Don Paco Lopez Tortas

Delicious homemade green sauce salsa verde, whole sticks of herbs in there. I could not stop eating it.
Usually I stop at half a dish but here the great flavors keep you hooked.
Chilaquiles verdes. Try it.
Amazing quality, nice people.

THE BEST!!!
My husband is from Mexico, I just got back from Mexico, and we both agree that this is possibly the best/​most authentic Mexican food we’ve had in New York! We got a Torta, and it’s on the fresh bread they make at the bakery next door!!! Just so so so so good. Highly recommended.

Can’t believe this place isn’t more popular. They really are one of the better Mexican spots in East Harlem. I always get the vegetarian molé enchiladas — the molé is complex and slightly spicy, and the enchiladas are filled with rajas! Sprinkled lightly with cotija and topped with slices of avocado, plus served with a hefty side portion of rice and beans. SO MUCH FOOD.
It’s true they do take a bit long, so if you’re in a huge hurry, don’t bother (better yet, if you’re in such a hurry for tacos, previous reviewer, why not go to one of the many taco stands on the block?) To me this is just a sign that they’re not throwing a bunch of garbage together but are actually taking time with my food :)

Went on a Tuesday afternoon and ordered three tacos to go. FIFTEEN minutes later I get my tacos. I don’t understand why it took so long? I was in a hurry to go back to my college nearby. I’m giving this 2 stars because the tacos tasted good. The chicken taco were a decent size but the steak tacos? My gosh they were tiny and I can’t believe I paid $ 9.50 for 3 tacos when the menu says $ 3 each. (I also used my ID for 10% off so it should’ve been around $ 9 right?) I feel over charged.
Would not return again.

Fresh, lovely, delicious… you wouldn’t necessarily get this impression when casually walking by down 3^rd avenue (it has a «blink and you’ll miss it» façade), but yes, these are the appropriate words for this wonderful location. I’ve come here on two separate occasions — once to pick up lunch to go, and another to eat in with a friend. I’ve got the veggie burrito both times (asked for extra avocado on the side, and queso fresco instead of mozzarella in the burrito).
What a splendid plate they put together — my apologies for not taking a picture of it to share here on Unilocal,but I received a phone call right after the picture I took for here and forgot to take another picture. The burrito is huge, and packed well with a wonderful array of great veggies (the wonderful mushrooms were such a plus). What’s lovely is that they also provide you with a fresh assortment of finely chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, finely minced white onions, cilantro, and avocado (I believe you have to pay extra for the avocado, but I never not ordered it so I’m not sure about this one…). I LOVE that they do this because leaving it out allows the ingredients to retain their delightful freshness that perfectly complements the hearty (but not greasy) warm burrito.
Great things to know about this place — Out of this world lunch specials (both in taste and in price — it’s hard to remember you are in Manhattan when a burrito and a beverage clocks in around 8 bucks), and flashing your Hunter College ID will get you another 10% off. I need to remember to bring cash, though, because it’s a $ 10 minimum for credit cards. My buddy had their freshly squeezed el jugo de naraja and she absolutely loved it.
The staff is super pleasant and it’s just a really nice, clean restaurant. I am really a huge fan — will be sure to make this a weekly stop for lunch (at least)!

Ate here for breakfast. The staff was friendly, the food was very good. Place was clean and reasonably priced. I had them create an egg and chicken dish, which they did. I will return. This is a nice place.

This place is very good. the food is authentic (Poblana). I have tried several dishes, tortas, tacos, chilaquiles. However I keep going back for more Torta Chiapaneca. is just amazing, if you like pork you ought a try it. The freshly made guacamole with chips is perfect to share as an appetizer.

I got lunch here once, and it was really good (it was a quesadilla with vegetables) and a decent size. I was feeling happy about this restaurant after that. It’s a small, hole-​in-​the-​wall kind of place that is very casual — a few tables and no table service — and seems designed for take-​out.
Then yesterday I called ahead and placed a pick-​up order for a breakfast burrito. When I got home and opened it, I couldn’t believe it — It would have been a very funny joke, if only they weren’t serious. This «burrito» was so small it seemed that it wasn’t even worth the trouble someone took to make it! The idea that I spent ten minutes walking to pick this thing up was either hilarious or tragic, depending on how I thought about it. I was only hungrier after taking the three bites needed to eat this burrito. Thankfully, I had snacks in my kitchen.
I would come here again for lunch, but never again breakfast! Unless I’m completely not hungry at all and just need to go with someone else. Really, it was so small, I’m not sure it can be officially classified as «food.»

East Harlem around 116^th Street is the WORST place when it comes to lunch options with only fast food and a couple of Dominican eateries (which by the way is good but I’m curious why they DO NOT have any vegetables or salads on their menu) in the vicinity. I wanted Mexican food but I was getting tired of «El Aguila».
So today, decided to try out a ‘restaurant’ instead of a takeout place. I walked in and placed my order at the counter and sat down in one of the tables.
Pros:
–Food is made to order or cooked fresh. No pre-​made shit here. It takes a bit but worth it. Give them at least 10 minutes to get your food ready.
–Staff are courteous and service was surprisingly respectful and detail-​oriented. I got the Aztec Chicken and wanted a side of Avocado but the server told me the Avocados were not fresh today so he wouldn’t recommend it and let me know beforehand. Also, when the server brought out the food, he indicated what was each dish and salsa which I found a nice touch in such a casual place.
–The Aztec Chicken… Super tender Chicken Breast served with roasted onion bulbs, Jalapeño Peppers (HOT!!!), and Cactus that comes with a side of Mexican Rice and Beans and fresh tortillas, this was clearly a winner. Everything was so tasty and the chicken was flavorful and juicy! Nothing was over-​seasoned nor too salty. They also have three salsas available which were all good and spicy though not overly-​spicy.
–Prices are SOOO reasonable! DAYAAM!!!
Cons:
–Some of the items on the menu are not available or only available on weekends.
-$ 10 Minimum on Credit Cards
My total was $ 11.50 with a Diet Coke and I think it was one of the best money I’ve ever spent on lunch in this part of town. It’s more like 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5 stars!!!
Way to go Don Paco!

Their food is kinda good but trying to get a delivery from these guys these days is the biggest pain.
The worst of it was the last time I tried. Called them up to place an order 2 hours before they closed. They gave me the hardest time when I told them where I was (3 blocks away) because apparently they now only deliver within a 2 block radius. What? I told the guy that I’ve ordered from them plenty of times without a problem. The guy on the phone just paused and said «Uh…well… no late deliveries!!» *click* Again… what? All they had to do was say it was a new policy or even make something up — too many deliveries going out, anything! Don’t just yell and hang up. Jerk.
Ended up ordering from a tastier Mexican place about 15 blocks away.

Food was a bit salty, taco prices are more than surrounding areas. Salsas are not spicy nor are they tasty.

Tortas don Paco has some of the best tortas in the neighborhood, but they are also among the priciest. They have a professionally designed menu which sports massive and well-​crafted tortas for around $ 8 a pop, with custom names in the style of an Italian or Jewish deli. My personal favorite is probably the Chiapaneca. Also, they take credit card for orders under $ 10 (the minimum around here for the few places that aren’t cash only). And, luckily for us gringos, the staff speaks English better than any of the other torta/​taco places in the neighborhood. The price is a little higher than Aguila, but I’d say for tortas it’s usually worth it; even if they may seem a little smaller, they’re generally more satisfying and have a unique quality to them. This place is really worth a try.

This place is like vodka, or a bad boyfriend: I keep going back for more even though I know I shouldn’t.
The sandwiches here are delicious, but everytime I come, I’m famished and eat a 2,000 calorie sodium bomb in 10 minutes. It usually makes me fall asleep or experience hypertensive emergency during my 2 pm class at the Silberman School of Social Work.
But seriously, delicious tortas and they offer a 15% student discount.

After skipping the generic lunch being offered at a nearby event, I left famished and headed over to East Harlem in search of tacos, my new food craze. Having done no research ahead of time, I wandered into Don Paco Lopez Tortas randomly, which has as unassuming a storefront as any of the multitude of low-​key places in the area. The plain, tiny space, lit from its all-​glass front windows, has several small tables and a long ordering counter. The very professionally printed menu (in English and Spanish) is above the entire counter area.
I ordered a carne enchilada (spicy pork) taco and tinga de pollo taco (chipotle chicken stew). These were solid, very well-​made tacos; the very sight of them took my breath away, although my hunger and personal obsession with tacos may have something to do with that. Two tortillas to a taco, warmed and oiled, loads of meat and toppings, and a condiment rack with salsa verde, a smoky chipotle sauce, and lime wedges. The meat was tender, tasty, and went very well with all the toppings and tortillas. Delicious!
Their menu is very extensive and I’d love to return and try out things other than tacos. Excellent food and economical ($ 2.50 per generously sized taco).