In Inwood these are probably the best tacos north of 116st taco mix. They are not cheap with the meats they are tasty and authentic. The tortas are just as good and delivers on all fronts. Servicecan be a little slow if they are busy but that's because they are busy They are open late and a refreshing option to the neighborhood Worth the wait. I highly recommend them read more

I heard so many good things about their tacos so i decided to give them a try! I must admit the place is very authentic and the food was pretty decent! My problem began when i walked in to pick up my order. The place looks a bit messy and mucky! i observed one of the cookers touch everything with his bare hands, no gloves at all and no mask on. I also noticed that they are not displaying the letter grade for their inspection. I don't think this place is very sanitary! I dont think i will be visiting again! read more

Love the food they make at this place!!! To make the long story short... My partner and I started to kinda look for healthy options when we eat outside, so one night we were going somewhere and i was hangry and craving tacos so he brought me here... Honestly, this is my favorite taco place in Washington Heights. The tacos are soooo delicious yet so simple that you can eat 4, be full and still eat more because of the great flavor. Love, love, love this place!! There are only two thing I can complaint about, and they are not even related to food, reason why gave it 4 stars instead of 5: 1 - THEY TAKE FOREVER TO MAKE THE ORDERS. I found out over time that if you call, make the order and pick it up (cause i leave far from this awesome place), instead of just going there and order once you get there, you get LESS impatient and ENJOY more your food. - 2 - THIS PLACE IS LIKE A SARDINE's CAN, ( Hope you know the saying). IT IS EXTREMELY SMALL. I ALWAYS order take out and usually go home after picking up my food so doesn't really bother me a lot but as soon as you open the door walking in, you get that food smell and all the sazon sticked to your body, your hair, even your bones. In conclusion, FOOD IS GREAT, i am not trying to degrade this place, I HONESTLY LOVE IT. Try it out ;) read more

Tacos El Paisa - Taco de Pollo + Taco al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

The owner is extremely rude , I saw her treat a young man very nasty because he asked for his orders to be separated, the young girl at front I assume is her daughter but she was very nasty with Spanish curses and threatening the young man with a stapler , I left and I don't think I will be coming back here ever , I am Dominican and this place here has gotten very popular over the years because of the entire Dominican community hard working people go buy food here and I am highly disgusted at what this lady was saying about Dominican people who support your business ! This place should close down for good ! Very insulting to the Dominican natives here in Washington heights and as a whole community read more

I've been a fan of this business for a while mostly because they are consistent with how their food tastes. The quality is always great BUT they are best when you are going to sit in or order in person. It saves a lot of time because I noticed that ordering on the phone takes a while and by the time your food is there it's cold. read more

There's a lot of good Mexican food up here, but usually I think tortas, cemitas and plates tend to be the stars. Tortilla based foods here are great too. The salsa kicked my ass. read more

Local taco spot, this is where I go if I crave some tacos. I usually order the al pastor. I've tried the other ones, but they aren't consistently good. Make sure to add cheese to your order. Although the tacos taste good, they aren't super fresh, looks like they cook all the meat in the morning and just heat it up on the grill as you order. It could be they do this throughout the day, but the times I came for lunch or dinner that's what I saw happen. Nothing fancy, but it hits the spot! read more

Cook doesn't use gloves? I know the pictures a spotty but this lady was cooking a full on mean without gloves... read more

Tacos El Paisa - a person cooking in a commercial kitchen - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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We stumbled upon this place after leaving another nearby restaurant disappointed and hungry. The girl at the front was very friendly and welcoming, happy to answer our questions. The place is very small and crowded but you can tell they are popular and busy. We ordered two tortas to go and they were ready quickly. They were delicious! We were able to watch the cooks put them together and they had gloves and hats on which made me feel good. Pleasantly surprised with this place. read more

I only give it 2 stars because on a usual basis the tacos are great. But I put in an order tonight and received rotten avocado. Horrible horrible. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Rotten avocado on tacos - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Best Mexican spot in Washington Heights. Very inexpensive. The tacos are my favorite!! So amazing, not greasy at all, but that also depends on the type of meat you get. The place is pint-sized and the cook is like right in front of you. Every time I go, whether it is to sit or take out, I am never displeased with the food. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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Love love love El Paisa!!! This is the best Mexican food in da heights! I am so hooked! Been coming here regularly since my first visit! Our Late night spot read more

Tacos El Paisa - Mole Poblano - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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This was my neighborhood taco spot when I lived here 5+ years ago. I haven't been able to find replacement for this place after moving from neighborhood to neighborhood. This is THE taco spot for me even if it means 30+min travel time. Locating in a historically rough neighborhood hides this place from many. Before I took Spanish in college, my basic Spanish skills were about ordering tacos here. This place had changed last visit about 7months ago when I realized there was less ingredients. I didn't see the familiar the radish and more from tacos they made. However, the chorizo and al pastor taco are till on the top of my list among New York City tacos (including taco trucks that was then in front of my building all the time). Today, 7 months later, I saw improvement in the decoration, addition of a restroom and tables (health code), and increasing friendliness of staff to us non-Spanish speaking customers. The "people love us on Yelp" sign seems to be telling a lot about management's ambition on expanding the business for the better. If sitting at the bar, you can watch the cook handling meat ingredients. This is not a "we already made it hours ago and just going to heat it up for you" fast food spot. Both the cook in the front and the back take their time for your food. Ethnical dessert and drinks are available in the fridge. This place has maintained its intimacy and quality of tacos for the past 5+ years, regardless of the interior environment and management changes. Ordering taco is always safe here, despite the fact that not all varieties will be available daily. Sauces are great additions to everything and their green and red sauces, on spicy level, could make Tabasco sauces from chipotle (that you are familiar with ) taste blend (not the packaged stuff, they made it with blender in the back.) Tips that still work for THE taco spot: Always get chorizo; always eat there (not take out). read more

Tacos El Paisa - three tacos on a plate - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Great Mexican Food. Very delicious and enjoyable food. Try and order your food ahead of the time because they are extremely under staffed and you will sit there for hours waiting for your order. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of food. Highly recommend this restaurant Pros: great food, great prices Cons: long wait, under staffed read more

Tacos El Paisa - Flour wrap, white meat chicken pieces with lettuce tomato and avocado topped with Parmesan cheese and sour cream. For 8 bucks! - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

So happy I ended up here after wandering from the Cloisters. Perfect no frills Mexican food with delicious guac, plenty of chips and really good tacos. The service is standard and efficient and loved the music. It was some of the best Mexican food I had had in recent times and it was a breath of fresh air after many visits to Chipotle. Tried to be adventurous with the beef tongue taco but it just wasn't for me, too chewy and tough for me. Glad I could try such a thing though. The chorizo is superb. Wouldn't go out of my way to end up here but if you are visiting the Cloisters and suddenly crave Mexican, I highly recommend this place. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

The worst place to order They took 2 hours to deliver for me after they make a mistake and they ask me to give back the wrong order to resell it Stay away from them And if you have a chance to drive by please note how trashy they are Es el peor lugar para ordenar tardaron 2 horas para mi delivery después de cometer un error con mi orden Mantente lejos de ellos y si tienes tiempo de ir a el lugar puedes ver el basurero que tienen como lugar read more

Everything here is really good! I was very surprised at the quality of this Mexican Food in Washington Heights. Reasonably priced and lots of options besides tacos and burritos. They even have some Dominican/Mexican fusion like their Tostones a la Mexicana. Think Nachos but with Fried Plantains and your choice of meat. Delicious!! Favorite Meats here, Al Pastor, Chorizo, Carnitas, Steak. Give this hidden gem a try! read more

This is my taco tuesday spot since forever just amazing as the first time i ate them cant so wrong with the steak tacos, Guacamole, and finish it of with some churros deliciousness sent from heaven. read more

The closest to authentic Mexican food I ever had in the neighborhood of Washington heights. If anyone says it otherwise then they clearly don't know what Mexican food is about. Everything from the spices to the well seasoned food and the horchata or tamarind drinks remind me of Mexico. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Aguas Fresca de Guayaba with Nachos de Carnitas - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Sad to say but I think El Paisa is def. falling off. The last few times I've ordered for delivery have been a hit or miss. Either they take forever to deliver (I waited an hour and 15 minutes yesterday), or the food is not that great. I don't recommend the shrimp tacos, the tacos dorados or the nachos, which have all been terrible lately. The chorizo and chicken tacos on the other hand are always delicious. The guac is either really good or really bland, yesterday was the latter. I hope they get it together because it used to be one of my favorites mexican restaurants. read more

The tacos are delicious but the costumer service is very bad specially the woman that was very rude , they eventually arrived , but im still not satisfied read more

I just moved to Manhattan, from San Francisco. I am a recent Culinary school graduate, and a lover of Mexican food. I moved to Washington Heights and realized Tacos El Paisa was right around the corner from me! Got Chicken quesadillas, guacamole, and avocado salad. Everything was made fresh to order, and the salsa Verde was delish! A bit of a wait, but nothing to keep me from coming back! 4.5 Stars! read more

I walk 34 blocks roundtrip for this place....although that's partly due to the fact that even when I call and order completely en espanol, they yell "no speak English" and hang up on me. Sigh. This place is as whole-in-the-wall as it gets. However, I'm from TX, and I grew up eating carne asada tacos. This place is delicious and the closest thing to "home" that I've found. I usually order the bistec and a large order of guacamole. The guacamole, as well as the tortilla chips, are made fresh to order. I also like to sit on the barstools and watch them make my tacos. The waitresses are also very friendly, and they let me practice my Spanish. Honestly, this is the only place in NYC that I eat carne asado tacos. read more

Five stars for chorizo taco - $3.50 per each, but so worth it because fresh, seasoned well, a lot of meat filling, and delicious. The tacos come with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and a lime. Service isn't great but what do you expect - they are a busy, hole in the wall place so service won't be stellar. Understandable. Depends on which day you come too though - didn't have tongue, enchilada (spicy pork), and horchata. I also got the carnitas - and although meat was fresh and abundant - it lacked the flavor that chorizo had. I would come here again for the chorizo tacos, any day! read more

I will admit that I really LIKED this place until I watched the cook. They don't use gloves at all and will they are making tacos or what ever else, they'll reach into the fridge and touch raw meat and then flipped the tortillas without washing their hands. Sorry but I walked out. I ain't getting sick no matter how good it taste! read more

Great food! My favorite Mexican food in Washington Heights. Everything I have gotten from the taco's to the burrito's to the huarache's to the quesadilla's and more has all been very very good. They're not kidding - everything is fresh - fresh to order. They make some really good Guacamole, though I do not like the chips they give you with it, it's pretty much fried tortilla's... they're not horrible, just not that great. Still, the guacamole is very very tasty. 2 thumbs up! The burritos are great too! Just in case you care: they put the cheese on top of the burrito (I'm not too sure if they put it inside too), but I always get it without cheese. It comes with rice and pico de gallo on the side - all in a good portion. Accompanied by green and red sauces that they make fresh all the time. Spicy and delish! The only thing that sucks is that they don't speak that much English. Actually, if you don't know Spanish do not even waste your time calling for delivery (go in) - they hung up on my wife the other night... we then called the Mexican restaurant across the street and weren't as satisfied - this place is way better. read more

Great Everything! Shrimp Tacos Chicken Tacos Porn Tacos all Great Their Fresh Guac & Chips Delish. Only Bummer they don't do Chimichangas but I forgive them. read more

Really good Mexican food, I always get the chicken quesadilla and its one of the best I've had around because its so simple. Everything is seasoned perfectly nothing to complain about, this is authentic Mexican food. This place has been here since forever and I hope it stays. It does get a little busy on weekend specially at night.. read more

Delicious and authentic Mexican food at a great low price. This is a little hole in the wall I found while exploring my hood - and on the rare occasions we decide we want take out this is the only place we get it from. The bonus is I get to practice my Spanish when we go in to order and they only think I am a little ridiculous for trying. There is a small seating area in the back and they deliver too! read more

Was really craving decent Mexican food, which is virtually impossible to find in NY. Decided to try my luck with this place because of the good reviews. Because I knew from previous reviews that the staff spoke absolutely no English, I ended up ordering online via their website, printed the confirmation (with the order highlighted), and showed it to the cashier when I arrived to pick up my food. It worked like a charm. Atmosphere: Total hole in the wall. Barely any seats. Just pick your food up and go home. Service: N/A. Only said two words to the cashier due to the language barrier, paid my food and bounced. Food: Pretty decent. I had the chicken torta, which was basically a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and pickled jalapenos. Nice and filling. Next day I had the chilaquiles rojos with spicy pork, and rice w/black beans. This dish was quite flavourful, with the right amount of kick and filled you up nicely. This place will satisfy your Mexican food cravings if you can't jump on the plane to Cali anytime soon. Will be back...and hopefully, I'll be able to order in Spanish! read more

Deeelicious. I stopped in with a friend after a trip to the Cloisters and it was well worth the trip. The place is small (two or three tables) and unpretentious (the waitress' kids were running around and playing, there's no decor to speak of, drinks are served in styrofoam cups, etc), which we felt was a good sign for authentic food. The guacamole is delicious - fresh, perfectly proportioned, with all the right flavors. A small order is $5, but would probably cost at twice that downtown. I had a beef burrito, which was also excellent. It was simple and tasted fresh, with beef, onions, and peppers inside, cheese outside, and rice and pico de gallo on the side. Their green and red salsa are both great, though the red is very spicy. Our waitress was very nice and even though we were a little out of place, we didn't feel that way. Our bill came to $18 for two sizable burritos and guacamole - awesome. I'd definitely come back, and might even make the trek uptown solely to eat here. read more

For most of my life, this has been my favorite Mexican joint. So far, nothing compares to how well the food is made. From seasoning to preparation, the food is filled with so much flavor, I promise you there is no disappointment. My favorites are Tacos Dorados. They're made so well. The closest thing to a disappointment that I may have is the wait time but it is understandable. Other than that, this is my favorite go to Mexican spot. MUCH BETTER THAN GRITO'S BADLY SEASONED FOOD. read more

Very good to excellent tasting tacos at 3 dollars per taco.

I gotta say, this place has been slacking lately. No lengua, no barbacoa, no horchata, no chivo... Wassup with that? I rarely even bother trying to order from here anymore. Too bad, because this used to be my favorite mex in the hood. read more

Tacos El Paisa Pros: Delicious and cheap Cons: Small venue, menu options weren't all available and service is okay. Food Experience: By far the best TORTA I have ever tasted without feeling all queesey later on. It has everything a torta needs. We came here twice on our stay in New York and it was worth it. We were craving Mexican for some reason when clearly we can have this back in L.A. hahaha. However the aguas frescas were delicious as well so I definetly recommend the horchata and Jamaica (Hibiscus). Conclusion: If you do come across this place definetly get the torta. The bread is just right and the ingredients are just juicy and to the point without the need for salsa which definitely never happens. read more

I live in the neighborhood and tried this for the first time. Thanks yelpers! The food was delivered fresh and quickly. The food is delicious and well portioned. The guacamole and chips are off the hook. 12 bucks for tacos and guac. Cash only. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Tacos Dorados - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Solid Guacamole, Really good bistec taco. read more

Tacos El Paisa - Small Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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Very good quesadillas, and the tostones a la Mexicana are amazing. They've gotten a bit pricey over time but the food compensates lol

Small cozy spot. I love their burrito a la mexicana and guacamole with chips. Great food good prices. Give them a try!!

Updated Review: Wonderful place. Great food. We had friends over last night. Everyone enjoyed what they had. Whatever they changed in their delivery service has been noticed. It's much improved since the previous review. Previous Review: This is definitely our favorite taco place in the neighborhood. The two stars isn't a reflection of the food, the food is great, but the delivery service is not consistent. I don't think this has to do with the person delivering the food but the delivery process used at the restaurant. Sometimes it's here in a reasonable amount of time (30-40 mins), but at times it takes over an hour and half to get our food, tonight's was closer to 2 hours. read more