One of my favorite taco places — delicious and affordable. Their flor de calabaza quesadilla is probably my favorite, but from tacos to tortas, I’ve never gotten anything that wasn’t awesome. It looks like a deli from the front and doesn’t really advertise the great food, but just head to the back grill and pick out what you’d like, and then grab a jarritos or beer to wash it down with. Cash only.
Bridget J.
Place rating: 5 Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY
THEBESTTACOSINBROOKLYN! I have gone back and forth between whether it was a good idea to even write a review for Carmelita and bring them more attention or not. These are hands down the best tacos you can find. They are just damn good. The meat is always juicy and fresh — nothing is ever dried out. The spices are to die for — how can a little place like this produce such goodness I ask myself over and over and then I stop and smile because the pork taco tastes so good! Lunch or dinner these $ 2 tacos are the way to go! But SHHHHH we need to keep it a secret — thanks Carmelita for an amazing taco experience — your always friendly staff deserve an award!
Yuridia P.
Place rating: 5 Brooklyn, NY
Best tacos in South Slope for sure! Love this place. Its super tasty and CHEAP!
Max F.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
These really were some of the best tacos I’d ever had. Yes, past tense. Alas, the tacos are no more.
Pete F.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Mmmmm tacos. Really really good tacos. The first time I went in I didn’t notice the back room so I just bought some groceries and left. But then I read the review on here and was determined to venture to the back room. I’m so glad I did. The food is made literally right in front of you, and while the place seems sort of dirty or basic, the food is outstanding. You can get tacos in either small or large sizes, but for 2 bucks a taco, go for the big ones. To top off the meats, they can throw on some chopped veggies which are worth it. They had a couple of really great salsas to throw on top, and the guacamole is so tasty. For a white preppy kid, I was surprised at how nice they were to me considering the place is full of hispanic guys and their menus are all in spanish. I have been back multiple times, and each time I go back they are always cool to me. My only gripe is that since its not a real restaurant I can’t enjoy a cold beer with my food. Moral of the story: don’t be afraid. Push your way to the unlabeled back room and get ready to eat some damn good food.
Jared C.
Place rating: 5 New York, NY
The only hint to what could be going on in the back room is the word«sandwiches» on the awning out front. Peering inside the window offers no clues to its secrets, only views of basic Mexican and American products that you would find in any bodega. But walk through the first room and follow the narrow unmarked hallway to the rear and emerge in a tiny two-table taco stand where all eyes gaze towards fútbol on television. You will find sandwiches here, in the form of cemitas, but we came for tacos, and noticed that others seem to have the same thing in mind. I ordered a plate of three($ 1.50 each, all varieties) and was greeted with some of the best I have ever ordered north of the border. Every time I have good tacos recently I begin to think harder and harder that this whole«There is no good Mexican in New York» stuff is a hoax. There is good Mexican here, it’s just not on display for everyone to see. It’s in places like this, that don’t pull in a clientèle much more than who they are geared for: Mexicans. When your order comes, you are free to bring it over to the complimentary condiment bar that sits in one corner, a buffet table of sorts offering red and green salsas, guacamole, limes, radishes, and more. I felt that the few eyes in the room were on me while I visited, so I was quick to load my plate and sit back down, seeing as how this was my first visit and I still felt a little out of place. Grab a drink or two from the refrigerator cases up front(pay up front as well) and bring them back to wash down your meal. Cheap $ 1.25 Jarritos are on offer, including a grapefruit version which I had never tried and was pleased by its far less sweet taste than its colleagues. On a second visit, along with a variety of five tacos, I ordered a sope de pollo($ 4, $ 3 without meat) but was marginally unimpressed. It was the second straight night that people were sticking to the tacos with a cemita here and there. Also on order was a shrimp soup, which seemed to be a weekend special and enjoyed by some, although its higher price point($ 8.50) kept me away. The couple next to us did not seem overly enthusiastic about theirs, so I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. The brightly painted green walls are not too offensive as the light is low. And what is important is that this little neighborhood secret is serving up delicious food, not a sense of décor.
Julius S.
Place rating: 4 Los Angeles, CA
I slept through my train stop, decided I was hungry, and stumbled across some of the best cemitas in Brooklyn. Push past the cheap yellow Deli awning into the slightly dingy room, and you’ll be rewarded with great mexican comfort food. Revel in the abundant bounty of the free condiment bar, and be sure to try the chorizo.
