Calexico
“This NYC mini chain has a new outpost on the Upper East Side, and I could not be more thrilled.”
“Bartender Shaun is the absolute man, and makes some of the best drinks!”
“The Breakfast Nacho's and 2-for-1 Mimosa's make this place my go to brunch spot every weekend.”
Calexico
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Went to check out Calexico since it just opened up in the UES and I had a great experience! The food, atmosphere, and service were great. I ordered three tacos (chicken, fish, and beef) – I completely forgot the names (I'm sorry!) – just know that they were all delicious!! The people that work there were super friendly and super attentive with our table which was awesome. The whole place has a modern ranchero theme – love the whole setting. I would definitely check this place out if you're in the area and craving some tacos!
Nice atmosphere, decent food, ok drinks. The best feature of Calexico is easily their happy hour: each drink you buy comes with a token which can be used for a free drink at any time (including during non happy hour times).
While the server was friendly, he was a bit awkward. He came over to us a couple times and just tapped his fingers on the table and then walked away. He sold me on a particular type of tequila which was the featured special for the night: El Mayor. Then after I ordered a pitcher of margaritas with that tequila, he said no problem, but came back and said they don't allow it in pitchers and that it would be 70 dollars. That math absolutely does not add up, and if you're a Mexican place offering a featured tequila, I don't see how you can't serve it in margarita pitchers. That is THE drink for tequila! He also spilled some of the pitcher on the table and on me, and then didn't come back to clean it up. The glasses had a terrible presentation, with salt strewn all over from top to bottom.
The food was decent. We ordered the black bean quesedilla and carne asada quesedilla. Both the meat and beans were marinated in a tasty broth. They were served with "crack sauce", which doesn't quite live up to its name, but had a good smokey creamy flavor.
I will likely return for happy hour, but nothing else.
Yasssss cumin beef tacos with hard shells. Reasonably priced too! The taco gods have answered my prayers.
I've only had takeout here but the ambience seems really chill and modern here so I'll be back to have some beers and tacos with friends.
This is a great replacement for MXCO which used to be here. Yay!
Stopped in without a reservation on a Friday night. The place was fairly packed but we were able to squeeze in at the bar for a drink before our table was ready in about 20-30 minutes. The bartender was amazing! We ordered cocktails that were much more involved than we realized. She made them fairly quick & even checked the taste before serving – maybe we've watched too many episodes of Bar Rescue but I liked that she did it. Clearly she cared what she was serving & the drinks were incredibly good.
Service at the table wasn't as great but still not bad. The food came out fairly quick & was quite good. Between two of us we had a fish taco (really good!!), chicken taco (not the best I ever had but definitely not the worst), steak fajitas (so, so, so good!) with rice & beans. It was satisfying, fairly priced, and delivered quickly. The atmosphere was loud but relaxed.
Great place for some fairly priced sit down Mexican. I really like their chicken bowl, just be sure to add the crack sauce because it's awesome. The tecate and tequila shot combo for $7 is also fun if you are looking to catch up your friends. The mole taco was awesome too, but I was not a huge fan of the fish taco. For starters, the guac is good. The elote was decent. You might have to wait for a table, but they text you when it's ready.
For a neat Mexican place on the Upper East Side, it's good. But, I've had better, more authentic, tacos from a taco truck in Brooklyn. There are way too many cocktail options and the one I chose was not the best (pina calexico), although it was super strong! I recommend just sticking to a margarita. The fish taco was on point, but chicken mole and pork tacos were almost indistinguishable…that's weird. There was also barely any mole sauce and the chicken was kind of dry. Dry chicken is gross. The best thing there is the carne fries (really really good).
Solid UES spot. Enjoyed the ambiance of the place but the food was pretty generic. It felt like it was a bunch of ingredients that are in Mexican cuisine but the dishes lacked soul to make it truly come together as an authentic tasting dish. The dishes were good but not great. Nothing that makes me want to rave about it or really come back given all the other amazing restaurants there are in the area.
Love Calexico! The UES location is a fantastic space with a casual, fun vibe and the food is fresh, tasty and affordable. Also has a great lunch special!
This is a perfect spot to come to with friends as they have large high tops as well as a nice bar. The drink list is great with lots of good options — I really enjoyed the Grape Ape cocktail when I wasn't feeling a traditional margarita, which is a steal at $10.
The food is excellent: my friends and I go nuts for the taco platters and they have great burrito/bowl/enchilada/quesadilla options as well. Obviously nothing too fancy or elaborate with Calexico's food truck roots and casual feel, but that's part of what makes it great.
Can't wait to try more of their starters (chicken wings, nachos and brussels sprouts for sure) and salads (they look super fresh) in the near future!