Amazing place. Everything is reasonably price, the service is always great, and the food is never bad. I am not crazy about the margaritas on tap, but that could just be me. You can get them hand done if you want. More of a beer person anyway. I’ve never had a bad experience here and have been going for some time now. I HIGHLY recommend the place for anyone in the area! Now they have outside seating too so even better.
Mike W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Brooklyn, NY
The food is delicious and the drinks are pretty good. It does get crowded and feels cramped at times. Still a cool spot to get some string drinks and filling food.
Teagan R.
Rating des Ortes: 3 New York, NY
I thought Chavela’s was okay — good but not worth waiting inline for, which you’ll often see on weekends for brunch. I came here for dinner and was able to get a table. We got a pitcher of margaritas, which were not very strong(really disappointing because of the price); guacamole, which was very good; and tacos(good but not the best). If you are looking for a sit down Mexican place by the Franklin spot, Chavela’s is good but I wouldn’t recommend waiting for a table when there are so many other wonderful food spots just a few steps away.
Michelle S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Brooklyn, NY
We love this place for a fancier mexican dinner. They have great margaritas, fun tacos and we can bring our vegan friends since they have tons of vegan substitutes. Their squash blossoms are fantastic and I love their mole enchiladas. Get lots of little appetizers for the table. It’s a shame they don’t take reservations though. I had family in town and brought a party of 6, even called a few days before and they said they’d try to hold something for us but when we arrived there was just a communal table with 4 more seats that we had to squeeze into. A lot of places in the neighborhood will take a reservation for larger parties and I really wish they’d been more accommodating.
Jamie J.
Rating des Ortes: 1 New York, NY
Blown away by how awful this place is. The service was ridiculously slow. The staff weren’t friendly at all! The food was the worst of all. I’m not sure if the items I ordered were the issue, but everything my friend and I dined on(or tried to) was unappetizing. Unlikely to return.
Srdan K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
Great place !! 5* I have been here 3 times so far. And never dissapointed with food or service. Always so good ! Today i had a Thursday special. Some great steak with tacos & cactus . Greatly decorated interior, really cozy with just right temperature and music. Not loud but not soft either. Perfect to have a chat and not try to hear what person next to you is saying. Nice spot to have a date. Staff is really friendly and knowledgable. Place worth coming even if you live in different area of Brooklyn, like i do(prospect park south) Come and try it out, you will not be dissapointed.
Antesa J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
So I’m of the fortunate disposition of having a best friend who understands that tacos = LIFE and part of the task in planning her wedding is TACOTASTING because she’s going to have a taco buffet at her wedding next fall. Pretty freakin’ awesome, right? So off we go to eat tacos and drink agua fresca and pack ourselves in with the rest of Brooklyn for the long haul. My appetite is way bigger than my stomach but we definitely made it happen and I had to roll myself out of there and into a cab home. Worth it? Totally. Definitely get the horchata agua fresca. Cinnamon and coconut go unbelievably well together.
Ayesha A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Brooklyn, NY
I’ve been here twice and enjoyed both times. First time I came was in a Saturday and it was packed. They have a waiting area at the side where you can stand and wait and even order drinks. Pretty smart on their part. A waitress comes around the waiting area and takes orders and attaches it to your name on the wait list. The sangria margarita mix drink is really good. I always get that. I’ve had the tacos that were good. Chips and guac are pretty good too. Last time I came I got the mole chicken which looked great but was lacking a lot of flavor. I wouldn’t get this again but I would come back to the restaurant and try something else.
Eyleen M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Valley Stream, NY
Their«Plato Don» — Carne. 2 of us were able to share just one of these platters and were pretty fully. Everything was amazing and it was nice being able to pick & choose how much to put in each of our tortillas. All for $ 17. SOGOOD. We also got happy hour margaritas which were also strong and yummy. The service was quick, the bathroom is nicely decorated and the bar was beautiful! Highly recommend this place
Rebecca E.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Flushing, NY
Great spot to get some quick tacos. Happy hour special will get you tacos for about $ 2/$ 3. Low light and nice music ambience in the evening so makes for a nice environment. If you don’t get there early enough, you’ll have a hard time getting a seat.
Melissa L.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brooklyn, NY
I really like this place! We were there last night,(monday night) and it was almost a full house. The décor is beautiful! It wasnt too loud, and our server was attentive for the most part(she forgot to bring out the guac before our entrees, but its ok it happens). The food was very good, actually, it was pretty amazing.
Jen S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
Great service, venue & food! They were able to accommodate our large party in the separate dining room and we were served promptly. The food was all delicious. My friend has been raving about his place for years. Glad to finally check it out!
Sophie F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Maplewood, NJ
Couldn’t believe the price we paid for 3 meals. Almost unheard of in Brooklyn these days as restaurants give you bite-sized food for an outrageous amount. Thank you Chavela for giving me great food and not breaking my pocket in the process. I was also equally shocked that we got a table and service was what it was(awesome!!!). It was very crowded in there but the waitress was still attentive and our dishes did not take forever. Will totes return.
Ann B.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Stony Brook, NY
Went with my cousin to celebrate her last day of cancer treatment. This place is so tiny, but the hostess was quite nice and welcoming(this determines the vibe in most experiences). Anyway, we got to our table the waitress was friendly as well. We ordered the don Plato, the queso jalapeño tamale, and empanadas. Unfortunately, they did not have any that day which left me disappointed. It was happy hour so for drinks we ordered the sangria margarita & a basic red sangria. The drinks very decent to be honest. We shared a chocolate covered bread pudding that was so delicious, but wasn’t sweet. The bill came to $ 40 and that was so clutch. Price– reasonable, I dig it. Food– well seasoned & tastes good, but I wasn’t wowed. It was basic, but the desserts though… Customer service– the staff is on point and they are swift. Vibe-Aztec figures, salsa/bachata was playing, loads of hipsters(gentrifiers) were in attendance, and there was rustic/colorful décor.
Kemi A.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Brooklyn, NY
Monday evening here was sure packed. Good thing we came a bit after 630p and were able to get seated right away. I had a big lunch so sadly I didn’t get chance to order entrée. My dinner mate who lives here ordered Tilapia which she of course knew she would like. I stayed with empanadas. Two were in the order. I liked the crust texture. The filling was a slight bit on the bland side but I thought the sauce would make up for it but the sauce was even more bland. Who serves bland sauce with empanadas? Jazz it up. spice it up. Halfway through I figure I could have asked for a spicy sauce but I was like«meh». Just let me continue my convo. For drinks, I had the cucumber Don Pepino and Doña Paloma. both tasty.
Natalie A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Stockholm, Sweden
Their Chile Relleno Torta was THEBESTSANDWICH I HAVEEVERHAD! I came here after reading about their tortas, but I was not expecting this! The bread was crispy right at the surface, and then incredibly fluffy and light inside, some of it soaking up the tomato sauce. That sauce and the peppers had so much flavor and the cheese was super gooey and delicious. We also shared a chicken mole tamale and a cactus taco, and they were both good, though nothing compared to the torta. Mostly they just sounded interesting compared to anything I’ve ever had in Sweden. The aguas frescas were also really good, though I don’t have anything to compare them to. Out of everything I ate in NYC during my visit, this was definitely my favorite meal. I can’t wait to be back!
Paula F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brevoort, Estados Unidos
Platos de comida buenisima y abundante a buen precio. Servicio excelente en un sitio particular!
Pam V.
Rating des Ortes: 4 México, D.F., México
Cuando llegué, me sentí en el Tlaquepaque Jalisco, por la decoración y el tipo de tequilas que encontré, había gente de muchas nacionalidades atendiendo y eso lo hizo más interesante. Ya sé que un lugar mexicano en NY da flojera, pero éste realmente vale la pena.
D.J. K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Atlanta, GA
Really great Mexican food in Brooklyn. Friend and I split the PLATODONCARNE — with chipotle chicken & marinated steak for $ 17. Definitely recommend this plate because it has a little bit of everything(rice, corn tortillas, beans, meat, guac, pico di gallo). So good! The food came out quickly and service was very efficient. This place is tiny, but they really try to maximize the space by moving around tables and chairs. My friend also got one of their house sangria’s and drank every last drop of it!
Marina S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Brooklyn, NY
I’m not in Crown Heights too often, but Chavela’s makes a very convincing point to come back. Definitely some of the best Mexican food that I’ve had in NYC… sorry Bushwick! Their brunch is everything and anything you could ever want. Order the prix fixe brunch menu to load up on caffeine(coffee or tea), get some carbs to soak up the hangover(Mexican sweet bread), and then nom one of their fantastic meals. We shared the guacamole, breakfast enchiladas, and eggless plato don brunch specials, which were all delicious(and huge). Definitely try their mole sauce, which is sweet, spicy, and perfect for smothering everything. Their eggless plato don was 10x larger than I expected it to be, but no regrets. It’s perfect for vegetarians and/or those who love rolling their own tacos with a huge variety of ingredients, including beans, vegetables, guac, pico, and even chilaquiles on the side. I ended up taking most of mine home because I was too full, but it was certainly a welcome change to the regular huevos rancheros/breakfast burritos you find at most Mexican brunches. Service started dropping off towards the end, when we were in need of more water/coffee(one cup just doesn’t do it on a weekend), but otherwise, everything was fantastic. Definitely coming back soon to try some of their regular menu offerings.
Lea M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Quickborn, Germany
Wonderful mexican Food! We had something called plato with carne where you can make and fill your own tacos. Perfect Mixture. Also The guacamole was The best i ever tried. The music is pretty loud and the waiters are hectic but all in all it was a wonderful evening. Also loved the churros for dessert and the homemade lemonade!
Denise W.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Astoria, Queens, NY
Great Authentic Mexican food! After spending a beautiful day at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, we decided to grab brunch here. This was a personal favorite haunt of my boyfriend’s when he lived in the neighborhood and he was happy to introduce me to this place. The food was fresh and very flavorful. The cocktails were also very inventive and tasty. We started with a ceviche that was citrusy and refreshing. He got his favorite dish: Chicken Mole and since he spoke so highly of their mole sauce, I got a Chicken Mole tamale that was smothered in the delicious mole sauce and a tinga quesadilla that was perfectly spiced. I also got an extra Nopales taco. I never had cactus before and it was sweet, a bit tart, and had a soft texture. I loved it! The front looks very weird with an off color blue-green dome top with Chavela’s written on it and was quite unassuming but once you walk in, the rustic décor and high ceiling inside was beautiful. It was also decorated with Mexican motifs and very cool wood carved masks on the wall. It was also well priced and the menu was set up so that it was easy to try a bit of everything. Definitely would return when I’m the area.