Quique Crudo
Mexican restaurant · West Village ·
Modern Mexican seafood with potent cocktails & crab tostadas
Modern Mexican seafood with potent cocktails & crab tostadas
"The crunchiest tostadas in lower Manhattan can be found at Quique Crudo, a walk-in-only Mexican seafood counter from the Casa Enrique team. The West Village restaurant only has about 20 seats—all bar stools—and whenever we stop by, there always seems to be one or two available. Start with a perfectly balanced margarita, then have some guacamole, ceviche, and scallop aguachile with a healthy spritz of Worcestershire." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick
"Quique Crudo serves exceedingly fresh and simple Mexican seafood in a space so tiny you may accidentally eat off your neighbor’s plate. With only around 20 stools, this walk-in-only spot seems like it would be a pain to get into, but early in the night, there’s often no wait. Don’t bring a group, but do bring a date who appreciates crab tostadas and impeccable margaritas." - bryan kim, will hartman, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick
"Quique Crudo only seats around 20 at a bar and a few small counters. From the people behind Casa Enrique, the walk-in-only spot has very little elbow room, and yet there always seems to be an open stool. This is the rare West Village establishment that hasn't been hyped to death, and it’s a fun place to pop in for an impeccable margarita and an ultra-tart ceviche served with thick homemade tostadas. The snack-sized dishes aren’t exactly cost-effective—a meal for one can easily run you $100—but that’s a given when it comes to quality seafood." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"Pop into the low-key, walk-in-only Quique Crudo for a crab tostada and some aguachile. This restaurant from the folks behind Casa Enrique has just 20 stools spread across a narrow room where you will, at some point, elbow a fellow diner. Especially after you try one of their 40-ish drinks on their obsessively compiled cocktail list." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"Quique Crudo is a place to stumble upon. A spot that reaches peak potential when you’re wandering the West Village, mumbling to yourself about the neighborhood’s crowds, wishing there was a restaurant that felt like a secret. Enter the unmarked, cerulean-framed doorway, and you’ll find perfect margaritas, subway-tiled walls, and piles of blue crab on crunchy tostadas. This walk-in-only Mexican seafood counter is less of a room and more of a nook, lit like a speakeasy and bisected by a bar. On one side, cooks and bartenders tinker with razor clams and mezcal, and on the other, 20 or so stools are packed so tightly you’re bound to elbow someone. Space is limited, especially in the kitchen, but you wouldn’t know it from the food. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute Like sister restaurant Casa Enrique, Quique Crudo serves typical-sounding items that earn extra credit through quality ingredients and execution. The menu is almost entirely small plates, with options that include a simple fluke ceviche and scallop aguachile doused in Worcestershire. Most items hover around $25 and are gone in flash, but that’s the West Village for you. What's not so West Village is how you can pop in on a whim for a meal that’ll stick with you. Food Rundown Cocktails Quique Crudo serves over 25 house cocktails, a wild number for a spot that’s only slightly bigger than a pickleball cart. More impressively, each one we’ve tried has been great. Start with a well-balanced classic margarita, then get a carajillo or the sweet, smoky Rompe Corazones. photo credit: Kate Previte Guacamole No gimmicks here. Just perfectly ripe avocado mixed with onion, cilantro, and serrano chile. photo credit: Kate Previte Ceviche de Pescado Another reliable, straightforward option, this ceviche consists of fluke in a bath of lime juice with curls of avocado and thinly sliced red onion. photo credit: Kate Previte Tostada de Jaiba We aren’t sure what’s better: the mound of juicy crab, or the thick tostada with a deep, nutty toasted masa flavor. Get at least one of these, and maybe two or three. photo credit: Kate Previte Aguachile Negro de Callos de Hacha This scallop aguachile triples down on punchy flavors with soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Maggi seasoning. It's puckering and ultra-concentrated. Order with confidence. photo credit: Kate Previte Enmoladas One of the rare non-seafood items at Quique Crudo, and also one of the highlights. The mole is thick as paint and shapeshifts in your mouth, sweet at first, then heavy on the baking spices." - Bryan Kim
