El jalapeño
Taco restaurant · West Village ·
Signature spicy pork burritos, tacos, and crispy flautas.
Signature spicy pork burritos, tacos, and crispy flautas.
"This is where tacos come from when heading to catch the Path train home." - Nancy DePalma
"This brightly colored van has become a fixture on the south side of Sheridan Square, where you can eat next to the stark white “Gay Liberation” sculpture by George Segal in what is now a national park. The tacos are good, for sure, with the usual fillings including steak, carne asada, and tongue. Even better are the burritos, finished on the flattop until the flour tortilla warms, browns, and bubbles." - Robert Sietsema
"West Coasters, this Mexican food truck is everything you’ve been looking for. Everyone else, get to the West Village for a teachable moment. Parked on 4th and Grove, El Jalapeño sells massive, made-to-order burritos for $9, which includes a soda. The spicy pork is something of a signature: tender pieces with crispy edges are coated in a tomato-chili sauce, along with jalapeño, green peppers, and even some fiery sichuan pepper. Rice, beans, lettuce, pico, and crema fill out the rest. The result is a delightfully greasy parcel of food, soaked in chili oil and pork fat—and it’s available until 4am on weeknights, and all 48 hours of the weekend." - neha talreja, willa moore
"For a food truck that sees the most action after midnight, El Jalapeño doesn’t need to be as good as it is. You can’t go wrong with any order, but the spicy pork burrito is our favorite. Ask for yours extra spicy, and they’ll throw in a mix of jalapeño, green peppers, and sichuan peppers, resulting in a tortilla dripping with chili oil and pork fat. If you want something a little less intense, their shredded chicken flautas are by far the best in the area. Parked in the West Village, this cash-only operation stays open until 4am on weeknights, and 24 hours on the weekends." - willa moore, bryan kim, will hartman, neha talreja, carlo mantuano, sonal shah
"Coming home late from a concert or a visit with friends is when I’m hungriest, and my go-to is the El Jalapeño truck that parks every evening until 4 a.m. at Sheridan Square; tacos cost about $3 apiece — ask for pickled jalapeños and the hotter red salsa, and pick chorizo or carne enchilada." - Eater Staff
