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Spring St-Lafayette St (6)
Bowery (J, M)
Prince St (R, W)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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Even with so many pinche taco places in NYC, it's hard to pick a handful that stands out, but Pinche Taqueria is one of them. By far, that's the tastier taco de carnita I had outside Mexico, and I was so happy they also have tamales!!!
These are not big tacos, but I find them very fulfilling. My order of tamal came with salad, cheese and beans and that only would make it a meal for me. The guacamole we had for appetizer was also very good, not too spicy but not too bland.
And, the guys working there are sooooo nice and upbeat. I'm definitely coming back to try the other tacos and for more tamales.
Pinche Taqueria is a staple in the late night diet with it either preceding or following a stint at some of the many great bars in the EV/LES area. In this context, it works really well.
When I went, they were already out of their tacos al pastor. I opted instead for two tacos de pescado and one taco de frijoles. I am spoiled in having had amazing fish tacos in San Diego in my visits out there. Alas, these fell a bit short of that very high standard. The cabbage was plentiful (overly so), and I really failed to pick up any nice, clean flavors from the fish. I thought the bean and cheese taco was pretty good though. Portion sizes were reasonable and the prices were fair, so not much is lost in going here.
Some things to be aware of:
- Credit cards are taken (with a minimum), but no AMEX.
- Music volume can vary considerably during a single sitting.
- Tables are limited, so you may have people waiting intently for you to finish, even if it is really late.
Kickass, delicious and authentic mexican in Nolita- delivering far and wide. The Fresh tacos with perfect taco stand arrangements, enveloped in these fragrant corn tortillas. The spit fired pork is a star- though I prefer the shrimp and grilled chicken.
I LOVE their tomatillo salsa and the HOT salsa. I could seriously drink the salsas. I think I may have...
The burritos are GIANT, and even include their velvety guacamole and chips on the side. My shrimp burrito had about ten juicy shrimp inside.
They also offer elote (corn rolled in deliciousness), yucca fries, salads and breakfast burritos of all sorts (to 4pm).
And the hibiscus tea or fresh horchata is the perfect antidote to your overdose of the delicious hot sauce.
I was craving a Burrito de Carnitas (Braised Pork, Refried Beans, Rice, Guacamole, Salsa & Cheese, $7.25) in a bad way. Eight hours after finishing that tasty gut bomb and an accompanying handful of fresh chips, I still felt full to bursting--Pinche doesn't mess around with tiny tortillas, comprende?
The shop is pretty small but well-decorated in a typical Mexican restaurant style (lots of colorful crap on the walls). If you stay, try to sit near the register to avoid the occasional gusts of cold air from the door, and make sure you tip the cashier. Those guys are super friendly and accommodating. My request to substitute extra guacamole (holy cilantro, batman!) for cheese was honored, and with a big smile. Be warned: the salsas are very, very spicy. You're already putting your gut at risk of severe bloating and a potential food coma; no need to add a burned mouth to that list!
I tried this place because it had a Yelp sticker, a framed article/badge from New York Magazine, and "Best of Citysearch" sprawled on their blackboard where the menu was, so my expectations were VERY HIGH!
I tried the pork and carne asada tacos, beans and yucca fries. I was a little disappointed with the steak tacos because the meat was a bit tough, and it didn't have that charred flavor. I expected these tacos to be better than Barrio Chino, but they were mediocre. The pork either smelled or tasted like band-aid. The salsa was mediocre, not enough flavor or spice.
The Yucca fries were pretty good, and worth the try. They were in the style of Belgian fries, and were even served with a green-mayo sauce. But they are heavy, meaning share with people if you order them.
REDEMPTION...
I was going to write this place off until we checked on Yelp for reviews. Most Yelpers said the fish tacos were really good, and one reviewer said it was the best he ever tried. So we ordered 2 fish tacos. They were really delish, but I'm not sure if they are best (b/c I'm originally from LA, and I've been to Mexico). They are the best fish tacos in NYC.
They are better than Rubio's (because the crispy batter isn't that thick, but it is still crunchy) and Wahoo's (because it's lighter than their grilled fish tacos, but still has more flavor). They dress it up with cabbage and that mayo sauce, and the fish is perfectly fried with crispy batter, but not overwhelming.
Btw, the service was exceptional here. They had a rule of $10 credit card minimum, which they didn't enforce when ordering the 2 additional tacos.
Really wish I could give this place 3 1/2 stars because thats really what it is. I stumbled upon this place while looking for another place in the area that I had previously stumbled upon (see Parisi Bakery). I recently moved from Jersey City to Manhattan and I miss Taqueria Downtown. I have been trying to find a place comparable to it in New York but unfortunately Pinche Taqueria just isn't it. I had the combination platter with a shrimp taco and a braised pork taco. They were both good but extremely small. The pork had great flavor but was a little greasy for my liking. The rice and beans were actually the highlight of the dish for me as the beans have a great smoky flavor to them. I won't rush back here but it was still a solid meal. I just miss my Taqueria Downtown in Jersey City.
Try the pork tacos. Spit-grilled or the braised, doesn't matter, if you eat pork these two are the BEST tacos there. I know I said the fish was good, but the pork is even better!
yummmm i'm so glad i was introduced to this place!!
A foodie guy I met at the gym recommended this…
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Pinche THIS, taqueria:
I just ordered one fish and one chicken taco to-go and am largely disappointed. The tacos weren't cheap, and weren't large enough to be filling either. I second the single-taco-as-wrapper conundrum: do the cooks not realize that within seconds the sauce/juice will melt right through the taco and make it impossible to pick up and eat? Two layers is standard, and I feel like they should know this by now.
The chicken taco tasted pretty yummy (and the homemade hot sauce was superb), but I but into a few pieces of gristle and (possibly) bone, which is really, really unsexy. Next time I'm sticking to old trusty - the chicken burrito from the Calexico cart in Soho.
The fish taco was totally fucking boring. I didn't taste any fish, just the flavor of the oil it was fried in. Oh, and the giant pieces of shredded cabbage on top nearly choked me to death. Consider yourself warned. The fish tacos at Bonita in Brooklyn are the best I've ever had, and the fish taco here may indeed be the very opposite.
Mexican food in New York is like oil and water. They just don't go together. That being said, the fish tacos here are decent and actually edible. Let us hope that one day there is a decent amount of good Mexican food in New York. Pinche is a good step in the right direction.
They say you can tell a lot about someone from first impressions. Luckily, that wasn't the case for Pinche Taqueria. As soon as I saw what miniscule amount there was on the plate I felt like I was being cheated out of my money. $3-4 per taco.
The price doesn't sound too bad, until you get to see their size.
Who knows, perhaps I've been unknowingly accustomed to the 'more the better' mentality of Tex-Mex franchise restaurants such as taco bells and Chipotle.
For a moment, it was difficult for me to overcome my own biased notion of 'what a good taco should be', or how big it's suppose to come.
But then came the moment.
I took a bite of the shrimp taco, and decided to shut my mouth on the subject altogether.
Yes, it was that good.
From tables to tacos, things may be a bit small. But the flavor remains huge.
Worth the money. But to be honest, I don't see myself being a regular here, only on special occasions when I am itching for a real good taco.
Thx JTZ for recommending me this place.
After seeing such raving reviews and awards from Citysearch, I was expecting some amazing tacos.
I was totally disappointed after having a few tacos and here and won't be coming back. First of all, the tacos are tiny. I finished two tacos in about 3 minutes and was still starving. They only give you one tortilla per taco, which boggles my mind, because I've eaten at a ton of authentic taco places and have always been given two tortillas. Corn tortillas are so thin and easily breakable, that it's common sense to make tacos with two of them. The al pastor was way too greasy and had little flavor. The carne asada was a little better with flavor but still did not satisfy me.
The best tacos I've had in NYC are from Tacos Mexicanos, which is a a little hole in the wall on Roosevelt Ave. and 90th St. in Queens. Pinche Taqueria doesn't even come close to the taste or quality.
Best meal for under $10! Fish tacos and al pastor are out of this world. My old standby to get through a night of drinking is the california burrito. It must be a pound of beans and cheese that is enough to absorb a heavy night out on the town!
First time I went, I thought omigod these are the best fish tacos ever! They were so lightly fried I thought they were grilled.
Second time I went, I thought, ok these are still good, but not as awesome as I initially thought.
Third time I went, solid snack. I wanna try their breakfast burrito...
With so many bad mexican places in the city, I find myself going back to Pinche...
I wish Anna's Taqueria from Boston would come to NYC already!
"Pinche" means "fuck" in Spanish. Or at least that's what the Mexican cooks at the restaurant where I worked in high school told me (they called me "Pinche Cabrona" when I messed up an order). So I guess the name translates to "fuckin' tacqueria" or, in my opinion, "the best fuckin' tacqueria in New York City."
I went to college in San Diego, where we doubtlessly have the best Mexican food (and an impressive lot of Chipotles and shopping malls). When I first moved out here, I lamented the lack of 3 a.m. tacquitos, breakfast burritos, and guacamole so good I just wanted to shove my face in a vat of it. As far as fast, cheap food went, it seemed that I would have to replace my Mexican food habit with greasy noodles. And I was resigned to that, until I ate at Pinche Tacqueria.
Now, this is by no means the best Mexican food I've ever had. I'm sure most people have had better. But as far as fresh, not-greasy, and very, very tasty NYC Mexican food goes, I think this place takes the cake. I tried their chicken, fish, and carne asada tacos and was left contemplating another fish one as I dropped the last few pieces of cabbage in my mouth. It was 3 p.m., however, and I had only had one beer so I was able to hold off. But mmm, mmm, this place is good. It's also cheap, sells beer, and gets you in and out quickly. A perfect place to stop for a quick bite in the middle of a shopping day or before a movie.
Shrimp taco - lots of shrimp and my #1 pick
Fish taco - also full of fish and tastes good with the red spicy salsa
Chicken taco - Ehh...little chunks of chicken and goes well with the green salsa
Braised pork - heaviest of the tacos with a load of pork. Good as well but again..heavy
Elote - salty salty salty..so salty that it hurt.
Yuca fries - yummm...crunchy and heartier than regular french fries - goes well bother dipping sauce that come with it - white or chunky ketchup..both go well or even mixed together.
Yup...I tried all these in one sitting. I was good till the next day.
Small hole in the wall space, but SUCH a hidden gem for authentic, delicious tacos. BEST fish tacos, ever. We thought we were only going in for a few, but came back for seconds, even thirds. Really cozy and laid back :)
this little taqueria reminds me of those taco carts at Jackson Heights, Queens (esp. the ones right outside of the 74th street/Roosevelt station on the 7, E, F, G, R, V trains). except the tacos here are marked up at least 50% ($3+ vs $2), but that's likely due to the high rent in the city.
don't get me know, i don't mind the place so much. the decor is cute and fitting given the small space they have. the menu provides a decent amount of taco choices. we tried the steak, grilled pork, chicken, fish, and shrimp tacos. the steak, chicken, and the pork were okay. not bad, but not amazing. the fish and shrimp tacos however, are amazingly good (they're also a bit more expensive, $4 as opposed to $3, but it's definitely worth it!). and the best thing is, they were really generous with the food. while the tortilla is small, they did pile on a lot of the meat/shrimp/fish. we definitely appreciated that! we also had the corn. it was a bit too creamy for my taste, but that's just my personal preference.
as of their horchata (the mexican cinnamon vanilla rice water drink), it was a huge disappointment. it was clearly watered down, and you could barely taste the vanilla. the ones at Jackson Heights are much better.
all in all, i'd give this place a 3.5 for the tacos - 3 for the chicken, pork, and steak ones, and 4.5 for the fish and shrimp tacos. and a 2 for the horchata drink. also quite disappointed that they didn't have the tongue tacos...
I'm a glutton for punishment apparently, and since I moved 2 blocks away from Pinche, I decided to try them again. Yech what a mistake. The al pastor burrito was full of gristle and largely flavorless. The best part of the meal was the incredibly hot eastern european woman staring me down while on the phone, until it became obvious the one of the other end of the line was her husband.
Anyone dropping a 4 or 5 star rating here needs to have their head examined. And what's with you people thinking the fish stick tacos are even close to edible???
For those of you who actually have tastebuds, please go try the tacos at Mercadito in the West Village instead. The 5 minute crosstown cab ride is well worth it.
Been back twice since the first review... both times pretty bad. Get what you pay for I guess; dry… Read more »
First things first -- for those expecting fast food chain-sized tacos (like the enormous servings at Chipotle), run the other way. However, if you are a fan of great-tasting tacos, then this is your joint. The fish tacos are fried and they are uber-tasty and probably the best thing on the menu. The tacos are a lot like the ones at Bonita in Brooklyn, and are better than the ones at La Esquina. Expect to order 2 or 3 for a full meal.
Don't think just because I got a lot of money,
I'll give you taco-flavored kisses, honey.
Fulfill all your wishes
with my taco-flavored kisses.
Veg Burrito. Fish Taco taco. Burrito. Taco. Taco taco.
This review is for delivery.
Ordered from Pinche via seamlessweb when a Mexican craving hit and was impressed with the quick delivery speed, the expertly (read: tightly) wrapped steak burrito (which included refried beans, rice, cilantro, hmm, what else, probably cheese?) and the crispy tortilla chips it came with. I was not very impressed with the $2 extra I spent on salsa fresca which consisted of one tiny salsa cup of tomatilla salsa (which may have been smoked -- whatever it was, I really didn't like it) and one tiny cup of diced jalapenos/tomatoes. I ended up having to grab my Ortega salsa out of the fridge to give the burrito some more flavor. Next time, I'll splurge on adding guac or sour cream to the burrito, or I may go for something else altogether. It seemed like the ingredients were decent and I like that they're fast and got my delivery accurate (I requested no utensils/napkins and they thankfully didn't include them).
I TAKE IT BACK. That 5 star review I wrote last week? I take it back. I'll have to go to places at least 3 times before I recommend a place to anyone again. Now I understand the erratic reviews.
As awesome as my first experience with this place was, today's trip was just sad and disappointing. I was ripped the fuck off.
No guac was put on any of our tacos. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Totally devoid of guacamole. No creme was put on any of our tacos. Nada. Not a drop. There was no wedge of lime. The amount of onion/tomato salsa on our tacos was half that of our visit a week ago. And to add injury to insult, instead of guac, they put that green mayo normally reserved for the yucca fries onto my fish taco. I'm not a big mayo fan -- I'm not a hater, either. I'll eat it when it complements what I'm eating. The mayo does NOT complement a fish taco. It was worse for having that slopped on.
Last week, the $3 and $4 tacos were worth it. This week, not so much. I would've felt better about tacos at San Loco. I probably would've felt better about Taco Bell.
If my date hadn't also experienced this place on a good day, I would've been absolutely mortified to have raved about this place and dragged him in here.
Christ, that was fucking disappointing. See? I'm an atheist and I just don't even know who to invoke to counter this TOTAL LET DOWN.
I want my $27 back.
Pinche's fish taco is revelatory.
I dropped in Sunday for the first time, expecting good-for-NYC…
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I ate dinner last night with a running buddy here at Pinche Taqueria, the triangular hole-in-the-wall (HITW) taco joint that is conveniently located at the Triangular Intersection of Bleecker, Lafayette, and Mulberry Sts (the Yelp address/map is wrong). The place is a HITW, so don't expect to find seating if you roll entourage style.
They have a liquor license so they carry an assortment of Mexican beers (XX, Modelo Negro, etc.). Come on by, have some tacos, enjoy a Dos Equis, so you too can be "The Most Interesting Man in the World".
The menu is quite authentic Mexican with Jorchata, Jamaica, Al Pastor, Fish Tacos (Pescado), and Etole (corn with queese and spices). In terms of selection, I wish they carried Lengua (beef tongue), Tripe, and Goat (yes, I love my barbarian meats).
I liked their fish taco (can't compare to San Diego's fish tacos), but they left a few things to be desired. They were a little pricey and not filling at $3.95. The Etole, their Mexican spicy cheese corn was good ($3), but had small kernels and makes me wish summer would soon arrive so I could get the real-deal corn at Red Hook Ball Fields!
I don't understand why this place was on Cheap Eats 2008. It's anything but.
Fish tacos are great. They are lightly battered with a generous helping of guacamole and other toppings. The pork has a hint of heat and the steak was decent. However, the taco itself is very weak and you can expect it to be very soggy and have everything fall out. Then you are left eating the mound of mush with a fork. You can add additional radishes for those who like to spice up their tacos a bit more. Yuca fries are way too fried. Horchata was good.
One fish taco is $3.75. I need at least four or five tacos to fill me up. Not cheap. Other tacos run about $2.75. The only reason I would come back is that it's probably the best Mexican taco place around but I would think twice due to the price.
Very delicious fish tacos. Elote corn was amazing.
Do not get a burrito no matter what you do.
Worth having:
Shrimp tacos - yum, although I am still hungry after two.
Yucca fries - huge, deep fried, delicious. Share with the whole table.
Horchata extremely sweet (but good if you're into that) and burritos toxic. Especially the breakfast burritos. Gross meat and alarmingly bland.
I only take the time to write about places I love. This place has cheap tasty food, y'all. FISH TACOS! TAMALES! Oh yes. You get plenty of food for not much money, and it tastes delicious; fresh fast flavor of the highest order.
This place is cozy...in that tiny apartment way. We had a group of 4 for dinner, and it was almost impossible to arrange ourselves in a normal manner. It didn't help that they were BLASTING the Simpsons on tv. It was hard to talk over the multiple deaths of Snowball.
Despite the discomfort, we were able to enjoy our dinners. The food is pretty good, if uneven. The yucca fries are awesome, and the nachos are quite good. I didn't love the fish taco, but I think I'm a fan of a more grilled (not fried) fish. The braised pork taco was good, but a touch too salty for me. The prices are decent/good.
I'd go here again for take out or get delivery. The space itself is just really unreasonable for any group more than 2. And it's definitely not the kind of place you linger in.
In the past month I have been to P.T. 3 times. Here is a brief recap of each experience.
1 - I ordered in ahead of time, a torta with carnitas. It was 7 dollars, which I was fairly please about.
The size was roughly between that of a roll from a deli and a hero from a deli, so I was pretty sure I was going to be satisfied, without being stuffed (I was right). It was loaded with guacamole, mayo, pico de gallo, green sauce and carnitas, and with the fresh bread made a good sandwich.
2 - This time around I went for breakfast and got the Huevos Rancheros. It was fairly good, but I've definitely had better in the city. It was cheap though, and the service was decent. I was starting to become a pretty big fan of P.T.
3 - After telling many of my foodophile friends of my new mexican restaurant, I brought 4 people with me on my next journey. We ordered, sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. After 20 minutes, I asked how the ordered was coming. After being immediately told "It was coming right out" I sat back down and waited. And waited. And waited.
After 40 minutes our food finally came, and they got part of our order wrong (not mine so I dug right in). In other words, it was a pretty awful dining experience.
So to sum it up, good food, good price, and decent service %67 of the time. I recommend, but not strongly.
I was pretty psyched when I googled "Fish Tacos in New York" and found this place. Most of my friends know what it is and some are clueless to the taste of a baja style fish taco.
It was my only meal yesterday and we went all out. Chorizo con huevos was a surprise but I didn't grab that (my friend said it was bomb). I had carne asada nachos, boy were they YUM!!
And HORCHATA just like your local Cotixan or Roberto's...
Definitely recommend coming here if you miss Cali-style Mexican food and are tired of Chipotle..
Not the world's best Mexican food, but good in a "pinche."
Ok, you can kick my ass now for saying that.
Veggie burrito is nice, but sometimes you get guacamole in it, and sometimes you don't. What the hell?
I probably eat at Pinche 3-4 days a week. For $8, you can get a great Carnitas (pulled pork) burrito that is more than enough for a full dinner. If you want something lighter try the fish or "Al Pastor" grilled pork tacos - at about $3 each, two is a snack, three is a meal.
Food quality is excellent and prices are moderate. You can get a beer with your meal if you feel like it.
My only tiny gripe is that I wish they'd take a screwdriver to the tables and tighten them up so they don't wobble so horrendously. Generally, I call ahead (they're in my cell phone) and put in an order for pickup, then stop by 10-15 minutes later to pick up my food. This works well for everything but the yucca fries, which really don't travel well (and it's a shame, because they're good.)
I won't order from here again! Delivery took an hour and 45 minutes and we live fairly close to the restaurant. Also all we ordered was 2 burritos - one they forgot the guacamole.
We called to follow up an hour later after we ordered to see where our order was and the girl that answered the phone said the food hadnt left yet!
Half an hour later when we called to follow up again - we got an abrupt answer and then she hung up. RUDE!
Sorry there are a lot of great mexican places around here and do not need to be treated like we are inconveniencing them with our business.
Pretty much the closest thing I've had to a west coast taqueria experience in New York.
Ingredients could have been a little bit fresher, but the experience as a whole is pretty good. I'll go back.
It's crazy small inside too. Not a lot of seats.
i have never eaten inside the restaurant but have only ordered delivery. my boyfriend (who is from san diego) and i are constantly searching for a burrito that is as good as santana's in san diego. i love bean and cheese burritos and pinche taqueria has one on their menu as their california burrito. it isn't as good as santana's but it is the most comparable we have found in the city. the vegetarian burrito is great too.
Well, I have been searching for a baja style fish taco in NYC. And had failed miserably. Little did I know when I stumbled into Taqueria that I was in for pure delight and what I have been looking for for years. It was purely accidental that I found the one of the few places that does the baja fish taco and does it really well... YUM you must go eat fish tacos! Simple thinking about it now makes my mouth crave more and more! GO expierence! But they are a little pricey in comparison to the ones you get for a buck in So Cal. But its well worth it :)
Fish and Shrimp tacos were awesome -- fresh, crispy and well seasoned. Good enough to warrant a return.
Chicken kind of sucked -- lacking flavor and flaky.
Guy behind the counter was very friendly.
This place is literally a hole in the wall with seats for around 10 guest, max. I had the following:
fish taco - average
pork taco - yummy
steak tortas - yummy
yucca fries - damn good and damn its filling
horcata - very sweet w. a hint of cinnamon.
overall this place looks like a place to grab a quick bite or a place to crash after pounding a few beers. The only gripe is the horchata . . . its pretty damn expensive $2.50 for 16 oz. of rice water. I had a 24 oz horcata at other places for $1.50!
Definitely worth a try............
Also... the restaurant name means "F*cking Taco Stand" in english..no?
When it comes to Mexican food, I know it quite well. I grew up with a lot of Mexican buddies and eaten at countless Mexican restaurants in Chicago.
I was in search for a good taqueria as they are abundant in Chicago while NY likes to think their Mexican food is, "Chipotle." *GROSS*
This place is small, cozy and to the point. The black chalk board menu is in your face and ordering shouldn't be so difficult. I was shocked to hear people just ordering a "burrito" or "quesedilla" when this place actual serves, "TORTAS" (mexican sandwich). Tortas in Chicago are no joke - mouth-watering, to say the least! The tortas here are big and still 2nd to some of the Chicago joints (sorry!). The fish tacos were OK...I thought the Al Pastor taco was damn good. The horchata brought me chills ...I finally found a place that makes it pretty decent. Someone asked me what I was drinking - I'm shocked that these people don't know about Horchata, shame on you! Go there, order one and tell me what you think. I also ordered the Yucca fries (new to me) and they were yummy.
The tacos are small but if you know authentic Mexican style tacos, then you won't be surprise by its size. Order 3 and you'll be content. Tacos are a bit pricey, but this is NY - home of highway robbery.
I will definitely be back here again...oh yes, I will!
Loved the freshness of the ingredients and convenience. Fast and for the price, it's a great "fast food" alternative.
Neighborhood: NoHo
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Nolita
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: East Village
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Nolita
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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