La Contenta

The food and drinks are very good and the staff is nice. I had the Chicken Tacos which were delicious! My boyfriend had the carne asada tacos which were flavorful!

Food Is Amazing, Great place to get some delicious cocktails made it by one of the best Mexican bartender. just tried an amazing Pulque and i can say its so perfect. Great to have a dinner with friends, i can say that food is great, the mexican food we not have in NYC, but now can be find it in La Contenta.
The bartender Alex is just so charming and have a great moves, so i really enjoy seeing him making the cocktails, he has an unique rhythm.
Definitelly recomended to anyone who likes mexican style.

Wow, this place is small and intimate but it pumps out great Mexican food and drinks. The happy hour can’t be beat as everything on the menu is $ 8. We ordered the Margarita and Mayan for drinks and the guacamole and tostada ahogada. Everything we had was absolutely delicious. The Mayan was a good amount of creamy from the corn purée and had a kick from the habanero sauce. The guacamole is huge and I don’t know how they’re not losing money by only charging $ 8. The torta ahogada was the right amount of spicey. The staff are all great and the bartenders know their craft. This will definitely be a regular spot going forward given that it’s right off of the F/​M/​J/​Z stop and I can’t wait to try their whole dinner menu as well.

Um hello La Contenta, you tiny tiny adorable restaurant filled with delicious food, good drinks and the sweetest staff in town! We went to a cat café (no judgements) down the street and were hungry so we hopped on Unilocal to find some answers. It just also happened to be my birthday. La Contenta is tiny tiny tiny with one small outside table in the front and less than a handful of seating inside plus some bar stools. It’s decorated perfectly.
We happened to hit happy hour time which saved our wallets because I would have kept ordering food. The fried fish taco was sooooo good — there were 2 to one order and they were super filling. The margarita was also excellent. The staff was so attentive and kind and when they found out it was my birthday they sent over two shots and dessert on the house!
Overall great experience, great food and great spot… if you can get a table!

Okay so first off I’m from California and am Mexican so Micheladas are important in my life. This place had the best Micheladas in downtown NYC. In a city that thinks Micheledas consists of hot sauce and lime, they add unique and tasty ingredients like cucumber juice and the price is perfect at $ 7. They also have sweet options for Micheledas which I will try next time.
Second it’s a cozy and intimate place in the LES that has the best service. When we called ahead 15 minutes prior to arriving they reserved a table for us, I didn’t expect they would still be holding it since most places don’t do that. I really, really loved that they did that.
I loved my waiter, he was extraordinary, he even helped me with my coat and pulled out my seat for me when I came back from the bathroom. No lie.
My husband had the fish tacos which he said were great. He’s picky so that says a lot. My daughter had the queso fondito and I tasted it. It was divine. I had the skirt steak which was very tasty. Could have used a tiny bit salt but other than that it was great. I loove this place and am coming back. My new favorite Mexican spot! Quality!

On a weekend trip to NYC, my mom and I came here for dinner after going to the Tenement museum in the lower east side. We completely lucked out and this was the best meal of our trip! Somehow we managed to slip in without a reservation at 6pm on a Saturday.
The space was comically tight, but the coziness with our neighbors did not detract from the meal. Even when our food was accidentally delivered to a different table (and quickly replaced, with free drinks thrown in), we didn’t mind because we were just enjoying ourselves. Amazing food and even better service. Thank you for being a gem on our trip!

Everything about this place was amazing. Cocktails were strong and the food was great.
It’s small, so make sure you reserve or take your chances with getting a seat at the bar, and whatever you do, order the fish tacos.

I’m taking a star off for the poor service, but like many others here, I found La Contenta to be a delightful experience. We went there for brunch on a snowy Sunday afternoon. The restaurant is cozy and just adorable with seating for about 10 – 20 ppl. max. I had the chicken enchiladas — perfectly spiced and cooked. They have an extensive bar and cocktail menu, but we opted for a glass of wine — which turned into 3 as our order was forgotten and we waited over 45 minutes to eat. The bartender was kind enough to buy us a glass of wine, but it did seem like the service was a bit scattered. The nachos are great as well — light and not greasy at all! I would definitely head back to this place for bite or two.

This place got 5 stars out of 150 reviews for a reason. The food was amazing– the steak was perfectly juicy and marinated to perfection. I would definitely recommend that along with the fish tacos and the queso dip. The ingredients in all of my dishes tasted incredibly fresh, which I find is hard to find at a lot of Mexican restaurants.
The drinks:
Usually when everyone at the table orders a cocktail, someone is bound to have a shitty cocktail. Not at la contenta. All the drinks I tried at the table were honestly delicious.
The service:
Everyone was so accommodating and friendly. It has a very homey/​initiate vibe.
And it’s very reasonably priced! I will definitely be returning.

La Contenta is awesome. This place is a great date spot, good for brunch, and they’ll even accommodate a group dinner despite how tiny it is in here.
My favorite drink is the Mayan margarita, made with cornmeal and tequila and other delicious stuff. Maybe some coconut? The glass is rimmed with this delicious seasoning that adds so much flavor. I’m craving one as we speak.
The guacamole is delicious, as are the salty chips they’re served with.
I’ve also had the chicken enchilada, the crab enchilada, and steak tacos. All are delicious and are served in large portions. The prices aren’t bad here either. Overall I just love this spot and it’s become my go to for just about anytime I want good Mexican food. Anyone I’ve brought here has has nothing but good things to say. Such an LES gem!

This was my second time visiting La Contenta, the first was with a friend who recommended it as the best spot for Mexican cuisine.
Food: Amazingly delicious! The Guacamole was on point and I’m a lover of guac. If you want authentic Mexican food then this is the place to go for sure.
Atmosphere: Perfect date spot! It’s a very small and intimate restaurant that’s beautifully decorated. Everyone that goes here seems to be loyal customers. The staff is beyond charming and quick to offer recommendations if you need it.
Check out the pics!

Everything about this place was stellar.
Food — Ordered the guacamole and carne asada tacos. The chips that came with the guacamole were freshly fried and so delicious. The carne inside the tacos were JUICY and succulent, and packed with a ton of flavor. They also give out complimentary chips and hot sauce once you place your order which is a huge plus :)
Service/​staff: I typically distinguish a good place from a great place by its staff and La Contenta nailed it. The servers and bartenders were all personable, friendly and you can definitely tell when you walk in that they not only genuinely cared about the restaurant, but also its customers.
Hopefully will be returning soon!

Great drinks, i had been drinking for years but here at La Contenta i just cant get enougth.
The food is amazing, i recomend the Torta ahogada (shrimp slider)
Great Service, the bartender is very talented.
I’ll be back soon for sure.
The Moctezuma cocktail was my favor cocktail.

I almost don’t want to write how awesome this place is for fear of creating a longer wait than already exists.
This place is tiny and deliciosa. I ended up at the bar, but hope to score a table next round.
Get the guac. Of course it’s good, but also a good amount, which you can use for other dishes later. I split the nachos, which were a splendid choice. Strong margaritas, but you also won’t regret life choices the next day.
Possibly my favorite Mex spot that I’ve found? To be determined…

Came here for brunch: D it’s $ 7 cocktails and $ 11 entrees which is a pretty sweet deal. Good value :)!
I enjoyed my fish tempura very much. Sad there was only 2. It did come with a small side of rice and beans.
The place no joke seats 20 people. Make a reservation!

Excellent dining, service, and drinks to be had here! I celebrated my birthday with 12 friends and everyone enjoyed their food. Guacamole and queso fundido apps were awesome and well-​priced. My chicken dish with risotto was amazing! I told them I don’t like mole and they were able to whip me up a chicken dish with a green sauce.
They treated the birthday girl (ME!) like a princess, and kept checking in to make sure all was going well. They even brought me out a dessert with «Happy birthday Sici» written on the plate… lol.
Drinks were great, I most liked the guava cocktail and their standard margaritas.
Atmosphere is small but cute. Half bar (maybe 12 seats) and half booth/​tables. Besides our party of 13, there were tables for maybe 6 other people.
I would highly recommend La Contenta, it made me contenta and I will be back again!

Current brunch/​lunch obsession! They have daily specials. On the Monday that I went, they had salmon. The brunch included the salmon entrée, coffee, agua fresca, soup and chips and salsa on the house. My friend ordered the chilaquiles and it came with the same items except the soup. And it was only $ 11 each. Super affordable and tasty!
Plus, the staff is super nice and accomodating. They come to check on you often and let you take your time decided. Love, love, love this place. Plus,.location-wise, it is close to the F train! Will be back soon!

Not many complaints, we were content ;-)
We came to this cozy nook of a restaurant last night for the first time and were greeted by extremely hospitable and efficient staff… Which to be honest, was unexpected. I really savored the ambiance… which was unpretentious with the vibe of a family-​run establishment.
The best and most unique item that we had was the Mayan Margarita… just try it. I had definitely not tried a drink like that before. The regular Margarita was also good. However, we were disappointed because the drinks were weak. We surmised that it was because we ordered off of the happy hour menu???
The food was decent, but not amazing.
We just ordered the fish taco and guacamole… The chips were the best part of the meal. They are clearly made fresh and served warm… a total treat. The fish taco had *way* too much mayo and not enough spice, pop and nuance. The winner of the best fish taco is still Chilo’s in Bed-​Stuy, Brooklyn. So that’s my reference point.
The guacamole was fine. Neither good nor bad, it was just there. But those chips… yum.
Would I return? Not sure… Chilo’s is so much closer to me, and the Mexican food there is really fresh, made in front of you, cheaper, spicy, and you can layer with an array of sauces… And their drinks have a kick (though the flavor is not as good). So I’m not sure what would compel me to return.

If you’re a fan of places like Fonda, you’ll dig La Contenta.
They’re by no means your typical taqueria. They have the homey, cozy vibe of a southwestern Mexican restaurant, but also an inspired wrinkle that makes it uniquely New York. Small things like a bowl of guacamole are enhanced with toasted pumpkin seeds and Cojita cheese, while the Mayan margarita features emulsified corn purée and jalapeño bitters alongside usual players like fresh squeezed lime and a salted rim. They even put a fresh face on ceviche by preparing shrimp in the razor thin style of carpaccio, cut flat and doused in lime, blanketed in chopped onions, cilantro, and crispy, julienned tortilla strips. It’s creative without sacrificing the flavors and textures you look forward to when enjoying the dish.
Other standouts on the menu include the fish tacos and queso fundito. The latter comes with toasted flour tortillas, not unlike pita wedges, to act as a vehicle for the cast iron medley of melted goat and Monterey cheeses, roasted poblano peppers, and black pepper tapenade.
Perhaps the best part of all is that each item I described above was on their $ 8 happy hour menu. Including drinks. It’s easily one of the most robust, quality happy hour destinations anywhere downtown. Make it your mission to check it out if you haven’t already.

Tiny spot but packs a big punch!
This place is probably the size of my dining room & kitchen combined. But it’s the cutest little Mexican restaurant/​bar.
The food was great & the drinks were as well.
The guacamole was spicy and the chips were beautifully arranged in the bowl. Tacos– chicken and fish were great. You get 2 each order. The nachos came out looking like a painting on the plate lol. Everything just looked like they truly care for presentation. And that’s always a plus!
The service is A1! Servers were very friendly and attentive. If you’re in the area, stop by!