Gordo's Cantina — Restaurant in New York

So sad to say I am updating my below review to 1 star. Went back tonight and it was deeply disappointing. And I have a very strong sense of value and tend to finish food I don’t even like! But I literally had a couple of bites of each course and despite being genuinely hungry was just like “nope. Gonna have to walk home and fix a grilled cheese”. Elotes were soggy, veg were soggy plus bitter, tortillas greasy. Spice on elotes tasted stale. Flavor profiles all over the place. My partner reported his as “okay” in flavor but totally cold. I’d probably have just salted everything to death to help it out but there was no seasoning, sauce etc on hand and no one came by to offer us anything, less still to check on us at any point. (And not as in they didn’t actively come up to our table, they literally didn’t come to the back of the restaurant at all, there was no question of flagging anyone down.) Part of me didn’t want to be asked anyway as I would have struggled to answer in a way that was neither a lie nor rude. But I still think it would have been a lot better to have a conversation about it. I think it’s a genuinely tricky question when a customer hates their food. It’s not like a corked wine which is so obviously objective and not like anyone in the restaurant had to go to trouble making the wine in the kitchen. A prepared dish (unless obviously moldy or something!) is admittedly different and there’s no rule book way to address that. I get that and would have been amenable to most efforts at some kind of solution. Even just an “oh dear I’m sorry to hear that” would have helped. But even when I went to the counter to get the check so we could peace out with unfinished plates, we were just handed the card machine with no suggestion of “how was your meal guys?” Not that I wanted to launch into some diatribe but don’t you typically ask when you can see people are leaving with a plate virtually untouched? This is what leads to a situation where I walk out feeling like I could have just set fire to $60 and saved myself some time—and end up writing a disgruntled review, which nobody wants.

Review from one year ago: Delightful! Small place, staff were chatting to each other and other customers throughout our visit like old friends. Cute weird decor. Straightforward menu (the usual suspects) prepared with care. $7 rosé and it wasn’t...

Amazing place! Good things come in small packages. This place is a gem. I sat alone at the counter on a day off and was super impressed by the day manager. He was very polite, very professional and took pride in his job. Can't say enough about how great he was. Took the time to explain everything on the menu. I am a taco guy so I had chorizo tacos and chips and guac. Everything is made fresh to order in an open kitchen. The tacos were amazing, little salty, but amazing. I mean the best chorizo tacos I have ever had. For me, the chips are important. My family loves to start with chips and guac but some places the guac is not great and others, the chips not great. This place nailed it. Unfortunately, you get a small portion of guac for a large pile of chips but hey, lets face it, avocados are super expensive right now. I was so excited about the tacos that I went back the same day for dinner! I get really annoyed by taco places that won't let you mix the tacos. This place has a 4 taco sampler. Steak, chicken, chorizo and pork. The chorizo, as I said, was amazing, pork amazing, the steak was a little gristly, the chicken I could do without. I will give the steak another try as I see in the reviews that people like the steak. Long story short. I went twice in one day and I will be back 1,000 times. The word on the streets is that their sandwiches (tortas) are also excellent. One thing to consider is that they are smack dab next door to Scandals, a fairly large strip club. It is not unsafe. It is a very busy area next to the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge. Please don't let that dissuade you though but keep in mind that the music can be heard...

Went to Gordo's, got the mole negro, asada tacos and chorizo quesadilla with several drinks and had a great time.

The chorizo quesadilla was by-far the fav out of what my friend and I ordered. Their quesadillas are served open-faced, featuring seared cheese and meat and are definitely the most unique, expressive item they have on the menu. The chorizo is well-seasoned and charred to perfection. Will strongly rec this to anyone wanting to know what's worth their time and money on the menu.

The mole negro was also good. The sauce is the star of the show; it's flavorful, rich and generously applied to the chicken enchiladas. The tortillas and chicken on their own are mild but that's okay because they're a canvas for this absolutely fire mole sauce. Would also recommend this.

The asada tacos are good but I wouldn't get them again. They felt pretty standard; like something I could get from a birria taco truck for a lil bit less but hey, you're also paying for vibes and service.

Speaking of, our server was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. All of her recommendations delivered.

Drinks were strong. Wished I skipped the michelada my first round and went straight for the margaritas, which had a generous pour.

Check it out. Def...