I can't say enough about how great this spot is. My daughter literally subsists off their black bean soup. When she was sick, it was all she wanted. The staff is so so lovely. They always make sure we are well taken care of. The space itself is modest and prone to feeling like whatever the weather is outside, so if you're eating in, be sure to bundle up if it's cold outside. The black bean soup is always a highlight, as is the gringa, camaron, and birria tacos. We finally tried the burrito for the first time and it was excellent. read more

Came back here and tried the intrincadas. It was interesting with the crispy masa patties and the chicken on top. Good appetizer that I'd get again. There is a cc 3% fee that wasn't disclosed until after I paid. read more

Chela & Garnacha - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Really enjoyed trying this place! Was randomly in the neighborhood and dropped by. We got the steak quesadilla and an assortment of tacos. Would eat any of them again. Margs were good. Service was great!! read more

Chela & Garnacha - Taco Birria and Taco Adobo - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

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So delicious and authentic Mexican food. Try the tamarin spicy margarita. Cozy little spot

Excellent food, caring service. One of my favorite places in the neighborhood. Taco are great, margaritas are great, guacamole, esquites all great. read more

We found our way to Chela and Garnacha during a recent AirBnB stay nearby thanks to the great reviews. As a vegetarian/vegan, I saw on their online menu they offered a couple of plant-based options with plenty of meat-based options for my hubby, so we went. We started off with the chips and 2 salsas app which was good, then I ordered 1 nopal (cactus) taco and 1 hongo (mushroom) taco while my husband got something meatish. Both of my tacos were tasty and well-seasoned, although obviously much smaller than my husband's pile of food. I had asked to not have the grilled cheese slab on my cactus, and it came with it, but I just pulled it off and my husband enjoyed it with his tacos. He also enjoyed his tacos which he said were not only huge but tasty. All in all, this was a great start to 5 days' worth of fantastic meals while in NYC! read more

Chela & Garnacha - Nopal (cactus) taco, hongos (mushroom) taco, meat tacos (don't remember which ones) for my hubby - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Dined at Chela and Garnacha during Happpy Hour on a weekday. Happy hour applies to drinks only. My friend and I ordered their maragaritas and they HIT! Definitely strong and good. For food, I ordered Birria tacos with consome. I also chose to get mine with crispy cheese. My tacos were thick, meaty, cheesy and did not lack flavor. My friend ordered mushrooms tacos and she cleaned the plate. No skimpy tacos here, tacos are well worth the money! Guac and chips were also so fresh. The waitress was sweet and accommodating. Honestly wish I found this place sooner! 100/10 read more

The. Best. F*ing. Tacos. Ever. I've been a taco enthusiast, like many of you, for a few years now. NYC has plenty of options out there in all ranges, sizes, shapes, flavors. As someone who enjoys the finer things in life, I am very selective what I eat, and when I do find a gem that just works, I stick to it. This little shop is family owned and from the outside it looks like a "hole in the wall with greasy windows", but those are usually the gems. I usually get the pollo, pastor, birria, and shrimp taco that's wrapped in cheese. The tacos are pretty big so 3 is plenty to feel satisfied. They are not cheap with the meat and the toppings and sauces add a little kick to it. One dish I'd like to point out here that has become my favorite is the Torta Milanese de Res. It's basically a Mexican sandwich with your choice of meat, and lettuce cheese onions and other toppings customized to your liking. The one I like is basically a fried steak cutlet in think pieces. This thing just CLAPS hard at every bite, I am addicted. Very tasty, crunchy, I am salivating just writing this review because I ordered from them this past Taco Tuesday. Highly recommend this spot for all your Queens taco needs. A+ read more

Chela & Garnacha - My favorite to-go items! - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Quaint Mexican restaurant in a part of Astoria where Mexican cuisine is well represented. My girlfriend and I drank happy hour margs while munching on chicken flautas, enchiladas, and birria tacos. Some of the best Birria tacos I've ever had at a sitdown establishment. Service was great and the prices seem fair. If you live in the neighborhood, make this a mainstay. Just passing through? Look no further. read more

Chela & Garnacha - Flautas Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

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This cute little, cozy spot offers authentic food and everything is made in house. It was a Sunday so it was a bit quiet but the dive bar across plying loud music made it feel lively. The mushroom tacos were the best we've had. We absolutely loved the esquites especially with extra cotija cheese and spice. Food was delicious. The bunelos were interesting as we've never had bunelos that looked like that - flat and pastry like. Definitely enjoyed it. Nutella was better than the Cajeta (caramelized burnt goat's milk) bunelo. Will definitely return esp since service was on point. I'm read more

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I loved the food here so much! We ordered more food but only took a few photos because we ate so quickly. It seemed like there was only one waitress but she was super attentive despite the full place and she was super kind with helping us decide what to order. Everything we ordered was solid and portions were good. At first I thought the intrincadas and volcanes would be small but they would have definitely been enough for a meal if you added chips and guac on the side. They were out of horchata so I hope to get some next time! It was a bit chilly in the restaurant (although they had a vestibule) so I recommend layering up in the winter. Excited to come try this place again in the summer! read more

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I have a confession to make, for the past 2 months I have been stalking C&G's Insta page pretty hard, dreaming about the day when I can enjoy their food. Yesterday, I finally got to fulfill my craving. They've been open for take-out but I live too far to enjoy that. They set-up a little section at the curb with about 6 2 person tables, plus 2 4 person tables up against the restaurant front. At around 6:30pm on Sunday there were only 3 tables eating during the time we were there. The food was absolutely fabulous and I loved every second of it. The homemade margaritas are some of the best around. The black bean flautas are crispy and savory; just excellent and better than you think they'd be. We tried a new item this time around the Intrincadas de Flor de Calabaza with fried zucchini flowers...O-M-G these were incredible; crispy, creamy, spicy, they are beyond delicious. We also opt'd for some tacos the fish tacos are perfect and the shrimp with crispy cheese tacos may sound a bit odd, but they are amazing. We also tried a mushroom taco which was quite tasty. I enjoyed this meal more than you may know and while I am still cautious about dining out, Chela & Garnacha made for a good experience. read more

Placed an order via DoorDash when we arrived he politely told us our food was almost complete and he'd walk it out to us. As we were waiting, we saw a vehicle pull up to get their order and before they could cross the street, one of the workers came out and met the person by their car. Each taco was $5 and it was flavorful and very good. read more

Chela & Garnacha - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Tacos were flavorful and hefty, but also pricier than your usual. Definitely get the cebollitas, delicious.

Daisy is amazing and the salsa and margaritas are worth every dime! thank you so much for everything, definitely coming back

From the service to the food, hands down the best Mexican food in Astoria, good quality, authentic flavors, this is what home cooking taste like. Getting a taste of authentic Mexican food makes you feel closer to home. Shoutout to Ester for being helpful, made our night read more

Chela & Garnacha - Flautas and tacos - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Delicious Mexican restaurant Astoria with great tacos! They have good service and legit food. Can't go wrong with the chips and guacamole appetizer. I really enjoyed these two tacos: 1. Cameron Adobado (shrimp) 2. Gringa (al pastor with melted cheese) On their tacos you can add crispy grilled cheese for $1 extra per taco. I would at least try one taco with this add on. The Gringa taco tasted great with this. The only downside is the price. The tacos can range from $4.50 to $6.50. The taste is great, but the portions are small. For the price you pay for each taco, you get a small amount of food. I had to get 4 tacos in order to feel semi-full. read more

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This place is the bomb. Lowkey, family vibe and amazing tacos. I got their famous Camaron Adobado shrimp taco. I will be back for me.

I stopped here randomly on a Tuesday evening. Turns out it was both taco Tuesday and happy hour! Tacos were 10% off and happy hour includes margaritas and Mexican beer. I had the tamarindo margarita. It was delicious and large. I can never find tamarind margatitas! It should be noted that Chela & Garnacha is authentic Mexican food, not TexMex. So if you are looking for a burrito, you will not find it on their menu. I tried the zucchini flower intricadas (Intrincadas de Flor de Calabaza). They were tasty, but I did not think anything to write home about. The tacos were solid although a bit salty for my taste, which means they are probably perfect for everyone else. The adobo tacos were the best I have ever had. The fisch taco needed a sauce on it. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and will be coming back. The service was attentive. The restaurant was clean. The music was not too loud like practically everywhere else these days. There is a television. read more

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Great service and food is delicious! Definitely a great spot in Astoria. Great drinks too!

**Delivery Review** Was at a bar nearby in Astoria that allows for food to be brought in. Used Uber Eats to find this spot (with some help from Yelp) for some quick eats in the area. Went for the Tinga Torta ($12) - a well packed sandwich with chicken, tomato, onion, avocado, lettuce, jalapenos, sour cream, cheese and chipotle sauce. Despite all the ingredients, the balance is fantastic. It helps that the chicken is absolutely drenched in the tangy chipotle sauce that lifts everything up. Filling as well - didn't need any other sides to complete the meal. Delivery actually arrived before the minimum window which was great. Perfect for a an easy meal in the neighborhood. read more

Chela & Garnacha - Tinga torta - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Authentic, cozy and delicious. Everything is made in house, the hot sauce, margaritas, and the dessert. I highly recommend the Al Pastor and Gringa tacos (it has grilled pineapple, yum) and the Pescado fried tacos. I had the best flan I ever had here, and what a surprise it was - you can taste that it was made fresh, so good! They have good options for vegetarians and vegans too, they had cactus tacos here along with mushroom and veg. Highly recommend the tacos, but everything we sampled tasted great. read more

We came here on a Tuesday night and had no problems getting a table! It seems like this is more of a take out place. They do have happy hour specials on drinks though until 6pm The two of us ordered 3 tacos each and shared chips and guac, and it was MORE than enough. We left STUFFED. I think I could've just had 2 tacos with the amount of chips and guac. The chips are freshly fried too! Al pastor - not a huge fan.. the meat was more stewed and shredded rather than shaved off a spit. I did appreciate the pineapple Pescado - I actually enjoyed the fish taco! The fish was lightly battered and it came with slaw and salsa on top. More of a fresh option I would get the fish taco again next time. and definitely the chips and guac! read more

Seriously good food and fantastic service. We walked in and realized this is the sister restaurant to one of our favorite birria trucks in Manhattan Casa Birria NYC. We had to get the quesabirria and it didn't disappoint. The volvanes were really flavorful with a smoky mushroom taste. We'll be back read more

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4.5 stars. Came here on a Saturday for the second time recently with a few friends in covid times and sat outdoors. Arrived around 1:15, and even though my friend's were running late and they don't take reservations, the staff (masked) was kind enough to seat two of us first. I was surprised that there were only two other tables seated outside at the time, though a couple more small parties arrived in the duration of our time there. The inside space has been rearranged for proper 6ft social distancing between tables, and the outside space includes 4-5 tables for two in a covered tent on the street and a seating area for four directly adjacent the front of the restaurant; this was where we sat. One of the tables was on uneven ground and they immediately put something underneath one of the legs to stabilize it. To start, we ordered the corn and zucchini soup ($7) and the house made chips and with two salsas ($8). Great depth of flavor on the salsas! It was a little chilly out so I tried the Mexican hot chocolate ($3) which was creamy and warm and had a pleasant cinnamon flavor. We ordered the brunch items ($13) --I got the nopal con huevos y queso, two friends got the enfrijoladas de pollo and another friend got a few tacos (I forget which ones). I enjoyed my dish with delicious organic over-easy eggs and hearty slabs of nopal cactus, though I felt the salsa verde was a tad too salty. My friends enjoyed their dishes as well. I've had their tacos in my last visit and you can't go wrong with so many delicious options. To finish we shared a buñuelos with nutella. This was prob my least favorite item just bc the fritter itself was a bit too crumbly/dry for my liking, but really you can't go wrong with anything covered in nutella. What really prompted me to add the extra .5 star for 4.5 stars was the very friendly service. They were attentive and never rushed us during the entire two hours we were there. Thanks for providing a lovely dining experience! read more

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Been here several times and it is safe to this place has the best tacos in Astoria. The service is top notch.

This place is the best and we're often surprised it's not busier at times. Absolutely a must-try. Service is always great and the food is undeniably delicious. The appetizers in particular are all great, and we love brunch here. Plenty of vegetarian options as well. Looking forward to trying more of the menu, including the Intrincadas. read more

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Delicious and lowkey, great vegetarian options as well! Warm, cute atmosphere and the servers are very nice. Make sure you get a margarita and ask for their hot sauce. Definitely coming back! read more

Chela & Garnacha - Quesabirria - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

How is it I never gave this place a review on Yelp? This is unbelievable but now about this place. FIrst, this place was recommend to me by Philippe Fallait the owner of Cafe Triskell. (Another AMAZING FOOD PLACE!) My fiancee and I love the food here! I paid $36 for 6 Mind blowing tacos. Now lets talk about the best tacos in New York City. I'm sorry I don't care who you are, this place has the BEST Tacos in New York City. The shrimp cheese taco, no one is beating that taco ever! You can try and come in third, that's all that's left. I live in Brooklyn and Queens has the best restaurants on this street. Not all of them just 3, . Sorry but it's true. Stop by or order online these are the best tacos hands down. They cover all food types which a lot of other places don't. read more

Chela & Garnacha - By the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

This place started as a food truck! Female founded by a woman from Mexico City. Our food was so insanely good and our margaritas were affordable. Our server Daisy was amazing. She's the manager and we adore her! Will be back read more

I've been meaning to leave a review for this restaurant for some time. From the moment I first came here, I knew I'd become a regular, and I definitely have. BEST Mexican restaurant in NYC. Food is always consistently amazing. I always order the chicken & shrimp tacos. Flavor is amazing. The margarita's are strong. The service is always spectacular. Every worker here is so so kind and attentive. One of my overall fav restaurants. I love it here read more

Wow! I am completely blown away by this new find of mine and the delicious dinner I enjoyed there. So we were all set to go to another taco spot in Queens and something about it just didn't excite me. Quickly found Chela and Garnacha and saw great reviews and this place totally lived up to them! We started with an appetizer of the Volcanes. Basically cheese fried into a shell cradling flavorful, freshly prepared steak, mushrooms and onions. They were amazing. These alone could have been my meal. Sampled the carnitas, chicken tings, carne Assad's and shrimp tacos. Each were delicious but the chicken tinga was an all star for me. It was fees. The tortilla was perfect. The chicken had a wonderful chipotle ample flavor. I could have ordered more. The shrimp, with a piece of fried cheese on it is another winner. I cannot wait to get back to this spot to sample More. read more

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Chela and Garnacha! It means beer and wine or a large tortilla! Tacos and Tortas! A great place for both. A casual joint serving pretty good drinks and food. A must get is anything with the word volcano in front of it. An explosion of flavors and textures! Charred tortilla giving it a nice grill flavor, topped with a layer of melted cheese, a protein of your choice and several slices of avocado to make it a bold blast of flavor! I think the secret is the melted cheese. It give it that extra oomph! Fish taco: Good. A nice amount of fish, topped with sliced cabbage and a green sauce. Wild cod with a baja sauce with lettuce cilantro and lime. Torta. A big manly meaty sandwich is the Al Pastor torta. A Pork tenderloin with al pastor marinade topped with sliced fresh pineapple. Quite tasty. Very heavily sauced for those that like that. It was a bit too much for me, but still tasty. No complaints here. Torta is topped with the usual avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream, crispy cheese & pickled Jalapeños or Chipotle. Liquor: homemade Margaritas, mexican beers and wines. So get your drink on! Noise level: a bit loud, but it may have been the big 12+ party that were seated that night. read more

the astoria reviews continue! i'm so so so happy to have come across this place on a whim. their amazing reviews were proven true, from service to quality, this is for sure my new go to spot for mexican food the restaurant was empty on the weeknight we went but there were tons of deliveries being made. the inside is super cute and well decorated, our waitress was attentive and a great conversationalist (we learned a lot about how the restaurant came to be and what we should try for our next visit), and our food came out pretty quickly! now on to the food... very fresh, flavorful, and ACTUALLY SPICY! their hot sauce, my saving grace, was so good that i was sweating and eating and packing up some more hot sauce to go. they have such a good variety of foods, drinks, and desserts - i plan on going back until i can try out the whole menu heh prices are also good! we tried shrimp tacos, torta birria, carne asada tacos, and a burrito and everything was 10/10 highly, highly recommend! read more

Chela & Garnacha - Torta Birria ($12) - Mexican Near Me - Astoria, New York

Foreword: I ordered to-go food from here during COVID and didn't get to experience what it must be like to dine-in. That said: great spot! Walked in, ordered some of there Volcanoes Tacos (chicken, steak and pork), plus some tortilla chips and guacamole as an appetizer. Don't get me wrong, the tacos were really solid and filling. Fairly decent bang for your buck: not cheap but not stupidly expensive either. But the chips? DAMN were they good. And they give you a really solid, sizable amount of (tasty!) guac to go with it. I read the reviews from other people and tried this place out mostly for their tacos...but the dang chips are worth the trip all by themselves! Definitely check this place out if you're in Astoria. read more

Great tortas. Bit on the pricey side but worth it. Shrimp tacos with crust are great.

My partner and I have been together for over 10 years now and this is the one spot that we've frequented the most. Probably the best Mexican food in Astoria. Tacos are consistently great and the guacamole is the GOAT, hands down. The physical space is kinda small, but the service is good. read more

I'll start off by saying I'm from the west coast and grew up in LA, I have not been impressed by any tacos or "Mexican food" in NYC. Well, that was until eating at chela & garnacha. Their tacos are authentic and delicious, every bite takes me home to the flavor I was missing. Their chips and guacamole are a must, I always order the tacos de camarón y taco de gringa (el pastor). I've also had their chicken flautas which also had me licking my fingers and plate clean. They have a very special fried cheese they add on to their tacos which isn't typically "traditional" but a phenomenal GAME CHANGER TO THE TACO GAME. Please try it !!!! And thank me later ;-) Also their XXXXTRA spicy hot sauce is a must, the green and red fire sauce are my absolute favorite from any place I've had homemade salsa from. read more

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Great Mexican spot. Don't come here expecting Tex-Mex like burritos & sloppy nachos bc it ain't happening. The volcanes are my favorite. Open faced Crispy shell loaded with sautéed onions, avocados & steak. Fish tacos are good but not great. The chicken tinga torta is deelish. Happy hour margaritas! read more

Volcanoes! I don't even know if that's a real thing in Mexico but I'm sold. I had something similar in Oaxaca where they use cheese instead of a taco shell. It's basically a taco with a second taco skin being completely made of griddled cheese! Top it with steak, mushrooms, avocados, and salsa. Whewwww man, that was a good taco. One order or the volcanoes will fill you up too. The chips and guacamole and salsa were delicious. You really gotta love a place that fries chips fresh to each order. Also sampled the fish tacos, fresh and tasty but after having the volcano, everything else can't compare. Volcanoes and chips/guacamole, you won't be disappointed. read more

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