Californians, Shut Up: Brooklyn Taco Proves Amazing Tacos Live In NYC

Chipotle'd Chicken taco. Yes, we're hungry (Gothamist)

New Yorkers hear the argument from Californian refugees all the time: "You can't get any decent tacos in New York City." These poor ex-Angelenos have never put a Brooklyn Taco to their lips. Before this fall, you could only snag one at the Hester Street Fair or the Artists and Fleas fair in Williamsburg, but now you don't have to wait for spring. We paid a visit to Brooklyn Taco's first permanent location in the Essex Street Market, and as sad as it was to see Jeffery's Meat Market leave, the neighborhood now has sublime tacos just steps from 5 subway lines, 7 days a week.

Co-owner and Maialino alum Jesse Kramer told us that much of their produce used is purchased at the market, and when next-door neighbors Heritage Meat Shop have goat in stock, expect goat shoulder tacos. "We like to switch up the menu as much as we can to keep things fresh," he said, adding that when it actually gets cold they'll add soups, and in the summer, frescas. Lunch business has been steady, but weekends are the busiest. "We're trying to pick up a brunch crowd with our breakfast tacos."

We're not sure how a "crowd" would fit in the space: it's a few stools under a bar that's next to the kitchen itself, but that's a traditional tacqueria: efficient, packed, and cozy. Our Chipole'd Chicken taco was exceedingly moist, and we had to pause several times to prevent ourselves from completely inhaling it. The Cholorio Brisket taco, made from a 4-hour braised brisket in authentic Sinaloan sauce, is Brooklyn Taco's flagship. Red onion, mango, and a dusting of Brooklyn-made cotija cheese blend perfectly with the juicy, spicy brisket: it's simple, and potent.

For vegetarians there's the Guaco Taco, which is essentially Brooklyn Taco's tortilla-wrapped, supremely fresh take on guacamole; and when we arrived, black bean and cheese tamales. As a shameful Trader Joe's frozen tamale-junkie, we were fools for not ordering the real thing. Piping hot, we watched a customer devour the gooey tamale it in a minute flat.

At as much as $4 a taco, the joint isn't cheap. But excellent food rarely is, and these tacos aren't the dainty bites you might pick up from a truck for $2—they're two-tortilla masterpieces. If you're drinking a bottled Coke (yes, they really are better) a solid lunch comes to $10. With business steady and catering booming, we asked Kramer what was next. "Brooklyn. I think Brooklyn's due for a location." Californian taco snobs take heed: it's almost 60 degrees in December and you can eat amazing tacos. Welcome home.

Special of the day: bean & cheese tamale. (Gothamist)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Christopher Robbins in Food on December 31, 2011 1:00 PM

Comments [rss]

ISny17

I wasnt aware the in NY folks r worried about what others think.... LOL

pendejito

Who gives a shit, its only food.

barcher

For once and for all, the singular of tamales is tamal, not tamale.

Guest

The shittiest Mission District tacos/burritos in San Francisco easily beat anything that anyone has claimed to be good in nyc. I'm curious about Brooklyn Taco's chorizo, but I have to say, looking at their menu, I think this article misses the point about what a good taco is.

dogbertt

Hipster tacos, meh

J R

joke much? " Before this fall, you could only snag one at the Hester Street Fair or the Artists and Fleas fair in Williamsburg," there are numerous places in communities with many Mexican arrivals that we will never snitch and elite gentrifying jerk food hacks will never ever know

flippycanoo

I lived in NYC for 12 years (Brooklyn for many of those years) and I can tell you there are no tacos,esp. fish tacos, like in southern California, where I recently moved---unless you want to go to an overpriced place in NYC that possibly gives you some approximation but not at street stand prices. On the other hand, you can't get bagels in California. You have to compare everything--the prices, the quality, and the ubiquity (or not) of the product. Otherwise, it's just an unnecessary feud between two places that have things lacking and their own great things to offer.

ANGRYGOD11

Maybe we shouldn't be expecting to get excellence in every food we like everywhere and at all times. It sounds ridiculously entitled. However, because of the sheer size on NYC and the fact we have have every ethnicity represented, the odds of occasional excellence are in our favor.

Maria Carreon

"At as much as $4 a taco, the joint isn't cheap. But excellent food rarely is..." See, that's where you're wrong. In Cali (and other west coast locales) excellent food is often cheap. It is only in NY where you can expect to pay a premium for anything above average. Don't get me wrong, Brooklynite for 10+ years and love it. There are also great tacos in Sunset Park and other places, but just try to get a decent bean and cheese burrito, L.A. style, in this town and you are going to be damn hard pressed to find one.

anotheranonymousgirl

FINALLY! White people are making tacos in Brooklyn!

Seriously, folks, why not just go to Sunset or Jackson Heights? Wasn't the NYTimes on this like 5 years ago when NY first realized that Mexicans live here? It's a sad day when Gothamist is this far behind the TIMES.

whitecastlerock

I could give a flying fuck what California has to say about anything...

Wendy Lavonne

Just for clarification, Californians yearn for good BURRITOS, not tacos. I am from California and I've had the best tacos of my life in NYC.

krinklecutfires

Rachels in Park Slope makes some pretty amazing mission style burritos. Maya taqueria in prospect heights is also good and cheap.

Kenton Goosester

where???

Relaxasaurus

I'm guessing she means here: http://goo.gl/xD2n1

JeffOverley

As a food scribe who recently moved from Southern California to Manhattan, nice to see the same Tupac/Biggie-style pissing match happening out here. Seriously every time we posted about pizza, the East Coast transplants/trolls would lose their shit, and then someone would tell them to go the hell back to New York, etc, etc, etc. Just to do my part to keep the feud going, I will point out that the first Mexican restaurant I visited here served me a truly sinister quesadilla with deep-fried chicken inside scratch-made "tortillas" that resembled pita bread. But Brooklyn Taco looks promising - any place that serves goat is worth a visit.