Tikal Mayan Food

Mayan food?? of course we’ll have a look, maybe even a taste. Late on a wednesday i stroll in, looking for some chow to go. I order pupusas (never heard of that before, consider my interest piqued), guatemalan beef stew, and a cinnamon milk rice bebida caliente… 1 way ticket to yum city. i prance homeward and eagerly tear open my brown bagged gateway to tasty. Pupusa was great, some chicharrón some cheese in a thickish tortilla, great. and the little salsa verde on the side, excellent touch. The beef stew too; great. one comment is the beef was a little tough, perhaps overcooked, but i will chalk that up to a late order. the stew had a lovely lime and cilantro element to offset the spice. My favorite thing was that bebida caliente, i mean, i love milk but make it a little thicker, sweeter, and cinnamon? you’re asking for trouble. In sum, I’ll be back.

The food and service were both excellent! The waiter gave me great recommendations on authentic dishes. The hot chocolate rice drink was so cozy. I stumbled across this place and was surprised it was empty. Seems like it is just so new and the word hasn’t gotten out yet. Would highly recommend a visit! My only recommendation to the owner would be to add a bit more decor to make the place more warm and inviting.

I have been here 4 times and every time the food has been consistently great. The service is always kind and prompt. The food is extremely authentic and delicious. The best Guatemalan food I have food in all of New York. I am excited to be a frequent guest. My friends have tried the Pulique, Pepian, Empanadas, Garnachas, Pollo con crema, and Pupusas. All have been so flavorful, fresh and everyone left their dishes clean. I am so glad I found some comfort meals from home until I visit Guatemala. Everyone has said the food is soooo amazing. Please come a d enjoy the food and service.

This restaurant serves truly authentic Guatemalan food—hot, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. We tried the enchilada (tostada), pupusa, tamal, and kak’ik, and each dish was packed with authentic flavors and fresh ingredients. The warm weather is perfect to enjoy a refreshing jamaica (hibiscus tea) and horchata. The service was exceptional, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for anyone craving or wanting to try genuine Guatemalan flavors!

As a Guatemalan myself, I can confidently say this is the real deal. From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was back home — the warmth, the hospitality, and that unmistakable aroma of freshly made tortillas and grilled meats. The service was incredible, everyone was so welcoming and kind, treating us like family rather than just customers. I ordered the chuchito, rellenito, and steak, and it was absolutely delicious — perfectly seasoned, rich, and comforting. The frijoles tasted just like the ones my abuela used to make, and don’t even get me started on the atol de elote — pure nostalgia in a cup! You can tell every dish is made with love and pride in Guatemalan tradition. It’s rare to find a place that captures both the flavor and the feeling of home, but this restaurant does it effortlessly. I left full, happy, and honestly a little emotional. If you’re craving authentic Guatemalan food — or just want to experience true flavor and hospitality — this is the place. 🇬🇹❤️

Such a great addition to the neighborhood, and Manhattan. Good Guatemalan food is hard to find and this place nails it. Having traveled to Guatemala a few months ago, I can say everything here is authentic. For our first time here, we went all in on the smaller dishes - a tortilla, papusa, tamale, and Birria tacos. All were amazing but if I had to give special mention to just one, it would be the tortilla - so crispy with such great flavors. Next time we won’t be ordering only one to share! I also look forward next time to trying their pepian!

Proud to see a first Guatemalan restaurant in the city! It’s like opening the menu to my moms kitchen. True authentic feel, & very kind staff constantly checking in to make sure all is good. They are open to feedback as they are a new restaurant. Definitely reccomend giving this place a try , & if you’re new to Guatemalan food, they will be helpful guiding you!

Absolutely delicious food! We ate too quickly for photo ops, but I had the pleasure of trying the chiles rellenos, mojarra frita, lamb barbacoa and pepian de pollo. Everything was fantastic, but the barbacoa (particularly its sauce, but the meat was great quality too!) was the highlight of the night. Service was efficient and friendly, BYOB was a nice bonus, and the prices are insanely reasonable.

I'm hoping everyone and their moms start coming to Tikal to give them a try - they just opened in October and are the sweetest family run operation. My husband and I stopped by on a Thursday evening to a pretty empty space; it's pretty large in here! Only one other table was occupied. We ordered a chicharron pupusa ($6.24 for one), birria tacos ($21.84 for three), and the Cordero en barbacoa ($20.80). The cordero en barbacoa is a couple chunks of tender lamb with a side of plainly dressed salad, rice, and two homemade corn tortillas. I loved the lamb but it's a bit spicy for me - I'm just weak - but we finished it all! It's a sauce heavy dish, and while not generous on the meat portion, you will definitely be full. I wish there was more than two tortillas because those were FANTASTIC. The birria tacos were flavorful and stuffed with well seasoned beef. I would grab tacos here over Tacombi any day, easily. The stand out star of the night was the pupusa - it was insanely flavorful, even without dipping it, and had the perfect pork belly to cheese ratio. We could have happily had just their pupusas for dinner!! There's a quarter chicken deal for $14 that we want to come back for - also a little less saucy - they have it advertised outside now, too. They're still working out their flow, but it's well worth the wait and I'm so happy to support this family's dream. Good food, nice people, and a brand new space. We'll be back!

The restaurant was almost empty but it was casual and clean. The waiter was very nice and attentive. The food was good but the amount of meet verses the amount of sauce was off. Each fish has a unique flavor which I appreciated.

Tikal is really new, which is why it doesn't have very many reviews, but don't let that stop you from doing. This place is amazing. My husband loves Mexican, and I love Peruvian. This is the one restaurant we can both enjoy. I've been there three times over the past couple of weeks, and it never disappoints. The guacamole is fantastic and fresh. Love the pupusas. Haven't tasted everything on the menu, but whatever we have had has been out of this world. The restaurant is very plainly decorated, which is a nice departure from the sometimes over the top decor in other establishments. It does not serve alcohol, so its only temptation is the food. The servers are very sweet and helpful. The prices are so reasonable that I wonder if the owner knows he's in Manhattan!

Every time I'm on the m15 bus going down second Ave I like to look at new spots to try. I saw the front of this restaurant and it was nice, on top of that I'm Guatemalan myself so wanted to go try and show some love for the Chapins. The experience was alright, the staff were nice, food came out in decent time and was alright. I'll come by once again to try out other Guatemalan food.

Giving it 5 stars for taste. PUPUSAS DE CHICHARRON - Corn flatbread stuffed with pork belly and cheese. Picture shows 2 but it came with 1. Very good. Could have eaten another one. 5/5 Tacos. Mixed and matched. Birria - best birria I've had Carnitas - tied with The birria Carne Asada - good as well Overall 5/5 ESTOFADO DE RES - Beef stew, blending of chiles, tomato, and tomatillo, achiote. This flavor is new to me and so good. Best thing we ate. Highly recommend 5/5 This place is no frills when it comes to ambiance but the food is solid. The kitchen knows what it's doing. I would suggest that management work on the ambiance because I'm not sure if food alone can keep this place in business. Hire an interior designer, dim the lights, and have some music

The photos don't do it justice - this food is 10/10. Every single dish was excellent. I literally can't wait to order again. Plus, all this food was only $35! Also, I called for delivery, and the food came piping hot in ~15 minutes!! Feeling very blessed for this new neighborhood gem. Dishes (every single one was excellent): 1. Chicken stew (either #17 or #19, I can't remember) 2. Pork Pupusas #34 3. Macaroni Salad #46 4. Fried Sweet Plantains #48

Beyond delicious. We had SO much food and with a hefty tip only paid $90 for the two of us. Shrimp ceviche, carne asada tacos, the #19 chicken in pumpkin chile sauce, two orders of plantains...everything was phenomenal. A completely no frills place with no liquor license, but asked and they said you can BYO! Now we know for next time. Need to come back asap to try more on the menu! Loved it.

Best. Tacos. Ever. Neighborhood staple and can't wait to get takeout again. Not only is it a really nice family who owns this restaurant, but the food is delicious and the service is amazing. Everyone there is so sweet. You can eat at the tables or get takeout. Casual spot with genuinely tasty food. 10/10!

First time trying Mayan flavors and it was quite interesting! Sounds like they have other locations in Brooklyn but this might be their first Manhattan one? Started off with the plantains which were very nicely fried and the chicharron pupusas which was packed with well-seasoned pork. Just wish there was more cheese. For entrees, my favorite was the Cordero en Barbacoa. The lamb pieces were generally tender and came with a semi-spicy mole-like sauce. Pepian de res featured beef in a blended pumpkin and chili sauce. The chicken en pulique, a traditional Mayan dish, was their chicken stew. Overall the flavors felt familiar to other Latin American cuisine I've had but also had something new that I couldn't put my finger on. The tortillas were thicker and had more of that corn flavor which I enjoyed and served as a good vehicle for the sauces. The prices are good but you also don't get too much meat. It was very sauce-heavy meal, because besides the protein and sauce, I felt like something was missing. Either way, excited for UES folks to have another food option with unique flavors!

Awesome unique spot in the neighborhood. The homemade corn tortillas are breathtaking. The black beans were simple and delicious. The guacamole and green salsa were also excellent. We're looking forward to them adding more vegan options, but we were able to put together a great meal comprised of sides.

This new restaurant has absolutely delicious fresh food, prepared really well. The tastes were all clean and bright. The food is well-spiced but with not much heat ( there's a hot green sauce that is wonderful, though). Staff is pleasant and responsive.

I decided to check this place out once I heard about it, and I'm so glad I did! I don't know any other Guatemalan in Manhattan, and I love that it's so close to me. They have all the traditional plates I'm familiar with through my family and others I will want to try. I ordered takeout and got the tamale (it's chicken), Kaq'ik de Pavo (a savory stew with turkey), and a side of Frijoles Volteados. FYI, entrees come with rice and tortillas. The horchata was also on point! Everything was delicious, and I can't wait to bring friends and family. I wish them all the best!

The pupusas were so good! Highly recommend. Family owned and operated. They were very nice. They had soccer game playing on Sunday.

Was in the mood for rice and beans and some Latin American food and Tikal delivered a great dinner! The black beans were wonderful-good texture and flavor. The rice very flavorful and was a great addition to the meal. The 1/2 chicken was tasty and good portion to share. (Would definitely order again).The plantains were perfectly done-sweet with just the right amount of caramelization. The Pepian de res(beef )#20 was delicious. Had a nice heat -not overwhelming-nice balance. The lamb was good. As an appy the garnachas were very good way to start. Chuchitos were exceptional. We tried 3 drinks-they were all very good and enjoyable. Definitely want to go back!

The food was absolutely delicious. It is so fresh and has that wonderful homeade taste. Everything that I tried was fantastic. The ambiance is cafeteria-like and the service was okay. I was bothered by the fluorescent lighting and the lack of decor, but I assume it will change with time. The owner's young daughter sits at one of the best tables playing games on her tablet, II assume because she has nowhere else to be with her parents taking care of the business. It's not ideal, especially if you want to attract customers. I would still come back any day as it's far better than any Mexican food in the area and cheaper. This is real Guatemalan cuisine.

This place is new and slept on! If you want a taste of South American (more specifically Guatemalan) cuisine, come here. They are very friendly and serve large portions. The mole was delicious and my friend had the turkey stew and she said it was fantastic. Give this place a try, its a gem hole in the wall!

Food was absolutely amazing!! Shout out for the corn tortillas, tacos, and plantains. Can't wait to try the roast chicken. I highly recommend this new spot on the UES!

This is the only Guatemalan restaurant in the New York City area so we had to try it. We had Loroco pupusas, chicken empanadas, beef stew with chilis and tomatillos and chicken with sour cream and green peppers. We loved it all! The flavor combinations were fantastic. The freshly made tortillas were tasty. Our server Tina was helpful in telling us about Guatemalan cuisine and ordering. We can't wait to go back. The restaurant has an extensive menu that we want to try but we want to reorder the same items we loved the first time.