Was not blown away for the amount of hype I have heard and seen about this place. Tacos were decent at best, ate at the bar because it was so packed and the service was far from attentive. I rarely pass on a second beer, but when the pint is empty long enough to finish the meal its time for the check. I would give it a second shot but was not impressed enough to go out of my way to return. read more

Last night (early September, about 9 pm) in the back patio of Calexico we were treated by not just cockroaches climbing the wall (which should have been our first sign that things have gone downhill there this summer), but some sort of rodent running back and forth through the tables not just briefly, but the entire time we were there. Despite telling the waitress and management, their only response was "sorry." They didn't react in any way to get rid of the rodent. It was either a very large mouse or a rat. It seemed to know the lay of the land -- this was clearly not its first time there, and the very nice waitress admitted they have been trying to get rid of the pests this summer. It doesn't seem like they're doing a very good job. We didn't get our food or even our one beer apiece comped, despite my personally not being able to finish my food while a rat was running around the patio. We rushed out as quickly as we could. It was, quite frankly, horrifying. They lost three loyal delivery customers. I cringe to think about the conditions of their kitchen, if the rodents and roaches are bold enough to roam freely through the dining area and management doesn't do anything about it. read more

The burritos were above-average (behind Taco Chulo and Mole, in my opinion)**** and the wings were outstanding. The wings are rich in flavor, with a hint of heat, but not overpowering, and come with top-shelf blue cheese. It's worth repeating - the blue cheese is seriously top-shelf - not your typical blue cheese dressing that comes with wings, but legit blue cheese. The fact that this place has such good wings and delivers growlers of beer makes this a strong delivery option during football season. **** Having had a few Mole burritos since I posted this, I'll say that Calexico is above them (but still behind Taco Chulo). . read more

Not sure how much I am in the writing mood right now so this will be a list of random bursts of phrases, etc. Cheap, tasty, beer-y! I will let the menu do the talking, but the price of most items at Calexico are really reasonable, considering the city that this is located in. You will not be biting your tongue ordering any items, so fire away and enjoy! I went here for the first time last week, and was incredibly surprised by this place, in the best possible way. Regulars know to ask for the Crack sauce, and my buddy, also a regular, had the sense to do so. Definitely request this sauce, it's good on anything! A slight spicey flavor which no doubt enhances a lot of tastes. I really appreciate the beer selection, whcih does pay hommage to the local micro-brewery, also as Six Point makes a Calexico Ale. Had a pitcher of this for $17, which is also pretty decent. Hipster scene is rampant, so be prepared. Somehow everywhere I turned, someone was drinking a Tecate, maybe it was a hipster thing? Last but not least, the food! I ordered a Pollo Asado burrito, which I could not have been happier with! My experience with most mexican places is that the beans are usually dry, with an even drier piece of chicken. However, at Calexico, au contraire! The first bite put me into flavor country, and I did not leave. Gobbled up every last piece, and for 8 bucks you definitely cannot go wrong! This spot may become another go to for me. Good job, Calexico! read more

I frequent Calexico mostly because it's close to home, and an easy meal. Would I venture out of my way to eat there? Not necessarily. But because it's an option, I do enjoy Calexico pretty often! I usually order online and pickup on the way home. But I've ordered delivery many a time, and also dined in once. I'm always pretty satisfied. My go-tos are the burritos (baja fish is my favorite, but I also like the pollo and asada and even just the bean), rolled quesadillas (steak, pollo), and the elote. When I'm feeling extra, I like to order the burrito wet also--mm. The portions are reasonable for the price--$10 a burrito, which usually lasts me 2 meals. Other items on the menu are ehhh. And if I didn't already figure out my usual orders, my rating might've lost a star. But it's a regular on my lunch and quick dinner grab rotation, so I can't complain! read more

First time at Calexico last night with my best friend, she's been a few times before and she's always talking about it. The food was great, the margaritas were bomb and the service was the highlight. Sean was our server and he was awesome! He was supper attentive and was handling other tables as well. I hope to return soon! read more

The food here has always been delicious and tasty but there has always been a long wait to get it. Don't go here if you are super hungry and want to eat right away, or order some simple appetizers. Vibe is part bar part restaurant. It gets more crowded and loud towards the later part of the night. If there is a wait, then ask if you can sit at the little table section by the bar. You'll have to order your food from the bar, but it's not a bad seating area and you won't have to wait for a table! read more

I am incredibly happy to have the delicious taste of the Calexico carts now in my own backyard. I found the Williamsburg and Greenpoint area to be a little lacking when it came to quality Mexican food, but then Calexico moved into the neighborhood and changed the game. The Carne Asada Burrito amazing, as are the chips and salsas and of course the Margaritas. Overall a very cool and hip new restaurant worth checking out and perfect for dates or group nights out before hitting the bars. read more

The grilled corn here is something to behold. Everytime I take a bite I have serious regrets because I know that eventually....it'll run out and my joy will be over. And then there's the tacos. I came here and tried the beer battered baja fish tacos and let me just say, the emotions I had for the grilled corn were coming back to me. The fish was crispy and well-complemented by the pineapple salsa and just made my mouth water. Highly recommend this place if you're a taco enthusiast! read more

Calexico is the best. Specifically this Greenpoint location. The only real reason I ever have for not going to Calexico is that I have only just eaten there the day before. Their quesadillas are amazing, the chipotle crack sauce is what I really look forward to. The recent smoky queso dip special is to die for. It's kind of dark in there, even in the day around lunch time, but thats all good. As for their takeout, I find that the quesadillas are what travel best. Never not happy with a meal at Calexico. read more

As a Greenpoint native I have gone to newly opened Calexico 2x and definitely recommend it! Wait time during rush hour dinner was only 15 minutes and every single person that works there is SO nice. Bartender JD was super friendly and chatted with us while we waited at the bar and had delicious margaritas. The wait staff is extremely attentive and very very friendly! Which is extremely refreshing. I had the Elote (roasted corn), super delicious. The Fish Torta (good, but be hungry if you order this!) and the Hongos Quesadilla, scrumptious mushroom mixture with greens and cheese. Go to Calexico! read more

HOLY GUACAMOLE! Their guac is the most amazing-mouth watering- deliciously-garlicky- tart guacamole I've ever tasted. I am still trying to recreate it at home. I've made my share of guac but this is by far, my fiancé and my favorite guacamole. The margaritas are delicious. I prefer them on the rocks, not frozen. We get the carne fries, ohhhhhhhhhh. There's nothing like them in the world. Shredded beef on top of French fries, with guac, beans, cheese, sour cream... WHAT THE WHATTTTTT? Please Caliexico, come to east Williamsburg so that I can live in your restaurant. Even though green point is a short bus ride away, you are too far away from me. Amazing food. Delicious. I already brought a bunch of friends there and they are hooked too. Looking forward to addicting more people! ;) Keep up the deliciousness! read more

1. Breezy backyard patio seating 2. Friendly staff 3. Killer nachos 4. Short distance from McCarren Park Pool done and done. read more

I can't think of one good reason why it should take 20 minutes to make a carne asada taco. And a pretty disappointing carnes asada taco at that. Maybe if they put the carne asada on some fries and made me some San Diego style goodness, I might be persuaded to come back. read more

The food here is pretty good, and not too expensive. Yes, you can get the same (if not better) food for less at a street cart, but this isn't a street cart. The service the two times I've been there was OK. Not super-great, but certainly nothing to complain about. I went there last night and had the elote (aka: corn on the cob). It was very tasty, but I must warn you: this IS NOT beard food. Hassids and Hipsters beware!!! I also had three tacos, all the vegetarian options. They were good, but kept falling apart. My date also had three tacos which also fell apart. I had tacos from the taco truck at Union Pool, and they double up on the corn tortilla -- good call! Calexico, double up on the corn tortilla so people don't have to eat tacos with a fork. All in all, this is a good place with some good food. Worth a shot! read more

I just bought a chipotle pulled pork burrito and it was absolutely disgusting! They did not bother cleaning the pork most of the meat in my burrito was pure fat . What a disappointment! I can't believe I paid 10 dollars for a burrito that tasted like 2 bucks. Never again! read more

Calexico - Greenpoint - This was the meat they put in my burrito ! Absolutely disgusting. All fat and the burrito was mostly rice. Such a disappointment - Mexican Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Nice garden. Enchiladas with leeks, onions and grilled corn were missing one thing- grilled corn. They brought some over after I alerted the waitress. Six Point beer was out of stock so they comped me a Negro Modelo- nice touch. Rice and beans also fresh tasting- but where is the umphhhhhhh. Food was fine overall, but lacked real Mexican espice! read more

Meh, here's the thing, I don't like 'classy Mexican food'. I feel like the best Mexican always comes from those little honky little restaurants with bad lighting and uncomfortable chairs. So yeah, I'm not the hugest Calexico fan because the decor is too nice, like it's trying too hard to be charming. But also- I've had the tacos here and they weren't too exciting. The fish taco had too much tortilla around it, ya know? Gringo was delicious- not sure what that says about my taste. Margs are just okay, a little pricey. A nice place for a cheap date, but an eh, "it's-in-the-neighborhood-I-guess-we'll-eat-here" kind of place. read more

I can't say enough good things about Calexico. This place seriously knows how to make California-Mexican food! I have some friends that live nearby their Greenpoint location and everytime we go out near their apartment I always want to eat here! The guacamole is fabulous, I would highly recommend it. Flavorful but simple. I would recommend ordering anything with the chipotle "crack" sauce on it. I honestly want to buy some of this sauce to use at home. I've gotten both the fish tacos and bean burrito, both are delicious. Portions are very filling and well worth the money. It's definitely a reasonably priced place. This location is often busy, but you can always get a drink at the bar while you wait. Might I recommend the $5 shot and a beer deal? Not super classy but it gets the night off to a good start ;) read more

I come here once a month-- I don't normally seat at the seating area more by the bar or the window spot. Mostly any time I come in it's packed and I can always find a spot with my friends at the bar. The bartenders are pretty cool and they make the drinks perfectly. If i could rate the bar area alone I would give it 5 stars. One of my friends recently wanted to go and she wanted a table-- there was a bit of a wait but nothing out of the norm. The waitress was beyond rude!! Took forever to get our water-- So I decided to ease her work load and head to the bar to order our drinks and pay from them at the bar so we wouldn't have to spend another 30 mins on that. The food took a long time to come out and it was cold. We didn't want to cause a problem since we knew nothing would change. The waitress looked like she doesn't like her job-- and this I can tell from previous experience I have seen her scream at a couple of people. I don't understand why the manager still keeps her around. The cherry on top was when she charged us for the drinks that I paid for at the bar!!! I told her that I went myself to get them and she called me a liar and that I was responsible for paying for my entire order--- Beyond rude.. I paid for the meal and the drinks i had at the and also left the receipt from the drinks i got at the bar. HORRIBLE! She should be signed up to a Customer Service class or just switch her job. Said that Calexico has to get a bad review based on the service of one waitress. read more

Rob Roy was probably a guy who drank a lot of Scotch. Actually wikipedia says he was indeed a Scottish folk hero with a last name of MacGregor. I guess that name didn't roll off the drunken tongue. At Calexico they serve this drink with a bit of Tamarind and bitters. It's quite good. That with guac and chips make an excellent appetizer while waiting for your table. The hostess sold us on various types of tacos, and she was rather persuasive in her story. Eventually we gave up waiting and decided to order at the bar. Quickly I ordered up some rice & beans, with a tofu taco & cactus one too. These huge humungous tacos came out and I realized I ordered too much. Well have to eat 'em anyway I guess. The place has great food and great drinks, definitely stop by if you're on the edge of greenpoint! read more

I work in the neighborhood, so this is a lunch review! Working in the Nassau area of Greenpoint leaves one with one or two great lunch options and a handful of tolerable ones. I'm glad that Calexico opened up for lunch. The plantain chips with chipotle peanut sauce were gratis, and they were a welcome surprise. I never would have thought of the two flavors together in that sauce and they're really delicious. It sounds like one of those things you see someone make on a cooking show but never get to actually try... The burrito was delicious, and the house fries were some of the best fries I've had. I wish there was a lunch special combo with smaller portions for a few dollars less. If there was, I'd be back here for lunch a lot more often. For now, it's when I want to treat myself, but you can be assured that if there's a lunch combo I'd make it one of my once a week spots. read more

The boyfriend and I were visiting my best friends, and we stopped in for tacos before hitting a bar. They were meh. To be fair, we're from the Bay Area, and we're used to El Molino and El Farolito, and these tacos just don't compare. They weren't terrible, they were just very bland. The bartender was very nice though :) read more

Did I smother my mushroom-y quesadilla in crack sauce? Did I devour yet another elote, after swearing off cheesy corn because I look like I'm conducting some sort of ancient animal sacrifice? Did I relish every artery-constricting moment of it? Yes yes yes. Did I get told I would be seated in 30 minutes and wait nearly an hour? Also yes. Long waits and paying twice as much as I would in Arizona kills me. Mexican food in New York, get yourself together so I can stop ordering Thai takeout every other day and stuff my face with burritos and tacos and guacamole instead. read more

After suffering repeated blows to my gastrointestinal system at the hands of the pathetic excuse of a Mexican joint known as Papacitos, I was excited and relieved to hear about the opening of Calexico in Greenpoint. Wary of being burned to the tune of fifty or so bucks, I waited a few weeks before venturing in and seeing what all the fuss was about. I'm happy to report that Greenpoint has a new king of Mexican food. When my ladyfriend and I arrived at 9:30pm on a Sunday, we were surprised to find a throng of well-dressed 25-35s milling about in the open area near the bar. Fearful of a long wait time, even at this late hour, we were unsurprised to be given a 25m wait time. The host informed us that the bar was first-come, fist-served, and that we could eat there if we wanted. Since the couple on the end was signing their bill, we figured why not. It was late on Sunday and I had to get up at the ass-crack of dawn. We quickly order a pair of delicious margaritas and got to work on the menu. Mercifully limited in size and yet full of creative dishes, the menu was surprisingly inexpensive. The long wait at the nearby take-out counter suggested that the locals weren't afraid to shell out for some solid late night grub. We ordered two tacos a piece as well as a side of plantains. Before long, a bowl of plantain chips arrived, briefly confusing us. Soon enough, our tacos and proper plantains arrived. The plantains themselves were perhaps the low point of the evening: sweet and warm, they lacked any truly memorable qualities. The tacos on the other hand, were absolutely delicious. I cannot recommend the Baja Fish taco enough. My carnivorous companion gave top marks to the beef and pulled pork tacos. Another pair of margaritas later and we were on our way. While I'm not sure I received the full Calexico experience (on account of eating at the bar), I nevertheless feel qualified to give Calexico my full support. Scrumptious food, a lovely atmosphere, and an attentive wait staff made my first trip here world spreading the word about. EDIT: Since writing this review, I have since visited Calexico no less than a half-dozen times. Several months down the road, Celexico continues to be great. I've tried most of what's on the menu, and only the corn quesadilla has disappointed me The new back garden is sparse but pleasant. read more

Popped in for a bite and a beer and it is damn good. Most of the dishes looked great but I went for enchiladas. Portion size was great and the meat was tender but what really makes it (and most of the entrees, from what I can tell) is their house made sauces. The salsas and red and green sauces were phenomenal. I'd order them by the gallon if I could. Beer selection is solid and moderately priced and the interior is charming without being pretentious. read more

The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars (and the only reason we don't go more often) is because they severely overcharge for margaritas and side condiments. We know the prices in Greenpoint (we live two blocks away) and we're fine with shelling out some extra cash for quality food, but $9 for a rock glass of margarita and $1 for a side of sour cream that should come with the meal... well, that's just a new level of price-gouging. Even though their margaritas are "real", not the gross mix kind, they should be a full pint size for that price. The bartenders and take out counter staff are stellar. All of them. Real quality, friendly professionals. There used to be a very eager hostess who would attack you at the door with an ear to ear smile, but I think that's because there was a hovering manager who was constantly scoping the staff for perfection. He tried not to show customers, but I could see he was overbearing. Fortunately, I haven't seen him or the hostess the last few times. The food always falls in the good range, but fluctuates from pretty good to very good. They make a tofu asado burrito for me, even though it's not on the menu, and I appreciate that a great deal. My husband and our friends have enjoyed every meal ordered, but all our local friends feel the same about the prices. They only eat here when the mood strikes to blow some money. I will say, Calexico food has a unique taste that puts it in a separate category from most Mexican food. That's probably what makes them so popular (so loud and crowded on weekends that we do take out if it's fri-sun). So, there are times when I'm "craving Calexico"; not craving Mexican food... craving Calexico. read more

Why do people love this place???!!! I don't get it!!! It's just not good. Plus, it's such a lame wanna be cool scene in there it's like a joke. If that's the scene you want go around the corner to Five Leaves where you can at least have some good food to go along with your hype. And the crack sauce--mayonnaise with chipotle. Nothing special, move along read more

Chips and guac. A pollo burrito. Extra crack sauce. Oh, sorry, I thought this is where you order. Review stands. read more

Victoria is the a pleasure to deal with. Polite, friendly, a complement to the establishment and part of a great set up in Greenpoint for Calexico read more

I am a huge fan of mexican food and this restaurant is by far my favorite!..The corn on the cob is a must..my entire table ordered them. The guacamole was pretty good also. For dinner I ordered the pork quesadilla, it was a large portion and came with their "crack" sauce which is a little spicy and absolutely delicious! If you like spicy try their jalapeño mojito! Overall the prices are inexpensive and the service was great! Can't wait to return! read more

Spending a night in the city with my bestest of friends, I let her have the pick of places that we will visit for food, drink, and generalized merriment. Trusting her best judgement, I let her take me from the Upper East Side to Greenpoint for Mexican food. I am fairly sure we could've stopped at about 75 places in between for Mexican, but this was the place she was raving about. This place was awesome, and if I lived in the neighborhood it would easily become a regular go-to spot. The food was outstanding. The guacamole was perfectly done to my liking, with delicious homemade chips that were plentiful. The chipotle pork quesadilla was mouthwatering good. My friend kept insisting I get it, and I was going to try something else, but dang I'm glad I didn't. I was nice and crisp on the outside, with warm gooey cheese, perfectly seasoned pork, and hints of crunchy tangy pickled onion mixed in. Phenomenal. I would love to go back to try their other meats. The drink I got--Jalapeno mint margarita--was also perfect. I was very happy with my selection: quite spicy, with the hit of fresh mint and pretty generous on the tequila. The mango margarita my friend had was too sweet for my liking, but if you like sweet, it was good. Other little things that made this place great: cool relaxed atmosphere, carton of hot sauces on the table, cheap food (honestly was surprised by how affordable it was for a generous portion), and attentive service. Does not take reservations and can get crowded, but easy to wait at the bar with one of those amazing margaritas. NEED to come back. read more

This place is what you call a disappointing Mexican experience. I've never had such bland food in my entire life! The tacos aren't that satisfying and neither are the portions. However the drinks are okay here an so is the service. Hence why I gave them to stars. If you looking for quality food please do yourself a favor and visit Acapulco restaurant on clay street and manhattan Ave. read more

I haven't been this excited about a burrito in a long time, so thank you Calexico for showing me that Mexican food ain't just about the chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas. I got the pork burrito and it was perfection. A rich flavor, lots of meat, perfectly cooked rice, great sauce that oozed everywhere, and just enough cheese...this is what sueños are made of. At $12, it's not exactly cheap but neither is it a rip-off, though the undressed tortilla chips that came alongside the burrito were a bit of a let down. Oh! Also the fries I stole from my friend's plate were delicious, mmm. I would love to go back and try some cocktails when I'm feeling less cheap and possibly try more items from the menu although I really just want that pork burrito again--don't judge! read more

Went for happy hour, margaritas were great and so was the service. Great environment and will definitely go back to try other stuff on the menu! read more

Stopped in after dance class for a drink the other day and this place was busyyyyy. Luckily the bar area is open for grabs and we found 4 seats. I had their frozen margarita and it was so good - so good I am pretty sure I got 3 brain freezes sucking it down. Haha I didn't order food but my friends did and it looked great. I did try a bit of the guacamole and it was delicious. Also - all the good came out lighting fast. It was pretty impressive. I can't wait to come back and try that fish taco.... Looked so good. read more

Great late night meal. We arrived to our hotel pretty late at night and were looking forward to venturing out and grabbing a bite to eat before settling in. Our hotel gave us a list of restaurants in the area, but a lot of them were already closed (it was about midnight and by the time we would get anywhere it would be after). We short listed to the few options we had available and decided on Calexico. Not sure if we were extremely hungry or tired from the flight, but had a great experience here with good food and good service! The restaurant was pretty busy for the time with most of it's tables full. They had a bunch of drink specials going as well. We stuck to mainly food and the standout for us was the Elote - grilled sweet corn with a lime mayo, sour cream, cilantro, chile powder and cheese. We had a similar dish at another restaurant also in Brooklyn (never had/seen it outside of NYC before!) but this one was our favourite. read more

Check out the nachos. So delicious! I always have to split it because it's plenty. Good strong 2 for 1 hh drinks! One of the top Mexican spots in Greenpoint. read more

Decent food, their special sauce is very good. Could be so much better. Hoping for some creative Mexican inspired food on this side of Greenpoint sometime soon. read more

Man I really wanted to like my experience. I got there and was greeted by 2 very nice greeters who told me it would be about a 1/2 hour wait which was perfect since I wanted to go to the bar anyway. It was a bit crowded but the crowd was very chill. My girl and I got the text that our table was ready in about 20 or so minutes. We had a very nice waitress who just had a calm about her so, so far so good. We ordered the chips with guacamole to start. After eating the dip we still had a bunch of chips left and one of the busboys asks to remove the plate which we said no. This dude walks away and then after like 30 seconds walks past our table and swipes the chips from the table. Who does that? But whatever, worse things in life than someone taking my chips. My girl got the Pork Grits and I got the the fish tacos and watercress salad. The grits were way to salty and we really should have said something but didn't. She was eating it not me but I tried it and yes it was very salty. My tacos were okay, not great. I've had better but whatever. The salad was amazing. So I'm eating from my sale bowl and granted there wasn't much in the bowl but the fork is literally in my mouth and this same busboy walks up to our table and grabs my bowl while my fork is in my mouth. I looked at him like 'what he hell are you doing?' and he then put it down. What's up with this guy? That kind of ruined it for us and at that point we were over the place. I don't know if it was the manager or whatever but some other guy came to us clearing our table and asked how was everything. I didn't want to be a dick but he asked so I told him about the chips and that one of our dishes was really salty. I really said it in a way that wasn't offensive at all but this guy acted like he was annoyed like why was I telling him this. Next five minutes this guy drops a plate of chips on our table and walks away without saying anything, like we were complaining or something. I said we don't need chips now since we're done eating and again I'm trying to be nice since there's far worse things in life but he didn't really seem interested at all. The waitress came by and wrapped the chips up for us, she was very nice so that saved the night and hence the 2 stars but between the bus boy and the salty food plus the weird chip thing, I'm not sure I'd come back, maybe for drinks. Note to anyone who's a server, ask before you take someones plate, don't just take it or make people feel like they have a crazy time limit. I understand if people are lingering for an hour with nothing on their table and it's crowded but we were there no more than a 1/2 hour or less. Also, if you ask your table how was everything? Listen to them and value their feedback. There's a difference between people who are looking for something for free and people who are simply giving you an answer to your question. If you can't handle constructive criticism don't ask those kinds of questions. FYI, the chips they gave us I made sure to give it to a homeless person so at least that happened. read more