Caliente Cab Co.

After More Than 40 Years, Caliente Cab Co. Can Still Sell 1,000 Margaritas a Day | Eater NY

"Drenched in kitsch and spring-break energy, this Greenwich Village stalwart with the giant tilted margarita over the facade has spent 41 years serving big-as-your-head frozen margaritas, bottomless Mexican brunch, nachos, cheap beers, and a rowdy happy hour. On Village Halloween Parade night, it can move about 1,000 margaritas—on the rocks, frozen, and everything in between—with placemats listing $14–$22 flavors like blood orange, prickly pear, and skinny cucumber, plus a 55-ounce $60 option. Launched in 1984 by longtime owner Howard Berke, the space grew from a cheeky gas-station concept into a full-throttle party spot with a 100-seat patio and fishbowl-size frozen strawberry margaritas luring sidewalk crowds. Under chef Alejandro Vicuna, the menu evolved beyond Tex-Mex staples to include regional touches such as enchiladas with slow-cooked mole, birria tacos, weekly specials like pork belly chicharrón ($23) and blue corn short rib tostadas ($15), and even Mexican wines. The place endures on nostalgia and scale—giant cocktails, sizzling fajitas, and multigenerational regulars who now bring their kids (and, in one case, grandkids)." - Laine Doss