Tijuana Picnic

Mexican restaurant · Lower East Side

Tijuana Picnic

Mexican restaurant · Lower East Side

5

151 Essex St, New York, NY 10002, USA

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Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by @TheInfatuation
Tijuana Picnic by @TheInfatuation
Tijuana Picnic by @TheInfatuation
Tijuana Picnic by @TheInfatuation
Tijuana Picnic by @TheInfatuation
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null
Tijuana Picnic by null

Highlights

Creative Mexican fare with Eastern flavors in hip surrounds with a retro vibe, booths & funky lamps.  

Featured in The Infatuation
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151 Essex St, New York, NY 10002, USA Get directions

@tijuanapicnicnyc

€€€ · Menu

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151 Essex St, New York, NY 10002, USA Get directions

@tijuanapicnicnyc

€€€ · Menu

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reservations

Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

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@infatuation

"Tijuana Picnic is where you want to have your 25th birthday. Give or take a decade in either direction. (New York City kids grow up fast and love having birthday parties on the Lower East Side.) But your dad’s 60th? Probably not. This is party time. Also: it’s reasonably priced, nicely decorated, takes reservations for groups of four or more, and has a menu that’s ideal for sharing. The space feels a bit like if Miss Lily’s were more spacious and also served tacos. It’s split in two levels - upstairs is a mix of long picnic tables and booths, while downstairs is darker, with a long bar and space for your group of 12 to make all the noise you want. There are, of course, a whole bunch of Mexican places on the Lower East Side accommodating to groups, but we found this one to be particularly fun and fresh right now - a scene of sorts but without too much pretension, and a party time vibe without being total mayhem. The food? Pretty good, especially once your friend Mezcal arrives. (Her parents were a very specific kind of hippie.) There’s a mix of small starters like empanadas and ceviches, followed by tacos and skewers, and finished off by large format plates to share. Nothing’s too big, so you probably want all of these things on your table. Some dishes have subtly Asian or otherwise non- Mexican influences, but calling it fusion would be a stretch. Calling it enjoyable and fun, however, would not. Happy Birthday. Food Rundown Guacamole Fancy guacamole. It comes with bits of corn, some radishes, and fresh-tasting blue chips. Empanadas De Pato The empanadas are filled with duck, foie gras, and cognac. We mostly only tasted the duck. These were not our favorite. Soft Tacos Tacos come two to an order. You know the deal - steak, chicken, shrimp, and a vegetarian poblano pepper option, each with a little bit of modern updating. Seen here, and consumed previously, by us: the chicken with scallion and pieces of crispy chicken chicharron. It works, for sure. Skewers You know what everyone likes to eat while drinking? Meat on a stick. People who want to say they ate mako shark kebabs can do just that. Everyone else can be pleased by short rib with a side of kimchi. Ezquites This little cup of corn may actually be our favorite thing here. Get one. One per person, maybe." - Hillary Reinsberg

Tijuana Picnic Review - Lower East Side - New York - The Infatuation
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@infatuation

"Tijuana Picnic is an ideal spot for a 25th birthday dinner. The Mexican food here is pretty good, especially the sauteed corn and chicken tacos with crispy chicken chicharrones, and it all tastes better after a mezcal flight or pitcher of margaritas. Start at a booth with a round table in the upstairs dining room, then move to the bar in the basement, or any of the countless nearby spots on the LES." - bryan kim, matt tervooren

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@infatuation

"It’s not a stretch to say that someone celebrates a birthday every night at Tijuana Picnic. So come here as long as you’re down for what looks like a competition between strangers to see who’s having the best time over tacos and pitchers of margaritas. The downstairs level kind of feels like a club, and the upstairs kind of feels like a club with better lighting. Choose your own adventure." - hannah albertine

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@infatuation

"Your company just gave all the interns an unexpected bonus. Well, that’s not ever going to happen, but let’s just assume you have some friends who want to celebrate your birthday or the summer solstice with you. Tijuana Picnic, a big Mexican spot in the LES, is an excellent place for a fun night out. The music is loud, the tacos are good, and the people watching is prime." - Hannah Albertine, Matt Tervooren

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@infatuation

"Having a party here is an easy way to tell the world that you’re young, fun, and determined to drink four margaritas. You’ve been saying “25 is going to be the best year ever” a lot recently and having your party at Tijuana Picnic is a good place to start, for a few reasons: it’s on the Lower East Side (aka near bars you already know you like), they serve good tacos and strong drinks, and the downstairs lounge gets pretty rowdy around 11pm. Beware that margarita pitchers are sneaky expensive, but it’s your birthday and 25 is going to be the best year ever." - Hannah Albertine, Bryan Kim

Where To Have Your 25th Birthday - New York - The Infatuation
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Matt Auerbach

Google
As the other reviews state, definitely a hip place with overpriced food options. Chips are not provided. We ordered the guacamole (pictured). Pretty small size and didnt come with any salsa. After asking for a little red salsa, I was told to order a salsa selection for $5. After doing so, I only enjoyed one of the 4. Had enough for about 4 chips. I asked for more of the specific type and the waiter didn’t respond. 10 minutes later he brought more of it but I already finished my meal. Then on the bill I was charged $1.50. Just the point that they aren’t very accommodating. The salsa wasn’t very good. I then had the chicken quesadilla which was great. Overall, trendy and upscale atmosphere with defent food. Wait staff isn’t friendly or accommodating.

Walker

Google
Very cool Mexican restaurant/club with excellent food and cocktails. The music is loud and the vibe is extremely fun, but if you’re not looking for a party then this may not be the right place for you. They accept very large groups for birthdays or other events, and it’s definitely a place that caters to folks who enjoy drinking heavily with their meals. Speaking of which, the food was very good, from the tacos to the quesadillas and everything in between. Service was also pretty fast considering we went on a Saturday night and it was completely full. 10/10 would recommend and go again.

Ross Christal

Google
Definitely one of my new spots to go to in NYC. Their food is delicious, the atmosphere is cool and very chill and the service is great. Monique, Harbey and Gabe's attentiveness and great customer service is amazing and really appreciated. This is our first visit and definitely not our last.

Julia S

Google
So SAD that this place is temporarily closed!! Honestly a great deal for fancyish tacos. Would highly recommend their quesadillas, something I normally wouldn’t get but are actually delicious! The addition of goat cheese in some of their tacos is an amazing addition that I now use in the tacos I make at home. Their drinks are delicious too!

Amy DiLorenzo

Google
My friends and I came for brunch on Saturday to do the prefix menu with the unlimited drink option. We had a wonderful experience! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was nice and the DJ really made the whole thing come together! I greatly enjoyed the family style presentation of the dishes and we left very satisfied with the price and amount of food! I'll definitely be back for more spicy margaritas.

LaSarah Ricketts-Deshauteurs

Google
Had an excellent time dancing here with my home girls. This place was recommended to us for drinks and dancing and we hopped over and had a good time. The DJ was so much fun! She played music on request and danced with us several times.

Ginou l

Google
Had brunch here with a group of friends on a Saturday. Place was not packed so we got to chose good seats close to the windows. The light in doors is pretty dim, probably more fitting for a date night or dinner.BUT the brunch was the bomb. I got the steak and eggs , with cheese and avocado on the side. Honeyyyy! Everything was well seasoned and absolutely savory. Plates came after a decent amount of time after we ordered. Would recommend!

Paul Rivard

Google
The food was good but the portions were really small especially for the price ( 14$ for two baby tacos ). Waiter only asked us once we were done eating and our plate had been removed if we wanted more drinks, felt kinda forgotten by the staff for the whole dinner. Very nice design.