San Loco

160 N 4th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.218.8479

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★
Cards: No
Price: $$
Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-4am; Thurs-Sat 11am-5am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says:

Four locations of this taco takeaway shop serve greater Manhattan until 5 a.m. on weekends—making it an ideal joint for those craving cheap, tasty Tex-Mex after a night of barhopping. The counter-service-only, red-walled shops provide bare-bones ambience, but late-night customers don’t seem to mind. They come for an assortment of satisfying tacos, burritos, and quesadillas stuffed with a variety of meaty fillings, including catfish that’s breaded on the premises and subtly spicy pork pipian simmered in a green pumpkin-seed sauce. With fiery red and green sauces available to top most items (the hottest being the appropriately named “stupid” sauce), it’s a good thing San Loco also stocks a variety of imported bottled beers, all for under $5 a pop. With the exception of the newest shop in Williamsburg—decorated with an assortment of colorful lucha libre masks and offering a full bar, seating for 65, and a pool table—diners should note the serious lack of seating at most locations. There are just several tables and a few seats at the counter, which makes San Loco’s late-night delivery a convenient alternative.

Metromix says:

Starving and cash-strapped? San Loco Mexico is a New York City fast-food Mexican standby. You won’t find culinary brilliance here, but you will find fish tacos for under $3, and most cocktails for under $5—open late and good value. That’s not haute, but it’s certainly hot.

Santos Anne

366 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.486.6979

Cuisine: Mexican & French
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: Moderately Priced
Hours: Mon. 4pm-12am, Wed-Fri 4pm-12am, Sat-Sun 12pm-12am
Cards: Cash Only
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Delivery: No
We say:

At first we were a bit skeptical about the French/Mexican fusion, but after our meal at Santos Anne we can safely say that it’s one of our favorite new places. We had veggie tacos and steak, both were amazing and the prices are hard to beat ($15 for a full steak meal)! The ambiance of Santos Anne is cozy with turquoise walls and lit candles scattered across the room. There’s live music on the weekends, and if you’re lucky a free tarot card reading.

c/o NY Mag

310 S 4th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.302.1117

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $
Hours: Tue-Thurs 11am-10pm; Fri-Sun 12pm-Midnight; Closed Monday
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave., L to Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says:

Taco Bite is thoroughly fluent in English, which your smiling waitress will use to gently push the cooling aguas frescas, in flavors like watermelon and hibiscus. Ideally she will also think to mention the daily specials, like a recent taco de chivo ($3.95), stuffed with some of the most succulent and flavorful braised goat meat around.

Taco Chulo

318 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.2485

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $$
Hours: 12pm-11pm Daily
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St., J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Citysearch says:

This destination for Mexican food has a buoyant, artisanally crafted scheme of blond wood, turquoise walls and a red undulating border that immediately refreshes the eye. While the seating is vast, it’s pleasingly lofty and group-ready. The restaurant, whose name loosely translates to “pimp taco,” is drawing a mostly neighborhood crowd. Opened by a Texan and Californian who missed the food they grew up on, the restaurant uses organic, authentic ingredients. The lime-garnished tacos burst with such fresh fillings as slow-braised pork, snappy shrimp with marinated cabbage, and cool, marinated baby cactus. Along with a vibrant, chopped pico de gallo and lively guacamole, the queso fundido–melted cheese that’s piqued with bacon, smoked chiles and onions–is a sumptuous alternative to nachos. And all are accompanied by crisp homemade tortilla chips. The pozole verde soup is only for hominy fans, but the salads are rich enough for meaty appetites, too. The cocktail ingredients are fresh and high-quality. Try a house margarita or an iced beer with lime, chile, a salted rim and splash of tomato–a stimulating take on the bloody mary.

Time Out New York says:

Apparently it’s the summer of tacos. On the heels of two devils—Diablo Royale and Diablo Cantina—comes Taco Chulo, a taquería that shares an address with the Lodge in Williamsburg. The restaurant’s name roughly translates to handsome taco, and the bright pink, blue and green interior is indeed good-lookin’. You can sip on homemade horchata (rice milk scented with cinnamon and almond) while former Angelica Kitchen staffers Dija Amer and Greta Dana prepare traditional queso fundido (Mexican cheeses melted to order and served with homemade tortilla chips) and nopalito soft-shell tacos with baby cactus, guacamole and cotija cheese. The two will also take turns surveying the front of the house, making sure diners get their fill of candied lime and coconut and Chihuahua cocktails.

Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos (image c/o matthewbeersreed)

271 Starr St., Brooklyn, NY 11237
nr. Wyckoff Ave.
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718.456.3422

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★★★★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Daily, noon-11pm
Booze: No Alcohol
Subway: L to Jefferson
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
NY Mag says:

If not for the scent of toasted corn wafting out of its nondescript storefront, you might walk right past Los Hermanos—a tortilla factory on a stark Bushwick block. But there is good reason to stop: in the spring of 2006, the owners set up a tiny cantina in the delivery dock, where excellent Mexican grub is offered with a side of spectacle. Through Plexiglas partitions, diners view workers baking and bagging their brand of delicious wraps. The heavenly maize flats come off the line warm and chewy and go straight into the kitchen to be partnered with one of seven fillings. The most popular is the chorizo—sausage is ground, grilled and laced with small chunks of potato to cut the spicy flavor. Avoid the mediocre chicken; a carnitas taco and the spicy enchilada also made with pork pack more punch. The delicately cooked fillings hardly need additional dressing but house-made salsas are a delight on their own—smoky chipotle adds sultry heat while the tangy tomatillo discharges major firepower on the spicy end. Lines of starving artist neighbors snake out the door at peak hours, but the grill masters here keep things moving quickly. Recommended: Chorizo taco, $2; enchilada tostada, $2

Union Pool

484 Union Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.609.0484

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-4am, Sat-Sun 1pm-4am
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: Taco truck year-round
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily 5pm-8pm: $3 draft beers, $4 well drinks, $5 PBR with a shot of Jameson
Calendar: Click Here
We say:

There’s a 1950s, Vegas-Middle American Motel feel to Union Pool, and old pool supply and pest control shop. Plop your hiney into one of the big, cushy half-moon booths or hunker up to the boomerang-shaped bar. Only three taps (Guinness, Stella…) but there are some good brews in bottle (Duvel, Chimay). A modest liquor selection but it too holds some gems- Blanton’s, Woodford Reserve. Young, laid-back, hipster clientele come for the ambiance, DJ and bands, and the generous happy hour (5-8). Sport for the bored- sit at the bar and try to land lemon peels from your martini atop the bust of JFK on the ancient beer fridge. They also have a great backyard which is open during the warmer months. It tends to get a bit crowded when the garden is closed in the winter.

Citysearch says:

In the grand tradition of Williamsburg bars, Union Pool transforms a defunct shop (generations-old A-1 Pool and Pest Supply) into an enticing place to kick back. Owners Alyssa and Zeb’s handcrafted touches, including deep blue booths, creamy pressed-tin walls, a smooth cast-concrete bar top and green tiles from the old Shaeffer factory, coalesce with nifty remnants of aquatic signage. “Chemical balancing,” anyone? Barflies bask in the glow of an old-time refrigerator, where lemons and martini glasses—plus the odd stalk of ginger—chill. Creative bartenders tinker with the sauce to mix up espresso martinis and pomegranate margaritas, while wildstyle DJs work the turntables. Summertime guests sip house sangria around the foot-ready fountain in the back lot.

Gothamist

188 Berry St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.2138

Rating: ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm-2am; Fri-Sat 5pm-4am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Food/Menu: Mexican
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Yes
Gothamist says:

Do not resist, join the team, and step inside the big new double-decker Mexican restaurant-bar-mechanical bull destination that opened earlier this week next to Radegast Hall in Williamsburg. We’re not in Kokie’s anymore, Toto. Called Viva El Toro, the massive space boasts the only mechanical bull in all of Brooklyn, according to the owner, who is extremely proud of her salsa. (Pictured here.) This is now the ultimate place to load up on Mexican food, pound tequila, ride the bull, lose your lunch, rinse, and repeat. Alternatively, it seems like a pretty great place to laugh at others doing all that. On Mondays whoever rides the bull the longest gets free margaritas! The menu includes all the standard items such as Carne Asada ($17), Fajitas ($14-$16), Tacos ($9-$10), Chile Rellenos ($13), and Quesadillas.

Metromix says:

Paging Four Square: It’s about time to add a mechanical bull badge. Manhattan has two of the robotic beasts, and now Williamsburg will be able to take part in the faux-rodeo. Viva El Toro isn’t the most notable bar in the neighborhood, except for what they have tucked away in the back. Up front it’s a typical wooden bar with a bunch of sports fans hanging out and watching the multiple televisions. But in back, up a small staircase, behold: The inanimate creature is ready to take you on. Expect hipsters to line up at their chance to throw down (aka get thrown). If you want to go for the ride, here’s a crucial tip: drink lots of tequila first.

WhirlyBird

254 S 2nd St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.208.8555

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: Cheap
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; Sat-Sun 9am-5pm
Cards: None
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: No
Gothamist says:

The legions of Brooklynites who travel to Austin for South by Southwest every year have come across a distinctly Texan (and distinctly delicious) specialty: the breakfast taco. Breakfast tacos (which involve some combination of scrambled eggs, chorizo, cheese, and peppers) have sadly been in short supply in Yankee territory, until now: meet Whirlybird.

Opening up shop in—where else?—Williamsburg, Whirlybird is the brainchild of musician Jeff Bailey, who’s played in indie mainstays Phosphorescent and Virgin Forest. Having toured through Austin many a time, he decided that Williamsburg, rife as it is with musicians and hungover people, would benefit immensely from the addition of organic breakfast tacos and locally-brewed coffee. If the above photo is any indication, he’s probably right.

Whirlybird will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, with tacos going for $3-4 and coffee for $2-4. Stop by their grand opening tomorrow (Saturday) from 4-7 p.m. for a taco and solo sets from members of Deer Tick, Phosphorescent, and Virgin Forest. Early reviewers have praised the cafe for having “Zero bullshit, great taste, and a tiny framed portrait of Andy Kaufmann by the milk station to boot.” What more do you need, Williamsburg?

c/o Flickr

524 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.486.0757

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Noon-1am Daily
Booze: None
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Gridskipper says:

Don’t blink, or you’ll miss Yola’s Cafe. This Mexican hole in the wall, located a few steps below a busy stretch of Metropolitan Avenue in second-stop Williamsburg, Brooklyn, isn’t much to look at, but the food is so good that it’s rapidly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in New York. I’ve always been a fan of their big beefy burritos, but lately I’ve been working through their recurring daily specials, all of which impress. Corn shuck-wrapped tamales come stuffed with tangy chicken or sublime adobo pork. Fish tacos, each with a perfectly flaky flounder filet swaddled with salad and guacamole in two flour tortillas, could easily be served at a fancier restaurant at twice the price. Yola’s is mostly a take-out and delivery place, but there are two tiny tables as well as four revolving bar stools set against a six-inch-wide counter. To kill the seven or so minutes it takes for your order to be ready, go to the bodega next door for a $3 quart of Tecate (last cooler on the left, bottom shelf), pound a tequila shot across the street at the Subway Bar, or just enjoy the hilarious Spanish-language soap operas on the TV.

NY Mag says:

Hole-in-the-wall Mexican take-out and delivery joints are a dime a dozen on the streets of Brooklyn, but few have menus as varied, creative, and authentic as that of Yola’s Restaurant, a go-to spot in Williamsburg for tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, and a host of more esoteric south-of-the-border delicacies. Among the pleasant surprises are the chilaquiles, soft corn tortillas smothered in a mild, creamy red or green chili sauce and topped with cheese and sour cream. These don’t turn up on New York menus all that often, but in Mexico they are a staple and known as a great breakfast food after a night of heavy drinking. (Yola’s, open daily until 1 a.m., makes a great stop during a night of heavy drinking, too.) Even the more mundane dishes offer exciting twists. Look no further for proof than the chicken mole burrito, which incorporates that chocolate-tinged sauce to Pavlovian effect.

c/o Yelp

295 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.388.2161

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $
Hours: 3pm-Midnight (Kitchen); 3pm-4am (Bar)
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes