El Coco is not a five-star restaurant, but it is a standout nonetheless. El Coco, sandwiched between several trendy restaurants on the block, is holding its own, especially for those like me looking for a memorable brunch experience. El Coco is a small, cozy restaurant with a few tables up front, across from the bar, and more tables towards the back, near the kitchen. Don't expect art-lined walls, but you can expect festive music and amazing vibes. You can also expect staff who will go the extra mile and a bartender who makes some of the best cocktails in the neighborhood. My brunch meal of chicken and waffles was delicious and presented quite well. My only wish is that it came with a bit more syrup and butter to spread, but that said, the chicken was fried to perfection, and the bite-sized waffles hit the spot. read more

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I made a reservation for 2 people but another friend ended up joining us. When I arrived for my reservation, they were able to accommodate us! This location is tiny. Especially with everyone's winter jackets, everyone was kind of pressed into each other. Music is kinda loud too. We all ordered from restaurant week menu (3 courses for $30). - Soup of the day (chicken soup): I enjoyed this bechase of how cold it's been! I didn't care for the shredded chicken though. - alba salad - arroz con pollo: my friend enjoyed this - chimichanga: my friend enjoyed this - carne asada: I regret getting this. It came with fries which were kinda plain. The meat was dry so I had to dip it in a sauce - Mexican tiramisu: I ordered this but they ran out so we all got the flan cake instead - flan cake: this was pretty good but nothing special The bathrooms are downstairs and the staircase to descend is kinda scary cause there's not much of a handrail on the left side so stay cautious! Overall, I probably won't come back. Service was good, our server was nice. Food was nothing special. read more

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UPDATE: So we took a little break from this place and finally decided to return..and it's just not the same..the drinks have gone down hill..that was the only reason we came because the food is not that great..the drinks saved this place..the frozen margaritas are premixed so getting it remade is pointless..my friend and I both agreed that it just wasn't good..they also don't have ga read more

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I went there with some friends before a show. It was very nice inside, and the staff was really friendly. We ended up starting off with some chips and we had margaritas. Our waiter was super friendly and quick to bring us over our drinks. The food was good. I would definitely recommend. read more

Can't beat $5 margaritas!! The enchiladas verdes were great. Pretty big portion of food with lots of sauce. My partner had a burrito bowl which was HUGE. The space itself is nice with lots of table space. Perfect for an early dinner or happy hour. They turned on a bunch of colorful lights during our dinner which was kinda fun. read more

El Coco - Enchiladas verdes - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

After a day at an expo at the Javits Center, my colleague brought me to her favorite taco spot, and I quickly realized how great it is, tucked away in Chelsea. The atmosphere was inviting, and since it was early in happy hour, we were seated right away. The decor felt very New York City, and there was enough space between tables to be comfortably seated without feeling cramped. We decided to take it easy and ordered drinks and a few tacos at a time. My first taco was the Al Pastor, along with esquites and a lemon drop martini. The taco was packed with filling--so much that it was almost falling apart--but it held its shape nicely. The esquites flavors were just right. It came with all the toppings, which I mixed together well. My friend tried them for the first time and enjoyed them too. We then ordered a few more tacos, including a shrimp taco, a land and sea taco, and a shrimp and crab empanada, all of which were tasty and well-seasoned. To finish, I had their homemade flan custard, which was excellent. Overall, I recommend El Coco Taqueria. The prices are reasonable, and the food is delicious. Just keep in mind that they automatically add a 20% gratuity to all bills. read more

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This place is amazing! Super fun both day and night. Came here for brunch with friends on a Sunday and it was super fun vibes with $5 margs, amazing stuffed al pastor tacos, and a dj playing bangers above us. Service was good. Chips were not crispy. read more

I've been meaning to visit here as I saw that they participate in the NYC Restaurant Week. I've only wanted to come in for the drinks, so if you expect good service, you're better off going someplace else. Upon coming in, there was no greeting. So you're really just gonna sit down where ever you want with no guidance. I was hyped about the margaritas, I've ordered the passion fruit margarita. When I told the bartender, he barely glanced at me. None of the workers seemed to want to be there as they are all on their phones strolling.. music is mid, so you can have a decent conversation. I wouldn't go here again simply because the servers or anyone at the establishment does not acknowledge you at all. They literally just look up, and go back to strolling. They don't check IDs which can be a bit concerning. read more

Came here on September 25th before going to a show at City Winery with my cousin. He ordered a burrito, I had the bowl. We both did $5 margaritas and chips & guacamole for the table. Margaritas were great. Small glass but for $5 just order more. Chips & guacamole were good. My bowl had shrimp, yellow rice, corn & cheese. Shrimp were seasoned well. Definitely enjoyed our meal. Customer service was also good. Would come back & recommend read more

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Remember when chipotle sold 5 dollar Marg's? Well that was BETTER Staff was ok tho read more

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Had lunch here today with my 3 friends. Made reservations for 230 and changed it to 130 day of and had no issues. When we got there, it was a bit empty but by the time we left around 330 there were a lot of people dinning. Our server was great, wish i got his name but super personable and made sure we got drinks and food right away. I had a pina colada which was great. My shrimp and fish tacos were amazing and i ordered desserts to go. Def love the flan here. Highly recommend read more

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I was really happy when I found this place was open for late night eating. I came in and ordered right away because I was starving. Best decision I did, the service was fast and the ambiance is a young crowd which I loved. Will be back next time I am in New York! read more

El Coco - Esquites - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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We stopped in for a quick pregame since they had a sign outside for $5 margaritas! It's definitely very cute inside from the tropical wallpaper to the disco ball, and almost reminds me of a Miami spot. The music was super loud so this is definitely a spot you want to come to if you're looking for a bit of a party. The margaritas were OK. I can imagine they were batched out to prepare for a bunch of orders, but the passionfruit that I had tasted water down each time. I can see myself coming back as the others in my party really enjoyed their drinks. Maybe I just tried the wrong flavor, but I really loved the vibe. read more

I tried their bottomless brunch ($20) and an omelette that was only $10 - great price! However, I felt terrible after leaving and threw up three times, whereas my friend threw up once after eating (we both got the omelette). I hate giving businesses bad reviews, but definitely stay away if you can. We have both taken larger quantities and stronger alcohol in the past, but have not had any issues of the sort before, and this was a first for both of us. We have both left reviews on Resy and via their website, but have not gotten a response back. Extremely disappointing, considering the fact that I probably would've come back here if I ended with a better experience. read more

Came back here to see if I would have a better experience. Honestly, service still terrible. Took very long to order a drink, took even longer for the next one. It's just cute spot for instagram pics. Food is blah. There's better tacos in the city. read more

This is a great place for mexican when I'm in the Chelsea area. I like their taco salads, fajitas, enchiladas, and quesadillas. I also love their chocolate espresso cake - yum! read more

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We came on a Friday evening with a reservation. Not everyone had to be present to be seated, which was nice. The music was loud, and the crowd is young because the prices are low. I got the passionfruit margaritas, barbacoa taco, carne asada taco, and chips and guacamole. The chips were a bit stale. The barbacoa taco was good, but the carne asada could've been more flavorful. The margaritas seem small but are strong. Servers were nice but it could be difficult to grab their attention sometimes. read more

El Coco - Inside - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

I had a reservation for a party of 4 for 9:30pn. I did not get sat till 10:30pm. I was told to wait outside and I'd be called for in 10-15 mins. My friends and I waited right outside the door and did not hear my name be called at ALL. The place was so packed and the service was horrible. Our waiter took forever to take our order + the hostess making us wait an hour. The food and drinks are great but what's the point? By the time we sat down, we were getting last called 30 mins later. Stop over seating perhaps read more

Went with my friend on a Wednesday night around 5:30pm, it was pretty empty, but more people arrived closer to 6:30/7pm. It is restaurant week and their special is $30/person for a three course meal and $5 margaritas from their regular menu. For our first course, my friend had the pozole de pollo soup, which she said was delicious and I had the elote. It was tasted great. For our second course, she had the carne asada with fries and I had the chimichanga with tortilla chips. Not sure why the chimichanga was served with chips, I would've preferred it with fries. We loved both of our meals. We tried each of the desserts (tiramisu and churros). We definitely recommend checking El Coco out for restaurant week. read more

Came here for happy Hour and boy did me and my girlfriend had a time. Arrived around 2pm. Classical Margarita Strawberry Margarita Cheeseburger Empanada Chicken Empanada Shrimp and .... Empanada Corona Inside was very clean. My server was the only one at the time, for the people that were in there, he did a fantastic job. No complaints. The ambiance was pretty dope, modern as well. When you go prepared to have a great time. read more

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Really was more like 3.5 and not because the food or service. Food was very good, price was reasonable and service was great. The issue was the AC was barely on. It's July, hot and humid. Barely was able to enjoy the food bc I was literally sweating while eating. Serving with like warm water didn't help. Recommend coming here when it's not hot. read more

El Coco - BOWL-CARNE ASADA - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a super cute spot with pink and green color scheme. Near the entrance there's a lit up sign in pink: Feed me tacos and tell me I'm pretty. The interior is nice and spacious. I was thinking about getting the Fajita, but decided to try a bunch of little things. I ordered the Shrimp & Crabmeat Empanada, Steak with provolone Empanada, Short Rib Birria Taco, and Fish Taco. Everything was really tasty, except for the Fish Taco. The combination of shrimp and crabmeat was wonderful, bursting with bold flavor and the outer shell was delightfully crispy. The steak was tender, and paired well with the melty cheese, making for mouthwatering bites. The short rib was succulent and well seasoned, with juicy, savory sauce. Fish taco was on the bland side. Service was pretty good. Our waiter was friendly and everything came out in a timely manner. All the tacos and empanadas were between $4-6, so very reasonably priced. There were larger plates that cost more (under $20), but still decent, especially for the area (Chelsea). I would return if in the area. read more

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Not a fan of this establishment. Came on a Sunday around 3pm. Brunch ended at 4pm. Wasn't packed at all. Pretty empty. Came for drinks mainly. Drinks were blahhh nothing to brag about it. Interior is very nice though. One waitress--she definitely had a face like she didn't wanna be there working. Jalapeño margarita came in such a small glass--wasn't really good either. Ordered chips and guac--i ended up throwing it up later in the day. Not a good experience. read more

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Service was on point and friendly. Chips (ok) and salsa (amazing). Great flavor and fresh with a bit of heat on the back end. Tacos Al Pastor were ridiculously good. Solid portions, great flavor, and exactly what you think you're ordering. Try the verde sauce. I am the president of the verde sauce fan club. It's so money. Margs are cheap and strong as well. read more

El Coco - Tacos Taco Al Pastor $$$$ - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

El Coco actually has several restaurant locations in Manhattan. They have a reputation of serving decent Mexican food at cheap prices. And cheap it is. Their all day menu includes $5 margaritas, $3 empanadas, and $4 tacos. I came with a group of people and we were all satisified. The place was relatively crowded but we were served quickly. All of the food and drinks were actually great and authentic quality. This is not a Tex-Mex place like most Mexican places in Manhattan. For example, the tacos were a good portion size and tasted great with onions, cilantro, limes, pico de gallo and salsa. The meat in our food was juicy and very well seasoned. As expected, the margaritas are on the smaller side. But considering they start at $5, you can get several more and the bill will still be cheaper than most Mexican places in Manhattan. read more

El Coco - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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I came here for dinner and ordered the chicken fajita, my friends got the steak quesadilla and the birria bowl. They liked their food. The chicken fajita was okay, as someone that ALWAYS orders fajitas when I go to a Mexican restaurant I would give this a 5/10. The chicken was dry, the rice was dry, and the fajita only came with rice, beans, and the tortilla on the side. I asked for sour cream and was charged a $1. Usually fajitas come with rice, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, tortillas and a bit of guacamole on the side. We then ordered churros and it came with only 2 pieces, I have never been at a restaurant that gave less than 4. The staff was friendly but not as attentive, and the decor was nice. read more

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This was supposedly a steak quesadilla. But lets get into it. I have been working around this area for about Three years now. Always told myself " one day ima try them out, one day." Never really brought myself to acutally get it, until Saturday and man i couldve definitely spent $17 worth of amazing food elsewhere instead of this trash so called " steak quesadilla." Mind you i ordered it to go because the place itself was super packed. Although i didnt stay let me give you a run down on how the inside looks. Which i only recommend going on a day that is not busy. The bar itself takes up half the space in this place. Super tight to walk inside. Chair and tables are literally ass to ass with everyone ( that's uncomfortable to me) but hey to each their own right?! The music that day whoever the Dj was gets a 5 star i was jamming outside while waiting for my food just looking inside like " idk how ya doing it " because although the music was lit, it seems like u come out of there deaf, too loud for such a small place. Practically Gotta be yelling to hear someone. As for my gross take out, i can legit say one and done. Never again! Theirs a reason why my stomach can look at a place for years and say " one day" is like i can sense from outside of places that the food not going to be good because WTF ! The disappointment! For starters i thought a quesadilla was suppose to come cut ( but if this is how they do it fine i guess) never had a quesadilla thats not cut into triangles but ok. This shit was like one taco. For $17 keep that in mind. For this place to be more of an upscale place supposedly is not giving neatness nor mindfulness. Ya see how the inside looks- shit looks a mess. The steak, Lordddd the steak pisseed me off !!! First off the steak barley had any flavor. Everytime i went to take a bite it disgusted me to pull out a chunk of steak. Like what happen to cutting or chopping them up- something ya just left them in chunks and said here. Idk but that wasnt sitting well with me it was just gross to bite into- the thicknessss ugh! On top of it all it was chewy ass as hell and under cooked. ( maybe i shouldve said well done) but i was on break trynna get outta that loud place quick he didnt ask so i kinda forgot. And everyone just seemed to be all over the place as well. Man if it wasnt because i was starving that day i probably wouldve left that shit alone or wouldve went and got my money back. I like to empty out my plate, enjoy my food till the last bite, not have to be spitting out my food because im grossed out. Couldnt even finish the last bite. Ended up eating all them dry ass chips it came with. Ugh! Just never again. It makes me sad because i thought i was going to be able to eat and drink here one day but after that take out, nuhuh im good. However, this is my personal experience and most importantly my own review to this place. Ya can go check it out yaselves. Maybe they will have better cooks that day or it will be a better day. Idk. read more

Came on a Friday night for dinner with some friends. I had no idea this spot would be poppin - music a little too loud it was hard to hear my friends and tbh even my own thoughts lol - not a fan of restaurants like that esp since theres not even a dance or party vibe food wise it was definitely filling but nothing special. my friends and i ordered the burrito bowls and they were decent. el coco is a go to restaurant for picky eaters in my opinion! we took my friends who dont do well w spices and stuff so that was good for the occasion service was good they were consistent on bringing us waters and checking in. def recommend and would return read more

We really wanted to love El Coco, but unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired. A friend and I stopped in during happy hour, hopeful for good vibes, great margaritas and great food. Instead, we were served what barely resembled a proper margarita poured into small, cheap-looking glasses (see attached photo) you'd expect at a dorm party, not a restaurant. We weren't expecting top-shelf during happy hour, but at least a decent presentation would've been nice and maybe an offer of salt. A margarita should come in a margarita glass; call us old-fashioned. Then came the real kicker: when the bartender checked in and we candidly said the drinks were "horrible," his response wasn't concern or an offer to fix it, it was a defensive and aggressive "Why?" Not a "Sorry to hear that" or "How can we improve?" Just... confrontation. Customer service 101: If a guest is unhappy, you de-escalate, not challenge them mid-sip. We ended up cutting our visit short. Between the lackluster drinks and the hostile tone, this just wasn't the vibe we were hoping for in Chelsea. Fortunately, we were able to find another establishment with all we were looking for and even though the Margaritas weren't in a Margarita glass, they were enjoyable and presented well. See photo attached. Here's hoping they step it up, because the location has potential, but right now, it's giving "meh" with a side of attitude. read more

El Coco - Cheesy glass... - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here with my friends 2 weeks ago & ordered the Birria tacos & added cheese, it was on the dryer end but packed with a lot of meat.. kinda disappointed they put shredded cheddar cheese inside of the taco. But I'm rating this place a 4/5 because of the green sauce in the bottle omg !!!!!!!! It was amazing!!!' I need to know what that was !! It made the entire meal. It was like the perfect creamy, tangyness. If anyone knows what sauce that was let me know please (it was in a clear bottle, green, thick) read more

This is a really cute, colorful location that plays a great selection of very loud Latin music. As others have mentioned, the music is extremely loud, so be prepared to practically yell if you are having a conversation. The atmosphere is perfect to take pictures and makes you feel like you're in a tropical location and not in the middle of Chelsea. Our server was pretty good and checked on us throughout our meal. The prices are shockingly affordable, but once you see the tiny portions, you see why the prices make sense. The $5 margaritas are slightly larger than a shot glass and taste extremely watered down, so you will need to drink several. So you might as well order the larger size, which is around $15. We ordered the corn (elote), al pastor tacos, fish tacos, and the cheese and crab meat empanadas. The food was very bland, and you definitely need to add some hot sauce. Nothing stood out as being particularly tasty. I even taught my friend a new Spanish word "desabrido" since this is the only way to describe the food here. Keep your expectations to a minimum and just go to enjoy the fun loud atmosphere. read more

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El coco is great for an outing with friends and to satisfy your Mexican food craving. The chicken taco lacked flavor, but the rest of our food order was satisfying. The restaurant itself is tight in space, packed with tables, and plays loud music. If you don't mind this setup then by all means this is your spot. read more

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This is a cute lil spot, that was surprisingly empty on a Sunday when I arrived. It started to pick up later in the day, but after experiencing it, I can now see why there weren't that many people. Service: the waitstaff was a bit rude when I arrived and it felt like I was bothering them. Their whole attitude changed once they realized that we spoke Spanish. Food: the food comes out relatively quickly. Unfortunately, the chicken quesadilla was super oily. I didn't finish it and it actually made me sick. read more

I used to like this place but most recent experience pissed me off. This place is not known for amazinggg food but it was a pretty cheap fun spot. But post recent price hike (1.5x on everything) essentially got robbed. They charged me an add on for essentially every ingredient... paid $20 for a terrible burrito which I didn't confirm I wanted but she put in anyway because she wasn't listening. Server forced me to pay despite it being her mistake. Just bad customer service. Once I got this burrito turns out their guac (paid extra) was just "avocado" and burrito was mostly just raw bell peppers and nothing else. And the corn I didn't ask for was everywhere. You've lost a repeat customer ... horrible. read more

The good: the prices are extremely cheap (cocktails for under $10, food at reasonable prices), and the sauces are good. The sauces and toppings on my enchilada were great. The mid: the chicken in the enchilada was very dry The inexcusable: the quesadilla we ordered inexplicably came with no cheese. Just a warm tortilla folded over vegetables. And the music was so loud as to make conversation impossible. read more

I'm astonished with the 3-star average rating of this gem. My fiance and I decided to explore Chelsea before a photoshoot we were modeling for in the evening. We had lunch at El Coco and we loved it so much that we came back for dinner! I ordered the El Coco margarita, shrimp and crab meat empanada, and 2 tacos for lunch (the mar y tierra and the barbacoa). I ordered another barbacoa taco and a carne asada salad for dinner (I tried to get another mar y tierra taco but they were already sold out by dinner time). The mar y tierra taco (which includes octopus and chorizo) was my favorite! The octopus was so tender and delicious with a squeeze of lime. The barbacoa was amazing too - so juicy and flavorful. There are so many great things to say about this place. The food is delicious, the portions are generous (my salad was huge and the tacos were overstuffed!), margarita is yummy, interior is adorable and clean, staff is friendly, and prices are extremely reasonable - especially for the Chelsea area! I got my margarita for $8 - that's a steal! Even their hot sauces are good. They have a great punch of vinegar while still being peppery goodness. I will say that it gets very loud during dinner time so it might not be the best "first date" spot, lol but it's definitely a fun dinner vibe! read more

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I came with my friend and we got the margarita which was pretty good but wasn't too frozen. It was pretty liquid like. The birria wasn't too bad my friend really enjoyed the Barbacoa taco. The chips tasted a bit hard and the guac was really good. We did really enjoy the green sauce. The ambiance is not bad but know that the drinks are pretty much a small size which makes sense for the cheap happy hour and price of drinks read more

El Coco - Barbacoa taco, birria taco, Frozen Margarita - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

GREAT place for pregaming and/or random drink while in the city. $5 house margs and some flavors. theyre small, but tasty. not too strong, but grab 2 and youll be good. the $4 elote is a must get. its 1 large ear of corn, loaded with cheese. great & quick service. ask for the housemade hot sauces - i love the habernero. decor is adorable & the music is blasting, you and your group will be down for a good time while in here. this place is fun, and great for a pregame! prices are phenomneal! read more

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I usually eat at the restaurant but today I did a quick take out order. The vibe is aways fun and energetic, sometimes with an hour wait. There are always $5 margaritas, hello happy hour! My kids love the Pepperoni and Espinaca y Queso / Spinach & Cheese empanadas. I cosign both. The burritos are also really tasty. We tried the Cheesburguere, Bistec / Steak, and Tinga de Pollo / Tinga Chicken empanadas today and I'd get all three again. They're a perfect quick bite and pretty filling. read more

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The service is efficient and the all day happy hour is everything!! Easy to make reservations for and recommended since the deals make this place popular during peak dining hours. I had a couple drinks here off their happy hour drinks and small bites with a friend and we were both amazed. I don't remember being wowed by the guac and chips but the spinach empanadas were on point too! The passion fruit margarita was easily one of my favorite drinks they made. You could really taste the fruit in it, such a lovely note. read more

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