Jennifer Hirano

Delicious and upscale Mexican food - there are a ton of tacos to try. The tempura fish tacos and the sea bass tacos are especially delicious. Everything has terrific flavors - try a couple of the salsas with the guacamole as well. They have interesting ingredients that they use (pork belly, brussels, mushrooms) and everything is fresh and bright.

Rits M

I'm conflicted about this review, and I think the 4 stars is justified. I came here on a Saturday night- thankfully this place takes reservations. They have a room inn the front and in the back as well so there's plenty of seating. We were seated almost as soon as we arrived. They have lots of 2-4 person tables, lots of dates happening on a Saturday. We ordered almost the entire menu for our group of three. Our waitress was really good and prompt and gave good recommendations- I loved the Pear Margarita that she mentioned. However, they didn't seem to have some basic things - no butter for the tables and they took a while to bring salt- however they were busy so am overlooking that. We tried the Cashew salsa- excellent the sweet potato flautas- forgettable the lobster queso- very good and very cheesy the goat taco (daily special) - excellent the chocolate pudding - excellent the chicken tacos- mediocre the little meat balls- just ok the parsnips- excellent the beet tartare- not much flavour the honeynut squash- forgettable seems like you have to know your way around the menu to place an order that you and your table likes. Makes one think that its worth coming back and trying the rest to know what order to place. Bathrooms- a little on the smaller side but clean and good, and the layout of the restaurant is pretty spacious. We did have a large party in the room with us and they put a bunch of tables together for the 12 odd people who came in. Overall, I would say definitely worth checking out the restaurant and I hope my recommendations are useful!

Kristen

My partner & I stumbled upon Empellón while in search of food + cocktails after seeing some live jazz @ Mezzrow in the West Village. The vibe inside this place is really cute (we sat at the bar). In terms of service, the bartenders were really attentive & kind. The margaritas were good, I tried the Classic (one as-made & one spicy). My boyfriend had an IPA - the bartender was knowledgeable about the logistics of their 2 offerings, which was helpful!! The food was decent - good for a quick bite if you’re looking for a bar snack. We did their nachos & guacamole. Honestly, I wouldn’t return here for the food (there are better spots to enjoy similar dishes). But, if you’re near W 4th and are in search of a decent drink & a nice atmosphere, this place is a good pick!!

ReedH

I’d probably give this place a 3.5 stars if I could. I dig the concept - high quality tacos in a great atmosphere - and everything I had was reasonably executed. I just guess at this price point I was expecting more in terms of creativity in their tacos. It’s a fairly short list and pretty standard - skirt steak, fish, shrimp and the like. But I couldn’t escape the feeling that what I was really paying for was the atmosphere, and the tacos, while decent, were ones I could find as good if not better for half the price elsewhere in the city. It’s a shame because they do seem to have it in them - both my starter of the seven salsas and finish of a banana tamal were excellent and what I’d expect of a restaurant at this level. It’s just the tacos at this taqueria that fell short.

Kiariladyboss

Me and my friend had a good time at Empellon Taqueria. We tried the beans flautas, vegan chorizo, brussel sprouts and fish tempura tacos. We both had 2 virgin piña colada, the first one was soooo good the second round was meh. There are 2 dining rooms, one in the front and one in the back. Happy hours Monday-Friday 5-7pm The total came out to $130 before tips

+32

Eric Finkelstein

2 of us shared, in order of liking from most to least, the special tacos (with wrapped bacon), shrimp tacos, and lamb tacos. The special tacos were uniquely interesting, shrimp tacos good, and for the lamb tacos I wasn't a fan of the salsa boracha. Overall, the food was all good, though it's pricey for tacos.

MO

Excellent friendly service. Regular margarita was tasteless. Cucumber margarita was excellent. Guac was ok but chips were good. Queso fundido was wierd. Steak taco was just ok.

+2

Rachel Z

Upscale taqueria with a good ambience and drinks selection. I appreciate its creative take on traditional tacos. The food is good, but not good enough to justify the high prices and small portions. The lobster taco and the 7 dip salsa were a fun experience to try but not worthy of getting again. I was baffled at the $17 guac. The pork taco was more of a classic street taco style. While it was delicious, it’s also something that you can find elsewhere for half the price.

Eric Kong

Interesting twists with tacos and ceviches... Sometimes overpowered the star of the dish by the sauces and accompanying spices. Good atmosphere and ambience, the staff is very friendly and often asks about our well-being.

+3

Zach Kalas

Great service but an overpriced menu. $20 guac and chips? Chips and salsa were more like chips with hot sauces. Weird concept.