Salvation Taco
“Great space, too – I haven't tried the rooftop but everyone raves about that when the weather's nice.”
“If you get there on the earlyish side you can post up and play some ping-pong while being checked in on by your server.”
“On that note, I love watching chef shows and later on discovered that Chef April Bloomfield was featured on The Mind of a Chef Season 2.”
Salvation Taco
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Great atmosphere, but everything else is just okay. My friend and I came around 6:15 on a Thursday night, and there was 10-15 minute wait for the rooftop. Not bad.
Don't be as confused as we were! When I came in, there was a line to get to speak to the hostess. When you finally do get to her, you can put your name down for the rooftop or be seated downstairs (they can text you). The rooftop is more for drinks, downstairs had the full menu and a pool table. We put our names down for the rooftop. Once we got up there, there was another hostess to check in with. From there, I definitely recommend finding a table – its first come, first serve and if you aren't able to find one then you'll be standing around in the crowd.
We ordered frozen margaritas and guac and chips at the bar, which came out to $41. We got our drinks right away, and then we had to go around the bar to the cart to get the food. Obviously, it could all be organized better. But whatever, you're up here for the ambiance anyway. Service is pretty much non-existent (even at a table) and the food is just alright.
Pretty disappointing experience last night at Salvation Taco. Here's how it went down.
Some friends and I were having cocktails and decided we wanted food. We were told we can ONLY order food at a dining room table. Not a bar table. K.
The drinks were weak – margaritas are $14 each and kinda whack. I'm watching my figure so I was drinking a very measly pour of dry rose at $9/glass. It's cool. You knew what this was.
So we move to a table-table. I ordered the Pozole – a pork belly soup $10. Pretty tasty but I wish it were hotter. My vegetarian friend got cauliflower tacos ($15 for 3). My other friend got meatballs. We were all whelmed by the food.
Service was on the nice side but how you gonna charge $10 for chips and guac and not even give a little salsa with it?
THE BATHROOMS ARE DISGUSTING! Dismal, basement level and never cleaned.
Prolly won't be back.
Associated with Pod 39, Salvation Taco is one of those places that everyone in midtown loves because it's so different than anything else nearby. The rooftop is great for drinks with friends, and the restaurant is usually packed. I came on a recent weeknight for dinner. My group of 5 put our name in around 7 pm and were told it would be an hour wait, but we were seated much more quickly than that.
The restaurant is bigger than it appears from the outside, as there is an entire area in the back with an additional bar and a bunch of tables. We were seated at a communal table. Salvation Taco is pretty hyped up, but I found the food to be underwhelming and overpriced. Tiny portions didn't help either. We order chips, salsa, and guac for the table. We were charged for an extra order of chips when requested, which seems silly to me. Our food came out at completely different times; one friend got her meal about 10 minutes before two others got theirs. They finally decided to start eating so the food didn't get cold, and were completely finished by the time the last of the two of us got our meals (and by meals, I mean 3 bite size tacos) twenty minutes later.
Though the atmosphere is definitely fun and the décor is great, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant. Overpriced food and drinks and slow service combined to make it a not-completely-enjoyable experience.
My wife and I came here on a saturday evening in hopes to have a few cocktails on the rooftop, but we had to divert from our plans a bit. The line for the rooftop was absolutely insane so we decided to have dinner and order from the cocktail list downstairs. The taco platters are enough food for two people easily and all the cocktails are incredible. As we were finishing up our meal, we got a text saying that we can go up to the rooftop…. SWEET. We head up with two other friends and were pretty impressed. Laid back atmosphere, music playing in the background but the cocktail quality went down dramatically.
Rooftop review!
Came here on a Wednesday (around 6pm) with a friend. We were able to go up to the roof with no problem (17th floor).
The rooftop has a nice ambience to it. When we got there portion of the place was blocked off for reservation (I'm guessing company gathering or something). We were lucky and was able to snag the last table that was there. Seating is limited but if you get there around this time or earlier I think you might get lucky (like us).
I'm a beer person so I ordered the beer they had on draft. One being Holy Cow and the other being Devil's…something. I forget the exact name but it's the IPA. Both were good! The IPA has like a spice component to it so it was different but good. Draft is $8. One down side…served in plastic pint cups. I know my being suuuuuper picky but I was caught off guard by it. But I get it, better to have a plastic cup fall than glass. My friend got their cocktails (Summer Thyme and The upside down). I got a sip of both they were both two thumps up! Super refreshing for a sunny summer rooftop type of day. Worth $14 (each)? No. But it's Manhattan, what do you expect.
Also ordered guac and chips. Worth $10? No. The guac is as big as an ice cream scoop. And a bowl of chips. But they were good. Didn't try the tacos but I'm guessing they're pretty good as well.
NOTE: Order food when you order drinks!!! You have to order at the bar! Found out the hard way. I got the drinks, and went over to the "food station" (there's a guy there serving the chips and guac or salsa and tacos there) but when i went there he told me I have to order at the bar. Whomp whomp. Had to stand and wait AGAIN to order the food.
ANOTHER NOTE: Once it gets crowded, I guess they don't let people go up to the roof even if you have friends already there. Another friend tried to come up to meet up with us but unless I originally had an appointment, he couldn't. Lame. But he was telling me people were sneaking their way up and what not. So…I'm guessing if you're able to bypass the hostess at the first floor, they can't really kick you out (even though there's another hostess once you get to the roof). But just a heads up.
Would I go again? Good question, Not sure. The place was cute and nice but nothing stood out for me. I know we ordered 2 drinks each and snack but when your "let's grab a drink after work" bill comes out to be $68 total, ehh.
This review is based on food and the downstairs. If I could review the rooftop and drinks alone I would give it 5 stars. The view is like no other rooftop I've ever been to in NYC! The food was sort of disappointing. We ordered the guacamole and veggie tacos. Gauc was good but nothing to write home about and nothing I would order again. Chips were extra salty and I really wasn't a fan of the corningware bowls everything came out in. My crazy aunts have the same design and it was off putting to see that at a restaurant. The veggie tacos were also very meh. Ate them because we were hungry but in the future I would just come for the rooftop bar and steer clear of the food.
service was terrible but the food was good.
I shared a couple orders of the chips & guac, al pastor and carne asada tacos and washed it down with a pitcher of margarita. The al pastor tacos were amazing! I would come back for them but I wouldn't want to deal with the stanky attitudes of the hostesses.
So I read reviews and was hesitant on going, but we stayed at the Westin Grand Central and this was the closest rooftop on a beautiful day. It's in a weird hotel, The Pod, but whatever. As we got to the roof, the view is beautiful. I approached the bar as we wanted to eat and hangout with drinks. The bartender was busy bitching to the server about the non-tip snd nasty message left on a recent receipt to acknowledge my presence at the bar (mind you, I was the sole customer at the bar). This went on for 10 mins before he greeted me. He said to order food through him as well. As I tried to put in an order, a server approached me and said "I'll take your order at your table, don't order through the bar". She was very snarky as if i was spiting her by ordering through the bar. She then took 10 mins to come take our order. So I went up to the bar again. The bartender was STILL complaining to the server staff about this last customer that stiffed him. Wouldn't even acknowledge me this second time. Seriously dude, no wonder they stiffed you and left a nasty message. I am willing to order, pay and tip! Oh, we walked right out! If I could leave zero stars, I would.