El Azteca Mexican Restaurant

(212) 307-0616

783 9th Ave (52nd Street)
New York, NY 10019 40.764801 -73.987979

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Neighborhoods: Clinton, Midtown

elaztecanyc.com

Hours:

Mon-Sun 11:30am-12am

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Catering Services:

Restaurant Management

Restaurant Special Features:

Margaritas, Lunch Spot, Business Dining, Happy Hour, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Mexican

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Great service, decent prices, nice atmosphere.”
  2. “Overall, I enjoyed the experience very much because of its ambience.”
  3. “The service was friendly and the place was fun, if way too loud, but let's face it: This food is garbage.”
dessert
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “they had great tortia chips with a very good but spicy dipping sauce and their guacamolie was awsome but best of all they had great desserts and everything when you eat there make sure you get a bannana wrap with cinnamon on top and whip cream it is the b”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “happy hour is friendly and popular with half price frozen drinks, and crisp chips and fresh salsa.”
  2. “They have great food,great drinks especially the Margaritas.”
food quality
74.47999954223633% positive
  1. “To make it worse, after dropping off the food, the waiter never came back to check on us and our horrible meal.”
  2. “Most items were from packages (salsa, chips, etc...) The temperatures of the food were totally random: My date's meal was lukewarm at best, the guac was ICE cold (I mean, it should be cool, but not frosty), the refried beans were piping hot.”
  3. “Basically 55-75% of my meal was inedible.”
  4. “Being from Texas myself, it's nice to know someone up here knows how to make good mexican food.”
  5. “my only complaint was the serving of guacamole which was delicious was a little small---otherwise everything was perfect!”
  6. “happy hour is friendly and popular with half price frozen drinks, and crisp chips and fresh salsa.”
  7. “Great food and AMAZING margaritas!”
  8. “Frozen Margaritas are cool and delicious and the staff adds the warmth while delivering the wonderful shrimp quesadillas.”
  9. “It's not necessarily the best Mexican food around, but in New York City it's as authentic as you can get on a small budget.”
  10. “ordered 3 enchiladas which were fairly tasty.”
  11. “they had great tortia chips with a very good but spicy dipping sauce and their guacamolie was awsome but best of all they had great desserts and everything when you eat there make sure you get a bannana wrap with cinnamon on top and whip cream it is the b”
  12. “Basically - I'm giving La Azteca 2 stars instead of 1 star simply because the pork and cheese enchilada were each fairly tasty.”
  13. “The food was great too.”
  14. “Your guess is as good as mine as to what food was the culprit.”
  15. “We all had something different and we all thought the food was TERRIBLE!”
  16. “Best authentic Mexican food and friendly service”
  17. “The service was friendly and the place was fun, if way too loud, but let's face it: This food is garbage.”
  18. “Food is exceptionally delicious.”
  19. “If you want a good meal walk anywhere up and down the street and go anywhere else.”
  20. “They have great food,great drinks especially the Margaritas.”
  21. “The salsa is great, margaritas are perfect and the fajitas have just the right spice, they're delicious!”
  22. “got food poisioning and the margaritas were horrible”
  23. “The service was wonderful, the food was good.”
  24. “This is crap food, which is totally ridiculous considering the immense number of fine, inexpensive Mexican joints in NYC.”
  25. “am originally from the west and the mexican food is much much better out there but I love la azteca and highly recommend it!”
  26. “The food here is incredible and they have a huge variety from taco salads to fajitas.”
  27. “You will waste time, money, and a perfectly good meal gone bad.”
  28. “had a terrible meal there and the NOISE!”
  29. “The cheese and pork enchiladas are rather tasty.”
  30. “The margaritas are delicious and all of my friends I've brought there who like Chicken Mole exclaim that it's the best they've ever tasted!”
  31. “The Margaritas were nice delicious with 3 different sizes and many”
  32. “My fried and I find the food delicious.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “The food here is incredible and they have a huge variety from taco salads to fajitas.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place great value”
  2. “have been worldwide to every restaurant and El Azteca is by far the best restaurant.”
  3. “It's dimly lit and relaxing and is a great place to head after work or on a Sunday afternoon.”
  4. “El Azteca is the best Mexican restaurant in Hells Kitchen.”
  5. “this is a great place to get the night started at, a couple of those jumbo margaritas when the mariachi band is playing is almost an evening out on the town by itself, especially if you are going with Otis”
  6. “great place to eat”
service
76.46999835968018% positive
  1. “the service in that resteruant was the best.”
  2. “The service was friendly and the place was fun, if way too loud, but let's face it: This food is garbage.”
  3. “The staff is extremly friendly and helpfull.”
  4. “happy hour is friendly and popular with half price frozen drinks, and crisp chips and fresh salsa.”
  5. “At least the service was very friendly.”
  6. “The manager and waitors were so rude to us.”
  7. “To make it worse, after dropping off the food, the waiter never came back to check on us and our horrible meal.”
  8. “The owner and staff are so friendly; you always feel welcome there!”
  9. “Friendly staff---amazing guacamole and magaritas!”
  10. “It's really inexpensive and the service is decent.”
  11. “The service was wonderful, the food was good.”
  12. “Frozen Margaritas are cool and delicious and the staff adds the warmth while delivering the wonderful shrimp quesadillas.”
  13. “Great service, decent prices, nice atmosphere.”
  14. “Best authentic Mexican food and friendly service”
  15. “The service is awful.”
  16. “The staff is extremely friendly and the margaritas are strong without sacrificing flavor.”
  17. “Food was totally tasteless,service was salty and sour.”
value
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. “Great service, decent prices, nice atmosphere.”
  2. “It's really inexpensive and the service is decent.”
  3. “You will waste time, money, and a perfectly good meal gone bad.”
  4. “great place great value”
  5. “happy hour is friendly and popular with half price frozen drinks, and crisp chips and fresh salsa.”
  6. “The food here is incredible and they have a huge variety from taco salads to fajitas.”
  7. “This is crap food, which is totally ridiculous considering the immense number of fine, inexpensive Mexican joints in NYC.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “THEN 45 minutes later, we sat down, ordered our appetizer, and waited another 45 minutes to luke warm nachos.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/14/10

THIS PLACE IS NOT WORTH IT

by CSMobileUser4 at Citysearch

I don't even know where to begin. For starters, they gave my friend a dirty fork that looked like it had been used to clean out a dirty drain. The service is awful. The waiters don't even know what's on the menu. After we were done eating they took our plates and never came back to ask if we needed anything else. The frozen margarita had virtually no taste. The food is over priced and not even that good. My friend ordered a beef fajita salad that hardly had any beef. I ordered a chicken chimichanga and they brought me a beef one. I will never go to this place again. Please save yourself the trouble and avoid this place at any and all costs.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/26/09

Food is exceptionally delicious.

Contributor at Citysearch

My fried and I find the food delicious. The Pollo con mole for me was rich and thick with ingredients. As for my friend it was the salad al carbon that keep her taste buds satisfied.The frozen magaritas are second to none

1 Star Rating: Poor

05/05/09

WORST EVER!

by DeannaMC at Citysearch

What makes this place "special"- There is so much to say about how bad this place is, it is hard where to begin. Let's start with the fact that our "hostess" (who was also a waitress and bartender) told us we would have a 30 minute wait, by shoving her finger in my face to hold on before taking our name. THEN 45 minutes later, we sat down, ordered our appetizer, and waited another 45 minutes to luke warm nachos. They were made with what could otherwise be described as jalapeno flavored ragu. Not to mention the nachos were cold, and we only received them after asking where our food was. Another 10 minutes later, two of us got our entrees, and my other friend didn't even get her meal. When asking the waiter where her food went, he simply said "that's not on our menu" and walked away. Would have been nice if they didn't serve tamale's to NOT PUT IT ON THE MENU. Then, when the bill came, we were charged for the entree we never received that apparently "wasn't served." All in all, do NOT go there. You will waste time, money, and a perfectly good meal gone bad.

  • Pros: Nothing
  • Cons: Everything
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/02/09

Friendly staff---amazing guacamole and magaritas!!

by mschrissylyn at Citysearch

never write revies but have to say that this little mexican restaurant is tops!! I am a mexican food lover and have been all over the city but this one really impressed me. I am originally from the west and the mexican food is much much better out there but I love la azteca and highly recommend it!!! Most margaritas have to much sour mix and this one was just right...my only complaint was the serving of guacamole which was delicious was a little small---otherwise everything was perfect!!!

  • Pros: staff, delicious magaritas and guacamole
  • Cons: none
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/16/09

great place to eat

by jimmy2345 at Citysearch

i went to new york for the first time of my life today and my friend jamale took me to his best's friends resteraunt and it was beutiful.it looked liked mexican hevan. the service in that resteruant was the best. you couldnt find that kind of service in any kind of resteraunts. the owner might have been the nicest person i have ever meet.but the best part was the food

they had great tortia chips with a very good but spicy dipping sauce and their guacamolie was awsome but best of all they had great desserts and everything when you eat there make sure you get a bannana wrap with cinnamon on top and whip cream it is the best dessert i have ever tasted

  • Pros: best mexican resteraunt in new york
  • Cons: they have no cons

The Details on El Azteca Mexican Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • friendly service
  • good mexican food
  • delicious frozen margaritas
  • great place
  • extremly friendly staff
  • perfectly good meal
  • unique everything
  • totally ridiculous crap food
  • fairly tasty enchiladas
  • best mexican restaurant
  • great salsa
  • very bad noise
  • enjoyed experience
  • great drinks
  • great dessert
  • popular happy hour
  • love el azteca
  • big groups
  • good guess
  • delicious serving
  • amazing guacamole
  • amazing magaritas
  • rude waitors
  • very good sauce
  • horrible margaritas