I don't know why, but so many of the listings I have had here tonight have been Hispanic places..
guess there are just a lot of Hispanic places in this area, that is why...there are certainly other types of food, like Thai and Italian and French of course, to say nothing of Pizza places!
Well, let' see what people say about old El Parador (not bad at all, apparently, if you like Mexican food)
El Parador Cafe
325 E 34th St
(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Murray Hill, Kips Bay
(212) 679-6812
(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Murray Hill, Kips Bay
(212) 679-6812
- Nearest Transit Station:
-
33 St (4, 6, 6X)Grand Central - 42 St (7, 7X)
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11 am - 12 amSat-Sun 11 am - 1 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
- $$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Intimate, Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
172 reviews for El Parador Cafe
Review Highlights What's this?
-
"Superb and strong margaritas with no fake stuff." In 39 reviews -
"And the guacamole was chunky and smooth and delicious." In 33 reviews -
"Who knew that peanut butter and jalapenos would go together." In 13 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
171 reviews in English
-
Review from sakae i.
- 2 friends
6/6/2013
I was in the mood for Mexican and my friend and I decided to meet here. I was pleasantly surprised by the stellar service. The guac was probably the best I've ever had - chunky with a bit of kick!
My friend and I were getting a bit full on the guac and chips and asked if we could cancel part of our dinner order. The wait staff was extremely accommodating. We had decided we only wanted the fish tacos which, we were told, came three to an order. When we got our shared plate, we got two tacos each. They were delicious.
We also wanted to try a different tequila in our second round of margaritas and the waiter had a suggestion that we were very happy with - and it was actually less expensive than our original tequila choice.
There were a few loudmouths at the bar -maybe for happy hour? Otherwise, I would give it five stars. Really.once you have a bite of the guacamole,you forget the people at the bar. -
Review from Nikki A.
- Elite '13
- 70 friends
7/1/2013
I came here on a date and enjoyed the experience overall, although the service was a little pushy.
The guac was very good (LOVE guac) and the sangria was pretty tasty. My date got the chicken quesadillas, which he enjoyed. I thought the food was pretty pricey, but it is a fun place to have nearby.
I would consider coming back again for drinks and guac :) -
Review from William C.
- Elite '13
- 230 friends
6/3/2013
A few signs that a place is 5-star worthy:
- Everyone you talk to about the place loves it and knows the owner by name (Alex);
- The place took the time to design a beautiful exterior... and makes sure the interior also suits the theme and vibe;
- The food is authentic and delicious;
- The wait staff pays close attention to every details and isnt shy to offer up information that would make your experience all the better; and
- Finally, you definitely want to come back again and again.
I took my girl here on Friday and I gotta say that I was severely impressed.
(Yes, I said "my girl" - a term that never before appeared in a Yelp review prior to this one. LOL!) -
Review from Danielle S.
- 0 friends
7/19/2013
We went last Friday night. It was as good as I remember. We ordered the guacamole as usual. It was awesome.
I had the grilled swordfish. Delicious as well! I also had the corn bread as a side. It was the best. I wasn't thrilled about the sangria. It was too bitter for my liking. Overall, a delicious meal. -
Review from Drew S.
- Elite '13
- 12 friends
5/19/2013
Solid. But I get the feeling that if you dine here in 5 years, it'll be the exact same. Personally, I like to be excited at restaurants, and see things that I've never seen before.
Food was definitely well-cooked, but again, nothing on the menu was particularly original. You could find nearly everything on the menu at many other nicer Mexican places. -
Review from Sonia B.
- 0 friends
5/14/2013
The ambiance is amazing! They can make anything vegetarian. The perfect date place. I had no complaints....
The lighting.. the seats are all tailored for a date or for an evening with someone special. The portions are small but DELICIOUS!
I would definitely come here again! -
Review from Alan C.
- 15 friends
7/3/2013
I'd give this place 4 stars, if it was more memorable. I reserve that for restaurants that make me want to go back. I liked it, but a one time experience was good enough for me.
Positives:
-Food is pretty good. The guacamole is good, but kinda pricey for the amount they give you. I have no complaints about the food (ordered the braised short rib tacos), but it wasn't to the point that I would come back here just for the food.
Negatives:
-To get to the bathroom, you have to go through a labyrinth. Finding the bathroom without assistance is an achievement of itself. There are no signs directing you. Even when I asked my server for directions, she pointed me in the wrong direction.
-Service left something to be desired. It wasn't exceptional and I didn't feel as if the server paid special attention to our table. The server was professional, but it was difficult to get her attention at times. This was probably more a product of how busy it was.
Neutral:
-Ambiance - it can get quite loud in there and dark. Great for hangouts, but I'm not sure if this is the place for a romantic evening where you want peace and quiet.
-Price is on par. Pricey for Mexican food, but not outrageous. -
Review from Mike Y.
- Elite '13
- 33 friends
5/13/2013
El Parador Cafe is a dark, expansive restaurant on the outskirts of Murray Hill. Located between First and Second on 34th St. it is a bit of a hike from the bus or the train coming south from Midtown. Upon arrival on a warm spring day, perhaps due to the brisk hike, I found the restaurant a little warm and the friend that I was meeting at the bar munching on some complimentary chips & salsa.
Arriving around 6:45 on a Tuesday night the restaurant was a bit empty save for a few older folks grabbing an early dinner. We were taken to the back corner booth for a bit of privacy. I felt the restaurant although large had physically small tables, perhaps to allow for a more intimate dinner setting. Having had a late lunch, my friend and I split some appetizers. We ordered the quesadillas hongo (mushroom) which were quite good. We also ordered the nachos vestido. These aren't your typical handful of corn chips with toppings nachos, there were several fried tortillas topped with meat and cheese almost like little pizzas.
The servers were attentive and friendly. When asked if they had cold salsa (as the salsa they serve is warm and contains cinammon - not my cup of tea!) they were happy to oblige. I definitely feel like I need to come back to try the entrees. When we left around 8-ish, the restaurant was full.
Go for the decades-old tried-and-true food, romantic, and intimate ambiance~Listed in: The Yelp 100 Challenge -
Review from Krista J.
- Elite '13
- 392 friends
4/15/2013
Surprisingly cute Mexican restaurant hidden away near the mouth of the Queens Midtown Tunnel. If I hadn't been going with friends who recommended the restaurant, I might have walked right by it.
The space is deceptively deep, with lots of low lighting (love that), and fun authentic decorating touches. It's great for date night!
The warm chips to start the meal hit the spot...but don't fill up, because the dinner portions are quite large. I ordered the Camarones en Salsa Verde which was perfect...I literally cleaned my plate. My friend's fajitas were sizzling...I was a little jealous because they smelled so good, but my meal was perfect for me. And you have to get one of the margaritas! -
Review from Melanie H.
- 1 friend
4/10/2013
I came here awhile ago but was thoroughly impressed. It is touted as the oldest Mexican restaurant in the city. This restaurant is in a very odd stretch of E 34th street, which can definitely make you hesitant. It's defintiely worth it.
Restaurant is bustling inside and has very cool decor. I had braised short rib tacos which were a special at the time and they were VERY good. Great margaritas as well.
It's tough to find decent Mexican food in the city and I absolutely recommend making the trek over here for this place.
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