Suenos

I live in LA but I make sure to have dinner at Suenos every trip I make to NYC. I took 2 NYers with me for their first time there and they LOVED it!

Great food… we we had a big group and were able to sit in a semi private room. was a great set up
Cod, Quesadillas, Cornbread, Churros — were all big hits
Always appreciate a cold Pacifico — so that was nice too

Its cold and all I want is a hearty, comfort food dinner and kick ass drinks.
I just got a haircut on 23^rd st, I’m gonna walk a few blocks in the cold to Suenos.
I always have a great meal here, the food quality is consistent and I’ve been coming here for years. Every time I say I’m gonna get the spiced rubbed goat when I come but today I wanna have a few drinks and a nice hearty meal like enchiladas with Mole sauce.
The Margarita they make here are the bomb diggity! Last night I told my waitress that I’m feeling «Spice it up» made with El Mayor Reposado, Charred Pineapple & Jalapeño. She said her favorite is «Sir Frank» made with Puritita Vida Mezcal, Triple Sec & Muddled Serranos.
How awesome does that sound? I ordered that drink along with a Corona. (Lets get buzzed, its cold outside!)
Of course they bring warm bread and great bean dip. My enchiladas with mole sauce comes out and they are the real deal. Soooo good!
I’m a big fan of this place, its so close to the subway. Make a trip and find this place in my NYC

I was expecting something good since the chef came out on the iron chef competition
Food was ok
Price were a lil high
Drinks were good but a lil expensive

I have an old friend with whom I go out to dinner every couple of weeks. We trade off who pays. He sang the praises of this place and I was looking forward to it. I had the «Paloma» margarita with pear soda. Delicious with quality ingredients. My friend had the mango margarita. Also good. I drink to relax, not to get drunk so I was looking for balance rather than strength.
On the other hand, the food is unimpressive for the price. The complimentary bread came with a bean dip that was cold. Ideally this would have been room temp in order for the flavors to really come out. I had the duck breast and the plate was *covered* with a rich thick sauce that interfered with the sides. Basically everything on the plate was swimming in it. The meat was cooked well and tasted good, but my sides were basically ruined.
It seems that this establishment is a neighborhood spot that people for whom a $ 150 meal for two people is not a big deal to waste on a mediocre experience. I am not too upset since it was not my turn to pay but other then perhaps stopping by the bar for a drink if I happen to be in the area, the only reason that I would ever go again would be if someone else was footing the bill.

After hearing the good reviews I decided to visit with my wife. We received a warm welcome and were comfortably seated by the outdoor garden.
The waiter was great and we had no complaints. The guacamole and black bean dip were pretty good but things didn’t go too well from there.
I ordered the chicken enchiladas with a ranchero sauce that tasted just like tomato paste and the food was bland and mildly warm in temperature. I ate it all the same but the red sangria was too bitter and sour to wash it down. My wife ordered the chicken and 3 cheese quesadilla. They were cold and the chicken had a crab cake consistency that tasted nothing like my shredded chicken.
We let the waiter know what we thought about the food and he said the manager would be over to see us. We could she her taking complaints from other customers and giving them an unprofessional attitude. We waited for 45 minutes and she never came to see us. I assume she didn’t want to hear anymore complaints. My wife didn’t eat her food so they took it away and did replace the awful sangria with a pretty good mango margarita.
We were very disappointed by the experience here and found that we were charged for the food we sent back and the drink replacement. I don’t find their business ethics very professional and I definitely think they could do better to keep their customers coming back. It just seems like the place has no passion. Chelsea has much better Mexican restaurants in the area that we will be visiting instead.

This restaurant has been on my list for years finally was able to come and I left very satisfied. The jalapeño margarita was great. It was difficult to drink through the straw due to the chopped up pieces of jalapeño in the drink. The guacamole was good although we need to ask for more chips in order to finish it. They gave us complementary cornbread but unfortunately we were not a fan. It was hard and stale. My friend got the chicken & cheese quesadilla which she enjoyed. I had the chile relleno and the waitress was nice to add cheese to it. Our waitress was very attentive. Definitely will come again.

We went on a week day for dinner. Cute place, food was alright.
I guess I made a mistake ordering their fish dish, which the waiter told was stuffed with salsa, but it was not and very bland. But liked their appetizers. Salad was a miss too. Dessert was nothing to write home about. A great place to stop by for drinks and appetizers if you are in the area.

A co-​worker recommended this place for happy hour. The fresh tortilla chips and salsa that they served us with happy hour were very, very good. The drinks were waaay too weak. Especially at the price. I should not be able to down four margaritas in a two hour period of time and be relatively sober. That ain’t right. However, the tequila flights on the regular menu looked like a decent deal. Wish I would have done that instead and caught a buzz.
We sat down and had dinner. They brought us the black bean dip with flat bread. I thought it was positively bland and the bread seemed stale. I wasn’t that hungry so I ordered the mini beef tacos that people talk so much about in their reviews. Hmmm. Just hmmmm. The flavoring of the meat was more like barbecue than like Mexican food. Where is the cumin? Where is the chile? Why am I only tasting vinegar and tomatoes? And those little taco shells are awfully cute, but they certainly don’t add any authenticity to the dish. These would be a thousand times better if the meat were cooked in Mexican spices and the taco shells were fried corn tortillas instead of these adorable little dealies more reminiscent of a tostada shell.
My friend ordered the chicken enchiladas. They were lacking in sauce, which she immediately commented on. She has had my homemade enchiladas and knows that if they aren’t sitting in a pool of red sauce and melted cheese, they’re already falling short. These were dry, filled with nothing but relatively flavorless shredded chicken and there was no cheese involved whatsoever. She asked the waitress for a side of the red ranchero sauce, and instead received a side of pico de gallo, which she dumped on top of her enchiladas and immediately regretted.
Perhaps other dishes here are better than what we experienced, but I wouldn’t go back based on the fact that the drinks were so weak and what we did have to eat was mediocre at best. Not to mention, the prices fairly outrageous.
All of the servers were very nice and it is a very cute place as far as the ambiance goes. Glad I checked it out, but probably won’t be back.

#Tequila
Not what I expected, in a good way. Date night kind of Mexican if there is such a thing. Dark, ambient, and lovely music.
Our waitress was fab and really sold the menu items. She explained the different types of tequila and matched us with the right type for our tastes.
Started with the guacamole and chipotle fennel mussels. Best guacamole I’ve had so far– a nice kick of salt. The mussels were good too.
My companions both had the beer braised goat with mustard greens. The meat was so tender. I was in a veggie mood and had the quinoa mushroom poblano. It was amazing for something that appeared to be gluten free and vegan but was hot for my taste and needed a fat or dairy to cool it down.
We ended up staying for dessert and had the churros and empanadas. The empanadas were more like turnovers with a side of cream cheese, not really what I was expecting.
We waited kind of a long time between courses and they needed to be reminded a few times to bring drinks.
Finally, make sure you use the bathroom. It’s very trippy– you’ll see what I mean.

I went here for my birthday dinner with 10 friends. We spent $ 500. Ouch.
The margaritas were delicious but not very strong. Suenos doesn’t make them blended and they come in a small glass (for $ 14, I was hoping for a normal, fun, large margarita glass).
The food was pretty good but pretty small portions (or maybe I’m just mad that the lack of correlation between the prices with the portions). The carnitas were absolutely fantastic — tender and juicy.
It was a fun atmosphere and the décor was festive. I was a bit nervous seeing the outside of the restaurant but the inside was classy and trendy. I wouldn’t visit again but I had an overall a good experience.

Absolutely delicious food and excellent service. Even on a Friday night, they accommodated our strange request (4 guests, only one of whom was eating a full meal) with smiles and our friendly server treated us no differently than a table ordering three times the food. (I’d been here on another occasion; the service was just as great.)
Not only that, but you can actually HEAR your fellow diners across the table. That’s right… they keep the music low enough for ambiance but not loud enough that you have to shout to hear your companions. What a concept!
We will definitely be back.

I’d been trying to meet with a few friends for months… literally months. Though we initially planned to meet for drinks, the pregnancy of one friend meant that we needed a change of plans and likely needed to be open to any cravings, so when my out of town friend suggested Mexican food, I looked like a deer in headlights. I eat lots of Mexican food, but usually have the best Mexican food at pretty dicey places– not exactly a destination for someone to come to town for.
After a bit of research I found Suenos, made a reservation and I am admittedly impressed. A good sit down restaurant, that you can enjoy a tasty meal at while sipping on a margarita. Not a cheap Mexican restaurant at all, but likely the most tender pork carnitas that I’ve ever tasted in life. Nice chunky guacamole as well. Good ambiance as well. I even think I saw a waterfall out of the window, head here for a date or to catch up with friends like I did.

Last night I attended a going away «make-​your-​own» taco party for a friend who is moving from NYC to Mexico. We were a group of about 30, and everything was served family style.
For apps, we shared cornbread with blackbean dip, guacamole, and salad. The guac was AWESOME and probably the best thing that made an appearance on our table all night. The other two dishes were okay.
Then came the make-​your-​own taco course. We were initially served only fried tostada shells, but after making a couple of requests, we also received soft taco shells. There was plenty of chicken, steak, and vegetable served as the main filler proteins. We were also given spicy shrimp, which was pretty good (even though it was a little cold). For sides, there was corn, black beans and rice, and salsa. A small ramakin of sour cream was served after a couple of requests.
For deserts, the churros with chocolate and caramel were amazing. And a perfect end to a savory meal!
For drinks, the margaritas were decent, but very small and overpriced ($ 15 for about 3 sips worth).
Overall I love the idea of the «make-​your-​own» taco party! Just felt like it was a little expensive for what we got (believe I threw in about $ 80 when all was said and done).

This is really a 3.5 star review.
My first date night with the hub without kids in a Long time. We came at 5 pm (OK like 4:56 and the restaurant wasn’t even open yet) and were the first dinner arrivals. The space itself was old but a bit charming.
Service/​drinks were excellent. Very friendly and attentive without being annoying. My red wine sangria. probably the best I’ve had in a really long time. So good i had two (these days I’m feeling nice and warm after 1 glass of wine)
From 5 – 7 pm they have a 3 course 30 dollar pre fixe menu which is a great deal considering that most entrees were in the 20 something range. I ordered the shredded beef mini tacos, the pork carnitas and the churros for dessert. My husband ordered a la carte and got the duck confit tortilla soup (i actually made him!) and the fish of the day which was a steamed sea bass.
our apps of mini tacos and duck soup. AMAZING! the mini tacos were deep fried crunchy goodness and definitely tasted home made. It had heat to it and so flavorful. There we rent skimpy on the portions either. i think there were about 5 or 6. The duck soup was deliciousness! My first impression was that the portion was so small, but it packed alot of heat.
the MEH part of the meal was our entrees. The pork carnitas were a little dry and my husband’s fish was overcooked.
My churros dessert was really good. It came with a caramel and chocolate dipping sauces.
All in all, I enjoyed my meal but didn’t feel it was that consistent. I will come back again however and perhaps try some different entrees.

What a great find!
When you first walk in, you wonder where you will be taken as you go down the stairs. And when you open the door, you will come to a nice surprise and become amazed of how nicely the restaurant is laid out, as well as how serene it feels in there. In some ways you don’t feel like you’re in NYC since you see a rock garden from the windows rather than the hustle and bustle outside from the window.
The complimentary toasted corn bread was so good! The appetizers were tasty — the BBQ beef tacos my favorite and of course the guacamole. The entrees were good too — I had the special of the day which was a pan seared wild striped bass with beets. I also tried the pork carnitas, which was just as tasty. Between the six of us, all of our appetizers and entrees were spot on good.
It is like an underground secret restaurant. I seriously felt like I’ve seen this and visited a restaurant just like this in my dreams.

Suenos is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city, yet remains a little under the radar. Hidden in a Chelsea basement, you kinda have to know where to look. But once you find it, you won’t be disappointed. It’s cozy, but never cramped, and there are windows that open to a small outdoor rock garden.
Always start with a margarita here: these are my favorite margaritas in the city (with the exception of my husband’s. but he makes them with love so nothing can really compete. aw). The freshly made guacamole is really good, and I like the standard amuse of cornbread with black bean spread. How many Mexican restaurants give you an amuse bouche?
Suenos stands apart from other places because it is dressed up contemporary Mexican food. Sue Torres does for Mexican cuisine what all those trendy New American restaurants do for American cuisine. The typical «Mexican» restaurant serves up generic Tex-​Mex burritos and cheddar cheese-​laden chimichangas. Then you have the hole in the wall joints in Queens or Hell’s Kitchen that serve incredibly authentic and delicious food, but in a casual, almost divey setting. Then there’s the taco trucks. But no no, sometimes you want to be able to enjoy good Mexican food, and still be able to wear your heels there and go out on a date. Suenos achieves this.

Not sure if I missed the boat on Suenos, but I don’t understand all the solid 4 star ratings. The setting/​ambiance was mediocre at best, food was decent, and service was nothing great.
Overall — 2.5 Stars
Pros:
— As others have said, the complimentary cornbread with black bean dip was awesome
— Plantain crusted cod came highly recommended by the waitress and I liked it. Very generous portion. Salsa verde and chayote added good flavor/​texture since I normally find cod to be bland.
Cons:
— Atmosphere was severely lacking in general. Pretty drab environment and crowd. Music would turn on and off intermittently.
— Cocktails were forgettable, especially the whiskey one. Margaritas were ehh, I expect better quality for $ 14 a pop.
— Not many vegetarian offerings at all. My friend got the bean cake and it was terrible and not as described. Just a pile of mixed veggies.
— Chicken enchiladas and tacos were average.

Strange location for Suenos, you go down an alley, and the door is on your left. Go inside and you’re in a basement with a walkout (or at least that’s how it felt). Pretty large restaurant with plenty of seating and the bar is near the door. We came here on New Years eve around 7 and the place was pretty quiet. I ordered their John Dory special and was able to try their chicken mole.
The John Dory was quite delicious and their mole enchiladas were good as well. Servings were large and although the prices are higher, you definitely get the value out of everything. It’s definitely not a small plate restaurant where you pay $ 25 – 30 bucks for an entrée and have to order 3 more dishes minimum to be satiated. Dessert consisted of churros and they were awesome. But then again, when is fried dough not awesome? The chocolate sauce that came with it stunk, it was way to dense and they would have been better served just by using nutella.
Service at this place wasn’t the best. The kitchen was slow with the food getting out and when I start wondering, where the hell my food is, that is a problem. The waitress kinda stunk as they dropped off our food, disappeared, came back to check on us, and disappeared until I asked for the check… and then disappeared again.

This seemingly hole-​in-​the-​wall is quite nice inside. The service and food were excellent. Now for the details:
My party of four sampled quite a bit. First, the drinks: 3 had the Sue Smokey Margarita (I don’t remember the exact name) and they loved it. I had the guava mimosa and wasn’t as pleased. I couldn’t taste ANY guava at all, so I basically had a glass of champagne.
The black bean dip with corn bread strips is just as good as every review says. I didn’t have the guacamole but everyone else did, and they loved it too. Someone had the lobster bisque (a special) and thought it was great.
The entrees:
I had the shrimp flautas and liked them a lot, however, the red sauce that is served under them does not go well with the shrimp at all. It is too strong and overwhelming for a flavor as light as shrimp. I was able to minimize the amount of sauce on my flautas and still enjoy them. The flautas were served with Mexican corn and salad. The corn was AMAZING.
Two of my party had the pork carnitas and were very happy with them.
The last person had the hanger steak and was also very happy.
We had maduros as a side and while they were good, I prefer my maduros very ripe.
Overall the experience was excellent, except the sauce with my flautas and the lack of guava flavor in my mimosa.