El Cortez
“Overall, this was a fun place to hang out and eat and the chicken buddies were amazing, but don't come here in a rush to eat.”
“This is The Commodore's grown up cousin–a different spin on the theme and menu but still a heart of gold.”
“The Orange Julio is a frozen drink made with gin, elderflower, Aperol and freshly squeezed orange juice, served in a hurricane glass.”
El Cortez
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Good For Dancing: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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It seems the crew from The Commodore can do no wrong, at least when it comes to creating successful enterprises throughout Brooklyn.
The third bar and restaurant from Stephen Tanner (Pies and Thighs alum almost single handedly responsible for the wave of fried chicken you currently see trending throughout New York) after The Commodore and Tutu's, El Cortez combines arguably two of my favorite things on planet earth: tiki drinks and Mexican food. The latter is more of the Tex Mex variety than California Mexican, but they do a fantastic job of paying homage to the Lonestar State's take on south of the border cuisine. The queso blanco is addictive, the fried chicken sliders (chicken buddies) are perfect, and the All American Taco Night will have you unearthing memories of assmbling hard shell tacos with your parents in the late '80s.
On the drink side of things, there just aren't enough great Polynesian style bars in New York. They've helped fill a dearth in tropical libations with a respectable array of sweet, yet strong cocktails. The signature pina colada has made the trek from Commodore, so if you're a blended drink fanatic, you're in luck.
The service is a bit wonky, so if you're expecting the type of attention you'd receive at a Michelin starred restaurant, you'll leave disappointed. It's an old warehouse in Bushwick, not a Columbus Circle white table cloth destination with Thomas Keller at the helm.
El Cortez has a major identity crisis. Is it a tiki bar? Is it a Mexican 'inspired' bar? Is it the Brooklyn version of Rainforest Cafe? No one can really say.
The atmosphere and decor here is bizarre, in a bad way. The downstairs resembles a Cheesecake Factory with a horribly overpriced menu of unappetizing appetizers. The upstairs is a loud tightly packed area of booths filled with wannabes who just moved to NYC 2 weeks ago from Kansas. Middle aged hipsters on Tinder dates. White people with dreadlocks.
I came here specifically for the tiki drink menu, which was overpriced, and not good. I tried the Zombie, and the Hurricane, which for $12 a pop were very boozy (the only upside), but really gross. Canned juice, cheap alcohol. My bartender was very rude and clearly untrained, because these were NOT tiki drinks-just overly sweet artificially flavored cocktails with a heavy pour of booze. Super disappointing. I will not return.
Like a lot of places popping up in Bushwick, the food is excellent and the lazy hipster service is maddening.
This is exactly the case at El Cortez, a new spot serving some delicious, satisfying Mexican food in a very chill atmosphere.
The hostess showed us to our table near the front, which was completely filthy for who knows how long and required us to wait a few minutes for someone to come and wipe it down.
We eventually got a menu, which has a ton of great options. We ordered a lot of food, most of which was great:
– Chicken Buddies ($11)
Smartly capitalizing on the current wave of popularity for fried chicken, they offer a unique and delicious spin on it here, serving four little fried chicken sliders on a skewer. They happen to be excellent, so you should definitely make sure to order this.
– Nachos ($12)
These were ok, but the nachos were already pretty soggy by the time they arrived. Also, they were almost completely covered in the mess of queso, pinto beans and salsas, which is normally fine for nachos, but they were even worse for the wear by the time I hunted someone down to get some silverware to dig in with.
– Burrito ($8) with Chicken (+ $1)
This was a great burrito, filled with beans, rice, cheese, crema, avocado, and the optional chicken we added.
– Pork Tacos ($7 for 2)
These were ok. Pretty standard tacos, so for $1-$2 more, I would go with the burrito instead for something much more satisfying.
– Cheeeseburger ($7)
This was a really solid burger. Super cheap and satisfying, it's a great choice.
I definitely wouldn't mind returning here to try the Torta and the Chimichanga. As long as you go in not expecting any service, you'll be fine and will leave satisfied. And make sure to get the Chicken Buddies.
This is The Commodore's grown up cousin–a different spin on the theme and menu but still a heart of gold. The set up is different as well–there is table service and a waitress will take your name down. We got lucky and snagged two seats at the bar. The bartenders were more interested in talking to each other and their friends than serving us, but once we ordered it was smooth sailing.
Everything on the menu looks good–we split the nachos (which are the same perfect ones you can get at The Commodore) and the Chicken Buddies, which are a slider version of The Commodore's chicken sandwich. Loved those bite sized friends. Drinks were strong and around $10-$12.
There is another bar upstairs but no food service, so we waited until after we ate to check it out. Love the outdoor space (so do the smokers) and the upstairs area is set up with booths and a stage at the back. Around midnight the DJ was playing 90's-early 2000's hip hip and of course a dance party started. Come expecting a bar first and restaurant second, but either way you're gonna have fun.
I thought I turned down the wrong street because I didn't see anything going on there, then I remembered I was in Bushwick and everywhere looks like that so I kept going and it was exactly where it was alleged to be. (It always is.) It's a really big, polished-looking space with a nice chill vibe. They were playing old school hip-hop jams which always makes me happy. It was a weeknight so I did not have any tiki drinks, to my own detriment, but all the usual favorites were there on the colorful menu. I would've liked a little more tiki-ness in the environment (colorful lights/lanterns, foliage) but I like those things most places, and I have learned, this is not always appropriate. Maybe that'd be too dainty for Bushwick? But a plant is always nice to have around isn't it!? Even is it's fake, as long as it is regularly dusted. I digress. They do have foliage on the wallpaper.
I had the queso and chips and it was fine, a creamy gooey savory cheesy dip with a healthy swirl of mole sauce. The chips were well-salted and tasted fresh.* Someone else at the table got the fried chicken sliders and they smelled amazing and came with three sauces which I sniffed and they smelled legit.
Overall I found El Cortez to be a cool spot with friendly vibes, tasty food and cheap beer. Like the Commodore! Strange magic these people are serving up.
*I am from Califonia and this is important to me
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway
Hidden at the edge of Bushwick, popping out amongst the commercial warehouses and graffiti stands a giant totem pole and angular designed wooden façade. Before you even enter the bar you know you are in for something special. El Cortez is a watering hole that Hemingway would love, most drunk writers would. It fosters a creative environment.
I'm not sure why more people haven't taken a shot at the 'Tiki Bar' model but I'm glad they exist; fore everyone (whether they admit it or not) loves a good fruity drink in a special glass. El Cortez does not disappoint in keeping the Tiki tradition alive. From their self-titled signature drink to my favorite the 'Orange Julio' are exquisite. The Orange Julio is a frozen drink made with gin, elderflower, Aperol and freshly squeezed orange juice, served in a hurricane glass.
Unlike most recent bars opening in the area, attention to detail and design were actually taken into consideration and applied well. The second level of the bar is a huge selling point (open Thursday-Sunday) with a full bar and outside deck.
Most nights there is a DJ, last night the one in attendance was playing a great mix of 90's hip-hop, Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief – '93 To Infinity and Biggie. The music is played at a perfect level that still allows for conversation.
The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. On my last visit I was there for a friends birthday and Kareem (the manager) treated us like family… although the menu doesn't offer 'sweets' we were able to bring in our own and kindly allowed me to plate the cake with candles, etc.
El Cortez is setting the bar at a new level for quality with creative themed cocktails and food at an affordable price while still offering cheap options such as Miller High Life and $3 well shots. The open layout, split level, private deck and two bars offer a space for everyone. Kareem is welcoming and adds the personal flare that just highlights your experience. Whether in Brooklyn or not, El Cortez should be on your to do list.
The vibe here is pure pleasure. It doesn't just pose with that 70's retro vibe- it delivers it with music and a down to earth service, The mission style building looks like a church in Southern California. El Cortez is coolness personified.
The food here is super reasonably priced. Chips and salsa are $4 and the salsa was smoky! I went with a bean and cheese enchilada and it came out dressed like the Mexican flag with lots of radishes and some crema on top. A deadly dish as the eight track plays, this spot rocks out.
The only positive from our experience here was the queso- finally somewhere in NYC gets it right. Aside from the delicious queso there is little else to redeem this place. The music is excessively loud, the table beside us had their ears covered. Cocktails were good, but took forever to get to us. Waitstaff was very nice, but very inefficient. Our burritos were run of the mill, and the chicken buddies to quote someone at our table tasted like "fast food". The space was vast and full of hipsters, and I guess all this subpar stuff is cool for them. Not so cool for me and my crew. We won't be back.