Yola's Cafe
524 Metropolitan Ave
(between Lorimer St & Union Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 486-0757
19 Reviews for Yola's Cafe
this place might be a hole in the wall and yes, it might be hard to get a seat (although i did), but the tacos were delish! i had a chicken and a beef taco and the shells were so crunchy, i almost chipped my teeth. seriously, the food was fresh and in about 5 minutes, my appetite was satisfied and i was ready to go onto a drinking establishment of choice.
Cheap, good, quick Mexican food. Done and DONER.
Yola's is the perfect place to stop by if you're looking for a quick bite or an end of the night munchie to soak up those beers before hopping on the L.
I'm hooked on their guacamole and fish tacos.
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I have lost hope of finding a Mexican food that serves....well....mexican food. I know most people didn't grow up 2 hours from Mexico, nor or they used to eating 1 dollar tacos from carts and having a tamale lady make her daily rounds through your neighborhood. It's a damn shame considering all the culture New York encompasses.
Back to Yola Cafe....I gave it 2 stars for the guac. It was fresh and very home made. My husband got the beans and rice...the rice was actually pretty decent but the beans-no beuno. They were watery, tasteless and lacked the animal lard we all like to pretend isn't the magical secret ingredient that makes authentic frijoles taste like angels came from heaven and stewed them in a pot for you.
skip Yola Cafe.
I give up!!
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If i could give a negative star review, I would. This place is horrible. Patrick said it best - it is only the fact that the standards for Mexican food are so low in New York. This place wouldn't last a second in California. Skip this and head to LA burrito, or Zocalo. Or walk futher up to graham ave and grab a slice at tonys if you're fighting the hangover.
I had two soft tacos with "Chicken Tinga" ("shredded chicken with chipotle sauce") and my mouth was on FIRE. Just so you know.
It's a tiny place but they do have seating for about 8 people (including 4-5 bar stool seats.) The tacos were about $2.25 each.
I don't like spicy food to end up in my mouth or stomach without lots of warning (of which there was none), hence only 3 stars. Otherwise not much to complain about - it's a fast little Mexican joint, bright lights and no frills, but nice staff and if you like spicy, you're in the right place!!
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The only reason this place is getting four stars is because of the fact that this is in New York: the land of Chinese/Mexican food. To be able to have even mediocre Mexican food is a treat in New York. Yola's isn't mediocre either. It's actually alright. I'd give it three stars in LA, but I'd probably never go back unless it was right around the corner.
It's hard to like a Mexican restaurant that can't make good rice or beans. The burritos I've had from Yola's were very bland, and the most important parts, the rice and beans, were abysmal. I haven't tasted the nachos that most other reviewers rave about, but nothing I've had here did much to clear up the reputation for terrible Mexican food that New York is known for. Still better than Chipotle, at least Yola's is cheap.
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They've really gotten better over time! When first opened, they had some issues. Now they've become one of my regular delivery choices. The food isn't outstanding, but it's decent, and super cheap. And pretty good burgers for a Mexican restaurant. Oh, also the menu is full of hangover-cure food. So I call them a whole lot. Yay (ish) for Yola's.
After returning to Brooklyn after a 2.5 year vacation in CA, I was prepared to be disappointed about the state of Mexican food in NYC. But I have to say, Yola's is tasty. I see that the other reviews are mixed, so maybe you should try it yourself and (gasp) form your own opinion.
I'll definitely go back to Yola's.
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Yola's - it Na-cho' momma's place.
Quick
Good
Yummy
Cheap
They can do their tacos like real Mexicans...soft tortillas, with lots of cilantro and onions.
The nachos and tostadas are good too.
The sauces they give you are so-so. I usually just use Tapatio.
Overall, it's better than most Mexican food I've tried in New York, even more expensive places. This is how I remember the Mexican food in Southern Cali, just above the border.
Go there. Go there now.
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I miss this place.
So many drunken nights walking towards the G train and I had to make that difficult decision of whether or not I wanted Hana or Yola's.... Well, Yola's always won if it was early enough and they were still open.
Burritos are excellent. The nachos, divine.
Now if only I hadn't been suddenly stricken with that whole inability to digest lactose, even with the help of lactaid... but enough about my digestive system... EAT AT YOLA'S
My favorite nacho place in New York. I want to echo what another reviewer said, and that's that New York is not known for great mexican food so compared to other places, the mexican here is often sub-par. I do however LOVE the nachos at Yola's. Couple the super nachos with their homemade salsa verde and it's heaven. I went to Yola's on their very first day of business and although I live in Bay Ridge, I come back as often as I can.
This is some of the best Mexican food I have had in New York, and I'm saying this as a Los Angeles native. I've eaten in every time, though, so the food was probably in better shape than had I gotten it delivered.
The chicken mole, which I believe might be a new dish, is really fantastic. I had it in some enchiladas, but I believe it is also offered in tamales. I tried the chicken tinga, and the chorizo as well, and both were really, really good (not bland at all - extremely juicy and flavorful!). The corn tortillas used for the tacos and enchiladas are absolutely incredible. In fact, they are definitely amongst the best corn tortillas I have had in New York. The chicken is high quality, and not too greasy. My vegetarian eating buddy has had the vegetable burrito and the veggie enchiladas, and was very impressed with both dishes. I really enjoyed the rice and refried beans, as well.
If you are a vegetarian, your options are limited. You might be better off going to a Mexican-American restaurant, like the one across the street. For those of you who aren't, please try something other than the regular chicken. There are a bunch of delicious meat options, if you're willing to be a little adventurous.
UPDATE: Every time I've gone back, I've tried something new, and it has all been really good. I don't understand how this restaurant has been so poorly reviewed, but then again, I've never had it delivered. My most recent favorite is the mushroom quesadilla, which is enormous. The carne enchilada tacos are also incredible, as are their tamales. BEST THING THERE: the flan. Their flan is the best $2 dessert I've eaten in New York, hands down.
They have just about every flavor Jarritos, Sidral, Bimbo, and numerous other imported Mexican drinks. They also have exceptionally delicious horchata.
This is really solid Mexican food, and will fill you to the brim for under $10. Not sure if it's worth a trek from Manhattan, but anyone living in the area should ABSOLUTELY check it out. I plan on going frequently and will be bringing my local friends along.
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While some of the burritos are filled with meat so dry it induces a cough, others are filled with meat so sloppy it's almost like it's filled with stew (i'm talking grey, pub-type mystery stew, not red, mexican, pulled pork-type wonderfullness).
Eat in. Even if it means elbows and asses in your face. Or pick it up and carry it daintily home. This shit doesn't deliver well at all.
Oh. And it needs SO MUCH sour cream. All over it. Buy a bucket of breakstones and slather before consumption. Don't ask why. Just trust me.
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get the fish taco! it sounds dirty but it tastes great! that, too, sounded dirty!
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I have never dined in at Yola's, it's way more of a take out or delivery spot.
The burritos are roughly the size of ones head and finishing one brandishes a great sense of accomplishment that is very quickly met with a distended belly and a fetal position on the couch.
The nachos are good but don't deliver well, same with the quesadilla. Beware of the amount of chicken they stuff into their burritos says Nick. I am also pretty sure the beans and rice are not vegetarian.
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Yola's is a recent entry into the local Mexican eatery mix. There's only 4 or 5 seats in the below-ground diner, so the better option is to do delivery or take-out. The fare is generally bland, but an outstanding highlight is the $6 Milanesa, a hot breaded beef or chicken hero with refried beans, avocado, onions, mayo, cheese, and hot pickled jalapenos. Ordering for delivery is an interesting experience, as the people answering the phone don't seem to really know what's on the menu.
Great nachos. Yola's is more of a pick-up spot than a dining destination, due to the limited seating, but they do deliver ($10 minimum).
I am a guacamole fanatic, and Yola's guac is pretty good. The burritos could be better, though. I like the people who work there, and I love that they have horchatas, a drink not always easy to find.
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