Been here several times, never disappointed. It's the place I recommend to people visiting. I've never had to wait very long, the food is great; I love the guac and jerk chicken dishes. I can't complain. I've also heard the margaritas are great but I haven't tried them yet read more

Not terrible. And not very Mexican. It's the kinda thing your sweet, white grandma might make from a recipe in a magazine. The ingredients are good quality, but the food is nothing special. Enchiladas were mushy and bland, flavored with a hint of cumin and some salt. The beans are flavorless, and I'm not even sure what to do with the sour cream as this is meant to cool the palate, but there's nothing that gives heat. Anyway, I would come back when I'm feeling like expensive white people food. Oh, and they don't give you chips or salsa, which is sorta standard. Pretty sure that this isn't really worth $20 for a lunch. read more

Alto Cinco - Chicken enchiladas after a bite. - Mexican Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Alto Cinco is easy to locate and fairly decent restaurant. I tried the chicken salad and was very satisfying and had good portion for the price . But this place lacks in good alcoholic cocktails and the one that I ordered was decent but not how any other good bar would serve. You could easily get a table to eat without reservation , even on weekends . read more

Food is lacking in flavor, it qualifies as a shadow of Mexican cuisine. Service is friendly but slow. Food was served Luke warm and clearly had Been sitting ready to be served for at least 10 min. 2 stars for friendly atmosphere and polite staff. read more

Amazing bar service, Drink menu is extensive and the food is consistently delicious! Highly recommend!

What an awesome find! Husband and I stopped here for a late late bite to eat and a brew. Loved the vibe! When you walk in there is a take out counter and room 2 is a cozy little bar and beyond that 2 rooms for seated dining. Dimly lit, warm, funky cool! Huge burritos and the best corn bread ever! Very reasonably priced too. Bartender was great...he let me sample some of the on tap brews till I found what I liked. Will absolutely come here again when in Syracuse! read more

Good customer service and drink selection. I had chicken quesadillas little salty but it was fresh. Wild come back here again. read more

Alto Cinco - Chicken quesadillas. It was good but away too salty. - Mexican Near Me - Syracuse, New York

My go-to place! Great options for vegetarian and non- vegetarian. My personal favorites are the Mexican Pizza, Texas Fries, Nachos, Cornbread and Quessadilla. read more

Been going here for years. This place is a must visit, vegan and vegetarian friendly. Great bar, great table service, great food, great drinks, great staff! Highly recommend trying the sweet potato fries! read more

I use to live in Syracuse and enjoyed Alto Cinco. I just went back for the first time in years and was disappointed. I ordered a BBQ tofu burrito with a side of rice and beans and corn bread. The food was quite simple, arriving with a squirt of bbq sauce on top of a rolled burrito. Not much fresh veggies or ingredients inside and was very sauce heavy. For what the food is, the prices are very high. I've eaten at Mexican restaurants around the country and this place is pricy. I paid almost $30 for a glass of wine and a burrito. read more

Hooray, the guac is back! Good food but it is fairly inconsistent. You never get the food made the same way twice. Appreciate the vegan options though!! read more

Been here couple of times now. Foods always good, although a bit pricy. Got the soft shell tacos with shrimp with a salad and steam veggies. Boy those tacos were on point. A great combination of sweet and savory with a kick that work very nicely with the shrimp. they toast the shells so that it isn't limpy soft like a wrap nor is it hard like a hard shell. Overall very good food. Service very friendly but very slow. I'd avoid sitting outside. They don't spray it with insect sprays or have anything that deters like any bugs. We had many moths. In fact, I think I saved a present for whomever gets the menu I got . I managed to preserve the wing structure without spilling too much of its guts. During our meal, we also got attacked by a gigantic moth. Must've been like 2-3 inches in wingspan. He/It just kept tackling us and trying to go for the food. Once we managed to get it trapped underneath the table, he/it started to tackle our legs... Thought it was quite an unique experience. read more

Y U GOTTA PUT CINNAMON IN YO BEANZ? I was nibbling on my "Cinco Special", recommended by a Syracuse grad and Alto Cinco fan, when it struck me that there was something very odd about the quesadilla. Yes, the rice was a weird texture and there was no way you could call this Mexican food. But then I tasted the Cinnamon and became slightly appalled. Every bite after that was Cinnamon overload and could hardly take it. I tasted the breaded catfish in the catfish burrito and it was an interesting idea, but I really can't get past the fact that it is breaded...and served with mayo. Apparently Syracuse doesn't have much to offer in the way of food, but I really just can't justify giving this place a higher rating. The interior is very pleasant, and I could see myself enjoying some relaxing beers and maybe an appetizer, but I think it would be worth the long drive to NYC to get some decent vittles in me. read more

Why did I think I would find good Mexican food in Syracuse? That's like saying I'll find a pair of Louboutins in Forever21 - impossible. Was in Syracuse this past weekend for commencement weekend for my sister and we decided on Alto Cinco for dinner. Bad choice? Yes. Reason 1: Why am I paying 10 dollars for a scoop of black beans, brown rice, steamed spinach, chips & salsa, a smidgen of salad and some guacamole? Reason 2: The sour cream in my burrito didn't even taste like sour cream. Reason 3: Initially, we were going to dine in but the wait was 45 minutes. This place is RIDICULOUSLY small. Reason 4: Staff seemed a little...off. Reason 5: They're vegan and it's Mexican food. See the problem? Thank goodness I'm never going to Syracuse again. read more

My husband and I stopped in for dinner on Tuesday night for the first time in over a year and I can confidently say we will NEVER be returning. The food was fine and I have always loved the atmosphere of the restaurant but our server was the worst we have encountered in over a decade...that is saying something. We had a young lady with dark hair waiting our table and from the start she was extremely impatient with us. When she brought out our food I was given the wrong plate and after saying so she insisted that I was wrong and that what she had was what I had ordered. I kindly asked her to take it back and after rolling her eyes she took the plate back. As she left the table myself and my husband clearly heard her mutter "senile bi***". Never in my life have I felt so disrespected by a server. We will never return. read more

The service is really bad. The waiters do not acknowledge you, they do not serve you, they do not attend to you until and unless you lose patience, get up and confront someone. Although their food is good they should do something about treating their customers well. read more

We came here after someone had recommended it to us. They said they had a chile rolano burrito that was good. The décor is cool and they have outside seating. Your meal does not come with free chips and salsa. I had the chicken burrito with a side if ride and beans. My boyfriend had the jerk chicken tostada. Both were alright nothing really special. I also had the white sangria which was pretty good. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed with this one. I still feel The Mission restaurant in Syracuse is the best Mexican place in this area by far! read more

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My previous review got deleted. I'm not sure why, but perhaps my language was too colorful. Let me simplify. The food here is fine. Not great, not bad. Just totally alright. They got 1 star because they have an almost full stock of rude employees, aside from 1 guy, who was nice when he took our order. The staff / owners tried to start a fight with my friend one night. I'm not going to bore you with details, but let's just say that there was absolutely no reason for them to confront us. They were all hammered... Simple as that. I'd never go into this place again, and I'm sure they could care less. read more

Mi Cinquito, what a fabulous 13 years we've had. This is a young, hip, artsy burrito joint. Don't believe anything else you hear. I often take out-of-town guests here. The food is Tex-Mex and vegetarian-friendly since birth. They also serve fried catfish and can make anything with chicken. Favorite menu items: chips and guacamole, catfish tacos, catfish burrito, soup, Tex-Mex salad, Barry salad in the summer. The brunch menu is good too. They have excellent beers on draft. And it's the best place in town for wine by the glass. The wines are superb and value priced. The space is brightly painted. The bar is copper. The servers and especially the kitchen staff are cute and hip. There's lots of funky decor. It's packed at 7 on weekends. I tended to go at off hours, either late lunch, lunch-at-3:30pm, late dinner, or late brunch. Lunchtime during the week isn't bad either. You can order at the register for take-out or and to sit at the counter. You can also order beer or wine from the bar and drink it at the counter. The bar is free-for-all. In the dining room, there's table service. Speak to the bartender to be seated. I must have eaten here 500 times. read more

One star for the service. Horrible! Not only did our food come out in an hour, but our snooty waiter forgot our appetizer! He didn't even stop by once during the meal to ask if everything was going well. Mind you, we sat a table away from the door/kitchen, and he was passing by us constantly and attending to everyone else but us! I wish I had gotten his name...When we finished our meal, another waiter (who appeared much friendlier) came to take our plates away and asked if we wanted anything else. Once we paid for the meal...lo and behold, our original snooty waiter came to take it! And he didn't even say a word or make eye contact with us. Ughh! The food was good. It's not authentic Mexican food, but the catfish burrito was very tasty. Skip on the jerk chicken entree; nothing special about that dish. The restaurant is small, but very charming with its decor. However, because of the service I received, or lack thereof, at Alto Cinco, I will most likely not be returning. I will opt for the take-out counter where at least my food will be promptly ready and possibly receive better service! read more

My wife and I have always loved this place but we're beginning to tire of it since they've expanded. It's an hour wait every time you go. The bar is always packed but there are usually empty tables in the dining area. The service is downright bad. You have to wait 20 mins for a waiter to even bring you water. I watched our waiter stand around in the back drinking coffee while all the tables around us were waiting for their food / drinks. Now that I'm done complaining, here is why I still love the place: The restaurant is a charming little place tucked away on a street near SU. They have excellent drinks and a good beer selection. Mostly very good food with fresh ingredients. Also the waiters usually comp you appetizers or drinks when you give them an indication you're annoyed with the service. Alto Cinco still holds a special place in my heart but I think they need an experienced restaurant manager to remedy their service problems. read more

Great service, great host. Ok food, nothing special, but not bad. They're drinks are not skimpy, the margaritas will hit home. thanks for a good family meal. read more

The food was pretty good, and probably really inspired, but I didn't notice because a $10 burrito is never ok. Disclaimer -- Taco Bell sucks. Forgive me, but given the choice I'll take a burrito from TB that's 50% as good as Alto, feeds me 90% as much, for 13% of the cost. read more

Their new app amongst covid is really awful, wait time is atrocious and food subpar - we ended up going to Margaritas Mexican cantina - their food is so much better, authentic, delicious ceviche and they are super fast!! Prob will never go to Alto again because this place is too good. read more

Alto always delivers on the comfort food, very dependable, great beer selection--generally up and coming cocktail spot. Bearded bartender Mike is kind, quiet and attentive, has great suggestions, able to whip up a drink on the spot. Always trust him to make me something delicious, even if it's not on the menu. One of my favorite bartenders in Syracuse, one of my favorite restaurants. read more

I know a lot of people who really love coming here so I really wanted to love the place, but unfortunately I can only say that I think the food here is just ok. The first two times I had their food was through delivery, and both of those times the food was not so good. Part of that may have to do with my expectations vs. the reality. I was expecting Mexican food, which I know well having moved here from CA. However, the food really isn't Mexican. For example, their rice is not Mexican rice, it is yellow Spanish rice. Here are a few other things I didn't like: The chicken tacos have this weird vinegar-like sauce on them that is just overpowering; when you get anything topped with sauce such as a "smothered" burrito or enchiladas, the sauce is baked into the food (likely because they don't put much on) which leaves it dry and without much flavor from the sauce; I find their chicken somewhat bland, and finally, they don't have refried beans which I love to eat with burritos, tacos, and rice. Because I have friends who like it here I have given them a few chances to redeem themselves after the first two bad experiences, and those experiences were ok, especially because I knew what to expect this time. I have liked their catfish tacos, and I also like their margaritas and cocktails. I think their menu is slightly overpriced for the quality of food, especially for the Syracuse area. The service is good, and the staff are friendly. Like I said, I know a lot of people who love the food here. Perhaps it just doesn't fit my personal palate. read more

This place is small and cramped, a little uptighty on the vegetarian, hipster scale. There's also a long wait, and don't expect arm room. My four friends and I were squished in to a corner that I wasn't sure if it was a table spot just a crevice created by an open door. One good note? When I ate here with some friends, there was so much eye candy of skinny tattooed boys I did not know existed in Syracuse. That was a delight. But take this from someone who isn't a huge fan of vegetarian or Mexican food. First off, this place is expensive - but it's Syracuse, decent (not even good) food will be expensive. Secondly, there's a lot of choices for vegetarians, vegans - Alto Cinco caters towards the ESF/environmentally friendly cloud. However, I have to give Alto Cinco this credit: I may not like Mexican food - but I LOVE catfish tacos. I was so glad I went for this choice. It's a good combination of crispy and salty, nothing too overbearing with too many ingredients. The flavor was right on fresh. Drinks are good - we shared delicious sangria that had an alcoholic twang, not just watered down juice. I mean, it's a trek from campus, yet I prefer this over Chipotle, although not necessarily over Syra-juice - which has erratic opening times. But for a date - There's a lovely night atmosphere with candles and blurry lights amongst the Westcott crowd. read more

(I should concede that my review may be slightly biased upwards by 4-year-college nostalgia propulsion. But on a recent trip through the city, I stopped in, and loved every second of my afternoon visit.) I see a bit o bitchin in the below reviews, so let me tell it to you straight. Alto Cinco is at the top of the food chain for eateries in Syracuse. Period. It happens to have a veg and vegan flair, but that's no impediment. It happens to have limited bar and mastication space, but so what? It's not the size that counts, it's how you wiggle your worm. It happens to be a wee bit pricey, but that follows as a semi-effect of its petiteness, and more fundamentally it just comes with the territory. If you don't like the prices, go somewhere else. The service, it must be admitted, is fine, not great. And this has been mentioned by other reviewers, but apparently it requires reiteration: this is not Mexican food, nor is it Tex Mex, it is ALTO CINCO food, enough said. So what about the food? My top pick is the Chile Relleno burrito, but all of the specialty burritos are scrumptious (to be completely frank, I think Syrajuice had the best Burrito until recently - I hear management has changed) but I also appreciate the large-serving salads. My girlfriend and I would typically get a burrito or substantial entree and a salad and split them. This is in my opinion the optimal to go Alto. Of course, you cannot forget the superb cornbread. Then there are the libations: excellent selection of brews (always a few good ones on tap), excellent coffee, wine. Even their breakfast is super solid, with a surprising range of options. I just love and miss this place. read more

If you go into Alto Cinco expecting authentic Mexican food, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. HOWEVER... what they've got goin' on is pretty darn good. Fiancé and I, both hailing from the University area at separate points in our lives, decided to stop in on a whim as we were in the neighborhood. I hadn't been to Alto Cinco in at least five years, but it was always a go-to spot as a college-aged vegetarian (hello, BBQ tofu burrito). Having since given in to the carnal delights of seared animal flesh, I had the catfish burrito. It was certainly tasty, but I had serious entree envy when the fiancé ordered the grilled shrimp burrito... oh my goodness. Both were served with a salad of field greens and a hunk of cornbread. My meal was accompanied by a Rogue Chipotle Ale, which the server allowed me to sample before ordering, pointing out that it was either a "love it" or "hate it" kind of beer (obviously, I fell into the former category). I've always managed to hit Alto Cinco during non-peak hours, but even when the tables (and there aren't many, hence the four-star review) are full, sitting at the bar has always been a fine alternative. Overall, our experience was great. I have a feeling we'll be making the trek out to Westcott Street more often! read more

Wish I didn't even have to leave as a star as they deserve 0. Lived on Westcott for 3 years and had to settle for Alto Cinco a few times. Food is decent, won't take that away from them but the staff is horrible. They pride themselves on having vegan options, being a vegetarian for 5 years I was so excited when I first learned about them upon moving to Westcott. Yet on my first visit I ordered a vegan burrito & discovered pieces of meat. Hadn't realized till a couple of bites in and once I saw the meat I was horrified. As a serious vegetarian who abhors meat i was so devastated. Went back to Alto Cinco with my order and they had no compassion, no understanding, nothing. They acted as if I was bothering them by being upset. Now that I moved out of the area i will never spend a penny on them and always advise friends NOT to visit Alto Cinco. Please hire a brand new friendly staff and Alto Cinco has some serious potential. read more

I love Alto Cinco. There isn't a bad option on the menu! From the fiesta salad to the catfish burrito to their dinner entrees. A really cool hip but family friendly atmosphere. read more

I came here on a Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend and his mom. The food was above average and the service was just average. It is a funky unique vibe that's unique to the area. We started off with the chips, Guac, and salsa. The Guac was amazing, salsa was eh. The chips were EXTREMELY salty, we literally saw clumps of salt on them. We had asked for more and those were better but still too salty. We also had margaritas, which were a little too bitter, but not bad at all. A little pricey for the area. My boyfriend and his mom had the shrimp burrito, which I tried and it was amazing. Pretty spicy. The shrimp were large and delicious. They were cooked perfectly. I had a shrimp quesadilla. It's not on the menu, but I was in the mood for one so I had asked them to substitute it for the jerk chicken quesadilla. It was pretty good, the only thing is that I felt that the shrimp should have been cut up in it, rather than large pieces of it making the balance of cheese and shrimp uneven. I would order it again, the pineapple salsa was excellent. Overall the food was great. The service was par. The food didn't take too long, and our waitress was friendly. But, the host was very rude and the waitress didn't really greet us correctly, or tell us their specials, which we found off putting. The bartender was really nice. Overall, I would definitely come back when we are in town again! read more

I was stoked, I mean STOKED to find a place where (I thought) my kid sister (family carnivore) and I could enjoy a meal while I deposited her for the year at SU. Walking distance from her dorm, vegan friendly (which I need) blah blah blah. I guess i should say I'm vegan because I eat fruit and vegetables, not 'cause I eat tofu and fake meat. Whatever. There was 1 vegan salad, I figured the rest'd be easily modified, but no. The next time I want to wait 2 hours to eat a bowl of spinach with a tablespoon of other "salad" ingredients on it ... I'll just go to the supermarket. I hate giving vegan friendly places bad reviews, but the food was unremarkable and the service was WAY less than desirable. I won't be back, and I doubt my sister and her roomie would even order takeout...since they could go to the store, get back, and cook before the food would likely even arrive. read more

Food was actually pretty good. That being said, the service was absolutely horrendous. We waited ten minutes at the bar watching the bartenders texting before anyone even acknowledged us and then another ten before we had a drink. We sat At the table for 15 minutes before we saw a server. We ordered apps and then entrees, all of which arrived at the table at the same time. Of all the employees we encountered, not one greeted us with a smile or attempted to make conversation or act hospitable in any way. I've worked in the industry for many years and this type of service is ridiculous. All in all it made for a very unpleasant experience. read more

I used their app to order seven burritos and some sides for a small gathering. I did not find a field for special instructions, so after the order was placed, we called and asked if they could cut them in two, for health/social distancing reasons. Not only did they do it, they labeled each one and presented them beautifully. As always the food is delicious, service was quick, efficient, safe and friendly. read more

The good: the food is delicious. I love the American-Spanish fusion. Anything jerk chicken is amazing. The bad: the service is VERY slow. Early Sunday night: it took our server 15 minutes to get our drinks and it took almost an hour to get food. The service was not cold though-management is awful, not the servers- not enough people on staff. The ugly: the other patrons were extremely obnoxious. Hispterlicious. Example: 2 people staying at a 4 person table for over an hour- ordering 2 drinks each while the bar has room and many people are waiting to be seated. It's also very crowded- your restaurant obviously does well- why don't you expand? It's not charming, it's bad business. The bottom line: food is good, but I need to be inebriated to deal with everything else about this place. read more

1st time here and didn't live up to the hype. Service was incredibly slow snd lacking to us 5 moms on a night out. Chips, salsa and guac were good but can't imagine how hungry we would have been if we didn't order this as an appetizer. Our food took at least 40 minutes to arrive. A dining companion asked for sour cream and never received it. Our food came out without the sour cream or guac we ordered. Someone's salad was missing the dressing. Two of us ordered the shrimp quesadillas and though decent wouldn't order again. We both thought the menu it said it came with beans and rice but it was only filled with cheese and shrimp- too boring. I looked at menu online at home and it describes as served but I swear their physical menu states differently. read more

Alto Cinco is a place that everyone recommends as a must try in Syracuse. But the food is okay. I usually order the chicken and bean burrito, which is okay. It doesn't have that much flavor for pick up. No matter what they tell you how long it will take for your order add 15-20 minutes past that. The last time I ordered from here, I was standing waiting for 20 minutes before they even started making my burrito. The brunch, on the other hand, is a different story. The huevos ranchero is very tasty. I usually get a side of avocado slices. The fattiness of the avocado pairs really well with the sauce and black beans. read more

Alto Cinco, how I miss you... every time I am back in Syracuse I try to fit a trip in. I love the people, the atmosphere, and most importantly, the food. The burritos are epic (try the barbeque tofu or the catfish). Actually, anything catfish here is pretty much guaranteed to be good. The jalapeno cornbread is some of the best I've ever had. read more

I am mildly obsessed with Alto Cinco. That may be an understatement. The jalapeno cornbread, I think, is on my list of best cornbread ever. Followed closely by the grilled blue cornbread at Empire and the cornbread at Maxie's in Ithaca. But I digress. Favorites: California burrito (which has guac and roasted red peppers) with brown rice, on a whole-wheat tortilla. Chile relleno (breading and frying a pepper and covering it with cheese? Okay, twist my arm). Veggie special burrito is also good, so is the jerk chicken but I rarely stray from the California. The side salad is standard fare but the lime-y dressing on it is SO GOOD (and I don't usually like dressing). The servers are usually hilariously awkward but very friendly and accommodating (and apologetic if something goes wrong). They have a pretty good selection of beer and the burritos are huge (I usually end up eating half and bringing the other home, since the cornbread and salad are filling). Nachos are also legit here. Have not tried the slightly intimidating sticky sesame candies that come with the check...I'm afraid I might lose a tooth. In general, remember that this is not REALLY a Mexican restaurant. It's heavily vegetarian, very New Age-y hippie healthy Mexican-inspired food. But that may be why I like it so much. :) Oh, and don't try to come here with more than 4 people, and even that may be too many. The wait is long and the dining room is sooo small. read more