I loved this hole in the wall restaurant. The food was authentic Mexican (not just tex-mex). The food was well seasoned, and I would come back for more. The only downside was a mistake by the waitress - since it was my wife's turn to treat, my wife pad but the waitress still gave the receipt to me (which is a pet peeve for my wife). Looking forward to trying this place again! read more

The food here is amazing! When I walked in, I was skeptical so I placed a takeout order and what a surprise. The gentleman in the kitchen really knows how to cook. We were surprised at the quality, quantity, and price! We've gone back a few times and will be ordering again today, can't wait! So glad we discovered this place. read more

When it comes to AUTHENTIC Mexican cuisine (and I've been to Mexico a handful of times) this place is golden!! Absolutely no frills (don't look for great ambiance here), and not much English spoken (gives me a chance to practice mi espanol), but who cares when the food is as real and tasty as what I recall my from Mexican adventures to Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Mexico City? Big thumbs up for this joint in the city of Poughkeepsie!! BTW- this establishment has been in business at this same location for at least 14 years that I am aware of. I'm employed locally and from the area. read more

Ate here for the first time the other night and was happy, happy, happy. Upstate NY is pretty much a wasteland for authentic Mexican, but El Bracero is the real deal. Very little English spoken here, Mexican soccer blaring on the TV, simple booths and tables, but who cares, the food is great, cheap and authentic. My sweetie and I started with some pork tacos off the specials board and they were great, pork mixed with potato and a Verde sauce served on soft fresh tortillas ($6). It came with a huge bowl of fresh salsa (lots of cilantro, yum) freshly made chips and a fixings dish with raw onion, cilantro, and hot sauce. Mmmm. We then each had a combo plate ($6.50) with three choices (six total for the both of us) including the enchiladas Oaxaca (sweet mole sauce), enchiladas with green and red sauce, chalupa and flauta. Each was delicious and we left stuffed for only $19 not including a few Tecates. I loved they way the cook in the back banged a pot or some sort of bell when a order was ready. By the end of dinner he had trained me to start salivating every time I heard the gong. If you like a fancy atmosphere forget this place. If you just love Taco Bell, then go there. But if you love authentic home made Mexican that will leave you happily satisfied then head over to El Bracero. read more

Craving Mexican food on a the Sunday night before midterms, I turned to Yelp to find a place that would just bring dinner to me. This was the place to choose. While their online menu was pretty confusing to read, the delivery minimum was $15, on the low side for the area, so I was sold. The chimichangas were good - a little too much uncooked tortilla at the ends for me, but the flautas were the star. Both very inexpensive meals were topped with a guacamole that was filled with cilantro - so good! Top it off with waiting less than a half hour for delivery and an included bag of chips and side of salsa, this is one place I'll be ordering from more often. read more

A friendly no-frills place with a variety of Mexican plates (we couldn't discern any specific regional specialties, though they do have a fair amount of seafood on the menu) We started out with a side order/appetizer portion of nopales-- it wasn't on the menu, but when we saw that they had a special of steak with nopales, we asked if we could just get a side order of nopales and they happily complied. They were warm (and still somewhat pleasantly slimy), sauteed with some tomatoes and epazote, with some raw onion and cilantro. Could have used a little more spice or onion, but overall a nice side. For main dishes we got tacos, and Oaxacan-style tacos enchilados with mole sauce. Many of their items come with choice of filling: cheese, meat, spinach, mushrooms, or potato, making them more vegetarian-friendly than the typical Mexican place. The tacos were quite standard-- meat was tender, and came with sides of onions, cilantro, and sauce to dress them up. The enchiladas come covered in mole, onions, and cheese, in authentic Oaxacan style. The potato filling was kind of bland, but the spinach is cooked with onions and epazote, and the mushrooms were also tasty. Unfortunately, the mole was very sweet and not particularly spicy-- I personally prefer somewhat more spice, and less sweet. I suspect, given that mole doesn't figure prominently anywhere else on the menu, that it's not really a specialty of theirs (perhaps even from a mix? I usually associate sweet mole with mix, but maybe that's unfair) Overall, we thought the food was quite good. I still prefer La Cabanita for their Oaxacan specialties, but El Bracero is going into the rotation! read more

El Bracero Mexican Restaurant - Enchiladas de Oaxaca, tacos, side of nopales - Mexican Near Me - Poughkeepsie, New York

Friendly staff. Easy delivery experience. Food came quick and was hot. Food is just ok. We got the tacos, chicken, beef, mushroom. I was surprised and dissapointed to find cheese. Bland guacamole. Watered down mango juice. Just not much flavor all around. I wish I could give them a higher rating since the staff was so nice and the delivery so fast. But ultimately, we're here for the food and the food was a miss. read more

The food I've ordered from this place has always been good, and the price makes it an even better deal. I usually order the beef nachos or tacos, and they always come out hot, fresh, and tasty. They also have fresh salsas and other dips which are really good as well. Everything here is pretty good and the prices are very fair. This is a great place to go out to eat on a low budget. The soups and fries are hit-or-miss though, so beware of that. read more

Stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon. We totally missed the sign and had to do a quick U-turn after our phone yelled at us. Restaurant had a large amount of seating, which was partially filled by mostly families and locals. Specials were goat based, with barbacoa tacos, or a goat soup which was pretty tasty. Had the Oaxican Enchiladas with a black mole sauce which was great. Friend had a veg. sampler where you choose 3 items for 6 bucks. Another had the goat taco's which were pretty good. Service was a little slow but very friendly, they speak English fine so don't let that scare you away? I'm definitely planning on eating here again. read more

one of the best meals I've ever eaten in my entire life. The Food came so incredibly quickly, and it was still hot and melty. And the PRICSE! Literally could not beat it if you tried. read more

Not much new to add: authentic, hole in the wall, cheap and great. The boy lived in Oaxaca for a few summers back in college, and the food is true to what he remembers there. it's a much more colorful experience if you understand Spanish and can listen in as all the guys sitting at the bar/counter get progressively drunker and raunchier in their conversations. Mole was great, guac was cilantro laden, just like the boy likes it, portions were generous, beer was plentiful. read more

Jim15 is right- This is not Mexican food at all. Not even close. The other reviewers are clearly quite confused. On top of it not being anywhere near authentic it is also poorly prepared and seasoned. If you would like to try truly authentic Mexican food In the U.S. you'll need to head West. I would recommend San Diego and Los Angeles. If you'd like recommendations just msg me. Outside of California then obviously go to Mexico. However, not a border town or resort- Go deep. The deeper the better. Oh, and if you do decide to eat here keep an eye on your car. I caught some fool looking through my windows for something to steal. read more

This was my first trip here. I'm doing some work in the city and asked Siri to find me a Mexican restaurant. This one had great reviews, and I had driven right by it a few times without noticing the place ! I had some steak dish with two eggs ontop and guacamole and beans, fantastic. They start you out with chips and salsa as well. Good place, will be back. read more

El Bracero Mexican Restaurant - Inside - Mexican Near Me - Poughkeepsie, New York

See all

Very traditional style, boom box, nice wall art. Haven't tried any seafood yet but your ideal Mexican food is right on. Little English spoken but still doesn't diminish the quality. Beer and Sosa are available. read more

This place is THE BOMB. By far the best Mexican food in Poughkeepsie. (I'm looking at you, Mole Mole.) All of the entrees are interesting and authentic. The salsa verde on the enchiladas ($6) was refreshingly tangy, and the mole sauce on the Enchiladas de Oaxaca ($7) was top notch. The tostadas and quesadillas ($6 each) are good -- go for spicy pork if you eat it. My favorite thing there is the tacos, however. ($6? How can they afford to give you free chips and salsa?) You get three large tacos which come with a generous caddy full of salsa, cilantro, and onions. If you go here, however, you -have- to get the Nachos a la Mexicanos con puerco ($5.50, feeds 3 generously) . Spicy, just-chewy strips of marinated pork on top of a bed of homemade chips, beans, melted cheese, topped with strips of fried queso fresco and grilled jalapenos: these are bar none the best nachos I've ever had the chance to enjoy. Their horchata is a little bland but the agua del dia is usually good, and an (approximately) 24 oz glass is only $1.50. Of course, I'd go with a Modelo most of the time. read more

Not good. Ordered the shrimp and steak fajitas. It came with watery rice and beans -- with no guac or salsa. The tortillas came from a package and smelled bad. The decor is homely and run-down. Avoid! read more

This place is a complete HOLE IN THE WALL. But, it's truly authentic. The first time I was here, the menu was only in Spanglish and the sweet lady at the counter understood nada but was willing to give us everything. The food is super. It's nothing like taco bell and everything like Oaxaca. Can't beat the prices. To be perfectly honest I can't say whether or not we go the meal we ordered but whatever it was that we got, I want more. If you're in town, just do it. read more

After the quest to find a good Mexican place in Poughkeepsie I think I have finally found one! Mole Mole leaves much to be desired and Fresco Tortilla is good but way too salty. El Bracero is def a hole in the wall and may not have the most alluring decor but the food was amazing! Very little English is spoken but the service is very friendly! read more

I don't understand how there are so many good reviews for this place. I must have gone on a bad day or something because my meal was awful and so was my girlfriends. The steak tacos had cheap tasting meat that didn't even taste or look like steak. The rice and beans were awful. They used overcooked white rice with peas that tasted more like a bad Chinese buffet style rice than Mexican. My girlfriends enchiladas were so bad we both couldn't eat them and they used some horrible sauce that tasted like black licorice. The only decent thing they had was salsa which wasn't worth the $25 we spent on this shit meal. How can you be a Mexican immigrant and not be able to make a decent taco? I'm white and even I can make better tacos than these. Disgraceful. read more

Excellent plates, huge burritos.... great food. Purely latin american clientele. Not to be missed if you're in the mood for some more authentic tastes. If you do not speak spanish, expect to do a lot of pointing at menus. read more

I was in Poughkeepsie at dinnertime and decided to eat here based on Yelp reviews. The place was not dead, but quiet, with a few regulars at the bar watching Mexican soccer. The food was all right. My shrimp quesadilla was flavorful but messy to eat: plenty of baby shrimp, big chunks of mushroom, not too much cheese. It could have used a sauce aside from sour cream and a few dabs of guacamole. The beans were good but the rice tasted funny. The server was pleasant and helpful. read more

Good food good people... Thats the first reason to go to a restaurant and continue going. Their menu has great options that I have never tried before in any other Mexican joint. Also good quantity at a very affordable price. So be conscious not to over order. The neighborhood is okay and the restaurant from outside does not look inviting. But hey don't judge a book by its cover. The content matters read more

Super authentic Mexican food for an excellent price. Free chips and salsa which is always nice. The nachos are excellent and only cost 6 bucks for a large order. You can't beat that price anywhere in Poughkeepsie. I ordered fajitas for an entree. They came out smelling, looking, and tasting fantastic. The rice and beans are great with them. I love bringing people here when they visit and would recommend it to anyone! read more

A little hole-in-the-wall place where the decor may be a little lacking, but they more than make up for it in their selection and taste. The food is authentic, delicious, and very reasonable. One of my favorite restaurants in the Hudson Valley. read more

AWFUL. First time ordering and last. Ordered salsa and chips. Chips were stale. Chalupa was really bad. Meat was dried out and hard...like it had been cooked again and again. Rice and beans was bland, no flavor. AWFUL. read more

I ordered delivery from this restaurant. The food was delicious and arrived on time. There are a fair number of vegetarian items on the menu. The flan was really creamy. I would highly recommend that. The prices are reasonable. I will definitely order food from this place again. read more

I was just shocked after reading the reviews on how good this place was. I couldn't get myself to finish eating what I had ordered, no flavor. Portion was good, salsa was good, but that's all I can say about it... Oh well, maybe for some, but if you are looking for flavorful food, I won't not recommend this place, I'm sure I'll never bother eating here again. read more

This was my second time eating at the restaurant, First time went w/my son, we loved it, this time went w/husband, who knows good meat quality. We live in Poughkeepsie @ 10 years already and we never taste food so good like at the Bracero. read more