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74th St-Roosevelt Ave (7, E, F, V, G, R)
Today I had a craving for tacos. Coincidentally I also had an overwhelming feeling of laziness to go all the way to the famous taco trucks in Jackson Heights. The combination made for a perfect excuse to try out a new place.
The food was cheap ($2 per taco), extremely flavorful and was relatively generous in the portion sizes. Try out the flavored and spicy beef tacos.
The place was a little bit over board on the cheesy Mexican side though. Once I heard the mariachi music I started having nightmare flashbacks from one summer that I worked at a Mexican restaurant. (I remember the only Spanish I learned there was "Mas cervezas senior? Si, me gusta cerveza. Yo bebo mucho cervezas todos los dias!")
Besides that seemed like a good place. I got a carry out so I can't say how the service was as a restaurant. I would definitely hit up this place again.
Yo quiero tres tacos por favor: lengua, carne enchilada y birria de res.
Unfortunately, the only other lengua mine has come into contact with recently has been in Coatzingo.
More unfortunate still: the tongue action I got here was better than my prior couple of opportunities.
My first experience with tacos came in the form of Lunchables. You know the ones. Three sad looking taco shells, a squeeze bag of meat-flavored paste, and various brightly-colored pasteurized cheese products. They didn't even put it together for you. You had to construct these things yourself.
They were also freaking delicious. I suspect that even now, despite how highbrow and pretentious I've become, I'd have a hard time resisting those culinary abominations, which are probably laced with crack or something. Goddamn they were tasty.
It was a long time before I ever tried real tacos, the ones made by real Hispanics, hopefully featuring real grilled meat and real vegetables. I popped by Taqueria Coatzingo while waiting for a friend the other day. The price was right; $2 for a soft-shell taco, your choice of meat. I had me some carne asada, which had broiled beef, onions, cilantro, and a tiny heaping of guac. Meat was a little dry and stringy, and honestly the whole thing wasn't as flavorful as I was hoping. Definitely could've used some delicious pasteurized cheese product or ambiguously-labeled "mild taco sauce," but overall I'd say it was a decent meal, certainly not a bad value. Rated three stars just because it's dirt cheap.
Tried the cemita, burritos and more tacos. With the exception of steamed tongue, the tacos on 76th street branch tastes so much better than the one on 82nd street.
Steamed shredded tongue tacos taste like pulled pork. Very tender and moist. Delicious with really hot, hot sauce. Cemita is tasty but the papalo spice/herb was too pungent. I would order the cemita without that herb next time. One cemita sandwich (if you can finish one) will keep you full for hours and hours. Skip the burritos. They're extremely salty. Forget rice and beans, again, extremely salty. You will want to drink like a fish afterwards.
Stick to tacos and you can't go wrong. Carne asada is still my fav.
I love the carne asada tacos. Grilled or broiled, who knows really.. tasty beef bits with cilantro,… Read more »
Hubby and I were all set to try out De Mole in Sunnyside, but a 7 train complication this weekend decided for us that we would not be venturing into Sunnyside after all. We walked down the station stairs and around the corner to Roosevelt Ave, where Taqueria whispered promises of great things if we would only come seek it out. We had never been to Taqueria before, despite the lavish praise bestowed upon it and despite it being only three blocks from our apt. We decided it was time to take a look.
It's not much to look at. Don't even think about bringing a date here- consider it a homey neighborhood spot without any pretensions. Neon signage, formica tables, a misplaced deer head on the wall. The tvs were playing that stupid movie Beethoven with Judge Reinhold in Spanish. Whatever happened to that doofus? Chips and salsa arrived quickly and we were surprised by how good the salsa was. Watery, but well-made with good flavor. We got six different tacos to try. Of the six, we liked four, the other two had meat that was too dry. The papaya and melon milkshakes were good too, but so thick we suffered when we didn't get the water we had asked for.
The waitresses kept looking over from across the room the entire time. At some point, I asked Hubby what he made of it- was it that we were the only non-Latinos in the joint? Did either of us have something unsavory on our faces? Our clothes? Maybe they were checking Hubby out...or me? Then I realized with some disappointment that they were probably watching the tv behind me. That Judge Reinhold still has it. Whatever it is.
I was a little disappointed after reading all the glowing reviews. The food was good, but not markedly more so than at other good Mexican places I've been to in Queens.
I had a tamal that was on the dry side, although, to be fair, I was there for a late dinner and I know they're usually made in the morning. Then I had a combo enchilada platter with chicken, beef, and cheese enchiladas in a mole sauce. It was very satisfying and filling - enormous portions, in fact - but it wasn't especially well seasoned and would have preferred some more spice.
The prices are great though. Five of us ate, and three had beers, and with appetizers and entrees the entire tab came out to just $71.
One of the best authentic restaurants in the city. When I went, my boyfriend and I were one of two groups there who didn't speak fluent Spanish. Our waitress didn't speak much English, but enough to know what we wanted. I had the pork cemita and it was amazing. (See the pictures of it; very accurate!) My bf had a burrito and it was about the size of his head. The portions are very generous and kept us full for hours. We also got a milkshake, which was very rich as well.
It's really hard to find good Mexican food in NYC and this was definitely a refreshing change. It's much better than De Mole in Sunnyside.
Beyond fantastic. Order something that you've never heard of or something that sounds weird, you'll always be pleasantly surprised.
If you're not so adventurous I'll tell you the best tacos would be the Pastor, Birria de Res, Lengua and carnitas. Also the Cemitas are great, the ribs in green sauce, the enchiladas, and any of the giant soups.
Don't waste your time with the enchiladas, the burritos or anything else on the menu, this place is all about tacos. Probably my favorite sit-down taqueria (it's always a toss up between Coatzingo and nearby Taco Guicho food truck on the street). Carne asada, al pastor, carnitas. I am meaning to go back and try the steamed tongue tacos. This place also has decent vegetarian options (helps me convince my wife to join me at this place).
Do you have 2$? If so, then you can have one of the most amazing tacos. Do you have 3$ more dollars? Well, you're in luck since that's exactly what a fresh banana milkshake costs. Do you have a brain? Good, if you're smart you'll head directly to Coatzingo and chow down on some of the best Mexican in Queens.
I've been frequenting this place for years and have always been pleased with the food there. The portions are sizable so you won't leave hungry and it's open late so it's good for the weekend after-bar crowd.
I'm a big fan of enchiladas and theirs are pretty tasty. The tacos are also big and come with more of the condiments that some of the street vendors outside lack.
The only negative experience I ever had was once last year when the waitress completely forgot our order and had us sitting there for a really long time (others who arrived after us were receiving their orders while we waited) but I think she was new and I haven't seen her since then.
Other than that the service is pretty quick and attentive and I highly recommend this place.
Be sure to try the "horchata" (rice milk drink). If you've never had it before you're in for a treat. It's great.
One word: CemitaCubana.
I'm assuming the fact that it has pork in it and Cubans love pork puts the Cubana in the Cemita Cubana, but what I can say with absolute confidence is that this is one amazing sandwich from one special restaurant
Slightly more expensive than the torta (I think what makes it a cemita is the addition of a fresh herb called papalo and the poppy-seed bun) the Cemita Cubana is what every man, actually every man, woman and child should dream about if they don't already.
Bread, queso fresco, chillies (I recommend taking half out after asking for it con todo/with everything) ham, breaded pork, roast pork, egg, refried beans, avocado......I'm sure I'm missing something but you get the picture, you have to try it to understand.
A loyal customer of the taco truck in front of the 74th Street subway station, my husband and I made our way to Taqueria Coatzingo while walking our dog this afternoon. I fear we will never return to the taco truck across the street. I got the carnitas taco and my husband had the carnitas and carne asada taco.The carnitas taco was the winner of the afternoon. The meat was flavorful, and the toppings were delicious. I could have eaten three and am sorry I only got one. Next time my taqueria, next time...
Closest you can get to real Mexican food. My friend and I go there at least once a week and we always end up getting a cemita, which is the best thing you can get there if you're a vegetarian like i am. If you order a cemita of quesillo (cheese) make sure to ask for nopal (cactus).
Also, if you're looking for a loyal go-to-waitress (which will come in handy once you taste the food) make sure to look for Janeth, she's super friendly and sweet.
I used to hate Mexican food. Every Mexican place I have been to in NYC has been bland and after a particularly bad trip to the highly rated "Big Enchilada" in the Union Square area, I declared jihad against the entire country's cuisine.
This sparked a lively and recurring debate with my roommate from the West Coast who argued that I can't judge until I have some "real Mexican food"(whatever that means) and insisted that the West Coast was the only place in the world that I could find it. Whenever someone mentioned Mexican food, blood was shed until I went to this place one day. Since my friend and I were the only gringos in the restaurant I figured this should be "real" enough to make a judgement.
Well, long story short, it was really good and peace had been restored. Mexican food can in fact be flavorful. I got the "Enchiladas Combinadas" that were covered in a tasty mole sauce. Even the rice and beans that came with the meal were well flavored. My friend got the chicken quesadilla and it looked exactly the same as my dish. I probably wouldn't even be able to pick mine out of a line-up but he really enjoyed it too. I guess thats all that matters
This place is some of the best authentic mexican food I have ever had. It is relatively inexpensive. The food is good, they tend to have a pretty good looking waitress or two and almost everyone inside is...yep you guessed it...mexican...(consolation prize for those that said human)..The tacos are about $2. When I am on my way home after a club, sometimes I stop here...its also close to a freaky little gentleman's club and sometimes there is eye candy outside...sometimes the candy looks kinda rotten and spoiled in there but its a candy store nonetheless so I make note. Please dont hold that against Taqueria Coatzingo cause they have really good food.
What is also nice to me is that my taco with everything for $2 each includes guacamole! My to go package also includes some vegetables and a real roasted Jalapeño pepper. People inside are speaking spanish.
If you eat inside, sometimes you get the outside vendors, DVD, CD Movies...etc...
If you aren't used to the vibe...some might be initially intimidated...not me cause I am a pimp...thats right...say it...AYE GRINGO...
I was introduced to this place by an ex that was Mexican and I must admit it's really pretty good. I would think that he knew where he was taking me since he is Mexican.
My favorite dishes would have to be the flautas, huarache, enchiladas and chilaquiles. The rice itself is really good and so is the free chips and dip. For the amount that they give you the price is pretty reasonable.
So would I recommend this place to a friend? of course I would. This is the real stuff, not that Tex-Mex nonsense, and it's pretty damn good.
This is probably my favorite place to eat in my neighborhood. It's open 24 hrs., they deliver until late into the night and they always get to my house in a flash. Just make sure whether it's delivery or sit-in, that you have cash.
The prices are great. $2.50 tacos are awesome if you're low on cash. My favorite menu item is the Cemita (a kind of Mexican Burger) with Birria. I actually don't think they have this meat option on the menu, but it's certainly the best. It normally comes with a big hot pepper in it, so be warned (It taste awesome without the hot pepper; that's how I get it.)
Not much to change about this review, I just want to add a shout out to the following dishes, which have been making me happy as a clam lately:
1. The quesillo cemita - yum. What is this papalo? And where can I buy some?
2. Sopes (regulares) - simple, clean, and delicious. That's all you need.
3. Chiles rellenos - always a favorite for me, but here it's really, really goood.
I'm often intimidated by Mexican places in terms of making sure what I get is vegetarian and hoping that I get more than a few options from which to choose. Getting to know Coatzingo's menu intimately has definitely allayed those fears.
We stopped by Coatzingo last night and I remembered how much I like this place. The food can be… Read more »
If I didn't live in Sunset Park (Mexican food capital of the Northeast), I'd probably be here all the time.
Best carnitas I've had in New York.
I'm from san francisco.....i effing miss good mexican food. more importantly i also miss good salvadorian food so if you know where i can get some in NY let me know!!!!!
so the tacos were great.....i haven't had so good a taco in a long time, at least not since being out here. I tried the carnitas and the al pastor......the carnitas was well cooked, juicy, and flavorful.....and best of all they are just $2 each......the al pastor was interesting....it was slightly sweet but just not my thing. nevertheless it was still good.
I would go back just for the carnitas. if you are thinking about dining in, you need cash and speaking spanish would be a plus.
I love love love love the TACOs here. My favorite are the tongue tacos. My boyfriend's favorite is the Carne Asada tacos, and my brother's favorite is Chorizo tacos. The tacos are super cheap - around $2 a taco!
We also get a large Horchata to split, chips & salsa, and a side order of guacamole. Their guacamole is really good.
Hell yes!
This place is fabulous. The tacos were a great combo of freshness and meatiness and flavor -- the chorizo was delectable and the carne asada was tender and juicy. I loved the radishes they served on the side. The best part? Only two dollars each. I had two and I was stuffed.
Chips and salsa are awesome too. Friendly staff.
Only two drawbacks: The music was way too loud to have a normal conversation. And -- this part is strange -- people kept coming in from the outside and going table to table trying to sell stuffed animals or pirated DVDs. It was really bizarre and the staff didn't seem fazed, so I guess it's normal there...
Let's just say you don't come here for the ambiance. This place has killer food! Real authentic mexican flavors. I fount this place through Yelp and I have to say thanks to all who pointed this place out. Walking in you think what am I doing here? Considering that most of the patrons are hispanic and they only have spanish music, and tv going. But if you want the real deal you have to where the locals eat and let me tell you that this place is worth it. Check it out, great burritos and great tacos.
This place has ruined all other Mexican food for me. Nothing else compares! Now every time I want Mexican, which is all the time, I need to go out my way to Jackson Heights from Bayside. This is OK because I love Jackson Heights. I stop at Coatzingo then the club next door and then back to Coatzingo. I feel like I am on vacation in Mexico. The tacos are super fresh and $2. Carne Asada, Lengua al Vapor, and Al Pastor are my favorites but I try to get something new every time I go and then I am hooked on something else.
Tucked in the middle of Jackson Heights, in between a pair of Gentlemen's Clubs, lies this perfect Mexican cafe. What a inexpensive, fun experience! The cemitas, tacos, and tostadas fresh, cooked to perfection, and this was at 11 PM at night. Dinner cost approximately $30 without alcohol. A word of advice, environment is really loud, but you can hold a decent conversation. The waitstaff is friendly and helpful, even if you can't speak Spanish fluently. And, lastly, you can always go next door for some after-dining entertainment! What more can you ask for?
CASH only.
I was really excited to try this place after reading about it on Chowhound and NY Serious Eats -- the photos that I saw made me cry and cry thinking about how much I missed those tacos and burritos from my beloved San Francisco. But then hey, here's a taqueria almost right in my backyard (or at least, two subway stops from me) right in Jackson Heights!
My bf and I shared three tacos (carnitas, tripe, and beef) and the spicy porky cemita. The tacos were really yummy -- nice chunks of juicy meat and fat and generously slathered with what looks and tastes like homemade guacamole (which was AMAZING). They completely satisfied my craving for Mexican food. The cemita, on the other hand, wasn't that great despite looking really tasty. It had a great white cheese in it, but the bread was like hamburger bread, which wasn't exciting, and the meat was just so-so. I wish we had gotten more tacos instead! Four stars just for the tacos - soooo good.
I also had a small cup of horchata. I'd never had it before so I had no idea what to expect, but it was way, way too sweet. I had to dilute with a lot of water, and by then my boyfriend refused to drink it because he said it wasn't milky enough, and horchata is supposed to be milky!
The ambiance here is very festive and colorful, and they play their music pretty loudly. One annoying thing about the place is that they allow people to come in and solicit/beg for money. None of the patrons seemed to mind, yet I found it a little odd.
The salsa here with the chips is really, really tasty, too. And it's free! If you come out here from Brooklyn or Manhattan, this place will really be worth your trip.
(For those who follow me-Bob, and maybe Jeff- you'll notice that I'm back to 5 star ratings) Coatzingo is where it's at. Exceptional torta (the roll could have been from Parisi's, it was so good) for $5.50! That's all you need to know. OK, the tacos are badass, too. Enchiladas, etc.,etc. Gotta get one of those tortas again...soon! Oh, and don't tell the 30 ave. Taco Truck in Astoria, but they're probably more of a 4 star rating. The tacos in Jackson Heights are better! And forget the Astoria Tacos Mexico. That place is for the birds.
The food is pretty good! And it's very reasonably-priced. I didn't have the tacos but my friends did and they didn't seem too impressed with it. Their words were, "It's too dry." I liked my steak. The guac was too watery though. And when I couldn't finished my meal and asked for it to be doggy-bagged, the waitress never brought it to me. I let it be. I took it as a sign that I needed to curb my food addiction. All in all, a good cheap eats place.
holy wow this place serves up some incredible tacos. tacos may be my new thing...see ya later, hot dogs. the tacos here may replace you yet. for $2 you're served a huge taco filled with whatever filling you decide (i got tongue, tripe, and spicy chicken) along with tomato, chopped onion, and fresh, homemade guacamole. they taste incredible.
i also got mole' chicken enchiladas here for dinner the same day i hit this place up for lunch. it was a double coatzingo day. being on roosevelt ave and going to the same place twice is semi-major, because roosevelt ave is a mecca for all things delicious.
the banana milkshakes here make me wish i was monk enough for mike. the chorizo chalupas would be my death row meal before my lethal injection. the breakfasts are very large portions and they're dirt cheap, they rival and kick the ass of the long ass brunch lines manhattan has every weekend.
i've never tried the desserts here, i am usually too full, but the chicks who work here are eye candy enough.
Since moving to NYC from Chicago two years ago, I've been searching for great, authentic mexican food. Chicago has tons and tons of cheap, authentic and good mexican restaurants everywhere. In NYC, I had a tough time finding any. Everything I that I had which was cheap was terrible and usually not authentic, and everything that tasted authentic and good was expensive. I was frustrated and disappointed until I went out to Jackson Heights. Tons of great mexican restaurants were the food is authenitc, fresh and delicious.
One of my favorites is Taqueria Coatzingo. There tostadas and enchiladas are good, but my favorite is their tacos. I've tried most of them and they all are good, but the chicken and the vegetarian are the best. Also try the al pastor (gyro style) taco. Oh, and you can't beat $2 per taco. And if you love flan, don't miss it. It tastes delicious and they give you a HUGE portion for just $2.50.
When Run and Pam took me here for mexican food, I was thinking these guys are smoking crack for taking me to Mexican food. I eat Mexican food almost every other day and New York cannot match Mexican food we get in Cali4nia.
Simply put the Tacos were great. Spicy Pork and one more Prok Taco is what I had. They were $2 each and I had Mexican Coke in a Bottle.
The waitress was Cuuuuuuute but probably 18 but then I could be dead wrong, she could be 30s and I would not know.
OK!, the food was good, the service was nice. No one spoke english including the waitress, it felt like we had stepped into another country. The Juke Box and single mexican men eating dinner rounded out the whole out of US experience.
I do recommend and will go there again.
-2 STARs for one dead small roach on the floor by my table. I wonder it it died after eating some of the mexican food or was he glaring too much at the cuuuuute waitress.
A must go if you are in the neighborhood and want to try a nice place to sit and have a Taco. The Taco stand out on the street was probably good but then you are freezing your nuts while eating outside. The ambience was worth the extra money bt the prices were very reasonable.
The best tacos I've ever had. Granted, Roosevelt Ave. might be my favorite place to eat in the entire world so whenever I'm here I always get a little heady. The tacos here are cheap as can be, exploding with flavor and fresh ingredients, eating here was like a revelation to me. I knew tacos could be good, but this good? I had no idea. They're like another level to me. I love this place so much I'm seriously considering getting in the car right now and taking a drive.
The ingredients are always fresh they are cheap and they deliver. . .
My fave is the dinner crew and I love watching them work -- their hands move so fast. . .
I love the tacos. Three vegetarian tacos with extra onions, my stomach just grumbled. . . It is all so authentic in presentation and flavor but it is totally clean and everyone is quite nice.
The only reason I took of a star is that sometimes the language barrier results in odd orders. . .
Oooh that's the doorbell -- my tacos are here!! Did I mention they're FAASSTT with delivery???
Oh yeah brothers, oh yeah!! was this place good, i was always tempted to eat here, but the brethren around the place always creeped me out; but when i have a bit of alcohol in me, i can get tough. I can hands down say that this is an incredible place to have some true mexican chow. A couple of pals and i entered this sanctuary late at night, and oh boy, what a delight. I ordered the Queso Cemita, a monster of a sandwich filled with avocado, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, refried beans, papalo, and the freakin tastiest Queso Blanco i ever had. For starters, the attention is very good, right off you are seated and given some chips and salsa to help you decide on the main course. All of my buddies and i ordered different types of cemitas, and they were all overly satisfied. We all kept repeating how incredible the Cemitas were, and that this was a place that we had to come back to. I don't give it five stars because, there was more than one undesirable both inside and out of the establishment, but hey, the world isn't perfect. The food does live up to the hype, it's top notch!!
Went here last night after already eating dinner.. I had eaten several other things in the nieghborhood but, forced myself to buck up.. For 9 dollars a buddy and me split the Al Pastor Tostadas.. The came with plenty of meat, some sliced lettuce, some crema, and some Queso Fresco.. It was a lovely.. Reminded me of something you would get in the Mission in San Fran..
There were a lot of other choices on the menu that caught me eye.. I think this place has a lot of potential.. From Tacos to Pippian Mole I wish I had more room..
Hopefully I will be back soon..
As a chef, I've had some pretty good Mexican food, the kind that Mexican chefs cook for themselves, and I've spent a lot of time in Mexico, because i like the beach, so I've had my fair share of good Mexican food. Lush, fresh, spicy, refreshing, sweet, sour and salty. amazingly tender and intense beef lingua tacos, spicy pork, and if anything the weakest link was the al pastor, which I've not been able to find anything that tastes as good as those in Mexico city, on the streets of talpan, late on a summer night, with slices of roasted pineapple basted in the pork drippings. Speaking of atmosphere, when its busy, its a great time, wrestling on TV and maybe a Cruz azul game, very loud, and all in all a good time. It was a late Sunday afternoon, and the streets were hopping, and man is that 7 train loud! spent the afternoon just checking out the scene, and being offered drugs by the young and mostly harmless street thugs. Just a great afternoon. Highly recommended!
The food here is good. The tacos (vegetarian) were loaded with deliciousness. The horchata was a bit too sweet, but was on the spot. The papaya milkshake my boyfriend got was delicious. The enchiladas (with mole sauce) was a bit too much. I'd scratch off that mole sauce (-1 star) and the crappy service (-1 star). Otherwise a good place to grab cheap tacos and a horchata drink. The crowd is totally Mexican...so if you aren't Mexican, you'll be the minority!
on my way to almondine, i stopped by taqueria coatzing for some lunch. as soon as i was seated salsa and chips were brought to the table. so far so good. the salsa was really fresh and one of the best i've had.
i ordered the tacos al pastor, carnitas taco, and a glass of horchata. the tacos (if you order con todos) come garnished with diced white onions, cilantro, a vocado sauce, and on the side they also give you a huge grilled jalepeno, little red radishes, and some lime.
i thought the tacos were a bit dry, but the yummy avocado sauce they topped the tacos with partially made up for it. i think i preferred the carnitas over the pastor. i was quite disappointed in the pastor which is probably my favorite taco of all times. i was probably expecting it to be like the ones in mexico...which probably isn't completely fair. the horchata (not too sweet) was really nice especially since my mouth was on fire after biting into the grilled jalepeno. they also had a variety of mexican sodas and jamaica tea (hibiscus). the hibiscus tea i tried in mexico somewhat reminded me of kool-aid, so i passed this time. i might try it again the next time i'm in a mexican restaurant just in case my taste buds were off the last time i tried it.
overall, i thought it was a good dining experience...fast/friendly servic, good food, and the check only came out to be $6.25 (without tip). definitely a deal.
I've done a lot of Taco hunting in NYC, and Coatzingo consistently satisfies. The Pastor Tacos are fantastic and the presentation is beautiful.They are heavier with toppings so purist may find it over done, but I love them. Yes they're big and greasy but they're so so so delicious. I had a Taco from a cart in Sunnyside recently that blew me away, but overall Coatzingo is my go to taqueria when I'm craving Pastor. I love the Tamal Rajas as well. No where else do I consistently get a good meal and a beer for $10.
Happy Hour Second to None!
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