Café Ollin

Their cemitas are amazing. Nothing else to say.

Ordered from GrubHub and the woman on the phone stated that my food could not be delivered to my building due to the safety of their delivery man… I don’t understand because I don’t live in the projects and I even have security guards in my complex and I stated this information to the woman on the phone and she hung up on me. I found this to be very rude and do not want to step foot in that business. For a business to be located in East Harlem they should know that their customers are located in the same area so if my neighborhood is considered «dangerous» then they should be aware that their neighborhood is also dangerous (FYI I live 7 blocks away from them)

Small place, didn’t expect much but delicious! I love Mexican food and usually go up to El Paso on Lexington (love those Margaritas but food is ok at best) but this place knocks the socks off of them. They make their own fresh squeezed juices and the guacamole is so perfect! I had tacos but my mother also raved about the sandwiches.
A very big party may find seating difficult if they are busy, but if you can manage I would absolutely recommend giving it a shot. It was too early in the day to try the fresh mango Sangria but I hope to try on my next visit.

So. Stuffed.
1. Guac and chips — I swear the chips taste exactly like the famed Chipotle ones, lightly salted, amazingly crispy, and double-​fried. Best of all, a big plate of the food of the gods was $ 6. Not some $ 12 ridiculousness.
2. Sopa de pollo — There’s something about gulping down chicken noodle soup on a blazing hot Saturday in June after getting caught in a sudden thunderstorm and freezing in your wet gym shorts. The soup comes with 4 soft corn tortillas, and a ramekin of lime wedges, onions, and cilantro. While the broth tasted kind of watery for my taste (I think I’m spoiled by my mom’s chicken soup, where she soaks the bones and the marrow for days), it came packed with tomatoes, carrots, peas, chickpeas, and best of all, two stewed drumsticks with the meat just … gliding off the bone.
3. Cemita. The better choice, because of both the chewy, crispy bread and the spicy pork. I tried a kernel of the spicy pork and immediately regretted my soup decision. Also, I need to know the bread that they used for the sandwich.
Definitely looking forward to eating everything else on the menu.
NEXT TIME: anything with the spicy pork; the beef fajitas

We took the waitress’ advice to try the cemitas and are so happy we did. I got the Azteca Vegetariana with potatoes, cactus, peppers, avocados and oaxaca cheese on a ginormous bun — absolutely delicious. We also ordered chips and guac, and the guacamole portion was gigantic and delicious. Lovely, colorful restaurant with great music and friendly staff.

I’m sorry my friends but I was disappointed in this place. My husband and another couple kept talking about how wonderful the food was so I finally tried it. The chips and salsa were tasteless. The guac was ok at best. I had tacos which were dry and tasteless. I made myself eat more chips so I wouldn’t walk out hungry. I would never go back since there are so many other restaurants closer to their condo.

Café Ollin is a must! I have put plenty of my friends on and they can not have enough. If you’re looking for a big meal you can never go wrong with a cemita juancho. The nachos include homemade chips which add a different flavor from most Mexican spots in the area. There fresh waters (hibiscus, horchata, and tamarind) are amazing and this is coming from someone who used to hate tamarind. Overall I give café Ollin 5 stars for food and service

I had lunch here and ordered the chorizo enchiladas (3 in the platter). The chorizo was minced and very flavorful but then again, I never met a chorizo I didn’t like. The green sauce and cheese was delicious also; everything was fresh. The platter was $ 12 and pretty generous. I had two there and took the third to go and had for dinner.
My friend ordered the guac for the table, which was ok. Also Freah but not too flavorful. The chips were not my favorite either. Kind of hard not to like chips but these were hard and not very tasty.
Cute, vibrant spot with nice and hospitable service. They hooked me with their chorizo enchiladas so I will be back.
I should add that everyone I work with loves their chicken tacos-I’ll be trying that too.

This review is based on my
experience with this restaurant in both delivery and pick-​up. This is my go-​to Mexican food spot. I usually order their chicken or beef enchiladas and it comes out perfect every time. The choice of filling is cooked to perfection and covered with a generous green sauce topped with fresh cheese and onions. Love, love the enchiladas from this place compared to El Paso which is a popular Mexican food spot in Harlem. I find This place a bit more affordable (12 dollars for 3x enchiladas and a size of rice and beans) where as El Paso might charge 15 dollars ish for the same amount of food and it does not taste quite as good. Food prep is on time and delivery is pretty quick. I have yet to run into issues. Will have to dine at this place in person :)

As always Ollin is the best mexican restaurant in the neighborhood and the Cemitas are the best, but a Cemita without papalo it’s not a real Cemita…

I order delivery from here more than i’d like to admit, but the food is well seasoned! So much flavor! It taste home cooked which is that best part, fresh and delicious! The chicken enchilada is my go to its amazing.

Cute little lunch spot.
Food is great for the price.
Service is fast and workers are polite.

Spicy pork cemita. This was a beautifully balanced sandwich with wonderfully flavored pork and good consistency of bread. Can’t wait to go back for more. One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever hard.

Based on one order, I’m shocked by the good reviews. I ordered three tacos: chicken, spicy pork, and beef. While I forgive chewy tortillas for delivery, the beef was so chewy my teeth hurt. It was also very bland. The chicken and pork were better flavored, but still fairly chewy.
I don’t plan to order from here again. There are too many other taco places in East Harlem.

My hair still smells like Mexican food sauteed in oil, but it was well worth it. The cozy welcoming restaurant is like a smaller version of the many authentic Tex-​Mex spots I’d been to in Texas: no-​frills menu, fresh ingredients, and filled with cheerful Hispanic diners.
We were the first table to arrive for lunch, but our food took a while to come. This at first made me hangry, but upon first bite, I appreciated why it took so long — everything is freshly made on the spot. Plus they’re popular for takeouts & deliveries. My friend swears by the pork cemita, which is gigantic enough to eat her face. My beef fajita plate consists of perfectly cooked black beans & rice, and juicy well-​seasoned beef; it would’ve been sufficient for two given the abundance of soft, warm tortillas on the side. Their salsas are flavorful but not too spicy, and their guac + chips are spot-​on.
Can’t wait to bring more friends to this little gem!

Their tacos are really tasty.
I especially liked their veggie tacos and spicy pork tacos.
Their guacamole and chips also must try.

I just have to stop in the middle of this amazing tostada to say that hands down this is the best Mexican I’ve found in the city. It’s just delicious, totally well priced, and beats out all the expensive trendy crap that you find anywhere else. Been coming here for three years and it still gets me every time. Freakin yum

Just raised their delivery fee to three bucks, which is pretty much unheard of (and ridiculous) for East Harlem. Food’s good but not unique for the area and they’ve basically just screwed all their drivers out of tips. Bad form.

The burritos here are perfect! Exactly what you would want in a burrito is what you get!!! Their chicken and spicy pork is delicious. I could just sit her all day long.

Came here last night around 6 pm. The place was initially me and the staff only, but quickly became ¾ full with people who mostly looked Mexican.
I had the plato de carne with spicy goat meat (not spicy at all for me and was recommended by the waitress/​cashier). It came with warm tortillas and water, avocado, cheese, rice and beans. The food was good and so was the service, but not sure I would come again just because the area is shady — even around 6 – 8:30 pm at night when we left.

Amazing food! Everything was super fresh — the guacamole was so good as was the sope (thick tasty homemade tortilla) and tacos — everything was cooked perfectly. The staff was very sweet and attentive. Overall a perfect dining experience. Can’t wait to come back and try the sangria!

I only get deliveries and I always enjoy the food.
Service over the phone can get better but not a big deal.

I’ve been here twice and loved both times. At first, I was incredulous to pay $ 12 for a torta but that torta was so huge that I thought IT was going to eat MY face. My partner had similar feelings about her enchiladas… they’re not the same ones as you get from Texas (yes, the state). My torta bread was chewy on the inside but crispy and her enchiladas had a great combination of textures (not 100% mushy).
We went on a Sunday afternoon at 2 pm and it was packed so we waited 15 minutes. It’s a very small restaurant with no outdoor seating, even in the summer.

Ohhhhh the tacos. The sheer variety of tacos. Spicy goat tacos. Ham tacos (literally just cold cuts in a tortilla). Frijoles tacos. Everything with generous aguacate and their amazing flavorful salsas, even when delivered their tacos are delicious. Friendly service, and this particular whitey has never felt like a gringo while at Ollin despite how badly mangled his Spanish is.
Their specials and cemitas are outstanding as well, the sesame buns they use are just chewy enough. There’s lots of typical food available in East Harlem but Ollin is a must.

TACO TUESDAY! I swear I always find a reason to go to this place during lunch breaks. It is literally a hole in the wall, but OH MY GOD, what a great find. I have to warn you though, it may take a while to cook and prep (30 – 45 minutes from when you put in the order). So if you’re thinking about ordering take out (or pick up), just make sure you order at least a half an hour in advance.
The food is absolutely amazing. The tacos are stuffed to the point where you might need a fork to eat from, but I don’t care if I’m messy when I’m eating it because of how good it is. If you’re a nick-​picky eater, just tell them what things you don’t want to be included in your food. Do yourself a favor and get some tacos from Café Ollin.

Got delivery. Came on time. Food was okay. We got the spicy pork cemita, burrito, and side of beans and rice. The rice was really good. The rest was decent. Cemita was a bit spicy for my taste.

I freaking LOVE this place!!! 3 tacos with everything please! So filling and delicious. I’ve had a bunch of their different meat options. My favorite is the spicy pork. Or regular pork (carnitas). The sandwiches are great. Soups are so perfect on cold rainy days. I can’t say enough about this place I don’t know why I haven’t reviewed it before. i’ve been coming here for years.

45 minutes we waited for our food. And there were only 2 other small tables (both had already ordered and only one was yet to be served). Plus there were three cooks! Say what! Yeah. Anyways, guac was really amazing, but the service and wait time left much to be desired.

One of my best friends took me to this place over a year ago and I love her even more for it. This place is amazing, everything is delicious, they have so many vegetarian options, everything is perfect.
My suggestions:
CHILAQUILES — these are hands down the best ones I’ve ever had in my life, including the ones in Mexico and Guatemala, these are the b-​e-​s-​t.
Tortas
Quesadillas pequenas de queso
Sopes
Just go already.

I really wanted to blast this place with a 1 star, after ordering on Seamless. It said 45 minutes pre order. And then it took 73 minutes. That is a long time when you are hungry and want to go to bed at 9:30pm
But the food was very good when it arrived. I need to try again for dine in or order at 6:30 for 8pm delivery. The delivery guy was nice and they were pleasant when I called to ask where my order was, after an hour.
DO NOT Order for delivery. 77 minutes after I ordered my lunch, I’m still waiting. The food is great, but you have to just go there or pick up.

Can’t believe I haven’t written a review of this place yet. A few years ago when I lived on 101^st and 1^st I was fortunate enough to discover this gem — called Café Ollin at the time but now Café San Cristobal. Within a month or two of finding this place I was eating here 3 – 4 times a week… and it stayed that way for 9 months until I moved to California. Here’s the thing:
— The salsa verde is the best I’ve ever had. No competition. Anywhere.
— In all my searches far and wide across the US, and even after living in LA for three years, I’ve never found a torta or cemita that even comes close.
— The spicy pork, for whatever reason, is a revelation. A far cry from a traditional al pastor, Ollin’s chunks of savory, not too tender /​not too tough, and incredibly flavorful pork have been the subject of my dreams on numerous occasions. Not lying. It’s that good.
— Of the probably hundred or so places I’ve ever eaten tacos in my life, no place has done it quite like this. The crema /​avocado /​cotija /​salsa verde create this savory blanket around the pork that’s just unrivaled. I wish I had the words to describe it.
My addiction to this place over the past five years makes it my first stop every single time I get to the city. Legit straight from JFK to Ollin. Almost every time. My friends think I’m crazy. And I am. But try a spicy pork cemita or the spicy pork tacos with extra avocado (or both). Then do it again… and again… and again.

Amazeballs.
Fresh guac with thick crunchy chips. Tasty horchata. A man and woman sized cemita torta that will be spoken about by grandfathers on backyard porches to their grandchildren about its legendary prowess to blot out the sun in certain seasons. This behemoth mountain totes meat, home fried potatoes, avocado, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers — all inside a cave, I mean, loaf of sesame crusted bread. Also graced by Oaxaca queso, or string cheese of the gods if you prefer.
Rock on, café Ollin.

5 Stars for exceptional service, food, and prices! After walking around Randall’s island all afternoon, my friend and I were starving and decided to stop here for lunch on the walk back to her apartment. There were a lot of items on the menu I was curious about, and the waitress was extremely nice and helpful answering all of our questions. I ended up ordering the chicken cemita, which is a Mexican sandwich with vegetables and cheese on this delicious, light bread. It was so amazing, and not too greasy at which is an issue i have with some Mexican food. Oh and the sandwich only cost $ 9.50 so my wallet was happy about that. And they gave us amazing house made chips and salsa before the meal, which were some of the best I’ve had to date. I will definitely be recommending this place to friends

Très bonne découverte des «tortas» mexicaines (aux nombreux ingrédients savoureux) et service agréable dans ce petit restaurant qui né paie pas de mine ! Prix très abordables. Je recommande !

For the food alone, I would give Café Ollin 4 stars, and I look forward to coming here again. It actually makes me sad that I have to give CO just 3 stars.
The spicy pork burrito is heavenly! The rice is so soft and delicious with the black beans. I also liked the cheese: burrito ratio. The jalapeño and pickled carrots are so good, giving the burrito the right kick. It is so good with their in-​house homemade jalapeño salsa! Make sure to ask for generous portions of salsa.
However, the service was very slow and there were times when I thought our waitress forgot what we had asked for. I think this is because in-​house orders have to compete with the orders they get for deliveries.
We ordered the guacamole as an appetizer and asked for it to be spicy. For the portion, it’s not worth the $ 7.50. It comes in the middle of a plate with some tortilla chips scattered around it. It was an average guacamole — nothing special. But for almost $ 8, I wouldn’t order it again.

Una joya en Harlem. Es mi restaurante favorito de comida mexicana, los chiles rellenos son estupendos y el servicio tambien.

After reading so many positive reviews, I was looking forward to trying out this new Mexican spot. As soon as I walked in on a recent weekday afternoon, I should’ve known by the whiff of grease that hit me what was to come.
The place was empty at 4pm on a recent Friday afternoon so I didn’t know what to make of that. I had an order of chicken fajitas, which lacked flavor and was really dry. The rice was overcooked. My partner had the pollo en salsa verde. It was just okay. We also ordered sangria, which was excessively sweet and thick.
I was really disappointed by the quality of the food. I would definitely not recommend this spot to anyone, nor would I come back.

In quite possibly the best way ever, I can’t breathe. It’s because I’m full. Full from a LARGE pitcher of sangria, split between 2. Full from an order of chips and guac. And full from an order of chicken enchiladas with the best verde sauce I’ve ever had.
I’m so grateful for Unilocal and for this place coming up on my Mexican search for the upper east side. So local. So fresh. Soooo Mexican.
This place is a little home. We walked in at 7 on a Thursday to be the only ones there and were instantly greeted by the friendliest waitress. Down to the last sip of sangria, she was cheering us on. Even after we were told that no 2 people have ever tried to accomplish the LARGE pitcher. The sangria was quite possibly the tastiest sangria I’ve ever had. The fresh fruit had definitely been soaking for a while.
The chicken enchiladas were melt in your mouth delicious. The Oaxaca cheese and verde sauce were perfect.
My brother got a burrito. A pork & chicken burrito. It was massive. Half of the burrito was a chipotle sized burrito.
Our names are now on the white board (for the meantime anyway) as champions of finishing the large pitcher of sangria as a duo.
I can’t wait to come back. :)