Calexico

I wanted to like this place. I called before leaving the apt to see what the wait time would be, but got no answer. My boyfriend and I came on a Friday night, so I expected to wait. It took over an hour to be seated. According to my bf the nachos were a step up from Taco Bell. Gross. Everything appears to come out of a squeeze bottle. Not even trying. We tried the $ 6 beer shot combo… So gross. Also gave the Marg a shot… Sour mix=kinda gross. Oh yeah they brought our shots of tequila and said they were out of limes! What kind of Mexican place runs out of limes on a Friday night?!? The pork quesadilla was pretty bangin, comparatively. But overall the food was seriously lacking. No match for the Qtto’d tacos we had a few weeks ago in the west village. Also, «Everybody’s screaming!» I will not return/​never wait this long for mediocre food again.

I had the most awful experience of my life at this restaurant. When I first came in the Spanish receptionist was very rude and mocked me. Furthermore I ordered a Baja fish burrito and received the 2 smallest pieces of fish. I’m talking 2 thumb sized pieces for $ 12. The Union square salad was literally 99% lettuce, and last but not least I was served water in a fancy bottle that turned out to be sink water. I will never come back to this place and will advise friends to avoid it.

Great food, great drinks, best bartender! — ask for Desiree’!, awesome ambiance, & amazing vibe ! Welcome to the Upper East Side, Calexico!

I loved this place. We passed by this restaurant and eventually we thought we give it a try. Food was amazing. I tried two tacos: beef and mahi mahi… wow… even now my mouth is watering. Loved the food. Shame they didn’t offer any desserts. Service was also quite good. Highly recommended

I picked this place because looking at the menu online prior, the prices looked great. After eating here, I had found out that this is honestly one of the worst Mexican restaurants I’ve ever been to.
First of all, we had ordered guacamole to start and our main dishes at the same time and everything came out all together, not to mention the fact it came out literally 2 minutes after we ordered. (The guac had pretty much no flavor)
We had asked for some kind of salsa which apparently wasn’t free. what Mexican place doesn’t give you complimentary salsa?
The «burrito» was not even close to a burrito. I had ordered chicken in it and there was barely any in there, it was made of mostly rice and beans. It was grilled like a panini and cut in half with chips on the side.
So disappointed with this place, will never go back.

Very very solid place to get a good burrito/​quesadilla. Haven’t tried the tacos but I’m sure it’s great. The food is flavorful and satisfying. Would’ve been even better if they shaved a dollar off or gave just a littleee more food. Other than that this place is legit

Very pleasantly surprised! I ended up choosing Calexico after reading the reviews for almost every Mexican place in the area and was so glad I did! It’s often hard to find reasonably priced good food on the UES but I’d say this is the best bang for your buck compared to your other options in the area. We loved our food and our waitress was attentive, despite us having to sit in the takeout area because of the crowd. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for some quick quality Mexican food.

Had heard great things about Calexico so we decided to stop in for lunch.
Started off with guacamole which was a great portion size, but didn’t have much flavor. Would have loved a tomatillo or similar sauce without too much spice to add on, but unfortunately while there were a ton of sauces on the table, all were hot sauces. Was definitely fresh though which was nice!
Then I got the elote which was fantastic! Corn with cotija cheese, mayo, chile powder, sour cream, and cilantro. It was pretty heavily topped and so messy but so worth it! Just don’t order this one on a date!
As my entrée I got the rolled quesadilla with chicken, which I thought would be more like a flouta (an actual little roll), but instead was like a grilled wrap). Was a little disappointed… didn’t have much flavor and the chicken was kind of slimy. I think part of my disappointment was just that it wasn’t what I was picturing. However, I would have LOVED for some of the ingredients from the side salad to come inside the quesadilla! They should offer that as an option. This came with their signature crack sauce on the side that is SPICY. Good thing it didn’t come on it!
My brother got a burrito bowl I believe which was HUGE and tasty, but extremely spicy. Might be because of the crack sauce that was in there too. Was surprised that the cheese that was listed as an ingredient wasn’t sprinkled on top as I expected but was a legitimate layer of cheese… made it a pretty heavy dish! But pretty good either way. Ended up using the chips from the guac in there to help with the spiciness of it!
Overall it was pretty good, but I think I’d go for a different entrée next time. It seems like the tacos are their stronger dishes and might be more enjoyable.
One thing I heard that I do want to point out is that the prices on the menu at this location are more expensive than their Greenpoint location… REALLY disappointed to hear that. I don’t think that’s acceptable and I for that reason alone I took off a star and to be honest, will probably not be coming back.

Great looking restaurant, fun vibe and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Very kid friendly but still adult oriented. Food just didn’t taste like authentic Mexican. I had high hopes and it just tasted very Americanized. Too bad, I love Mexican food!

Logged into Unilocal to write a review about my lovely dining experience at Calexico in the Upper East Side with my family but was disappointed to see a couple of not-​so-​nice reviews.
At first, I was going to praise the establishment for wonderful food. I had the gringo quesadilla and a Baja fish taco (delicious, definitely recommend) and a couple of house margaritas (not too strong, just the right amount of flavor), my mom had the carne Asada tacos (which she is still currently in love with) and my sister had chicken enchiladas with a jalapeño mint margarita (soo good).
I wasn’t going to say anything about the rowdy bunch that night because we felt comforted by the GM, Michael, for handling the situation and coming to our table to apologize for the group that was very disruptive.
Other than that, I tip my hat off to Calexico and their over the top friendly staff. We will definitely be coming back for seconds, thirds and more.

Really great restaurant! Great food, great service, awesome space! I love this place! Once you go there, you will end up going there all the time. The food is so good you will get addicted. This place changes the game!

Had a great lunch here with a party of 5 adults and 3 children. Jorge was patient and efficient. The food was quite good. I had the veggie tacos and they were interesting and delicious. All at the table enjoyed their meals. The guacamole was excellent. There is also a solid selection of options for little ones. I won’t hesitate to come back here when I’m looking for good Mexican.

i want to contribute a brief update, and drop the rating by one star.
after going to both this calexico location and the greenpoint one a few more times, i have realized that the prices at calexico ues are marked up by 10% to 20% compared to the brooklyn locations. this is really frustrating and i think disrespectful to customers.
this particular location may be on the upper east side, but it’s not on park avenue and the people that eat here shouldn’t have to pay more for the same food because they’ve been prejudged as more affluent than someone in, say, greenpoint or park slope — not exactly low-​income areas either. and if the excuse is that the rent is high, well, so is the foot traffic. the restaurant has been slammed every time i’ve walked by it.
i would rather have calexico raise prices at all of their locations, if margin is an issue, than singling out upper east siders. just seems shitty to me.

a welcomed energy to the UES, but just as I felt when I tried the original Greenpoint location, I was not overwhelmed by the food. We came here on a Saturday evening at prime time, were told it was a 45 minute wait. headed to the bar, ordered overpriced house margaritas, which took FOREVER to come, because the bar tender was horrendous. We were told our table was ready after about 25 minutes, sat and ordered. The food came out pretty quick.
I ordered the Chicken enchiladas. They were room temperature, and not great. I’d go back again, and try their burritos, but i’ll stay away from the enchiladas.

A bit overrated. Sorry gang, but I’m not on board with all the 4 – 5 star reviews here. Get past the shiny newness of it all and it’s just OK at best.
Portions are ok for the cost. Chicken Burrito was decent but it was mostly beans and rice. Where was the chicken? Very unsatisfying. Dos Toros and Chipotle do it better. As does my local Mexican joint hole in the wall around the block from me. Burrito bowl was a nice variation on the norm. Tasty guacamole and chips to start.
Crack sauce isn’t all that unless you like spicy. Charging a dollar for this in a small cup seems really petty.
Decent prices on beer and good cocktails though. Great bartender on duty Saturday night.
Again though charging for basic chips and salsa in a place like this is no bueno. C’mon now! This should be a freebie at every table, and is in most places which serves this type of food.
Long ass wait on Fri and Sat nights and they don’t take reservations or add your name to the wait list in advance. Not a good policy considering how popular and crowded the place is already. No one wants to wait around for over an hour to eat, especially when there are a bunch of other Tex-​Mex spots in the area, and other dining options. At first glance it looks like a lot of tables in here but the way the space is laid out it’s deceiving. Be prepared to wait a long time if arriving during prime hours on weekends.
Nice staff, décor, and table setup. Clean bathrooms. There is even a separate room with it’s own bar in it for groups and parties.
Seems as if they are still working out some kinks here, but staff was helpful as was the manager on duty when he realized we had been waiting an hour for a table for two and we were about to leave.

went to Calexico last night — my roommate was thrilled it was open on the UES. Pretty delicious — guacamole was a good portion for a $ 12 appetizer, sometimes you think you are going to get screwed on that. ended up getting the Baja fish tacos — super delicious, with their crack sauce — equally as delicious. really great, good-​priced new restaurant.
definitely will be making another appearance there. my roommate got the chicken quesadillas — she thinks they’re the best in nyc!-

Calexico UES has been open for about a week and I’ve already been there twice. Well technically the first time was only for drinks but still! I had been to the food truck in Soho by my work and waited in the 20 minute line for some great Tex-​Mex. But waiting at a table with a margarita in hand is way better. The interior is trendy in the simplest way, the servers are knowledgeable and pleasant, and the food is great.
The first time I went I got their frozen mango margarita which was very sour. This is not a Blockhead’s margarita as the flavoring they use is fresh juice so though you can feel less guilty, they are a bit harder to drink. Next time, I will probably get a plain margarita on the rocks. I ordered the chicken rolled quesadillas which were absolutely phenomenal. Their marinated grilled chicken is delicious and has to have been right off the grill. It comes with a side of their famous crack sauce, which as you can draw from the sauce’s name is very addicting. I’m usually a fan of guac but it was a bit too lime heavy here. Not bad enough for me to remove a star, I just most likely won’t order it again.
They give you a mini pack of Chiclets with your check. Small, yet cute touch that I appreciated.

My boyfriend and I loved to go to the Mexican place Calexico replaced because nobody ever went there because it still had decent food. However, Calexico is WAY better and has much lower prices! I’m so glad Calexico opened up literally a block away from me!
The music is on point, the interior is modern and simple, and the staff all seem pretty nice. Happy hour is a great deal as you get a token for another drink if you get a house margarita (that’s the only drink the bogo free applies to), BUT if you don’t want to cash in that chip and have a second drink, I was told that I can bring it in the next time I’m there for a house margarita, beer, or any of the brunch drinks.
As for the food, I HIGHLY recommend the carne asada fries and rolled quesadillas. The nachos were okay, but I wouldn’t come here for those. The enchiladas were a bit too tomato-​y for me, but still not a bad price.
I’ll definitely be returning soon! Just a heads up, the place only opened up a week ago and the restaurant basically filled up by 6:00 (they open at 5:00) on a Friday. I can see Calexico becoming another busy favorite of the growing younger crowd up here!

The wait is FINALLY over! For months, we’ve been waiting for the brown paper to come down and the doors to open and just last week, Calexico UES finally opened with a bang! This place may be a dangerous new spot to have in the area, because who doesn’t love Mexican?!
The space is beautiful with plenty of seating and a nice long bar too! I had the blood orange margarita and was going to try something else after, but it was so good, so I just got it twice!
The nachos… the famous Calexico nachos were yummy with the soft melty cheese. Next time, I’m adding meat! They come with a heaping pile of guac on top which is awesome. The elote was also delicious. I mean honestly, who doesn’t love corn covered in cojita cheese? For my entrée I went with my go-​to Mexican order, of chicken enchiladas. They were also good. I typically like enchiladas verde, but Calexico only offers roja. Still yummy, but I will try tacos next time before ordering them again.
I LOVE the container of hot sauces on every table. I sat there and tried them all with my nachos. Overall, prices are pretty reasonable (not really for drinks) and the service was great. Let’s hope it stays that way. I’ll certainly be back! Looking forward to a happy hour visit for sure!

This NYC mini chain has a new outpost on the Upper East Side, and I could not be more thrilled. I have been to the cart and the Greenpoint spot a few times, and Calexico consistently offers delicious Tex-​Mex in a cool setting. This location is just as good.
I have to recommend the marinated chicken as a protein, which has nice crispy charred bits, and of course the famous crack sauce.
They also offer reasonably priced takeout, which I could see sneaking its way into my weeknight burrito rotation. Move over Dos Toros, there’s a new burrito gangsta on the Upper East Side.