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    El Taco

    3.8 (25 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Anne F.

    I have been waiting for this place to open, and when I saw that they were finally ready for the public, I hopped in to try their carne asada tacos. El Taco prepares their dishes in the Mexican street style that I prefer, with just the meat and the tortilla dressed to however you like. The meat had good flavor, although I did wish the tacos came out a bit warmer than they did. I was impressed by their salsa selection and tried the green sauce, avocado sauce, and pico. All were complementary to the tacos I ordered. To drink, I ordered a jamaica, which I also enjoyed. It wasn't too sweet and had a hint of tartness that you get from the jamaica flower. Price-wise, I do agree with other reviewers that tacos were a bit pricey for the size, but then again, I do find that NYC tacos tend to hover at around $5. It would feel like a better value if the tacos were a bit bigger. I do hope this restaurant succeeds (NYC is in dire need of good Mexican food), and I certainly will come here again.

    Jaimee A.

    Eh, our expectations were higher. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the menu is small but definitely curated. The tacos? So so. We had: - Chorizo Taco - couldn't tell which one this was but all were good., if a bit dry. - Birria Taco - couldn't which one this was but all were good, if a bit dry.. Al Postor - couldn't which one this was but all were good, if a bit dry.. - Chicken Taco - tasty - Mushroom - very good. - Chips with Guacamole - delicious, great guacamole! - Churros - good, didn't love it with ice cream. Made them soggy. - Street Corn - This is a no. It was soupy and not appetizing. Not sure we will be coming back.

    Tacos
    kyle e.

    Tacos are good but a bit pricey There's a BOGO on uber for the tacos here. If you're paying retail it's a no-go. Too many better options

    Jenny L.

    Nothing was seasoned. Everything was dry. The meat tasted like it was sitting and not made fresh. Super expensive for what? We tried the chicken, steak, pork, and quesadilla. Everything was so bland. So sad. So dry. Needed to drench in sauce. Salsa for chips was also so bad. I dont know, i really expected more. Was very meh.

    Quesadilla
    Lyle M.

    Maybe eating there is better but delivery was awful While door dash delivered this very quickly, the food was not cold and not good. Two wrong items and the 3 correct items were awful. Never had a bone dry birria taco before this, but he meet was completely dry. Same with the chorizo. Quesadilla was greasy on the outside and the cheese was a texture that was solid and chewy and not like anything you would expect (inedible). The temp of the food that was delivered in less than 15 minutes was unacceptable. There is no way it cooks get this cold that quickly. Not sure what the hype is for this place but much better taco options in the UES. Finally, the portion sizes are ridiculously small. Very disappointing all around

    Carne asada & veggie taco
    Rebecca B.

    My new favorite taco joint on the upper east side! This place is open late, perfect for a late night craving after going out! This is an authentic Mexican restaurant, from amazing hand painted murals of Mexico to the handmade tortillas and all the way to the Chef and co-owner Maurillo from Mexico. You can taste the love and passion in their food. As soon as you turn onto the corner of 76th and 2nd the aroma of El Taco surrounds you and I might've been caught drooling . The carne asada was so flavorful and tender. Melts in your mouth! My friend with me is vegetarian and she raved about the veggie taco. They have this insane condiment bar so you can really customize your taco to exactly how you want it. We couldn't leave without getting freshly fried churros and with the vanilla ice cream it was heavenly! The churros were perfectly crisp and the perfect amount of sugar sprinkled on it. This place definitely gets super busy, but it is worth the wait! Orders come out quickly, so you'll move through the line without much delay. Staff is terrific, restaurant is clean and the food is amazing. So happy to have this place so close to me!

    Chips and Guacamole

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    12 days ago

    Best tacos on the Upper East Side. The staff at our store always goes there for lunch and they treat them like their own!

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    6 months ago

    Dry tacos - no flavor at all. This was my post-pilates meal so just know i'm upset. $20 for what! Wow i'm sooo disappointed

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Amazing tacos, authentic and made from scratch tortillas, guac is crazy good. Staff and owners super friendly!

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    7 months ago

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    Cinco De Mayo - Barria

    Cinco De Mayo

    4.6(38 reviews)
    1.6 miMidtown East

    Delicious every time!! I was told they used to add a free carrot cake slice. I wish they still did…read morethat because I love carrot cake!

    Cinco de Mayo landed on my radar when a bunch of us at work were looking for a place to grab some…read morelunch. We had our usual list of spots in Midtown East, but this time we wanted something a little different. We ultimately landed on Mexican, however even then there were several spots to chose from. One of my colleagues found CdM, and since we had nothing to lose we decided to check it out. In terms of physical space at CdM, there is very little; this is actually a walk-up spot hence it is solely a takeout restaurant. The menu is pretty straightforward - lots of Mexican staples with a good variety to choose from. The burrito bowl looked good so I decided to go with that - I was given choice of protein (I chose pastor) and types of beans (I chose black). The bowl was really good - all the ingredients tasted fresh and they were generous with the portion. They added sour cream to the top of the bowl and it came with a side of salsa verde which I thought was a nice touch. We also ordered some bags of tortilla chips to share - these were my favorite kind as they were semi-thick and super crunchy. Overall, I had a solid experience at Cinco de Mayo. It definitely hit the Mexican craving spot and I would have no qualms returning for another meal.

    Photos
    Cinco De Mayo
    Cinco De Mayo - Cinco de Mayo Plate

    Cinco de Mayo Plate

    Cinco De Mayo

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    Tan - Beautiful plate but tastesless

    Tan

    3.9(247 reviews)
    1.3 miMidtown East

    I had this place bookmarked for a while. Finally came for my birthday dinner. It was a rainy…read moreevening and I was hoping there'd be umbrella sleeves offered. I didn't see any but saw buckets for umbrellas. I opted not to leave it there since I didn't wanna forget or risk someone taking it. I took it upstairs with me. My friend had arrived and was seated. Apparently, they do offer sleeves because she got one. But the 3 people who were at the hostess booth failed to offer me one. The beautiful ambiance will get your attention immediately. It is a stunning space. The tableware was gorgeous as well. We waited for our last friend to arrive who was almost half an hour late before ordering (we thought she'd arrive sooner). Our server, Matias was gracious about it the whole time. What we ordered: Drinks: Passionfruit Margaritas & Mojito - we were happy with them. Tlayudas, Guacamole y Salsas - this was really good and a great option for the table to share. The homemade chips alone were excellent. Liked all the different dips. Guac could've used some cilantro and more acid/spice. Tán Ceviche - I loved this. Super fresh and great flavor. Could use a touch of acid. My entree was the Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas - This was pretty good. The sauce could've used some spice and some acid to cut through the richness. My friend ordered the Yellow Corn Soup as part of her meal and she did not like it. She said it was too sweet which I thought was strange. I tried a spoonful and I agreed with her. It needed a savory note and again, acid would've done wonders. Also, the crab was a bit fishy in this. She enjoyed her tamal though. I tried a touch of the sauce and it was delish. My other friend had the Quesabirria which she was also happy with. To sum up: Ambiance: 5/5 The space is undoubtedly gorgeous. Food: 4/5 Beautiful presentation on everything but each dish lacks an element or two to make it a home run. Staff: Wait staff 5/5. Downstairs staff (greeters/hostess) 4/5. Needs to be more on point like offering customers sleeves for umbrellas or pointing out the buckets to put them in. At some point through our entrees a group of 3 women were doing a 10-minute photo shoot by the stairway where our table was. Absolutely inappropriate behavior and a manager should've stopped it. Camera flashes all up in our faces while we're eating wasn't cool. Overall, still a great elevated Mexican cuisine option. The slight tweaks would make this a 5 star place for me. I'd return to try more things.

    What a GORGEOUS space. Whoever interior decorated this restaurant deserves their tens because it is…read morea spectacle. I had only seen daytime pics, but being there in the evening is a treat. If you are someone who is looking at an aesthetic place, this is a top contender. Unfortunately, I would say this place is better looking than the food is good. The food was fine, appetizers were all fresh but lacked any real depth in flavor. I wasn't too thrilled with the bone marrow I had either (but the tortillas come in the cutest basket). Personally, if it wasn't for the drinks and the space, I cant say this place is worth it - you're not coming here for the food. Another little complaint I have is the women's restroom on the second floor - right by the door is a floor to ceiling mirror which I understand was included to make the space seem bigger, but my friends and I agreed that it is a little misleading - I kept wanting to walk into it thinking there was more space there and not wall. I would recommend maybe putting a decal on it to clearly show its mirror.

    Photos
    Tan - First floor Lum

    First floor Lum

    Tan - Tuna Tartare* **

    Tuna Tartare* **

    Tan - Mexican Zombie Margarita Jungle

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    Mexican Zombie Margarita Jungle

    Rosa Mexicano

    Rosa Mexicano

    3.6(188 reviews)
    1.2 miMidtown East
    $$

    I happen to be in the city running errands so decided to use my credit and birthday rewards from…read morethem. Ordered pickup Togo and brought it home for family. Was plenty of food and imho better than the last time I ate there with friends! Maybe it's a different chef but today's food was really good and impressed me considering the travel time. Service was great. Once I got there the hostess went to get my order and was prompt about it as well as wrapping it in the bag for me. Ambiance was nice and quiet since I picked up before rush/dinner time.

    I came here for Cinco de Mayo and I must say it wasn't the best experience. I've been to the Union…read moreSquare location which is spacious and had a blast. Although I had a reservation, I was instructed to go to the bar. Literally no home at the bar whatsoever. Granted I know Mexican restaurants tend to be super crowded for Cinco de Mayo but I was a party of one. I should have been seated outside at the very least. I had to drink my frozen Patron Margarita standing up until a space at the bar open up after 20-25 minutes. Once seated, my area wasn't properly cleaned. I felt awkward and uncomfortable. I reluctantly ordered fish tacos with mild guacamole but was given spicy guacamole. The fish tacos were a little cold. The service was rushed. I left without ordering another drink or more food. I was over it. This place isn't far from my employer so maybe I'll give it another chance on a random weekday.

    Photos
    Rosa Mexicano
    Rosa Mexicano
    Rosa Mexicano - Enchiladas

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    Enchiladas

    El Taco - mexican - Updated May 2026

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