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Hellbender

4.3 (100 reviews)
Open • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

Hellbender Photos

Business Info

HELLBENDER ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Trendy
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Hellbender

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Reviews With Photos

Cynthia L.

Lives up to the hype. My friend and I used to live in this area and I am reminded about the parking situation in Ridgewood. Other than that the textures and flavors are completely unreal. I've never drooled over such a place after my first visit this badly for the past few years.

Oyster mushroom tacos
Vishnu G.

The food is alright, but the portions are quite small and the prices are very high. This is probably a spot to grab a drink and a small plate instead of a full meal. There's a decent selection of small plates for vegetarians. The oyster mushroom tacos ($14) were very flavorful, and nice fusiony flavors from the sesame and Thai basil. The tortillas tasted fresh as well. The empanada ($23) was the only vegetarian large plate, and totally missed the mark. The pops of Thai basil made things interesting, and the salsa verde on the side was nice and tart, but overall it's just a bunch of cheese in a fried corn shell. I really don't think this item works as an entree. The bill came out to $48 after tax and tip, which is pretty outrageous. The tacos were tasty enough to improve my overall impression from disappointed to just mixed.

Pancakes
Keshia C.

The service was great and I came here under the recommendation of a random doom scroll on YouTube. However, the soft scramble tostada was very greasy with chili oil. That was a turn off for me but the fried oaxacan cheese was good. The pancakes were okay!

Lauren S.

I almost don't want to write this review, because I want to still be able to get a table here, but... Wow. Hellbender is a gem. Came here for a friend's birthday dinner and was amused at all the things that seemingly didn't go together: the name "hellbender" itself, the giant leopard statue in the wall, Mexican food... what do these things have to do with one another? It doesn't matter. It works. We ordered almost everything and shared, so I got to try a good portion of the menu. Every dish was outstanding. The only one I wasn't enamored with was the mushroom tacos, but my friends loved them, so I think it was just a matter of taste. The fish here deserves recognition, because it's so incredibly fresh that the flavor is just better than other places where you can get seafood. Plus the bright Mexican flavors and creative combinations of ingredients are what really makes this place stand out. The drinks were delicious as well. I honestly can't wait to come back!

Skirt Steak
Lauren L.

Never disappoints!! Had an amazing meal as always. Highlights were the chicken Milanese and the skirt steak. The spicy pineapple margaritas were delicious as well

Heirloom Masa Pancakes
LeeLee S.

We went for brunch and had a wonderful time! My husband was dying to go. We had been following Hellbender on instagram for a while so finally my husband made a reservation. We got there a little early so we went over to the bar and got a drink before being seated. When our take was ready they were able to transfer our bar bill to our table bill. There were so many dishes we wanted to try so we ordered a bunch of food and shared it. We loved everything we got. It's a very cute restaurant, service was great as well as the food and drinks. We would 100% go back.

Pancakes
Gab G.

Big fan of Rolo's and was excited to try their other spot. Made a reservation for brunch and had a fantastic meal here! I tried: + Fried oaxacan cheese + Heirloom masa pancakes + Soft scramble egg tostada The fried cheese and the pancakes were the best, but the tostada was also great. Cocktails looked awesome. Will return for dinner.

Mushroom tacos
James S.

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Value: 3/5 The crispy lamb shoulder was ok but underwhelming considering it was named one of the "Best New Dishes Of 2024" by The Infatuation. It was mostly green beans. Some lamb pieces were tender, some were dry. Mushroom tacos were alright. Hibiscus soda was decent but maybe slightly too sweet. It is a very loud restaurant. Very dark too. Server disappeared on me when I wanted to get a box to go and check out the dessert menu. $75.78 including tax and tip for what I got was kind of pricey too.

Alan S.

Eating at Hellbender, I feel like I'm at the hippest restaurant of an up-and-coming Midwest downtown. Toledo maybe? But for New York standards, dinner was a little underwhelming after we made the trek out to Ridgewood. The entree-sized cheese empanada was the best of what we ordered, and tasted a bit like a pizza fritta. The oyster mushroom tacos were slightly hard to chew, and the fried queso fresco starter was unmemorable. I am glad we stuck around for dessert. The churros paired with whipped cream and blueberries served as an excellent nightcap.

William W.

So good. The chili oil on the scrambled eggs changed me. They do not sell the chili oil... yet. Please sign the petition. A diner perhaps Twisted interpretation Bent but unyielding

Home Fries
Jessica C.

Hellbender is a frequent haunt for my friend and I for margaritas with a chartreuse float (a house specialty). Today was the first day we decided to order brunch and the food here more than impressed us. I had the home fries with special seasoning and a side of the Oaxaca cheese which were both surprisingly filling and has the perfect amount of spice and flavor. Brunch here is very bustling so be sure to make a reservation, because it does get very busy. The servers are quick and the playlist that they have sets the mood perfectly for the chill space. Will definitely be back for another round at Hellbender!

Pancakes
Siyun Z.

First off the decor is so hip and cute. Everyone dining there was also hip and stylish! I was worried the portions would be a bit small and they do look small but bc most items are quite heavy it was very filling! My friend and I shared three dishes: the pancakes, scrambled eggs and fried cheese. I think we both like the fried cheese the most bc of the green sauce it came with. Overall a really cute neighborhood brunch spot to catch up with friends! I would come back to try dinner next time!

My favorite weekends in New York start with brunch at Hellbender! The food is creative, the drinks are delish, and the vibe is always amazing. Shoutout Conner, the bartender that's always happy and makes me feel special every time I come in :)

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The Bad Old Days

The Bad Old Days

(64 reviews)

$$

Ridgewood

According to the Internet, this is the #1 bar in Ridgewood, so I decided to check it out with BF…read moreafter dinner at Rolo's. The bar is a bit on the smaller side in terms of seating, but it has a TON of personality. I loved the eclectic decorations and knickknacks around the seating areas and the bar. The bartender had the TV tuned in to Jeopardy, so my inner (or extremely obvious?) nerd was beaming. In terms of the drinks themselves, I tried the cocoa orange whiskey (?) infusion on the rocks, and my BF had the chipotle paloma. We would both say they were solid, definitely not at "craft cocktail" level, but decent. This bar has a fun + dive-y feel - the kind of place where you get a beer, a plate of chicken nuggets, and watch trash tv with your neighborhood crew (I think they actually do have people who have a weekly Bachelorette viewing during the week). Definitely worth checking out if you're already in the area and looking for ~vibes.~

I've spent a decent amount of time in Ridgewood and unsurprisingly, much of that time has been here…read moreat The Bad Old Days. I've had a number of drinks here and it's been a great meeting spot for late night occasions, especially ones that revolve around a good drink. No doubt it's one of the more underrated nightlife venues in the borough. The setup feels like something out of a Brooklyn type bar - pseudo hipster vibe, casual environment with the whole board games and stacks of books all within a space that is well divided to give a different feel in each corner of the small'ish interior. Like a living room extension but with adult company. Of course, the bar is the most prominent thing in the room and it's a great place to chill as a solo patron. Groups can congregate in the lounge-y areas but the feel is remarkably different depending on where one choses to hang. On a beverage front, there is no shortage of quality drinks to be had. The cocktails are well made and not expensive; the bartenders do a good job of making sure each drink carries a certain kind of potency before leaving the bar. The happy hours are lovely as well, combined with a good deals ($5 shot + beer special, $5 cocktails, etc.) and even better hours (2-8pm!). Lastly, I appreciate a good name. Bad Old Days can be interpreted in many facets, but I think this establishment prides itself on good company and somehow rewards us with simple, good drinks. Bring a friend or three, enjoy the random movies that get projected onto the wall, and enjoy a late night capper in a quiet part of an emerging part of Queens.

Hellbender - mexican - Updated May 2026

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