Pampano

Doesn't Recommend

c2811

Joined 6 years ago

Aviod at all Costs. I was celebrating my birthday with a group of friends in Pampano this past Friday, and I was really disappointed. The atmosphere is nice the food looks pretty, but the food tastes horrible. I ordered the pechuga mole (in English that is chicken breast seasoned with chocolate sauce) and it was literally unseasoned chicken breast because the chocolate sauce was brushed on it after it was taken out of the oven. My party was rushed out. The waiter ordered me a flan con chocolate although I didn't ask for it, which was nice until he dropped off the check once I finished eating it. I only had the chance to order one drink. The kitchen closes at 10:30 pm. How does this restaurant make money if a person only stays long enough to order one drink? Save your money from another modern Mexican restaurant in town. There are many other modern Mexican restaurants in New York City that are much better.

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musikmagic

Joined 6 years ago

YUMMY lobster tacos!!!. I love this place-try to Mahi Mahi Cevhiche and the tacos de langosta?.well worth the trip. I recently took a crowd who were in from out of town and they all loved the place as well. Great for groups but I prefer the upstairs dining area over the downstairs mixed seating and bar area.

Doesn't Recommend

alexjoseph

Joined 6 years ago

Good food, terrible service and obnoxious staff. went there sat night for a "light dinner" asked for shrimp to be added into my salad, and the waitress (who was barely available, we saw her three times the entire night) was very accomadating, but she failed to mention that instead of my $11 salad, i would be charged for a full entree. when the bill arrived i questioned it, the manager came over with the most condescending attitude and told me that their "expensive shrimp" were worth the $4 each, esp since the chef had to go through the extra trouble of making the salad to my specifications. i am sorry, but adding 4 shrimp to a salad you have, and when you have the shrimp for other dishes is ridic. i was told it was similar to another entree, which it was not since the accoutrements were of better quality. he argues with me and spoke to me as if i had never been out to dinner before. I will never go back. the food was tasty but incredibly overpriced.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Fish so fresh and flavors so pure in a setting so lovely that you can nearly feel the gulf breeze in your hair.. The Scene
The white-washed interior of the bi-level space feels like an exclusive beachside hacienda, especially in the second-floor dining room, which always seems filled with light. Palm trees sculpted onto the walls, lazy fronds spinning from the tall, angled ceiling and arched doors leading to an outdoor terrace add to the "on-vacation" vibe for a mix of midtown suits and funkier food lovers.

The Food
Chef-owner Richard Sandoval applies his chile collection so skillfully that he never masks the essential flavors of each fish. An improbably delicate chipotle and manchego cheese sauce gracefully embraces shrimp and bay scallops, and refreshing cubes of salmon tread above the citrus-habanero sting in the ceviche marinade. Whole red snapper arrives like a seafood sculpture, artfully de-boned, rounded out, stuffed with tangy cactus salad and surrounded with a chile de arbol lake. But most impressive is crispy, guajillo-enhanced pan-seared pampano, which is worthy of the restaurant's good name.

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curtis_krause

Joined 8 years ago

Best Mexican in nyc!. This place quite frankly rules... The ambiance and decor (particularly the upstairs dining room) is top notch. The presentation of food excellent. And each course: guac, ceviche, whole snapper, swordfish, and then the corn pudding for dessert were all delicious and innovative. This chef is a Mexican food purist, a little like Chicago's Rick Bayliss, but he tweaks each menu item, which is mostly seafood, with clever innovations. This is the best mexican in nyc

Recommends

almonteangela

Joined 7 years ago

Great Tacos. Everything tastes so homemade! A coworker told me about this place. I was really happy she did because I am getting tired of the lunch options near my job. I go to the Taqueria twice a week and the guys already know my order. Its great everyone should try this you'll be hooked like I am.

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joannejordan

Joined 7 years ago

MY NEW FAVORTIE LUNCHTIME GEM. The food is what makes this lunch time treat so special and will keep me coming back for more. People watching and price aside (both of which are great at Pampano Taqueria located in the Crystal Pavillion Food Court on 3rd Avenue between 49th and 50th), I am very picky about fish tacos and these were some of the best I ever had -- and I mean EVER -- on both the east and west coasts. (They are also the bargain of the century at $2.75) The vegetarian torta ($7.50) had excatly the right amount of veggies to hold up to the bread and I'l be darned if my fresh fruit agua fresca didn't take me mentally onto the shores of sunny Mexicio (if only for a little while). Salsa's come in a variety of different heat intensities and colors (green or red) and another fave is the pulled pork quesadilla ($7.00). I can't weait to eat my way through the entire menu ...

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callmezo

Joined 11 years ago

Good food, atmosphere, and service. Sunday night around 9pm walked in unknowing about this place. We sat upstairs, which during this day/time was not a problem with seating. It was bright enough to see all, but cozy enough to be romantic. The food, mostly fish/seafood, tasted as good as it looked. The wait staff was attentive, from explaining the meal's content, due to my date's allergies to food, to always replacing the candles on the table and water refills. It was way too hot that night, but they did have outdoor seating on the 2nd floor deck, which I would like to try once it cools off. I would go back again, truly an enjoyable experience.

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tbrax

Joined 11 years ago

Poor hostess, great ceviche.. In terms of food, the ceviche is truly outstanding. We had the 4 ceviche sampler and all 4 were great. The entrees, however, don't measure up. The signature dish is the whole red snapper, but the component parts didn't mesh together well, leaving basically a very nice piece of fish accompanied by mixed vegetables rather than a unified, cohesive dish. The swordfish was good, but not outstanding, and for the prices we had expected better.

With that out of the way, we won't be going back to Pampano for reasons other than the food. We had arrived early for our reservation and had a drink at the bar, and when we went to be seated the hostess hemmed and hawed before offering us a table downstairs. We indicated that we would rather sit upstairs, which is by far nicer, and the hostess hung her head in shame and directed us upstairs, where there was plenty of seating throughout the course of our meal. The hostess acted like a kid caught with her hand the cookie jar--she clearly knew that she had tried to do something she shouldn't have done and that we had caught her. Worse still, it was completely pointless. The restaurant just isn't that crowded. Why try to treat customers with poorly when it isn't necessary? Just silly and unprofessional, and enough to keep us away from Pampano in the future.

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bethwanj

Joined 9 years ago

great atmosphere, slightly over-priced. Went for restaurant week (lunch). The atmosphere is fantastic. Very welcoming. Service was decent. Food was very good. But, absent the pre-fixed menu prices, it's a little pricey for what you get. Chips and guacamole are extra, and pale in comparison to Rosa Mexicana guac. I had the ceviche which was superb. My lunch companion got a chilled corn soup which was just alright. I reccommend the fish, any kind. It was cooked to perfection. Overall, a nice lunch in a nice place. Would consider returning.