Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Playa Betty’s

    3.6 (1.2k reviews)
    ModerateMexican, American, Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Playa Betty’s Takeout or Delivery

    Playa Betty’s Photos

    PLAYA BETTY’S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Playa Betty’s

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Alisa J.

    Food is overall ok. Fun atmosphere and pretty good service. The squash blossom enchilada was the best thing. The queso unfortunately was not good at all. Ans I was hopeful about the rice pudding but it also wasn't the best. The fried corn ribs were also incredibly difficult to eat. The drinks are really good.

    Pork and steak tacos
    Amanda M.

    The good: An amazing happy hour frozen paloma and some delicious rice & beans (add a couple shakes of hot sauce!) The bad: Unfortunately some of the worst meat I've ever had on a taco. The pork tasted like it had been reheated 7 times - just beyond dry and crusty. The steak was extremely grisly/chewy. I spit half of the taco out into my napkin because I couldn't chew through the meat. Would recommend avoiding these and trying seafood or veggies tacos instead!

    Fiesta Vibes
    Mercedes C.

    When my husband got invited on a random Thursday night no less to sit on a 3hr panel on The Loft hosted by Ephrat Asherie (the queen of blending B-girl energy with sleek choreo), we were STARVING by the end of it. And since we were near Lincoln Center, we slid over here to Playa Betty's. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The spot is giving playful Tex-Mex vibes- colorful Mexican flags hanging overhead and faux cascading red roses energy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Now let me keep it real: the wait just to get acknowledged was long. But I guess Thursday nights be thursday-nighting here. Or, it looked like there was just one server holding the whole place together with prayer. We started with tortilla chips that were nice and thick with salsa verde- which I rarely get and I appreciated. Drinks? Yeah....they carried the night. Hubs grabbed the classic margarita and I went straight for the passion fruit one. That passion fruit margarita took me back home instantly with pure passion fruit flavor. Plus my cocktail was powerful. BABYYYY. Hubs got the salmon bowl served in an actual.... bowl. Even so, it was awkward to eat from it. I had the shrimp tacos. The seasoning was excellent but the shrimp size was like mini shrimp. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Service was ok, the cocktails absolutely slapped- but the food presentation and quality need some tightening up because the drinks are outshining the kitchen BAD.

    Interior
    Holly R.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This a great relaxed spot ro watch the World Cup, plus it's so pretty with all the flowers and rainbow flags.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is clean and comfortable and the service friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Plus, the frozen Paloma is a great treat on a hot day. I had the lunch special: 2 tacos and a salad. The salad was fresh. I liked the fish taco better than the shrimp taco. The slaw with the shrimp had no flavor. The Mexican coke beef tasted fine. But I didn't care for the light tomato crema on the enchiladas. The yellow rice and black beans were excellent.

    Shrimp tacos
    Karen S.

    Came here for I'm a most a breakfast. It was fabulous. Had shrimp tacos had pork taco tacos you name it. The service was awesome. They count checking in on us all the time and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambience was such a fun brunch crowd.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was definitely a place where you wanna go in and really enjoy it with your friends.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Dharma bowl $21.00
    L. V.

    Playa Betty's was a winner for me, Friday night around 6pm. First impressions... walked in & there were about three employees in the front "hosts". No one greeted me nor acknowledged me when I walked in. Yikes, that wasn't a good start. Thankfully my coworkers were already seated at a table so they flagged me down. Our waiter Sam was the sweetest! All smiles, great communication & she got everything right. HEADS UP to my vegans they no longer have the vegan enchiladas which is what I was gonna order according to my fellow yelpers suggestions. No worries Plays Betty's still has other vegan options you can chose from. I personally got the Dharma bowl with tofu & I enjoyed it. In fact we all enjoyed our food & drinks. I would definitely return to Betty's, just be sure to have someone as good as Samantha at the front door to greet & seat your guests when they first walk in. Enjoy !!

    Keittisha W.

    Jordan F..... was the host with the most!!!!! He made sure we was good while being seated, very professional but did his job the the max. I say give him a raise. It was my 1st time there and believe me, you....it won't be the last. It was 1 of my Sistah Circle's Birthday. We've been friends for 20 + years. The food was so good everyone enjoy their meal. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is a laid back chilled mode....not expensive for a night out but will come back for afterwork Happy Hour.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Cola taco
    Marisa M.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a cute casual place. It kinda is a beach theme, but also has movie posters. It's a little corny but it's a nice laid back vibe and the service is excellent.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everyone was so friendly and the food came out fast. Food is expensive for the portion size but it was tasty. The Coca Cola short rib tacos were excellent. On the small side but the meat was super flavorful and sweet from the cola, very tender. The fish tacos were okay, pretty soggy and not very crispy. Def get the cola taco if you come here! Nice to go to before or after a show at the beacon theater. I also like how they give complimentary chips, and the chips were very good, salty but not too salty.

    Chips and guac
    Tifane R.

    This is one of my most favorite Mexican restaurants. The service is always friendly and welcoming. You never have to wait long for your food to come out fresh and delicious. This is the first place I've had pomegranates with my tacos-such an amazing flavor combo!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love eating outside in the warmer weather.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I highly recommend coming here & can't wait to go back soon!

    Guacamole
    Denisa W.

    Great ambiance and pretty good food; wacky margaritas. I really enjoyed the experience here, but if you're ordering a pitcher of margaritas (we ordered as a large group since it was cheaper than individual) I would advise against it. Perhaps it is the quality of the tequila or marg mix but they really did taste off. Had the fish tacos which were delicious and the rice and beans were also great. Guac was alright. Definitely like the ambiance in here and the service was prompt. I just really wish the margaritas were good!

    Linda S.

    Came here on Memorial Day and was pretty busy. The three stars is for the food only...the guacamole comes deconstructed and def lacked flavor and salt. The sauces, dips, and tacos were ok. The beans def needed more love and seasoning. However, our server was awesome! Quick and very friendly. He gets six stars!

    Inside
    Ashley M.

    Actually a really great Mexican spot. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's very loud and crowded, so not a great place for an intimate dinner, but fun with a group[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and food is really impressive! Usually I'm not a fan of queso, but this one is great! Chips are crunchy and salty. The enchilada was soo good - I loved the sauce. And fun rice too! I'd definitely come here again. We were stuffed!

    Frozen paloma
    Yessenia F.

    Fantastic food, vibe, and area!! I came to Playa Betty to have dinner before a show at the Beacon Theatre (it's right across the street.) I was a bit worried since it was happy hour and the place was PACKED. I opted to sit at a table instead of the bar since it was crowded. I was seated quickly, and my food arrived quickly as well! I didn't have as much of a wait time as I feared. I drank two Palomas (shoutout to the server who came back to check in on me before happy hour ended!!) and a taco dinner, which comes with any 3 tacos of your choice and a side of rice and beans. My three taco choices were: - The Al Pastor (this place has got to have the BEST Al Pastors I've ever had - a personal favorite) - The Carne Asada - The Marley They were all delicious. Playa Betty is a MUST whenever I am in the Upper West Side.

    3 tacos platter with rice and beans.

    See all

    Review Insights

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    22 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alisa J.
    243
    2039
    7107

    13 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 4
    Love this 8
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L. V.
    143
    359
    1244

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of D J.
    0
    1
    1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Moz C.
    0
    35
    42

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nathan N.
    11
    319
    23

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Chef D.

    Chef D.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 30

    Playa Betty’s Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Playa Betty’s

    What time is happy hour?

    What's Up Michele? So we're rockin' Happy Hour 7 days a week from 4-7pm!

    Are you taking reservations? I called but only vm?

    Hi - we do not offer reservations but we suggest adding yourself to the waitlist when you plan on coming to reserve a spot! https://www.sevenrooms.com/waitlist/playabettys

    When are bottomless drinks available?

    Hi Julia, Thanks for reaching out. We offer our Brunch menu and Bottomless cocktail from 12-2:30 Mon-Fri and 11-2:30 Saturday-Sunday.

    Do you have heated outdoor dining?

    Hi Emily, Thanks for reaching out.Yes we do have heaters for our cafe tables.

    Are there happy hour specials on Wednesdays?

    They have some type of happy hour every day. I was there on the weekend and they had at least one beer and specialty drinks at happy hour prices. This was about two months ago.

    Is it possible to host an event? I have emailed and left 2 messages and no one has returned a call or email.

    Hi Steven - Absolutely! Please email Todd at t.cederholm@chefdriven.com. He will take care of this for you!

    Would the outdoor seating be able to accommodate a larger group (approx. 7)?

    Whats up Sam? The cafe unfortunately can only accommodate a party up to 4 guests. We are unable to seat parties larger than 4 on cafe. Have a great Labor Day Weekend!… 

    Is Happy Hour still from 4 to 8 p.m. everyday except Tuesday?

    Hi George, We offer Happy Hour from 4-8 Wednesday -Sunday. On Monday we feature "Margarita Monday's" with $6.00 Margaritas, $6.00 Chef Special Burritos and $3.00 Frito… 

    Is it possible to have a large group of people at the bar area?

    Absolutely, the bar area is a huge U shape and you can stand 2 deep around it..There are a million tables and there are many tables that surround the bar. All of the seats and areas are open and spacious. It's a bright and colorful place.

    View All 12 Questions

    You might also consider

    Valerie

    Valerie

    4.3
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    My wife and I took our kids (10 and 16 year old boys) to this place on our last evening in NYC. We…read morewere looking for a place that had a nice ambiance and good food. Ambiance: This place has a nice ambiance, definitely very "New York" -- dark (you can't see how dirty the floor is) and loud music (maybe too loud). We sat upstairs (we had a reservation) and of all the people on the top there was a party of 4 (us), a party of 8 (all dudes celebrating something) and the rest of the tables were on a DATE - which I thought was funny. Service: We were served by Ann-Marie who was so delightful. She was kind, super nice, and took the time to speak to us (which is basically how we figured out she wasn't a native New York City person). She gave us good food suggestions and we were very happy with our selection. Food: Here is what we ordered * Steak Frites: My two boys got the steak frites and I have to say the steak was awesome! I had a bite of each of theirs and they each ordered it differently (one Medium Rare/Medium and one Medium) and they both were prepared PERFECTLY. The fries were overflowing. * Caeser Salad with Salmon: My wife got the salad with Salmon (they only have a few salad options) and she enjoyed it. * Prawn and Crab Risotto: I got this and I have to say it was VERY bland. I wouldn't get this if you are looking for taste. I had to put salt and pepper on it to make it have any semblance of taste. Value/Price: I would say this is not over priced but it is not cheap either...bill is attached. I would recommend it to folks who are looking for a good place to either go out on a date or a family type meal.

    Every food was great except tuna crudo. Need carpaccio was…read moretasty and so as risotto. Server was nice and attentive. Ambiance was loud. Filled with after work happy hour drinkers. If you want nice and intimate dinner, this is not the place.

    Photos
    Valerie
    Valerie
    Valerie

    See all

    Monkey Bar

    Monkey Bar

    4.3
    (512 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Woke up at 5:55 AM PST in order to make this reservation... but overall glad I was able to. The…read morepull apart truffle monkey bread was our initial reason for coming, and although the price point was quite steep, I would say it's worth the try. The bread was fluffy and not dry, which I had seen previous reviews say before. Paired with the creamy truffle butter, it had a luxurious mouthfeel. My favorite was the pork chop (cognac, sweet prunes, bacon, rosemary) -- the sweet and soft texture of the prune was melted in my mouth like fat, and the pork was tender, with the rosemary also coming through. The vodka rigatoni was a skip, somewhat bland and one-note, we ended up putting some of the truffle butter and garlic aioli from the fries to make it more flavorful. This was especially in contrast with the spicy shrimp pasta which was much tastier. Also got the strawberry vacherin (strawberry ice cream, meringue, vanilla whipped cream), it was my first time having this dessert. The tartness of the strawberry was great with the fluffy meringue and the sweet ice cream. Service was extremely attentive, and the restaurant is beautifully decorated with moody lighting. Although the space was packed, it didn't feel too loud or crowded. We spent about two hours and didn't feel rushed.

    We finally managed to get a Reservation on my birthday August 16.. we were treated very kindly by…read morethe whole team (our waiter disappeared after we received our mains But the runners & a very sweet young lady still were so attentive) The space is a gorg vibe !! it was obviously filled, but you didn't feel like the tables next to you, were on top of you, which was great.. We basically ordered everything on the Menu .. & wow It was everything & more !! Bone In Ribeye was so flavorful & decadent The mushrooms were the star.. literally bites of heaven The Monkey Bread is a must The Cesar Salad & The creamed Spinach were the perfect iterations of the two dishes The Mac & Cheese .. so good The prime dip was good But def not the main event w everything else that touched the table The fries were the only item that lacked luster The carrot Cake was my fav I've ever had & the strawberry ice cream was so fresh & delicious Can't wait to b back

    Photos
    Spicy Shrimp scampi
    Spicy Shrimp scampi
    Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)
    Truffle Monkey Bread (~$35)
    Truffle Monkey Bread

    See all

    Truffle Monkey Bread
    La Pecora Bianca

    La Pecora Bianca

    4.2
    (619 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$$

    What struck me most about this location was how friendly the service was. Everything came out…read morereally quickly, everyone was incredibly accommodating, and our waitress gave us the most important piece of advice of the meal: always add the burrata. We got the campanelle with burrata, a bright and creamy shrimp pasta (spicier than we expected) which was absolutely delicious. We also had the tagliatelle with burrata, which is a rich bolognese with really deep, savory flavors. The two pastas were very different from each other, and both were excellent. We started with the heirloom tomato appetizer with watermelon and feta, which was super fresh and bright and a great way to start the meal. The restaurant itself is clean, bright, and airy, and combined with the genuinely lovely service, it made for a great weekend lunch date.

    We recently tried this place for an early supper as we were in mood for Italian. The location right…read moreacross Bryant park was a plus! They have 3 locations but we chose this one because it serves pizza. The ambience was amazing, and surprisingly the place was almost full even at that time. For drinks, I had the strawberry Nojito, which was quite refreshing, while my husband had a Pinot Noir. For mains, we ordered the Rigatoni Pasta with Burrata (from the add ons) and Margherita Pizza. The pasta was decent but a little too chewy for us, even considering it was al Dante. The pizza was good. The highlight was definitely the olive oil cake which comes with cream and berries which was a really good combination. We loved it!! Overall a decent meal with a lovely ambiance. PS: Our server Jose was very kind, checked on us throughout the meal, and was funny too. He took a selfie with us when we asked him to click our pictures

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Vodka pasta
    Vodka pasta
    Lavender Spritz

    See all

    Lavender Spritz

    Playa Betty’s - mexican - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...