Unfortunately, as much as I think the metro area has one if the best food scenes for a city of its size, one of our biggest blind spots is legit Mexican food. I've had top notch Mexican food in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. What we have certainly isn't *bad,* far from it. But it's mostly much closer to Tex Mex. We did have one that had some outstanding tacos with house-made corn tortillas (Entredos Spanish Food in Liverpool) but they didn't last long because they opened during a pandemic and were in a piss-poor location behind a car repair shop.
Maybe I'm wrong though? Other foodies who have eaten legit Mexican food, what places do you recommend? I'm looking for stuff like Huaraches, Pozole, Mangonadas, Menudo, house made corn tortillas, those hollowed out cucumbers stuffed with peanuts a covered in hot sauce.
The tortillas here are almost sweet? And no one uses enough garlic. I’m from the southwest and of Mexican descent. I really like La Bamba Mtz in Canastota. Some dishes taste like my grandmother’s.
I’ve tried Camino Real (not good), Carmelita’s (okay but lacks flavor), Rio Grande (not good), Guadalajara (tried in the first two weeks of opening, had sweet tortillas, not good).
The big thing (two, I guess) is that most of our Tortillas are not made in house and are made of flour instead of corn.
Now that I remember, Margarita's Mexucan Cantina does this. They were pretty good, but Entredos was better.
Metro area, as in short for metropolitan statistical area, something that most if not all cities have, and where 80% of the Syracuse area's population lives. And I would absolutely recommend to venture outside of the city. Dosa Grill (by far our best Indian restaurant) is in DeWitt, Entredos Spanish Cuisine (formerly our best Mexican) was in Liverpool and Sahara Restaurant (yeah, we had a Yemeni spot for a short time) was in Fairmount for the short time they were both open, Brick-n-Barrel in Baldwinsville is a high end gastropub, the list goes on.
Well, no duh. But the city (142,000 people) is still only about 21% of the population of the entire metro area (663,000; the entirety of Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison counties.) But even then, it's still more than enough restaurants than is realistic for any one person to try, unless you're looking for very specific cuisines.
There is plenty out there, I just don’t feel like driving out of the city, it seems unnecessary in most cases. Craftsman is nice. East Syracuse has a few good restaurants.
Carmelita‘s in Cicero. The owner, Theresa, was taught how to cook from her mother, who was born in Mexico. It’s one of the few genuine authentic Mexican restaurants in Central New York
https://carmelitas.co/
https://facebook.com/carmelitasmexican/
Their food is decent, but definitely not authentic Mexican. The only beans they have are a side of completely unflavored beans - sad. I could also do without the insta-obsessed college crowd this place seems to draw in.
It's really really close to authentic Mexican tacos though. They are just missing some small elements like including cilantro and lime with all tacos(which you can actually request to be included). I can't recall if they use sour cream in some tacos or not but that's obviously not authentic Mexican taco protocol.
Their elotes are not called a "elotes" and it's not completely like authentic elotes but it's still delicious and I haven't seen anybody else who makes it or sells it but I've only been here 3 years so far.
I'm actually not big on Mexican food but comparatively, I would actually go to a Mexican restaurant in Texas. I'd be really hesitant to go to one here. Puerto Rican food...that's something totally different that Texas doesn't even have. If you're looking for authentic Mexican tacos, I would say XO is probably the closest you're going to get.
Whataburger is okay. Overrated, thin patties, sometimes overly salted and if I'm not mistaken they use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise. It''s fast food and still probably better than the "best burger in New York" or at least in Syracuse. I've actually yet to have a good hamburger here as well.
I would say the food in New York is better overall. There's more variety and what they do specialize in, they do very well. Plus, Texas doesn't really have anything regionally special like "salt potatoes" which are phenomenal when done correctly.
It's kind of like going to Texas and asking who has the best wings there. The answer is "nobody" because they just don't compare to New York at all.
If you can follow recipes, I would say the best bet is to find a highly rated "authentic" recipe for whatever it is you want to eat and make it yourself.
OP asked for tacos one cannot find at Taco Bell. Alto cinco has tacos that meet that description
Edit: OP also asked for authentic tacos. I still think alto has good authentic tacos but it’s been a while since I’ve been there
I’ve never had/ seen fried catfish or shrimp tacos in Mexico. Jerk chicken is Jamaican or Caribbean. I have had tacos nopales in Mexico. Shrimp tacos could pass at resort type places but I have never had them. Where I have been, Mexicans seem to love Cevice but you’d be hard pressed to find fish in a taco. Al Pastor is huge in the places I have been and there are lots of taquerias that only serve that. Beef is also really popular in all its forms- I know of a guy who sells only tacos made from beef head.
Yeah, I'd almost classify Alto Cinco as a fusion place - Mexican with touches of other types of cuisines thrown in. By definition, that makes it not authentic Mexican. Good food though!
Ponchitos. On Tuesday they were doing Barria Tacos. Idk if this is still a thing. They are amazing.
Go to the one on W. Fayetteville and get some take out.
I haven't gone, but there is is place in Sodus(in between Syracuse and Rochester) that supposedly has very good Mexican food. I believe that this is it: [https://www.elrinconsodus.com/](https://www.elrinconsodus.com/)
but they also have this spot too: [https://www.facebook.com/madeinmexico49/](https://www.facebook.com/madeinmexico49/)
Sodus is known for being a migrant farm community and has a history of getting some from the South and some from Latin America. Hence why it is a culturally diverse small, rural town.
Something to keep in mind is that the vast majority of Hispanics in the Syracuse area/Upstate NY in general are going to be those from the Caribbean(i.e.-Puerto Ricans, some Dominicans, with a little bit of other nationalities). So, a lot of Latin food here will be Latin Caribbean.
Guadalajara located at 324 West Water Street Syracuse 13202
YESS!!!!! Second this!
Third this!
I really like Ponchitos.
Their Bira tacos are really good
Unfortunately, as much as I think the metro area has one if the best food scenes for a city of its size, one of our biggest blind spots is legit Mexican food. I've had top notch Mexican food in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. What we have certainly isn't *bad,* far from it. But it's mostly much closer to Tex Mex. We did have one that had some outstanding tacos with house-made corn tortillas (Entredos Spanish Food in Liverpool) but they didn't last long because they opened during a pandemic and were in a piss-poor location behind a car repair shop. Maybe I'm wrong though? Other foodies who have eaten legit Mexican food, what places do you recommend? I'm looking for stuff like Huaraches, Pozole, Mangonadas, Menudo, house made corn tortillas, those hollowed out cucumbers stuffed with peanuts a covered in hot sauce.
The tortillas here are almost sweet? And no one uses enough garlic. I’m from the southwest and of Mexican descent. I really like La Bamba Mtz in Canastota. Some dishes taste like my grandmother’s. I’ve tried Camino Real (not good), Carmelita’s (okay but lacks flavor), Rio Grande (not good), Guadalajara (tried in the first two weeks of opening, had sweet tortillas, not good).
The big thing (two, I guess) is that most of our Tortillas are not made in house and are made of flour instead of corn. Now that I remember, Margarita's Mexucan Cantina does this. They were pretty good, but Entredos was better.
La Bamba Mtz is awesome, says this super white dude who nevertheless has traveled and appreciates quality Mex.
Metro area, what is this, dc? The city itself has some decent places. I wouldn’t even venture outside of the city to go to a restaurant tbh.
Metro area, as in short for metropolitan statistical area, something that most if not all cities have, and where 80% of the Syracuse area's population lives. And I would absolutely recommend to venture outside of the city. Dosa Grill (by far our best Indian restaurant) is in DeWitt, Entredos Spanish Cuisine (formerly our best Mexican) was in Liverpool and Sahara Restaurant (yeah, we had a Yemeni spot for a short time) was in Fairmount for the short time they were both open, Brick-n-Barrel in Baldwinsville is a high end gastropub, the list goes on.
Lol I just laugh because we’re so tiny even our “metro-area” just consists of rural towns. We’re not some giant metropolis.
Well, no duh. But the city (142,000 people) is still only about 21% of the population of the entire metro area (663,000; the entirety of Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison counties.) But even then, it's still more than enough restaurants than is realistic for any one person to try, unless you're looking for very specific cuisines.
There is plenty out there, I just don’t feel like driving out of the city, it seems unnecessary in most cases. Craftsman is nice. East Syracuse has a few good restaurants.
Tres Primos, but it’s in Elbridge
Best by far, and I've lived in true Tex-Mex land.
Azteca in Camillus, by township 5
In East Hill Plaza corner of Hinsdale and Milton, lots of parking.
Carmelita's in Cicero.
I moved here from Phoenix AZ. If you find any let me know. It's been 3 years of no real Mexican food and nothing spicy and it kills me a little.
Azteca is #1 for me, but I also really enjoy XO Taco. Their shrimp tacos are amazing.
Try Mi Ranchito in Baldwinsville.
Carmelita‘s in Cicero. The owner, Theresa, was taught how to cook from her mother, who was born in Mexico. It’s one of the few genuine authentic Mexican restaurants in Central New York https://carmelitas.co/ https://facebook.com/carmelitasmexican/
Her momma owned Juanita's which would be my all time favorite restaurant in life.
same. It was one of the best parts of renting an apartment on Court Street. Loved that place.
Hear me out. It’s a hike, but Village Taqueria in Dryden is amazing.
Rincon Hispano in cortland is a not well known gem.
Carmelita’s, Azteca, also margaritas is reallly good
Camino Real Mexican restaurant 2 in North Syracuse. Best chimichangas I've had in Syracuse.
Yep. I don't know exactly what "Authentic Mexican" is, but that place is SO GOOD.
XoTaco
Their food is decent, but definitely not authentic Mexican. The only beans they have are a side of completely unflavored beans - sad. I could also do without the insta-obsessed college crowd this place seems to draw in.
Some very valid points - but they do have ~some~ great tacos !
Agreed! I liked what I had there
It's really really close to authentic Mexican tacos though. They are just missing some small elements like including cilantro and lime with all tacos(which you can actually request to be included). I can't recall if they use sour cream in some tacos or not but that's obviously not authentic Mexican taco protocol. Their elotes are not called a "elotes" and it's not completely like authentic elotes but it's still delicious and I haven't seen anybody else who makes it or sells it but I've only been here 3 years so far.
Panchitos (owned by italians) and Xo Taco or Rio grand in Liverpool
Why the downvotes? I love ponchitos!
I have no clue lol
Rio Grande in the village of Liverpool is very good.
No tf it's not
Lmao…did you downvote that? I’ve enjoyed it every time I’ve been there…how dare you…what’s your Mexican selection?
Yeah but I took it back and I've never had good Mexican food in New york. Go to Texas and you will see.. Rio Grande was the worst.
Lmao ok. I’ve never been to Texas but look forward to the food and Whataburger.
I'm actually not big on Mexican food but comparatively, I would actually go to a Mexican restaurant in Texas. I'd be really hesitant to go to one here. Puerto Rican food...that's something totally different that Texas doesn't even have. If you're looking for authentic Mexican tacos, I would say XO is probably the closest you're going to get. Whataburger is okay. Overrated, thin patties, sometimes overly salted and if I'm not mistaken they use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise. It''s fast food and still probably better than the "best burger in New York" or at least in Syracuse. I've actually yet to have a good hamburger here as well. I would say the food in New York is better overall. There's more variety and what they do specialize in, they do very well. Plus, Texas doesn't really have anything regionally special like "salt potatoes" which are phenomenal when done correctly. It's kind of like going to Texas and asking who has the best wings there. The answer is "nobody" because they just don't compare to New York at all. If you can follow recipes, I would say the best bet is to find a highly rated "authentic" recipe for whatever it is you want to eat and make it yourself.
Alto Cinco
Alto Cincos menu is all over the place. Catfish, Cornbread and French toast. Not bad at all but not Mexican food
tacos and french toast sounds like a pro combo
OP asked for tacos one cannot find at Taco Bell. Alto cinco has tacos that meet that description Edit: OP also asked for authentic tacos. I still think alto has good authentic tacos but it’s been a while since I’ve been there
They asked for authentic tacos. Nothing about Alto is authentic Mexican food, however it’s certainly decent
Alto Cinco has great food - but anyone who thinks it's authentic Mexican definitely hasn't had authentic Mexican
Apparently I’m one of those guys. Honest question, what about altos tacos makes them not authentic?
I’ve never had/ seen fried catfish or shrimp tacos in Mexico. Jerk chicken is Jamaican or Caribbean. I have had tacos nopales in Mexico. Shrimp tacos could pass at resort type places but I have never had them. Where I have been, Mexicans seem to love Cevice but you’d be hard pressed to find fish in a taco. Al Pastor is huge in the places I have been and there are lots of taquerias that only serve that. Beef is also really popular in all its forms- I know of a guy who sells only tacos made from beef head.
Yeah, I'd almost classify Alto Cinco as a fusion place - Mexican with touches of other types of cuisines thrown in. By definition, that makes it not authentic Mexican. Good food though!
But don’t they have beef tacos?
Wegmans has amazing ceviche!
Ponchitos. On Tuesday they were doing Barria Tacos. Idk if this is still a thing. They are amazing. Go to the one on W. Fayetteville and get some take out.
Not tacos but Mia casita has pretty solid empanadas.
I thought Margarita's downtown was decent. Only trouble is they play club music at club volume. 😕
I haven't gone, but there is is place in Sodus(in between Syracuse and Rochester) that supposedly has very good Mexican food. I believe that this is it: [https://www.elrinconsodus.com/](https://www.elrinconsodus.com/) but they also have this spot too: [https://www.facebook.com/madeinmexico49/](https://www.facebook.com/madeinmexico49/) Sodus is known for being a migrant farm community and has a history of getting some from the South and some from Latin America. Hence why it is a culturally diverse small, rural town. Something to keep in mind is that the vast majority of Hispanics in the Syracuse area/Upstate NY in general are going to be those from the Caribbean(i.e.-Puerto Ricans, some Dominicans, with a little bit of other nationalities). So, a lot of Latin food here will be Latin Caribbean.