Here's a polished review that stays honest while keeping it fair and balanced: Agave in New Paltz offers a modern, fusion-style take on Mexican-inspired cuisine rather than authentic Mexican food. If you're expecting traditional Mexican flavors, just know this restaurant leans more toward upscale fusion than classic Mexican dishes. The food is good, and everything we've tried has been flavorful, although the portions are on the smaller side. The prices are reasonable for the quality and presentation, and the atmosphere has more of a cozy, date-night vibe than a casual Mexican restaurant. One suggestion I'd make is to expand the salsa selection. For a restaurant centered around Mexican-inspired cuisine, offering a few house-made, original salsas would really elevate the experience and make it feel more authentic. The restaurant itself is fairly small, so it's not the best choice for large groups. Parking can also be a challenge since there's no dedicated lot--it's street parking only, so be prepared to drive around until you find a spot. Overall, Agave is a nice place if you're looking for creative fusion dishes in a relaxed setting. Just go in expecting modern Mexican-inspired cuisine rather than traditional Mexican food, and you'll likely enjoy the experience. read more

Agave - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Honestly, very mid. The decor is cute, but the food is lacking and so was the service. There were barely any people in there so why the long wait ? And they got my order wrong too. Otherwise, nice staff. Food was sooooo underwhelming, under seasoned and dry. The drinks were the only positives bc they were delicious and strong. I would not return again. read more

Agave - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Absolutely incredible!! We started with the guac and chips of course and the guac was so fresh. Then I got shrimp tacos and crab cake taco and wow. So flavorful! The shrimp was cooked perfectly. The slaw and sauce on both were amazing, and the crab cake was crispy and tasted great. Then for dessert we got the tres leches. I get this at every place that has it lol and this was one of the best I've ever had. The caramel on top was a nice add. Service was quick and attentive, and the inside is super cute. Obsessed with this place! Will be back read more

Agave - Tres Leches - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

We really enjoyed our quick stop at Agave, for pre-halloween dinner cocktails. We couldn't resist the Guac appetizer, so glad we ordered it, hella satisfying. Perfectly salted. IYKYK. My lychee martini was so well-made, I was afraid it would be too sweet. The bar area was cozy, and service was extremely attentive. Looking forward to reserving a table for dinner soon. Cheers, The Happy Hour Huntress read more

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Our go-to Mexican spot in New Paltz, La Charla, seemingly changed its hours (or my memory is faulty) and wasn't going to open until 2pm, so we ended up at Agave for lunch instead, and I'm not one bit mad about it. This new-to-us eatery is cute and casual; they offer some delicious alternative takes on margaritas, rim their glasses properly (i.e., only on the outside), and their food is both generously portioned and delicious. Service was friendly and fast, too! Don't sleep on the salsa roja served with hearty, crunchy tortilla chips. It was a superb start to our meal and offered surprisingly complex flavors, including a little smokiness from the roasted peppers (if I recall correctly) and some pleasantly mild and steady heat. Then, we shared the birria tacos platter and a chicken quesadilla. Both dishes came in ample portions, and I'm always appreciative of joints that serve birria with a complement of consommé -- no upcharge required. Definitely happy to make a return visit if we're ever passing through the area again! read more

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If you think Mexican food in a college town means limp tacos and sad salsa cups, Agave is here to blow that stereotype out of the water -- and into a margarita glass rimmed with chili salt. Walking in, you immediately get that date-night meets "let's just get tacos" vibe. The space is chic without being stuffy, the lighting makes everyone look at least 20% more attractive, and the staff is genuinely warm -- the kind of folks who make you feel like you're not just a customer, you're a guest they've been waiting for. Now, the food. This isn't your abuela's kitchen -- unless your abuela had a side hustle as a globe-trotting fusion chef. The menu takes Mexican roots and sprinkles in some unexpected flair: think cauliflower tacos with amazing hot sauce, ceviche that tastes like sunshine and lime had a baby, and steak with a pineapple salsa that is chefs kiss. Bottom line: Agave is where flavor meets flair. Go with friends, order too many small plates, argue over who gets the last churro, and leave plotting your next visit. read more

Agave - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Super yummy but the tacos are smaller than you'd expect and the drinks are VERY strong lol I couldn't finish my margarita because I had to drive! Service was quick and friendly. I would look forward to coming back here, parking though is a bit of a pain. read more

Super cute interior design and lots of appealing menu options. Tried several tacos and their fried rice. My favorite taco was actually their cauliflower taco! Really good flavor and texture. My second favorite taco was the carnitas. The shrimp taco could have used more flavor in my opinion, but my husband was happy with his. The carne asada was a tad dry. The fried rice was flavorful and served HOT. Several other things on the menu that caught my eye, including the cocktail menu, so will need to return to try more. read more

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Fantastic food great service and pretty restaurant with kind waitstaff. We had the street corn... I forgot what the name of it is on the menu. It's under appetizers. Then we both had small tacos. They were very small, but they were good. And a side of guacamole, which was excellent. The friend I was with she eats very little. We didn't even order an entrée. Normally I would have ordered a regular entrée but this time we just had little things. I went back again and had the corn and it was so delicious. read more

Agave - Eloite - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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My whole evening from start to finish was amazing the food was very good flavorful look beautiful tasted amazing in the bartender was a great young man who made amazing cocktails I would highly recommend this restaurant I'm a chef and I've been in and out of many restaurants over the past years this one is a winner all the way read more

I LOVES this place !!!! Omg I was very happy about it lol and the drinks slayyyyedddd !!! The quesadilla was so good and the spicy marg was so good read more

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As an Unofficial Mexican food reviewer, I had to try Agave. The attentive servers really made the whole experience, otherwise it was "meh" for me. For starters, I'm put off by the new trend of charging for chips and salsa. I understand the economics of it, but charging for something that historically part of a dining experience , defines the start of this diners experience. And not in a welcoming way, IMHO. I found the menu kind of limited and flat. The prices just a bit too high for the quality of product. I went for a la carte tacos to get a sense of the place. The tamale was very good. Light corn mash and flavorful. The tacos were on small side and the quality of the steamed tortilla was poor: each came in a single tortilla, which was bland, too moist and too fragile. The fish taco was flavorful but the fish was in crumbles and the texture was mush. The carne asada was good. I like the cilantro and cojita cheese garnish. The empanada was good. Not much beef filling but the crispy crust was tasty and not oily. Overall I prefer the other Mexican places in New Paltz. read more

Agave - Small tacos on underwhelming tortilla. Sorry! - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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I live locally but last week was the first time i dined at Agave. If you haven't been there you really need to go. Fantastic. We had the yucca fries..... you will never eat a French fry again after you eat these. Their mocktails are delicious. We had the crabcake taco and the carne taco. Fabulous. For dessert it was flan (wonderful( and pineapple upside down cake. I don't even like pineapple upside-down cake but my daughter ordered it. WOW! It was served warm. It is definitely a must if you order dessert. The waitstaff are very pleasant and accomodating. Next time you are in New Paltz you must try Agave. You will not be disappointed. read more

My favorite restaurant in New Paltz. They are always super friendly and offer amazing dishes for an affordable price. The restaurant is always clean and has great music. I recommend the birria fries and the pollo bowl! read more

Agave - Pollo/Chicken Bowl ordered to go - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

Beautiful place with indoor and outdoor seating. The server was very helpful and made recommendations. The food was the best, lots of options even Rahman on the menu. Everything was delicious. read more

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While vacationing in the Catskills, Saturday night took us to AGAVE in New Paltz and what a happy find! We were greeted warmly as we came in and the place was full so we decided to eat at the bar. (Great bar area!) The vibe was upbeat and friendly. We chatted with Kevin, the owner and Catherine, who made us fantastic, inventive cocktails to complement the delicious food. We tried ALL the tacos; the shrimp and steak and pork were fab but the cauliflower tacos were off the charts! If we didn't live an hour and a half away we'd be there regularly. Future road trips are warranted to return for another great meal! read more

Agave - Meet us @Agave! - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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To say this is the BEST Mexican food I've had in a while is an understatement! Not only is the food delicious and fresh, but it also tastes very authentic. Why spend +$20 at Chipotle when Agave exists? I seriously could not believe the 4.8 stars but this place deserves even more. The atmosphere is super chic, the service is impeccable, and the food is worth every single penny. Kudos to Agave for hitting it out of the park, and I wish you many years of prosperity! read more

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really great food, several notches above typical Mexican; many dishes just really fresh and inventive; we are repeat customers

Atmosphere was very cute, clean, and aesthetically appealing. Service was great, and the plating looked amazing -- presentation was definitely on point. Unfortunately, the taste didn't match the presentation. The menu gives the impression of authentic Mexican or Hispanic cuisine, but the flavors -- especially the birria and the rice -- didn't deliver that traditional taste. The green salsa tasted like it had an overwhelming amount of lime, and I was surprised they mentioned adding corn. That's not something I've personally experienced in the Hispanic dishes I grew up around. Coming from the West Coast, where Hispanic food is deeply rooted in tradition and flavor, this was a bit of a disappointment. It's a great place visually and service-wise, but I hope AGAVE can lean more into authentic flavors -- the kind many of us grew up with from our moms, abuelas, and tias. Food should be made with heart, not just for presentation or trends. - RB (FC) read more

We stopped by New Paltz as a quick trip and I am so glad that we chose Agave to have lunch! Tables were nicely organized so you don't feel crowded and they have a bar area. They had really nice looking cocktails so I wish we had tried some. We started off with Yucca fries, which were nice and crispy. I had the Birria tacos, and they were delicious. I loved the dipping sauce as well. My husband had three tacos, shrimp, cauliflower and steak. His favorite was the cauliflower. Each plate had nice presentation and lots of flavor. I wish we lived closer because I would definitely come here all the time. read more

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The salsa was good. The Ramen was an abomination. I probably wouldn't order that again and instead would choose a Mexican entrée.

My husband and I have been here twice and loved it. The service is so great. Professional and friendly people each time. The food is authentic and delicious. They had a special dessert once - a donut - that we haven't stopped thinking about. It was AMAZING!! We highly recommend visiting Agave if you're in the area. read more

I really like the vibe of this place. It's very cute and aesthetic. Everyone is very nice! The drinks are whatever but honestly just having a place that stays open late and is always free is AWESOME However, there is very little Mexican authenticity. First, the menu is all over the place. It has ramen, bowls, odd nachos that don't taste very Mexican, etc. All they play is salsa and Caribbean music.. i have never heard any Mexican music here which is FINE as long as they don't advertise that they're Mexican. Even such simple details.. how do you not have chili powder for the corn.. it's literally a 4 ingredient recipe. I don't understand. All in all, I can't be too harsh because I appreciate the attempt to include something very dear to me which is my culture and especially in a place like new paltz I can very much appreciate what they're trying to do here BUT be assured, there is nothing Mexican about this place. Nothing. read more

I wanted to like this place. Everything was uniformly bad. The nacho were shockingly sad. The worst nachos I've ever seen. The taco was the size of a large spoon. I ordered a bowl that came with fried rice. I assumed it was a Mexican style fried rice, but it was Chinese. Such a terrible matchup of flavors. Also the entire dish was covered in way too much spicy mayo, which made the matchup of flavors worse. Everyone in our group left disappointed. read more

The chicken bowls are to die for, and all the food is so delicious. This also the spot for some quick tacos. Love coming here for a snack and to do some work while eating tacos. read more

Guyssss.... how can you claim a Mexican bar and have nothing Mexican about this place? The music.. not Mexican. All Caribbean music.. not sure why. The food is missing that Mexican seasoning. The margaritas and Paloma's taste very weak and very unlike the real thing. Customer service is soooo lovely. They really are very kind so I hate to write something negative but I do care more about the taste of things than ambience and I just don't love most of their menu. GREAT CHURROS. I'll give it that. Thank you for being open late and being a cute spot! read more

Good food, friendly staff, well priced and nice ambience. Definitely will go back to enjoy it

When Agave replaced the Mediterranean restaurant here before I was at first disappointed because I thought it'd be too similar to the other options in town. One takeout order made me change my mind completely. The ambience is a huge upgrade, and the food is so good my only regret is not ordering more (physical limits of eating notwithstanding). Tacos were great, the shrimp bowl outstanding (love the sauce), empanada is one of the best I've ever had, and the showstopper...the belle of the ball...the loaded nachos. Do yourself a favor and support this place. read more

Great service and food came super fast. It's a calm and pleasant place to stop by. The food was amazing, recommend the carne asada bowl with fried rice, genuinely best tasting food in new paltz. This place is super underrated. Will 100% come again! read more

I'm a New Paltz local for 20 year and so happy to have this great, new Mexican place right on Main St. The signage isn't great so you could miss it - but don't! The Ceviche, a fresh mix of shrimp, cucumber, herbs and lime juice was simply awesome. Carnitas and the Chorizo tacos are some of the best I've had. My daughter raved about the fried cauliflower tacos and the spicy margarita gets a 5/5. Really appreciated the kind and attentive service and they did a great job in creating an inviting atmosphere. read more

Agave - Main dining. - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Very nice place with excellent food!! The fried rice bowl with chicken and the one with steak were amazing! And leftovers were just as delicious the next day. read more

So happy to have discovered this great new restaurant! I ordered three of the tacos in bibb lettuce, and the plantains. Everything was delicious, packed with flavor, and all of the staff I encountered were extremely friendly and attentive. Very reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back with my family. Also - They renovated inside and the decor and ambience is lovely. read more

Agave - General Tso cauliflower, carne asada and camarones. - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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The food and service was absolutely delicious. It was our first time here and it truly didn't disappoint. We were served by Carissa and she was an absolute doll and so attentive. Would come back again 100% read more

Stopped in Agave for a quick bite. Service was extremely friendly and attentive. Ambiance was light and pleasant. My Margarita cocktail with Tajin was nicely done and tasted great. Our tacos, empanadas, and cauliflower bowl were absolutely delicious, and beautifully presented. Also, prices were very reasonable. I would go back in a heartbeat even if they raised them. Highly recommend Agave and can't wait to go back. read more

agave was incredible across the board. the restaurant itself is so nice (we sat at a table up front but the bar area looked great too), the service was fast and friendly (our waitress gave great recommendations and the owner came over to check in and say hi), and the food and drinks were absolutely exceptional (i can personally attest to the pollo bowl with fried rice, lychee margarita, and amorcito being phenomenal but everyone loved their meals, particular mention to the birria tacos). if you need a lunch or dinner spot in new paltz, this is absolutely the place to go. perfect 10/10! read more

Agave - Boba Chips & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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Great neal , authentic tacos. Nachos were delicious and a nice portion for 2 z lastly, spicy Margherita was delicious

Everything was amazing -- from the food to the atmosphere, and especially the people. My waiter, Christian, was outstanding! He had a great attitude, was incredibly patient, and made the whole experience even better. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Looks like a hole in the wall in New Paltz and their food is good!! An explosion of flavors, their carne asada is soft and juicy. You are welcomed from the moment you come in read more

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Cannot believe they charge $25.00 for RAMEN even with the rising cost your selling noodles and seasoned water. Although it was decent the prices are extremely high in these struggling times. Consumer advice read more

The best churros I've ever had. And keep in mind, I'm from Southern California! Rally sweet staff as well.