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El Tapatio

3.9 (79 reviews)
ModerateMexican
Open • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

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Echiladas Verdes w/ chicken

Some dining experiences are just so surprisingly superlative that they compel one to prepare a review, and this was one such experience. Looking for good food during my stop in the Middletown, NY area this evening, I found this little spot promising authentic Mexican. It wasn't just authentic, it was absolutely delicious and the servings were more than ample. While enjoying a cold Corona, and some chips and salsa, I tried the Sopa de Pollo, an enormous bowl of hearty chicken soup that was unlike any I've ever had. First of all, I feel like there may have been an entire chicken in that soup- (or maybe half a chicken), but it was tender, flavorful, and came right off the bone. Among the potato and other ingredients, the soup also contained half an ear of corn, still on the cob. Wow! So good! I had to take half of it to go because the Enchiladas verdes w chicken came out next. Besides the fact that these enchiladas were terrific, they were very authentically prepared, and the flavor and seasoning was spot on. I also wanted to try the flan, which is reportedly excellent as well, but I had no room left. And that's a great reason to return. As wonderful as the food was, the service was perfect. Dani, the delightful daughter of the restaurant's owners, was responsive, attentive, made great recommendations, and really made the visit one to remember. The restaurant was also clean and very nicely decorated. Highly recommend! 5+

two plates of food on a table

This has to be the worst food I have ever tried. I love Mexican food but this was beyond disgusting. Food had no flavor and tasted old. The waitress had no desire to serve customers; we felt uncomfortable asking her question regarding the menu. I do not know how these people get such good rating. Avoid this place at all cost. Waste of money, waste of time. Just look at the picture below.

Enchiladas verdes
Rob R.

The last time I was in El Tapatio, there was a group of Mexican patrons getting drunk and fighting with each other. They weren't very rowdy, but they would sit and drink for a few minutes and then two of them would stand up start shoving each other. The restaurant manager would break it up, and they would sit down for another few minutes which eventually would lead to another fight. This went on for about 20 minutes before the manager decided to throw them out. I mention this because my Mexican friend I was dining with informed me that this is the sign of a REAL Mexican restaurant. I've been here a few times previous and there was no fighting, so I'd say it's pretty safe most of the time. The restaurant is well-lit and clean, but it seems like it may have been a Chinese takeout in the past. Despite the large counter in front of the open kitchen, there is table service here. The menu is primarily in Spanish, but most descriptions are in english as well. I did have one occasion where our waitress did not speak any english, but we were able to get by just fine. Again, this is the sign of a real mexican restaurant. While I enjoy places like El Bandido and Hacienda, I recognize that they run very much like a Taco Bell. You have a limited number of fillings, different types of tortilla, a couple different sauces, then everything is smothered in cheese and put under the broiler. Here at El Tapatio, everything has a very fresh, homemade taste. Even the old staples like enchiladas verdes taste much more fresh and vibrant here. El Tapatio gives you a nice helping of complimentary chips and salsa which seems to be bottomless. The salsa, however, is slightly different than the standard bright-red type you would get at El Bandido. El Tapatio's is a bit darker and chunkier, but it's certainly delicious. They also offer a variety of Mexican sodas like Jarritos. I recommend trying the Sidral Mundet apple soda which is not very common around here.

Deluxe nachos- guacamole, jalepenos, cheese, sour cream, pulled beef- absolutely must get!
Megan D.

This place is da.bomb. Adorable waitress dealt with my obnoxious table of hungry women. We strongly recommend the deluxe nachos (refried beans, cheese, beef, guacamole, sour cream). I ordered the chicken quesadillas, and although it was good, it wasn't mind blowing. The refried beans was the star of that plate which is completely fine with me. The tacos were not only cheap but friggen delicious! We ordered the tres leches- it was good but once again not amazing- it was a little on the dry side (for a tres leches cake) The restaurant appears super clean- remember if the bathroom is dirty can you imagine the kitchen? On that note the bathroom was immaculate!

Why is there a carrot in my salsa?
Sabrina R.

I was expecting better food based on the reviews. I stopped here based on the recommendations on Yelp. The food was bland. The rice and beans, a staple in Mexican cuisine, was just straight from a can. The burrito was ok. No flavor but a basic steak wrapped in a burrito. All in all, I'm gonna stick to Tulcingo in Monroe because the atmosphere and flavor in its food is more inviting. My husband got the chicken quesadilla thinking they can't mess that up, but of course the chicken had an acquired taste to it. Lots of sauce to cover up the pulled chicken taste. All in all, if your starving go. If not, there are plenty of other authentic Mexican spots to try.

Burrito grande with chicken...huge!!!
Yani E.

Food is good, portions are huge. Not crazy about their rice , but their beans are really good. If you order the burrito grande, you will definitely have leftovers.

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17 years ago

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16 years ago

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14 years ago

Comida Mexicana real con buen Gusto!

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13 years ago

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12 years ago

This place is delicious! I had chicken tacos with cheese. Quality tastey food at a great value.

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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16 years ago

Very good chimacangas and beef tacos. Loved the rice and beans

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

The food was ehh. Soggy bland cold and better off waiting the 45 minutes for taco factory

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16 years ago

On our way back to NYC we called, and they kept the restaurant open for an extra half hour for us. Good food and friendly staff/owners.

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15 years ago

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17 years ago

awesome. the precursor to el bandido. but more affordable. salsa is fresh and not from a huge batch sitting in a bin.... need i say more?

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11 years ago

Delicious, authentic food in a casual. friendly, welcoming environment. We will be back again!

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11 years ago

Great place! Shrimp cerviche fresh and full of flavor. Also enjoyed the pork burrito. Huge!

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House of Birría Tacos & Cantina - Quesa birria taco

House of Birría Tacos & Cantina

4.6(32 reviews)
2.1 mi

Yelp asks "What went well?" Honestly, Everything! Everything goes well. Every single time I visit…read morehere it goes very well. I can't repeat it enough. Whether I dine in or place an order to go, everyone is wonderful and the food is fantastic. Food is so delicious and fresh. Staff is excellent! It's so good here I once got caught in a snow storm heading back home. Did I know it was going to snow? Yes, absolutely. What better way to hunker down in a storm than with some House of Birria food! What should've been a 20/25 minute ride turned into over an hour ride. I was afraid, road was slippery/slow, I cried the entire ride home but, I sure wiped those tears straight away with those quesabirria tacos and my Jarritos ! Was it worth it? Definitely! Would I do that again? Nope! I want to keep enjoying their delicious creations so if there's snow in the forecast make sure you get them way in advance. What else can I say?House of Birria is really clean, drinks are tasty, food is delicious, staff is friendly and provide amazing service every single time and now they have a reward system. A pleasant experience every single time! Btw: the Birria Ramen is OUT OF THIS WORLD!! I ate it so fast and realized I didn't get a pic until I was finished. Guess I have to go back; I don't mind one bit.

Went here a hour after then opened, even though it was slow for them the food was made fast and…read moreperfectly. I give them definitely fast service. The pineapple aqua Fresca was sweet but not overpowering, wish they had strawberry one. For the tacos they bigger than street tacos by a mile and very generous with meat filling. Particularly the shrimp one was impressive since usually I find places that don't use jumbo size for shrimp tacos and just use popcorn size and a lot cilantro and onion to mask it. The consommé dip was incredible and glad they left chucks of beef in it like a little soup. The queso birria taco was not greasy or messy, right amount of cheese and beef. Best place for tacos in Middletown I had.

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House of Birría Tacos & Cantina
House of Birría Tacos & Cantina - Another view of the Mexican Street Corn( Elotes)

Another view of the Mexican Street Corn( Elotes)

House of Birría Tacos & Cantina

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Frontera Tacos & Tequila - Huevos Rancheros

Frontera Tacos & Tequila

3.5(199 reviews)
0.4 mi
•$$

Food was very very good left satisfied . Which I've been in…read moreMiddletown for a week. Having a hard finding good food in restaurants. From Long Island, NY.

My wife and I went to Frontera for dinner tonight, and as always, it did not disappoint. This place…read morehas become one of our go-to spots, and they continue to deliver a great experience every time. We were seated right away when we arrived, which was a great start. Our waitress, Angela, was awesome--friendly, attentive, and on top of everything without being overbearing. We were quickly brought chips and salsa, and our drink order was taken. My wife ordered a margarita, and I went with a mango iced tea, which was really refreshing. We decided to skip appetizers this time and went straight to our entrées. My wife ordered the chicken Milanesa sandwich, which she absolutely loves--it's a staple for her whenever we come here. I ordered the combination platter with enchiladas suizas, a gringo taco, and a chicken quesadilla. Everything came out hot and tasted great, just like it always does. I also asked about one of the tequilas and ended up ordering a shot, which was a nice touch to the meal. Between the food, drinks, atmosphere, and excellent service, the whole experience was fantastic. Frontera continues to be a reliable favorite for us, and we'll definitely be back again--as usual.

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Frontera Tacos & Tequila - Our table

Our table

Frontera Tacos & Tequila - Steak Quesadilla

Steak Quesadilla

Frontera Tacos & Tequila - Passion fruit margarita

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Passion fruit margarita

San Cristobal

San Cristobal

4.1(24 reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

Seeking a warm meal with good friends after a long weekend, we found this highly rated restaurant…read moreon Yelp. Everything about this restaurant is fantastic. On the outside, it has that small town, dark northern tavern vibe. On the inside, it's lively and brightly decorated with gorgeous carved & painted furnishings, many featuring the saint for whom the restaurant is named. The crowd told us we'd made the right choice--this is a popular place with locals for good reason. The horchata is delicious. All the foods we ordered were amazing and generously portioned. I ordered the longaniza con papa taco, a friend ordered the chilaquiles, and my partner got a combo plate with a taco, enchilada, and chile relleno. We were very pleased with all of our selections--and I heartily recommend the longaniza. Our server was, given how busy the restaurant was, prompt and very kind. I really appreciate how friendly this restaurant is.

I was not expecting this place to be packed on a Sunday night, but there was live music, so maybe…read morethat's why it was crowded? We waited over 30 minutes after we ordered our food (enchiladas, not complicated). Our drinks weren't refilled and the food was good, but not great. I'm from Texas, so maybe my expectations are too high for New York State. If this is heralded as the best authentic Mexican in Middletown, then I'm definitely skipping any Mexican food the next time I'm in town.

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San Cristobal
San Cristobal - Menu

Menu

San Cristobal - Delicious, fresh and authentic food. Friendly staff and quick service. We feel we've found a gem.

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Delicious, fresh and authentic food. Friendly staff and quick service. We feel we've found a gem.

Caborcas Restaurant

Caborcas Restaurant

4.4(7 reviews)
1.0 mi

This is our go to restaurant in Middletown. The food is great. Last night I had the carne asada for…read morethe first time and it was delicious and a very large portion. There tacos are, by far, the best authentic tacos I have ever eaten. The chicken to be exact. The steak tacos are very good, as well but I can never get enough of their chicken tacos. They also were voted (not sure by who) as having the best tacos in town and to celebrate that I think they have a deal on Tuesdays where the tacos are cheaper. There beef soup is literally a stew, incredibly hearty and I have them make it spicy for me when I am sick and it knowcks my cold right out. In addition to the food being great, it is always fresh and I love the fact that everyone in there is super nice (I believe it is family run), they deliver in a flash, and the delivery people are also courteous. It is always a pleasure dealing with them. And to get some perspective, I, and my family and friends, order from them 2-3 times a week. We can't get enough!

I love their tacos. It's been awhile since I've been here and I wasn't disappointed. They moved…read morefrom the corner to right next door so I walked into their old spot when I first arrived and was told to go next door. The cashier was friendly and I ordered 3 steak tacos. They were fresh and delicious. It was my first time trying the hibiscus drink and it was lightly sweetened and refreshing. They also have horchata, watermelon, and pineapple flavored drinks as well. I will definitely be back to try more. Can't ask for anything better than pizza and tacos in one place.

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Caborcas Restaurant
Caborcas Restaurant - Seafood soup

Seafood soup

Caborcas Restaurant - Shrimp Salad!

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Shrimp Salad!

El Tapatio - mexican - Updated October 2026

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