Bar San Miguel

My friends and I came here last night for dinner, but it wasn’t really what we expected. It’s really small, definitely not a place for groups bigger than 4 without a reservation. It was really busy, but the server was able to accommodate us which we were happy about. Once seated we were given food menus and a cocktail menu. We ordered margaritas (no frozen) and guacamole to start, but the server came back to tell us they had run out of guac which was disappointing, so we ordered the salsa and chips instead. The menu is really limited which we didn’t know before going there so our «entrees» were like appetizer portions. My friend and I ordered the braised short rib tacos and my other friend got the beef empanadas. The food was absolutely delicious but definitely not plentiful or filling.
We stayed for about 2 hours and ordered many rounds of cocktails. Our server (I think his name was Jeremy) was soo nice and attentive) Bar San Miguel is definitely more of a bar rather than a restaurant, so I wouldn’t come again trying to have dinner, but I would definitely come back for a night out for drinks.

I actually came in with some friends during my visit to NY in October. Everyone was super excited to try this place as they had heard a lot about it. We all hopped into the Über and made a special trip from the city just to eat here. After all it is Cramer’s bar. We were super excited to see what he had produced.
When we got there we actually realized that this was a fairly small bar and the place was packed. There was nowhere at the bar for us to even sit down and wait for a seat. We decided to walk around Brooklyn for awhile and wait for a seat to become available. About 30 min later we returned to check and see if any seats had become available and there were still no seats. We had decided to wait outside this time because of the lack of space at the establishment, After about 30 more min of waiting outside a table finally became available for my friends who were determined to try it and we were all starving at this point. We came in with a group of five and had two people on the way people and at first only a table of four had become available. We actually had to sit four people and wait for the group of people next to us to leave so that we would be able to fit our whole group comfortably, This took an additional 25 min,
Next came the menu options. I we ordered our food which actually came out very fast. We ordered two tacos and some chips and guacamole at first. The portion sizes were tiny. We ordered some more tacos but it still wasn’t filling. We ordered some chips and salsa after that an continued to order more food. After a giant bill and ordering a few things for two people, we decided to go to shake shack and get a burger to compensate for leaving the restaurant hungry.
I actually expected more from all of the talk I heard about this place.

We visit here because it was Cramer’s bar. I will admit that. Was slightly disappointed in that it is really a bar and not really a restaurant. Yes they have food and the food was okay but it is a small place with a very very few people there. I suspect the people that go there are people that watch Mad Money. It makes me wonder if he promotes this bar because a relative really owns it? I won’t say it’s a bad place but it is just mediocre. Don’t get too excited to go there.

I admit we went there in hope of meeting Jim Cramer but were told that he was there the previous night. At first glance, it’s the kind of small, dingy bar that I would never go into normally. However, on closer inspection we found a lot to respect and enjoy. The décor is authentic Mexico and really immaculate and cozy. Exactly the right touch, not over-​amped like some corporate exercise in branding. We had a margarita, beer, and chips and guacamole. We would have stayed longer and eaten more but the front windows were wide open during the rain and we were getting wet and cold. We’re from L.A. and we have a time share in Mexico, so we know these foods as well as anyone. The quality and taste of the dips, guac, and chips were A+. The cocktail was flawless and the beer was fresh and at the exact temperature. Prices are a bargain in the trendy hipster neighborhood, about 100 yards from the subway. Staff is very nice, but perhaps a bit too mellow to get up to speed to serve everyone. Cramer maintains his premium image with this dedication to authenticity and quality.

Super friendly place with a well rounded offering. The vibe is relaxed and a nice spot to have cocktails with small groups. I haven’t eaten here but look forward to it.

Three things I hate about eating out are high prices, small portions and below average food. In my experience Mexican food is generally inexpensive. Chips and salsa are usually free, but not here. I have never seen tacos or enchiladas so small. You leave here hungry. The service was good though. The corn salsa that came with the chicken skewers was the best thing we had there. The fish tacos was average at best but with a minuscule amount of fish. Another rarity here is that you do not get rice and beans with your meal, it’s another charge.

I came here with a big group of people for a late weekday dinner. Service was superb and I did like the atmosphere. I ordered a margarita, but was a tad disappointment when it came because it had lots of ice cubes (watered down) and just looked overall sad. I thought I would get more for the price. As for my main dish, I got the fish tacos and similiarly, I was slightly disappointmented. Again, the amount of food seemed petite for the price tag.
Overall, I wanted to like this place more for its atmosphere and service, but couldn’t with the drinks and food.

Delicious food — though be aware that it’s CalMex… not really Mexican (doesn’t stop it bring delicious!).
And the drinks… wow…perfectly balanced, incredible flavors.
The vibe is great — a cozy little neighborhood spot with back patio!

Been here a few times and will definitely keep going back
Service is excellent & the food is amazing, tried almost everything on the menu.
worth the try!!!

Excellent food, we came from Manhattan on a vacation from Miami just to visit Jims restaurant, the food was very good, we were there at opening time 4:00 pm
Our helper Jenny was very nice and the margaritas as good as the Chips and guacamole.
I recommend this small place, it has a lot of charter and great food.
Prices very reasonable .
Booyah my friend !
:)

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner with another couple visiting from out of town on a recent Friday night. We arrived around 8:45 pm, and the place was packed. We expected a long wait, but were told 20 – 30 minutes, which really wasn’t bad. The restaurant is very small, so there isn’t much room to stand in the entryway (also, if you do choose to stand there, be aware that the door opens inward, and you absolutely WILL get smashed in the back by it if you’re standing too close).
As promised, we were seated after about 30 minutes. The server immediately thanked us for our patience and said they were very sorry about the wait. There was a large group in the back that had finished eating long ago but were just sitting around not paying (so annoying). There really wasn’t anything to apologize for, however, since we had been told there would be a wait.
We were starving at this point, so we immediately ordered chips and guacamole, which were delicious. We devoured it all in about 3 minutes. Two of us got margaritas, which were incredibly strong (really too much so). Two of us got chicken enchiladas for entrees, another one got short rib enchiladas, and another got short rib tacos. I thought the chicken enchiladas were tasty, but not the most amazing thing ever. They came with a little spinach salad on the side, which was surprisingly good. The people who got the beef dishes reported that they were very good.
As other reviewers have noted, the portions aren’t large, so we opted to get dessert as well. My boyfriend ordered the chocolate cake as did our guy friend. His girlfriend got churros. She asked if they came with ice cream, and the server said only the cake did. Her boyfriend was joking and said he wanted the ice cream all to himself and wouldn’t share it with her. The server overheard this and brought our friend her own bowl of ice cream! In addition, they comped the churros because they felt bad that we had to wait for a table. Totally unnecessary, but a really nice surprise. And the chocolate cake was amazing.
Another fun surprise was seeing Jim Cramer. My boyfriend called to him as he walked by, shook his hand, and mentioned a stock he had bought months ago based on Cramer’s recommendation. Cramer was very gracious and quoted the current stock price for it, which was kind of funny.
All in all, the food was good, but the service was stellar and made this a 4-​star experience.

Megan behind the bar was terrific; the chili relleno was tasty. No sign of Mr. Cramer on my visit, but maybe next time…
Go check it out.

Outstanding food and service.
The San Miguel Margarita was perfect. Strong and tasty. Two of these and I was feeling a little touchy.
If you are a guacamole fiend, this is the real deal. Freshly made. Could have used less tomatoes.
I had the skirt steak and my date had the enchiladas. Will be going back.

Let me start by saying that the reason why I didn’t give this place 5 stars is because their portions are pretty small. I would suggest that you don’t go there starving and you’ve eaten relatively close to the time your going there.
Now to the good stuff. The ambiance is very laid back and the lighting is pretty dim. There drinks are STRONG! Like it had to be at least 65% idk but very good. I ordered the streak with vegetables. It was very good but as you can see from my picture it was pretty small. I wanted more when I was done which is good for the taste but sucked for the fact there was no more. The waiter was very nice and attentive. She checked in with us frequently to make sure everything was going well which I appreciated. The plates were so beautiful as well. Overall this place a must go but like I said make sure you not super duper hungry!

I’ll admit, the reviews swayed me. I had high expectations…
That being said, biting into a sharp piece of bone in my chicken enchilada was quite terrifying… could have been far worse, thinking about it now. Food was priced a bit high for the portion sizes, and considering my near death experience — only half chjoking — but maybe I’m being a bit salty.
Anyway, grudge aside, the flavors were good, sauce was tasty and it wasn’t bad overall. I’d return for the food and some drinks on a quiet night.
Also to note, the location is dark and small, it’s more like a date night outing layout and not too group friendly.

Behind a large, almost Medieval looking, wooden door, you’ll find a cozy, dimly lit Mexican restaurant with lots of calaveras throughout. I visited Bar San Miguel in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn for dinner.
To drink, I ordered the Aldama (Jalapeño infused tequila, Avocado, Lime, Agave nectar, Green Chartreuse). Right off the bat, the fact that this drink had jalapeño tequila and avocado caught my attention. And, it definitely delivered. It has a really nice kick, followed by a slight sweet and smooth finish from the avocado and agave.
To start, we had Guacamole y Totopas (house made chips with guacamole). The chips were nice and crisp, and the guac was thick with zesty pieces of tomato and onion.
For my entrée, I got their Fried Fish Tacos (with red onion and cherry tomato salsa). I really enjoyed these. The tortillas were warm and soft, yet still substantial enough to hold the weight of the fish and all its accouterment. The fish had a crisp batter, with a flavorful, flakiness to the meat.

Solid 4.5
From the minute you walk in this place has an incredibly inviting and comfortable vibe. No matter how crowded it is the bartender takes a moment to great you and someone is seating you.
Hidden in the back is a cozy backyard that is our preferred place to eat.
While we originally came here thinking it would just be for the cocktails it ended up being the food that brings us back.
For food we have pretty much he everything (between sharing with friends) with our favorites probably being the Carne de Reyes and the Cerdo. The portions are bigger than I expected for price and everything just seems incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked. Definitely not just regular bar food.
Okay so onto the drinks. So as with any mexican place the first test is the maragrita. It came out looking so promising… perfect size and clearly made with only fresh juices… but then with the first sip something seemed off. Before I could say anything I could see the rest of our group felt the same (they all got different tequila cocktails). After a sip test we realized it is the tequila… it just has an incredibly cheap taste that wipes out the flavor profile no matter which cocktail you get. I am used to this at divey Mexican joints (where it can be somewhat forgiven) but not at a place like this where you can tell so much went into every other component of the drink. It is just incredibly sad to ruin a drink like this. If they would just use something slightly higher quality (like Milagro) I would be here several times a week (and I suspect this place would get a lot more business… sadly it had been empty the last few times). We really want this place to do well so are hoping they will fix this problem.
One drink that seems to avoid the cheap tequila taste is their Mezcal Old Fashioned… it is truly spectacular and now the only thing I order when I go there now.
So in summary this place is great on every level except for the margaritas. I am confident they will eventually fix. I just hope they can hang on as this place deserves to be packed every night. A happy hour would certainly help.

Good food, drinks, and atmosphere. Not your average hole in the wall Mexican food joint, but a solid restaurant to impress friends and family.
Food: Guacamole with chips — the good chunky guacamole because God knows I can’t take anymore of that watery stuff I find at other Mexican restaurants in the area. I also had the empanadas. For $ 2 more, you can have them be half cheese and half meat which I highly recommend. The cheese was actually my favorite, very unique melt-​in-​your-​mouth taste. And although portions are small, they are really filling so I didn’t mind. I also liked that the food didn’t feel too heavy/​greasy and always came with this great arugula and dressing — made me feel a little healthier.
Drinks: Any margarita or tequila-​based drink is $ 10, but at least it’s a strong pour. I had the regular margarita but with the jalapeño-​infused tequila (the jalapeño thing seems to be all the rage in BK), which definitely has a kick — just a warning if that’s not your thing but I liked it personally.
Atmosphere: This is probably my favorite thing about the restaurant. It has a very Mexican rustic/​homey feel with large windows that open at the front and a large wooden door with no knob (just push the door haha). The indoor area is dark with lit candles and the patio is more well-​lit if that’s what you prefer.

We’re always in search of good Mexican food as it’s the one thing this neighborhood is lacking. Bar San Miguel looked promising. I think our problem was that we came here hungry looking for a filling dinner.
The drinks were definitely amazing and we’d come back for more. The food was good but the menu is limited, expensive and the dishes are tapas sized (not sure if they’re intended to be) so we kept ordering extra food to fill up. My favorite dish was the fish tacos but again two little tacos should not count as a full entrée.
I think I’ll need to come back for brunch or when I’m not as hungry.

I waited anxiously for Bar San Miguel to open ever since I saw it under construction a few months ago. Everyday on the walk from my apartment to the subway, I watched the place come together — I love the open windows that practically take up the whole front wall, the grand and weathered looking metal door that looks like it belongs on a castle. I finally got to try Bar San Miguel last weekend, so could actually enjoy the décor from the inside too. The exposed brick walls are painted blue, cute pillows line the bench seating and the restaurant is lit with only the light of candles. Muy romantica.
I’m from California, so when it comes to Mexican food I can be a tough critic. First off, I like to judge a Mexican place by how good their margaritas and guacamole are. Bar San Miguel didn’t disappoint — the original margarita was made with real lime (none of that sour mix shit), nicely rimmed with salt and deviously strong. The guacamole was a little bit chunky, which I liked — I hate when places serve it goopy like the texture of sour cream.
For the mains we shared cheese empanadas, beef empanadas, short rib enchiladas and chicken skewers. The chicken skewers were ehhh — a bit dry. The corn salsa it was served with was really nice and fresh though. I loved both empanadas — perfectly crispy and flaky dough envelopes filled with thick cheese or juicy ground beef. The short rib empanadas were a nice spin on the original. These tortillas were chock full of flavorful short rib, rolled up and smothered in sauce and cheese.
All in all, this California girl was impressed even though I’m a purist and would call Bar San Miguel Mexican fusion. Either way, I will be back!