Stopped in here off a recommendation from a friend on our way up to Hudson from Newark. I was shocked to find that there was good Mexican food in upstate NY and good Oaxacan food at that? So random, but I'm not mad at it. My husband has been craving milanesa so he got the chicken milanesa torta. Any sandwich that comes with beans is an automatic winner in my book. I got the tlayuda to satisfy my bean craving. It was huge! I had to take some of it as leftovers. I loved how spicy the brown salsa on top was and it had a great crunch. The waiter was so friendly and sweet and took great care of us. I wish we were closer so we could patronize this establishment more often! read more

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Not gonna lie this place was nice inside. Had good ambiance for a Mexican restaurant. But.. the food was mid. I almost passed away eating the queso dip. Not in a good way. The guacamole dip, however, revived me. That was actually excellent and freshly made. Tacos? Were mid. And I'm a taco enthusiast. I just simply had better tacos I won't go into much detail on it. Waiter? (seemingly the manager or owner) was nice. Hostess couldn't care less to seat us. I think this place is fairly new so I give it the benefit of the doubt, but I had better. 6.2/10 is the review read more

I LOVE La Charla, it is such a good restaurant with amazing food and servers. There is murals on the walls and has a nice feel to it. The restaurant overall is so cute and is a place you can go to hang out with your friends or have a meet up. read more

La Charla Restaurant - menu - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Holy Mole! This is one of the best Mexican places we've ever been to. Great ambiance as soon as you enter. Huge, beautiful bar. Two large dining areas. Excellent service. And then of course, the food was excellent. So nicely plated. Just gorgeous looking. And we found out that our waitress is family. Her mom is in the kitchen. How awesome is that?! I wish we lived closer. But will definitely come again the next time we're in town. read more

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The restaurant is very cute and has a very warm atmosphere. I went with a very big group (11+ people) and they were super accommodating and welcoming. A lot of the people in the group are GF and most of the menu was GF expect a few things! They even have a GF fryer! We had chips and guacamole for appetizer and they made sure we didn't run out! Our server was amazing and very sweet! Definitely recommend the food is too die for and the service and accountability only makes it that much better! read more

La Charla Restaurant - Shrimp Tacos - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

We ordered a vegetarian torta, which in the past has consistently come as a chile relleno torta. We noticed the carnitas torta is listed at $15, so we were surprised to find that our vegetarian torta--after a short 7-minute ride home--cost $24 and arrived as a soggy, greasy mess that was completely inedible. It is unacceptable to charge a $10 premium for a sandwich with no meat, minimal vegetables, and no real substance. It's hard to understand how something in that condition was allowed to leave the kitchen, let alone be priced at $24. To make matters worse, the automatic tip brought our total for just two sandwiches to nearly $63. This entire experience was incredibly disappointing. read more

What an absolutely enchanting find in New Paltz! Everything about this cute cantina won me over. The space itself is adorable. Near the entrance is a cozy sitting area with a fireplace. When's the last time you went into a restaurant, had to wait for a table, and genuinely enjoyed the delay? I could easily imagine it here on a snowy, wintry evening (with margarita in hand). We showed up for lunch on a Friday afternoon, so I can't speak from personal experience; for most of our meal, we were the only two patrons present. The glassware was similarly fetching, including both our water cups and enormous margarita glasses. I appreciated the mesoamerican murals on the walls and the intricate mosaic tiling above the bar. All told, the ambiance felt warm and welcoming, like someone's kitschy home. I had pretty muted expectations about the food. Let's be real -- NYC has only started to pick up a decent Mexican food scene in the past decade; how great could the cuisine be this far up the Hudson Valley? Well, consider my skepticism thoroughly dispelled. We started with the queso fundido with chorizo and it was delightful. Served with fluffy tortillas, the kitchen absolutely nailed the consistency. I wish I'd snagged a video of my cheese-pull. Next up, our birria tacos arrived. Also delectable, my favorite aspect of this dish was the no-questions-asked consommé. You don't have to add it as a side; nor is it an upcharge. It's an integral component to the order, just as it should be. Finally, we also shared a chicken quesadilla. While enormous and filling, it was the least compelling selection. Don't get me wrong, I liked it just fine. The tacos and fundido were just that outstanding. Rounding out our experience, I have to commend our server for being attentive and sweet. He was so friendly and engaging, showed genuine glee at our appreciation of the meal, and even spent some time chatting with us about the area and destinations worth visiting nearby. Admittedly, business wasn't exactly bustling during our repast, but he truly went above and beyond to make us feel special. If I could pack up La Charla and move it back to my neighborhood in NYC, I would in a flash -- this is the kind of joint I could see myself returning to again and again. read more

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This Mexican cantina is a great stop if you have a craving. The vibrant atmosphere makes for a good place to sit down and grab a bite.

Wow! The tacos nopalitos were INCREDIBLE. Service was great. Will be back asap. Vibes immaculate. Decor beautiful, not tacky. read more

Probably one of my favorite places to go when I'm craving Mexican food. The staff is always very friendly and prompt. Parking is easy in a gravel parking lot behind the building (though very dark at night). Portion sizes are adequate and prices are very competitive compared to the New England restaurants. Their salsa and guacamole are by far the best I've had anywhere. I just couldn't stop eating them that by the time my food came out, I was already full. They have specials every day of the week and wonderful drink specials but my favorite is Taco Tuesday! You get 4 tacos (all the same tacos, can't do a variety) for $12! Overall, highly recommend! read more

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We are visiting from LA and came across this restaurant. I've never eaten at a small town restaurant this good in my entire life. The guacamole was flavorful and seasoned to perfection. The enchiladas de mole with pickled onions on top were fantastic. It didn't come with beans though and felt weird having to buy beans separately for 5 dollars extra, that's where it lost its charm. It feels more like they are trying to squeeze every dime from you instead of being a small town welcoming giving atmosphere. You can say a lot of things about LA being expensive but I've never had to pay extra for beans with an enchilada. There would be riots in the streets. read more

We had a large group and the staff were excellent. We started with margaritas, original, peach, mango. They all tasted watery and with not much alcohol. I was surprised that they don't serve you chips and salsa, usually that is a free course in Mexican restaurants. Some of us had the fajitas. The shrimp one had cauliflower pieces that seemed out of place. The tails were left on the shrimp which I would have preferred removed. The onions, peppers were soggy and did not have any crunch. The flavors were good but they did not make up for the other stuff. Also fajitas for $25, that's a bit much. The tacos were good but were 3 little ones with no sides. In general the service was excellent, the food meh. read more

Such a great spot! We ordered the chips & salsa for our appetizer which was yummy and a great size. I got the strawberry marg and it was great! My boyfriend got the fish tacos and I got a steak burrito. The burrito was lowkey small but was a perfect size for lunch so I didn't mind. My boyfriend and I loved the food and would 100% come back. Plus our waiter was so nice - he never stopped smiling :) read more

La Charla Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Nice service, good food, portions could be bigger, drink I had was made with little alcohol, but I would come back bc food was pretty solid and yummy read more

We ordered a pickup and Realized the store messed up our orders. We called the store and store told us to drive all the way back and said they were not willing to give us a discount for a 14 dollar menu they messed up. The store manager even asked if we ran a restaurant manager which we found appalling. The restaurant, instead of owning up to their mistake and trying to resolve the issue, tried to make us the bad people for bringing up their issue. Terrible service and the food was 7.5 out of 10 overall. We do not recommend. read more

La Charla Restaurant - Quac without chips...... am I supposed to just scoop the quac and shove it in my mouth and smile? - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

leaving stuffed and HAPPY! Gorgeous restaurant, FRIENDLIEST service i've had in a long time. Strong margs & Plenty of vegan/vegetarian options. 5 min drive from suny NEW PALTZ. Would be 5 stars but chips and salsa are not included:( read more

5/26/2024 We came here for a late lunch. Wonderful experience. Excellent food quality & portion size, excellent service & excellent facilities. They have free parking behind the restaurants. We will return next time in town. read more

Best guac I've ever had at a restaurant. Good vegan options as well as traditional fare. Warm, inviting atmosphere with booths for quiet conversation as well as tables for larger groups. Wonderful service, too. read more

We stopped here for dinner during a girls weekend and we were pleasantly surprised! I would actually go as far as to say it was one of the best Mexican restaurants we've been to. The tortilla soup was one of my favorites, we also shared a couple of dishes such as the chicken quesadilla (delicious!) and some type of rolled up thin crispy tortilla/cheese thing (the name is blanking on me). All of it was really good! Complete with 2 margaritas, this was a really great spot to have dinner while in new paltz. We would return! read more

I'm gonna go out in a limb here and say this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in all of New York State. It's well-designed and feels surprisingly cozy for its size. You probably can't go wrong with the menu, but the chorizo queso fundido is fantastic, as are the enchiladas and the pork shank. The margaritas are reliably good, though maybe not as stellar as the food. We've also had the same lovely server every time we've been. He's upbeat, bubbly, and seems to be very proud of the restaurant and the food they serve. It's always a joy to stop here when passing through New Paltz. read more

Peppe was our waiter and did an amazing job helping us and giving suggestions. The place is lovely and decorated in such good taste. Warm and inviting and the food is authentic and amazing!!!! We will definitely be adding this to our roster! Thank you!!!! read more

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Great food! The place feels artsy, comfortable and great ambiance. Wall art is amazing. Definitely worth going in for the look and the color authentic Mexican food. However the waitstaff need to show more attention to their guests. I feel that they might have been short staffed but it felt neglected. Would I go back yes! Always able to give a spot a second shot! read more

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The food is some of the best I have had in a while. Great service! Everyone is very friendly and helpful. The La Charla Margarita was on point. read more

I've been here a few times without issue- nothing amazing but not bad in the past but this time was a miss. The service was great no complaints, music nice, there for fri night marg specials and dinner and there was no alcohol in the margaritas. I knew that because I'm a lightweight, don't drink much just social and can rarely have more than 1 drink but I had 2 margaritas and then gave up on them they just made me thirsty so ordered a light beer then I felt a little buzz and got actual liquid. You just can't be a Mexican restaurant and serve margaritas then skimp that much geez. I got the chicken enchiladas verde and they were very tarte/bitter I usually love verde sauce and the food was cold. Chips were extra charge I think, chips were good but not sure why not complimentary duh they're salty they make you order more drinks a restaurant owner should know to give the out. I asked for 2nd drink ice on the side and got a lecture how it'll be measured out into a small cup ok wow. I usually go to chapala in new Windsor and have to watch it-I get tipsy on 1 drink and they give you complimentary shots afterwards there but not here they're stingy. Really put a bummer on a fri night. If I go back I'll stick with beer at least I know what I'm getting. Did that at hard rock in Cancun spent days of drinking margs, totally sober until I switched to wine and was immediately tipsy- because I had spent days drinking sugar water! read more

Atmosphere and hospitality were amazing ! Drinks were well balanced and delicious and seriously no complaints about the food! Definitely check it out if ur in the area! read more

La Charla Restaurant - Birria tacos & carne asada burrito! - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Great time here tonight! Friendly service, and awesome food. I got the soup, that was basically a tortilla soup. Hearty- with Mexican melty cheese, tortilla chips, and avocados. Then I had a super sweet plantain with cream and a bit of cheese. My margarita traicionera (with grapefruit juice and pear nectar) was strong, not too sweet, and awesome with the salt. My dinner mates got ceviche and a dish with steak, a tortilla with green sauce and cheese, and poblano peppers. It was all tasty! read more

La Charla Restaurant - Ceviche - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Went there on a Sunday afternoon with my husband. The restaurant was pretty empty when we reached there and that win win situation for us in terms of Covid. Ambiance was good. The server was really sweet. But being vegetarian we had just 3-4 options including appetizer and main course. We ordered two of them but they were not amazing. They were just above average. The Mexican pizza was ok, and then the enchiladas were too tangy. I won't revisit this restaurant. read more

La Charla Restaurant - Mexican pizza - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Just driving through NY and found this restaurant that serves amazing authentic Mexican food!! Small parking lot BEHIND the restaurant, so drive slow so you don't miss the turn (and don't hit ppl on the sidewalk). Also metered parking along the street in front of the restaurant. Nice atmosphere, inside is spacious and tables are placed pretty far from each other, nice bar area, small clean 1 stall bathroom. Get the guacamole!!! They make it in a stone bowl only a few feet from your table. Sooo fresh and delicious. The tortilla soup was yummy!! Very thick, not spicy, SUPER LOADED with hidden strips of chicken (a LOT of chicken), some cheese, and crunchy bits of chips? Whatever it was, it was freaking lovely. That was more than enough for a lunch meal! Our waiter was really friendly, nice and attentive. Overall this was a great find and I'm so glad I decided to risk a Mexican place during a long car ride haha. read more

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Sit at the bar, be welcomed by the lovely Pepe. Have your eyes wander between baseball and the food network. The beers are cheap, the mezcal margaritas are lovely, chips & homemade salsa come quickly. Our favorites are the chicken burrito, nachos with chorizo, the guacamole (if you have a friend to share with), and the enchiladas both verde & mole. Gracias a La Charla. read more

New Paltz has a lot of options for Mexican cuisine and this is probably the best choice. The food and atmosphere are great. Prices are fair. I highly recommend the guacamole. It's delicious. Cheap margaritas on the weekend. read more

They have great food and good service. i've tried their birria Tacos and it's truly immaculate.

2nd visit. Very Good experience. Service good and friendly. Drinks good. Tequila menu is good and varied. Beer good but would like even colder Appetizers good and fairly priced. Guac yummy and well seasoned. cauliflower app very good with beer batter Charging .50 cents for homemade hot sauce a little petty but it was good. Salsa and chips are now 2 bucks instead of free. Not a big deal for the charge but hot sauce should be free. Got two fajita dinners. Beef and chicken was very food. Shrimp one was a little bland but good as well. Vegetables all seemed precooked, almost stewed, would of liked the plate to sizzle when presented. But overall we enjoyed the fajita dinner. Place is kept very clean which is nice to see. Will return as we good was food and had nice experience. read more

Pepe is our favorite bartender in the world! He's a total sweetheart. Always had such a positive disposition. Really good Guac and their raspberry marg tastes just like PEZ. read more

We went for lunch. Service was friendly and good. Salsa was delicious. The food was only slightly warm not hot so didn't seem it was cooked fresh. I wouldn't return. Drinks were so so. read more

The food was so good and amazing service all around. The queso was amazing and to die for out server was extremely kind and understanding of someone in our party's picky eating. We can't wait to come come back read more

I had dinner here yesterday on Halloween! I ordered the enchiladas coloraditas, but asked for the chipotle sauce instead of the mole sauce. Definitely the best enchiladas i've ever had! The chipotle sauce was deliciously spicy. My friend ordered the pollo pibil tacos and said they were great. The waitors and waitresses had painted faces, which gave the restaurant a cool Halloween atmosphere. My waitress, Ali, was fantastic! Very friendly and answered our many menu questions. Extremely clean and nicely decorated place. Great for a night out or a date! read more

La Charla Restaurant - Pollo Pibil Tacos - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Solid margarita specials with lots of flavor options. Food is fresh and tasty. Tlayuda Oaxaquena is nicely done, think thin crust Mexican pizza. The quesadillas and tacos were delicious. Service is top notch, caring and attentive. Come check it out! read more

La Charla Restaurant - Baja tacos, crispy and fresh. Highly recommended. - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Love the food here at La Charla. Shrimp tacos fresh, homemade flavor, reasonable price. Love Pepe! Happy hour specials every day. Friday and Saturday full-size, homemade margaritas for 6 bucks 7-10 pm. All menu items delish! Give it a try! read more

Like the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". La Charla, a Nuevo-Mexican restaurant (I just made that cuisine name up) in the heart of the New Paltz downtown area, attempts to put an upscale spin on Mexican fine dining. The decor is attractive, good ambience (music, lighting) and very clean. The servers where very nice, but our server was inefficient and slow. We know that covid has put a strain on everyone, but the restaurant was not THAT busy that the server couldn't put down a bowl of chips and salsa for the 20 minutes that we were waiting to order. Two tables that were seated after us, were served before us. But that all is secondary to the food, of course, the food is most important. Well, it was ok. Actually, the appetizers - warm chips, zesty salsa and sweet platanos, were the highlight of the meal. My lady had the chili- rellenos which she thought was "acceptable but not extraordinary". The rice had peas and carrots that seemed to be previously frozen. I had the Baha fish tacos which were "Meh" - more like an appetizer that you would find at a diner. Traditional Mexican food is hard to beat. I think La Charla tries too hard to reinvent an already amazing cuisine and just comes up short. I would urge them to worry less about fancy presentation and hire someone's Grandmother, from the "old country" to be executive chef. read more

La Charla Restaurant - Baha Fish Tacos, Platanos, and Chili Rellenos. - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

we had a great meal at La Charla tonight. We were late to arrive in the evening but they were super accommodating.. the food and service were extra special. we would definitely go back to explore other options on the menu. also great selection of tequilas read more

La Charla Restaurant - Great Tequila. Thanks - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York