El Azteca Rincon

This just might be the best Mexican place in NYC, possibly NY. Although close to busy Queens Blvd and right on Greenpoint Avenue, this was a hardcore Mexican spot. From the dried chilis being sold, the Mexican Cumbia BLASTING from the juke box, the piñatas hanging from the ceiling… you knew this wasn’t your «cater to the Americans» type of spot. The torta milenesa stands out as my favorite dish from this spot. But something as simple as tacos were absolutely superb. I’m sad to see that it is no longer open. Hopefully it is temporary.

Ah ha! I knew I’d find this place. I actually had to walk back just to get the name.
El Azteca Rincon is a true hole-​in-​the-​wall. As part of my always-​evolving taco quest, I stopped there very, very late (1am or so) with a friend. There was pizza and garlic knots upfront, so I was confused. But, below the counter? An entire list of tacos!
The counter woman took our order and said we could sit in the back – it’s cool, they’ve got a bunch of tables and a nice seating area. She brought us chips (hot and fresh!) with some delicious salsa.
My friend and I got the same tacos – chorizo and pastor, and he ordered garlic knots (alcohol does that to you).
They came out pretty quickly, presented nicely and immediately passed my initial taco test – double corn tortillas, marinated meat, cilantro and onions. A nice squirt of salsa verde was on top of each.
The pastor was good. No, it was very good. Cooked perfectly, nice flavor, although I usually prefer a bit more pineapple. The chorizo was awesome – great meat, flavors, etc. Wonderful, especially at this ungodly hour. Even the garlic knots were good!
The homemade red and green salsas/​hot sauces that were given to us were great! Perfect complement to the tacos.
ANYWAYS, don’t be put off by the pizza up front – this place is legit. Go there. Actually, no, don’t go there. I want this to be my hole in the wall. If you do make the trip, don’t let word get out. El Azteca Rincon’s got it goin’ on!

If you’re just wondering by, this looks like a bakery/​takeout place but there is a sit-​down restaurant in the back with some very authentic mexican food and sauces. If you love the Sunnyside taco truck but are craving similar quality during the day, Azteca has what you need. The shrimp tacos are excellent, as are the burritos. We also tried a beef tongue huarache, which was nice but I don’t think the texture of the fried masa is for me. YMMV.
I’ll definitely be here again.

The food here rocks. It is really great! My partner (who is Mexican) says they have the best chicken soup ever (full of HUGE pieces of veggies — corn on the cob, squash) I like the soup, but find the broth too salty. I have had the goat (i think it was stewed) one of my favorite dishes. It was tender and flavorful — and served with ample pickled jalapenos. The beef tostadas are great, and the pork tacos are too! I have never had a bad dish here — but skip the flan — it is just ok.
This is a neighborhood restaurant. The dining are is a large room with many tables. The table cloths are plastic, the room is dark and the juke box is loud. If you want ambiance — go somewhere else. If you want great food — eat here.