Leña Latin Grill

Surprised not to find more comments from disappointed customers now that Lena has closed… All these months later, and I am still missing this delicious lunch option near work. I always compared it to a higher quality, tastier version of Chipolte. Similarly you could choose between a bowl/​burrito/​salad and add starch/​protein/​toppings. IMO the flavors were tastier, the protein higher quality and it didn’t taste anything like fast food.
My group still talks about how delicious the catered in lunch was — much better than other lunches we have gotten.
In the event that the owners see this — reopen! Where did you go? You are missed!

Dine in or take out from Leña’s for good food but expect long waits and confused service.
Leña offers foods from a variety of Latino cultures and while it appeals more to the masses than to those seeking authentic cuisine, the food itself is rather tasty and well seasoned.
In a Chipotle-​esque manner, you can order a bowl, sandwich, or salad with a protein, sides, and toppings. Unlike Chipotle however, the ordering process is not streamlined, nor is the production, and so you are bound to wait a long time for an order someone along the way messed up.
The food, fresh juices, and coffee shop are worth the trip even with the frustration, but if the owner could get it together, this could be a real destination.

They’re closed permanently as of ¹⁰⁄₂₆ because their lease was up. The notice is posted at the storefront and on their website. Great food, I’m looking forward to seeing them somewhere again.

I was on my way to chipotle but I figured Id try something new because New York has so much to offer. So I checked Unilocal to see where nearby specials were. I came across this place with a check in offer so I decided to check it out.
Similar to chipotle, they make burritos filled with delicious choices. However, unlike chipotle you are charged for the additions you want included in your burritos making it a bit pricey.
The food was delicious. No complaints at all and the service was very well also. Looking around, I could tell this was a popular space for lunch visits. The space isn’t large so don’t plan a huge group but they accommodate a lot of take out orders.
Even though I wasn’t extremely impressed with this spot, my experience was good enough to recommend others to check it out.

The fried chicken was good for the price for an restaurant located in the city, however the grilled corn wasn’t that good. The fries taste like normal fries. It is good place to eat regardless.

Best burrito, BY FAR, that I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’m not going to lie, I get the same thing every time, so if you’re a chicken burrito guy, listen to me and eat this burrito! If you’re up for something else, the place is always packed, so I’m assuming the rest of their menu is delicious.
As I just said, I get the same burrito every time — grilled chicken burrito on a whole wheat tortilla with rice, crispy onions, peppers and grilled corn, all topped off with some spicy chili pepper sauce. Just typing this up gets my mouth watering. The spicy chili pepper sauce is a nice addition (wish it was just a BIT more spicy, but that’s personal preference), the veggies are perfection. PERFECTION! The chicken is cooked great, the rice is fantastic, the burrito itself is rolled very nicely.
Not a complaint my way — ALSO, they offer a loyalty card — 10 purchases and you get a free one. I’ve had 7 free burritos so far. you do the math.

Have you heard the phrase «As good as it gets», well this is NOT that. It is just good. Not great. Not horrible. Not AMAZE-BALLS…just good.
The key to this place is the food is SUPER FRESH. Otherwise, it is just another salad/​latin influence restaurant in the city.

My coworkers talk about how good they think this place is. I am not really sure how much I agree.
If you do come to Lena, don’t get a wrap (really, just don’t. It’s a wannabe burrito that makes me sad) or sandwich. Stick with the plates. The coconut rice is REALLY coconutty. It felt more like a dessert than a savory rice. The chimichurri sauce is easily the best one here but it can be overly oily.
I’m sure that the concept was to be very healthy but there’s an element of oil and heaviness that make it feel not as healthy. Sure it adds to the flavor but takes away from that health kick.
It’s a decent place to eat in Midtown. Especially for the prices and the office catering that they do. But maybe going through on a Picnic Basket or Dig Inn mission is a little more worth it.

Ehhh. I probably won’t go back to Lena. Not because it wasn’t good, it was just… lifeless and boring. I wanted a burst of explosion and flavor from a $ 12 lunch. But instead, I was like «Wait, that’s it!?» I love latin food. I grew up in Miami and I have high standards. I also understand that NYC is not Miami, and they’re not always the best at slayyying the cuisine. Lena was just bleh. The grilled chicken was flavorful, but the cilantro rice + black beans were not very tasty. In fact, I didn’t even finish them. The service was great, and maybe I need to give it another try… but my first impression was mediocre.

Stopped in during lunch because of reviews… This place is definitely in need of some organization and help.
As some people have mentioned they have designed it to look like Chipotle, except it’s a slow and disorganized version. The prices are also not the same AND the food was bland. I got a chicken platter with rice and plantains, and they were all sad small portions. Overall I was not happy with the 20 minute wait after ordering, 10 minute line to actually order, and the overpriced lunch I received.
The food:
–The chicken was like rubber. Thought it was a microwaved meat you’d get a Costco. 20 «chicken breasts» for $ 10 in a freezer bag, except those are probably less rubbery. If you order the chicken platter be prepared for a $ 13 disappointment.
–Rice was rice, but for «cilantro rice» it was about 1 leaf of cilantro minced into a cup of rice, pretty much non existent, you might as well take the word cilantro off of the menu.
–Plantains were soaking in oil, probably scooped out of a bin after sitting for the entire day.
The service:
Friendly and helpful, although one lady working slammed into her coworker (because of how disorganized and poorly laid out it is) and spilled half a bowl of salad into one of the lines. Fortunately nobody else got dressing or food on them.
Considering this is a Midtown place and options are limited, if you decide to go, your experience may vary.

Love the salads. Toppings are yummy and far from boring. All fresh. You can sit and enjoy in or have it to go. I love the grill chicken with grilled mushrooms, onions and avocado with lemon butter dressing. Platanos are expensive lol Ill make them at home. Maybe for those who are not familiar with it but for me. its expensive.

Lena Latin Grill is super fresh, quick and has a nice latin kick!
I would compare this place to a latin version of Dig Inn or Westville here in the city. It is super clean, very affordable and the quality is just fantastic. It’s location is a tiny bit off the map from Herald Square, but worth a shot if you’re in the neighborhood. I would suggest coming for lunch or getting take out for dinner.
You start by selecting from a plate, wrap or salad. I saw today that the burrito option was taken off the menu (with a white paper on it), which may have been a temporary thing. You can select grilled chicken, pork, fish or even a vegetarian option. You then select sides (additions) and a sauce. The sides are the best part! They have coconut rice, cilantro rice, TOSTONES (My favorite), carrots etc. The sauces are all fresh and made on site which is another great addition.
If you’re feeling a bit hungry, the extra half portions are only $ 3.25 which I consider a steal. The quality of the chicken breast is superb and for three dollars in this neighborhood? What?! Crazy! Add it on…
This place also DELIVERS! They do not deliver in my neighborhood downtown and I wish they would (I wouldn’t give them less stars for that).

Gah! I’m a fan.
I came here during lunch time — exactly noon and by 12:30, the place was packed! Good news is that there wasn’t much chaos and the restaurant seems to have a good system in place.
Also, even though there was a ton happening, me and my group of three were still able to find seating.
I ordered the steak (chimichurri sauce), asparagus, and grilled corn + queso. No complaints. I’d definitely come here again. It’s great quality to be express eating and the prices were about what you’d spend at Chipotle.

I made the wrong meal choice, I do not eat meat or soy so I chose a basic salad– which is exactly what it was, a basic salad. dressing was delicious but not much of a wow factor aside, portion size was great.
during lunch hours is so loud and crowded, but I was able to find a seat no problem and my food came quickly, yay!
next time; definitely trying a wrap or sandwich or plate, also look forward to coming back for the cilantro rice and plantains!
tamarind juice was so refreshing!

Compared to most other midtown eateries that sell a plate of food for $ 15+, Lena Latin Grill has affordable and delicious food that will make your wallet happy.
I got a Plate of Grilled Chicken, which also includes two sides and one sauce. I opted for the Butternut Squash and Grilled Mushrooms. I was a bit disappointed at how oily both vegetables were… they were drenched in oil! I had to use 10 pieces of napkins to wipe off some grease. Other than that, the sides were delicious.
The grilled chicken was slightly overcooked and dry, but I liked the charcoal mark on the chicken. The Avocado & Tomatillo sauce had a nice kick of spiciness.
I also tried a side of Sweet Plantains and Yuca Fries. I would definitely recommend the plantains… so sweet and delicious! The Yuca Fries were served rather cold and SUPER salty. They are shaped like fish sticks but tastes like thick French fries.

Was skeptical of this place as I walked by, but figured I would try.
Super healthy. Good. check in for free addition to meal.
I got a wheat wrap, romaine base with carrots, mushrooms and chickpeas. Tofu. Had sauce on side, which they forgot to include. But I didn’t miss it. Carrots and mushrooms were crisp, hearty, fresh. Romaine was refreshing. Chickpeas add some texture. Tofu tasted like it was baked so it had a firm texture without the grease.
Also got a side of yuca fries. not a healthy choice. but they are really really good.
Staff was super friendly too.

I like coming here for lunch. My favorite is Grilled Tilapia with cilantro lime rice and grilled asparagus or mushrooms as sides.
Their coffee is pretty good and have some pastries that I haven’t tried but some of my coworkers recommend to try. Service is pretty quick and good. Their menu is simple but delicious.

*This review is broken up into Overall Verdict (Summary), Experience/​Service, Venue and Food details.
— — — Overall Verdict:
Service: Great
Venue: Low-​key, chill and casual
Food: Delicious, cheap food with good servings; can choose to have a light or heavy meal
Additional Details: Great place for just a quick and random get-​together or meetup with a small or large group.
Verdict: Buena comida, buen ambiente! I’d definitely come back here with a larger group for a random, light to heavy Latin-​food night.
— — — Experience/​Service:
Wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised! Came here on a Tuesday night and was happy to find that it wasn’t packed; I’m assuming most people come here for pick-​up or call for delivery. Our server was very personable and attentive. She was very helpful with providing suggestions and answering any questions.
— — — Venue:
The venue has a very casual-​feel with benches/​chairs to sit on with tables for dining-​in. Because it wasn’t so packed, it made for a perfect spot to just meet up, hang around, and have quick, casual dinner with friends.
— — — Food:
My friends and I liked that the menu allowed for endless combinations. It was broken up into 4 sections: Style (Wrap, Salad, Sandwich or Plate), Protein, Additions/​Sides and Sauce. Between the 3 of us, we got
— a salad with grilled chicken, grilled mushrooms, avocado and caramalized onions,
— a sandwich with grilled chicken, cripsy onions, avocado and Leña’s chili mayo, and
— a plate with grilled chicken, coconut rice, sweet plantains and avocado & tomatillo.
(Wow, didn’t realize we all ordered chicken till I wrote my review haha.) The grilled chicken was so tender — so soft and easy to cut through — and quite luscious. The adjectives of the additions/​sides and sauces were quite accurate: Spicy meant spicy — the avocado & tomatillo and Leña’s chili mayo definitely had their tang. The sweet plantaines were, for want of a better adjective, sweet and so yummy! At the end of the meal, we shared a very rich-​tasting Alfajor. The overall meal was easy on the pocket, and you get more bang for your buck with the servings they provide ^_~.

Its the right location, right prices and the right menu.
You get all your Latin staples here: black beans, coconut rice, fried plantain.
I came here with my boyfriend. He had the catfish with the staples and did I also with the steak. Steak was flavourful and cooked right at medium. The fish was moist with a perfect crisp.
They offer burritos so I’ll try that next time.

Lena Latin Grill is Chipotle’s slightly fancier sister.
Same idea: pick your style, protein, sauce, sides. They have a ton of more unique options than Chipotle, however.
Today I chose: a plate with grilled chicken, cilantro rice, grilled corn & queso, and pico de gallo. I would say it’s less filling than Chipotle, but I like that you can make it pretty healthy but still flavorful.
Presentation was boring. A slab of chicken in one container, and the sides in smaller containers. It looked very plain until you mix them all up like they do at Chipotle.
I got it to go and I only waited a few minutes during peak rush hour time. They do have some tables, but they were all full when I was there.