Cilantro
“Only downside is that there do not appear to be happy hour specials on drinks or even appetizers unfortunately.”
“We went for brunch, where we got free pastry basket (typical of UWS) instead of free chips at dinner or lunch.”
“I had the mahi mahi special, came with a delicious coconut rice and roasted vegetables.”
Cilantro
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Had a fantastic experience at Cilantro. Came in with a group of 5 around 8:15 at night on a Friday and there was no wait. Could be a bad sign for a restaurant in NYC, but my sister had been here many times in the past and assured me that it was delicious. We were seated at a booth in the back, a little bit of an awkward set up, four people, two sitting across and next to each other and one person stuck on the end in the booth. We quickly got over the strange seating arrangement once we were given a big basket of DELICIOUS chips and salsa. The salsa was great, definitely had a kick, but not too spicy for the average person. Our waitress was one of the best I've had in a long time. She spoke in detail about the specials, took drink orders which came out very quickly after ordering and didn't make us feel rushed when ordering. I had the chicken fajitas and they were HUGE and SO SO good. Not salty but well seasoned. They had an option for whole wheat tortillas to accompany the fajitas which I loved! My sister and I both had chicken fajitas and they brought one plate with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream for the two of us. We were absolutely find with that because we were sisters and had no problem digging out individual forks into the sour cream and guac, clearly double dipping when necessary, but any other two people who maybe didn't know each other as well might have a problem with that. I recommend asking for your sides to be on individual plates if you are close with someone also getting fajitas at the table! This was definitely done to maximize space on the table, so we appreciated it. My other sister got the chicken and blue corn enchiladas which were huge and really delicious, I enjoyed the crunch of the blue corn tortilla. My friend got the chopped salad with chicken and it was MASSIVE and tasty. The size of the mussels was unbelievable too, HUGE portion. We were hesitant about dining here at first because of the prices, but the portions justified the price and the quality was great. The food came out VERY quickly and our waitress did an excellent job of refilling our drinks and making sure we were satisfied with our meals. Definitely looking forward to trying a margarita next time I come in and I hear they have a decent brunch too!
Excellent, flawless service and moderately innovative menu in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.
We were there for a special birthday dinner, and went a little over the top on trying things (the quail appetizer with pomegranates, for example) so were perhaps dabbling on the higher end of the menu price-wise, but it was quite good if not quite transporting. The house-special margaritas were average, but after the first large one it starts to not matter so much. (Although served in a coke-style glass? I want RIM FOR MY SALT, por favor.) I had a cioppino-style "Veracruz Seafood Stew" that had a very generous seafood medley and a rich broth that was zesty but not really spicy. Excellent. The taco salad is vegetarian, by the way, which was a bit of a surprise to the birthday boy who expected some taco meat in it, but he ate the whole thing and enjoyed it. Also eaten at the table, fajitas (yummy, although again not particularly remarkable) and the pork chops (very ample portion, done quite nicely).
It's neither street-bargain level nor ultra high end but for that medium niche of thoughtful slightly upgraded Mexi-influenced mostly authentic-style dishes with some flair, very nicely done.
The kids plate, btw, features an OCEAN of fries. And we enjoyed the house corn chips quite a bit as well.
Very reasonable priced salad. I stopped in for lunch. One at a time each of the Cilantro locations I go to ends up closing. I have to travel farther each time for my favorite Taco Salad.
My salad is basic. I ask them to leave off tomato and chili. No dressing either. I use the sour cream and guacamole with cheese to mix up as my dressing. I end up picking tomatoes out of the guacamole but it's worth it!
Service is the same, prompt like other locations. It's always ready very quickly. The employees in all locations I've eaten at are very nice. You can sit wherever you like. It is a welcoming atmosphere. You're greeted with a smile at the door.
The ladies room at this location is very nice and clean. The whole restaurant looks newly renovated. Very nice location. People were enjoying the open air lunch today.
I enjoyed my salad. It was exactly like I hoped. I'll return when I'm in the neighborhood and I'm in the mood for a Cilantro Taco Salad!!
I was so bummed out when the Cilantro in my neighborhood on the east side closed. But luckily, my boyfriend lives on the UWS and this cilantro is just as accessible!
My favorite dish here has to be the chicken enchiladas with blue corn tortillas. A must have. The chicken is flavorful and there is the perfect amount of sauce and cheese on top of the enchiladas. Another one of my personal favorite here is the taco salad. It's very simple, but the portion is big for the price and leaves you very satisfied. As for drinks, my personal favorite has to be the mango margarita. Yummy!
Fajitas Monday! Yeah baby! So good and so cheap. $10 fajitas and it's plenty of food. You can share that with an appetizer and you'll be satisfied.
The tres leches was the first one I had in my life and it's still the best one I had. The rum makes ALL the difference. So good!
I loved that they have Terra chips instead of the traditional tortilla chips.
The service is ok, no big issues. Sometimes a little bit slow.
Would recommend for a Monday night
This place should definitely be in your go-to Mexican rotation. I have been here many times and have never been disappointed. The guacamole is a good size and pretty affordable and they are generous with keeping the free chips and salsa flowing throughout the meal.
I am an avid nacho enthusiast and extreme cheese-lover and their nachos are some of the best I've had. Don't let the cheap price tag and placement under Appetizers fool you, these nachos come piled high on a big skillet. They are overflowing with cheese, guac, sour cream, veggies, beans, and anything else you could hope for. The fajitas are also spot on here.
Definitely check this place out next time you're in the UWS. Or come here just for this.
SOOOO GOOD. We went for brunch, where we got free pastry basket (typical of UWS) instead of free chips at dinner or lunch. They had a few brunch specials, but regular menu was also available. My friend ordered the breakfast burrito with side of sweet potato fries instead of home fries. I chose the blue corn chicken enchiladas, and we shared an order of guac. My only complaint was the blue corn tortilla didn't really hold up to the sauce and got slightly soggy. But all the dishes had such great flavors and service was so on point!!! Will make this a regular spot.
Wandered in on a Monday and ended up with the best deal on the UWS, probably. $10 fajitas (cash only), and they were AWESOME. I had chicken, and my friend had shrimp. I ate 2 fajitas and had leftovers. Minus one star because we had the world's worst waiter, but that won't stop me from returning.