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I haven't been here in a while so I decided to come back and try it again since the other taco place nearby closed down and I was craving some Mexican food. They have a lunch special that is pretty affordable and comes with a drink (frozen margarita, sangria, or soft drink). I opted for the sangria this time around and got steak fajitas. It came with tortilla as well. They also gave some chips and salsa as an appetizer which was very kind of them. The portion was a lot for me so I left the restaurant very full. The lunch special is a good deal for the amount of food given. The staff were friendly. Inside the restaurant is a little bit too dark to my liking, but I understand it is the vibes they probably wanted.
one of those places that does the job. decent mexican for nyc but moreover HUGE portions and insane happy hour/lunch specials with a frozen marg. come here, get drinks, have fun! service was quick on a weekday at lunch.
Buyer beware. El Porton was a rare misstep on our hike up Manhattan on Saturday. I don't remember which one of us impulsively made a left turn into this place, but I don't think it's helpful to point fingers now. You can literally find this type of drink anywhere on the island and - I know, I rarely say this when it comes to NYC - much cheaper. We stopped here in the afternoon for a drink, probably around 1. It was very empty and very...red. I felt like I were in an Aladdin-esque brothel, but I suppose it's a look. This also might be the first NYC establishment I've been to that prominently displayed fan pics of Bill De Blasio, which I've decided in hindsight was a red flag in a red restaurant. You post photos of hedgehog murderers at your own risk. When in Rome (Mexico City?), you order off the margarita menu. I believe I ordered a guava marg, which came promptly in its standard cactus glass. It was fine. A little grainy towards the end and not even close to the best I've had, but it wasn't terrible. We drank them and were none the worse for wear. After the stellar reception we received at our last cocktail stop on the UWS, this was a step down. In hindsight, I don't actually remember the bartender saying a single word to us. She took our orders down and ultimately brought us drinks and the check, but if she asked us if we wanted food or anything else, it honestly didn't resonate. I guess her sullenly dropping a basket of chips/salsa near us was a bonus. (Also tells you something - nothing good - that multiple prior reviewers went out of their way to compliment the free chips/salsa, even though that's one of the most ubiquitous features of a Mexican restaurant. Okay. Thank you for not charging us for Tostitos.) But the real insult to injury was when I got the check and saw that with tip/tax, the bill was going to come to $50 - for two drinks! What? I'm really trying to rack my brain as to why a divey Mexican bar would be charging $20 for a generic margarita. You're arguably within shouting distance of the Columbia campus here, but isn't that actually an incentive to have CHEAPER drinks? This would not fly at the Dallas BBQ on University Place, I can tell you that right now. If you find yourself here in a similar cocktail quandary, do yourself a favor and walk 20 feet north to The Craftsman. We did, but with unfortunately lighter wallets.
The restaurant is relatively small but there are outside areas in the front. They have one el porton in the bronx that is bigger/wider. It had been my and my sons go to restaurant when we lived in the area. My son likes the music here. They offer comp chips salsa and usually a salsa tray with a spicy, tomatillo, and chipotle salsas. I love to order the Burrito Poblano Special with chorizo, which is a large flour tortilla filled with Mexican rice, beans, cheese topped with mole sauce, sour cream. Today, Justin had the giant chicken burrito. Other times, i order the chorizo torta served with beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, jalapenos, avocado, and mayo on a Mexican bread For drinks, I had the mama passion fruit margarita on the rocks, which is 22 oz. The prices are now higher, the mama margarita at the time of this posting is 29.99$, which you should be sharing with two people, I didn't have to share today. Celebrating, Cinco;) Just ask on the current prices for the different sizes.
The only thing I miss about being a Columbia student is my weekly meals from El Porton. This family run restaurant still remembers me from 10 years ago! It's so good to be back and enjoy their delicious margaritas and enchiladas de mole. My favorite is their pozole, but hard to enjoy hot soup on a gorgeous Labor Day!
I was a little disappointed with el portón. I wanted to get the lunch special which was 13.95. It comes with meal and a drink. The meal was a little small but good. However, there was a 2 dollar increase for takeout which was not indicated before hand. So with tax it was 17 dollars for a lunch special (so didn't feel very special). In addition there is a sign in the window that says you can take alcoholic drinks to go however even though there was a margarita listed in the drinks they said we would have to stay if we wanted it. I just felt a little confused and disappointed.
The food at El Porton lacks el taste y el flavor of Mexico. There are lots of food options from the menu at this restaurant but by the taste of my tamale, chicken mole and pineapple margarita, I won't bother trying anything else. Kudos to the kind bartender who is not the cook/chef but she was the mixologist and my margarita was not up to par. Fresh limes was not used and I had to ask for Grand Marnier to go with my Herradura tequila selection. The mole sauce was okay but it was just sauce poured over steamed chicken and not cooked in the sauce. The ambiance was good and probably deserves more praise because I love Frida Khalo imageries anywhere in Mexican spaces. I won't be back here unless I hear there's a new chef and a mixologist because I love Mexican cuisine.
I'll give this spot a 4 stars. The service was prompt. They created outdoor seating for their patrons, and where i sat with my party of 3, we weren't next to anyone else. Which made my first outing a little more comfortable. It was extremely hot! So sitting outdoors was perfect. We ordered tacos, shrimp, chicken, carnitas, and al pastor. All the tacos came soft. With a variety of hot sauce on the side. We also ordered 2 orders of wings, and a fajita burger that came with fries. We also ordered a couple margaritas each lol. When in Rome, right? Lol The tacos were amazing. The fresh salsa was the perfect amount of spicy. The meat was crunchy and juicy. Amazing tacos! A little on the small side, but it was definitely filling so don't eat with your eyes. They gave free salsa and chips as soon as you sit, and they bring water immediately after, which was great we didn't have to ask. They have a variety of drinks, frozen and over ice. We chose the frozen kind first, and it seemed pretty underwhelming, but boy did the sneak up on us. The second round we ordered was over ice, and it was delicious. I would definitely return here. The prices were great, the food was good. The drinks were good. The best thing also, you can get drinks to go! SCORE! For my first time eating out since covid happened, it still felt a little weird. My advice would be, if you're still a little freaked out, try and find a table that is closest to the restaurant. It's normally 1 table on each side so the 6 feet rule applies and eases the worry a little (at least for me) Happy eating, yelpers.
I love this place! The food is amazing, the drinks are perfect, and the service from Maribel is outstanding. I really enjoy coming here; the staff is very nice, and I love the music. The tacos de lengua are so good, and the wings are always my go-to. This place is a favorite of mine!
I've been a regular at this restaurant for a very long time and it has never failed me. Upon arrival, the offer free chips and salsa (which is apparently hard to find in the city now a days). The drinks are always tasty and there are soooo many options, so you'll definitely find a drink for you. I got the coconut mojito which was soooo refreshing, especially since it was super hot that night. My cousin got the passion fruit mojito and loved it. I always get the steak hard shell tacos (which I'm not sure is on the menu). The steak is always well cooked and seasoned and the shells are always super crunchy and delicious! We got a side of rice and pinto beans for 7$ which was pretty good but a bit pricey for a side in my eyes. But that's okay, it was worth it. The hours are great as well especially if you're looking for a late nice taco or burrito.
Riquísimo , el servicio excelente como siempre y la gente super nice, música en español bueno me remonta a mis jangueos en mi isla de Puerto Rico
I really tried to like this place because the staff is super nice, friendly and helpful. I think the food tastes better if you're at the place itself , both times I've ordered it's been for takeout and both times I've ordered the chicken burrito. The flavors are not as flavorful as I expected and in general the way the burrito is wrapped makes it impossible to hold and eat. It's always super messy and loaded with rice. Usually I would like a super stuffed burrito except that everything ends up being soggy mush. I've never been able to get past the 3rd bite before I throw it out. I also ordered horchata juice which tasted like a mouth-full of cinnamon powder.. I hope this place does better. If I do give this place another try I'll try a different plate.
2 months ago
El portón is my favorite neighborhood spot for drinks. The coconut margaritas are my favorite. The servers are all happy. I have never had a bad/rude experience here. Their portions are a good size. I love their red salsa. The restaurant is always lively and busy. I feel everything is reasonably priced for the area. Definitely a place worth trying. They have lunch specials and happy hour. read more
8 months ago
I haven't been here in a while so I decided to come back and try it again since the other taco place nearby closed down and I was craving some Mexican food. They have a lunch special that is pretty affordable and comes with a drink (frozen margarita, sangria, or soft drink). I opted for the sangria this time around and got steak fajitas. It came with tortilla as well. They also gave some chips and salsa as an appetizer which was very kind of them. The portion was a lot for me so I left the restaurant very full. The lunch special is a good deal for the amount of food given. The staff were friendly. Inside the restaurant is a little bit too dark to my liking, but I understand it is the vibes they probably wanted. read more
2 months ago
one of those places that does the job. decent mexican for nyc but moreover HUGE portions and insane happy hour/lunch specials with a frozen marg. come here, get drinks, have fun! service was quick on a weekday at lunch. read more
10 months ago
Buyer beware. El Porton was a rare misstep on our hike up Manhattan on Saturday. I don't remember which one of us impulsively made a left turn into this place, but I don't think it's helpful to point fingers now. You can literally find this type of drink anywhere on the island and - I know, I rarely say this when it comes to NYC - much cheaper. We stopped here in the afternoon for a drink, probably around 1. It was very empty and very...red. I felt like I were in an Aladdin-esque brothel, but I suppose it's a look. This also might be the first NYC establishment I've been to that prominently displayed fan pics of Bill De Blasio, which I've decided in hindsight was a red flag in a red restaurant. You post photos of hedgehog murderers at your own risk. When in Rome (Mexico City?), you order off the margarita menu. I believe I ordered a guava marg, which came promptly in its standard cactus glass. It was fine. A little grainy towards the end and not even close to the best I've had, but it wasn't terrible. We drank them and were none the worse for wear. After the stellar reception we received at our last cocktail stop on the UWS, this was a step down. In hindsight, I don't actually remember the bartender saying a single word to us. She took our orders down and ultimately brought us drinks and the check, but if she asked us if we wanted food or anything else, it honestly didn't resonate. I guess her sullenly dropping a basket of chips/salsa near us was a bonus. (Also tells you something - nothing good - that multiple prior reviewers went out of their way to compliment the free chips/salsa, even though that's one of the most ubiquitous features of a Mexican restaurant. Okay. Thank you for not charging us for Tostitos.) But the real insult to injury was when I got the check and saw that with tip/tax, the bill was going to come to $50 - for two drinks! What? I'm really trying to rack my brain as to why a divey Mexican bar would be charging $20 for a generic margarita. You're arguably within shouting distance of the Columbia campus here, but isn't that actually an incentive to have CHEAPER drinks? This would not fly at the Dallas BBQ on University Place, I can tell you that right now. If you find yourself here in a similar cocktail quandary, do yourself a favor and walk 20 feet north to The Craftsman. We did, but with unfortunately lighter wallets. read more
3 years ago
The restaurant is relatively small but there are outside areas in the front. They have one el porton in the bronx that is bigger/wider. It had been my and my sons go to restaurant when we lived in the area. My son likes the music here. They offer comp chips salsa and usually a salsa tray with a spicy, tomatillo, and chipotle salsas. I love to order the Burrito Poblano Special with chorizo, which is a large flour tortilla filled with Mexican rice, beans, cheese topped with mole sauce, sour cream. Today, Justin had the giant chicken burrito. Other times, i order the chorizo torta served with beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, jalapenos, avocado, and mayo on a Mexican bread For drinks, I had the mama passion fruit margarita on the rocks, which is 22 oz. The prices are now higher, the mama margarita at the time of this posting is 29.99$, which you should be sharing with two people, I didn't have to share today. Celebrating, Cinco;) Just ask on the current prices for the different sizes. read more
2 years ago
The only thing I miss about being a Columbia student is my weekly meals from El Porton. This family run restaurant still remembers me from 10 years ago! It's so good to be back and enjoy their delicious margaritas and enchiladas de mole. My favorite is their pozole, but hard to enjoy hot soup on a gorgeous Labor Day! read more
2 years ago
I was a little disappointed with el portón. I wanted to get the lunch special which was 13.95. It comes with meal and a drink. The meal was a little small but good. However, there was a 2 dollar increase for takeout which was not indicated before hand. So with tax it was 17 dollars for a lunch special (so didn't feel very special). In addition there is a sign in the window that says you can take alcoholic drinks to go however even though there was a margarita listed in the drinks they said we would have to stay if we wanted it. I just felt a little confused and disappointed. read more
1 year ago
The food at El Porton lacks el taste y el flavor of Mexico. There are lots of food options from the menu at this restaurant but by the taste of my tamale, chicken mole and pineapple margarita, I won't bother trying anything else. Kudos to the kind bartender who is not the cook/chef but she was the mixologist and my margarita was not up to par. Fresh limes was not used and I had to ask for Grand Marnier to go with my Herradura tequila selection. The mole sauce was okay but it was just sauce poured over steamed chicken and not cooked in the sauce. The ambiance was good and probably deserves more praise because I love Frida Khalo imageries anywhere in Mexican spaces. I won't be back here unless I hear there's a new chef and a mixologist because I love Mexican cuisine. read more
I'll give this spot a 4 stars. The service was prompt. They created outdoor seating for their patrons, and where i sat with my party of 3, we weren't next to anyone else. Which made my first outing a little more comfortable. It was extremely hot! So sitting outdoors was perfect. We ordered tacos, shrimp, chicken, carnitas, and al pastor. All the tacos came soft. With a variety of hot sauce on the side. We also ordered 2 orders of wings, and a fajita burger that came with fries. We also ordered a couple margaritas each lol. When in Rome, right? Lol The tacos were amazing. The fresh salsa was the perfect amount of spicy. The meat was crunchy and juicy. Amazing tacos! A little on the small side, but it was definitely filling so don't eat with your eyes. They gave free salsa and chips as soon as you sit, and they bring water immediately after, which was great we didn't have to ask. They have a variety of drinks, frozen and over ice. We chose the frozen kind first, and it seemed pretty underwhelming, but boy did the sneak up on us. The second round we ordered was over ice, and it was delicious. I would definitely return here. The prices were great, the food was good. The drinks were good. The best thing also, you can get drinks to go! SCORE! For my first time eating out since covid happened, it still felt a little weird. My advice would be, if you're still a little freaked out, try and find a table that is closest to the restaurant. It's normally 1 table on each side so the 6 feet rule applies and eases the worry a little (at least for me) Happy eating, yelpers. read more
2 years ago
I love this place! The food is amazing, the drinks are perfect, and the service from Maribel is outstanding. I really enjoy coming here; the staff is very nice, and I love the music. The tacos de lengua are so good, and the wings are always my go-to. This place is a favorite of mine! read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
I've been a regular at this restaurant for a very long time and it has never failed me. Upon arrival, the offer free chips and salsa (which is apparently hard to find in the city now a days). The drinks are always tasty and there are soooo many options, so you'll definitely find a drink for you. I got the coconut mojito which was soooo refreshing, especially since it was super hot that night. My cousin got the passion fruit mojito and loved it. I always get the steak hard shell tacos (which I'm not sure is on the menu). The steak is always well cooked and seasoned and the shells are always super crunchy and delicious! We got a side of rice and pinto beans for 7$ which was pretty good but a bit pricey for a side in my eyes. But that's okay, it was worth it. The hours are great as well especially if you're looking for a late nice taco or burrito. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Riquísimo , el servicio excelente como siempre y la gente super nice, música en español bueno me remonta a mis jangueos en mi isla de Puerto Rico read more
5 years ago
I really tried to like this place because the staff is super nice, friendly and helpful. I think the food tastes better if you're at the place itself , both times I've ordered it's been for takeout and both times I've ordered the chicken burrito. The flavors are not as flavorful as I expected and in general the way the burrito is wrapped makes it impossible to hold and eat. It's always super messy and loaded with rice. Usually I would like a super stuffed burrito except that everything ends up being soggy mush. I've never been able to get past the 3rd bite before I throw it out. I also ordered horchata juice which tasted like a mouth-full of cinnamon powder.. I hope this place does better. If I do give this place another try I'll try a different plate. read more
5 years ago
This place was beautifully decorated! They had patron bottles, tacos, and piñatas hanging around the interior. They also had super fun lights all around and great music playing at the perfect volume. I got to enjoy the grilled chicken torta and the chicken wings. The chicken wigs were bad but the torta was delicious! The horchata was amazing too! The employees were kind and attentive. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
PURCHASED: California Burrito (see image below). TOTAL: $12.95 PROS: + free chips: Mexican food without free chips is a joke. Unlike most Mexican establishments I have been to that charge for tortilla chips and salsa in NYC, El Porton serves a full basket and fills you up if you want more! + authentic mexican food: Trust me, I am from Texas. I know good Mexican food. This place gets the pass. A lot of joints in NYC sell expensive "Mexican" food for sub-par quality. Do not settle for anything less. I would rather walk 20 blocks out of the way for El Porton. + plenty of room for left overs: I eat a lot. I had to take this home with me. I frequently get food comas. Fortunately, my destination was not too far away. IMPRESSION: Located near Columbia's campus is this pretty sweet Mexican restaurant. I lived in Texas so I'm familiar with good Mexican food. This fits the bill. There are plenty of bad Mexican restaurant in NYC. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
Let the pictures speak for themselves. This place is AMAZING. Why is no one talking about how good the food is here?! I had a chipotle chicken chimichanga, he had a steak quesadilla, plus the Harlem Margarita.....all of it, perfectly delicious. read more
6 years ago
After a long day of Christmas shopping we decided to stop by this little gem! We couldn't have asked for more then What they give us from quality of food , decent prices to amazing customer service ( Valentine your the best)!! Will most definitely be coming back from Rita's , pozole ( the bomb.com) and everything else on the menu! read more
4 years ago
The food and service is decent, but you have to watch out when you order your drinks to ask for the price because there is no price on their menu so ask before ordering as the price for the drinks is a bit expensive. The restaurant is nice and cozy. read more
4 years ago
The service was absolutely amazing! I would definitely go again for the food, the size is pretty big, and it's really filling. read more
7 years ago
I was hesitant to try this place because of the mixed reviews but I can't believe I didn't try it sooner. It's not authentic Mexican food (you can taste the difference) but it's really good. Their piña coladas are really strong, with my money. The chimichanga's has almost a sweet taste to it and I fell in love. I'll probably try other things but maybe stick to that for awhile. My bill wasn't that high. For two entrees and a drink. I can't speak for my aunts food cause I honestly can't remember what she got but I know something I cocked flour almost like a pastelle and it was good. Along with a steak taco or something along the lines. I think it had way too much guacamole on top of it but that's just my opinion. Wish the food was a bit spicier. Definitely going back though. Thanks for the great service. read more
4 years ago
This is a great place for fresh, authentic tacos and generous drinks. I came on a weeknight with a friend. Chips and salsa came out almost as soon as we were seated which was awesome, and our food arrived pretty quickly after ordering. I got the fish tacos and they were really flavorful, especially when adding some of the hot sauces brought to the table. I tried my friend's tacos al pastor and also found them to be tasty. I ordered a pineapple margarita and it was really great, definitely had a good balance of tequila and pineapple juice. Would return if in the area! read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
This place is a great neighborhood spot. My friend lives near here and it's a perfect spot to grab some dinner and catch up with friends. With that being said, if my friend didn't live in the area the food and atmosphere are not great enough for me to want to go out of my way to come here. The food is good, relatively average tex mex kind of food, nothing super different or absolutely amazing. I had a cheese quesadilla with veggies and it was great! I do love the hot sauces they serve with the meals. The two red ones were super good like I would love to be able to buy and take home and put it on dishes at home. The margaritas were super sweet, which I was not a fan of, especially if I am paying $13 for a drink I want to be able to enjoy it and when it's super sweet it's hard. But the staff are great! The atmosphere is fun, nice and colorful but not too loud. read more
6 years ago
El portón is doing everything by the book. Masks, social distancing, providing hand sanitizer etc. They have built an outside heated area that is bigger than a lot of New York City studios. The service and their food continues to be delicious and and fresh. I pray that they will be able to hold up during this pandemic. Those of us that are loyal customers and know how hard it is to maintain this type of service will continue to support El Porton. read more
4 years ago
A great neighborhood spot! It was a nice warm day so we decided to sit outside. Their outdoor seating was really cute, with plants and decor throughout. We were given complimentary chips & salsa. We both ordered enchiladas, but two different kinds. I had the Enchiladas de Mole which also came with beans and rice. Food was delicious! My only complaint was that our food did seem to take longer than it should have to come out, especially considering there weren't many people there when we arrived for an early lunch. read more
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More info about El Porton
3151 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
Harlem
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(212) 665-7338
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http://elportonmexicanrestaurantbarnewyork.mybistro.online
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