Coatzingo Restaurant

LOVE this place – has been my go-​to spot for years.
Being a Latina, I’m pretty critical of the Mexican restaurants I go to, and this is by far the best. I usually just order for pick-​up but the food comes out very fast, and they have the best tasting fresh tacos in the city.
They have great customer service – one time they messed up one of my orders, they apologized, replaced my order and gave me extra tacos for free.
I highly recommend their «Tacos al Pastor.» Their enchilada platters are also large for a very affordable price.

This is my go to taco spot in the neighborhood. Usually, not crowded and the staff are very nice and the food comes out fast. Free chips and salsa always a plus.
On to the food. Now I’m not Latino so I have no idea what authentic Mexican food tastes like, but I love the taste of the food here. Meats are flavourful and delicious. Portions are really big. I’ve had the enchiladas, burrito, and tacos. Definitely a spot to check out if happen to be passing through.

I really liked this spot. The tacos were really good, a little spicy but it’s Mexican so obviously it’s going to have a little kick. I think it was the onions. I also had some type of beef soup which was delicious. I would defiantly come back here. It’s so affordable and one of my new favorite spots.

For those of us non-​Queens residents, this place was worth the trek out to Jackson Heights (as most food options out there are). $ 2.50 tacos, that means one taco costs less than a subway fare, just a little perspective for you, and all of the meat options were equally flavorful and filling. I had two chicken tacos and felt pretty full after that. My friend had three and he was satisfied by that. The guacamole on it’s own was good, though I enjoyed it more when I added a little salt and some of the salsa verde. However, on the tacos the guac was perfect because it didn’t overpower the meat.
Of all the things to still be raving about, the free salsa when you sit down isn’t usually it but in this case… it is. I usually hate it and skip it, but at Coatzingo it was fresh and spicy and every bite hit your mouth with flavor. I can’t believe I’m still raving about the salsa but it was so good it warmed up my taste buds. My friend and I already wanted everything on the menu when we sat down, but the salsa just made us want more.
All in all, for a cheap casual dinner we became very quick fans of Coatzingo. It felt a lot like The Mission in San Francisco which is alway a good thing, because any place that feels like The Mission means that they aren’t trying, they are just doing their thing. Between the two of us we spent under 30 bucks for dinner and beers on a Saturday night and I mean… come on. that’s pretty darn good anywhere in this city. There was so much more we wanted to try, so we will likely be back maybe for a lunch visit on our to/​from the mall.

Great, affordable, and authentic Mexican food — just like a place in East LA. Only knocks were the chorizo on the sope — they used hard Spanish chorizo rather than crumbled Mexican — and the al pastor, which was nicely made but with an unusual spice mixture.
Wait staff was very friendly, but waited more than 20 mins to get the check back. Think she forgot about us though.
Definitely would go back.

Coatzingo Restaurant is one of many Mexican restaurants on Roosevelt Ave. The restaurants in this area seem to be one right after the other and must also compete with food trucks in a very fierce competition for customers.
The restaurant is long and narrow with seating for about 50 or so. A couple of well place TVs and décor is very average, but if the food is good, then we are long time friends.
Coatzingo Restaurant does not disappoint. My order consisted of carne enchilada, lengua and spicy beef tacos. Only three tacos, but let me tell you I was stuffed. Turkey Day stuffed. The three tacos where packed with meat and a ton of guacamole.
The home run was the carne enchilada. It was spicy. It was tasty. It was delicious. The lengua was a bit over done for my taste, but had good flavor. The spicy beef, which was boiled, was way over done. A little on the mush side. Not my favorite, but passable.
My only real objection was that there was to much guac. Yes, that is right, to much GUAC. I know how could you have to much guac, but it overpowered the taco. Had to remove some so I could enjoy the tacos. By the way the guac was delicious. Nice texture and flavor. Had it with some chips and heaven. No guac went to waste lol.
Overall, Coatzingo Restaurant will be part of my rotation of Mexican restaurants that I enjoy on Roosevelt Ave. Food is hot and tasty. Service is very attentive with a smile. Standard Mexican beers at $ 5. CASH ONLY.
Two last points. I notice lots of families which I like, tells me food is good; and some amazing looking entrees overflowing with color and food. yum…

4.5 stars? Hmm… not so fast. Especially after returning just a few weeks ago from the culinary heaven that is Mexico City. Stopped in for lunch and ordered a plate full of carne asada tacos, which were quite ordinary. Not bad — just plain, inspiring me to liven them up with salsa verde and lime juice (which should not be necessary). My friend’s carne enchilada was better spiced and he was happy (I thought it was a bit too salty).
We hoped to cool down our summer day with one of the 8 listed fruit shakes, but only the guanabana was available. That too was plain. And adding to that disappointment, their guacamole was nearly tasteless, which doesn’t make sense to me, since I can do a much better job at home with minimal ingredients. I know there is great Mexican food to be had in this town, but my search shall go on.

I love the fast service and the amazing choices they have. Their tacos are so simple yet so tasty! I’ve been to Tijuana Mexican before and this place has the same great taste Tijuana has. It’s a very legit place. Me and my boyfriend (who is from San Diego/​Tijuana) love to come here because the food has so much flavor and it reminds him of home! Please try the pork birria, it’s so good!

If you live in New York and you love Mexican food, you know your options are limited to get your fix. Simply put, you just can’t get traditional Mexican in New York… or can you? Coatzingo is the closest I’ve experienced to the «west coast» style of Mexican that I love. In my humble opinion, this is the best Mexican available in New York (and trust me, I’ve tried them all).
If you want fancy ambiance for your «Tex Mex,» this place is not for you. But if you want an authentic Mexican meal at a very reasonable price, you need to check it out. I have tried many items on their menu and I’ve never been dissatisfied with a meal. Everything is fresh.
This may be out of the way for some, but if you love Mexican like I do… it’s worth the trip.

Tacos so good at $ 2.50 and the place is friendly too. I had chicken and gyro style tacos. Gyro style is called «al pastor» and it was juicy and flavorful. Chicken was white chicken meat and quite delicious too. Bringing home tongue taco and cecina taco for my roommate

We’ve been going to Taqueria Coatzingo for a while (always a neighborhood favorite), but went to the restaurant for the first time the other night. While it is unassuming from the outside, it is just as delicious as the taqueria and priced the same. However, the restaurant has a bigger kitchen so they have a larger variety and more complex dishes on the menu. For instance, portion sizes for the tacos are larger and the meat is fresher. And when it comes to al pastor, the restaurant makes it on a spit with pineapple (the taqueria doesn’t).
We thought the ambiance was nicer than the taqueria, too — more homestyle décor and seating. The TVs can be a bit loud, but then, you should expect that at a place this authentic.

Yay to thursday savage days! Tongue, chorizo, steak and spicy pork tacos (preference exactly in that order) and two cups of coffee later, you bet your ass I came home a happy camper. Okay, maybe not SO happy because I think I overdid it by one taco too many considering the state I was in once I made it home… Portion control is a lost concept. Anywho!
Jackson Heights has become a regular dinner location as of late because of where our dance studio is located, and it’s terrible as in it’s so much good food, but bad. Ya know what I’m saying???
The tongue was my fave of the four I ordered. Whenever there is an option to order it, it’s just something I can’t pass up. Chorizo, is chorizo. Need I explain the good that is chorizo? Steak was a little dry, but it still had good flavor. The spicy pork tacos were okay but the least favorite out of the list for me. It’s spicy without enough flavor added to the meat. It’s all just heat but the perfection that is their guacamole masked it enough that I still enjoyed it.

I’ve been here on a couple of occasions, and I’m definitely a fan!
Tasty tacos, giant platillos, and generally good Mexican fare, it is a lot of bang for your buck. Also, you can’t beat the complimentary chips and salsa on either quality or quantity!
Well-​worth the trip!

As a fan of hearty portions and Mexican fare, Coatzingo somehow magically manages to do feature both. It is perfectly divey, charmingly authentic, and reasonably priced. Best of all, they’re open late and feature a variety of quality stuff all hungry visitors can enjoy.
For folks dining in, it all starts with a complimentary bunch of nachos and a killer homemade salsa. The salsa is the perfect mix of chunky and saucy, good enough to merit a second helping. in fact, I like it so much that when I’m done with the nachos I’ll keep it to add to other items, say their tamales.
Speaking of tamales, these babies are perfectly creamy and filling. Whether it’s rajas, queso, or meat, they’re wonderful with the said salsa. It’s almost like the street side tamales from Maria in Corona. Is the secret ingredient more fat /​lard? Even if it is, I’m not complaining.
The star of the show, are easily the tacos. They’re somewhat reminiscent of El Gallo Giro (
), but with way more stuffing and guacamole. Succulent, delicious, and so packed that the tortilla can’t even close. Carnitas and asada are my jam, but I’m also pleased to report they have an Al Pastor on a spit — just the way it’s supposed to be.
Additionally the quesadillas, tortas, enchiladas, and burritos are equally hardcore. It’s not intimidating enough for any big eaters, but anyone who can eat here without feeling satisfied should just order the menu. Yes, the whole thing.
One summertime gripe is their terrible ventilation. It’s muggy toward the back and even worse during the summer. Thankfully the customer service, Mexican jukebox, and wonderful food make up for it. Beware of the bathrooms.

Highly recommended great taste and portions! The price is amazing as well, if you’re looking for a chill place with authentic burst of flavor I’d definitely recommend you check this place out.

Visiting from Boston, enjoyed an excellent meal with my cousin. Had the chicken quesadilla, very good

We haven’t eaten at the actual restaurant yet but we’ve gotten things delivered and the food is great and inexpensive. The tacos and sopes are very good. Just be patient with the people on the phone as some don’t speak much English. And cash only for delivery.

I love the tacos in here. This is the only place where they give you huge classes of water. The only problem is that they only take cash. Other than that, this is real Mexican food.

This place is why I refuse to eat anything claiming to be «Mexican» in Manhattan. Who needs to pay $ 8 for a bad taco? I prefer this restaurant named after a municipio in Puebla, Mexico to any I’ve been to anywhere, even including restaurants in Puebla. It’s on my block, and it’s always wonderful to have a great restaurant that’s open almost always that you can get to without having to cross a street. Their mole de olla ($ 6.00) is the best I’ve ever had, and it’s my favorite soup. (It’s like a better version of Korean yuk kae jang.)Their tacos ($ 2.50) are good, too. No, there are no fish tacos here, nor should you get the vegetarian taco. (WTF is that anyway?!) but the al pastor is always good. Their enchiladas, which I always get with salsa roja, are also excellent. I only hesitate about the pozole. (Favorite place for pozole is Tacos Morelos around 90^th street.) The other plates are also good, with portions bordering on way too big. Even their salads, which are usually not great in Mexican places, are way more than adequate. Of course, as is usual in Mexican restaurants, the bistek is cooked well done, but it’s ok because they’re thin. It’s usually busy, but not packed. They finally have a beer license. Sometimes Mexican music comes on blaring, which I find unpleasant (I think you have to be Mexican to like banda or mariachi, but I’m Korean.)

Taqueria Coatzingo has gotten so busy that they’ve opened up another spot 3 blocks further up Roosevelt Avenue. Which is closer to my apartment. Which is awesome for my tongue (but less awesome for my waistline).
Waistline be damned!
The dining room here is toned down and even a bit antiseptic compared to the raucous festival of neon lights, crazy colors, jukebox tunes, and football on the TVs at the original location. But depending on your mood, that can be a plus. Plus it’s mostly empty since other folks don’t seem to have discovered the second location as yet. Which they should, because the food is exactly the same (except I have noticed that they put a bit more avocado on the enchiladas here). And it tends to get to you more quickly, since there are fewer folks dining.
Love it on 76^th, love it again on 79^th. Thank god for second locations!