If your restaurant has the balls to claim itself as the "best Tex Mex" and then put on its menu cover a map that shows ... from Austin to Brooklyn ... you BETTER DAMN SERVE REAL TEX MEX. As an Austinite that recently moved to Brooklyn, my taste buds have been dying for some serious Tex-Mex... so I can guarantee you that they have not forgotten what good Tex-Mex tastes like. First of all: THE QUESO: Man, I've been dying for queso. Anyone I tell about queso here in NYC has no idea what it is. So when I came to Lobo and ordered queso, I expected to get... real queso. What our queso looked like to me was a huge pot of melted Velveeta and a huge chunk of ground beef. There was WAY too much beef in there, not to mention it was dry and flavorless. The cheese was way too cheesy, too thick, and once again ... flavorless. Maybe if you added some guacamole in there or SOMETHING. God, it was horrible. THE NACHOS: Wow. Wow. I don't think I can even call these nachos. First of all, the chips in nachos should be CRISPY, not completely soggy. You couldn't even pick up a chip without it ripping. Second, all of the ingredients should be baked in the oven together on top of the chips so they all melt together. It looked like they just piled some ground beef on one corner, some sour cream and guac on another corner, some lettuce and tomato on another corner, and cheese and beans on another corner. No. THE QUESADILLAS: Now, I don't know how you can mess these up. First of all, they were as flat as a pancake and TINY. They tasted okay but it's only because there are like... what, 2 ingredients in there? --- Finally, the service was horrible. We told our waitress that we needed to hurry because we were trying to catch a movie. We sat at our table w/ our empty basket of chips and queso for 10 minutes before she came to refill it. Then, the table next to us received their food before us even though they sat down after us. They offered to give us our appetizer for free, but who gives a crap about that? It was pure shit anyway! I saw they offer breakfast tacos and migas on their breakfast menu. I give them kudos for putting those on there for "authenticity" purposes, but I sure am scared to try them. All I have to say is... Don't mess with Texas. If you're going to have a Tex-Mex restaurant, use real and fresh ingredients. Take your time in making the dishes. Don't have horrible service. Maybe hire someone who knows what the hell he's doing. And don't charge so much if you know your food is shit. read more

Rude, rude, rude. Its been a very long time since I walked out of a restaurant. But i walked out of this one. Waitress was SO RUDE!! I'm not sure what was even wrong with her. But she was livid the whole time she served me. I stopped in after a spa treatment to enjoy a calm, solitary dinner. I sat in the bar area to keep it simple & quick. Boy was that a mistake. She was really angry, like boiling over...and she took it out on me for some reason. Eventually she abandoned my table and a busser took over. And although all of the registers have swiping mechanisms, they claim to be cash only. What a joke! My spa is across the street so I'll just take my credit card & business to the myriad other restaurants on Court Street. read more

With my continuing effort to leave my neighborhood, my companion and I ventured into downtown Brooklyn and walked forever on Court Street. By chance we wandered into Lobo for brunch. A kind of funky looking place tex/mex/brooklyn style. Great omelets with roasted garlic and roasted peppers, rice and beans and tortillas. Cute garden in the back sort of reminiscent of funky neighborhood places in towns in New Mexico. Friendly service and decent food. Very family friendly brunch time with lots of screaming kids and parents who just couldn't control them. That I don't quite get. A walk afterwards through Carroll Gardens uncovered one Italian Ice stand after another....what a treat! read more

If I could give this place more stars, I would. I am not one to return to a restaurant- this is NYC! There are a billion to choose from- but my boyfriend and I have been to Lobo five times, twice just in one week. We have never been disappointed. The margaritas are absolutely phenomenal and the collard greens are unlike anything I've ever had (I grew up in south Georgia, mind you). I recently ordered the steak fajita salad and my dude got the chicken fried steak with greens and garlic potatoes. Needless to say, we were more than pleased with our choices. We've celebrated birthdays here and brought out of town family members. Definitely our favorite low-key place to go. read more

We went to Lobo for my buddies' post-wedding brunch. We were a huge (20-ish) group, but they had reserved plenty of space for us upstairs. Our server was extraordinarily friendly and helpful -- he joked around with us and offered great recommendations. Some of the orders got mixed around or a little flubbed, which is understandable given the size of our group, but they went out of their way to make things right every time. I had the 10oz burger topped with an egg, jalapeños, and queso, (don't worry, I took a picture for www.thisiswhyyourefat.com) and I'll be dreaming of it for weeks to come. The cheddar jalapeño grits are worth the trip alone, and the Bloody Mary was the best I've had in ages. read more

Based on dining in (disclaimer: it was cinco de mayo). Lobo Margarita Grande: I wouldn't recommend. It was pricey considering the fact that it mostly tasted like sour mix and no real hint of liquor. Fajita Steak Quesadilla: I would give it a 4 out of 5. Pretty tasty and the meat was tender. Chips & Salsa: the salsa is on point and has a bit of a kick to it. The chips aren't salty which I like. There was a bit of a wait to be seated and for the food but I'm assuming it was because it's Cinco de Mayo. read more

Yup, food and service needs help. I agree with the reviewer who said it. I think the service people are likely nice, but maybe overworked- could explain why they can't get back to your table even to give you a check. Everyone in the neighborhood says how they would have LOVEd for it to be good, but somehow the flavors are never more than bland...the food is a bit expensive for what you get. The location is good. Too bad the trucks in Redhook aren't always open, right? OOOH, yep, the cash only thing. We like the guacamole with a margarita- so have a drink and the guac, skip the dinner, and get on the train to York street station, and go to Hecho restaurant in Dumbo. read more

Let me start this out by saying any place that serves fried pickles automatically gets points in my book. I don't even like fried pickles that much, but just the fact that they are on the menu means that it is the kind of place I will like. They somehow make their country western atmosphere seem cool not kitschy, and convince me that ordering a plate of country nachos topped in pulled pork is cool and not fattening. Come for the cute outdoor space and amazing margaritas and stay for the well made food. Some dishes are hit and miss, but I find as long as you stick with staples (enchiladas, nachos, guacamole) you'll be on your way to Tex-Mex heaven read more

Go here for the margaritas and drinks -- very, very good. Try the ancho infused tequila. The blood orange is not really blood orange... more like pink grapefruit. Skip the food unless you are starving and crave mediocre tex-mex with your margaritas. This place is never that crowded -- we've been here at all times of the day/week... they seem to get a steady but small crowd. read more

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner on a Thursday night. We had the loaded nachos, guacamole, and shared one of the combination plates. It was happy hour so I ordered a passion fruit margarita and my boyfriend ordered a mango margarita and a modelo beer. We were full by the end of the night. My only complaint was that we asked for the loaded nachos with the jalepenos on the side but received it with the jalepenos on the nachos. It wasn't a big deal, we just picked them off. The service was pretty good, our waiter checked in with us before happy hour was over to see if we wanted anymore drinks. We sat by the window which was probably a bad idea because there was a draft so I wouldn't suggest taking the table by the window. The tables are also pretty small. I would go back there again with other seating arrangements. read more

Dropped in this evening while I was walking back from Midtown Manhattan. Very cool eclectic place. I had a house Margarita which was Top Notch. Really enjoyed it and would definitely come back here. I recommend. read more

Yes, two stars. Why? My margarita tasted as if no tequila was added, the salsa needed work, and while my entree was hot, none of the meats had any discernible flavor. Only the crispy beef taco held any promise. I've been told their brunch is great, but I won't have the chance to experience that anytime soon. read more

Dear Lobo, how I love your margaritas! Seriously, they are amazing and the main reason I'm even giving 4 stars(food-wise I'd give 3 stars)! The margarita is so fresh and the ratio of tequila is perfect! The bartenders are also awesome! My best friend and I would find ourselves here quite often around happy hour while we were so exhausted/stressed from studying for our board exam and the margaritas and hilarious bartender were just what we needed. As far as food goes, it's pretty standard tex-mex and always leaves me satisfied, but isn't the best tex-mex I've ever had. The portion sizes are huge so it's the perfect place to go if you're really hungry! I generally order the chimichangas or enchiladas-- both are good and standard. As far as dessert goes, I really do love their churros!!! They are served with icecream which is perfect for dipping! It's actually one of the only places in the area that sells churros so I often come and get churros and margaritas and leave happy! They have a great outdoor area which is one of my favorite places to sit on a warm day/night. They are cash only, but there is an ATM upstairs! read more

Best Tex mex in the city. Big servings. Big back yard when the weather is nice. The lobo margarita is the serial to get and they have TX beers on tap. Cash only. read more

Lobo - Chicken soft tacos - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I LOVE LOBO! The margaritas are absolutely perfect! The queso and the guacamole are among the best i've had, and their super secret weapon is the pork tacos. NOBODY ever has pork tacos and they are a bit of heaven. They also have the rice and beans down just right, which, lets face it...is critical to good mexican. Great service-- any time they've made a mistake, they go above and beyond to make up for it, and I love the set up of the place. Very comfy- two small floors, and a very pretty courtyard out back for when the weather is just right. I can't understand the neg reviews. read more

I had to be in Brooklyn to check out a site for my environmental assessment class. A friend of mine, also in the same class lives in Brooklyn but we were headed back to downtown NY because I had to make it to my 6 o'clock class. HA. Who was I kidding? We got off the next stop and decided to go for margaritas. She brought me here and boy was I happy she did. We got there during happy hour. $6 margaritas and pretty strong. I also ordered the steak salad. It came in a tortilla bowl and it was delicious. The place is nice, pretty small but they have an upstairs where it is a little more private and has seating for bigger crowds. The bathroom is really really small, it is kind of creepy. Trust me, my friend warned me and I was still not prepared for how tiny it is. I felt like I was in Alice in Wonderland. BTW, they do NOT take credit cards but they do have an ATM machine. Regardless, it is a great place and very decently priced. I will be back! read more

And by Tex-Mex . . . you mean . . . .???!!!!! First off - - there are fucking cow hides on the seats. Real or not I DO NOT LIKE THE SENSATION OF ANIMAL HAIR TOUCHING MY BODY WHEN I SIT DOWN TO EAT. That's just the beginning of the laundry list of crimes this restaurant inflicts upon its customers: 1) No frozen ritas?!!! Are you for fucking serious?!!! 2) Rude rude waiter. My friend has a newly developed wheat and corn allergy but this guy was not impressed. When my friend asked if the salad had any corn he rolled his eyes and droned, "Nnno." Then what did the salad come in? A TORTILLA SHELL. 3) I don't even remember my meal. That's just how bland and uninspired it was. Obviously (yelp membership as proof) I like remembering my meals. This is a problem. Okay. Close with something positive. They have Lonestar. For $4 (fuckers - a six pack costs that much!!!!) Ahem. Positive. Ahem . . . uh . . . ??? read more

Nice nabe joint. Unpretentious and fun. Mamas sassy enchiladas with beef, cheese, rice and refried beans was tasty. Creamed corn was a little sweet and real good. Generous amount of free salsa and chips. Upstairs with it's Texas decor and brownstone views is quintessential Cobble Hill and simple Tex-Mex. Nice garden in rear for warmer days. read more

It has taken me forever to write a review. I've been coming to this place off and on. For about maybe five years. Anyway.... I love Lobo!!! I highly recommend the shrimp quesadilla and for the chicken lovers. My friend recommended the pulled chicken tacos. The drinks are amazing I had an Apple Cinnamon Margarita and became obsessed. I highly recommend this place. Upstairs, downstairs or the backyard. You'll enjoy it!!!! read more

Dan's negative review clearly has Tex-Mex and Mexican food confused. As anyone who's spent time in Austin can tell you, there is a big difference. First off, let me say for the record that this is better Tex-Mex than ANY of the spots in Los Angeles. (Which was somewhat of a shock, since my fiancee and I had just about given up on ever eating good Tex-Mex outside of Austin ever again.) The queso isn't perfect (texture wasn't exactly right), but again, MUCH better than any of the feeble attempts at queso I've enjoyed in Southern California, and definitely in Austin's league. If you're a Texas transplant or just someone who appreciates the fact that melted cheese + chips can take more forms than JUST nachos, you should definitely give Lobo a spin. read more

I live by myself in the neighborhood, and Lobo is the one spot I feel comfortable eating alone. It enhances my life, and my gut. At least once every week, I sit at the bar and order a margarita on the rocks with salt and Edwin's Enchiladas with verde sauce. The friendly bartender gives me a huge amount of thick chips -- not the slight ones that crumble when exerted -- and medium heat, thin, tasty salsa. The margarita is good, the food is fine, and the atmosphere is oh-so-comfortable in an area with not-so-comfortable, self-conscious eateries. I read a magazine and chat with the bartender a bit. I leave satisfied. It's a routine, and I like it. read more

Wonderful Tex-Mex in Cobble Hill! Cute place, that looks small from the outside, but actually has a large dining room upstairs, and a backyard outdoor garden! Hefty portions, and consistently good! Cash only! But they also have an ATM upstairs. read more

Lobo - Quaint little spot! - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Always super excited about the margaritas, chips, salsa and guac, but never remember that the rest of the menu is not quite as awesome until we're already seated. The juice for the margarita is freshly made, and it shows in the quality and taste. I've never had anything that was bad, but never have raved about one of their entrees. Definitely give it a shot though. The staff has always been really great, and the outdoor seating in the back is great when the weather is right. Cash only can be a pain in the neck, but they have an ATM upstairs to avoid the neighborhood ATM scavenger hunt while your partner stalls the waitress. read more

I go to Lobo quite a bit-- my coworkers maybe a little more than I-- and we still keep going. It's a little expensive and even though the food is nothing crazy spectacular, it's always been pretty solid. Frankly, we go for the margaritas and chips. Both AWESOME. Other than the margaritas and chips, this review is for the staff. They've always been consistently friendly. We had an awesome bartender named Sara there-- she is great. Not there so much, but when she is, she's always beyond attentive (even though I'm sure we can get annoying), super friendly and just really a stand out bartender in the land of too-cool bartenders that like to ignore you. Sara's awesome! read more

After several trips to Lobo, thought a review was in order... First, get a margarita. They're good with the infused flavored tequilas. The jalapeno tequila can be a bit over the top spicy, but good once you warm up to it. If you can't take as much spice, try the ancho tequila, which gives a good kick. The other flavors are good as well. The food is hit or miss. After living in Austin for a couple of years, I know it is hard to get good tex-mex in the northeast, but Lobo does an okay job with the standards. Our recent order of wings was a bit dry and overcooked, but they were better on a previous visit. I'd stay with the standards, tacos, etc. And lots of margaritas. overall, it's a good spot for a drink (as is the location in the Slope) and an app, but not a meal. read more

It's not perfect food, but it's still the best thing a home-sick Texan can find for Tex-Mex in this city. For that, all the thanks in the world to the owner. The run-down: real Tex-mex food (velveeta, proper chili gravy, and good hill country salsa), margaritas with juice that is fresh-squeezed every day (but no cointreau behind the bar last time I went), and solid Austin-nostalgic breakfasts with great bloody marias. read more

Love this Mexican restaurant! It's a classic for my husband and I, and we go there almost once a week. Their Margaritas are killer! The staff is great, nice, fun and very helpful. I can't really talk about the whole menu, as I always order the same - loaded nachos (reaaaally tasty) or their chicken fajitas (very fresh and tasty). Although the room downstairs usually gets a bit loud with the music and all, upstairs is comfy and not so loud (except on busy nights). A great place! read more

Came once to this restaurant for dinner and was singularly unimpressed. Perhaps a bad night, perhaps brunch is better, not sure when I'll be back to test out either alternate hypotheses. Dark wood paneling and rustic accents inside, with large bar filling up a good size section of the interior. Seating is fairly comfortable. On that relatively hot day, the ceiling fans and open front doors were inadequate for cooling, but we were hungry and the last place we looked at was similarly un-air-conditioned so we decided to live with it. Service from our waitress was ok, although she tended to give the impression that we were inconveniencing her more often than not. Immediately went for a blood orange margarita, which was ok but not particularly memorable; they have many margarita and infused tequila choices. Started off with an order of guacamole. Chips are good but guacamole was below average and watery. Had the fish soft shell taco, served on a large platter with ingredients to assemble the taco; quality and preparation of ingredients was ok. A friend had one of the meat fajitas, also accompanied with similar ingredients to assemble; meat was overcooked and too salty. Tried the creamed corn as a side; didn't like it b/c it was sweet enough to be a dessert but that's my own taste bias. On a more subjective note, the corn kernels were tough. By dessert time, wasn't really interested in having it there. Overall, the food underwhelmed. With so many better places in the area, I probably won't go back. read more

I mainly go to Lobo for the atmosphere. The first floor is intimate enough that if there isn't much of a crowd you still feel like the place is comfortably busy. If it does get busier, the upstairs can seat a decent amount of people. The BEST part of the atmosphere is during the summer. I love the backyard of this place and who doesn't love a margarita on a beautiful summer night with strings of lights surrounding them? The food is decent and fun. The bartender and servers all seem pretty genuine and nice. One time our meal order was lost so a server (who was actually off for the night) brought our table shots and took one with us. The food takes long enough to come out that I fill up on chips and salsa almost every time. I don't mind this during the summer because I just like sitting in the yard, but during colder months it's less appealing. read more

Great little bar, wonderful food. Had lunch here. Good bartender/ server. Reasonably priced. Would definitely come back and try some more food. It's a "dive" bar. Just be happy you can get inside. Over 30 tequilas - if I only lived closer to this place I would come back every weekend. read more

I have been here a couple of times. The food and drinks are consistent and the service OK. So, when my brother said he had a hankering for Mexican and we were close, we said cool, let's stop in. We walk in, are greeted cherrily, asked how many in our party and asked if we wanted to sit downstairs or upstairs. We opted for upstairs and are brought to a petite booth. We ask to be seated at one of the empty more spacious tables around us; two out of the three members of our party are larger and the third is tall. We knew it would be an uncomfortable meal seated in the booth presented to us. The server said they expected to be full and that that was pretty much our only option. We tried to work with her but, it was really uncomfortable. We asked to be moved and are begrudgingly offered the booth across from us that is the same size which, we turn down. Then finally we are offered the roomy table we needed/asked for in the first place and were yet again told about how busy they expected to be. There was a hint of you all should be grateful that we accommodated you. We all three were done by that point and opted to leave. The customers comfort, needs and reasonable requests are not inconveniences to a good business but, to Lobo it is unthinkable. Never again. read more

Mediocre Mexican in a city of amazing Mexican options. It's also not cheap. For a family of four, get ready to spend 80 bucks. Oh yeah. And you have to pay cash because I guess the owner prefers to not pay taxes. read more

Lobo is like crack. I go to Lobo way more times than is healthy but I can't help it. I'm just naturally drawn to it. I have a Lobo problem that I can't shake. It's gotten to the point where I have had to vow to myself to go only once every couple of weeks, but even then I falter. It's weird. It's...addictive. I love tacos and I love booze and there exists no better place in the neighborhood to get both of them at the same time. The food isn't spectacular or anything, but their margaritas have a tendency to be flipping tasty and flipping strong, and after a few of those bad boys, the tacos taste pretty damn good, too. Besides the margaritas, the chips and salsa are always solid. As for entrées, I generally deviate between the chicken fajita hard tacos and the chicken fajita chalupas. It's your standard Tex-Mex fair, but when you love Tex-Mex as much as I do, and because the cooks in the kitchen at Lobo rarely have an off night, standard actually means freaking tasty (especially with the margs). The bartenders are amiable and the waitstaff is always friendly. One note, though, is that I always go during happy hour ('til 7) and always on a weeknight. Why, you ask? Well for one, it's happy hour. It's also much less crowded than on the weekends. I abide by this rule simply because the one sub-par experience I've ever had happened on a busy Saturday for dinner when the drinks were watered down and the food wasn't that great. My theory is that because they're much busier on the weekends, they have less time to spend on quality. When it's less busy on the weekdays, there's less rushing around and everyone has more time to focus on making strong drinks and solid food. You can't rush greatness, ya know? read more

Lobo, I grew up with Tex-Mex. I know Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex is a friend of mine. Lobo, you're no Tex-Mex restaurant. But seriously y'all, this place is pathetic. They threw Velveeta on top of a few mangled pieces of romaine and called that a side salad. Also pretty sure the tortillas were made in a factory. The disrespect some other reviewers have mentioned here, though, extends beyond the waitstaff. I left Lobo about as irritated as any reasonable person can get over restaurant decorations. Do they think Texans are cartoon characters or something? How is this place even in business? read more

This place is a solid 5 stars when you consider availability, location, cost, happy hour, friendly service, and variety of tasty options. I've been here probably about 12 times over the past 4 years. All but one experience was super. The queso is spot on, so that alone is worth the trip. The happy hour margaritas are a delight. The service has always been friendly and organized. The food itself is tasty (a solid 4 stars), and the options are just like a typical Tex-Mex place in Texas - this is a compliment! It's hard to find this here in NYC. It scratches the Tex-Mex itch but it's not the best Tex-Mex I've ever had in my life, but I have absurd standards :) read more

The guacamole tasted liked a 9-volt battery. Pretty sure that means it's off. And the fish tacos were really fishy tasting. And it took ages to find someone to refill our water. At least they were kind enough to take a couple of things off the bill. I really wanted to like this place. Maybe it was just a bad night. read more

Lobo has redeemed themselves! I have started to go back on a regular basis. After speaking with the owner, I was able to understand the learning curve of its employees coming from one location to the other. The fried chicken had been a problem, but now it is cooked appropriately and the menu now states that the wait time for this item will be longer. The perfect solution to this problem. I also found out that you can actually buy the salsa and take it home, a practice I am going to start. Overall, you can't beat the food, and that is why I went back and they have not disappointed me. read more

Love this place. I'm from Texas so it's so nice having a true Tex-Mex joint only a block away from me. The upstairs area can get really loud on Friday nights, but usually, this place has a great vibe. Slight headache that they only take cash. read more

Food: 5 stars Margaritas: 5 stars Wait staff: 5 stars Manager: 0 stars I fully understand that there are a lot of restaurants in New York that are cash only. However, this was not disclosed (blatantly) until we received our check. The waiter was incredibly friendly and said that we could speak with the manager as they have swiped a single credit card for large parties. He sent the manager over and she did not deliver the same information. She was not only short and rude, but she did not offer solutions other than using their ATM machine. Anyway, we all got cash out. We sat waiting for someone to collect our money for 15 minutes and no one came. We all got up and walked to the bar, where the manager was standing facing the wall and texting, and asked how we could get our check taken care of. I said to the manager, "get a credit card machine" and she boldly retaliated "tell the owner." I then asked her how and she had no response. I then told her that we waited for 15 minutes and she, then again, had no response. Superior food, superior service, inferior, lazy management. A total buzzkill. read more

Deece. I came here to drown the law-student blues with my Koala friend, when the both of us were craving margaritas and chicken-fried steak. I got mine with deep fried pickles and cole slaw because I wanted to be sure I ate nothing with actual nutritional value, and went with the traditional margarita. The margarita was strong and delicious, and the chips and salsa to start were completely addictive. But ohh my steak. Why you do this to me?? I told our perky waitress that I wanted it medium, not that I wanted it with half-cooked batter falling off it. Aside from my steak's nip-slip batter moment, it was pretty delish, but my main gripe is the size. If I had known I would be getting 7oz of skirt steak for $16, I would have walked my ass over to Popeye's to get a satisfying chicken dinner for 8 bucks. Alright, this is the broke-ass student in me talking, but seriously I was saddened. On a brighter note, the fried pickles were great and the cole slaw, while a tad mayonnaise-y, was cold, crisp and delicious. If I ever have money again, I may come back and try a different Tex-Mex favorite, but I don't know if I can handle getting hurt like that again...*sniff.* read more