Toloache

I stumbled upon Toloache by accident, but I'm so glad I did! The hamachi ceviche is some of the best ceviche I've ever had, and the toro ceviche was incredible as well. The staff were very friendly and service was quick. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Excellent food, very flavorful. Great service! The hamachi ceviche, black truffle quesadilla and their tacos were all great! I was expecting at least 3 tacos for the price.

Wonderful neighborhood restaurant for delicious Mexican food. The mole was delicious. The service fantastic. We sat at the bar and the bartender went above and beyond to make us comfortable and made accommodations to a request I had for mole on my veg enchiladas. My partner had the steak and liked it very much.

Quick Rating: 8.2/10 Extremely good food, and compared to the other taco places in the area, I was rightfully shocked. The tacos were great, especially the chicken, carne asada, and the lobster. The tostadas were excellent. The service was alright, but could be a little faster and the food is a little overpriced. The atmosphere, however, was excellent. It felt very homey, but the light could be brighter. The food was excellent, but the spicy guacamole was very mild for what I was expecting. So overall, very good with small niches here and there.

Really enjoyed the ceviche sampler. Each dish was unique and flavorful and fish super fresh. And the pulled duck dish was very good as well.

The food was really tasty, rich flavours and well cooked. Our favourites the carnitas taco and quesadilla… amazing! The staff was also friendly and never lost sight of us. A great place for a casual lunch.

Nice cozy atmosphere with incredible staff. The bartenders were extremely friendly and more than willing to share their favorite tequilas - of which there is a LOT to choose from. The margaritas are deceptively potent and their chosen tequilas were exceptional. Oh yeah, they have food too. It was good. Certainly not the best Mexican food I've had but the menu is creative. It was a bit pricey for some of the portions, but not outrageous. Overall I'd go back again for a nosh and cocktails.

Exactly what I was looking for on the UES to spend a quality evening with family. Quiet, relaxed atmosphere with excellent food and service.

Try: Tacos de Pescado, Cheese Quesadilla, Avocado Fries, and Guacamole. Why: I was craving Fish Tacos for Taco Tuesday so decided to add a Cheese Quesadilla, Avocado Fries, and Chip & Guac. Fish Tacos came with 2 and they were packed with fish, cabbage, and salsa on a corn tortilla. I liked the Cheese Quesadilla and they added salsa and cheese on top too. Fried Avocados had a nice slightly crispy outside and the sauce was flavorful. Big bag of chips with the medium spice Guac was good too. Solid meal and had enough for leftovers. Note: I ordered delivery and it came swiftly.

Ambiance and staff were great. Margaritas were nice. The food left much to be desired. The quesadillas are tiny so if you're hungry - I wouldn't go for that at all. The Pollo Toloache was a $28 chicken breast... the pico de gallo was kind of wet and all over the plate and the "dumpling" was so small it might as well have not been there. I would go back maybe for a drink if there's happy hour but definitely not to eat.

I think the best part of the whole meal was the chips and guacamole. The chips weren't super thin but they were an addicting bite with a good amount of salt. The guacamole was fresh and loved how chunky it was. Carnitas de Pato was my next favorite thing, the duck was cooked well and had a good seasoning on it, the tortillas were a nice touch but they were just fine. The sopa de tortilla was ehhhh it was lacking a lot of depth and kind of just a flat note. Pollo Toloache was just really boring, the chicken wasn't dry but it was just a chicken breast with a tomato salsa. I do think I would say say "I liked it" here but I don't think I'd ever come back or reccomend someone coming here. Also for what we got it was extremely expensive. The service was really nice, the ambiance was dark but still a nice vibe.

Got takeout from here and food was ready when we arrived. We tried the chicken quesadilla and shrimp tacos. Both were pretty good and held up well before we ate them

Oh this is my spot I love to grab chicken quesadillas and rice with beans here. Very high end quality. This is like the Mexican Philipe Chow in my opinion. Love the vibe here. The service is great.

I went to this Mexican restaurant which has a couple other locations a good while back as per most of my other reviews. It's a bit pricey but the flavors were pretty solid. The inside is nice though the Turkish lights are a bit of an odd touch and the staff was friendly giving help to another person with me. To drink, I was happy to see that they along with the usual tequila cocktails had several types of mezcalita. I heavily prefer mezcal over tequila mostly because of the smokiness among other things. I went with the Mezcalita De Piña for 18 with Bruxo mezcal, grilled pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, lime which had a nice presentation with a chili rim (possibly mixed with a bit of tajin.) This was excellent with a good mix of smokiness, sweetness, sourness, and a bit of heat and I would recommend it even at that price. We started with one of the Guacamole; the Frutas Medium; for $16 with avocado, pomegranate, vidalia onion, mango, apple, habanero, and Thai basil. It came with some chips which were solid. For being medium spicy and since they list habanero, I didn't exactly find it that spicy though this was probably because of the mix of fruits in there. The texture was OK though I prefer there being slightly large avocado chunks. The pomegranate was a nice touch and overall it was fine though not a particularly large guacamole for the price though it is a bit more unique compared to many other guacamole. From the main plates/platos fuertes section, I went with the Carnitas De Pato for $38 with braised duck carnitas, tamarind-habanero glazed, chicharrón, sweet onion salad, and tortillas for tacos. The meat was plenty though honestly I don't really see much of a difference between them using pork and duck outside of it just being a bit easier to justify the price when they're using duck instead and it probably being a little bit less fatty. The meat was a mix of salty and sweet with a nice mix of textures with the occasional crunch from the chicharron and presumably a bit of duck skin. It could have used a bit more of the pickled onions as it got a bit too rich eventually. There was a salsa with it which added a bit of smokiness; possibly made from chipotle or more likely chile de árbol. The tortillas were okay. As said, the dish got a bit too rich by the end and I think you could probably split this with someone else. This was fine as well. From the acompanamientos/sides, I had the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with queso fresco and pickled onions. The sprouts had a good char but the flavor was just OK. There was a bit of sourness/saltiness presumably from the cheese/onions but not too much. They were fine and the portion size was decent and I maybe would recommend them. While I am someone who generally prefers the more reasonably priced Mexican spots, the food here wasn't bad and the drink was particularly good. Honestly, if the food was as good as the drink, I'd probably be leaving them a 4 or 5. They innovate just enough without going overboard. I prefer a few other spots at this price point and several spots a bit less expensive than this place but you can do much worse around the area like Calexico and the other overpriced Tex-Mex spots. 3.3 or so for quality based on price though the drink is an upper 4.

This place didn't do it for us. Rice is stale and too much red dye (food coloring) or tomato essence (with red dye) used in it. Kids chicken and cheese quesadilla is dry and stale chicken. Too small for $15! Very unethical billing practices. Had to dispute an item. One star for the shrimp tostada. Wouldn't recommend and not coming here again. Not for us.

A solid Mexican eatery in the Upper East Side! My friends and I were craving Mexican food in the area and a quick Google search brought us to this place. Thank you Google! Restaurant has an upscale atmosphere and some outdoor seating. No reservation necessary. The servers were friendly and brought everything quick. Portion sizes were reasonable. To start off, we ordered the Guacamole Frutas (medium spice level). Came with a good portion of warm chips. The guacamole was delicious and fresh. I also ordered a mango margarita. This was perfectly sweetened and strong. For my main course, I ordered the Beef Short Rib Tacos upon the waitress's recommendation. Glad I made this choice. The beef was so tender and flavorful. I was pleasantly surprised by the spice kick. Warning it's spicy!! Haha. Overall prices are slightly more expensive, but great quality food. Flavors really pop out. I will be back :)

Nothing great . Quesadilla unrecognizable and expensive. Food ok. Easy access to theater

Service was excellent food was us advertise great atmosphere great bartender thank you. Keep up the great work.

Had a great dinner. Amazing staff, everyone that works here is extremely nice and helpful except for the host. Abrupt, quite rude. The margaritas were amazing after we specified exactly what we liked. Fresh jalapeños, Tajin spicy salt across the rim. Delish!!! The food was ok.. The tuna seviche was great, guacamole was great. The mains were ok. The shrimp main was impressive looking but not that flavorful. The skirt stake came raw but they fixed it and brought it back cooked. Nothing to rave about there. the seating on the seviche bar is not a great spot, while you're looking at professionals working, you're also facing a wall with paper towels and a sink. Not cute. Outside seating is heated so that's a better option. We might come back but we won't really crave it or dream about it :) i can see grabbing a margarita and going to eat somewhere else

Food and drinks were great! We got the prickly pear margaritas. Rice and beans were average. The star was the queso fundito and birria tacos. Service was fast and attentive. The inside was also decorated nicely as we sat next to the hanging lamps.

Chips and salsa were fab. The tortilla soup was the highlight for me, and I was pleasantly surprised it was vegetarian. Brussels were ok. Avoid the lobster tacos- expensive and tiny. Staff were friendly and efficient. Overall, way too expensive for what it was.

Excellent food... excellent drinks.. obvi talking about excellent margaritas . Loved the place. Food is delicious. Engaged with the owner at the bar. Nice guy. Wondered why he didn't buy us a drink. Honestly. As the owner. Olif you were the owner? Why wouldn't you?

The staff at this restaurant were so warm and welcoming when I first arrived. Service throughout the meal was top notch. We came for brunch on a Sunday. We had 12:15pm reservations and the restaurant was nearly empty. To drink, I had the red sangria. It was quite tart and not very flavorful. I appreciated that it wasn't overly sweet, but it didn't have the fruity taste I usually enjoy in sangria. For my main, I ordered the huevos motulenos. This was a lighter dish than I was expecting. The fried plantains were topped with two poached eggs and covered in red salsa. The eggs were perfectly prepared, but because the runny yolk didn't have anything to soak it up, the dish was a bit slimy for me. Beyond the texture, the flavor combination was also not my favorite. My partner got the burrito huevon and it looked delicious. The portion size was huge. It was served with crunchy "fries" in a bowl on the side. I thought they would be regular fries inside the burrito but they were similar to thin, tiny potato chips, which I thought was an odd pairing. We also shared the rojo guacamole which was delicious with a smoky, spicy kick. It was served with warm chips, which I loved. So although I made the wrong choice for my entree, I would still recommend this place. The truffle quesadilla is on my list to try next.

Good not great, bit overpriced for the cuisine that doesn't have a specialty item that you cannot get elsewhere. All the guacs are the same trust me!

Loved this place. Great service, everything was fast. Food was great. Loved the red guacamole and the birria was so good. Will be coming back again

The tacos were so small. The order came with two, expected maybe 3 for the price, got small chicken pieces loaded with pico de gallo (no cheese included). The tortilla was flimsy so asked for additional ones in order to hold it. The chips were good, the salsa was not chunky if that's your preference, it was an orange spicy sauce. The waitstaff was great though.

Average food, average service, small portion, very pricy so disappointing ! we ordered the tres leches, nothing like a tres leches , we ordered quesadillas, very pricy for the size of the serving

Excelente food, the service is outstanding and the ambiance is top notch. Great experience, definitely we are coming back. Thank you

This was my first time to Tolaoche. I've walked by their theater district location many times and was delighted to finally have an opportunity to try their cocktails and food. My server suggested the chef's special margarita, which was pomegranate. This was deliciously tart. If you're a fan of truffles (who isn't??), this menu leaves you with many delectable choices. I ended up getting the cheese, corn and truffle quesadilla and split the guac with my friend. Perfect portions and was very happy with my choice. There is a wealth of seating here, including an outdoor space out front and a patio in the back. I was a little surprised when our waiter tried to rush us out of the back patio once my friend and I had finished our meal, but were finishing up our catch up. There was only one other party out there, so it didn't seem like they were trying to turn over our table.

If you're going for Mexican.... This is the place to go. This warm and cozy upper east sider affords a bit of a downtown feel while affording exceptional Mexican fare The front desk staff are extremely polite , waitstaff as well ( although pushy at times) Margarita could have a bit more alcohol as it seemed rather light on the spirits. The thinly sliced tuna with Avacado is delicious, albeit more Japanese than Mexican The steaks here are in fact delicious and the taco with grilled fluke was totally bomb! The rooms are a bit crowded and tight so be care not to make your advances too audible lol Pricing is fair considering the quality My only complaint was the pleasant but stubbornly pushy waiter who insisted you order the nights special. Even after we said no thank you he went at it again Likely an isolated sit but in poor taste to be sure I'll go back

We ordered in from Toloache last night based on all the great reviews and were extremely disappointed. The guac had very little flavor and the salsa was watery. My quinoa paella was not good and my husband's fajitas were drenched in a nasty cheesy sauce. The fajitas were not accompanied by any rice, beans or salsa as you would typically expect with fajitas. My son's burrito was ok but not as good as chipotle.

Overall I think this was a 4.5/5 I was on a tuna hunt recently and couldn't stop ordering it when I saw it on a menu. I ordered some more tartar for an app and enchiladas for my entree. The tuna was great, the taco itself tasted amazing, loved the texture. The enchiladas, were very tasty. The sauce was made to taste great, the chicken was tender and juicy. It was all I could've asked for!

Incredible food and service! Sat at the bar and my Mezcalaita de Pina was exceptional. My fiancée had a spicy marg and it was so fresh! Guac was delicious. Hurrache, lobster tacos and brisket tacos were out of this world! Best Mexican food I've had in the Upper East Side. Our bartender, Cesar, was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Can't wait to come back again for more. Muchas gracias!

This place is just ok. It's expensive, it's Bourgeois, yet not upscale. Located on upper Eastside, which houses a lot of... Well, any way. Upon my arrival I was greeted by either the manager of the establishment or the owner. He was a older white male. Instead of greeting me with a simple hello, how can I help you, he asked me "what do you have going on?" can't make this shit up if I tried. I was running late for the reservation. I had a business meeting with my coworker. Had I not been running late and not distracted by the fact that I was running late I would've challenged his question to me, Because who the hell greets guests like that? I can guarantee you he would never have greeted any of those old folks that way. I was the only person of color in the entire establishment. So I knew I was in the wrong place. The food is overpriced, and slightly bland. I ordered the skirt steak with the potatoes and the enchilada. The skirt steak was delicious , The blueberry tequila shots were very good as were the margaritas. I did not like the vibe of the establishment. I particularly did not appreciate how I was greeted. It's 2022 and Black people still have to deal with micro-aggressive behaviors such as the aforementioned. "What do you have going on?" He's lucky I was there for business, because I would have read him in front of the entire establishment. If you're a person of color please be aware of this establishment, eat here at your own risk.

Wow. What a gem. I moved to the UES last week and this was the first place I ate out and I am so happy I did. I'm not the biggest Mexican food fan but I'm definitely a Toloache fan! The food was amazing - please try the fruit guacamole and the bacalao trufado was just pure ecstasy. I was so full but I couldn't stop. Will definitely come again!

Went here about a month back with friends & this is perfectly located as we hit the MET museum right after. Drinks were delish & the food was amazing, fast service & they didn't rush us out at all. Highly recommend. Have been to their other location on 51st, food is just as good there but this one has WAY more space, gorgeous backyard.

Came in person for dinner on a Sunday night. Got a last minute reservation for 4. Ordered the guacamole which was delicious. Also really liked the short rib tacos and the shrimp quesadilla (which was quite petite with a taco-sized tortilla). Fish tacos were not bad, but not amazing. Also loved the churros. Overall was a great experience - just very very slow.

This place is overrated. I went on a Friday night recently with my husband and the restaurant was packed so I figured the food had to be good. It started off weird when we asked for a table without a reservation and the host initially gave the impression that there was no seating. He was kind of intense. We did end up getting seated and started off with chips and salsa which was good (not complimentary). The mocktail they made for me was also really good. Things went south after that when we realized that the server switched our orders and we didn't know until halfway in and I really didn't like what I was eating. When we mentioned this to the waiter he said "oh okay" and walked away. My husband and I switched plates and truth be told I didn't like his dish (which is what I had ordered) either. The meat on both was extremely fatty and not what I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. The portions were also small for the price. We love Mexican food but would certainly not return here.

Really great little spot. Duck carnitas and guacamole with pomegranate are amazing. Tortillas taste homemade. Great staff. Sitting on the sidewalk and watching the world go by with a cold beer is a great way to take a break

Where did all these good reviews come from ????? This place is not good at all. The prices are way too high for "sample" sized food. I was still hungry after paying 45$ for a small plate. Not only are the portions extremely small but the food is average tasting, at best. I didn't even like the drinks, the margaritas or the tap water. The service was great, but that's it. Overall, I would say pass on this place especially if you're hungry.

Great food, kids friendly, and comfortable seating! We got guacamole, huevos rancheros, fish tacos and chicken tacos. Everything was delicious!! And the watermelon margarita was great too!

What a gem in the UES! We were able to reserve a table for a weekend dinner without an issue. From the drinks to the apps and tacos, Toloache did not disappoint. The servers were so kind and helpful. I absolutely loved the guac and the veggie tacos were so flavorful.

Sorry to say, but I honestly don't know what all these 4 star reviews are for. I chose this place because my friend wanted Mexican and it was in our way home from work and had a bunch of great reviews. What a mistake. I ordered a shrimp quesadilla and my friend ordered chicken enchiladas. We also ordered an appetizer of guacamole and 1 drink each. Drinks had barely any alcohol and huge chunks of watermelon and no flavor at all. The guacamole is definitely pre-made as when it comes out its very cold- the chunks if avocado were big and it had too much lime juice. (Probably to keep it from going brown) When the entrees came out I looked at my quesadilla with a look of "that's it?" It was so tiny and definitely not a quesadilla. It looked smaller than personal pan pizza and looked like a pizza with a few chopped up shrimp and some sauce and cheese. Not what I was expecting at all. My friend who ordered chicken enchiladas had a bigger portion of food- but that didn't necessarily mean it was better. The chicken inside of the enchiladas was dry and flavorless. Also, who tops enchiladas with lettuce? Food was mediocre- service wasn't great and on top of that- there was a guy using an electric saw type machine on the outside dining cubicles add we were sitting there. We couldn't even hear ourselves speaking so we just decided to leave. I'd never go back to this neighborhood to spend my money and should have known better. Whitewashed Mexican food at Manhattan prices do not go together at all.

I came to this place with my friends who had been a few months earlier. They raved about the breakfast burrito, so we went to get it. We ordered a round of margaritas and placed our order for the breakfast burritos. The menu listed that they included rice, beans, egg, cheese, avocado -- you know standard breakfast burrito fare. After a very long wait, they came out and served us our "burritos". Instead of a burrito we received 2 small, burnt wraps, that contained maybe half an egg, some avocado and these thin potato chips, the same ones that were accompanying the "burrito". I'll include a picture of the burrito we expected as well, from when my friend got it a few weeks prior. So we asked our waiter what was up and eventually the manager came over to talk to us. He tried to explain that the menu had changed. But not on the copies we ordered from. We told him that we were missing 3/4 of the ingredients from the item we ordered and he kept trying to explain that they changed the menu and this is the new breakfast burrito and it's what people want. Not once did he apologize or offer a solution during all of this. He did say "this isn't anyone's fault" but it clearly is on the restaurant if you're handing out an inaccurate menu and letting customers order off it without saying a word about possible changes, and then bringing them something they did not order and telling them it's correct. I don't want to be gaslighted at brunch. And listen, yes mistakes happen, I understand that. This wouldn't have been such a terrible experience if their management had an ounce of competence and a sliver of customer service comprehension. It was really talking with him that made us leave. We didn't pay for the round of drinks or the incorrect food. It was such a bad experience and handled so poorly we won't go back here. And I don't know who they're talking to, but you'd be insane to prefer to spend $15 for 2 poorly made taquitos over a hearty burrito. P.S. menu online still lists the burrito we thought we were getting. Hopefully they've changed the in-store menus by now.

Imagine a Sunday evening walk with your sweetheart on the Upper East Side and stumbling upon a shadowy yet cozy Mexican restaurant..... Then you sit at the bar and realize this is not your typical rice and beans fiesta. Innovative yet borderline obscene pairings, not the tacos, are the stars here Hibiscus Margaritas and Shepherd's Pie anyone???? Uhhh Yeah!!!! 5 Stars for Toloache!!!!!

I went here on a Saturday night after seeing the after dark exhibit at the Guggenheim. It was pretty packed but they squeezed us in in the bar seats at the guacamole station. We shared spicy guacamole, the vegetable paella, and the squash tacos. I'm not vegetarian but my date is and we decided to share. Those were the only vegan/vegetarian things on the menu other than the sides of quesadillas so I wouldn't say a huge selection if you're vegan but those items were delicious. We were both shocked at how much flavor was in the quinoa vegetable paella and everything was cooked to perfection. We'll also got margaritas, the watermelon and the grapefruit mezcal, both delicious. One less star because the staff was a bit too attentive. Different people came to check on us every few minutes, we said we didn't want any more chips but took our chips and brought a new basket anyways that we never touched. We said we wanted to keep our dish and still much while we finished our cocktails but after the 4th or 5th time trying to take our plates we just let them. Overall great experience though.

My favourite mexican food in the upper east side. Its no Estrellita Poblano in the bronx, however. Drinks were on point and dishes and decor are well-appointed.

Great food, great service!! My sons and I were amazed by the quality of the entire experience. Get the guacamole trio, it is worth it.

This is really above average Mexican food, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I'm not even a huge fan of Mexican food. However, given the price point, it is what you should expect. For brunch we got the medium guacamole for the table, and it was delicious, not too spicy but very flavorful. I got the breakfast burrito and it was very large and came with a side of crunchy shoestring fry things. The other people at the table got the huevos rancheros, and they seemed to like it but it looked on the smaller side. Service was good. I really wanted to huitlacoche quesadilla, but the server warned me it was small. It was $18 and taco sized apparently. The size dissuaded me from ordering. Why not just make it bigger? Dessert was tres leches, honestly not the best. I would definitely come back here for the flavorful entrees.

Toloache, Toloache, Toloache! Now you say it 3 times fast. Came here for my birthday and had a fabulous time my friends. I sat at the bar for a Prickly Pear margarita while I waited for my friends. The bartender and bar crowd we're all super friendly. It just happened to be Mexican Independence Day and the bartender gave us a little history lessen. We sat in the middle of the restaurant which was a little busy and right next to the kitchen, but luckily no one bumped into us. Great decor and the food really speaks for itself. I had the one of the platos fuertes...The JM Carne Asada (Grilled skirt steak, potato gratin, guacamole, Mole-cheese enchilada). I switched my sauce to a green sauce which was also excellent, and I liked the idea of potatoes instead of rice. We did not save room for dessert. Their popcorn flan looked amazing. Unfortunately, I could not have it because it's not gluten free, however, they do have many gluten free options @ Toloache. Excited to go back. Not cheap but definitely good, quality food.

The worst service and experience. Quality has been going down consistently. The guacamole used to be fresh .. tasted just ok. We ordered carne asada tacos with everything on the side .. and guess what .. nothing on the side came and after 20 minutes the waiter comes and asks whether we need it now after my son ate the tacos as he was hungry... like we are going to eat the sides without the tacos.. simple rice and beans which we ordered right at the beginning came when we were about to ask for the check ..What kind of service is this ? They did not even apologize .. looks like management doesn't care at all. Used to be a good spot. Sadly this would be my last time

Food was better than average and about commensurate with the price. Staff were well meaning, but not well trained either at the bar or at table. A bit too busy for my taste. In the end, taking all into account, I am ambivalent.

One of my favorite mexican places in manhattan. Probably my go to on the UES. Everything from the tacos to the guac was amazing. Even gave us sauce to go. Will be back!!

Toloanche is a must try. I've been here a few times now and have not been disappointed. The service, atmosphere and most importantly food is just wonderful. flavorful dishes, delicious and fun desserts, and there Margaritas are hands down the best! - I never walk out feeling overly bloated and gross after eating here like most Mexican Restaurants. They use real and fresh ingredients that make you feel light and not guilty about enjoying a cheat day! - highly recommend if you're on the Upper East Side.

Extremely small portions. Rude staff, rude manager, overpriced. There are tonssss of Mexican restaurants in NYC, go anywhere else.

Want good Mexican food on the Upper East Side? Toloache is a great option. Came here for brunch and it was delicious. For an appetizer I had their queso and for my entree I had their burger. Both were fresh and flavorful. For a drink, I had their sangria and it was amazing. Highly recommend.

A+... always on the hunt for a good burrito. Tried this place on a friends recommendation and got the steak burrito delivered. It was clearly a much higher quality burrito than your average mom n pop Mexican joint. The steak was juicy and tender and delicious. All the other ingredients were excellent as well. Just a really top notch burrito, can't wait to try the rest of the menu