Second Time's the Charm -- And I'm Officially a Tacowala Addict!…read more Okay, let me just start off by saying: this is my second time dining at Tacowala, and I'm convinced this place is a magical little flavor bomb tucked away in a downtown strip that you'd almost miss if you blinked too hard. The first time I came was with my parents -- a cozy, nostalgic kind of visit -- but this time, it felt like I was on a flavor-fueled field trip with new foodie friends, and it was an experience I won't stop gushing about anytime soon! Let's talk logistics first -- because oof, parking. If you're planning to visit, bring your patience (and maybe a parking fairy). There's only street meter parking available, and unless you're blessed by the parallel parking gods, you may end up circling the block like a shark in traffic purgatory. I've yet to discover a magical hidden lot nearby, so yeah -- parking = struggle bus. But trust me, once you step through that door, the stress just melts away. The vibe inside? Whimsical meets communal dinner party. There was a long table set up for everyone to sit together -- like one big, happy, taco-loving family. It was giving "culinary summer camp for adults," and I was all in. The cherry on top? Katarina's amazing assistant had placed icebreaker cards all over the table, mostly food-themed, so we had a fun excuse to start chatting with strangers. Think: "If you were a spice, what would you be?" Honestly, genius. Social anxiety? Never met her. Now onto the star of the show -- the pre-fix menu! (Or is it pre-fixe? Either way, it was pre-fabulous.) Katarina and the owner curated a five-dish tasting menu featuring two appetizers and three entrées -- each with delightfully detailed descriptions that read like little love letters to flavor. The portions were small, yes, but just enough to tease your taste buds and make you want to lick the plate (don't worry, I didn't... in public). Drink options were simple but satisfying: water, flavored seltzers, or wine. I flirted with the wine for a hot minute, but decided to stick with water because the food was doing the most -- a bold, creative, punchy fusion of Indian spice and authentic Mexican soul. And when I say "authentic Mexican," I mean like grandma's-kitchen-in-Oaxaca level. This wasn't Taco Bell fusion -- this was transport-you-through-time-and-space kind of food. Now let me scream about my favorites: The twisted garlic street corn? LIFE-CHANGING. I would like to be buried with it. And don't even get me started on the Black Magic Quesadillas -- they were soft, gooey, flavorful beyond reason, and coated in some kind of addictive sorcery. I swear they put something in that cheese because once I took a bite, I was hooked. Just one more, I kept telling myself... just ONE more... But alas, not everything was fireworks and unicorns. I had high hopes for the paneer al pastor and the mushroom carnitas taco, but those fell a bit flat for me. Maybe it was an off night, or maybe I was too smitten by the corn and quesadillas to focus, but either way -- it knocked off one star in my otherwise glowing review. Oh! And the heartbreak of the night: they were SOLD OUT of the Black Magic sauce jars. I almost wept. I would have bought five. I would have gifted them. I would have hoarded them like a raccoon with shiny treasures. Please, Tacowala -- restock that magic potion ASAP! Despite those tiny blips, I already know I'll be back. Again. And again. For the community vibe, the quirky charm, and most importantly -- for the corn and black magicness that has utterly bewitched my palate. Thank you, Tacowala, for another spellbinding, flavor-packed evening. I'll be dreaming of that quesadilla until we meet again.

Last Monday I had the privilege of attending this special Yelp elite event, where I was nourished…read morenot just by delicious food, but also by upbeat vibes and good conversation. I have been thinking about the outstanding food at Tacowala all week! I can't wait to go back and eat there again. I've already told a bunch of friends in the area that they must go if they haven't been already. The restaurant owner and innovator of this fantastic cuisine, Amish, was a generous and gracious host. I enjoyed hearing about his career journey and how he grew this business out of his hard work and made his ideas and dreams a reality. It's always great to be in the company of our CM Katarina--she gives every event her full energy and enthusiasm--and I was excited to meet other Yelp elites, especially people I recognized from their reviews and from our messages on Yelp: Rhonda, Danny, Amanda, and Jason. Tacowala has the kind of decor that makes me happy as soon as I step in, with murals of people smiling and singing, and a colorful counterface that reminded me of the game Twister. My eyes were constantly drawn to those big flat circles and I liked how it mirrored the shape of the tortillas. Clever. The food here was perfect in every way. The textures were so meaty that I actually forgot it was all vegetarian. The food is spicy and I love spice, so I even added extra hot sauce. As dish after dish that pleased both my eyes and my palate was placed before me, I found it increasingly hard to pick a favorite. I decided that of all the outstanding offerings, the Twisted Garlic Street Corn and the Black Magic Quesadilla are the two I have been thinking of most all week and am craving to eat again. It's so sweet that Yelp gave me a tote bag at the end, too, so I have a tangible nice reminder of this great evening, in addition to my memories and the photos and videos I took. Katarina and Amish, I am so grateful that you chose me for this uplifting experience. Thank you!

Options included Oreo overload or frooty loop. I chose Oreo overload. The barista was disappointed…read moreanother customer didn't order the frooty loop. She said it was good. But I'm not always a fan of fruity coffee drinks. The drink was served ice with a cold foam and crushed oreo bits on top. I usually expect these drinks to be overly sweet to my surprise it wasn't too sweet. Still sweet but it seemed to use a mocha sauce which isn't as sweet as the syrups other coffee shops use. It was quite nice. I didn't try any of the pastries they had but there were two display windows of pastries and sweet treats. The ambience of the coffee shop was really cute. Homey and earthy decor and there was Christmas decor which added to the coziness. There was a backroom with more seating and a shelf full of games. Near the register there's a shelf full of books. It has a very traditional coffee shop vibe.

Loved the greenery decor! And art from the sculptures to framed creative creature portraits!!…read more Rather excited Bliss ran out of the s'mores latte because I was able to get the Oreo latte! Oreos! Loved it! Bliss actually opened at 8am but the kitchen opens at 9am. Will have to return for more coffee and kitchen items!!

If there's any small business I've discovered and have continued to fall in love with more and more…read moreeach year since discovering it, it's this one! Every time I get onto the list for one of Spotted Leaf's Yelp events, it's like Christmas morning! I can't even count the times I've visited and spent my own money here, but enough times that the owners and some of the staff know me, my husband, and our puppies by name! Spotted Leaf is truly a one of a kind experiential plant shop - offering the most beautiful varieties of common and rare plants, planters, plant care and other accessories, and the kindest and most knowledgeable plant advice. No matter how many times I come here, I really learn something new! Nicole led our cozy woodland terrarium workshop and she was great as always - patient and ready to help. I've probably made 6 terrariums at this point (some during other Yelp events and others that I've paid for) and they always have new figurines and fresh ideas to bring to the workshops! I loved the little bear, mushroom, and bunny figurines I used for this one :) The hot cocoa from Ambee Coffee and the cookies from Epic Cookies in town were delicious and perfectly complementary to our event too! As always, I got to sit next to new Yelpers and they were so fun to chat with! Thanks so much to Katarina, Sam and Nicole from Spotted Leaf, Ambee, and Epic Cookies for such a memorable evening!

Thank you Yelp, Sam, and Nicole for this cozy event! This is my third time coming to Spotted Leaf…read moreCo and each time, I'm amazed at the new additions. It makes it extremely difficult to make the same terrarium twice. We started the night off with some yummy hot cocoa, followed by terrarium building led by Nicole. I went for an earthy theme, with pops of purple in honor of grow lights lol. Honorable mention goes out to the mushroom and Mr. Worm! Other plants that I have from previous terrariums I built here are thriving, so I definitely trust the quality of the plants here. I decided to buy a Sundew, which is a carnivorous plant that will hopefully eat the fungus gnats taking over my non-SLC plant! This was a great evening, and I made a lot of new Yelp friends that I hope to see in the near future!

this one's difficult for me to write... but i wasn't thrilled with how this event went down…read more especially since it was one of the few in the central jerz area. if this had been my first yelp event, i'm not sure if i would've wanted to come back... mrs. green's is a great new all-natural market in west windsor, nj... like, really new. so new that they opened their doors a few weeks ago and still haven't gotten the CO cleared for their cooking classroom. i get it, things didn't go as planned. it would've been nice, however, if the staff had at least some idea that we were coming. upon entering the store, i approached a cashier who had no clue what i was talking about. she passed me off to another girl at a neighboring register, who also had no knowledge of yelp nor a yelp event. after pulling up and showing the confirmation email on my phone, one of the cashiers got a manager, who had me follow him for a bit, then left to ask someone else, and only then did he come back knowing what direction to point me in. it was a bit hectic, and a bit concerning that they were not prepared. finally, i was led to a far aisle, where a table was set up in front of a few rows of chairs. in the refrigerator section of the store, right next to the cheese. talk about freezing! i was happy i still had my winter mittens in my purse! the cooking class that was expected ended up being a lecture (i wouldn't even call it a demo) about granola and healthy organic/natural/gluten-free substitutes. all of the ingredients and some sample cups of granola were on the table, but everything was already made and even portioned out. the talk was informative enough, but a bit boring. the chef giving the talk was very nice, and i'm excited to visit once the cooking classroom opens to give them a fair shot. we did get yummy samples of granola, and some extra to take home, which was a nice treat. i'm sure mrs. green's will work out their kinks in the coming months and we can come back :) it was great to see some familiar faces (heyyy jeff and jess and linda) and to meet some new ones (heyyy lauren, finally!).

Overall the event was enjoyable. I did expect a cooking class/demonstration vs. being told how to…read moremake granola. I am no novice in the kitchen, so some of the tips were common sense. The granola was made ahead of time and sitting in small portions in front of us during the entire lecture (1 hour). As the lecture continued my stomach began speaking to me and my eyes would not tear away from the granola. The granola was really good... and I don't think it's just because I was really hungry! There was leftover that we were able to take in to go containers. I will definitely make this granola on my own. Simple, satisfying and full of nutrients and antioxidants! Steve spoke for about an hour. He was very knowledgeable and educated us on living a healthy lifestyle. He also emphasized to beware of trendy diets. I pretty much agreed with 100% of what he had to say. I feel that I am a healthy eater so most of the information and products were familiar to me. I did, however, take away a few fun facts! Steve has his own food blog called Run, Cook, Eat. I will check this out when I have some spare time. Mrs. Greens Natural Market just opened a few weeks ago. Their cooking/demonstration room is not finished so the Yelp event was held in the middle of the deli and cheese section. Yes.. after sitting in a refrigerator for about an hour my body was ice. I couldn't help but laugh when Amalia put her gloves on. I only wished I had my gloves with me. Mrs. Greens plans on finishing their cooking/demonstration room soon and hold more events. I would attend another even like this. I like food (duh..I am a Yelper!) but it's even better when I know that I am fueling my body with the right things.

I'm soo happy I finally got to experience Tiny's Cantina over the weekend for brunch. The weather…read moremight have been brisk outside but the staff brought the warm and coziness to the restaurant vibe inside. I came here around noon and the place haven't been filled up yet but that was truly toward my benefit as my waiter, Jeff was extra attentive (yay me!). He offered me both brunch and regular menu and was very friendly and eager to assist me if I needed it. After making all my choices, he complimented and said I made good choices and whether if that was true or not, it made me felt happy. Lol. All of the food portion were huge. I ordered their wings as my appetizer, shrimp/bacon taco for entrée and tres leche for dessert. With that they also offered me some fresh fried taco with homemade salsa that was really delicious and made me wanting more even though I had to pace myself. Presentation wise, it was all instagramable. They restaurant is very conscious about presentation so that was a huge plus. As for taste, it was all good. I especially enjoy my shrimp/bacon taco as it was huge and those trio-side sauce (hot sauce, green sauce and pumpkin sauce) was just outright slamming. As for portion it was larger then life, especially for one person. Honestly I think it could feed two people as I ended up taking half of it home. Overall, I enjoyed myself, felt really relaxed, enjoyed their playlist and especially my waiter, Jeff that help tied my experience with Tiny Cantina in nicely. Thank you again to our CM, Morlene, Jeff, my waiter and Tiny Cantina for this special treat!!

This place was super cute. I had the burrito bowl. It was good. Probably something on the healthier…read moreside considering the grilled chicken and fresh ingredients. The only gripe I had was seasoning. It lacked flavor which is huge in Latin food. Mexican food is probably one of my favorite types of cuisines because of the fresh ingredients, because of all the time, energy and culture attached to the food so it was slightly underwhelming. A bit bland. But the service was great. Our server was so nice. We got the highly instagramable pizza. It was lovely and very filling but couldn't done with a feels radishes. If you love radishes, get the pizza. The drinks were refreshing and tasty. Definitely recommend checking it out. My Yelp fren had the diablo shrimp which was spicy. It looked really good and seemed super flavorful.

I was invited to the "Food in Focus" event due to the fact that one of my reviews was being…read morefeatured in the gallery space. This was definitely a unique event in and of itself since the last time it occurred was apparently over two years ago and that it featured actual content from reviewers for restaurants all throughout the lower east side! The event itself was unique in a lot of ways! Hosted within a small gallery space in the LES, it featured both pictures and snippets from reviews related to restaurants in the neighborhood. After hearing presentations from some members of the corporate team it was clear that the event was organized to promote restaurants in the area, as well as Yelp's reservation platform. What was really awesome is that Yelp also donated $250 for every restaurant that had a representative show up to City Harvest, which is New York City's largest food rescue organization, feeding the more than 1.2 million New Yorkers who are struggling to put meals on their tables. They also had a great spread for us to enjoy! Chicken skewers, a diverse cheese platter, and marinated beef made for some savory snacks. They also had a selections of beverages for people to enjoy while browsing throughout the space. Overall a really unique and interesting event! I'll be excited to see if they try this out for different neighborhoods, but until then thanks Ruggy and staff for another memorable Yelp event!

YELP is a scam. Sales Associate Hadi Hamoudeh is a liar. Charged me as much as $40 per click!!! Did…read morenot get one lead almost $800 in fees over less than an 8 week period. He charged me $160 for an account upgrade that I did not authorize and did not get. I received a ton of calls when he was trying to sell me this service but now that I have a complaint you won't answer the phone and won't call me back. Stay away from this company. If you want to learn about them check the complaints at the BBB.

Saturday Brunch-In in Throggs Neck!…read more Lena Trattoria has been in the "Neck" for two years and they have made their mark. As they continue to respond to customers' feedback they are introducing a new Luxe Brunch menu and we were granted the opportunity to check it out. On a warm Saturday afternoon we arrived and were greeted by Shah. With our plus 1's we were checked-in and then grabbed seats. As we perused the new brunch menu we also had the opportunity to take in the design of the place. Very fresh and aesthetically pleasing with a modern design. Lena, gives an open yet intimate vibe. They have the perfect back drop for a group or date night. The staff was extremely pleasant and helpful as we all made our selection for the 3 courses. While there is ample to choose from, a couple of observations, there wasn't many protein options especially for people like me whom do not eat red meat or pork. As well as there were no side items listed even for an a-la-carte charge. However, I'm sure you can order additional items. The service was great even when they fell a little behind. The entertainment was amazingly perfect, a saxophonist who did his damn thing! The food was good a the drinks were flowing. Personally, I would have liked more continuity between all three courses. If you don't pick wisely you will end up with a carb-heavy meal. Without realizing it serval dishes have bread. Which is not bad, I love me some bread, but by the end it was too much. Again it's because I should have paid closer attention to my selections. I selected the lobster roll to start, fresh and nice flavor, however filling to bread ratio was not balanced. This could have just been an oversight because of the size of our event. I went with the french toast for my main course and it was perfect. While it was available, no syrup was needed. Again with no side options for a protein, they were nice enough to allow me to order grilled chicken breast. Sounds like a weird combo, but with limited options available for me, it went well. The chicken was flavorful, nicely seasoned and surprisingly very tender and juicy. Lastly for dessert I opted for the bread pudding (again my fault... too much bread). It was tasty but capacity had been reached, so I only had a nibble. Brunch @ Lena's was a lovely treat and an amazing sit down event. Thank you to the oh so fab Shah! To the manger, staff, and owners of Lena Trattoria for both their hospitality and generosity. Just A Note: Lena Trattoria gives you the vibe of a restaurant in city without the congestion pricing. Go check them out!

4.5 We had the chance to try Lena Trattoria's new brunch…read moremenu, and it was such a treat! The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, and the staff were amazingly friendly, attentive, and genuinely excited about the new offerings. There was a variety on the menu, with something for almost everyone to enjoy. The space itself is beautiful and inviting, being perfect for a relaxed weekend brunch. It has that cozy-yet-upscale feel that makes you want to linger a little longer over your coffee. The only downside was that there weren't many substitutions available for those who don't eat pork, which was a bit of a letdown. We mentioned it to the manager, and they were kind enough to make other provisions for us, but it would've been nice if those options were already available. A few items didn't include any protein, and there wasn't an option to add sides, which would've been a great touch. The drinks were fantastic because they were fresh, flavorful, and regularly refilled. And Absolutely awesome live music! It created such a fun, lively atmosphere that had everyone smiling and even dancing a little. I've enjoyed dinner here several times, but now I'm so happy to have them as a go-to brunch spot too!

Cute little corner spot that catches your eye right away - it's esthetically pleasing and somewhat…read moregives that privacy vibe - you won't miss it cause it has a portrait painted on the bldg of Old Dirty bastard - inside its cozy and very romantic. Dimly lit with candles on all the tables. This place used to be a bodega and the owner Elliot totally transformed it into this beautiful wine bar that also serves cocktails and also has a plant based menu. For our elite event - we had the opportunity to drink 3 delicious wines - first was a Grillo aka The Franklin - nice white wine - almost like a funky Pinot Grigio. Second - a rose - cute - and lastly - Gruner - which was my favorite they staff paired all our wines with hummus and some veggies - some cheese jam and bread with a side of grapes and a wonderful fresh caesar salad. Everything was great! Things to note - they have happy hour from 5-7 Wednesday - Sunday. Fridays and Saturdays they will be bringing in a DJ - would definitely return to see what kind of vibes that will be giving. They do offer private events and private wine tasting events. Stop on in if you're ever in the neighborhood Elliot the owner is pleasant and very informative. Had a great time. Thank you to the staff and Morlene and Erin for putting this together.

No regrets signing up for this wonderful Yelp Elite Event. This was my second time attending an…read moreevent here (the first time was two summers ago). The Franklin is a black owned restaurant located in Bedstuy which is not far from Crown Heights. Although I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, I enjoyed the pita bread, fresh olives, cheese, hummus, and vegetables. The Rose wine was my absolutely favorite out of the three wines that we got to try. The restaurant is cozy and clean. The owner really sold me on how great the Happy Hour is here so I'll definitely return. There's conveniently a liquor store located next door to The Franklin. This event was wonderful from beginning to end. Thanks so much for putting together yet another great experience.

First of all, my time spent at Ficus began even before I arrived. I called to see if they were pet…read morefriendly on the patio and the young girl that answered was very sweet and replied that their downstairs patio was pet friendly and their upstairs patio was only for service dogs. I thought that was really nice. I opted to leave the pup at home but sat on the patio anyways. I went inside and was told to take the menu outside and figure out what I was going to have and then I could return inside to place my order. I thought that that was kind of weird because it seemed Restauranty but I guess it just made things easier for the staff. I ordered the mango hibiscus ice tea, which was kind of sweet to my liking, but it was very refreshing. Next I had the tomato soup which was quite yummy even on a hot day and then finished with the avocado bacon sandwich. The avocado bacon sandwich came with a tomato relish which I probably should've asked to have on the side because it seemed to be a little too much. It's OK though because it fell off the side and I didn't get it on my white T-shirt, lol. The fries were nice, crisp, and hot. I like the patio area although one isn't really waited on when sitting outside. Sure, a server comes and brings your food but no one asks if everything is OK. I will definitely be back when I am in town though as everything was quite yummy.