We were walking around the 'hood trying to find coffee on a frigid day and stumbled upon what appeared to be a hole in the wall with a decent food menu for a coffee shop. Little did we know that it was business on the main floor and a party on the bottom! We ended up skipping the coffee and just had food. This is a Mexican spot with some Colombian themed dishes on the brunch/lunch menu. The breakfast burrito was recommended by our server (as a popular dish) as well as the huevos rancheros. I love biscuits so was swayed in a different direction... an egg and cheese sandwich on a house made jalapeño biscuit. The biscuit sandwich was filling, although a bit too dry for my taste. The addition of the jalapeño did give the biscuit a good kick. The potatoes were nicely seasoned. My friend gushed about her huevos rancheros. It did look good, and I would likely skip the biscuit sandwich and go for the huevos rancheros or tacos next time. The service was super sweet and attentive. We truly didn't realize there was another floor until we finished our meal in the enclosed heated space up front, and the server encouraged us to check it out. It's a cool set up with a distinct feel from the main floor. All in all I would check this place out again. read more

The Calaveras - BISCUIT SANDWICH; HUEVOS RANCHEROS - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

What a wonderful experience here. We had lunch here. The chips and guac was amazing! Ceviche, perfect. The shrimp fajitas, small portion but very tasty. We also had bottomless mimosas and shots of tequila. The service was fast! The vibe was chill. Nothing fancy. Just good food. Good drinks and great company. I'll definitely be back. read more

The Calaveras - Outside - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Stumbled on this gem, and that's exactly what it is, a gem. Service is great, food is great. And the vibe is cool calm and relaxed. I love how upstairs is a dive vibe, and downstairs is full blown restaurant. Soon isn't soon enough. read more

The Taco Tuesday deal is one you can't miss. 3 tacos and any flavor margarita for only $20. The food is super flavorful and filling. The drinks are pretty good and relatively strong. And the ambiance is super cozy, intentional, and eclectic. I really found a few nooks of art pieces that caught my eye and grounded me in the space. I'd recommend with a group, solo or one a date. read more

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First time in NY and Found this place through Yelp and decided to give them try. As you enter it's a super small area where they have menus and a small bar. The gentlemen informed us we can go downstairs for table sitting. You walk down narrow steps and it's another world! There's tables, chairs, a bar area and the kitchen. Very nice, love the decoration and service. We ordered enchiladas suizas de pollo, delicious and creamy. Would recommend. Chilaquiles con huevo and carnitas. Not spicy but good crunch and flavor. Jalapeño biscuit sandwich. Unfortunately this was our least favorite , the biscuit was dry. Didn't taste like jalapeño and everything inside was slipping out with every bite. Potatoes were really good. Well seasoned and crispy. Customer service was good too. Plates run about $18 . read more

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Food and drinks were amazing! Guacamole, chips, Shrimp fajitas sll fantastic. One of the best sangrias I've ever had. Very warm staff and cool vibe read more

Constant date night spot in my area. Good for a casual happy hour or for dinner on a busy night. We love that the menu is dynamic and allows for us to try different foods especially with me being a vegetarian. read more

The Calaveras - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Sometimes it is hard for me to put my feelings for chilaquiles into words - sometimes it is all I want to eat. I'm not sure I've ever before found a dish that single-handedly inspired me to explore a cuisine and culture that I had previously not paid much mind to. I consider myself something of an expert on the best chilaquiles in the city, and so was excited to try the option at The Calaveras, which is only on their weekend brunch menu. They only have chilaquiles verdes, which is my preferred option anyway - the tortillas were appropriately soft, and it came with all the appropriate garnishes. Overall a good option, although the flavor profile of the chilaquiles is a little more balanced at For All Things Good or La Chilaqueria. read more

The Calaveras - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Enjoyed their taco Tuesday. The shrimp option was good but maybe a little more seasoning on the shrimp. Great taco Tuesday deal 3 for $20 including a margarita. Can't go wrong! read more

One of my favorite taco places in the world. The vibe is one of the best in the city.

The Calaveras' tacos are full of flavor thanks to the seasoned meats, toppings and salsas inside. I especially enjoyed the tacos al pastor, but the tacos arrachera were also delicious and worth ordering again. The sweet plantains were also tasty, but I'd recommend getting them without the cheese and salsa. I can't speak for the service of the restaurant since I ordered to-go, but my order was ready upon my arrival and I got in and out of the restaurant within 5 minutes. read more

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This place was so cute and cozy! They had a special of 3 tacos with a margarita for $20. Totally worth it!! They didn't skimp on the meat for the tacos and the margarita was strong. I recommend coming to check it out. We came on a Wednesday and the service was quick and efficient read more

The Calaveras - Classic Margarita - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food and amazing drinks! Highly recommend the margaritas and we tried the esquites, the ceveche, the brisket and Carne asada tacos. I highly recommend all these The host is super friendly and we got seated immediately. They have outdoor and downstairs seating. I would definitely return when in the neighborhood. They offer a discount to pay in cash and our bill was around $70 which is a good price for all this food. They also have happy hour and lunch specials read more

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rats running all over the kitchen and bar area smh now I see why they hide the C grade smh

Alicia and I have been coming to The Calaveras for a couple of years now. We've brought friends and out-of-town guests for three things: the food, the ambience, and Cesar. He makes us feel like family... the kind you like to spend time with. We love this restaurant! read more

This team has earned my trust with their consistent quality. This place offers excellent meals in a well-designed space. These dishes represent good value for money. Employees offer care that parallels their culinary achievements. I worry about this place becoming too crowded. read more

I went to calaveras for the taco Tuesday special that they have (3 tacos + marg for $20). I got a margarita and the birria tacos. The deal is a steal - the birria tacos ($2 upcharge for birria) were very good and there is variety in the margs. Our server was friendly, attentive, and the food came out fairly quick. It's an underground eating area with music playing in the background. Overall, it's authentic Mexican which is rare and tastes good. I would come back again - especially during happy hour/taco Tuesday read more

The Calaveras - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Made last minute decision on Cinco de Mayo to visit this neighborhood establishment. From the street it looks like a tiny takeout storefront. But the hostess lead us down a rather steep winding staircase to a wonderful open bar/restaurant area festively decorated in old Mexican style. Service was very nice and staff was very pleasant. My GF really liked the vegetarian/vegan options and I liked almost everything on the menu. I was hoping for a frozen margarita but they only had them on the rocks which I like to a much lesser degree. But, the margarita was delicious and heavy on the salt - which I like very much. The food was very good. Think we'll be coming back for more eats AND the bar looks like it would be a fun stop for happy hour cocktails. read more

I ordered a steak burrito and there was hardly any steak and what was there was dry and over cooked, obviously sitting around. And why did this smallish burrito come with limp French fries? read more

The Calaveras was so much fun! Drinks was amazing and food delicious. I would recommend this place. I will definitely be back. read more

The Calaveras - Spicy margarita - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Super nice! Taco amazing, also the burrito! Overall a great place to go!!! Highly recommend!

Amazing fish tacos! I had the hibiscus Margarita, but from I could tell all the drinks on the menu looked pretty good. They have very friendly staff and the service was relatively fast! read more

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This place is a neighborhood joint not far from me. I don't think it's very good but not bad. It was expensive for what it was.

Not just one of the best Mexican restaurants on UWS, but one of THE best restaurants. Whether dining out at the restaurant or ordering in, they deliver fresh, delicious, authentic Mexican cuisine. Some of my favorites: Arrachera and de pescado tacos, Enchiladas Suizas, amazing guacamole, and burrito (that morita sauce is heavenly. To add, the owner, Francisco is always warm, welcoming, and very generous. Go pay a visit ASAP! read more

Stayed at an Airbnb across from this restaurant. stumbled upon it our first night then went back a second night because of how good the food and service was. Cesar made us feel so at home even saying on our second night "sit Wherever this is home!" Don't be surprised by the exterior. Just follow the giant eat down sign (that we missed) and enjoy this sweet, intimate dining experience with great food, great drinks and even better people! read more

Decided to hit up The Calaveras to feed my taco craving and I'll say this place is going to be part of my normal rotation! When I arrived there wasn't any customers or staff upstairs and then I saw a sign saying come meet then downstairs. That's where everyone was at and I wasn't even aware this place had a basement dining area! Got the fish and al pastor tacos and both were flavorful and fantastic! Don't skip on the guac and chips either! Great place and looking forward to coming back read more

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I came to The Calaveras with a group of 4 on a Friday at 6:30pm. We had a reservation but the place was not too crowded so you would probably be okay walking in at that time too. I really loved the ambiance of the restaurant since it's not on the main floor but rather it is downstairs -- there is a lot of space and it gives off very speakeasy vibes! Truly nice and unique. They also played very good Hispanic music the whole time at a reasonable volume which livened up the environment and made it perfect for a fun date or dinner with friends. Our server was super kind and answered all our questions. He was very attentive of our table while we were there but not hovering around us either-- it was a very healthy distance and we never felt pressure to leave/ felt comfortable hanging out after talking for a while. For drinks everyone ordered some beers and I got a red sangria. The sangria was refreshing, a little sweet but not too much, and had a good amount of alcohol in it. The food was actually pretty good and I'm very particular about/ have high standards for Mexican food since I'm from California. This is one of the first places that has not disappointed me. For food we ordered: -Guacamole: came with chips too. We split this with the whole table. The chips were crispy, flavorful and not oily. They also were not super salty which I really enjoyed. The guac was pretty good! It had subtle hints of lemon and salt and this nice creamy texture with some generous chunks of avocado. Would get this again. - Carnitas burrito: my boyfriend ordered this and he loved it. It comes with a side of fries and chipotle mayo that were pretty good! The burrito has a decent portion size and is generously filled with meat, rice, beans, and some veggies. The flavor of the carnitas was rich and well spiced, the meat was juicy and very tender. Honestly, probably the best carnitas I've had in a Mexican restaurant in Manhattan. I think they put a little too much rice in the burrito so it was mildly dry and I usually like my burritos with more beans/meat but overall it was still delicious. Not messy to eat at all. - Enchiladas Suizas: I got this dish and thought it was very solid! I was expecting it to have red sauce but it had the green tomatillo sauce which I actually like better so I was happy about that. I got them filled with chicken and the portion was generous. The chicken was flavorful and not dry, and there was also some cheese inside the enchiladas themselves which added a salty/stringy hint which was delicious. The corn tortilla they used felt very fresh and well made. Also has some avocado on top, pickled onions for a sweet hint, and queso fresco. Would come back just for this! -Rice and Beans side: I got a side of rice and beans because why not and I was hungry so I wanted to pair something with my enchiladas. Pretty large side! I was even able to split it with my boyfriend and feel like I ate more than enough. The rice is fluffy and has a subtle tomato flavor. The beans were black beans and had super good flavor/ felt really healthy and not oily. Forgot to take a picture of them but they were good. Overall, I'm very happy with this place! This is the first time I've been to a Mexican place here in Manhattan and actually left happy. The food was really good and the ambiance was also so fun! Really appreciated the nice and warm service as well. Will definitely be coming back here when I want to satisfy my Mexican food cravings! Would recommend. read more

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Food was ok and the service was good. The desert was the BEST part. I had churros. They were warm and crisp. My friend had moist delicious flan. She enjoyed it. The restaurant is easy to miss. There is a small overhead sign and an A-frame sign outside. We ate outside so we have no idea what inside the restaurant looked like. I did notice that you have to go down a narrow flight of stairs to get into the dining room. The drinks were also delicious. If you're walking in the neighborhood give it a try. read more

Thank you for treating our students from Southwark School so kindly and surprising them with Churros! Everything was delicious! read more

First and foremost... I am blown away by the service. Cesar, our server was so kind, inviting and made us feel welcomed. We left with his response being, "This is your home. Come back anytime." That is a testament to the level of hospitality. Food: Absolutely amazing. We started with the guacamole and chips. Odd aside, the shape of these chips are unparalleled. Will never eat triangle shaped chips again. Haha! I had the fish tacos and my friend had the vegetable tacos. So good. Ambiance: Calm and warm. The music is so fun. Maluma was playing. Immediate 5/5. All in all, will be returning. Please, please, please try this place out. It'll be your new go to. read more

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What a great stop , made the short trek from Columbia U, sat downstairs , tacos and margaritas hit the spot, both done right, Taco Tuesday is a great deal, and the service was perfect Will be back read more

Just had dinner here. Their covid safety protocol is outstanding, and the service is professional and reasonably fast. They have outdoor as well as indoor dining. I went early on Saturday, and the place was pretty quiet: a few tables taken outside but empty inside. Guacamole: sizable portion of great quality with an avalanche of chips. Pulpo: although chewy, the little fella was flavorful and perfectly marinated. Tacos al pastor / tacos de carnitas / steak tacos... all share the same attributes: filling, huge portions of meat, very neatly prepared; however, they came barely warm and got cold within a few minutes. Usually, I would have sent them back, but we were dining with a toddler, and didn't have the flexibility to wait for another order. Overall, the place seems solid. The issue with the temperature of the tacos was annoying, but the quality of the food we got was fine. I would totally go back and make sure the food is served hot next time. read more

The restaurant is really cute with its main dining area downstairs. There were no customers when I arrived hungry on a weekday late afternoon ~5 pm. I was disappointed by the dry, cracking texture of Carne Asada tacos. You really can't mess up Tacos, and they managed to do.. $11 for 2 tacos. read more

The Calaveras - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great drinks, and delicious Mexican food. There is decent space downstairs as well as on the street. My favorites: - The one from Oaxaca - Guacamole Tradicional - Queso read more

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I really enjoyed this place. They had a solid Happy hour with a variety of drinks, which is big in my book. There wasn't any happy hour food, but I was ok with that because of variety in the drinks. However, there was a good deal for getting multiple small plates of food. It would be a great deal to take advantage of when you're really hungry or with a group. The fish tacos were small but crispy and flavorful. And the fries was great. They were well seasoned and thick cut. I will definitely be back here especially since the weather is getting nicer! It seems to be a hidden gem. read more

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After a long sunny day of walking through Central Park, my boyfriend and I worked up an appetite. Safe to say, Calaveras was giving what it needed to give. Our waitress was really nice and flexible with us even though we were a little indecisive at first about whether we wanted to sit inside or out. We ended up choosing outside cos it was a great day to get some fresh air. I had to order a marg as a self-proclaimed queen of margs and it was SO good! The enchiladas were great, but the birria burrito? GASSS. The churritos? ALSO GAS. Seriously the food was really good! Next time your in the Upper West, check this spot out! read more

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cute outdoor seating, but they are having to get rid of it soon. they have vegetarian tacos. decent sized margs. quick service. read more

The Calaveras - Chips and Salsas - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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What a wonderful spot. I stopped by here to have a couple of drinks with a friend. We pretty much picked this place on blind faith, but it ended up being an excellent choice. Unbeknownst to us, we did not know that The Calaveras had a whole entire dining area downstairs. We had just assumed that the restaurant only had a small bar area on the street level and the outdoor dining area. *I guess it would have been nice if the hostess had informed us about the downstairs option . . . I learned about the dining area on a trip to the little boys' room* Fortunately for us, the weather was not too frigid outside. Overall, we enjoyed our margaritas and 3 rounds of tacos. In terms of our food, I highly recommend the al pastor tacos. As I'm writing this review, I'm definitely craving those tacos. Our server was pretty nice. At first, she was a bit pushy with ordering food, but I think she became a bit relaxed once we ordered a couple of rounds of margaritas before we made our food selections. *We're were a bit indecisive on what we wanted to eat so it took some time to finalize our selections.* Bonus points to the restaurant for playing Shakira, circa her Dónde Están Los Ladrones era . . . back when she had fluorescent "yarn" weaved into her black hair. read more

Made my way up 15 blocks to try this place out. I was curious about the burger although anything Mexican would have been just fine. So burger it was with a nice ice cold XX amber beer. Flavor is good and I like the Oaxaca cheese inside the patty. Also like the fresh greens and homemade fries. Some inconsistencies with the home fries but they were good. The only thing I missed given that this was a Mexican restaurant after all was a little spice. Some salsa or jalapeños for a kick would have made these even better. All in all not bad for the price point and I will be back to try the Mexican dishes. read more

The Calaveras - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

My friend and I were in the area and we wanted tacos and this place popped up. The place looks small from the outside but they have a larger sitting area downstairs. The waitress was really nice and so were the staff there. We tried a few things on the menu and everything was delicious. The shrimp empanadas were one of my favorites from here. I had the passion fruit margarita and the yellow tail drink and both were really good. The drinks alone makes me want to pass by for happy hour. read more

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