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Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos

4.5 star rating
based on 88 reviews

Category: Mexican

Neighborhood: Bushwick
271 Starr Street
(between Wyckoff Ave & St Nicholas Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 456-3422
Nearest Transit:

Jefferson St (L)

Good for Groups:
No
Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Price Range:
$
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Lunch
Alcohol:
None

88 reviews for Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos

Review Highlights   

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"My personal favorites are their beef tacos and chicken tortas." (in 57 reviews)
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"What is great about the chorizo is that they make it with potato." (in 18 reviews)
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"…cash only, its some guy serving you tacos in real life tortilla factory…" (in 10 reviews)
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Photo of Kristina A.

 

1

1

Kristina A.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
11/23/2009

By far the best and cheapest Mexican food I've had in NY. My friend and I spent about $7.00 each and still had too much food. I ordered a Jarritos soda, a pork taco, a steak torta (highly recommend!!) and we were going to share a chicken quesadilla, but didn't have enough room in our stomachs to even touch it. All the ingredients tasted very fresh.

My only complaint was the wait. It took over 45 minutes to get our food. One of the guys at the counter wasn't very helpful so we spent the first ten minutes trying to figure out how to order (just write down your order and name on a piece of paper and leave it on the counter), but it is a tiny place with only two cooks and in the end it was worth it. If you're looking to avoid the rush, it died down a little after 2 pm.

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Photo of Jennifer P.

 

5

69

Jennifer P.

Queens, NY

4 star rating
11/13/2009

The staff is very friendly...

The tortillas are fresh and pressed right in front of you.  The tacos were decent....  The winner was the Quesadilla it was so good with fresh avocado that was creamy and complimented the spicy pork..

If you go here I suggest the quesadilla's and if you want tacos go BEEF.  The others were eeehhhh...  

Will I go back?  Yes (I love the Quesadilla that much)...

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Photo of Maria B.

 

4

63

Maria B.

Queens, NY

4 star rating
11/10/2009

Gotta give it up to the tortillas and the Spiced Pork Quesadilla!  

I do not believe it is the best taco joint in NY - but, close to it!

The chicken taco lacked any flavor....  did my batch not have any spices?!?  I was seriously disappointed.

The pork taco was tasty.  The beef taco is second to the one I get at a taco truck on Queens blvd.

The super star was the Carnitas Enchilada Quesadilla. That alone made the trip worth it.

Enjoy.

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Photo of Linda C.

 

0

12

Linda C.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
11/28/2009

We had a great lunch that sat in our bellies like cement for the rest of the day so we didn't eat anything else.
That said, we'd definitely go back because their tacos are just that good! I think four of us got out of there well fed and under $20...the one downer is there is no beer served. Whah whah whahhh...

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Photo of Scott Z.

 

65

141

Scott Z.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

3 star rating
10/27/2009

I did a taco tour of Brooklyn a few days ago. Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos was our first stop. Man it was a trek from the city but we thought... You want fresh tacos why not go to the source of the tortillas right? I also saw the place on no reservations. I thought for sure these tacos would knock my socks off.

The place was very busy when we walked in. Good sign. The guy took our orders quickly and was kinda smug. I didn't really care. I wasn't there for the service. It actually took about 15 minutes for our tacos. All of the taquerias we went to were similarly busy but this place took the longest. They also were out of limes at the time and the guy gave me a look like tough shit. Luckily I was able to salvage some from a neighboring table.

So the tacos finally came out. I was mortified to see lettuce... I'm a taco purest and was not happy to see anything green besides salsa verde or cilantro. I took my first bite. I did not notice the tortilla to be any more fresh than any of the others I tried that day. The meat was seasoned well but I thought it was somewhat overcooked. Maybe thats why they took 15 minutes. Also they were the sloppiest and not presented well. Of all the tacos I tried Saturday, these ones seemed the least inspired prepared by a chef who doesn't take pride in his food.

In conclusion, I really wanted to give this place a great review. I went really out of my way to try it and everyone seems to love it. Maybe my expectations were too high... I'm not saying the food is bad but I sadly feel my 3 stars is justified.

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Photo of John O.

Elite '09

13

296

John O.

New York, NY

4 star rating
11/22/2009

Great place and worth the trip to Bushwick on the L train.  I tried most of the proteins and without a doubt the chorizo is your best bet.  The tacos are wonderful and authentic Mexicana style.  The tortillas are fresh and as good as you would expect if they came from a tortilla factory.  The quesadilla is great too and rather large.  The service is super friendly and welcoming.  No beer is served so bring your Dos XX with you on the train to enjoy here.  Tabs are super cheap - $2 tacos and $3 quesadillas.

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Photo of Priya P.

Elite '09

67

143

Priya P.

New York, NY

3 star rating
10/16/2009

I trekked here one summer afternoon with Kristine R. We're both Cali girls with high expectations for Mexican. Our final verdict? The tacos here are good. Ingredients are FRESH, down to the homemade tortillas. They give you an entire tin of fresh salsa on the side, which is awesome.

So why 3 stars? Because the vegetarian tacos aren't amazing- not very flavorful (note: you must like avocados). Salsa wasn't spicy. You can get tacos as good in Manhattan, but you'd pay about 5 times more. And I personally would prefer to pay 5 times more and save on travel time. Totally worth it if you're looking for cheap, good Mexican and you're not vegetarian.

P.S. I ordered 2 tacos and a tortilla- way too much food. Also, the vegetarian items all taste exactly the same- same ingredients, on a differently prepared tortilla.

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0

2

Steven A.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
11/4/2009

Me: Born and raised in the San Francisco Mission.

My Goal: To find a decent taco in NY.

Conclusion: This is the best place I've found so far.

Super cheap. The wait can be a bit long, but nothing unexpected from a place this size. 3 stars for not having carne asada.

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Photo of Brian W.

Elite '09

18

105

Brian W.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
10/17/2009

It's a Saturday night, and you have twenty dollars in your wallet.  You want to eat like a king, and you want to eat good.  To complete this mission, you should go to Bushwick and eat at Los Hermanos.

I originally learned about Los Hermanos from my TV friend Anthony Bourdain and let me tell you, he did me well.

My good friend on the West Coasts holds up Taco trucks like nobodies business, so I will one up him and say that eating a factory makes everything better.

The tacos are great.  However I wish that there was a crispy option.  The ingredients are wicked fresh, and full of flavor.

If you want to drink a cold beer with your food, your best bet is to bring your own brown bag of refreshment as there is no alcohol served here.

Do not let the prices fool you, it is value at it's best...meaning for the first time we went..we ordered way too much food, it was almost a crime.

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Photo of Lans S.

Elite '09

8

71

Lans S.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
10/18/2009

You cannot get better than fresh, handmade tortillas. That makes all the difference.

Los Hermanos has a good selection of Mexican staple dishes. The quesadilla and enchilada taco was my fave. The carne taco seemed to be filled w/bits of burned, crispy pcs of beef, so I wasnt feeling that one.

Be prepared to wait a bit as its probably always crowded (expect to see a slew of hipsters in line) and since your order is prepared fresh in front of you, there tends to be some back up. A small price for extra fresh and tasty Mexican. And, w/so few real Mexican options, one cannot complain, right?

I like their salsa verde and salsa rojo options available for you to take to your table and pour all over your food. They also provide a big ass vat of pickled jalapenos/carrots as well as a limes for garnish.

Los Hermanos is the shiz. Bless them.

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Photo of Lexy M.

Elite '09

296

111

Lexy M.

New York, NY

4 star rating
9/14/2009

Give me a dirty cheap taco in a hole in a wall garage on a sketchy side street in Brooklyn, only steps from the L train & I'm one happy lady! Thank you Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos!  

- $2 Fresh amazing authentic Mexican Taco's
- They are $2!!!!
- TWO DOLLARS PEOPLE. Which means I have enough money to buy one more with another meat filling, a tortilla and a drink and still come under $10!!

Listen, this place may have been featured on Anthony Bourdains show on Travel Network.

Yes, it may have also been a featured restaurant on Yelp for the past 2 weeks.

But in the end... this was honestly just a quick spot to grab a GREAT bite of "cheap eats" on a Sunday afternoon in my new neighborhood of Brooklyn while I was in my dirty sweat pants and a shirt covered in paint from fixing up my new hip little Bushwick apartment.

You dig? ;o)

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Photo of Jim K.

 

14

46

Jim K.

Elmhurst, NY

5 star rating
10/2/2009

One day me and my friend came to Los Hermanos thinking we could have our brunch here.

So we came a bit early around 10am on a weekday when they haven't started the  grill just yet. We were the first customers of the day, and the kitchen looked empty with no English speaking staff to be found.

We saw a little lady in white washing a bushel of vegetables in the sink, and handed her our note card with what we wanted to order written on it.

She held it in front of her and stared at it as if she were a jeweler authenticating a diamond. She peaks a look at us, then looks back at the card, then yells 'MIGUEL!"

A young guy wearing black shirt comes out from the back of the building and takes over the scene, meanwhile the lady hurriedly washes her vegetables and runs off to the back where few other ladies are dicing the tomatoes into little cubes.

We order the chicken and pork. Miguel reluctantly tells us they do not have any chicken ready, so we opt with bistec (beef). He nods, then heads to the back of the kitchen, where he pulls out a giant slab of marinated meat slices.

He lays them down on the table and cuts them into little pieces using a giant knife. Soon we find a mound of diced meat forming.

Miguel gathers them up and pours them all onto the grill. Tiny speckles of fat and smoke clash against the bright afternoon sun.

The air is getting thick from the smoke and fat, so we decide to wait for our orders in the back room.

In the back we find a group of Mexican ladies gathered around a table busy at work surrounded by loads of vegetables towering around them.

The wooden prep table is obviously old, with tomato juices dripping from the sides. And we see another lady in sandals dicing the tomatoes in orderly fashion. Next to her arm is a pile of freshly cut tomatoes that are carried off to the back by others.

She finishes up her work, and lends her seat to the lady in white from earlier, where she begins chopping the bushels of vegetables she was washing earlier.

I share this story with you guys to tell you guys that these guys prep everything from scratch. Some of you may already knew about it, heard about it, and always expect it to be this way.

But it is nice to see what is going on, when it's going on, in person. So I tell this story to confirm, that they do prepare all the ingredients for the day's use.

Cheap, casual, made-to-order. Just one Picada costs $3.00 and it will keep you full for the rest of the day. What's not to like?

Sure, you get your regular crowd of hipsters coming out during peak hours of the afternoon, often privileging themselves to claim a space inside the factory and create these weird noises they call 'music with an acquired taste'.

But hey, if the food is good, it doesn't bother me. The bottom line is, you're getting more than your money's worth from the food.

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Photo of daniel m.

 

135

313

daniel m.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
11/5/2009

The tortillas are the only saving grace.. And for the wonderful tortillas I will give it three stars..  We were one of the only people in there and our order of a couple of tacos and a sope took about 15 minutes.. Had the carne enchilada, the carnitas, and tried the cecina.. It was all ok..  But those tortillas are excellent.. Bought a pack to go home.

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Photo of YVONNE H.

Elite '09

9

157

YVONNE H.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
9/11/2009

Wow. Seriously the most overrated taco place in the world.
I can't believe I am disagreeing with Anthony Bourdain's tastebuds.
Maybe last Friday, 09/04/2009 was an off day for them...but their food is pretty much flavorless...as in, we even tried drenching our food with their homemade salsas and still found everything tasteless.

And it's not as if we only ordered 1 taco. We f*ing ordered the whole menu bc I thought my mind would be blown away. We ordered the carne enchillada and vegetarian taco, chorizo tosatas, steak quesadilla. They forgot our chicken picada order, and we were very thankful.

The only thing good was their tortillas, which they make in the back of the restaurant. I could buy bundles of these.

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Photo of Thomas S.

 

3

41

Thomas S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/1/2009

I really wish that I had experienced this before it got "gringoized", if you will, by the DOH. Ah well, it's still pretty damn good. I went all out and had a quesadilla and two tacos, and all of it was delicious and cheap. Nothing on the menu is over $4, if I recall correctly. The atmosphere is lovely as you can look out into the tortilla factory and there's all sorts of people (Mexicans and hipsters alike) relaxing and gorging on food.

Just two things to note:

1. The subway stop is pretty questionable here (though I've been to worse places). Use common sense, please. However, the restaurant is about two feet from the entrance (exit at Starr St.) so if you're really that terrified by Bushwick you can run down into the station fairly quickly.

2. The ordering system here is kind of irritating (hence 4 and not 5 stars). You have to write what you want on a piece of paper and then they bring it to you, which is nice, but somehow leads to immensely long wait times for you food. Maybe I was just starving at the time but the wait felt like forever. Sip on a cold Jarritos while you're waiting and all will be well.

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Photo of Carlie D.

Elite '09

10

55

Carlie D.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
9/18/2009

Wow! This place is fantastic. A hidden gem in Bushwick for sure.

I saw this place on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations after hearing about it for the past couple of months from friends. So I decided to check it out and it was amazing. The tacos are only $2 and for NYC that is incredible. You can also buy the tortillas that they make in the factory that they share space with for only $1.

This place could easily rival any place that I have eaten tacos in California. Also, since they do not sell beer or other alcohol, they have a BYOB policy. There is a bodega right around the corner with 22's of Modelo  for $3 which goes really well with that $2 taco!

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Photo of rusty r.

Elite '09

53

133

rusty r.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
9/20/2009

I saw it on Bourdain's No Rez as well, and it surprised me because the previous week  I found it via yelp and paid the place a visit.

i thought the carne asada tacos were so-so, and the pork was good but not amazing. the chicken, now that was the one that was the home run... kind of crispy... which was super yummy. AND $2 /each, and 2 will cover you for dinner.

you can't beat the fresh tortillas either... although when i get fresh tortillas i'd like them to be hot in the bag.

i will say, i think you can get better tacos at the joint down the road. same price, but they have heavenly al pastor tacos and this place doesn't.

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Photo of Glenn R.

 

3

50

Glenn R.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
10/5/2009

This place is sweet. Just write down what you want on one of those little cards, stand around, look sketchy for a little while, then when they call out your name, get real happy.

My girlfriend and I went here for dinner. It was delicious and filling, all for an amount that a homeless guy would turn down. Definitely show up.

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Photo of Sarah M.

 

16

43

Sarah M.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
8/29/2009

As two white-looking-but-chunti-at heart kids from La Puente, CA my hubs and I were worried when we ventured into the world of Brooklyn Mexican food. Los Hermanos put our fears to rest - a nice cheesy, chorizo-filled rest. Their chorizo tacos and quesadillas are quickly becoming staples in our diets as are bottles of red Jarritos and Mexican bottled Coke. The $2 - $4 menu items are also contributing to our affection for the place - lunch here for the both of us never costs more than $10.

The place only takes cash which is a bummer but they do have an ATM machine to help facilitate your taco dreams. We were a bit confounded with the place order, eat, then pay part of the transaction as the taco joints back home demand payment before letting you rip into their ambrosial offerings, but hey we are adapting.

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Photo of Mexican S.

 

111

228

Mexican S.

New York, NY

5 star rating
Updated - 8/27/2009

What do you do on a lazy Sundee afternoon while moseying around the ci-tay when a pang of hunger hits ya? Mexican hunger, that is.

You make a quick getaway to The Brothers Tortilleria (thought I'd throw in a lil' translation for that ass) up in the BK.

Still my fave cecina tacos around...drowning in green salsa & lime juice.

*oohh weeee* honey child!!!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    6/1/2009

    2nd stop on the b/f & my "Man vs. Food" Mexican challenge voyage.

    This is a no bullshit place.

    The… Read more »

Photo of Geoff A.

 

2

6

Geoff A.

Queens, NY

3 star rating
11/10/2009

Okay, so this place is way too overhyped and overrated. This, undoubtedly a result of the often seen hipster/alternate crowd of the area...no offense to anyone :  ) ...on that same note, the whole "write your order on the index card, cuz we don't speak any English crap" is fine by me, but I'm sure everyone else eats that s**t up, probably adds to the "authentic experience" or something. The food here isn't all that bad, it's just mediocre. The prices are a great selling point though, especially because of large filling portions they give. All in all, I gotta say I've definitely had better tacos from the stands in Jackson Heights, but for a cheap eat its a descent place to go if you're in the area.

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Photo of Rafael M.

 

9

46

Rafael M.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
8/24/2009

Wowzers!!!  If you should happen to find yourself headed to La Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos consider yourself lucky.  The food is delicious and reasonably priced.  I had three chorizo tacos, and at $2 a pop, the price isn't bad considering that the tacos are pretty big.  Milady ordered a chorizo quesadilla for $3, which is also a steal.  I understand that they make their own tortillas and they taste great.

I am a recent transplant from the land of delicious Mexican food - LA, so naturally, I am skeptical of any Mexican joint out east, but this place passes.  At least now I know I can get some wonderful Mexican cuisine less than 10 minutes from my place. I will definitely be back.  I'm only sad about what this means for losing my paunch.

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Photo of Ram T.

 

8

10

Ram T.

New York, NY

5 star rating
10/16/2009 3 photos

It's not hard to find this little brooklyn treasure. Though it might look like a factory ( Because I think it is, I think they make the bread fresh in the back. ) you won't miss the big billboard sign that says "Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos"!
    So my friend Patrick E. and I enter this place and it literally is a small treasure, enough for maybe less than 20 patrons. We stand for a moment with our lost awkward faces, we probably stood out well. Not knowing how to order, I observed the person after us on how one should go about on ordering.
         "Aha!" I said, "You write your order down." (First Lesson of the day). Grabbed the menu with no time to waste and searched for the dish to be had!
So I grabbed a card and found an awesome pencil and wrote our order down in Spanish, just to be extra awesome.
         1 Chorizo Picada (Sausage)
         1 Chorizo Taco
         1 Bistec Taco (Steak)
         1 Limon (fizzy drink made with sugar and NOT High Fructose! To those who know me they know this is a big deal.)
         1 Agua (water)
and hand in my awesome card and put the pencil back. I look at the other order cards and mine was the only one with the drinks in it (Second lesson: You just grab the drinks from the fridge and pay for it).
    After waiting for a while, I realized that some patrons got their order already and handed in their cards after mine...Hmmm I wondered. Ohh the Picada takes a while to prep, does it now...and IT was definitely worth the wait!
    I would love to describe how ripe and juicy the avocado was, how the sausage was chopped and seared oh ever so nicely with its built in sweet spice, how the white creamy sauce added a nice flavor to complete the dish, how even the lettuce was freshly crunchy and the tomatoes firmly juicy...but it would take too long so I'll just say that it was really Really GOOD!
     I checked this on my list of "To Go" places and erased it just so I can go visit it again. It is definitely worth it, drive in or take the Metro but no matter which way you take, be sure to have an empty stomach and the love for food!

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Photo of Ryan W.

 

0

3

Ryan W.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
9/8/2009

This place is good, and I liked coming here around 04/05 when it was just a random taco stand in a warehouse. The food was solid, ordering and paying was quick and easy, and the rooster roaming around under the ridiculous shrine on the wall made it a good time. But it's gone down hill since it blew up and became popular--more for the scene you now have to sift through than the food itself.

But, to speak of the food: I live deeper into Bushwick and you can actually get better tacos, tortas, cemitas, tostadas, etc. from about a dozen different places in the immediate area--without the wait-inducing flocks of Jefferson-loft-living hipster goofballs.

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Photo of Margarita C.

 

1

3

Margarita C.

Ozone Park, Queens, NY

4 star rating
11/2/2009

one of my fave taco places in NY. i travel this far when im craving some good authentic tacos. I had to come try this place out once i saw it on No Reservations. very yummy tacos are hard to come by so this is a must come to place.

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Photo of richard p.

 

37

302

richard p.

San Jose, CA

5 star rating
10/26/2009

best tacos in new york.

take it from someone who actually eats good tacos. is from the bay area. and isnt swayed by food fads like most yelpers and so called foodies are.

the only reason i would even go to williamsburg. take soap to ward off dirty hipsters, that shit is like garlic to vampires.

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7

83

Cheyne N.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
10/13/2009

Pretty damn good right here. I'm from LA and I wanted to see if NY had stepped it's Mexican game up and I was thoroughly impressed. You write your order down these little flash cards, grab a refresco and 10 minutes later your tacos are ready. They even had a ton of spicy carrots on hand (worthy of the 5 star in my book). $2 for 6 inch tacos size, not the little mini's they serve at other joints all while be watched over by Our Lady of Guadalupe...

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3

33

Joe S.

Queens, NY

2 star rating
8/19/2009

It's really hard to see why this place is receiving so much attention (aside from its perhaps ideal geographic location).  The food is average at best; the tortillas were barely cooked and felt wet and the food itself lacked any real flavor.

Walk 10 minutes further into Ridgewood or Bushwick and you'll find a million of these places that range from excellent to at least better than this.

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Elite '09

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444

peter d.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
7/2/2009

We ordered five different items, a variety of meats* (chorizo, bistec, pollo, carnitas) and tortilla vehicles (tacos, tostadas, tortas, quesadillas). It was too much food for two people, and cost under $15. The value for your money here is insanity.

I like the laid-back, family vibe. There were little kids with mohawks running around with boxes on their heads. In my experience, that is always a good thing. Also, I appreciate the the tiny little cacti on the tables. They are a cute little decoration, and provided endless entertainment as my girlfriend kept pricking herself each time she tried to grab a bite of my food. That should teach her. It's all about conditioning.

The chorizo taco was the unequivocal favorite. It was the only one that didn't need the extra kick of the delicious green sauce, and clearly what I'll get when I come back. Which will be very soon, because this place is less than a grapefruit's toss away from the L train. This is dangerous, as I might be forced to go get a taco or five every single time I'm in Williamsburg or Bushwick. Or anywhere near 14th Street. Or if I'm thinking about going anywhere near 14th Street.

*And one vegetarian. My girlfriend insisted. Sigh. I'll probably just have to break up with her.

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1

23

mike p.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
7/29/2009

Came here with my girlfriend a few months ago, as we felt like taking a bike ride to someplace we'd never been.

I got cecina tacos, and they were quite good, better than I've had elsewhere. My vegetarian girlfriend wasn't as thrilled with the veggie tacos, and said they weren't bad but there were better ones to be had elsewhere.  Someone else got a quesadilla, and it looked great. They have the Mexican sodas (in glass bottles) that are good as well.

The place itself was kind of crazy, they had a sound system set up in the factory part that had bass so loud that it literally shook the walls and made conversation impossible.  It probably should have been annoying but it was so ridiculous it was kind of funny.  Most people inside actually started laughing. I doubt this is a regular feature though, maybe they were getting ready for a block party or something?  Also, they had a bootleg copy of transformers 2 on the tv.

I'll never be a regular, as Bushwick is a bit of a haul for me, but I would definitely go back if I'm in the area.

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2

7

Ignatz B.

Brooklyn, NY

2 star rating
8/26/2009

I had heard great things so I stopped by the other day for some veggie tacos and picadas. They've set up this index card system for orders that seems to only feebly disguise the anarchy of their kitchen. The food took an insanely long time and when it arrived it was pretty underwhelming. They'd also forgotten part of my order.

I know they're drowning in hipster hype--it's hard to keep up with the sudden huge increase in demand, I'm sure--and I still have faith that they'll figure stuff out and that their service will improve. But I am afraid that the reviews that call this place "authentic" and "homey" are misleading people into thinking it's cool and "mexican" to work really hard to eat some mediocre tacos at a plastic table in a garage.

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4

12

kate p.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
8/15/2009

BEST tostadas de carnitas I've ever had. We also had beef tacos and chorizo tacos, which made honorable impressions, too.

There's a certain charm in eating right there where tortilla magic happens. Order at the counter, sit, eat, pay when you leave.

Charming homey place that feels like childhood.

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2

6

Hugh M.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
8/18/2009

Best Mexican I've ever had, with the possible exception of Chicago's El Gallo Bravo #5.

My suggestion is to order one of every tortilla format with the chorizo, and eat as slowly as possible.

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Photo of Briana M.

Elite '09

263

399

Briana M.

NY

5 star rating
Updated - 6/1/2009

Holy crap!

I almost cried the other day when these fine ladies were out of tostadas. Seriously. I had been waiting for hours to mosey on down and get my spicy pork on. But alas, it was not to be. Just before I plunged into a dark well of depression, I saw the server hand a girl something interesting. It looked like a GIGANTIC taco, with extra fixin's. I soon found out that it was in fact a quesadilla.

Let's talk about this quesadilla. Have you ever had a FRESH quesadilla?  No, you haven't. Well, maybe you have. But probably not at a restaurant. These people have a giant bowl of dough, and they make a tortilla (It's really more like a large, thin white corn arepa), upon which they put Oaxaca cheese, beans, meat of your choice, veggies, and avocado. It is SO good. And also the size of 2.5 of their pimped out tacos. FOR $3.00. That is only $1.00 more than a taco!!! It is the biggest bargain at this joint, which is already bargaintopia!

I can't stop thinking about my good fortune. Tostadas are so 5 minutes ago.

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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

  • 5 star rating
    4/20/2009

    Still in the hood, still delicious...but NOT THE SAME.

    Yes, they've created a separate dining area… Read more »

Photo of Ann B.

Elite '09

26

77

Ann B.

NY

4 star rating
7/20/2009

Yes, they are good.

Yes, it's "authentic"

I was so surprised to be roaming on Yelp and see 40 reviews of this place/ which probably doesn't care what all it's "gringo" Yelper fans think of it... maybe that's why it's so popular to all on here.

.. There's just some larger social commentary reflected here that I can't articulate but still find interesting.

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Elite '09

14

171

Josh W.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/27/2009 3 photos

We all know that as a general rule of thumb the Mexican and Tex-Mex food in NYC and the surrounding boroughs generally leaves something to be desired.  Not so at Tortilleria - they execute solid Mexican at good prices.

My first time here I wanted to try a few things.  I went with steak tacos, chicken taco and the spicy pork tortilla.

Steak Taco - great flavor, meat was a little dry but good
Chicken Taco - not a lot of flavor going on here
Spicy Pork Tortilla - great flavor and piled high (check the pics)

General notes - they have a dish with limes, 2 large jars of pickled jalapenos/carrots and some green sauce for your dishes.  When you walk in there are note cards to right your order on and hand to the cook - nothing formal here.  Drinks are water, soda, Gatorade and some of the more authentic south of the border sugar-filled drinks.  No beer or other alcoholic beverages are served however.

Food is cheap here, tacos were roughly $2.00 each and the tortilla was $2.50 if I remember correctly.

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5

22

Thanh N.

New York, NY

5 star rating
7/8/2009

There is no exaggeration when I say this place is the real deal. It's a hole in the wall Mexican joint where real Mexicans eat and a place few out of towners would ever know about it. That's what I call a restaurant just perfect for me.

I've had everything here and believe me, I've had lots of good Mexican food all over the country. And everything here is good, inexpensive, and full of flavor. Most people who complain about the city's lack of good Mexican options, clearly won't get out of their Manhattan apartments to check this place out.

That's fine, that means there is more for me.

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8

30

Ryan F.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
7/11/2009

I've lived near this place for 2 years and yet somehow have never made it in here, though I've heard non-stop praise the whole time.  

Then I checked it out on yelp.  

This place is currently #1 for ALL OF NYC.  Weird.  

Certainly the mystique of being in a warehouse (though no longer IN the warehouse, due to remodeling) has contributed to the intense following, and in reality it is really good, but so are a lot of Mexican places in the area!  That doesn't take away from this place, however, and I think it's great it is having such huge success.  You're going to wait a while, but that's what happens when a place is popular.  

Yeah, 'hipster' types go here, but so what? Welcome to Bushwick.

Definitely 5 stars for the price and quality.

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2

37

Boo R.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
6/7/2009

The tacos are fine, but nothing is as good as a street cart taco after a hard night of border town boozing.  They are certainly not worth wading through the trash that congregates there.  

"Hey, look at me.  I'm in a taco factory!  Mexicans are so industrious, and I'm so interesting."  

Yeah.  Okay.

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18

28

Eric C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
9/25/2009

Man, this is tough. The best tacos I've had in the NYC area were in queens, and this place is a decent 2nd. I would love to give it 4.5 stars, but since I have to give it an integer score, I can't justify giving it 5 stars. The horchata was ok, but not great. The tacos are tasty, but again, I've had better. Considering the fact that I live in Brooklyn, it's a great option to have.

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