was easy on the rice, HEAVY on the delicious pollo negro, and perfect amounts of grilled veggies, beans, tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, a slight sprinkling of cheese, and mild sauce.
And it was AMAZING. I even tortured myself by taking it all the way back to NYU where I was waiting for another rehearsal to eat it at a desk like a human being instead of ripping into it on the nasty ass subway where people eat fried chicken and leave the carcass behind! Now that's restraint!
I loved the variety of the menu, and that the burritos came in two sizes. Being a fat ass, I got the larger of the two. And I ate it all in one sitting. Not exactly comfortably, but I didn't feel like I was gonna die afterwards either. Next time I go, preferably not after I've been hallucinating over burrito cravings for 12 hours, I will try something else. Something smaller.
Even the belches after I finished my burrito were delightful :) How often does that happen!?!Listed in: BURRRRRRRRRRRITOS
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Review from eamonn c.
Middle Village, NY
12/9/2008
Absolutely love this place and regret initially ignoring it when it opened.
First time I ever walked in I was barely hungry and in a rush for class. Walked in for a quick bite and got hooked - it was like a worm so good the fish didn't mind biting into it.
The place is tiny and unassuming, a sign outside with small steps leading into a dining area of about 4 seats with a medium sized fern taking up half the entire real estate. So I soak it in and check out the 4 or so options of meat and I show some interest in their Ecuatorian Chicken - the guy behind the counter noted my interest and said "hold on" to go and bring out a damn fresh serving straight out the kitchen! That does not happen at restaurants...
To skip forward, my favorite dishes are the Ecuatorian and the Dominican chicken which seem to be in constant rotation. Both have such a unique taste with delicious pulled pieces of chicken that's just so juicy from simmering in the sauces they've got.
My favorite part about coming here is when I'm barely even hungry - even though for me it's still a hunger that could put obese to shame. I'll come in here and just get yellow rice with red beans. Then pile on fresh onions, jalapenos, homemade chipotle hot sauce, and cilantro.
Ring that up please.
Barely $3?
Oh joy!
Even their small serving size they will load up for you and it's still such a great deal. Be prepared when ordering large because you will be put to the test - although there's no shame in bitching out because I've been told rice and beans makes Grade-A breakfast when fried! -
Review from Gino M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/21/2010
And again it hits me like Elaine Benes saying "Get Out!"
Why?
45 years old, ball busting, Irish-American, New Yorker recommends El Farro...
Yelp disagrees
We stick to our guns (apart from some detouring, what's the difference) and finally end up at Latin Thing
A hole in the hole of the Little India/Kips Bay/Murray Hill/Lexington Ave Business Improvement Strategy WALL
What do we find?
Would you say that this was a bad night?
Could we not find romance in 80 square feet of space with a Dominican young man restocking hot sauce cups 3 feet from us????
Could we not find a greater meaning?
No
We just couldn't share anything in common with these falsified purveyors of taste that own the incestuous title of "New Yorker" by day and Ostentatious Male by cold night
There's a bomb in the baby carriage
Nothing in common.
My girl and I will dine in harmony with our taste buds and real buying power.
When she makes her first medical million
And I return to making my Bachelor of City Planning Gold Star Standard of 50K,
We'll do it up real nice once in awhile, but it will be once in awhile and it will be because we have a pure motive...not because of decaying brick and coin-op laundry thinness found to be a common attribute of Dominican immigrant T-Shirts
But then and now and in years from now we'll stand up
And say 3 things about Latin Thing:
1) Its Street Sign and Font suck tremendous balls
2) It's the best Latin Food we thing we're ever going to find in Manhattan (Pending approval from the "Wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger" portion of my "Thinking is the best way to travel" soul)
3) It's not opinion if the opinion of others has not been considered...not quite sure what that means, but let's just say if you are bothered that you're business associates will oust you from the squash lounge session for eating Pulled Pork Sandwiches that you purchased while resting your sweaty knee on a sticky thick white painted wall, we can't be friends and hang out.
And I thought 18 was an asshole year.
Latin Thing is Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Columbian food primarily...
It's done right.
Ignore the menu and the "what to gets"
Just roll in hungry and ask the guy to make you a burrito, sandwich or plate with whatever you desire on it...
Many ways of preparing proteins...
Plenty of fresh topping options and some lovely hot sauce...a nice heft side of fresh guacamole
And happy you will be!
oh----ohhh I'm sticking with you!
I'm sticking with you!
Because you're made out of glue.
Love is Everyone! -
Review from Rubie R.
Chicago, IL
5/29/2009
I was smitten by the incredibly friendly and laid-back service.
He offered me a discount before we could even establish a rapport. And I wasn't looking exceptionally good that day so I know it couldn't have been the Hot Chick Discount. He was patient as I decided what else to throw into my concoction. He asked me how my day was. And when I told him I'd be sitting at one of the three small tables, he encouraged me to stay as long as I wanted. This guy was just so damn NICE, for lack of a better word.
Add that to solid food, great prices, and the fact that I can get airline miles from eating here, and you get 5 stars, baby. -
Review from Ani V.
New York, NY
4/20/2009
A hole in the wall restaurant that you will walk by unless you hear about it word of mouth.
It only holds six but the lack of space is totally dealable since their food is so tasty.
Tasty fresh Hispanic cuisine. Incredible beef and roast pork dishes!
Inexpensive, large portions and quick service! -
Review from Deo A.
Irvine, CA
1/16/2009
Just thinking about eating here again makes my panties wet.
Whoa WTF where'd that come from???
Okay, so I am seriously craving this place right now, and not because the only thing I ate today was string cheese and graham crackers. No, it's because it's really delicious, cheap, and fast. Kind of like your mom. -
Review from Paul D.
8/23/2009
If there was a way to make love to this 'hole in the wall' eatery, I would.
$8 for one of the juiciest, most delicious pork sandwiches I've ever had.
Very friendly and quick service...just go here. Now! I have no witty remarks or further comments about the food. Get over there! -
Review from Byrne H.
Brooklyn, NY
6/19/2009
I stopped by Latin Thing for lunch the other day. The place is sweltering, which probably does great things for their drink sales (and explains why a place with so many customers needs just three places to sit).
It's a one-pass cafeteria-style serving arrangement. Pick what you want (burrito, rice and beans, etc.), a meat, sauce, lots of toppings of all manner and description.
The staff are friendly and brutally efficient; I was in and out in under five minutes, despite being fifth or so in line to be served. Low points: as mentioned, you can't get a seat (and wouldn't want one if you could) -- but Madison Square Park is about two blocks away, so that's not a tragedy. -
Review from Varun V.
11/9/2009
Very niiiiice.
Who would have known that this shitty looking little place could have delicious food inside.
Don't be like me and walk past it daily for 6 months without once stepping in - you will regret it. -
Review from Jeanette Y.
Oakland, CA
6/20/2010
OH latin thing, where did you go? I miss your ecuadorian chicken and pollo negro! You were the BEST latin food I've found and now you're gone. YOU were so fresh and oh so good.
Please tell me you're just remodeling? -
Review from Emily W.
Ann Arbor, MI
7/22/2009
Latin Thing is not only delicious, it's easy on the wallet. Top that off with the friendliest staff ever, and you've got a winner.
The menu makes it really easy to order (describes the combos, types of meat, etc). The staff there is so friendly. Every time I've been there, the person helping me was so patient and helpful while I made special requests or asked questions. They always offer samples too. I'm particularly in love with the pernil and the maduros.
I just can't believe the quantity and quality of food you can get for the price, all while ordering in a pleasant environment.
The only downsides: The place is so small, there's really no eating in! Also, they seem to close sort of early. Bummer when you're craving it after an evening workout! -
Review from Susan s.
1/19/2010
Walked by this spot on my way home today! I decided to order some food since every time I've tried to order delivery, they have been closed at night.
I tried the criolla platter which consisted of white rice, two meats (chicken and shredded beef), black beans, maduros, lettuce, pico de hallo and sabroso dressing. I also added corn to the mix.
I felt like I was at Chipotle except maybe with a more authentic style. I like how small the location was and seating was probably only available for under 8 people. :)
The flavors on one dish mixed together was tasty. I would come back here again if I pass by in the future. -
Review from rik p.
Oakland, CA
12/28/2008
Very good and cheap latin food for the starving Baruch student or office workers in the hood. The folks there are always very nice and the portions are ridiculous for the price.
Best thing on the menu is the pernil. -
Review from Zayed K.
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
4/5/2010
I remember when they first put up the sign for this place I thought it was a low-end beauty parlour, so you can imagine my surprise when I first walked in here to apply for a job after they opened. I felt cheated, but was oddly happy about it.
They serve cheap, seriously tasty food. Jalapeno sauce = awesomeness. Although I do find that they are not particularly consistent. The meat is sometimes dry, so I tend to stick with the chicken mostly (both pollo negro and pollo ecuatoriano are delicious), as it fares better when this is the case. For this reason I would consider giving them a 3.5, but I can't. Plus, they are a clear cut above the neighbouring competition if you can call them that (aka, Chipotle, and maybe Gramercy Star Cafe?), so I rounded up. The Caribbean beef is probably the best pick if you're going a for a burrito. Except for those few bad days, it is generally very succulent, and the texture just works best with the tortilla.
Their various options are all rich in flavour. I can never quite tell how the rice is, because they slap the beans all over it, making it a gooey mess - in a good way. Portions are huge, and even the "small" option is quite filling. You have been warned. -
Review from Jeremy W.
5/7/2009
The food here is excellent and feels much more authentic than a Chipotle or Qdoba. Rather than everything being tex mex, flavors are attributed to the Carribean and Latin America.
I've tried the pollo negro (soy sauce & Dominican oregano) and pernil (spiced Puerto Rican roast pork) in plates and burritos, both were juicy and savory (and actually look like the meat they're supposed to be, not diced cubes like the chain restaurants). I also like the choice yellow rice more than the standard issue white rice, but that's available also.
This joint is almost strictly take-out, as there are only 2 or 3 two-seat tables, and I'll issue a warning on the platters that the beans and sauce may leak if you're not careful carrying your meal.
Also, at $6-$7, the price right and the service is always extremely friendly. -
Review from Rashid M.
11/2/2009
So I was in the area and came across this restaurant and didn't know what to expect. Took out my iphone, looked up the Yelp app and surprisingly this place had good review so I decided to give it a shot.
The food was pretty good. I had the small Carne Caribena with rice and beans. It was very flavorful and for a "small" size, it was a actually pretty big. It came with sour cream and you can add other toppings if you like. Total cost was less than $5.00. For good food that tastes home-made, that was pretty good. Glad I decided to give it a try. -
Review from Logan W.
Staten Island, NY
2/9/2009
cheap, delicious and got the job done.
I was pressed for time and i was going to take my girlfriend out to dinner later so i needed a cheap place to fill up before heading back to my daily activities. then i saw the sign for latin thing.
i walked in and there were two tables in a small room with friendly guys behind the counter. i ordered my food (pollo negro with yellow rice and lettuce) and i really didnt know what to expect.
well considering i didnt have any expectations, i was happy with the outcome. it was delicious and each bite sent me straight to the first time i ate comida latina.
So, for the food and the taste bud induced trips down memory lane i give it 5 stars. -
Review from Jenna S.
Brooklyn, NY
7/14/2009
Incredible.
They give a discount if you're a Baruch or SVA student (10%) and they even have an account on http://upromise.com which is kind of awesome too.
Aside from all that, their food is really really good. I use to babysit for a wonderful Puerto Rican family who fed me rice and beans every night for dinner and it was my favorite food ever. These guys make it just as good and are the best I've found in the city.
The only negative is that they haven't expanded yet! More space guys, make this in to a place people can take a seat in : ] -
Review from Ivan K.
New York, NY
12/16/2009
Went here after looking on yelp for good food near my dorm and I must say I am definitely pleased. I got the Puerto Rican Pork with Rice and with the amount of food I got for seven dollars I was very pleased. The lettuce and tomatoes were very fresh although the rice was a tad overcooked but that did not detract from the meal. Pork was solid. Seasoned well and tender but salty as well.
It's a solid pick for your mexican food, especially if you're trying not to get chipotle. Also, $5 burritos = win -
Review from Vivian L.
3/3/2010
Wow! Who knew that such a little hole in the wall place would have such delicious burritos! Once again, appearances prove to be deceiving.
I've lived in the area for 1.5 years now and have never tried this place until now. Well, I certainly have been missing out. I got the pollo negro burrito, and wowww the meat is unbelievably flavorful, tender, and delicious. Definitely trumps what you can get at the burrito chains. There is a wide selection of toppings you can choose to put on your burrito, and the workers here are very nice and friendly. I didn't specify a size and received the large burrito. Could only eat half the burrito in one sitting so might downgrade to the small next time, although if you're curious, the burrito does still taste good reheated! =)
You can apparently get a discount here if you're a student. I know this because the guy asked me if I had a student ID. When I said no, he followed with "but you're a student, right?". Although it was very hard, I felt like being ethical that day, so sadly admitted that I was not a student. But for the less moral, it is not difficult at all to get the student discount even if you are not a student =P.
Place is tiny so definitely do take-out! -
Review from Chris B.
Fairfax, VA
5/12/2009
I travel to NYC for business every three months or so, and have had my fill of overpriced, high-brow places (yet, all of them good). Today, I wanted to find nice place that's truly a "hole in the wall"...where to go? Yelp of course...and I was not disappointed.
Not two blocks from my hotel, I walked over to Latin Thing - to grab a late, quick meal (I just didn't want to wait an hour in one of the popular local places on Park). I was surprised at the small size - it was take out.
I order the Pollo Negro - delicious! Complete with yellow rice, beans, salad. The guy behind the counter was very cool - he asked right away if this was my first time, and then he set me up with the right toppings.
It smelled so good - I rushed back to the hotel room to enjoy - delicious! Did I mention it only cost me $8? What a deal! If you are NYC and looking for a quick lunch or a low-attitude dinner, you gotta try Latin Thing. -
Review from Keith M.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2010
It seems as though I've become a regular here without really even trying. I first came here a few months ago and wasn't blown away with it. But, recently this tends to be the perfect lunch spot. With $5 ($5.46 with tax) chicken burritos how can you go wrong?
The food is always made fresh and the guys behind the counter are really friendly. A lot of people in my office compare it to Chipotle, yet it tends to be half the price and more flavor. I will say that a small problem with Latin Thing is that the store is very small; it's best if you have take-out.
A word of advice: these enormous burritos tend to put everyone into a bit of a food coma -
Review from Rachel S.
Boston, MA
1/27/2009
I hate dishing out 5 star reviews, but Latin Thing is absolutely wonderful. I got the pollo negro with rice and beans. Do kids still use the term "da bomb"? Cause like, it was seriously DA bomb.
As far as latin food goes, this is the best I've ever had (With apologies to my best friend's Abeula)! The chicken tasted the way I always wish it would. Succulent and flavorful. 2 teeny tiny tables were pretty depressing, but since we snagged one it wasn't much of an issue. -
Review from Justin W.
New York, NY
5/18/2010
Nooooo, say it ain't so! I'm bummed that you're closed! I saw this and even ran outside in the rain to verify if this was true. You were my first great Yelp discovery and closest place to my apartment. I'll miss the pollo negro, friendly service, and awesomely huge burritos. It was much better than anything else nearby whenever I wanted a burrito with deliciously marinated chicken and some jalapeno sauce. You were cheap, delicious and vastly superior to La Posada, Chipotle and the like. Even though you were small and hole in the wall place, I appreciated the ability to grab and go.
Please reopen and let me know where you end up! -
Review from Michael S.
New York, NY
1/23/2008
I could not be happier that these guys moved into the area a few months ago. The owners are very friendly and the food is EXCELLENT. All of the food has a very homemade feel to it and the recipes definitely come from someone's grandma!
You can order a plate (meat, rice and beans), a burrito or a salad. They usually have about 8 types of meat you can choose from. Most of the meats are marinated or stewed for hours and are "fall-off-the-bone" tender. The meat here is cooked and spiced to perfection! The rice and beans are just like they were meant to be made, but the area where this place really separates itself is with the sauces/salsas. All of them are homemade recipes and really make this place stand out.
Great prices and phenomenal food, BUT the hours are not that great. I think the place closes around 7pm or 8pm on the weekdays, so most of us working-stiffs won't get a chance to try it. That being said, if you are having a lazy Sat, definitely stop by and give it a try. -
Review from Kiki R.
3/13/2009
1 star off for the mushy rice.
Other than that, I have no complaints about Latin Thing. The Ecuadorian chicken was moist and flavorful. The chicken comes with red beans, yellow rice, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and etc. The place gets packed during lunch hours. It is a quick business transaction for good food.
The food is abundant for the price. My boyfriend comes here all the time and he told me the price used to be $5.50, but now it is $6.29 with a student discount. The price keeps going up, but I'll still come back for more. -
Review from Darwin G.
9/25/2009 1 photo
I came here after seeing the rave reviews on Yelp. It's a pretty small place and was empty compared to Baoguette.
I ordered the small size because I'm on a diet, but it turned out to be the perfect amount and very filling.
You first order what "form" you want. I went with rice and beans. Then the meat, Ecuadorian chicken. Then red or black beans. On top, I went with diced tomatoes and onions, corn, lettuce, sour cream, and chipotle hot sauce.
The chicken was so unbelievably moist and tender. It's better and cheaper than La Posada, which is in the area. The value was fantastic, the small was around $4.50. I asked and apprently they're still doing the $5 burrito if you mention Yelp on Saturdays. Their burrito was so huge and they only charged me $4.50 for some reason. Nice!
I tried a sample of the tomato carne, which was okay. Their pernil sandwich is really fantastic, huge and so filling, though I wish they had Baoguette quality bread. The pollo negro isn't as good as the Ecuadorian. Stick with the Ecuadorian chicken, even if you might be a pork or beef lover.
Baoguette next door might be a fan favorite, but try this for a change. -
Review from J B.
Manhattan, NY
3/31/2010
Cheap, filling, and really tasty. Awesome spot that's easily as good as its more popular neighbor Baoguette, if not better. No lines and shorter waits, not to mention that you get a high quality meal with twice the food for less money. I recommend the Ecuadorian chicken - tastes great in both a burrito and a sandwich.
Don't let the cheap look of this place (or their trance music from 2001 blasting from a boom box) scare you away. -
Review from Nicole S.
New York, NY
4/15/2009
Holy mojito! This place is AMAZING. I've been eating here for about a year and it gets better every time I go! The Pernil is some of the best I've ever, ever had. Their Ecuadorian chicken is mouth watering - and I hate chicken! They make all their own sauces, meats, tortillas, everything from scratch and it's all delightful! I just recently got hooked on their Cuban sandwich made with their pernil.... uh, you'll never go back to a typical Cuban again! I've tried just about everything here, and I've yet to have even a mediocre experience.
Their platters are an incredible deal, they start at $4.50 for a small and $6.95 for a large. The small is huge. It's your choice of rice, beans, meat, veggies, toppings - I'm ridiculously stuffed after that! I mean, where can you get an incredible lunch or dinner for less than $5??? Plus they offer a 10% student discount!
And on top of all that - they are really nice people. Always smiling, happy, willing to help, give you a taste and generally pleasant. It's no wonder I have lunch here about twice a week. -
Review from Mark G.
New York, NY
1/29/2008
Damn, that's good. It's my new favorite office neighborhood spot.
The previous reviewer is absolutely correct in describing the food. I had gotten a burrito on my first visit and although it was somewhat messy, it tasted amazing. I just had a rice and beans plate with the pork that was very tender and seasoned impeccably. The various flavors were so far above and beyond any of the blandness you'd find at a typical Mexican restaurant. Obviously this isn't a Mexican restaurant. It's, um, a Latin Thing.
The best part? The total was $6.25 and there was more than enough food.
There are only a few tables inside so it's more of a take-out place, but if you're in the mood for something different and delicious make sure to try Latin Thing. -
Review from Steve A.
12/4/2010
R.I.P. to LT! If anyone has any information about Latin Thing springing up in another location let a Steve know. The cook that looked like he was straight out of Beat Street hooked shit up!
-
Review from Grace K.
New York, NY
12/29/2009
I love their Burrito plate!
They have many kinds of meat and sauces. Very kind and tasty!
If you are a student, you can get a student discount as well! :)
Good price too! Highly recommend! -
Review from Lucius K.
New York, NY
10/9/2009
I'm having the Puerto Rican Pernil Sandwich, which is roast pork with spices, mojito, and cheese, and it's excellent. Don't be put off by the steam tables --the food is good and the bread is fresh. The place is tiny with only six chairs, so get it to go and sit in front of Baruch College on 25th St.
However, I thought the pork was overseasoned with too much garlic and salt. For the price I'm willing to be a bit more generous but it's not something I'd go back for regularly.
[I went back and had a Burrito Grande without any sauce and it was much better. Not too salty.]Comment from Alonso A. of Latin Thing 2/9/2010
I'm glad you came back. You can try any sauce before you… More »
