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Red Hook Ball Fields
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Food Stands Latin American, Food Stands [Edit]
Clinton St & Bay StBrooklyn, NY 11231
Neighborhood: Red Hook
- Nearest Transit:
-
Smith - 9 Sts (F, G)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
172 reviews for Red Hook Ball Fields
Review Highlights
"I never realized I liked pupusas until I had them here."
(in 56 reviews)
"Grilled Corn people still worth the wait."
(in 17 reviews)
"The next trip was dedicated to the huarache."
(in 22 reviews)
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172 reviews in English
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Review from Andrea W.
Denver, CO
11/4/2011
okay, so i've been here many, many times but i've only tried the two most popular trucks so i won't write too much about them because i'm sure everyone else has said what needs to be said.
however, i do think everyone should patronize the smallest truck in the fleet that serves guatemalan food -- they have these little dessert things (i believe they are called rellenos or something like that) and they are delicious. i'm not really a fan of the ones filled with bananas but the ones filled with black beans (what? black beans? yes, try it!) are absolutely delicious. -
Review from Adelaide S.
Brooklyn, NY
11/25/2011
These were five star food trucks - I'm pretty sure they started the food truck craze - until they were discovered by yuppies and the prices and the lines went way up.
The papusas are amazing. I like the bean and cheese and the pork - I usually get one of each, with all the toppings (pink cabbage, white sauce, red sauce, and peppers, which leave a pleasant burn). The corn with chili powder and queso fresco and the watermelon agua fresca make a perfect meal.
I wish there were picnic tables, but they would probably be too full of yuppies and hipsters to find a seat anyway.Listed in: Red Hook
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Review from Charles B.
New York, NY
10/10/2011
I really don't feel special for being the 170th person to write a review of Red Hook, but I gotta bow down and worship a few pieces of the Red Hook awesomeness:
- El Olomega's Super Pupusa: for $8, you get an 8"-diameter pupusa stuffed with everything--zucchini, loroco flower (whatever the eff that is), beans, cheese, meat, spinach, spicy cabbage. That's just $1 per inch!
- Antojitos Chapines pacaya taco: a pacaya is a type of palm tree native to Guatemala. The flowers look like tentacles, and taste like... slightly bitter tentacles. I liked them. Very tasty when deep-fried and topped with salsa.
- Free Ikea ferry: I sat on my Ikea chair today, and it broke. Ikea owed me something. A free ferry ride to Red Hook so I can get fatter and break more chairs? Sounds fair to me!Listed in: 160 meals from 160…
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Review from Ron C.
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cool place to sit and relax after a long day at IKEA (which is right next to it). Aside from the food from the Red Hook Vendors. This is a nice park to have a picnic and watch some local teams play soccer and baseball.
It's easy to get here from Brooklyn. Just take the B61 bus or IKEA shuttle and your all set.
Could the park be nicer? Ohh yeah.... Is it good how it is? Maybe... -
Review from Rebekkah K.
Columbus, OH
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I made the trek out to Red Hook via the free Ikea ferry offered on the weekends, while the Ikea is neat and everything there is only so much Swedish furniture you can look at before you realize you really want to have some food truck food (am I right?). So my family and I walked over to the red hook ball fields, past some really intense adult soccer and fastpitch baseball games and made it to the oasis of taco trucks and elote stands. I made the rounds a couple times to make my decision, they all looked amazing.
I feel like I say this every time I go to get tacos but I REALLY had THE best tacos here. I went to the Country boys? cart and the elote cart. Two tacos, one elote (load it up!) and I was in heaven. I haven't had elotes since I lived in LA and this was just the best treat ever. My taco's were just....I mean my mouth is watering now thinking about them. I got the green cilantro hot sauce on them and sat down with my dad and sister to watch a soccer game. Next time I go I'll have to try the papusa, my sister had one and said it was really good. My dad got the Huarache and loved it... So all in all it was a fun day at the park with some awesome and cheap food. What more can you ask for from a dining experience? -
Review from Steve M.
6/23/2011
This is so sad for me to write. The government agencies whom WE are supposed to be in control of have taken their toll on yet one more of our fun and particular-to-NYC gems and reduced what was once one of the most unique and rewarding experiences in NYC to just another generic, watered down, lowest common denominator, bureaucratically regulated version of their kind of fun they think we should be having. Welcome the end of an era that had successfully prospered and pleased the populace of NYC for decades and decades without problem nor incident.
Gone is the neighborhood feel of camaraderie as we now are forced to shout up to order-takers way up in their impersonal trucks that make incredible noise and spew more pollution than the previous coal fires from the stalls ever could. Forced out is my one-time favorite place, Hernandez Huaraches, the one that made me gleefully and readily either endure an 1.5 hour subway ordeal or a ride from Hell on the Gowanus in my car on a sedate weekend. Gone is RHBF as we knew and loved it.
Now, we have a conglomeration of generic tasting taco trucks, endless lines and waits upward of an hour for a GDed taco, sometimes delivered by a stressed out employee amidst an increasingly aggressive and hostile crowd. Thanks very much, DOH.
Next time a politician tells you they want to make your life better, just look at the RHBF now as compared with what it used to be. That, is their idea of "better" for us. Think of that next time you walk into a voting booth.
Fuck you up the ass with a broken Jarritos bottle DOH and City of NY for ruining this and I hope everyone responsible will be roasted over the same charcoal fire that the elotes used to be cooked on in a free standing stall before they had to switch to a griddle in an effing truck because of you - in Hell, that is! -
Review from Angelica H.
Lancaster, PA
8/14/2011
Phenomenal, finger licking good, flavorful, authentic... Holy Jesus, I'm considering becoming a huge soccer fan or becoming a cashier at ikea to have an excuse to eat this goodness every Saturday. First of all, I love the fact that these trucks are family affairs. Everything is cooked with tlc and generations of culinary knowledge.
Corn...on a stick... Brilliant. Slathered in mayo, chili, and cheese... The memory is having a pavlovian effect on me.
Juices... The real deal... No corn syrup or other crap.., just juice. Tamarind, pineapple, watermelon, limeade, mango... Heaven in liquid.
Go for papusas. Heaven in a platter: amazing to see it cooked. Flavorful. My boyfriend said that this was the best part of our morning.
Horachas were amazing as well. These are large tortillas with baked beans baked inside. Topping include choice of meat, veggies and guacamole. I had chicharron( fried pork skin) and spicy pork( they weren't kidding about the spicy part). Both were outrageous. My personal vow: I will continue to come back until I taste every single menu item from all dozen trucks.
Trucks start set up at around 10. Get there around eleven for zero lines and opportunity to chat with the otherwise busy vendors. -
Review from Sally W.
7/9/2011
I heard from someone I know how Red Hook Ball Fields USED TO BE. Now it's food trucks. I am sorry I didn't go to Red Hook Ball Fields as my friend described it.
I went today and told him about my experience. I told him about the food trucks. He told me it was not this way a long time ago. He said it was more of a community before.
I can only talk about my experience. Waiting on LONG lines for food is NOT my thing. It just isn't. I can just get this kind of food in Jackson Heights and hopefully the lines are not as long as the ones in Red Hook Ball Fields. Not a happy camper. -
Review from J G.
Providence, RI
7/19/2011
I have a definite love hate relationship with ikea, and the local food trucks here around the corner from ikea pushed me towards the love side for this visit.
Rather than hit up the ikea meatballs, we stopped here.
We read some quick yelp raves and ended up in the pupusa line. We had a variety of pupusas, which were all cooked to order and quite favorful. All in all this was a great find near ikea. -
Review from Danielle T.
Brooklyn, NY
7/13/2011
Lines of trucks selling tacos, papusas, tortas, fresh juices, sliced fruit, chili corn... what's not to like? I've been here only a couple times, but I've walked back and forth before deciding which truck to tackle... and then which one to get next... and so on.
You can obviously tell which ones are more popular by the line, but they're all pretty delicious. Juices - the limeade is bright green and addictive. Fresh sliced fruit makes you feel healthy with all of the taco-action going on.
There's usually a soccer game going on at the fields too, and plenty of outside table seating. -
Review from victoria c.
San Francisco, CA
10/31/2011
I guess this is okay for New York, but I'm from California. Even though San Francisco isn't the best I have been spoiled with Southern California mexican food. In California you get the dirty real authentic mexican food. Yummm wish i was back in California..
This is rating is only based on Mexican food in NY. -
Review from rachel h.
9/19/2011
you know why the pupusas at the red hook food trucks are so amazing? because they are as much fun to say as they are to eat.
for a mere $5 you can enjoy 2 pupusas of your picking, plus a hefty side of pickled cabbage. AND you get to say "pupusas" with pretty much every sentence. "how are your pupusas?" "this pupusa is delicious." "i think i'm gonna go with the beans and cheese pupusa." "nice pupusa pick, but i think i'll go with the jalapeno and cheese pupusa." "oh, that pupusa sounds good, too."
you see where i'm going with this. now the other food looked pretty good too, but where's the fun in saying "taco" or "burrito?" gotta be pupusa. -
Review from Claire V.
9/19/2011
These papusas ROCK!!! Every truck looked amazing, but I had to go for the papusas on my first visit. I got the plate with beans & cheese and pork & cheese, with plenty of cream, and an order of fried plantains, which made for a sweet dessert, in addition to the delicious hot corn drink (alote?) -- it's like egg nog but with corn, so sweet, so creamy, so dreamy. The giant plate of food also came with a pickled cabbage side, all for FIVE DOLLARS. Amazing. And you have the picturesque walk across the Gawanus to both whet your appetite and provide post-gorge relief. There were tons of families barbeque-ing, bands playing, soccer games, and happy diners tucking into their giant plates of goodness.
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Review from vanessa g.
Brooklyn, NY
11/24/2010
My dad used to take me here when I was little. It was a summer tradition that every Saturday we would get in the car drive out to Red Hook, I'd have to deal with his erratic driving but it was all too worth it because in the end there would be tacos. We'd each eat one by the ballfields and then take some home for mom.
Before there were trucks, back when it was a bunch of Mexican ladies with long black hair pulled back in a low ponytail sweating over grills of various shapes and sizes. Back when a plate of tacos came with two free chicharones! Back when the only people around with mustaches were Mexican, South or Central American hombres like my dad...
The tradition ended years ago... that is until I started hearing buzz about the Red Hook food *trucks* I finally made it out there this summer. I was filled with giddy anticipation and excitement. Would the lady who had handed me those plates of bistec tacos pilled high with pico de gallo still be there? What about her daughter? If they were still there would I even recognize them all these years later?
I walked to the very end of the line of trucks before I found them. The same faces from years ago, the mother and the daughter, just a few feet ahead of me taking orders from a line customers much more ethnically diverse since I was last there.
I was totally overjoyed to taste it all again. The flautas were to die for! Two to an order packed with well seasoned potato and chicken and no charred ends from when the hot oil hits the filling. I had papusas for the first time, such a pleasant mix of sweet and tangy.
Maybe I remember the taste of the food so well because it is so intertwined with memories of quality time spent with my dad. The entire experience warmed my heart and belly. -
Review from jane d.
New York, NY
9/30/2010 1 photo
If you live in New York City for any length of time and love food, sooner or later, you'll probably find yourself trekking the streets of Red Hook in search of the famous Red Hook ball field food vendors. This cluster now includes about ten regular trucks and stands (fewer than there were in the heyday, before every food blogger and restaurant critic had reviewed the place). They're devoted to a few different Latin and South American cuisines and set up shop on the corner of Clinton and Bay Streets every Saturday and Sunday, starting around 11:30 a.m., between roughly May 1 and October 31.
Now, those of you who know me know that I am an incredibly lazy subway commuter. In fact, the only thing that outweighs my gluttony is my hatred of long subway journeys. Partly, I blame my aversion on the fact that I am a total space cadet and sometimes still take the wrong train in the wrong direction, despite having lived in NYC for nearly a decade. And partly, I just blame inertia. In any event, it takes a lot for me to rally for a one-hour subway schlep. The Red Hook food trucks actually make me kind of want to do this on a regular basis.
A buddy and I recently made a stop at Antojitos Chapines, a stand that sells Guatemalan tamales, wrapped up in a banana leaf and tied with a string, then wrapped again in paper and steamed. This vendor sells chicken and pork versions (both $3.50), seasoned with recado rojo, sweet peppers and one green olive (sometimes with the pit in, so be careful). The masa was a little bit washed out in flavor and didn't pick up the beautiful scent of banana leaf, I think because it'd been steamed in paper and was also slightly waterlogged. But the meaty innards were tender and flavorful.
The same vendor (a very nice lady) also sells sweet corn tamalitos de elote, smaller corn-husk wrapped sweet tamales eaten with sour cream ($2). This version was very fragrant from the corn wrapper, just barely sweet and absolutely delightful warm. Once it cooled down, however, the consistency became a bit too hard to be pleasant. So eat 'em fast.
We also went to El Olomega for pupusas. El Olomega makes fairly decent ones ($5 for a plate of two). The pupusas are served with a basic, but serviceable curtido (made sans carrots). They didn't volunteer any salsa roja for our to-go order, but I think there were some in ketchup bottles at the front of the cart we could've used. Our queso con loroco pupusas were bland, tough and undersalted, but the pork and chicken versions that I brought back were good, even reheated. The masa "skin" was tougher than my favorite versions.
The really fabulous thing we had at El Olomega were the humble fried plantain chips. They fry theirs fresh and sell these long strips of salty, greasy deliciousness for $2 a bag. When they're warm, these chips are indescribably good in their simplicity.
I wasn't a huge fan of the service. After I placed my order, several men edged their way to the front and were served almost immediately (with my pupusas -- boo!). I ended up waiting quite a while before the ladies who worked that truck got me my order.
It wasn't long ago that folks pooh poohed NYC for its non-existent Latin and South American food scene. It still isn't the most amazing in the United States (D.C. has fabulous Salvadoran food and even the unlikely island of Nantucket has a restaurant that makes better pupusas than El Olomega does). But if the Red Hook vendors and their growing popularity among even lazy, subway averse New Yorkers like me is any indication, we are coming up in the world. We are. -
Review from Christy Z.
New York, NY
I got one word for y'all: Pupusas.
Pupusas, pupusas, pupusas!
These griddled cornmeal cakes stuffed with pork and cheese (or chicken and cheese or just cheese or chorizo and cheese. So many choices!) are delicious! I've passed by this area a few times on my way to Ikea but never dared to stop until recently. The corner of Bay and Clinton is hoppin' every weekend. Groups of friends playing soccer, families eating on the picnic benches, old ladies strolling around the park, hipsters checking out Brooklyn and then there's me, the little Asian girl from Queens. A very diverse group of people, if I do say so myself.
And if pupusas aren't your thang, it's all good (in the hood. Sorry. Couldn't resist). There are plenty of other choices to be had. There are tacos, quesadillas, tamales, grilled corn, etc. I can't list them all because I can't remember all of the choices. And of course, you can wash down all that delicious Latin food with some horchata or fresh fruit juices from the juice truck! Perfect weekend meal. -
Review from Rachel A.
6/12/2010 1 photo
Reason #57 to love Brooklyn- Red Hook Ball Fields
Do people only write reviews about the food trucks here? Red Hook Ball Fields is an excellent park for baseball, soccer, and football. It's a gathering ground for families on the weekends and everyone minds their own business. It's fun, it's peaceful, and it's large enough for a walk around that makes you sweat. I like it better than Flushing Meadows.
All that physical activity can make you hungry. So if you didn't come with your family and abuela's home cookin', lucky for you there are the food trucks.
I highly recommend the tacos al pastor (spiced pork). They're pretty big with double tortillas so that the juice doesn't break through. The pork is piled high and topped with cilantro and onions. Slather it with your salsa liking and squeeze fresh lime all over. At $3 a pop, you're going to have to have two. Wash it down with an ice cold (go to the truck that stocks ice cubes) watermelon agua fresca and you will be good to go.
Even the non-hungriest will not be able to resist the options at Red Hook Ball Fields.
A day in the sun, nature, tacos, and liquid fruit... Why on Earth would anyone think La Esquina would have been a better option?
- 1 for Queens
- 1 for Manhattan
- 48 Hipsters (they must have been on vacation)
+ 1 for Brooklyn
+ 2 for New Jersey
thank you chris r for satisfying my taco cravings and driving through 3 boroughs. even if you did take me to Taco Bell, I'd still be happy. you know I love them Chalupas.Listed in: Who Said Brooklyn Was Cool?
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Review from Chris H.
7/6/2010 9 photos
A fun game to play while at the Red Hook Ball Fields: "spot the food blogger". Guess who? *
Subject A: Cheery Ecuadorian lady making fresh ceviche from scratch.
Subject B: Three paunchy geezers sitting around a rickety card table, playing dominos, a pile of fresh papusas slathered in fresh refried beans sitting perilously on the corner.
Subject C: Old dude, smiling despite a few missing teeth, squirting hot sauce and pinching fresh lime juice onto $2 ears of corn which are of larger girth than your average Lane Bryant customer.
Subject D: Geeky hipster-ish group of awkward Asian kids in an ethnic neighborhood, chowing heartily on $6 huaraches **, taking fussy sips from a glass of horchata and snapping away hungrily with DSLR's.
* I'm terrible at making up games. My Calvinball games are abject disasters.
** I'll depreciate my race and nerdy food pursuits every day of the week for huaraches. Freshly made tortillas, filled with a light smear of refried beans, and topped with a hearty mixture of spicy meats, fresh lettuce and an intoxicating green sauce are worth a little egg on the face.Listed in: The Elusive $6 Meal
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Review from Renee C.
New York, NY
6/21/2010
Friend: Have you heard of a Pupusa before?
Me: Ummm....can you eat it?
Friend: Yeah, it's from El Salvador, and they fill a doughy patty with a bunch of different things...and they sear it to perfection!
Me: *Drool!
6-8 different food stands all congregate together here at the ball field...I love it! It took me less than 20 mins to get my food but I heard it can take up to 4 hours....insane!
I stopped by first to get a Barbacoa taco (slow cooked goat meat) YUM!! The barbarcoa was very tender, juicy and flavorful! I do prefer flour tortillas but this one is corn and very authentic.
I watched my friend devour the huge mexican corn in front of me while I waited in line for my pulled pork and cheese one.....they come with a pink sauercraut-like side. I thought it was good, reminded me of a Chinese dish,...but this was a little too greasy for me. It was good though.
The horchata looked amazing..I opted for water to save some calories...so I can eat the mango with the chili powder....MMM Perfect! :)
I loved being outside and the summer heat was beautiful that day! MMM good, wholesome, food made with love just makes me so happy! :)Listed in: Latin American
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Review from Deborah H.
New York, NY
10/18/2010
I never realized I liked pupusas until I had them here. They're not heavy dough bricks, they're actually slightly denser pancakes that like to ozze out their crispy shells. Yum.
I also tried the tacos and horchata from the cart all the way on one end (far from the pupusa) cart and didn't really love them. But the grilled corn was delicious.
Oh so worth a try. Just get whatever you're fancying. Unless you're not fancying pupusas. -
Review from Keelie S.
Brooklyn, NY
5/29/2011 3 photos
Love. Get pupusas. Get plantain chips. Get a trough of horchata as big as your head. Get the Mexican roasted corn. My husband and I gorged ourselves on pretty much everything we thought we could fit in our stomachs and still spent less than $20. Get there early, though- the lines grow quickly, especially on nice days...
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Review from Carlos C.
7/19/2010
Latin food haven. Come on over to the Hook (hungry), and get ready to check out a medley of Latin foods. You got Mexican,Central American, Colombian,Ecuadorian and Caribbean. I absolutely love the colombian food truck, their yucas (cassavas) were soft and yummy,along with red onions, with chicharon the puerco (pork rinds) and buy yourself a soda and you're good to go. i also tried the pupusas and they're all dat.
If your into dieting than this...is not the spot for you, but if you're a foodie, come thru, this is right up your alley with your name on it.
So if you want to experience a medley of Latin food, come through al Gancho Rojo...y pasen un dia divino!!! -
Review from Serena T.
11/23/2010 1 photo
Continuing my food tour at the Brooklyn Flea (I sampled cupcakes and hot dogs here and here), I recently had my first Flea pupusa from a stand manned by the Red Hook Food Vendors. What exactly is a pupusa? Keep reading...
A pupusa is a dish originating from El Salvador, with a thick corn tortilla surrounding gooey cheese, meat, beans and squash. All this goodness is topped with a cabbage slaw, thin salsa and crema. We added some plantains and sausage to seal the deal. The result was sweet, salty, savory, chewy and crispy - a taste and texture explosion, if you will.
The diverse mix of flavors in the pupusa may be a bit of an acquired taste - my eating buddy wasn't as crazy about it as I was. However, if you're ever at the Brooklyn Flea or the Red Hook Ball Fields, give the pupusas a try!
An interesting flavor combination worth a try! -
Review from geoff l.
11/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
I think the food trucks here are great, as is the experience (totally worth it), however I'm not totally blown away by the food.
I did some research before coming here so I would know what were the favorites but was disappointed by the El Olomega pupusas that everyone raves about. Maybe I just don't really like pupusas, or I don't know anything about them, but I had them again this past weekend and I still feel the same: meh. I also had the hurrache from the truck on the corner which was good, but impossible to eat. Probably the hardest thing to eat ever. It dripped and slipped and made a huge mess all over the picnic table and made me slightly embarrassed for eating like a grizzly bear. -
Review from Michael D.
Jackson Heights, NY
10/21/2007
I am so full. I just got home from the Red Hook Ball Fields. I knew there was a Yelp thing there today, but I heard from Ro Ro that it was better to get there before 1 pm.
I arrived there with my friends Rob, Amanda and baby Mina around 1:15 and it wasn't too crowded. The weather was unusually good as we lurked around the dozen or so food booths from Central and South America.
There was a much longer line in front of one of the Pupusa stands than the rest. I took this as a good sign and queued up while Rob went to scope out some shade for Mina and Amanda went to seek out other food.
Amanda brought me a Pork Taco while I waited in line. The taco was the best I ever had on the east coast and rivaled those of Mexico, LA and San Francisco. While in line I saw and called out to Yelpers Ro Ro and Theresa X. They got in line for pupusas as well.
After being on the Pupusa line for 25 minutes I finally made it to the front. I had ordered 3 Meat and Cheese, 3 Jalapeno and cheese and 1 Loroco Flower and Cheese Pupusas. The nice lady at the grills helm kept asking me what I ordered, but never seemed to quite remember. Finally I got our Pupusas and went to sit down with my friends and eat.
The pupusas where wonderful. I never had them before, but I assume that they couldn't get much better than these. They are like a corn pancake stuffed with cheese and meat, or other ingredients. I tried the Plantainos with sour cream. They too were delectable, but I think I felt an artery clog as I chewed.
Then there was corn. Ro Ro and I went back and waited together in line for 15 minutes and we got corn with lime, paprika and cheese for everyone. This crazy concoction was also delicious.
One more walk around the stands bore three Chicken Tacitos. These are chicken rolled in corn tortillas and deep fried, then smothered in hot sauce and raw onions. My least favorite of the day, but still amazing. Ro Ro and Theresa left and I went back over to Rob and Amanda and we watched what seemed to be a semi-pro soccer match.
Though little Mina couldn't try the pupusas, she laid on the grass smiling up. It was a good day.
UPDATE: I brought home two pupusas, a corn and a tacito and heated them up in my convection oven (yeah, I got a convection oven, bitch). They were still absolutely delicious. Now, very sleepy.
_____ -
Review from Sharon K.
Brooklyn, NY
5/9/2010
Truck vendors.
REAL tacos.
BEST PUPUSAS.
Ceviche.
Aguas frescas.
Park.
AWESOME.Listed in: If you don't like these…
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Review from Maritess Z.
Seattle, WA
2/10/2008 ROTD 10/3/2008
Oh God oh God oh God, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!!!!!
I would direct Hieronymus Bosch to Red Hook Ballfields.
This is where the seven deadly sins live in my book. Luxuria (extravagance, later lust), Gula (gluttony), Avaritia (greed), Acedia (sloth), Ira (wrath, later anger), Invidia (envy), and Superbia (pride).
I could LIVE here. I could eat at every single stand, have a vomitorium built, and come back for more. The food is fried, red meat, not organic, there are a million reasons why I should not be here, I should not be eating this, I should go home NOW and have a salad.
But that's not going to happen.
Me and my friends would sneak away and drink ginger infused vodka under a tree, and be sluggish...smug that we were getting away with alcohol in a water bottle.
We watch a couple of soccer players get into a fistfight.
One of the soccer players, Dante and I sneak away and makeout behind a tree.
I drive off with my friend in his car, and I see people who wish they had wheels to get back to Manhattan as it's a far trip via subway.
I will do it again next year, and bring more people. bwahahahhahahaha!!!!!!! -
Review from Gino M.
Brooklyn, NY
5/8/2010 1 photo
I am the world's forgotten boy...
the one who searches and destroys! well come on!
I've been searching for Mexican Street food in New York that holds a candle to LA and Mexico.
Red Hook Ball Fields every weekend and I'm in love.
As an added bonus I picked up some Pupusas from the Salvadoran cart...THE BEST PUPUSAS I've ever had.
I recommend trying Queso y Loroco (Loroco Flower to be exact) For the record, I love flowers and wild edibles and anything "different"...the Loroco Flower is fresh, herbaceous, aromatic and crunchy and compliments the cheese magnificently.
If you have lived in New York your whole life and think Shredded Lettuce is something you put on your tacos...please come here next weekend and experience a sea change. -
Review from Maria M.
Woodside, NY
9/15/2007 1 photo
Mami, yours is better. Te lo juro. I swear it!
Caray, que montonazo de comida!!!! I think I ate myself silly today. I went straight for the Guatemalan and Salvadoran stands. I guess I lucked out, because the lines were not too long, even though this was the "city is not closing us down yet" celebration. I had quite possibly the best tamal I've ever had in my life, an excellent pupusa, chorizo, yuca and platano with cream. Delectable! And special thanks to Jessica for the water.....
It also did my heart good to see that there is a bigger Guatemalan community in NYC than I thought, and a surprising amount of Garifuna (descendants of black slaves who live mostly on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala). Guatemalan flags all over the place. Great to see. September 15th is Guatemalan independence day and is for most of Central America. Yup, I had forgotten. Shame on me. -
Review from William C.
Brooklyn, NY
8/31/2007 ROTD 11/23/2007
I am not sure how new you all are to Red Hook, but this was an every Saturday tradition before the restaurants were forced into the park.
Since before I was born, my parents their friends practically lived here and often played soccer for teams here. Here I learned to hone my skills, eat street meat, play in dirt, piss on trees, and maybe other proficiences that lasted with me 'til this day (I've since given up on the pissing on trees thing).
As for the food, there were really only one or two trucks back then (currently, the Colombian table is run by the owners of said truck). Here is where my cheap dad would load us up on food, then buy us one soda to share for all our hard work (we didn't know the difference back then and he now says we should have thanked him because none of us are fat LOL).
About two months ago, I came by Red Hook to see what all the new buzz was about. I was totally impressed. Sure, it looks like shit (as usual), sure it's probably not the cleanest place on Earth, sure they allowed you other mongrels from other countries to represent the rest of South America, but for sure the food is still as good as it ever was.
I was also surprised to find out that the city spent some money making the parks there look a little better. The city pool is no longer a good place to get stabbed either (I've gotten close to getting my ass kicked in there many times by project kids).
So, I'll leave you guys with this:
1 - Us colombians really do make better food;
2 - Using a dirty paper plate to write signs on tables really works;
3 - Soccer needs to be bigger in the United States;
4 - Peeing on trees sucks for all parties concerned;
5 - The grey factory that is viewable from the BQE is not haunted, though we all believed that it was when we grew up;
and finally, to those residents and corporations who wish to take away my old memories and the new memories of those fresh to Red Hook... they will surely find my size 12 shoe (along with the shoes of those in my network) up their fucking hating, greedy asses.
If anyone knows where we can petition against this (provided that the rumours are true), then please let me know.
Now serving: Corporate shit stains on the tip of my feet. Enjoy!Listed in: Top Restaurants, Date Spots (for getting to…
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Review from M D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/30/2011
Yes, the papusas are a great deal and are the most popular thing here, but really try something different and you will be rewarded. Far truck to the left, get the goat tacos. Far truck to the right, try the ceviche.
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Review from Sara W.
Brooklyn, NY
6/29/2011
Great atmosphere with superb latin food (mexican, domincan, puerto rican, honduras etc). These are hard working immigrant that has come to Red Hook to share some of their home cooking. Just follow the crowd, great smelliing food and those playing soccer is where they will be. Try to come early, before the line gets long and they run out of food. The staff are very courteous to the public. Spice can be altered to your needs - beware it can get really spicy. Good food with a touch of love.
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Review from Lisa Q.
5/10/2009
One artesional (the browned outside captured the tender, sculpting finger pats from the cart ladies) pupusa filled with bubbling queso and flower and another with pork with a side of rock hard, quadrupole-fried chicharrón. Purple lightly-marinated cabbage slaw also rested pleasingly on the side with additional saucey fixin's (pickled-pink onions and marinated jalapenos) ladled happily from the side of the food cart.
All this laid joyously in front of me and my very tired friend. He, as always, tried to use his fork. Epic fail. You can't control the crumbly wonder of a pupusa with your imperial utensils, conquistador! Just use your hands.
KEY: DO NOT FORGET NAPKINS.
We washed down all the unquestionably-unsanitary goodness with cashew drink and tamarind jarritos, ahhhh! Perfection.
We were freakin' stuffed. Still, we didn't come all the way from the fuqqin' upper west side to be bitch-slapped into satiety by one lousy cart.
Next we hit a random taco stall and had some strange meat goods on top of tortillas. They did not look like carne asada or al pastor as advertised and tasted rather... errr... cooked. It's no wonder my primal urges were set off a block away by the thick scent of crackling animal--- they make sure their meat has a shell of carbon around it.
The milky mango juice we got from a fresh fruit cart saved the meal though. It was just pure fruit liquefied, the type of drink Jamba would charge $8 for at about 2/8th the price.
Honestly, Manhattanites, I know you all get a half-boner when you read reviews or hear about the Red Hook Ball Fields. However, if you live above 14th street, just let the dream go.
The trip is not worth it. People do crazy things chasing pupusa, going all the way to this bumblestink part of Brooklyn is the looniest example. The food is good, but it's not worth the pilgrimage. You can find the same shiznit in the immigrant enclaves of your neighborhood or those heavenly, tastealicious oases known as taco trucks. -
Review from Ro N.
New York, NY
10/21/2007
When I first learned of RHBF - I was super duper excited, since I am from Texas and I miss authentic Mexican food.
I told T that I really wanted to go and so we finally made it out on their last day.
We first tried the huarache with pork and chorizo - it was eff-in good. It was so big that after T and I shared it, I was pretty stuffed.
T wanted some PUPUSAS -I didn't get anything since I need a break between the huarache. As we were standing in line, I heard someone called out "Ro!" I was like who is calling me?
I looked over to the other Pupusa line and saw some white dude wearing sunglasses and had beard. Still confused...I am not going to say anything unless I am for sure this guy is really calling me.
Well it ended up being Michael D. and so we headed over to where he was waiting for his Pupusa. We decided to get the Pupusa there, since they had a longer line.
As I was waiting in line this guy who has been coming to RHBF for years was telling me about the vendors and the food. I ended up asking him what is COLA CHAMPAGNE. He said it has a little bit of alcohol. He spoke to the vendor about it and the vendor was like there's NO alcohol. He's like NO, there is! Because each time I drink it I get dizzy and crazy.
I was like okay I am down to try this COLA CHAMPAGNE because I want to feel crazy too!
T got some kind of cheese with meat Pupusa and with sweet Plantain topped with sour cream.
We headed over to join Michael, Amanda, Rob, and Mina in the shade. I passed on sitting on the grass....sorry, I love nature but I don't want to be that close to it.
So I ended raiding the table of these Mexican fellas, who were kind enough to let us sit there. I told Michael and them to come over too since that's just stupid to sit on the grass if there's a good table there.
I was eager to try this COLA CHAMPAGNE!
WHY THAT DUDE LIE TO ME? I wasn't looking for alcohol but that crap was nasty. It was soooooooooo sugary sweet --- no wonder it made him crazy and dizzy.
I took a bite of T's Pupusas - it was good, but too much corn layering on the outside that I just couldn't bare to eat another bite of Pupusa.
T wanted a Coke so I ended up going with Michael to get his GRILLED CORN and I ended up getting two for T and I.
Me Loves the GRILLED CORN ---- totally better than Cafe Habana!
The line was ridiculous for this grilled corn!
I was pretty disappointed that I didn't get to try the ceviche since they were totally sold out by the time I found the vendor.
This is me ------ = * (
Darn! This is was the thing that I wanted to try out of all the things there and yet I was taking my damn time eating me corn.
THEY WERE SOLD OUT!!!!
So T ended up getting some taquitos to go to take back to her man. Since we were getting ready to leave, we decided to get some drinks. She got the Lime drink --- way too sweet! HELLO!!!! What do you expect from something that was NEON GREEN!
I ended up fighting my skepticism (Since I totally was disappointed from LA ESQUINA'S horchata) and decided to go for the horchata drink.
It was perfect, just like what I am used to back in Texas.
I also got the chili mango since me love mangoes!!!!!
I am super duper happy that I went since it reminds of my hometown!!!!!
Glad T and I got to experience it and so glad that we all went there early before everyone else. (Even though it would have been better if Michael and I got our ceviche.) -
Review from Janelle R.
Princeton, NJ
5/1/2011
The Red Hook Food Vendors are the real deal. The Pupusas stand had the longest line which should of been my cue to wait patiently at the end of this line, but I didn't . Instead I had a vegetable huarache from one of the Mexican food trucks. It was pretty good, but I think next time I'll wait in line for a pupusa. The cantelope juice was ridiculous good!
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Review from Bill K.
Omaha, NE
8/12/2007 9 photos
I got there this morning, just after 11 am. After doing some research, I knew what I wanted to order: not the cheese & beef or chicken but flavors I've never had.
By going early you find a much relaxed atmosphere. I sat down for the ceviche mixto (chilled seafood soup with cilantro and lime) and chatted with an Ecuadoran couple. One was having the tuna soup, and the other seafood and fried rice. They told me that Peruvian cuisine was similar but a littler spicier. I mention this to contrast how the scene changes once the onslaught of tourists begin.
This was when I moved to the Salvadoran stand where I ordered the pupusas with loroco (aphrodisiac properties their sign says) and one with zucchini (calabasas), both with cheese. I also ordered a maranon (cashew fruit) drink. A guy from the group behind me, starting pushing, finally asking "Did you order yet!" He didn't realize that this wasn't a food truck in Manhattan with things that are partially precooked. You just have to wait. Later, it gets even worse with people who don't know what they want, but want it in a hurry after waiting in a long line in the summer sun. The people preparing the food at this time are busy and can't explain the menu. Better to come earlier.
My suggestion is that if you're going with a group send people to different stands to get food and drinks and then go to the west side of the ball fields, where you can lay down a blanket under the trees and eat and enjoy your food casually.
(I added a photo of the Salvadoran menu so that you can get an idea ahead of time.)
When you're sitting at the tables with the hot sun beating down your back, the tendency is to squint and wolf down your food.
This is not much of a review, just suggestions. The food is great and inexpensive but a little preparation will make it even better. -
Review from Lynn F.
New York, NY
6/19/2008 1 photo
It was closed.
I was pissed.
See this pic: http://static.px.yelp....
~*~
Edit: In case you didn't notice the first time, it's "comming soon." Teehee. -
Review from Abigail S.
Miami, FL
Updated - 5/4/2009
The food is still good. Really good. But the Red Hook Ball Fields Vendors Experience (RHBFVE) is not the same, not even close. There used to be a real sense of community here, with the various stands set up close to each other and vendors happily and busily serving long, snaking lines of excited customers, who all ogled each other's food as they walked by and chattered in reverent tones about the pupusas at this stand or that stand, the huaraches at the other stand, and hey! Where did you get that corn?
Now it's a bunch of sad little food trucks parked on the street in an L formation. You can still sit in the park but it's kind of halfhearted. No one really talks to anyone else. The vendors seem really stressed out. The RHBFVE is totally different, and not in a good way. I even heard some uptight, whiny woman loudly complaining that there was nowhere to wash her hands before eating. You jackass, you're eating street meat. Get over it and get ready to lick those manicured fingers!
It's totally not the vendors' fault, I get that. And again, the food is still really good. But the sense of camaraderie and community here is totally gone. People don't seem to mingle much anymore. The festive atmosphere has vanished. Now it's just another place to buy food from a cart on the streets of New York.
Maybe that was the City's intention.Listed in: Brooklyn Does it Better, Oh, baby!, Go outside!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2007
Finally, great Mexican food in NYC! I didn't know it existed here until we visited the Red Hook… Read more »
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Review from michelle y.
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY
6/21/2011
I LOVE riding my bike here and filling up on watermelon juice, papusas, grilled corn, and huaraches. Everything is cheap and delicious! Our plan of attack is each person waits in a different line and then we reconvene to chow down. Note that the lines can get pretty long (esp for the papusas line since they make it all fresh to order).
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Review from J. G. B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/28/2009
All of you knit-caps giving a Ball-Field the same rating as restaurants who serve $100 plate dishes are dolts. Thank you for gentrifying the area so that my missus and I can stroll through, just like the rest of you, adorned in our finest new threads from near-by boutiques, but, dear knit-caps, this is not a restaurant.
I am sure some of you who are overwhelmed by the experience to finally be out of Manhattan for a change and to also see a real-to-life Mexican native are overjoyed in the experience but I implore you to write a review based on food and not upon broadening your horizons.
Any-one who says otherwise shall receive a bonk from my umbrella square on the head.
(Watermelon juice was good though.)Listed in: Brooklyn!
