Hi, we'll be staying at the Holiday Inn Express on Union near 4th Ave in a few weeks and I was wondering if there was any decent mexican food within walking distance? Thanks
Campofiorin
Jan 21, 2008 07:49AM
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You'll be literally half a block away from Maria's Mexican - I think the food is pretty good, certainly decent, but the service can be atrocious so be sure to bring your patience.
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I was wondering who stayed in that hotel. Honestly, it's sort of remote, without much nearby at all. (I hope it's cheap!) There's no good Mexican that I'm aware of. There's a small Mexican place called Maria's between 4th and 5th, but it should be avoided -- bad bland food.
Your best bet for food is to hike up the hill to 5th avenue and then take a right, where you'll find (non-Mexican) Brooklyn favorites like al di la, Tempo, Blue Ribbon, etc. Try searching on Park Slope or 5th Avenue for some ideas.
If you have your heart set on Mexican, you'll have to take the train to Sunset Park.
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Thanks for the help. Hotel is cheap and close to a subway, beats staying in Jersey.
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It is kind of a funky neighborhood (Gowanus), but if you walk like New Yorkers do (ie, don't mind routinely walking half a mile to a mile), you're kind of ideally situated between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill, so you might want to check out those neighborhoods as well. And btw, shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes via subway to get to Sunset Park.
If you do go to those neighborhoods (BoCoCa) for dinner? I *would* probably take a car service back, as it's still a bit sketchy later at night over that way.
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While there is good eating in Carroll/Boerum/Cobble, there is absolutely no decent Mexican, which it seems the OP is looking for.
You could go to DUMBO for 'Hech en DUMBO', very good Mexican small plates and nice selection of drinks, plus sometimes they have live music on the weekends.
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It's not remote - it's a half block to the R subway stop and 1 1/2 blocks to 5th avenue, one of the city's best restaurant rows. There are now a few restaurants and bars on 4th, but there are probably a dozen restaurants within a 10 minute walk.
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Ditto on the it's not remotely remote comment and the block and a half from 5th Avenue thing. Walking back from Park Slope isn't that sketchy.
For some reason I'm not crazy about Maria's but folks here seem to like it and location wise it's the best option since it's right down the block on the corner. They also have a side tamale taco place (hole in the wall) if it's still open - and open in cold weather - which makes decent tacos.
There's also a Tex-Mex place that most here don't seem to like, but I think it's passable. It's on 5th ave and Sackett - 1 block from Union towards the city and it's called Lobo. A block or two down from Lobo is Pollitos (I think they have the same owners as Maria's?) which some like here and I have mixed feelings about.
Further on on 7th Avenue near Berkeley Place (Sackett) is a decent Taco place - La Taqueria.
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I don't like Maria's anymore, I think it has gone downhill. However, Tacos Nuevo Mexico on 5th ave between 11th and 12th it as good as ever, and cheap too.
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If you're gonna walk that far (which I absolutely recommend you do because 5th is a great strip for walking) you could also go slightly more upscale at Pyramide, which is one block from Tacos NM. And has been favorably reviewed by this crew.
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Just to be clear? What I said was, if you walk the other way, toward 3rd avenue and Carroll Gardens, you'd be better served by taking a car service back to the hotel (in fact, I said the location was ideally situated because there's access to those neighborhoods AND Park Slope).
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I'd recommend Palo Santo on Union between 4th and 5th instead-- I've eaten there twice and really enjoyed the food both times. It's not Mexican, it's South American though.
I just ate at Maria's for the first time yesterday and was not impressed with the food or the service. Margaritas were pretty good though.
652 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA
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I second that. We were happily surprised by Palo Santo when we visited a few months ago.
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I have some friends who stayed in that hotel just this past weekend, and they were fine walking back from our place at like two in the morning. We live on Berkeley (Sackett) between Seventh and Eighth Aves, and they seemed to think it was convenient and safe enough. So I think you'll be okay. I also have a friend who lives a few blocks up from that hotel, at Fourth and Warren, and he regularly walks to and from the rest of the Slope at night.
That said, I think La Tacqueria is fun for tacos and burritos, mostly because they have great tortillas and lots of good choices. It's at the corner of Seventh Ave and Berkeley, which is what Sackett turns into when you reach Fifth Ave. I don't know much about the rest of the Mexican places in the neighborhood, since we usually just end up at the taco place when we get that kind of craving. I will tell you that if you're already on Fourth, you should check out the Chocolate Room, which is on Fifth Ave between Warren and St Marks Pl, I think. They have delicious desserts and a great atmosphere for these cold nights.
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Los Pollitos... it's so cheap and (I think) it's good. Try the sopes - cheap, plentiful and delicious. Also the tostones with the creamy garlic sauce on the side. A winner every time. amy @ http://www.neverfull.wordpress.com
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I agree. Stay away from Maria's. Always short of staff and the food is very bland.
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perhaps not exactly walking distance, but on 5th avenue between 22 and 23rd st.s (i think, around there) is Taqueria D.F., a fantastic authentic taco spot. $1 tacos of all kinds (steak, goat, etc.), incredible quesedilas with jalepenos, great corn with queso, great everything (even the vegetarian dishes are delicious). and they have a full help yourself fixins bar with all different salsas, radishes, limes, etc.
and even further out is Rico's Tacos on Fifth Ave and 50th st? actually on 50th just off of 5th ave- amazing, 24/7 tacos- incredible nachos with real queso, fantastic house made guac (with tons of cilantro and great spicing), very very very good. better than many of the other more highly regarded brooklyn mexican spots. enjoy fb
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