Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Dos Toros-- pleasant surprise

Despite my fear we have shown too many Mexican places , this seems to be another good small one on Fourth Avenue in the near East Village.

On with the reviews.. No big thrill here, but naysayers just say some other place is better, while those who like it think THIS place is special

Dos Toros Taqueria

4.0 star rating
850 reviews Rating Details
Category: Mexican  [Edit]
137 4th Ave
(between 12th St & 14th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Union Square, East Village
(212) 677-7300
Nearest Transit Station:
14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Union Sq - 14 St (L)
14 St - Union Sq (N, Q, R)
Hours:
Mon 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10:30 pm
Parking:
Street
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Price Range:
$
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
No
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
No
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
No
Caters:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
About This Business:
French Vegetarian Bistro

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "My burrito was great as well - everything tasted very FRESH." In 407 reviews
  • "The best carne asada burrito I've had in NYC so far." In 132 reviews
  • "definitely the best taco place in union square." In 79 reviews
Show more review highlights
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846 reviews in English

  • Review from

    New York, NY
    7/21/2013 1 check-in here
    The bf and I were craving tacos and ended up here on a scorching hot late Saturday afternoon. I've been wanting to try this branch of Dos Toros Taqueria because I like eating at hole-in-the-wall joints.

    We ate our order of guac and chips, carne asada taco, and carnitas burrito on the ledge by the open face window. The sun was burning down on us but it felt good and our cold lemonade cooled us down.

    My taco was small but very meaty. The steak was juicy and I struggled taking bites without dripping meat juice down my wrists. teeheehee.

    The burrito was HUGE. I took a few bites of it. I liked the ratio of rice, beans, shredded pork, and tomatoes. Tortilla was nice and chewy, and the cheese was steamed on before toppings were added.

    After we gobbled up our taco and burrito, we ate our slightly toasted tortilla chips with guac. The guac was good but I would have enjoyed it more if it had more acidity and spice.

    As we ate our chips, one of the workers sat down next to us to eat his chicken burrito. The bf started up a conversation with him about the ingredients and we learned that they use all local ingredients (which was apparent in the flavor of our meal).

    I'll be back to try other items the next time I'm in the area (or craving tacos)!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 107 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    7/22/2013
    3.5 stars at best. I got the veggie tacos.

    Good things - they are well stuffed with rice, beans, grilled veggies, cheese, pico, sour ream, and salsa (a medium and a hot). Everything tastes good overall. Also the hot salsa is actually hot.

    Bad things:
    1. They used sliced cheese and melt it on the tortilla. I don't want that at all. That's so weird! I just want my shredded cheese on top. The girl said, "but this way you get more." Well no. You can just put on the same amount of shredded cheese.
    2. Guacamole is extra even on a veggie taco
    3. They only have corn tortillas for tacos - they do have flour tortillas for quesadillas and burritos
    4. It's more expensive than other places and there isn't anything special about this place.

    If I go back, and I might at some point if I'm around, I would tell them not to use sliced cheese on my taco. Or I would try a burrito bowl.
  • Review from

    • 76 friends
    • 54 reviews
    Port Washington, NY
    7/16/2013
    3 1/2 stars

    skimping portion compared to competitors.

    fresh ingredients for sure. tastes certainly good. but is there really a huge difference in quality and taste with, for example, Chipotle? not really.

    sad that i went out of my way to get this.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    7/14/2013 1 check-in here
    It's kinda like Chipotle, except Chipotle doesn't put on the fake authentic Mexican façade. I think it was a little pricier, too. The seating is almost nonexistent.

    It was tasty, but nothing I would go out of my way for. If Chipotle and Dos Toros were next to each other, I would probably split up my visits equally.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    7/24/2013 1 check-in here
    Tried their carne asada with guacamole. I expected this place to be better than if not at par with Chipotle, but this place was just okay. The steak wasn't marinated as well, and the taco wrap is just like any other. Although the steak is pretty fresh, and I would actually come back to try their other meats.
  • Review from

    • 22 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    7/15/2013
    This place USED to be good...

    It's crazy how big these two brothers have gotten over the past few years! I used to love this place, and literally went at least once a week back in college where I lived right around the corner. I love how short and simple the menu is. However, I get the same thing every time because I fell in love with my first bite of their chicken burrito back in 2009. Chicken burrito w/ black beans, rice, pico de gallo ("salsa"), sour cream, and salsa verde - can't go wrong!

    You know a burrito is done right when you have the perfect charred meat! And that's what Dos Toros had, the chicken was AMAZING. I've brought so many of my friends here and according to Foursquare, I've checked in here 51x which is probably less than the number of times I've actually gone.

    Over the past two years, the quality of the meat has gone down and is just not as good as it used to be! Leo and Oliver, you need to fix your chicken! It doesn't bring me the same level of satisfaction that I used to get. Maybe because they've been too busy focusing on expanding and lost that touch of magic...
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    7/31/2013
    My friend at work is part Mexican and when he told me this was better than Chipotle and Qdoba i didn't believe him, but man was i wrong. Their beans are great, the steak is the best, and the cheese in their burritos and quesadillas is well-distributed. Unlike other burrito places, DT does a great job at making sure every bite has every ingredient you asked for. Again, STEAK BURRITO.
  • Review from

    • 11 friends
    • 26 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    7/10/2013
    Like Chipotle...but better!

    My friend (who grew up between Puerto Rico and Mexico) can't get enough of this place. Before I even tried it, it was recommended to me by three completely separate people, so I had really high expectations. I wasn't crazy impressed, but it was very good.

    The food was delicious. Everything was fresh, and the servers are not skimpy with the ingredients. The prices aren't any better than Chipotle, though. As Mexican food goes, I wouldn't say there's anything super special about it. Essentially, my take is: If you're craving Chipotle, come here instead. If you're craving good, authentic Mexican food, there are better options out there.

    Tip: Don't go there planning to dine-in. It's best to grab it to go and eat at home or in the park or something.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 6 reviews
    New York, NY
    7/8/2013
    A bit overrated. I like the tacos but I feel its the same as Chiptole.

    Pros:

    -a range of combinations for food choices

    Cons:

    -Difficult to dine in because seats are limited.
  • Review from

    Newark, NJ
    Updated - 7/17/2013 1 check-in here
    Came here for lunch during my work break with a few coworkers.  I absolutely love the food here.  We got one of everything and it was worth it.  My favorite was the steak tacos! So good!! If you're not big on spiciness then i suggest avoiding the red sauce.  I will be coming back to this establishment more often!
    Was this review …?

    1 Previous Review: Show all »

    • 6/22/2013
      I came by for lunch from Midtown to get here.. thank god for subways.  I ordered the pork taco,… Read more »
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    6/17/2013 1 check-in here
    Stopped by here on a Sunday evening for dinner. The place was packed (there's probably only enough room to seat fifteen max) so I ended up ordering my food to go.

    I'm not sure what the hubbub is that surrounds this place. Maybe it's just because it's a Mexican-style fast-food restaurant that offers quesadillas (unlike Chiptole) or that it's just situated around Union Square so reviews are going to be easier to come by.

    Either way, I tried their Carnitas burrito with guac. Good and filling, but not that much distinguishable from standard Chipotle fare. The pork was also pretty salty.

    Solid food, but nothing to write home about here.
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 128 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/23/2013
    This is a taco / burrito stand with indoor / outdoor tables.  It's counter service only - no waiters.  If that is all you seek, you should be satisfied.  I will come back here for a quick bite but I won't bring friends / family from the southwest.

    Pros:

    Simple range of menu options - burritos, taco, quesadillas and a bowl version
    Basic meats - carnitas, pollo, carne
    An assortment of additions - guacamole, salsas, rice, beans
    Outdoor seating

    Cons:

    It has a chain restaurant feel that applies a successful formula but lacks authenticity that I love with the taco trucks

    If seeking Chile Verde, Chile Rellenos, Mole Poblano, or Enchiladas with a margarita then search my other reviews for a place on Downing (nearby)
  • Review from

    • 5 friends
    • 9 reviews
    JACKSON HTS, NY
    6/19/2013
    First thing I'd say about this place is that the line moves quick.  Don't walk away if you see the wait to order snaking out the door onto the street.

    The carne asada and carnitas burritos are killer.  Best in this town I believe.  Nine bucks for a good-sized cylinder filled with freshness.  You can pass on the guac (extra dollar) because they don't put enough of it on there.

    One can't really count on a seat or table to dine-in so I usually either take it home or over to the park.

    You have a choice of pinto vs. black on the burrito.

    The history of the place is well documented.  Two brothers from San Francisco who saw a serious burrito gap in NYC and worked to fill it.  They seem to emphasize quality and now have four stores here.
    Was

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