Dos Caminos — Restaurant in New York

There is nothing worse (IMO) than trying to negotiate and eat in midtown during the holidays -- unless it's a Saturday before Christmas in Times Square. We had friends visiting from across the river and so lunch in the crowds became a necessity. I was so pleasantly surprised by Dos Caminos. We arrived, a party of four, with a member in a wheelchair and without at reservation at peak lunch hour. What was most amazing in a city that can be just harsh was that we got no attitude, questions, dirty looks, dismissive comments, scowls, or ignorance. Instead, we got 5-star service, friendliness, sincerity, and helpfulness...and were seated within 10 minutes of walking in. From the host managing the entry to the table bussers, service was impeccable and beyond what anyone in my party expected from a Times Square taco joint. Our food arrived promptly, despite the standing room only chaos. Appetizers and drinks were timed nicely, and every dish was hot and fresh. The chips and salsa trio provided a nice selection of savory and heat for the various tastes at the table...and a small guac was more than enough for the four of us. My taco birria was juicy and tender with a smoky mole and queso, and next to me, the carnitas tempted a bite with slow-roasted pork and black beans. Across the table, the avocado toast looked tempting, but what I really wanted to stick a fork in, was the churros pancakes. Call it the kid in me, but I couldn't resist the tower of whipped cream, caramel, and crispy cinnamon churros! Everything was delicious and filling. I'd venture to say that if the food and service were this reliable during the holiday madness, Dos Caminos is probably a reliable candidate for a repeat visit. The only problem we encountered was the restroom and washroom. For a patron in a wheelchair, the street level bar and dining area are level, wide open, and easy to access. However, the only restrooms are down two long flights of stairs and completely inaccessible. The trip down was harrowing, even with assistance, and the trip back up -- well, it couldn't have been done without another hale diner and a sturdy chair. Who says New Yorkers don't have heart! Thank you and Gracias to the gentleman who helped me carry...

We’re New Yorkers and have frequented Dos Caminos over the years due to reliability of service, quality/consistency of food, and relative value (particularly when our kids are with us). Our most recent visit unfortunately missed the solid mark of previous experiences. Service-wise, our server (Joey) was solid but the check-in experience was off. We had reservations and were left waiting (unacknowledged) at the host/hostess check-in area for a solid 5 minutes. We were the only ones waiting to be seated and the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy yet, and several employees (including what turned out to be the hostess) spotted us a handful of times from the bar area or as they walked passed us and didn’t make the effort to acknowledge us or simply let us know that the hostess would come see us soon. For some reason, the person who turned out to be the hostess peeked out from behind the bar area a couple of times from the bar area but waited awhile before approaching us. Then she had a weird (not so welcoming) exchange with us (not a huge deal but just awkward).

Food quality was just OK this time. It looks like they revamped/streamlined their menu recently (we’ve dined here for brunch and regular weekday before too). Our kids were left disappointed as they pulled back on their kids menu (more options before and each menu item now comes with less). For example, they previously enjoyed the make your own taco option which now only comes with the protein, chopped tomatoes and chopped lettuce. Previously, it also came with beans/rice plus a kids drink! They still charge the same price so definitely a huge step backwards for families. Our kids probably wont request us to take them here anymore.

Hopefully they revert back a bit on their menu. We never minded paying the “New York” prices on drinks and regular menu items, particularly because our kids were enjoying the kids menu (and we appreciated its...

The guacamole and salsas were tasty. Initially, the bartender was attentive and friendly. We noted the hostess to lock the door (9pm closure) which entered into the bar area of the restaurant where we sat. As I continued to enjoy my chips and salsa, a server asked my husband if he was done with his plate and removed it when my husband replied yes. The server returned to remove my salsas. The bartender seemed to hear me say to my husband, “Hey the server took the salsas that I was still eating (part of my guacamole ordered with my wine). The bartender then abruptly removed my basket of chips that remained semi full that I had not finished nibbling on. These actions felt very cold and left us with the impression that the bartender wanted us to immediately leave, as he continued to entertain and offer drinks to an ex-employee & her party sitting next to me. The ex-employee happened to be chatting with three others; one being another woman who the bartender appeared to have an interest in. It was evident he did not want the other woman to leave considering he repeatedly offered her another drink. When a friend of this woman arrived, she was left without nearby seating. My husband and I proceeded to exit the restaurant and noted that other customers were barely be served their dinners, so we did not understand the rush treatment at the bar; especially when others seated at the bar had arrived prior to us. As we made our full exit, I waved to the two hostesses and loudly said to them, “Thank you and enjoy your evening.” One of the two responded with an under enthused grin and no verbal response. The following day after my husband and I reflected on our experience, we regretted leaving the bartender a 20% tip. This is not how my husband I wanted to end our last night in New York. Customer service everywhere else in New York...