The Calaveras NYC

What a beautiful experience! From the outside, the restaurant is unassuming, but once you step inside, a narrow staircase leads down to a glistening dining room. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, and the food was truly delicious. The birria and mole were the best I’ve ever had outside of Southern California. I’ve never been to Mexico, but to me, the food had a warmth and depth that felt truly special.

This is a truly hidden gem near Central Park,my boyfriend and i went there for Valentine's day and it was truly one of the best restaurants we've been here in NYC . Food was amazing,drinks were out this planet and our server he was just the best. Highly recommend for any kind of day,truly Mexican food ❤️

Absolutely amazing Birria tacos! Authentic and delicious, overstuffed and filling! The Cantarito Tradicional is my new favorite drink. Everyone on staff was so nice and friendly and the atmosphere is fun and inviting! Will be back when I’m back in the city!

This meal was Amazing. The staff was super friendly and helpful. They make one of, if not the best margaritas I have had in a long time. The food was very traditional, which we LOVE! Proper size handmade corn tortillas. We sat inside downstairs and the atmosphere was lovely. We will be back! So pleased with everything about our time here.

After my third visit Felt like I needed to complete a review for this amazing neighborhood gem. The kitchen is cooking up some heat. The food is beyond what you’d expect from this unassuming gold mine. Highly recommend the brunch steak and eggs to die for and that damn Kale salad. Can’t forget about Cesar the bartender super friendly whose only mission is excite your palette with amazing cocktails. Definitely have to stop by.

The food and atmosphere is good. Although I ordered a medium steak and they served me well done. I asked for the steak to go back to the kitchen and order to be corrected the WAITRESS then began down grading her service. I did a 60 min mimosas she intentionally took my cup and did not refill my order forcing me to order another hour of mimosas which is not an issue to me but the issue is she attempted to argue with me which I had to remind her I am a paying customer so if I request another drink and / or order there should not be an issue since this is the SERVICE industry. I was not rude when addressing anyone, this was my first time here and thanks to the “bartender/ waitress” this will be my last time here. Unfortunate since the steak and eggs with potatoes was so delicious once the order was corrected

Delicious food and excellent service. Highly recommend. The guacamole was delicious, and I also enjoyed the other appetizers we tried. The creamy mango margarita was strong but really good. I ordered the enchiladas suizas with cheese and a side of beans. It was super tasty, and leftovers the next day were really good too. For dessert, the flan was awesome. Churros were really sweet, so I personally didn't love them, but others in my group liked them a lot.

The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. The space is nice but the music is too loud and rap-like, which is not conducive to having a nice, relaxed time, particularly in a basement location. The service got better as the night progressed, but it was disinterested for the most part. Friendlier service and more appropriate background music would make this an excellent place to dine with friends on a winter day.

The food was delicious! It's a very cute place, small and cozy. The staff here are super nice as well! Definitely will go again!

Sometimes it is hard for me to put my feelings for chilaquiles into words - sometimes it is all I want to eat. I'm not sure I've ever before found a dish that single-handedly inspired me to explore a cuisine and culture that I had previously not paid much mind to. I consider myself something of an expert on the best chilaquiles in the city, and so was excited to try the option at The Calaveras, which is only on their weekend brunch menu. They only have chilaquiles verdes, which is my preferred option anyway - the tortillas were appropriately soft, and it came with all the appropriate garnishes. Overall a good option, although the flavor profile of the chilaquiles is a little more balanced at For All Things Good or La Chilaqueria.

The food used fantastic fresh ingredients that are rich in flavor. Our server was so friendly and helpful with the menu. Such a cute basement with exposed brick and adorable decoration.

The other reviews on this page pretty much say it all so try this place if you are in the area, even remotely nearby really. One of my measures of any restaurant serving Latino,x food is their salsa. Weak salsa often translates to weak food. The Calaveras (Careful! there is another place nearby that is just "Calaveras" this place is NOT that place!) has a salsa verde that you could eat with a spoon all day. Fresh and zingy and perfect. Their chipotle salsa is also just right. True to form the delicious salsas were harbingers of delicious food. We had the queso fundido with chorizo which gives you a good helping of chorizo, and the Birria tacos which were stuffed with meat and came with stew. Service was fast and friendly, margaritas were solid. In the middle of summer the downstairs venue was a truly welcome haven from the heat and bustle of the city.

Amazing fish tacos! I had the hibiscus Margarita, but from I could tell all the drinks on the menu looked pretty good. They have very friendly staff and the service was relatively fast!

Food and drinks are amazing. Dillon is the best bartender to ever exist. Service and his drinks are amazing.

The Calaveras' tacos are full of flavor thanks to the seasoned meats, toppings and salsas inside. I especially enjoyed the tacos al pastor, but the tacos arrachera were also delicious and worth ordering again. The sweet plantains were also tasty, but I'd recommend getting them without the cheese and salsa. I can't speak for the service of the restaurant since I ordered to-go, but my order was ready upon my arrival and I got in and out of the restaurant within 5 minutes.

After a long sunny day of walking through Central Park, my boyfriend and I worked up an appetite. Safe to say, Calaveras was giving what it needed to give. Our waitress was really nice and flexible with us even though we were a little indecisive at first about whether we wanted to sit inside or out. We ended up choosing outside cos it was a great day to get some fresh air. I had to order a marg as a self-proclaimed queen of margs and it was SO good! The enchiladas were great, but the birria burrito? GASSS. The churritos? ALSO GAS. Seriously the food was really good! Next time your in the Upper West, check this spot out!

I went to calaveras for the taco Tuesday special that they have (3 tacos + marg for $20). I got a margarita and the birria tacos. The deal is a steal - the birria tacos ($2 upcharge for birria) were very good and there is variety in the margs. Our server was friendly, attentive, and the food came out fairly quick. It's an underground eating area with music playing in the background. Overall, it's authentic Mexican which is rare and tastes good. I would come back again - especially during happy hour/taco Tuesday

Decided to hit up The Calaveras to feed my taco craving and I'll say this place is going to be part of my normal rotation! When I arrived there wasn't any customers or staff upstairs and then I saw a sign saying come meet then downstairs. That's where everyone was at and I wasn't even aware this place had a basement dining area! Got the fish and al pastor tacos and both were flavorful and fantastic! Don't skip on the guac and chips either! Great place and looking forward to coming back

Great food and amazing drinks! Highly recommend the margaritas and we tried the esquites, the ceveche, the brisket and Carne asada tacos. I highly recommend all these The host is super friendly and we got seated immediately. They have outdoor and downstairs seating. I would definitely return when in the neighborhood. They offer a discount to pay in cash and our bill was around $70 which is a good price for all this food. They also have happy hour and lunch specials

I came to The Calaveras with a group of 4 on a Friday at 6:30pm. We had a reservation but the place was not too crowded so you would probably be okay walking in at that time too. I really loved the ambiance of the restaurant since it's not on the main floor but rather it is downstairs -- there is a lot of space and it gives off very speakeasy vibes! Truly nice and unique. They also played very good Hispanic music the whole time at a reasonable volume which livened up the environment and made it perfect for a fun date or dinner with friends. Our server was super kind and answered all our questions. He was very attentive of our table while we were there but not hovering around us either-- it was a very healthy distance and we never felt pressure to leave/ felt comfortable hanging out after talking for a while. For drinks everyone ordered some beers and I got a red sangria. The sangria was refreshing, a little sweet but not too much, and had a good amount of alcohol in it. The food was actually pretty good and I'm very particular about/ have high standards for Mexican food since I'm from California. This is one of the first places that has not disappointed me. For food we ordered: -Guacamole: came with chips too. We split this with the whole table. The chips were crispy, flavorful and not oily. They also were not super salty which I really enjoyed. The guac was pretty good! It had subtle hints of lemon and salt and this nice creamy texture with some generous chunks of avocado. Would get this again. - Carnitas burrito: my boyfriend ordered this and he loved it. It comes with a side of fries and chipotle mayo that were pretty good! The burrito has a decent portion size and is generously filled with meat, rice, beans, and some veggies. The flavor of the carnitas was rich and well spiced, the meat was juicy and very tender. Honestly, probably the best carnitas I've had in a Mexican restaurant in Manhattan. I think they put a little too much rice in the burrito so it was mildly dry and I usually like my burritos with more beans/meat but overall it was still delicious. Not messy to eat at all. - Enchiladas Suizas: I got this dish and thought it was very solid! I was expecting it to have red sauce but it had the green tomatillo sauce which I actually like better so I was happy about that. I got them filled with chicken and the portion was generous. The chicken was flavorful and not dry, and there was also some cheese inside the enchiladas themselves which added a salty/stringy hint which was delicious. The corn tortilla they used felt very fresh and well made. Also has some avocado on top, pickled onions for a sweet hint, and queso fresco. Would come back just for this! -Rice and Beans side: I got a side of rice and beans because why not and I was hungry so I wanted to pair something with my enchiladas. Pretty large side! I was even able to split it with my boyfriend and feel like I ate more than enough. The rice is fluffy and has a subtle tomato flavor. The beans were black beans and had super good flavor/ felt really healthy and not oily. Forgot to take a picture of them but they were good. Overall, I'm very happy with this place! This is the first time I've been to a Mexican place here in Manhattan and actually left happy. The food was really good and the ambiance was also so fun! Really appreciated the nice and warm service as well. Will definitely be coming back here when I want to satisfy my Mexican food cravings! Would recommend.

The Calaveras was so much fun! Drinks was amazing and food delicious. I would recommend this place. I will definitely be back.

First and foremost... I am blown away by the service. Cesar, our server was so kind, inviting and made us feel welcomed. We left with his response being, "This is your home. Come back anytime." That is a testament to the level of hospitality. Food: Absolutely amazing. We started with the guacamole and chips. Odd aside, the shape of these chips are unparalleled. Will never eat triangle shaped chips again. Haha! I had the fish tacos and my friend had the vegetable tacos. So good. Ambiance: Calm and warm. The music is so fun. Maluma was playing. Immediate 5/5. All in all, will be returning. Please, please, please try this place out. It'll be your new go to.

Happy we found this place. Food was great and the service was amazing. We will definitely go back soon.

The food is delicious. I got fish tacos, steamed veggies, and rice and beans to go. The fish tacos were good, but I'd probably get something else if I get take out from this place again, only because fish tacos get tricky when it comes to warming them up once you get home. I'd also avoid the steamed veggies. They just didn't seem fresh or were maybe over cooked. The rice and beans was delicious though. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant.

Being Mexican in NYC has made me really value Mexican food even more. After plans fell through to another Mexican spot farther away, my friend and I were in search for a good spot. My friend remembered he had came here for his birthday and had a great experience. We were initially greeted with these red vibrant lights and beautiful Mexican Catarina designs. I, for one, appreciate a restaurant's thought for detail. The restaurant is downstairs and it's kind of a little adventure. I ordered the fish tacos, as they were recommended. My friend ordered the steak tacos that's were overflowing with beautiful arachera yum!! We also ordered the salsa and chips - 3 salsa included. The salsas were all pretty good - 4.2/5 The fish tacos were also a good portion. The leaned on the sweet sauce with the aioli. A little too sweet for my taste but I can see how people like them. - 3.9/5 I added some of the salsa for an nice kick which did do the trick. Overall, I honestly had an amazing experience because of the energy and the staff.

One of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to.. I'm from California. We came here for my husband's birthday. We thought it was empty at first but when we went downstairs, the ambience was cool and chill. The staff were welcoming and very friendly. We ordered ceviche for an appetizer.. delish! Our server, Carlos was aaaamazing! We ordered shots and margaritas.. and they did not disappoint. My husband ordered a burrito and I got two asada tacos and a fish taco. Sorry my pictures are not so great.. we were buzzed LOL. They brought over really yummy churros and a candle and sang happy birthday! Our server even took a shot with us before we left. Great times.. by the way.. I left my glasses there that night and we were staying in Time Square. We didn't have time to take the subway back for my glasses. So I called them to let them know and the next day, I just ordered another burrito and had it door dashed to my hotel.. they put the glasses in the bag and had it all delivered. Such a great place. Thank you!!

My friend and I were in the area and we wanted tacos and this place popped up. The place looks small from the outside but they have a larger sitting area downstairs. The waitress was really nice and so were the staff there. We tried a few things on the menu and everything was delicious. The shrimp empanadas were one of my favorites from here. I had the passion fruit margarita and the yellow tail drink and both were really good. The drinks alone makes me want to pass by for happy hour.

Ordered delivery last night, and had perhaps the worst steak tacos of my life. Horrendously overcooked meat. Tasted like wood chipped flavored plastic.

Coming from out of town, I figured it would be hard to find a place that would fit a large group (12 people). The Calaveras was amazing and helped me out on the phone! Once we got there everyone was amazing and accommodating. The food was so amazing, I had the guacamole, elote on the cob and chicken tacos with rice and beans. 10/10 - the restaurant itself is so cute and fun!

Just had dinner here. Their covid safety protocol is outstanding, and the service is professional and reasonably fast. They have outdoor as well as indoor dining. I went early on Saturday, and the place was pretty quiet: a few tables taken outside but empty inside. Guacamole: sizable portion of great quality with an avalanche of chips. Pulpo: although chewy, the little fella was flavorful and perfectly marinated. Tacos al pastor / tacos de carnitas / steak tacos... all share the same attributes: filling, huge portions of meat, very neatly prepared; however, they came barely warm and got cold within a few minutes. Usually, I would have sent them back, but we were dining with a toddler, and didn't have the flexibility to wait for another order. Overall, the place seems solid. The issue with the temperature of the tacos was annoying, but the quality of the food we got was fine. I would totally go back and make sure the food is served hot next time.

Ignore these BS reviews. Bill came out to $120 friend got food poisoning from salmon and my skirt steak was way overcooked from a medium, drinks were satisfying, never got asked for a refill. And manager didnt even have it in him to bring us back the check after he seen we didnt touch almost any of our food. Shady business and terrible effort by the staff. Wasnt going to ask for a penny back but only wanted to tell him to check his cooks as they needed to get better with their temperature gauging and quality control. Food came out cold and dry. My skirt steak was not only precut for me but also cut the wrong way causing the juices to be non existent. Very bland, and its bad when the cold mash potatoes was the best thing on both of our plates.

Very good Mexican food. Guac was delicious Sweet plantains also very good Burrito was solid. Could have used a bit more salsa or cheese but meat was tasty Would return if in area

OMG! My daughter loves Mexican food and now I do tooooooo! This place is a walk right by and miss but when you dine there, you will remember it FOREVER!! Miss No More!!!! It's not only clean and cozy, it's absolutely delicious. I love everything about this place including the staff. This place is a Gem and my family will be back again, again and again. Thank you so very much for Everything!!!!

This place is very deceiving from the outside. It looks like a tiny small space with barely any standing room. I walked towards the entrance and waited for a staff person to assist. They have outdoor seating on the sidewalk and require you to have your vaccination card to sit inside and eat. After checking our cards, we were told we could go down stairs. Downstairs is a pretty large open space. The kitchen is down there and while being seated, you can actually see the men in the kitchen cooking which is nice. They have some pretty good seating and the space itself was really clean. Its very cozy and the lights are a little dim. Its very zen, peaceful, quiet and such a good vibe for a night with the friends or your partner. The service was a little slow HOWEVER, they really had this ONE young lady handling all tables outside (which all were full when i came in) and the few tables with guest down stairs. Totally not fair but she killed it and did her best. Now for the food and drinks, ughhhh AHHH-MAZING. i had a regular Margarita. It was really good. My sister and bestfriend had the Hibiscus Margarita and i wish i did. It's sweeter then the reg but sooooooooo good. Better then i expected. For appetizer we got the guac and chips. We also got the cheese fondu with chorizo. Both were incredible. I highly recommend. We ended up ordering Al Pastor tacos, steak tacos and fish. We got two of each and shared. Absolutely amazing. My sister couldnt finish, she was stuffed. I finished because it was amazing. The tacos were stuffed with meat. It was literally tortilla and meat lol. I would highly recommend this place. I will certainly be back asap!!!

only had churros, so i can't comment on the food. the churros were great. casamigos margarita, mezcal mule, & mojito royal were excellent. however, the service was the best. awesome person. the ambiance is unpretentious and i liked that a lot.

Excellent Mexican menu. Ceviche wash exceptional and mole sauce terrific. Highly recommend

What a wonderful spot. I stopped by here to have a couple of drinks with a friend. We pretty much picked this place on blind faith, but it ended up being an excellent choice. Unbeknownst to us, we did not know that The Calaveras had a whole entire dining area downstairs. We had just assumed that the restaurant only had a small bar area on the street level and the outdoor dining area. *I guess it would have been nice if the hostess had informed us about the downstairs option . . . I learned about the dining area on a trip to the little boys' room* Fortunately for us, the weather was not too frigid outside. Overall, we enjoyed our margaritas and 3 rounds of tacos. In terms of our food, I highly recommend the al pastor tacos. As I'm writing this review, I'm definitely craving those tacos. Our server was pretty nice. At first, she was a bit pushy with ordering food, but I think she became a bit relaxed once we ordered a couple of rounds of margaritas before we made our food selections. *We're were a bit indecisive on what we wanted to eat so it took some time to finalize our selections.* Bonus points to the restaurant for playing Shakira, circa her Dónde Están Los Ladrones era . . . back when she had fluorescent "yarn" weaved into her black hair.

Hello.. I've been coming to this mediocre Mexican restaurant since it very first opened. Today, I was sitting outside with one person and my dog. NO ONE ELSE WAS THERE The owner, Danny, brushed past my chihuahua and got her a little bit excited. The owner THREATENED me by turning around and saying to me in a threatening tone: "Next time~" Rude, aggressive and you've lost a collective of future customers. The dog did nothing to you.

Happy hour is a go here. The the prices are great and I believe happy he starts at 4pm. It's Dog friendly-ish. Meaning you can bring your dog and maybe they will offer a water bowl for your fur baby. My Great Dane Paris enjoyed an order of grilled chicken and calamari. I had the tacos..the waiters here seem disoriented and aren't very attentive. So you will have to call them over. Other than that you will enjoy the spicy drinks and the all the tacos are delicious.

Gorgeous place, nice ambiance, great spanish music playing. I come for lunch menu and always get great quality food, enchiladas are great

Went to sit down with my friends in their outside shed and waited 10 minutes and no sever even thought to check in on us. I got a bad vibe and just walked out . The inside looked dark and dingy , I've heard their food is just mediocre at best. There are plenty of other Latino based restaurants that have good service and good quality food In this area. Don't even bother.

My favorite Mexican food in town! Loved the mushroom quesadilla, enchilada, and fish tacos - plus some Tecate! The service was great ad well, and we enjoyed dining outdoor in the summer!

Happy hour! We arrived early for the happy hour which ends at 6pm. The margaritas were $8 and there was just something about them that led us to getting many more, they were delectable. We ended up getting a pitcher. We started with the guacamole, it was creamy and delicious. I got the Al Pastor tacos and at 3 for $12, I was beyond satisfied. The pastor was flavorful, and the tacos were packed. Everyone at the Table enjoyed their meals. The churros were bomb, highly recommended. This is a great place to go to with friends on the weekend.

I really enjoyed this place. They had a solid Happy hour with a variety of drinks, which is big in my book. There wasn't any happy hour food, but I was ok with that because of variety in the drinks. However, there was a good deal for getting multiple small plates of food. It would be a great deal to take advantage of when you're really hungry or with a group. The fish tacos were small but crispy and flavorful. And the fries was great. They were well seasoned and thick cut. I will definitely be back here especially since the weather is getting nicer! It seems to be a hidden gem.

Found this place around Columbia for a Saturday evening meet-up. They have spacious and cute outdoor seating. We ordered three different flavors of margaritas and all were strong and delicious. The guac to start was fresh and tasty. We ordered three tacos - carnitas, chicken, and fish. All were good, but the fish one was our favorite. Also, it is $9 for 2 tacos with tons of filling, so very good value. We also ordered the enchiladas de mole with cheese - it was my first time trying the mole sauce and I was so pleasantly surprised by how sweet and spicy it was. Would definitely recommend this place, the quality of food is one of the best in the Columbia neighborhoods.

Excellent food and service. Great atmosphere and the drinks are potent and flavorful.

I ordered tacos to be delivered. They came and it was pork. But except for a nice tasting sauce it was tiny cubes of dry pork and not that many. I ordered three and that was like an appetizer.

Made my way up 15 blocks to try this place out. I was curious about the burger although anything Mexican would have been just fine. So burger it was with a nice ice cold XX amber beer. Flavor is good and I like the Oaxaca cheese inside the patty. Also like the fresh greens and homemade fries. Some inconsistencies with the home fries but they were good. The only thing I missed given that this was a Mexican restaurant after all was a little spice. Some salsa or jalapeños for a kick would have made these even better. All in all not bad for the price point and I will be back to try the Mexican dishes.

I loved this place. The food was excellent, drinks were delicious, service was amazing, and the space is clean and cozy. Really good Mexican can be hard to find in Manhattan but I finally did on the UWS at The Calaveras. Fully recommend!

I've been coming to this restaurant consistently for a year now. I took my wife here the day I proposed to her, she had her birthday dinner here, the day of our wedding we decided to come by for tacos and Margaritas. Clearly, we love this place. When the weather is nice, the outdoor seating area is comfortable and nice. The downstairs area is dim lit and intimate. The guacamole is great, the tacos are dressed minimally with cilantro and onion garnish and a thin line of sauce but jam packed with your meat of choice. We love the steak tacos. I've had several entrees and they're all very good. The portion size of the plates are huge for the price so you're getting a great value for both your pockets and stomach. The drinks are also very good. My wife loves, "The Other Side" which is basically a spicy cucumber margarita. I can't recommend this place enough. Enjoy!

small space but it opens up in the back. Great ambiance, a place that really does make you forget your sorrows (at least for your meal). great late night food. I'm still getting only take out, so wish I could speak to service, but take out has been good and food packed well

Nice outdoor ambiance with some Mexican fare with a good happy hour. We got margaritas and sangria. The drinks were potent but delicious! The delicious queso funido with chorizo was a good start before some chicken enchiladas.

Excellence service. Awesome ambiance. Really delicious nachos, highly recommend them. I had the chicken, fish, and el pastor tacos, however, I only recommend the fish tacos. El pastor was not yummy (to me) I did not like the way the meat was cut and it just not good. The chicken tacos were bland. Now the fish tacos are a MUST TRY! It's fried crispy fish but the sauce is so good. The French fries are fresh cut and really good. We also tried the Queso Fundido and it was okay. I suggest ordering if 4 or more people will share it because it was a lot of cheese LOL

It's average thought it would be better because of the rating on yelp but just stick with the tacos the empanadas were not very good

We found this place when we weee visiting Central Park. It's a few blocks from the west side. When you walk in, you might think that there is no place to seat. You MUST go downstairs and then you see the restaurant. The atmosphere is quaint and has a nice feel to it. Better yet the service is great, Monica is amazing, attentive and friendly. Best of all the food is delicious. Being Mexican, it's hard to find places that my wife and I enjoy. This place has amazing food, a very nice brunch menu. They also have nice drinks.

Food was good. Margaritas a bit weak and the Sangria straight from a bottle bought in the supermarket. I think Sangria should be fruity and alchy. My friend said our server is the manager. He was great, very engaging and extremely pleasant. His demeanor and attitude was what you hope for when dining out. Because he was so pleasant and nice I recommend this restaurant. My friends like the food. It's cozy and quiet with old movies from Mexico, I think playing on the TV. Old westerns. Try this restaurant. It's cool.

Really flavorful tacos! Outdoor space is spacious. Only 4 stars because service is a bit slow and the food took a really long time to be served. Came twice, both times slow.

Service sucks & they don't care about guest experience - only money. The food was under seasoned and felt lazy.