My usual lunch spot is Jacx and Co. food hall but there are not many vendors left. I did some research on other lunch spots and came across Hot Peppers. I ordered the "Balanced Macro Bowl" with grilled chicken using their online ordering system. When I arrived, my order was ready for pickup and I was greeted by a friendly employee. I really enjoyed my bowl and found it to be a great value considering the portion size. There is some seating inside the restaurant but I took my lunch back to the office. It seems like a popular spot with workers in the area. This will definitely be added to my rotation of lunch spots. read more

Hot Peppers - Balanced Macro Bowl - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Hot Peppers has the best lunch special in the neighborhood. This spot is much better than Chipotle, Qdoba or Moe's but serves a similar product. They typically have very fresh ingredients but you can usually visually identify how the product looks. It is a quick service restaurant with some seating so ambiance isnt very relevant. The staff is attentive and always follow my instructions / get my order right. The portions are big and I'm never hungry afterwards. Their queso is almost as good as Qdoba but is much much much better than other queso (such as Chipotle). Recommend stopping by if you are looking for a quick salad or rice bowl. read more

Hot Peppers - Steak and Shrimp with regular queso, pico, corn, lettuce and cheese - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Came here for lunch when I'm craving a burrito bowl. It's practically the same as a Chipotle bowl but 30% cheaper. Easy to order online and pickup, but there is also plenty of seating if you want to dine in. read more

Excellent place for lunch. Healthy choices. Very tasty meals for the right price. Hard to beat. read more

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Horrible place, saw a roach crawling under the tables. brought it up to the store and they didn't care. Too bad I already paid for a bowl, cause I had to throw it out! read more

I work a few doors down from Hot Peppers which is in an area of LIC with super limited food options. This place serves Tex/Mex type food and is set up very much like a Chipotle. I opted for a salad bowl with warm shrimps which Chipotle does not offer. My bowl was filled with salad greens, a few sautéed peppers, a sprinkling of smallish, pink shrimp and a scoop of guac. It was good-not great. Something about the flavors of every part of my salad tasted a bit warmed over and borderline stale. The staff at Hot Peppers is nice enough and the prices are fair but I probably won't go back. read more

Hot Peppers - Food to go. - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Loved this place !! Super quick and fresh. Loved their original location in Oakland Gardens ! Service is fast . Way better than Chipotle and they have a great Lunch Special. read more

Hot Peppers - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Is a true Chipotle competitor finally here? I think so! Priced at a very reasonable and extremely competitive $8.49 for lunch, one can get some excellent Mexican food with a good variety of proteins. I got the Tofu burrito bowl which was really good thanks to some amazing sauces they have, but in no way, could it compete against the Sofritas bowl as far as the unique protein taste is concerned. Still, the sauces and guac along with a relatively flavorful fajita mix, black beans, and spicy chimichuri sauce adds a tremendous amount of flavor to the dish. With ever increasing prices at Chipotle, this is definitely priced to attract many Chipotle fans, including me! Excellent service too. Will definitely visit again! read more

Hot Peppers - Burrito Bowl with Tofu ($8.49) - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

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Came for lunch on a weekday and was happy to see that they do a $9 lunch special! I built a chicken bowl with lots of toppings. Really solid lunch option in the area (and guac is free). Employees were very welcoming. read more

Hot Peppers - Chicken bowl - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Always passed by this place, decided to give it a try. Pretty good. Food was fresh, everyone seemed nice. Food display could use a little TLC, but I understand it was busy. Tried bowl with veggies and tofu - chipotle sauce was really good. I'll try again! read more

I really like this shop. They make it just the way you want. Really good and large size. I avoided going in here because I cant handle spicy food, Then I just checked it out anyway and they have non spicy options! I assumed with the name it would be all spicy. Friendly staff clean. Im a repeat customer. Perfect to pick something up on the way home. read more

$10.75 for a chicken bowl with basically unlimited toppings is a good deal. Queso and guac included. They definitely used basmati rice so I hope you like that texture. It's not what you get at chipotle or qdoba. In the end it tasted very different from chipotle even though I ordered pretty much the same thing. Seemed like there were some middle eastern seasonings. They were not serving lettuce today with their bowls which is annoying.They have a variety of sauces you can also drizzle on top and an option for tortilla or hot peppers on top as well. The place was so big they could've had more seating. read more

Hot Peppers - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing rice bowls in LIC! This is similar to chipotle, but BETTER and CHEAPER! also they give free guac! Loved the lemon herb drizzle. Generous portions. The flavors are definitely better. No wait. Very spacious inside. They only opened 2 days ago so maybe that's why there isn't much seating. Hopefully they will add more tables and chairs soon! read more

Hot Peppers - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

It was their opening day and free food for all! They advertised on Instagram and the line was poppin, but they made the line very efficient and smooth. The location was clean and had a good amount of seating for another day but it was quick and easy to get in and out. All of the people on the line were great and it was a similar concept to Chipotle but their sauces were different and they also had some bomb dips like a tomato and a white bean dip to top it. Their tomaoes were super fresh in their salsa I just wish they had had chips but it seems like that'll be available another day. They even gave us a lemonade to try. The chicken was well cooked and warm on the bowl but the flavor definitely came from the dips rather than the meat seasoning. Looking forward to going back another less packed day to support a small business rather than chipotle across the street read more

Hot Peppers - Long line for the first day - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

I want to start off by saying the staff here is very kind and helpful. I have never tried hot peppers until this place opened and due to a friend's recommendation and was not disappointed. I can say I would prefer getting hot peppers over chipotle any day. The value and taste is just too good. I love their chipotle honey chicken and like that they offer guac and queso for free. I have gotten their creamy garlic and mango verde sauce and am a fan of them. The mango verde adds a hint of spice. The meal is filling, maybe a bit too filling. I have already gotten it a second time this month and will be coming again! The space is large and has seating. They also offer a lunch special pricing from 12-3pm. read more

Assembly-line fast casual halal Mexican restaurant. Fast service gets you in and out quickly, or you can order through Postmates or UberEats. The chipotle chicken is good, as are the shredded chicken and the steak. Lunch special can get you a big burrito, bowl, or whatever you fancy for under ten dollars. Not bad! Customize to your heart's content and come back to try something different until you find perfection. read more

Was here opening day for the free food deal, I love a deal esp if close to home, can't say no! For their generosity I needed to return the favor by putting in my 2 cents with a small honest review. I don't know the prices so I can't comment on that, but the food I ate was very good. A chaotic first day and yet they were able to keep the food high quality and on top served with a smile which speaks volumes. I opted for beef burrito bowl, the rice was cooked well, beef was flavorful, and all the toppings and sauces were fresh under a bed of crispy lettuce. I would recommend my friends and I myself will back back as a paying customer. Give them a go, you won't be disappointed! read more

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I don't like the name of their restaurant but the food here is very good. The sauces are very flavorful and make the bowls taste very good. In fact, I prefer this over Chipotle because of their sauces. Also, they give you some guacamole and they don't charge you extra for it. I haven't had a bad experience here and the taste of the food is very consistent. I will return again. read more

Chipotle with better food and slightly cheaper prices. Good place for a quick meal or takeout.

LIC is one of the newer locations so I was pretty excited to try it. First time was pretty decent. However, the last time I had it, the flavors were just off. Then I found an avocado peel in it. read more

Hot Peppers - Avocado peel in my food - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Never going to go to Chipotle again - Hot Peppers is just better in all aspects. Cheaper, bigger portions, more flavorful meat, more options for toppings and sauces, free guac, free queso, what else more can you ask for? read more

I love the Springfield location so I had to try out the new LIC location. Finally tried hard shell tacos and it was delicious! After a while the hard shells do get soggy (hours later) but the honey chicken is delicious. I miss the shredded chicken or beer that was at the Springfield location when they first opened but it must be hard to make or maintain. Who doesn't love another halal option in the neighborhood!! read more

The idea of Hot Peppers is to be a local-to-Queens, healthier version of Chipotle. It's cheaper than Chipotle, especially their lunch deals which come out to about $9 after tax. In this economy, $9 lunch as filling as Hot Peppers just doesn't exist anywhere else. I like that they offer shrimp as a protein option (although at a slight $1 premium). They also include guac and queso for FREE, as well as an assortment of sauces which changes up the taste each time you go. The cookies were also really good! The guys working there are all super friendly. I love watching them make the bowl because they make it with salt bae energy, as if they're making this bowl for themselves. I feel like at Chipotle they're just trying to rush you through and plop the ingredients in without caring about the ratio. So happy to support and frequent this local establishment!!! read more

The service and ambiance is better than Chipotle. Price is lower but portion is smaller, too. read more

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I saw a lot of good reviews of Hot Peppers at other locations and I really wished I could love it. But unfortunately after trying it twice I just decided to go back to Chipotle... Pros: They are definitely cheaper, and portions are larger, with a good variety of toppings and sides. People there are very nice. The thin cookies are delicious!!! Cons: the steak was so hard to chew...the chicken was better but still not tender. The flavor of the bowl was not there. The veggies somehow tasted not very fresh... I hope these are just some unfortunate glitches when the business just opened. I will give it another try sometime in the future. But for now, i am going back to chipotle for a more flavorful bowl with tender meat. read more

Service: Everyone was friendly as a first timer. They explain the process and walked me through. However at the end the guy as the register added his own $4 tip to my bill without my consent. I knew something was up when he only offered to text me my receipt. Food: Food was decent and portion size was good. Ambiance: When i arrived i was like the only customer in the place. No tables other than high tops around the window and stairs. These are a little to dangerous for my young son. Questionable if i will ever go back from my experience of basically stealing from me with adding a tip without my consent. read more

solid chipotle replacement - i love that they don't charge for guacamole and have more side options. they have a nice $9 lunch bowl deal if u order at the store the store is pretty empty usually so nice to sit and have a quiet lunch the server was generous with the toppings read more

The workers are super friendly and helpful. The food is delicious as always at all of their locations.

This place just opened about a week ago i believe. I generally go to Chiptole for my rice bowls. I came here yesterday and here is my take. Pros: Chips are softer and with a nice crunch than Chiptole, more options like Spicy Queso (it was nice and warm) as a dip. All items are free toppings including Guac. Prices are cheaper than Chiptole. People there are all nice and friendly not like teen bots in Chiptole. Cons: Their chicken and steak looked a bit dry, maybe it needs to be revamped. Overall Hot Peppers is definitely worth a try and i will definitely come back for more. read more

First timer at a Hot Peppers and the staff were super helpful with helping me through my order(s). The food is FUEGO and affordable. Definitely a go-to spot for healthy and affordable meal in LIC. Mos def coming back to try everything else! read more

Hot Peppers - Chicken bowl. The pickled onions are a MUST. - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Situated right across the street from overpriced Chipotle - who knows how much a bowl costs nowadays. I go here because the meat is halal and the location is right next to my job. The food is great with many options, especially the sauces. My go to sauces are the lemon herb and chimmichurri. The food is filling and portions are larger than Chipotle too. However, I noticed recently the bowls have less food than I used to see earlier when I used to go. I think it's the rice part, I didn't see much rice at the bottom. Still would support this small business over Chipotle anytime. A bonus is no food poisoning read more

Hot Peppers - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

This was something different and interesting to the mouth, healthy, and also tasty. The people there are very nice, and the lunch special was not over 10 bucks nowadays. That's a great price read more

Hot Peppers - Bowl with the works - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

Staff was friendly. Pretty much like other reviewers say it's chipotle style. They show you what they have available from the menu and you can customize it. Ended up getting the special bowl with chipotle hot chicken. Very flavorful and not overwhelming. Seating is limited here but this is a great option if you are in the area. read more

Food is delicious, super fresh. Staff is friendly and very generous with portions. Their lunch special is an unbeatable deal, don't charge extras for extra toppings, two types of protein or anything! A welcome addition to the neighborhood read more

Good spot with better meat options than the other spots similar. I will definitely be back

Great news place--- chipotle dupe-- not overprice and taste fresssshhh! The employee is respectful and are considerate! read more

Hot Peppers - Lunch special 8-10 dollars - Mexican Near Me - New York, New York

3.5 star. A Mexican fast-casual restaurant with a healthier approach to halal fast food, all proteins and ingredients are presented in Mexican style vehicles, such as burrito bowls, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads, like Chipotle style. Along with other units of Asian-infused businesses, they are most likely catering to the growing foreign students crowds who are known to reside in this area. LIC is a blossoming neighborhood and expats and locals are craving food that bring back memories. Hot Peppers will do well with the young generations as well as nearby workers. The convenience, fresh ingredients, and a clean space to dine in will draw in customers for sure. Just wished there are more substantial vegetarian/vegan options and not just veggies and tofu. Perhaps vegan meatballs could be a viable option. Also, please also offer white rice for those who prefer unflavored plain rice (not brown rice). read more

Food was fresh and tasted delicious. Setup and ordering as you go was just like Chipotle but so many different options like honey chipotle chicken and shrimp. The portions they give you are HUGE! Had enough food for 3+ meals. And all for less than $10! Hard to find a place like that in New York. Workers are super friendly and happy to explain everything to you and even offer suggestions. Definitely check this place out if you haven't yet! read more

Really nice to have a New Mexican spot in the neighborhood! Portions are huge and prices are reasonable. Guac is included which is a bonus :) read more

You know when you're a kid and your mom says you're having Chipotle for dinner and you get excited just to find out it's actually her version instead of takeout? Well that's what this burrito bowl is. Mostly flavorless rice, VERY cheap on salsas and toppings. (Thank you for the 1 tablespoon of guac even though I didn't get any protein.) The queso is literally just velveeta and the chips are 4x saltier than they should be. Other than the queso the food seems fresh and good quality - just very bland and boring. read more