Antojeria La Popular

I really liked the tamarindo drink! the corn and cheese side was amazing and my favorite taco was the chorizo.
I think the portions are too small for $ 5 – 7 I would price them way less.
next time I’m trying a desserts!

3.5 stars. My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place and were immediately intrigued by the menu and vibe. Note, they do not serve hard liquor, just beer and wine, so no margaritas, which is surprising.
Firstly, 5 stars for music. A great combo of Latin rock music, Bunbury, Mana, can’t go wrong. Cool vibe and set up, we sat at the bar.
We came during happy hour which is $ 5 for sangria and all appetizers. We ordered the Yucatan and Morelo tostadas. For the Yucatan, definitely order with the chicharron chips, the regular chips were hard as rocks. The Morello tostada was very tasty, creamy and a lot of flavor. Per the waitresses recommendation, we also ordered the Zacatecas tostada with the sirloin steak. The steak was a bit stringy for me and we felt this dish was just ok.
Would I return? Probably, but more for the a drink and the vibe. Def come during happy as the portions are rather small and in my opinion, not worth it for $ 7.95 a plate but I do understand it is Soho.

This is a tapas style restaurant that I came across on Groupon and decided to try. Even though the tapas are small, they were surprisingly filling! We saw the crickets tostada on the menu and felt compelled to try it. How often do you see that on a menu in NYC? It was a little intimidating to eat but got over it and took a bite. The little critters were extrememely flavorful (lime and chili). A little too flavorful for my liking and that turned me off than the idea of eating an actual bug.
The other items were just mediocre and the seating inside is very very tight.

I bought a groupon for this place a month ago where for 27 dollars we could get 1 ceviche, 1 Botana, 2 mer, 2 Tierra, and 1 dessert (it states this ON the groupon!) — 7 items in total… When we got there tonight the waitress informed is that we couldn’t get what was stated on the groupon and we could only get 40 dollars worth of food. There was absolutely no combination of 7 items (including a ceviche) that would have been less than 40 dollars. The waitress refused to honor our groupon and there was no one present at the restaurant (manager etc) who could explain why this was. This was false advertising straight up. What a scam.

The tacos were flour not corn, but apart from that slight complaint they were really good and juicy. They do have a lot of weird flavors, but just stick to the classics and get yourself some carnitas and carne asada. Also they have a wicked habanero sauce (the yellow one) — don’t miss out on that.

Great vibe here – fun, modern, and very festive. Service was excellent and food is a little on the adventurous side, and actually really tasty.
However, I get that it’s Mexican style tapas, but everything could use a boost in portion size! $ 7 for a tiny taco that’s a challenge to share? Really? It’s my only gripe – maybe have 2 tacos per serving? We had a ceviche, 3 tacos, tostada and a pita taco, all pretty undersized.
Good tapas prices when you look at the menu, but again, VERY small portions. Food was indeed delicious, sangria was refreshing. We spent a good amount of $$, but still left hungry. No bueno. :/

Recently got around to having a full meal that place. My first experience here was around Happy Hour 4−7pm where I tried their sangria (pretty decent) and had a few apps that my friends had ordered. I noticed this place was on Groupon (hopefully this doesn’t mean that they will be closing soon) I honestly think this place is super cute!
Love– The décor, the ambiance, the bar side seating watching my food get made. The guava juice (SUPER Love) The taquitos and tacos were really delicious! I ordered most of the beef tacos and the salmon one. I didn’t really enjoy the cold dish to much.
The could do better– $ 7 for a taco is ridiculous! Especially when you will probably need 4 dishes yourself to be full. The waitress was nice and explained that this place is a tapas style place. Well then maybe you should give 2 or 3 smaller tacos per order. Also for dessert the flan has sooo much caremal on it. So unless you LOVE caremel as for it on the side. Watch out for the auto grat of 18%.
I probably would not come back unless i have another groupon deal. The place seemed pretty empty for lunch hour (1pm ish) But if I didn’t have a groupon deal it would of been an expensive $ 70 lunch!

Service was slow. They say that they don’t try to be authentic, but whatever they were doing, they might want to recalibrate. I had just gotten back from three months in Mexico when I went in, the bad authentic stuff is better than what they were doing. The ceviche was not good. It had some other kind of ingredient in it that made you wonder why they called it ceviche. We had about six things, a drink each, spent about $ 70 and went and had a dessert at Rice to Riches so we could actually get full.
They’ve Grouponed, so expect this to be one of the last reviews before seeing this listing marked CLOSED.
Good idea, great conceptdesign, great interior design, bad management, food that looks pretty in the pictures but doesn’t measure up tastewise.

OMG, I used to come here with my homegirl to get her checks cashed! It’s so crazy to see the neighborhood check cashing place turn into a fancy pants tapas spot.
Now, I’m not a fan of tapas, because they’re just overpriced appetizer samples, but this spot has a great pre fixe where you can kind of sample a few things from the menu and fill your small stomach up without breaking the bank.
I totally recommend the pre fixe, which for $ 40 split between two people comes with
1 ceviche of your choice, 1 side, 2 mar tapas, 2 tierra tapas and one dessert. We ordered a split of things, starting with Nayrit ceviche, which was sooo yummy, but took forever to get. This isn’t the place to get a quick meal, that’s for sure. Second up came the Tabasco side, which was yummy melted cheese with corn and flour tortillas. It was really small (I know, tapas) and we had to request more tortillas (whch we were charged for!) but it was sooooo good! Next up I got the Baja snack, which was really good with shrimp and just enough to eat. I also got the Chiapas which was a vegan bean combo thing on a torta. It was okay, but I did wish there was a better veggie option. The flan was great, but my friend and I were still hungry afterwards so we also ordered a quesedilla, which since it is made with cheese was great.
Our server was nice and it was fun to sit at the bar and watch the talented chefs create everything by hand. That being said it’s fun for a date and if you aren’t rushing to the next place.

I stopped in here one Sunday afternoon with my husband after hearing about this place through PureWow or some other email blast. The place itself is cute and has a decent looking selection of items on the menu.
However, we ended up being very disappointed. The service was amazingly slow — we ordered 3 tacos and spent over an hour there as they painfully rolled out individually. They were so slow that we tried to cancel the third one because we couldn’t wait around for it any longer and it wasn’t clear if they had just forgotten it or not anyway. The food itself was nothing I couldn’t make in my own kitchen with the most simple list of ingredients. I couldn’t believe we were paying $ 5−6/taco for a measly amount of food that was mediocre at best. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. If you are hungry and in the area of Antojeria, find a taco cart and that will be money better spent.

I walked by this store to see if I can use the restroom/​check the menu for any good drinks. All of a sudden, this pretty waitress popped out of the quick serve area at the front.
I asked if they served horchata here since I didn’t see it on the menu. And to my surprise, she said they did and it would cost $ 3.25
I obliged, and went straight to their bathroom.
When I came out, she had prepared the drink for me with crushed ice. It was chalky, thick and probably the sweetest thing I’ve ever drank in my life. She said that this is how people like it… I don’t know what kind of people like this stuff to be this sweet and thick. It tasted like a base of it (I know since I make horchata often), and that she didn’t know that you were supposed to mix in water/​milk. Anyway, I asked if she could put water in it, but that didn’t help much. In fact it was so undrinkable that I just asked for another drink, which they gave me. I got the tamarind drink which was just okay.
Now that I look back at their menu, they have horchata in their cocktail list. Which explains why this drink was so strong. it was a mixing ingredient that was meant to be diluted.
I haven’t actually eaten anything besides drinking this botched horchata. but with such staff who do not know the menu or the cuisine, I cannot expect much from this place.

I tried SO hard to like them. (it’s actually more of a 2.5) The concept was so cute and thoughtful– every dish originating from a different area of Mexico. They have some house-​made sauces which is kind of cool. Came in by myself around 7pm on a Saturday evening. Crowd was mostly parties of two on dates or catching up, with a group of fun, rowdy Spanish-​speaking mamas celebrating some birthday. Service was nothing special– not spectacular and not bad.
The food– I got two items and a sangria. Sangria’s pretty standard. What I didn’t like was the presentation– they use a giant glass but only fill it halfway. Ok, maybe they’re trying to be artsy, but I don’t think it’s as appealing when it comes to the table like that.
Jalisco: shrimp, corn, avo, pasilla mayo on jicama tortilla. The pasilla mayo was delicious; unfortunately, that’s pretty much all you taste– mayo and corn. It’s a very soggy tortilla, and I wish they would lay off a bit on the mayo so you could taste the shrimp and jicama.
Oxaca: avocado crème, crickets!, on a blue corn tortilla. The reviews on these are so mixed… Like the Jalisco, I felt likt the featured ingredient didn’t get a chance to stand out. the Oxaca was good, but very very very salty. The cricket flavor didn’t really stand out– I still can’t pinpoint what it was, but in brief, it was earthy, dirt. The Oxaca was good with one of their homemade sauces– there’s a smokey one that looks like BBQ sauce.
Depends on what kind of eater you are– it’s so pricey for a very small portion. I (kind of) liked both things I ordered, but there’s a big «if» connected to that. I would like both items more IF they laid off on the sauce.

The concept is high-​end Mexican Street Food. There were several things I liked about the restaurant immediately. It’s downstairs location made it cozy and dark (which is why I have no photos — it was like, really dark). This place was relatively tiny — maybe 12 tables in the place. It was lively, and mostly a packed house by 9 PM. This place has star appeal.
We ordered some Sangria, which was topped by what is that. .. beer? I didn’t know how to feel about that, but I had a Urban Daddy Perk for bottomless Sangria, so I felt I had to get my money’s worth i.e. booze my face off within the two hour time limit indicated in the fine print. The deal also included the choice of seven menu items. For $ 48, this really was a good deal. We could select one ceviche (typically $ 6.95), one botana (side item, $ 4.95), two Mar Tapas («from the sea» — seafood, $ 6.95), two Tierra Tapas («from the land» — meat, $ 5.95) and a dessert to share.
For the majority of our order we just followed the black check marks on the menu which pointed out their most often ordered items. We placed our order and literally within 3 minutes a plate of food arrived. Holy shit they were fast. And it was weird that we received the tapas before ceviche. As you’re supposed to at a restaurant, we began eating the food in front of us.
Our waitress came over with a dazed look on her face and said, «Uh. Did someone deliver this to the table?» to which I wish I would have been quick enough to respond, «No, I went and grabbed it from the kitchen». She explained that it wasn’t actually our meal, but left it at the table, so we continued to eat. Score! We got about $ 20 worth of free tapas. There was a carnitas tostada topped with lettuce and crema, a pulled chicken with mole sauce, sesame seeds, queso fresco, lettuce and crema (we ended up ordering one of these ourselves) and a Jalisco Shrimp «taco» with a jicama shell (this was super clever), pasilla mayo, corn, a big avocado slice and chile powder (we also ordered one of these). I wish those poor, and probably now, very hungry, bastards would have ordered other stuff so we could have tried some more different items. But then again, stupid beggars can’t be stupid choosers.
Oaxaca — WTF CRICKETS atop avocado crema? I had to try it. This one was interesting but super skimpy. To be fair, I guess having a huge mouth full of bugs sounds pretty unappetizing. These little critters were crunchy — perhaps fried? They had a nice hit of salt and were complemented well by the avocado. I probably wouldn’t order it again, but I’m glad that I gave it a try.
Flan — The caramel sauce on this dish was baller, but the flavor and texture of the flan itself was a bit off. It was too grainy and eggy. Kind of a bummer. And like, you’re a Mexican place? How do you eff up flan?
Overall, it was an interesting meal. Our waitress was nice enough, and did a great job keeping our glasses full. I’m glad that they accidentally sent us an extra order of tapas because I think we would have been pretty hungry at the end of the meal otherwise. Also, these plates were terrible for sharing. How do you share a taco when the restaurant doesn’t offer knives and plates? There was a lot of unintentional saliva swapping in this meal. If you’re down with that, then give the place a try. The tapas are unique (cricket effing tacos and quesadillas y’all), and the vibe of the restaurant is cool as sh*t.

Say what? Cricket tacos?
Fate accidentally brought me to Antojeria La Popular in a low blood sugar fog. The morelos were gooodddd. Classic roasted corn dish without the mess. Anything smothered in queso fresco makes me a happy lady. I ordered the Guerrero and Colima plates. The jicima tortillas are kinda brilliant. Think along the lines of taste and texture of thinly sliced green apple– tart and crispy. Only complaint were the few chewy pieces in the raw tuna, connective tissue maybe? The Hidalgo was awesome, though. Another thing you must try is the almond/​soy milk mexican chocolate. One of my buds compared the taste/​smell to Cherry Garcia ice cream. Dead on. So good!
Anyone complaining about the serving sizes obviously does not understand the concept of tapas. In my opinion, really cute spot for an adventurous date. Service was outrageously friendly and accommodating. Would definitely recommend.

Antojeria is on the quieter side of Spring Street in Soho. We discovered this restaurant by friend’s recommendation. We came here on a Saturday noon and it looked like it just opened. We were the only customers here. The place has a nice interesting décor of 80s-​meet-​Mexican. I like the black and white tile floor and mirror walls.
Although I am not Mexican native nor am I expert on Mexican street eats, I really enjoyed the food here. As a pregnant woman, I had to pass on their Sangria or any alcohol but I did try their Aqua Fresca. They got the Tamarin flavor and the other one is Horchata. They are both very good depending on your preference. Tamarin is a little sweet and sour while Horchata is cinnamony and sweet.
The portion here is Tapas style so don’t expect a giant burrito or a pile of nacho chips on the menu. I got the Distrito Federal ceviche to start. It comes in a tiny cup with some tortilla on the side. The ceviche has a lot of sirloin, shrimp and tilapia and the flavor is sour, spicy and refreshing. I wish I could drink the whole sauce inside! I am not as adventurous as other diners who have tried the Crickets in some of the tapas so I went for the safer choices. Nonetheless, my choices are excellent. I had the Veracruz, which has shrimp, cheese and avocado on a tortilla. It was creamy and fresh. Did I mention they have this homemade hot sauce with a hint of mango? It is not too spicy so you can give it a try. I ended my meal with a Tamaulipas, which has sirloin, beans, cheese and salsa in a pita pocket. My husband tried their Papa Con Chorizo Quesadilla and it is also pretty delicious.
I think 3 dishes a person is plenty. We are both full after having 3 tapas each. Our waiter is very attentive and friendly. The food comes out a little slow but I saw them make them on the fly. So, I guess waiting a bit for fresh food is worth it!

Excited to try this new subterranean spot but the food was not great. We tried four tostadas– all for $ 5.95 each… the tuna and avocado with crispy fried leeks, chipotle mayo on a blue corn tostada was the best of the bunch and I would eat that again. I wanted to get the cricket tostada to compare it to Toloache’s version (which is awesome), but ALP was out on the day I visited.
The interior got on my nerves a little… the music was a little too loud given that the place was 90% empty and the 3-​D cubic designs on the tiles (on the walls and floor) made me dizzy. The server was really nice and happy to offer recommendations. We were disappointed in the Veracruz chorizo-​shrimp tostada (no chorizo flavor in sight, and lacked any zing whatsoever), the Potosi chicken and bean tostada with salsa verde (bland, no distinguishable flavor) and the Michoacan chicken mole’ tostada (again, forgettable). The tostadas are small but two of them easily provide an adequate lunch, and they could be cobbled together with some of the other offerings (sides, quesadillas and chilaquiles) for a more substantial dinner with drinks. I could see this being a great place for a relatively inexpensive night of drinks and nibbles with friends, or for an early dinner with kids.
Though I was not really thrilled, I could be tempted to come back here again. In the meantime, though, I’ll stick with the cochinitas pibil tacos at La Esquina when I’m hankering for cheap Mexican street food in SoHo.

Delicious Mexican street food and a welcomed addition to the Soho neighborhood. Perfect for post shopping and absolutely tasty.
I absolutely adore SOHO for shopping but beside Bar 89 I haven’t found a good place to eat. But lo and behold, 50 Spring St has a new spot that is easily going to be a regular in my books! Antojeria La Popular is a cute Mexican street food place that just opened and I went for a tasting! It was totally FAB. Everything was delicious, divine and the server was knowledgeable, making great recommendations.
You must check this place out!

Stopped by with two guest at Noon on Saturday. Place was empty while some other local dining spots were busy. Narrow storefront and down a few steps may not help. Not a fancy room. Maybe twelve two tops. Several seats along the counter.
Music was loud American rock.
Wine by the glass is a decent pour. The sangria soda is OK. We tried an assortment of tapas — all good. The Mexican style hot chocolate was meh and served in a paper travel cup.
OK if you live or work in the area but not worth a trip.

Boo.
Place was SUPER quiet when we arrived– literally could hear a pin drop. Inside voices were a must. 6pm and your place is like a ghost town? Not fun. Turns out, their HH had just ended :(
Thinking positively, I figured at least the service would be great since there were no other customers… but no. Our waitress messed up half our drink orders, she was slow checking up on us, and then had the gall to add a 20% gratuity to the bill. We were a party of five!
Their Michelada is unlike any I’ve ever had– and not in a good way. When you order one from the folks at Antojeria La Popular you get worcestershire sauce in a salt rimmed glass (which is not even chilled, I might add) and *you* are responsible for pouring a bottled beer (not of your choice) into said glass — and adding the «fresh squeezed» lime juice. Um… where is the tomato juice? Where is the hot sauce? Why am I preparing half of this drink myself and tipping you 20% for it?
What takes the cake is the kid who came into the bar and proceeded to go from table to table with his box of candy bars, blatantly soliciting customers for money. Not. Kidding.
Can’t comment on the food as I didn’t try any of their tapas but my friends did and they really enjoyed them. However, my experience does not warrant a second visit.
Tip: head east to Nai Tapas instead!

I went to Antojeria La Popular, and I would not return, here’s why:
Pros:
Delicious tapas
Decent drinks
Fair drink pricing
Cons:
Terrible wait staff
Automatic 20% gratuity (even small groups)
Tiny plates
Allowed people to bother tables attempting to sell candy
Drinks are only decent, not stellar
Awkward plastic seating
Recommendation: Go during the 3 – 6 happy hour for the drink discount, but go elsewhere for good service and decent tapas for the price.

I just had Blue Corn Tortilla tostadas with Crickets. Yes, crickets. They were FAMAZING!
So I haven’t Unilocaled in a while and I definitely need to get back in the game before I have the Unilocal Elite Police come find me… here we go.
Antojeria La Popular is a new Mexican tapas restaurant in Nolita. As a Mexican myself, I can honestly say this place is authentic. They serve fried crickets, or as we call them in Mexico — Chapulines. I went on opening night and was invited by the head chef — Andres Figueroa. A little background on the kid: Puerto Rican, graduate of The International Culinary Center here in Manhattan and is not only obsessed with Mexican cuisine but happens to be married to one too! Where he got his Mexican flair (school, wife, both)? Who cares?! Food is delish.
While there I had jicama tacos with tuna and chipotle mayo, corn in a cup topped with queso fresco and tajin, and an awesome tamaulipas beef mini wheat pita.
I also found my new favorite drink: Señorita (Cilantro, agave, serrano pepper, lime and wine). Spicy and refreshing deliciousness to wash down some good food. This place is super cute and hip, perfect for hangout for all your «non-​hipster» yet trendy friends.
My final take — i plan to go back and try more things, above all the chilaquiles for brunch. This dish is big in my city of Guadalajara, therefore if they can master it they are golden in my eyes. Till we meet again La Popular.