I really can't say too much good nor bad about Calexico - it was just A-OK, as the three-star review implies. The feel of the restaurant, both in terms of the staff and the clientele, is very Brooklyn; maybe that sounds like a stereotypical cop-out, but for someone who lives in one of the other boroughs, traveling to many parts of Brooklyn can feel a lot farther away than a couple miles, to which I'm sure many people can relate. The drinks were solid, especially the cucumber/grapefruit soda drink I tried. The food was good, but not great; with Mexican food especially, I feel like the restaurants that don't differentiate themselves with great food, whether it be based on authenticity, unique dishes, taste, or otherwise, just blend together. That is exactly how I felt leaving Calexico. If I was in the mood for Mexican and was not in the area, I certainly wouldn't consider coming to Calexico again, but in that moment, leaving TØRST and craving Mexican food, it was the perfect fit. read more

I don't write a whole lot of reviews, but I just looked at Calexico's Yelp page, and I am enraged over the 3.5* rating. And I see some people wrote that Chipotle is better? Shame on you! Calexico is amazing. You can taste the lime and the cilantro in the guacamole - it is fresh and delicious. After I'm done with a burrito bowl, I feel happy. Chipotle licks Calexico's dirty ass!!! read more

Calexico may be on Manhattan Avenue but it's not in Manhattan. The food is good but is it worth a trip to Brooklyn? It's definitely good but to be honest, I've had cheaper and better tacos at taco trucks in NYC. The prices were a bit of a surprise but not a complete shock. Greenpoint has become very expensive. It's no longer the gritty warehouse neighborhood it once was. The hipster influx, condos and development are growing, and the old timers are slowly disappearing. The Greenpoint neighborhood is charming but has issues - google "Meeker Avenue plumes" & learn about the toxic waste lurking beneath. But don't let that ruin your burrito or guacamole - which are quite delicious at Calexico! And you have to try the drinks, especially the non-alcoholic ones. The aguas fresca (literally "fresh waters" in Spanish) are excellent here. I tried the Hibiscus. It reminded me a little of one of my favorite Peruvian drinks - Chica Morada - for some reason. Sweet and refreshing - perfect for an autumn Indian summer night. read more

Our new favorite restaurant in Williamsburg! Great service and a cool atmosphere. The food was exceptional, my boyfriend says it was the most authentic Mexican food he's eaten in New York. He had the cheese quesadilla and the carne asada taco, I had the Cali burrito bowl. The best part: each table comes with a large selection of hot sauces. The food was very affordable and worth every penny. We will 1000% be coming back the next time we are in town. read more

A pretty trendy and happening spot considering it's located on a block that's still predominately Polish trying to hold onto their roots. I noticed that not all customers ate here. Some came in just to drink and socialize at the bar. I was told that it 's usually busy here so we were lucky that we didn't have to wait long for a table. The guac/chips were good. The corn was AMAZING! The pollo verde was really good but I thought the chicken was a tad dry. Prices were reasonable. Overall I really enjoyed my meal. read more

I have many West Coast friends that say they can't eat Mexican or Latin food in NY. While Calexico doesn't completely sway these West Coast naysayers, they are certainly a step in the right direction. I've been to Calexico on lunch dates, for dinner, late night, with small groups and large groups (difficult, but we went late night and they accommodated us by putting together a bunch of tables in the back), and the service has always been consistently good. The food has also always been above average. I've eaten or shared most of the menu there now and I have to say - STICK TO THE TACOS. They are really, really good. Unfortunately, the rest of the menu is somewhat middle of the road/above average. I discovered this after raving about this place to many of my friends, and they would order the burritos or enchiladas, and I have to say, they were disappointing (but only after considering how good the tacos were). Some of their apps are good as well although slightly pricey for elote corn ($4) and guacamole ($8). They cater to the American palate and also offer sandwiches which are good, but when I go to Calexico, all I want are the tacos! They have a long bar which you can eat at, and a good selection of mixed drinks as well. I'm not too big on sweet drinks, so you can ask that they make your drink a little less sweet if you share my preference. All in all, definitely worth going to if you are nearby, worth going a little out of your way, but maybe not as a destination unless you want to eat a dozen tacos ;p read more

I used to love Calexico - especially the one in Red Hook. I work in Long Island City so I started going to this one (usually for take-out). It was never quite as good but it was good enough. Yesterday was so disappointing that I think I am done with Calexico. First, the tacos were not tasty. The carne asada had good flavor but it was very fatty and I ended up spitting a bunch out. Tacos are not supposed to have lettuce and tomato unless your restaurant name is Taco Bell. When I came to pick up the food I asked if I could get an order of chips and salsa. Easily obliged. But a small order was shockingly seven dollars. Seven dollars for a small bag of chips and a small amount of salsa. I literally felt violated after I saw the bill. There are so many better places for Mexican food in the city and I will be going to them from now on. read more

I generally spend my days living in Greenpoint wishing that our brand new Calexico was actually a brand new brooklyn Chipotle location. That said, the food is decent (if not slightly overpriced) and the drink specials, beer list is tight. Like others have said, service is horrible, get the opinion that people working in the front of house are just doing it to somehow develop their street creds, and if that occasionally coincides with getting your order in under a half hour so be it I guessssss. UPDATE: four stars now mostly due to roommate's convincing, ""Hey, this isnt mexico, i'm glad it exists" -Jeff read more

Love this place!! The elote is sooooo good, you guys. I know you're probably supposed to use the second taco for a backup but I straight up made that taco into two. I got the carne asada and it was juicy juicy! That salsa is delicious, too, and the chips were hot and fresh. I love the atmosphere in here as well. Great vibe, attentive staff, clean place and delicious food! Go here if you get the chance. read more

Finally tried this place on the suggestion of several friends. Let me begin by saying I'm a burrito snob from the SF Bay Area, where the true concept of the burrito reigns supreme (and the super burrito was invented). I generally don't like burritos in NYC. Tacos are what I get when I get Mexican food, but burritos always fail to impress me here. That being said, this place makes one of the best burritos I've had in NYC. It's a sloppy mess of beans and rice and meat that have all been seasoned and stewed before being combined into a tortilla. Is it a little pricey? Yes. Is everything in this area overpriced? Just about. Deal with it. You moved to the most expensive city in the US. You should be used to it by now. And at $8 for a burrito, it's not even that overpriced. Is it the best Mexican food I've ever had? No. But it's more passable than that crap they reheat out of bags at Endless Summer, and it's about $4 cheaper than the equally passable food from Taco Chulo, my other neighborhood fave. i can't speak for the wine, as I would never expect much ordering cheap wine from a Mexican Joint. That reviewer should probably try getting Mexican beverages with their Mexican food next time. I also can't speak for the tacos, as this place was supposed to have the best burritos in the area, and that's what i've been looking for. There are plenty of good tacos around here. Show these guys some love, and i'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised. read more

Underwhelming. The baja fresh tacos @ $4 each were bland and unappetizing. They were topped with fresh mango, which was of course tasty. The crack sauce lent some additional flavor, but it wasn't enough. I didn't finish them. I instead finished my boyfriend's carne asada burrito ($8), which was pretty good. The chipotle wings were ok, nothing special. At $8 it wasn't a very good value. The part of the meal that genuinely upset me were the rice and beans. The portion was small and they tasted like they were washed with water, completely tasteless,. They were just $3, so I wasn't that upset when I threw it in the trash. I ordered take out, but when I showed up at 8:30 on a Fri night, it was a shitshow. Crowded and loud. The staff kept asking me to move out of the way bc there wasn't much space. Will not go back. read more

One word: Crack sauce, also the shot and beer for 5$ doesn't hurt. Chicken quesadilla with crack sauce is my favorite here. Also try the chicken torta and fries. Amazing! read more

Calexico - Me gusta!! I don't frequent Brooklyn as much as I'd like to, so when a friend of mine scheduled a live music show over at Matchless I turned to Yelp for help and uncovered lots of positive reviews for Calexico, so I figured I'd try it out. Very glad I did! Thursday night at 7 PM and the place was busy, but not too over-crowded. My date and I waited just a short time for a table and the hostess was so sweet and smiley it didn't bother me at all. Upon sitting down at a table at the cute outside patio, our equally-as-adorable waitress pranced over and suggested a frozen margarita. They were delicious, as was the guacamole we started with. Simple but flavorful. I got a bean burrito bowl and my date the carne asada burrito, and both of us just about cleared our plates! The food was very, very good. So full of flavor! Sometimes I have a hard time finding high-quality Mexican food but this definitely satisfied. And service was fast!! Maybe 10 minutes after placing the order I had my meal in front of me. My favorite part - the adorable mini-mason jars and water carafes. I'm easily pleased, I know, but such a cute touch. Definitely recommend this spot! And if possible, sit outside on the patio for an awesome atmosphere. read more

This is our go to restaurant. I wouldn't be exaggerating when I say that we visit this place at least once a week. I am usually very adventurous with food and never order the same thing at a restaurant, but this is the only place that I would order the pollo quesadillas over and over again. Although, I must say that they use to serve us a bigger side salad with quesadillas. I definitely miss that and hope that they will up the amount of side salad on the dish. Fish tacos and pulled pork tacos are great. The dinner salads are amazing as well. read more

The food is good but ordering it over the phone may take 10-15-20 minutes. They will put you on hold over and over and over. Then they will tell you that actually your order is completely FREE! And then will call you back 40 minutes later and say that there was a glitch in their system so the order wasn't free and ask for your credit card number... And then put you on hold again. That was kind of a f... up thing to do, but whatever. read more

Ugh worst burrito ever The wet sauce was like marinara Rice was the main ingredient. SO much rice. Asked for light rice and it was still way too much. And they got my order wrong (added cheese when I asked for no cheese) but at least were nice and accommodating over the phone. (delivery) Will not order or go there again. Only tried because florentinas was closed read more

The burritos are pretty good and that deserves another star. Sometimes the burritos are 4-star and sometimes they are two star depending on who's making them and how generous they are with the protein. The special enchiladas are also recommended. Read my previous review for more details on the tacos. read more

Good food. I've eaten here quite a few times and the food is really good. I'm just pissed off right now because... It's Tuesday evening 8:30 - I cannot get them on the phone at all. It's just ringing and ringing. A guy picked up one time, mumbled something about "Greenpoint" I think and then hung up when I didn't answer him fast enough. Nice. Subsequent calls back have netted me 5 minutes of ringing...Guess I'll just order online ... oh wait. They don't do that. C'mon get with it fer chrissakes. Put me on hold - SOMETHING. Screw it. Calling Papacitos. read more

I love this place but the girl with the platinum blonde hair and black roots was really rude. Not just to me

This is probably the hottest spot in Greenpoint right now. Kind of reminds me of Bonita on Bedford (which is closed down now) but with a better bar scene. The food is better than their carts in Soho. But instead of waiting on line in the street, now you can wait while drinking house made margaritas (ask for the spicy one). The menu is basically a taqueria for now, but I hear they plan on having a more robust menu down the line. For my money, the taqueria formula is fine. The last time we went, there was grilled octopus and Oysters on the specials menu. They were both surprisingly good. The grilled corn wasn't as good as Bonita used to make it, but then that may be nostalgia talking. The house "crack" sauce is pretty addictive. We ordered a side of it just to dip the tacos in. We also tried their selection of aged tequila which were as good as many high end single malts scotches I've had. Overall, I would make the trip out to Greenpoint again. read more

Did I really just read that Chipotle has better / more authentic food? That is simply ridiculous. And yes, everyone needs to chill out about the wine. It's a Mexican restaurant, order the Jalapeno Margarita. I've eaten at just about every Mexican restaurant / food truck in NYC, and Calexico has always been the most flavorful and consistent in high quality food. The Greenpoint location holds up to that statement. I finally got a chance to eat their last night, and it was an overall excellent experience. It was busy, but the wait for table was still under 15 minutes. Really good staff, truly excellent service. I recommend the black bean burrito (or tacos), and the watercress salad. read more

Calexico is a damn good restaurant... It's lively and has a great vibe. Young, hip, fun and attractive crowd. I really like going here. The food is great. I love the chicken and fish tacos. I also love the burritos. In fact, it's one of only two places that I actually eat burritos (The other place is Endless Summer). They have excellent guacamole with chips at a perfect price point too. You definitely get your money's worth at Calexico. Another thing I love about Calexico is that they have a great selection of artisanal and standard hot sauces which really gives a nice touch of versatility to a Mexican-style dish. They have a great beer selection and good margaritas too. However, I must admit that I am extremely disappointed with their Tres Leches. I'm something of a Tres Leche connoisseur, so I can be very critical. It's just too overdone. Way too much going on that you lose sight of an amazing, classic dessert. Also, it's too soggy and the frosting is run of the mill. They need to simplify and upgrade it. I won't be ordering Tres Leches again until they do. Might I suggest they go down a few blocks to see how Rosarito Fish Shack is doing Tres Leche, which is among the best I've ever had. ****UPDATE**************3.27.2012*************UPDATE*************3.27.2012 Good news and bad news... Bad news first: Calexico has done away with their selection of artisianal hot sauces. Apparently, they were too expensive and had too short of a shelf life. Bummer! This sucks ass! Good News: Calexico has done away with their old Tres Leches and upgrade to a newer, more natural and refined version, which is a significant improvement upon the former. It was served simply with mango and a modest amount of frosting. None of the jazz that came with the last iteration. It's still not as good as Rosaritos, but it's definitely something I feel comfortable ordering again and recommending to friends. I used to eat dinner at Calexico, only to walk down to Rosaritos for dessert. That won't be happening anymore. read more

Updating my one star review of when they first opened and probably just had a rough start. One of my favorite places in the area now.

I decided it was finally time to make the trek out to Greenpoint to try one of my favorite food carts, now in a restaurant...WITH MARGARITAS! The staff had the same friendly vibe I've come to expect from the SoHo carts. I ordered the carne asada, like you should if you have any idea of what you're doing, and to no surprise it was amazing. If you're looking for the real stuff, this is your place. If you prefer good wine and no waiting, maybe you should just eat at home. Muy bien, hermanos! read more

The chipotle pulled pork is tops; and the elote (corn) with crema, cotija cheese, and spices wins every time. I was thrilled when this place opened, because coming from Texas, I need more (and better) Mexican food. This is it. So far I've tried the tofu asado, steak asada, chipotle pork, and chicken asado tacos, and they were all tacos I'd eat again and again. The guac is expensive but tasty. The chipotle pork torta is the best pork sandwich I've had in New York. The drinks are good, the service is friendly, my only complaint is it gets crowded. read more

Wow, forgot the fact that I ad given this joint a less than favorable review once already. Seriously, the service is better than nothing but there is a whole range of eating something better than nothing in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. Tried the delivery tonight. Never arrived. This place over run with "oh why bother." Try Don Panco's if you want the el' caliente. read more

90% rice and beans, 10% chicken in a burrito. Bland flavor. Chipotle wins again. Not entirely sure why someone would pay 15$ for that.

I've given it 3 stars because the food really is good. It all has an authentic Mexican, casual, homey taste and quality, with a bit of a late-night drinker's feel to it - aka that "crack sauce", which as far as I can tell is essentially a chipotle en adobe flavored mayonaisse. While some of the food might not be perfect for my taste, i.e. the salsa pipian is slightly too tart in my opinion, the avocados could be mashed down slightly more for the guac, and the carne asada is a bit dry, overall the food is very satisfying and matches the decor and vibe of the place very well. It misses points on the consistency of the service. Of the three times I've been there, only the first was satisfactory in that aspect. On the second my girlfriend and I waited uncomfortably long to be noticed by a host, and once seated, had no idea who our actual server was throughout the entire meal. On the third visit I went with a couple people, and we sat in the patio out back. It was a Saturday, and completely packed, so it's understandable that the service wasn't pitch perfect. But, it was plain bad. No rudeness to speak of, just general neglect and carelessness clearly caused from an overall chaos that was occurring between the servers and runners - at least out in the patio. My advice based on 3 visits: go on a weekday, sit inside, order the deliscious margerhitas, and have fun with the various treats tucked away in all corners of the menu. read more

Only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that they don't take reservations and you will likely have to wait at dinner time any day of the week. But! I've only ever had wonderful experiences here. The margaritas are delicious and not too pricey for NY with a 2 for 1 happy hour deal. Love their guac and tacos are very, very good! I like the fish tacos and the grilled shrimp the best. Definitely my favorite Mexican place in the area and a great girls night out. read more

I was just here for the first time the other day and have been dreaming about the pork tacos since. (Unfortunately I live about 2.5 hours away) The service was fast and the food was awesome ! Everything was fresh and delicious! Definitely recommend! read more

This place was a nice chill spot, wasn't bad but nothing stood out. I ordered the steak quesadilla and my boyfriend ordered his favorite burrito. My quesadilla at first but super cheesy and started to make me feel nauseous as the quality of the cheese was not that great. I got a $10 small margarita but it was strong so I was happy about that. The ambiance and inside is nice surprisingly because it look kinda stuffy and fancy from the outside. All and all I probably will return here if I had no where else to go but not super excited about revisiting. read more

I love calexico so much that I beg my husband for the tacos. Yes sometimes the take out staff is blasé and rude for some reason (obviously working at a take out counter is on par with Gossip Girl teen attitude) but whatever I live through it - the wait staff and bartender have never been anything less than sufficient in my visits although I have friends with significantly less satisfying interactions - So all that is fine - tofu tacos are my favorite food group. But. What the hell. Is going on . In their bathroom! Every time EVERY TIME I go there and use the bathroom it stinks like bum piss! Like, so bad I GAG. Wash my hands obsessively and hope it doesn't cling to me like some horrible cloud of hobo. Please de stink your bathroom!!!! I want to feel happy about my life! Don't get in the way of that! Ahhhh read more

*Updated to let everyone know that El Toro Taqueria on Driggs has a killer burrito for $6. Compared with Calexico's $10.89 pricetag, it is a steal. Plus, its a better burrito anyway.* Let me start by saying that I go here because they are the closest thing to my apt, and in some situations I am too hungry to think clearly. They make an OKAY (note: not great) burrito, and are usually less filling than the price tag would have you expect! (same goes for tacos) I mean, if i'm paying $10 for a Carne Asada burrito, this thing better not only taste good but should come with some f!#$% carne. That goes for everything else they do... premium pricing, mediocre taste and lacking substance. "Oh, let's price it high and serve dainty portions to act boutique!" I'm on to your ploy, Calexico. And whatever their "special" sauce is for $1 is like mixed sour cream with freakin canned garbage chipotle. Weak Sauce, y'alls. read more

Love this place! First of all- 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour and the free drink can be cashed in at any time, doesnt have to be the same day. They give you a token that you can either use immediately or you can bring it back another day and get a free drink. That's helpful when you're on your third round of 2 for 1s and can't manage to get that 6th margarita down after all of the delicious food you'e already stuffed yourself with Speaking of food- the elote is a delicious starter. Who wouldn't go crazy for cheesy corn (which btw you can either order on or off the cob). Their burritos are amazing! I get the vegetarian one and the crack sauce that they put on it is just that- crack! Its so good! Its like a chipotle sour cream mixture of some sort and I am absolutely addicted to it. When you ordee a burrito, you also get a small side of chips to scoop up any of the delicious filling that graces your plate. You can also ditch the tortilla and get it as a bowl or add sauce and cheese and turn it into an enchilada. The service is good too- I've only ever had one hiccup with service when they seemed to have forgotten my order and by the time it came out, everyone else had already finished their food. The server apologized and rectified it by taken my meal off the bill. One time I went to eat there with my mom and she ordered two different types of tacos- one of which she ended up not being crazy about. The server noticed she hadn't touched it and asked if she wanted him to bring her out something else instead. He brought her out a new taco and a new order of rice and beans (since she wasn't crazy about the spices on the black beans) in a matter of two minutes. They have outdoor seating in the back during warmer months and I believe there is a covering over it so you can even dine out there if it rains. Never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table, if even that. Definitely a great spot for drinks and yummy food! read more

The bueno: - 5 dollar modelo/tequila special to kick off the night - the grilled elote...this is one of the most embarrasing foods to eat in front of a dinner date. Corn on the cob slathered in mayo. Their version is well worth the potential loss of respect. - steak burrito... Well seasoned meat. Cripy tortilla. Yes. - only a 5 minute wait for a 2 top on a Friday night the malo - spotty service - it felt disorganized and somewhat chaotic. We were not served 1 of the 2 appetizers ordered. - the dining room isn't large and, as you can imagine, they've tried to cram in as many tables as possible . Problem being that the tables were arranged in a tight, maze-like pattern which didn't allow easy passage to the servers. It was an annoyance because my jacket was frequently pulled off the back of my chair by the servers' feet as they passed. Overall, really enjoyed the food but, I'd recommend this as more of a midweek spot. read more

I have had a hard time finding great Mexican food anywhere east of the Rockies, but this place is awesome! I've eaten here 3 times and everything I've tried is excellent. The tacos are a great value for what you get! The ingredients are super fresh, both the avocado sauce and crack sauce are amazingly delicious. Overall, the menu is creative and authentic, the food is fresh and flavorful, and you can't beat sitting on the back patio on a warm summer evening. read more

This is a go-to good-food-that-won't-break-the-bank spot. It's fresh, it hits the spot whether you're looking for kinda-healthy or seriously-deadly, and the drinks are pretty tempting too. Service ranges from fine to really nice. The only downsides: it's often crowded and kind of noisy. read more

Jenn our bartender was awesome!! She helped us decide on drinks and was a happy fun presence the whole night! Absolutely coming back again! The Pinacalexico and loved it! Like an island getaway! read more

Best Mexican in the neighborhood, period! MY fav's are Gringo beef and Shrimp Tacos. Kids friendly.

Just ordered the "Tostada Salad" for $12. Basically it's lettuce with some hard avocados, old tomatoes (not roasted as the menu says), some shredded cheese, and no sour cream. This salad should be $8 max. read more