Mexican Restaurants Astoria, NY
From Astoria's quiet, tree-lined 34th Avenue, to the trendsetting streets of LIC, some of the best Mexican restaurants take center stage.
Compared to the hustle and bustle of Broadway, the bar and restaurant scene on 34th Avenue is relatively quiet, except for neighborhood stalwarts like Cafe Bar and Mars.
Maizal, Astoria
That's all about to change, thanks in part to a trendy Mexican restaurant, Maizal, that is attracting foodies from all over New York. Despite having opened its doors in 2014, Maizal has already established a loyal customer base that is growing steadily. Executive Chef Wilmer Alejandro Santos has created a vibrant, creative, Mexican-themed brunch and dinner menu. A graduate with distinction from the French culinary institute, Chef Wilmer is a seasoned professional.
Known to friends, family and regular customers as "Aty," Chef Wilmer opened up his first restaurant, also named Maizal, on Staten Island back in 2010. The Staten Island location was hit hard by floods, storms and a weak economy, but Chef Wilmer persevered through everything and came out stronger. Learning through customer feedback, Aty established Maizal as a very special brand in Staten Island.
Chef Wilmer felt that the time was right to expand in Queens, and Astoria would be the perfect place for branding Maizal. The 34th Avenue location has an amazing rustic, relaxed atmosphere and an upscale feel without being intimidating. Maizal has a multitude of attractions going for it, such as a mostly gluten-free menu, a full Tequila bar, outdoor seating and guacamole made to order on a volcanic stone! Your server will prepare the dish table-side. It's quite a show.
Appetizers at Maizal are crafted with care and good taste. At most other restaurants, they could easily be entrees. Chef Aty's dishes are Mexican works-of-art. A great place to start is with the stuffed sweet plantains with gooey melted Jack cheese and Cajeta three-alarm sauce. Chef Aty is proud of the Del Mar selections on his menu. The fish dishes are authentic, but also quite inventive. Maizal also offers vegetarian and vegan options.
Be sure to check out Maizal's Happy Hour on your way home from work. The bar is known for its Mojitos. The Passion Mojito will put a smile on your face. Everything about Maizal makes people happy.
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Location & Hours
Hours
Mon CLOSED
Tue-Fri 5 - 11 PM
Sat 11 AM - 12 AM
Sun 11 - 10 PM
32-07 34th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11106
(718) 406-9431
maizalrestaurant.com
Mojave Astoria, NY
Looking for a change of pace for brunch or dinner? Tired of the usual been-there, done-that cafes and coffee shops? Go Mexican and give Mojave a try. At Mojave, you will relish the deliciously different food and revel in the atmosphere. The decor makes you feel as though you've been transported to the American Southwest enjoying brunch in a very cool, hip hacienda. The architecture and color schemes at Mojave are Adobe authentic. You could easily be in Phoenix, Arizona, instead of Ditmars, Astoria. The cream-colored walls and dark wood floors make for an interesting contrast.
Your dining experience gets even better when you sip a strawberry Margarita on Mojave's beautiful outdoor patio. Spacious doesn't begin to describe this backyard oasis with small trees lining the long patio wall. During the day, huge umbrella stands shade your table from the sun. When darkness falls, candles cast a soft glow over the patio, creating a serene and romantic ambiance. The city feels a million miles away.
Mojave has many things to reccomend it as your new go-to brunch or afterwork spot. But a great deal of buzz throughout the neighborhood is about their bottomless brunch. From 11-4 PM Saturdays and Sundays, you can enjoy one-and-a-half hours of bottomless Mimosas, Margaritas, Bloody Marys or the house cocktail, Sangria. Brunch also includes an entree plus coffee or tea. This is truly the good stuff. The kitchen puts their own spin on Mexican and Tex-Mex classics. The ricotta and spinach Empanada is stuffed with Mexican Ricotta, fresh spinach and avocado. Quesadillas are always a big hit with Mojave regulars.
Nothing will stimulate one's appetite more than smelling the seductive aroma of a skillet, filled with sizzling Fajitas being brought to your table. In this unique setting, even the burgers and sandwiches take on a Southwestern identity. Mojave is the ideal place to come in with a group of friends for your TGIF celebration. What could be better to kick off the weekend than a frosty cold pitcher of Sangritas along with handmade guacamole and blue corn chips to share with your coworkers.
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Location & Hours
22-36 31st Street
Astoria, NY 11105
(718) 545-4100
Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 AM - 11 PM
Fri-Sat 11 AM - 12 PM
Sun 11 AM- 11 PM
Casa Enrique LIC, NY
In just a few short years, Cosme Aguilar, executive chef and owner of Casa Enrique, has established himself as LIC's maestro of Mexican cuisine. Since March of 2012, when Casa Enrique first opened it's doors, Chef Cosme has been captivating hungry and discerning local residents with a culinary rainbow of colorful and delicious dishes. Inspired by the traditional specialties of his hometown in Chiapas, Mexico, Chef Cosme has taken Mexican cuisine as you may know it to a whole new level.
Chef Cosme's foundation of flavor is rooted in the lessons he learned while watching his mother and aunts weave their magic in the kitchen. The talented women of the Aguilar household ignited a passion for food in young Cosme. There could be no debate, Cosme knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
Upon arriving in the United States in 1998, Cosme found work in a French restaurant. His work ethic and obvious skill as a cook landed Cosme a job in the kitchen where he began his formal training in the French culinary arts.
For years, Cosme worked in the kitchen of various French restaurants, including Cafe Henri. It was Cosme's brother Luis who brought this "French chef" back to his beloved Mexican roots. Luis wanted to open a restaurant where they could serve the family meals that they grew up on. Cosme was all in, and Casa Enrique was born. The restaurant gives off an intimate, very cozy vibe and the outdoor space is comfortable for the whole family and very modern. You never feel cramped here and you are never rushed through your meal. The menu is an interesting blend of Chiapas homecooking and culinary twists and turns courtesy of Chef Cosme. The Ceviche de Pescado is light and tantalizing.
Your fish is cooked in lime, onion, avocado and tomatoes, creating a broth that is out of this world. At Casa Enrique, even the salads are not afraid to stand out, like the Ensalada de Betabel. For a different kind of meat, order the Menudo. The savory dish is honeycomb beef tripe in ancho chili soup. The tripe is tender and a wonderful alternative to chicken. At Casa Enrique, they do a really sensational brunch on weekends, so make sure you reserve your table in advance.
The very popular Huevos Rancheros are often imitated by the competition, but never duplicated. Brunch Tortas (Mexican style sandwiches) are exceptional. Chef Cosme uses only organic eggs. Pair up your brunch selection with either the Casa Enrique Margarita or the Media Luna. This beverage is Casa Enrique's very own wake-up call, so you won't be hitting the snooze button anytime soon.
Hospitality means everything at Casa Enrique. When you dine at their cantina you are the Aguilar family's honored guest.
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Location & Hours
Hours
Mon-Fri 5 PM - 12 AM
Sat-Sun 11 - 12:00 AM
5-48 49th Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11106
(347) 448-6040
http://www.henrinyc.com/
Tacuba Cantina Mexicana - Astoria, NY
Located just across the street from the Astoria Kaufman Studios, Tacuba is garnering rave reviews from critics and foodies alike.
Decorated in the style of a Mexican cantina, Tacuba is the latest success story from Chef Julian Medina. For years, Manhattan residents have enjoyed Chef Medina's innovative take on Mexican cuisine at his trio of outstanding restaurants: Toloache, Coppelia and Yerba Buena. Now, Tacuba joins the party, and what a celebration it is.
In 1996, a chance meeting with Chef Richard Sandoval convinced Julian Medina to leave Mexico and seek fame and fortune in New York. Julian had already enjoyed a measure of success as chef at Hacienda de Los Morales and Les Celebrites at Hotel Nikko in Mexico. Chef Sandoval invited Julian to take the helm at his restaurant, Maya, in the Big Apple. Julian was up for the challenge and under his leadership, Maya earned rave reviews from The New York Times.
Ready, willing and able to excel at any kind of cuisine, chef Julian headed up the kitchen at Japanese-South American fusion restaurant Sushi Samba. Leaving New York for a short time, Julian oversaw the opening of Sushi Samba Dromo in Miami's trendy South Beach. After a stint as executive chef at Zocalo, on Manhattan's Upper East Side, Julian Medina felt ready to launch his own restaurant. He opened Toloache in August 2007.
The chef expanded his culinary empire in a deliberate, thoughtful manner and was not afraid to take chances in the kitchen. When a talented chef knows exactly how to push the envelope, only good things can happen. Most foodies never even heard of avocado fries prior to Tacuba. Now, they can't get enough of Chef Julian's inventive spin on the classic French fry.
The Greeks and Italians more or less invented the widely popular octopus dish. But they don't do octopus like Chef Julian. Just try it and see for yourself. Tacuba's Ceviche trio is one of the restaurant's most popular dishes. Choices include oysters or clams, rasurados with sweet onion citrus sauce and charred habanero. The camarones para pelar are also widely acclaimed. Another outstanding plate is the braised suckling pig (carnitas).
Enter the doors of Tacuba for an adventure in taste.
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Location & Hours
Hours
Mon-Thu 12 - 10 PM
Fri 12 - 11:30 PM
Sat 12 PM - 12 AM
Sun 12 PM - 10 PM
35-01 36th Street
Astoria, NY 11106
(718) 786-2727
http://www.tacubanyc.com/
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