Casa Carmen Flatiron — Restaurant in New York

Casa Carmen has a truly traditional Mexican dining experience. The restaurant has a lovely ambiance with ample seating. My order featured an array of dishes, each offering a genuinely authentic and fresh flavor profile. However, it's worth noting that some of these dishes could benefit from improved seasoning balance. There were instances of excessive saltiness in certain dishes, while others fell short in the salt department. I had high expectations for their tacos but they lacked the flavor I was anticipating.

The waitstaff provided warm service, but I do wish they offered more detailed dish explanations; regrettably, everything arrived with vague, mumbled names. This would have been particularly helpful as nearly thirty percent of our orders contained highly spicy peppers. The presence of spiciness were not indicated in the menu. One was so intensely fiery with raw red peppers that it made me hiccup.

Additionally, there was one item I took a small bite out of but didn't enjoy due to excessive greasiness and overcooking. When I inquired about sending it back, our waiter initially expressed uncertainty and had to consult with the manager. Eventually, the manager reluctantly agreed but emphasized, "only this time." This practice is commonplace among restaurants in New York City for a way for managers to leave good impressions on their guests so if Casa Carmen is to survive, it would be wise to adopt this practice.

As we departed, we were not offered a word of thanks. Perhaps the manager could exhibit a bit more graciousness in this regard.

Food: 3/5 Service:...

First time dining here. My wife and I love authentic Mexican food so we were looking forward to a great meal. First, let me start off by saying that Casa Carmen offers a visually appealing ambiance. However, despite its elevated decor, the meal and service fell short of expectations.

While the menu seemed enticing, the execution fell flat. We ordered the guacamole, tostadas de cangrejo, Garnachas Orizabeñas, trio de quesadilla, and tacos de carnitas.

Guacamole: Average, plain guacamole, nothing to write home about. Tortilla chips were nice.

Garnachas Orizabeñas: these were our least favorite. Overly oily, lacked flavor, and sloppy presentation. Almost no brisket on this dish, mostly small cubes of potato on a tortilla. Also, quite oily.

Trio de quesadilla: Again, a very average dish. Oil drowned the tortilla causing it to become quite soggy and unappetizing. Too heavy on the cheese.

Tostadas de cangrejo: The crab tostadas were enjoyable. Flavors were interesting, could have used more seasoning but all ingredients had a nice freshness.

Adding to the disappointment was the indifferent service. The waitstaff seemed a bit disinterested and inattentive. When I brought the food issues to the waiters attention he said he would bring a manager. 5 minutes later he comes back with the check with the items removed but not much of an explanation and seemed pretty indifferent about our experience.

Wanted to enjoy it but this missed the...

The food and drinks were phenomenal! We ordered the ceviche which was fresh and full of flavor, spice level was great! The ensalada Carmen was incredible, the nopal and queso panela were a good combination. The garnachas had a kick to them but it made you want more. A huge hit were the empanadas de platano, the sweet and salty with the chocolate and chipotle based sauce was unreal!

For entrees we did the ribeye tacos, pescado con verdolagas and the ribeye huarache! All were so filling and delicious! As a Mexican, it’s hard finding good quality Mexican food with fresh ingredients but they really hit the nail on the head with each dish and the mix of flavors. The drinks packed a punch and we appreciated their use of mezcal in several of the cocktail options.

Finally to end we tried the tres leches which wasn’t too sweet but still moist. The fresh strawberries really elevated it. The pastel de elote was also a favorite, fresh out of the oven so it was warm and melted in your mouth. Mixed with the coffee ice cream, it was a dream.

I would absolutely come back a hundred times! Good job Casa...