Diablo Royale
“I learned that happy hours don't start at 3pm here and we ended up sightseeing a bit before heading to the bar at 6pm.”
“You have to try their Diablo Ricky (an invention of their own that they've clearly perfected).”
“I am already looking forward to my next trip to NYC so I can have boozy brunch here again!”
Diablo Royale
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I was in between three and four stars with Diablo…due to the following:
I LOVED the enchilladas, they were amazing. If you go you MUST order them because they are the best I have had in a while.
The grilled fish taco was pretty good but I originally ordered the cripsy fish… so kind of annoyed with the order mix up there.
The guac is pretty average, the Margaritas are also average and tasted pre made. The chicken quesadilla was good but for $13 bucks.. ehhh not worth it.
Also the prices were kind of high – $21 bucks for THREE TACOS? and $21 bucks for enchilladas??? Really???
Anyway if you go, just order the enchilladas and you will be happy.
I've only given two 5-star ratings for brunch spots in Manhattan. Diablo Royale is one of them. While not much more than a hole in the wall space wise, the decor resembles a wild-west saloon and the environment very causal and cozy. The waitstaff is friendly and usually readily available when you need them.
With all that said, Diablo Royale has one of the best brunch menus in the city. If you're looking for an "all you can drink" brunch spot, this probably isn't the place (even though they do have a $25 brunch special). If you're looking for the usual boring New York style Eggs Benedict, this probably isn't the place either. However, if you're looking for brunch style food with an authentic Mexican twist, this is the place to go. Chances are you'll walk out stuffed, with the Grande Muchacho (pancakes, chorizo sausage bacon, french toast, and two eggs) almost enough for two people. Prices are very reasonable, with the most expensive breakfast entree priced at just $15 dollars. As expected, the cocktail menu is mostly margaritas and tequila drinks, most of which will put you in a happy place even after just one drink. As a side note, the Diablo Classic (their classic margarita) is probably the best frozen margarita I've had in the city.
It should be noted that they have at most 20 tables in the entire place (which is a feat in itself considering the size of the space). If you're somewhat claustrophobic, this probably isn't the place for you. Reservations are highly recommended over weekend brunch and dinner hours considering its popularity (see above for my comments on the food in case you already forgot) and its size.
All in all, their brunch menu is as good as it gets, with the Mexican twist a welcome alternative to the usual New York brunch selection. In combination with a couple of margaritas, you'll walk out a very happy camper. Highly recommended.
I thought Diablo Royale was good, but not great. I got the shrimp enchiladas, which were very good all the way around — I would definitely get these again if I went back. We also ordered queso and guac to start, which were fine, but in my opinion no different than what you'd get at a run of the mill suburban Mexican place. The rice and beans were also fine, and my wife's fried chicken tacos were pretty good. She also enjoyed her jalapeño margarita.
It's possible I've just been warped by the excellence and cheapness of Taqueria Tlaxcalli, and I realize that it's probably unfair to compare every Mexican restaurant to them, but spending $30-40 on good-but-not-great Mexican just doesn't seem all that exciting when you can get the best of the best for less than $20.
After being to the bar here a couple times, I decided it was time to test the food. I was very happy with that choice!
Stopped here about 8:15 on a Saturday night and got seated right away (!). Our waitress was quick to serve and we started with the Diablo classic frozen and the Diablo Ricky. Both great.
When we got our tortilla chips they were still warm! We got an order or guac as well, it was smooth and had just the perfect amount of cilantro. I ordered chicken fajitas and my boyfriend ordered steak tacos. Everything was finished and everyone was happy. Will definitely be coming back! Maybe for brunch next time.
I came here for brunch on Sunday with 3 others and the restaurant was pretty empty at 1PM so we got seated right away. We asked about their brunch special and you get to have bottomless mimosa's or sangria's for an hour and fifteen minutes (kind of an odd time-frame but whatever) along with your choice of entree/tacos.
We were told that they don't have chorizo, chicken and something else for the tacos (taking them off the menu), which really only leaves a few other options, although they did say chorizo would be replaced by bacon (what kind of Mexican joint is this?!).
Two in my party ordered the grande muchacho breakfast, another ordered the breakfast quesadilla and I ordered the steak and eggs (medium rare & over-easy). Two of us ordered the potatoes and two of us ordered the cheesy grits. The food came out relatively quickly. The breakfast quesadilla and the potatoes were good. Other than that, everything else left a lot to be desired. The muchacho breakfast looked like something you would get from Denny's and the cheesy grits were mediocre at best.
My steak and eggs arrived and my eggs were scrambled, not over-easy, so the waitress sent it back for me. After finishing about half my plate, I noticed that there was hair behind my eggs (UGH!). A manager comes over to ask if I would like them to cook me a brand new meal and I declined seeing as I kind of lost my appetite at that point. They took my food portion off of our check though, which was kind of nice.
Overall, I definitely think there are better choices in the city for brunch so I wouldn't come back here.
Cool spot for brunch in the city! Waiters are nice and attentive the food is good…but who knew that you can mix beer and margarita and tastes good! Will probably come back for more!
Diablo Royale makes a mean Ricky! This half margarita half beer cocktail is on their happy hour menu along with their classic margs – a great deal from 4-7pm! Less sweet than the classic margarita = less headaches the next day.
I tried the fish tacos, which were very good. I love that they garnish them with big slices of fresh avocado.
Diablo is very conveniently located close to the Christopher Street PATH. With decorations that make you feel like you're dining in Mexico, a good amount of table seating inside along with a bar area, and pleasant staff, this is a great place to grab a bite or a drink!
This is more of a 3.5!
I came here to celebrate a friend's birthday brunch. We were a table of 10 and had the pre fix menu. My friend said he chose which plates would be featured in the menu for our table an it would be served family style.
The family style portion was generous. I recommend the french toast with pear and whip cream. It was tasty and not overtly sweet. While they other dishes were good it seemed their black beans were on the struggle bus. Sometimes the beans were too salty or too vinegary. I found myself removing any of the black beans from the dishes it was featured on. We had the french toast, tostadas, tacos, and rice and beans. You will leave full.
The drinks were lacking. Although the staff was wonderful as keeping out cups filled, the sangria was completely watered down. I wouldn't expect to leave this spot buzzed is what Im saying.
Will say that the family style plus unlimited drinks (including tax and tip) was under 40$ for each of us for a group of 10. That is a pretty good deal. Keeping Diablo Royale on your shortlist of group boozy brunch places is a good idea.