Tres Carnes

Has a Dos Toros vibe. Get the brisket.

This place was out of lettuce, it was out of cabbage it was out of limes, but it didn’t matter; because this place had stupid BBQ brilliantly stuffed into a burrito.
You can’t fake brisket and by all account this stuff is legit. Once I saw the staff in the back pullout a freshly smoked brisket with a healthy dark bark and that amazing aroma hit me, I knew I was in a good place.
This is no Chipotle knock off. It’s a wonderful fast casual restaurant that offers a complete and satisfying meal for about $ 10 – 15. Mine was $ 13.50 but that was because I put juicy and tangy pulled pork and smokey succulent brisket in the same burrito — WORTH IT! Especially since this is NYC and the only Texas BBQ will be served in some uncharged novelty BS fashion.
This place doesn’t aim to be a BBQ or Tex-​Mex destination, but rather offer a convenient and great quality homage to the two cuisines that do not have a strong presence in Manhattan. I will be back. I hope they have lettuce next time.
I only wish they sold the meat on bread (tortas!) or just meat by the pound.
P. S. The raw radishes was a nice touch! Perfect with spicy sauces.

Mediocre and expensive burritos, and skimpy. I’m giving this two stars only because the rice and beans were edible.
(Faint praise, I know, but there are so many dreadful fast food places in NYC, and Tres Carnes is a step above Mickey Ds, and other garbage, at least.)
But this is seriously inferior to Chipotle, or Dos Toros. The burritos are about 30% smaller. The liquid smoke is overwhelming. The service is sullen.
Avoid, unless you’re desperate and on Ladies Mile.

Was on my way for a burrito a few doors down but pulled in here to try it out. You had me at smoked brisket. Very tasty food, lots of good favors, including squash! Topping choices almost overwhelming, but will definitely swing by again.

It was around 2pm on a cold day when I wandered in to catch a light lunch. The chili sounded good and it was! Full of meat, no beans, and plenty of kick. It was my first visit, but it won’t be my last!

They will always be one of the best taco places in NY, will return soon. Great!

In the mood for tacos? Sad that the nearest Taco Bell is all the way in Union Square? Well, this place has tacos and they actually taste fresh. So this won’t give you the sodium overload high that one Taco Bell soft taco will, but it will give you a guilt free lunch spot. The steak is kind of bland, but the chicken or barbacoa were quite tasty. The tacos look small at first, but by the time they add your meat selection, veggies, etc you’ll have a mini burrito. 2 are all I needed to fill me up. And they have a water faucet near the napkins so no need to buy any of the sugary drinks if that’s not your thing. Not bad, not great, but def worth coming back to again. Maybe 2 or 3 bucks too expensive, but that’s the price of buying lunch in NYC.
Edit: okay, it’s been a couple of hours since I ate tacos from here and my hands still smell like tacos. I’ve washed them several times. WTF!

Wow! What a gem– I usually go to the chipotle down the block but this is a game changer. The brisket has a perfect smokey flavor and is very juicy. I wish I tried the short ribs weekly smoke

There is absolutely no reason why I would give this place any less than 5 stars.
First thing when I walked in, one of the guys gave me a sample of all the meats that they offered, including a pork short-​rib which was exceptional. It had a subtle charcoal-​smoked flavor, and was seasoned beautifully and was melt-​in-​your-​mouth. I was stunned.
So, I decided to get a short-​rib bowl, and they options that they offer are amazing. They had fresh sliced turnips, yellow /​green rice, slow-​cooked veggies, purple shredded cabbage, fresh guacamole, grilled corn, and a wonderful chimichurri (I think that’s what it’s called?) sauce. My bowl had more colors than a kindergarten classroom. You can probably guess how it tasted. Awesome.
On top of that, the customer service was killer. The workers there truly are passionate about the food and work hard to offer the best holistic experience possible at Tres Carnes. Super nice and friendly, and are very knowledgeable about the food they offer.
I’m sold.
This is coming from a guy who can literally eat Chipotle every single meal for the rest of his life (no exaggeration), so take that for what it’s worth.

I didn’t want to post a review about this place from just 2 visits, think I will — because it was that good.
Their bowls are very good, love the green rice. The chicken was nice and smokey, nicely seasoned, not too salty, and the produce were all fresh and delicious. You get a well balanced bowl of traditional Mexican greatness. Kind of wish they had more seating, the food is also a bit pricey.
Overall, great quality food, awesome service, this is a must try if you read this.

I have been ordering from here since they first open. I love the smoked Mexican flavors. I recently had the Burrito with brisket and it was amazing. My office ordered catering from the 57^th street location and we loved it. A MUST TRY.

Overpriced and I still felt hungry after my jipped $ 11.50 Beef Brisket Burrito. I ain’t even obese.
What is this, a center for ants?

I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that I’ve been in here 3 days in a row… IN A ROW… the guy making my burrito knows me… we’re like homies at this point.
Anyways, I’m a loyal customer, clearly. In my 3 visits, I’ve only tried dos of the tres carnes, but they were both damn good. Both the brisket and the pork shoulder are smoky and mad flavorful!
The beans (both versions) and the green rice are satisfying, as well. And I like that you have various salsas to choose from, from mild to spicy. As well as pickled onions, guac, cotilla cheese, crème, sliced radish and more to garnish your dish.
The finished product is glorious… And super filling. And anyone who gets an eyeful is surely going to become a convert, like me. I’ve turned 2 fashionistas already.
The service is friendly and fast. I may or may not be back tomorrow…

Came here last night and felt a little guilty. I’m a HUGE Chipotle fan, and there’s a Chipotle on the same block, so why would I try another burrito place? Well, I guess for variety, so I made the move and went in, and… zero regrets!
So apparently the name Tres Carnes isn’t Spanish and not French, which was weird because I’ve been pronouncing it like it was French and it would mean «Very Meats» (even though carnes doesn’t mean anything in French). Anyway, the three meats are brisket, chicken, and pork, and I went with the pork. It was AMAZING. I’m always down for a chicken burrito at Chipotle, but I went with the bowl here and it was massive. Like twice as much food as I expected, and every bite was fantastic. The pork was unreal, and all of the flavors combined to create something magical.
I won’t disagree with everyone saying it’s a better Chipotle, because I think it’s a personal preference. Just know it’s pretty comparable, and if you like good food, you’ll like Tres Carnes.

3.5 stars rounded down!
Glorified version of chipotle! Why? because they have better meat selections, like smoked brisket and sausages. I ordered the brisket with green rice, corn and salsa toppings. Everything was delicious, but beware of their hot sauce. On the first taste, it seems pretty mild, but the kick comes after! The cucumber apple mint drink was delicious, I practically gulped it down.
I like the open seating, although flies are a bit of a concern.

I’ve passed by this place several times, but never got the chance to stop by so I was looking forward to finally getting to try it out. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the food here.
Here’s what we got:
— Tres Carnes Bowl w/​Brisket and Black Beans, Yellow Mexican Rice, Pico & Cotija Cheese: sounds good right? I found it to be pretty dry, and they skimp on the brisket and crema here. I can’t even comment on the flavor of the brisket too much because I feel like I barely had any! The rice was okay, but lacking in flavor
— Mexican Sprite (I would’ve been okay with just a cup of free water, but it was warm!)
— Churro Doughnut: a little on the small side for doughnuts, but it was pretty good! It really did taste like a churro filled with a caramel chocolate sauce in the center
The staff was friendly, and the ambiance is pretty casual — definitely more of a place to stop by quickly and get your food. The music is a little loud, but I didn’t mind too much. It’s not too big of a space, but they make the most of it — with a large open window in front to make it feel bigger.
I think this place has potential, but I don’t think I’ll be back anytime soon.

At first I wasn’t excited with the build-​your-​own approach however, I guess my taco crafting skills are on point because mine were delicious.
When someone in my group asked if they could sample the different meat options, the employees were happy to oblige. By the time we ordered they had run out of chicken, which I wouldn’t normally get but the brisket sample we tried was extremely greasy. Ended up having to get the brisket anyway along with the smoked pork. When the employee heard me sigh after being told they were out of chicken, she told me she would charge me for the price of chicken which was nice. On top of each I added pico, pickled onions, guac and crema. These ended up being pretty big and filling tacos, so I was happy with (2). If you’re nearby and want a quick bite, this is a good option.

This place is like a Chipotle-​style, more genuine Tex-​Mex place.
I had the chicken bowl for about $ 8.50+tax. Unlike Chipotle where they put the tortilla on the side, the worker put the tortilla as my bottom bowl and put all the fillings on top. That way, the tortilla soaks up all the flavor of the fillings. The tortilla was definitely one of the best I’ve ever had. It was so wonderfully chewy and reminded me of Indian roti.
I also had the Mexican yellow rice (their more popular rice) and pinto beans. There are a few specialty toppings (like avocado and corn) that are ~$ 1.85 each or you can get all three for ~$ 1.85. I guess they just give smaller portions of each thing. Then you have free toppings like salsa, cheese, and lettuce.
I really enjoyed this burrito bowl! I thought the taste was pretty genuine and quite fresh.
Portion wise, I think it’s a little small for how much you pay for it. I managed to finish the entire portion, whereas I never ever finish the entire Chipotle burrito (I normally eat like ²⁄₃).
I stopped by for lunch around 12:45 and the line was out the door but it moves fast and there are a few places to sit. But it’s close enough to Madison Square Park where you can just bring your food there and eat.
Also, they had chorizo as a «meat of the week.» So I think they rotate their menu occasionally!
Overall, great spot for a quick Tex-​Mex lunch in Chelsea!

Chipotle is like two doors down… weird.
Used some Eat24/​PayPal credit to finally try Tres Carnes! Located a block from my gym and a block from Trader Joe’s, I’ve passed by this little corner shop countless times. I even watched once as a fire happened in the building and the whole place was flooded with water.
Since I’m trying (trying is the key word here) to watch my food intake, I ordered a brisket salad — which actually comes with rice and beans anyways… strange. If you want no rice, they happily add more salad to your meal, which is what I got. The salad greens (romaine and spinach) are fresh and go well with black beans, smoked brisket, and pico de gallo — all of which I got. The radish and pickled onions (and they have red cabbage too) were great additions as well. This is the healthier way to «eat out» if youre going to eat out — skip the rice, keep the protein, and eat your greens. The brisket was different than I was expecting — looks more like pulled pork — but it was flavorful (kind of like BBQish) and not dry. I doused everything in their delicious hot sauce anyways.
As for hot sauce — tomatillo was my least favorite only because it didn’t pack as much spice as the roasted tomato salsa and tres fuegos salsa. The roasted tomato salsa was the best as a «base» sauce as its the right level of spice without making you hurt. The tres fuegos salsa is XXXXXXX hot like it says — a little goes a long way, but this freshly made hot sauce is delicious.
Servers were all super enthusiastic and friendly and made the meal ordering process very much enjoyable. Portions are decent as well.
Between the obvious competitors like Chipotle and Dos Toros, it’s a toss up between DT and TC. TC has better sauces for sure, but I like DT’s steak,

So I am still somewhat of a newbie to NYC and I have discovered I can’t find a Qdoba anywhere in NYC. Well I have found my replacement. Tres Carnes was introduced to me by my husband since he works in this part of Manhattan. The employees are super helpful especially when you come in with that «I am extremely puzzled look». You have a choice between a burrito, tacos, and a naked burrito. I opted the for the naked burrito. I got the chicken and loaded it up with all types of goodies from onions, white rice, cheese, salsa, and many other items (please see pic for sensory overload). The price were pretty reasonable for the portions that you receive. My serving size was huge and filling. I could barely eat it all.
There is seating here at this location but the chairs and tables go quick.