My favorite spot around my place. Ive been going to this place even before i moved to the area and i can tell the vibe, the consistency with the food quality and service is mesmerizing! Also, is my fav spot to meet with my girls for happy hours! The margaritas are great and even that is a mexican place, the wings are omg!!!!

One of our go-to spots in the neighborhood and the favorite of both our kids. Consistently delicious food and excellent service.

This place is so nice! The food is great, the bartender Penny is amazing and friendly and always makes me feel at home. And they have the best chips and salsa in town!

Very nice dinner place. Excellent Mexican foods. A lot of margaritas to pick, very creative. Service was good as well. I will eat again here.

This is the best restaurant in Washington Heights! The food, the environment, the service and the drinks made my day. Next time I drive to NY I will definitely stop by for Margaritas and quesadilla.

I always value my time at this restaurant. The food is consistently good and the staff is lovely! They are super attentive. I appreciate that.

Love the ambiance. The food is exquisite. Recommend 100%

Absolutely amazing food. We've tried the fajitas, quesadillas, and enchiladas which were all delicious. The food is clean, fairly priced, and probably the best I've had in a while. Highly recommend

I had the Seafood Burrito which was large and good but had a little too much liquid inside. I also tried one of their new Margaritas which was delicious. Service was good and I enjoyed my streetside views from a closed in area. I was hungry so forgot to take pictures. 🤦🏾‍♀️

The Mexican food and ambiance at this restaurant are exceptional. The service is also excellent, with staff who are very attentive and professional. It offers a five-star experience at an affordable price.

We love Refried Beans and have been coming here for more than 10 years!! The Best Margaritas!!

Julio was quite awesome and attentive. Definitely recommend for a night out 🥰

Delicious food and amazing service! Highly recommend

This place is amazing, the vibe is so chill and food is everything. Been here 10x , will def be back

Great shrimp, delicious 😋

I recommend this place 100%, the food is delicious, the service is excellent, and the atmosphere is cozy.

Local spot. The family loves. They make you feel like part of their family with good food and solid drinks.

Me and my girlfriend went there to have a couple of drinks, we also ordered steak nachos for me and she ended up getting mar & tierra which consisted of shrimp and beef fajitas. The food was amazing, freshly done and drinks were outstanding. I highly recommend this restaurant if your in the heights, you won't be disappointed!

Our waiter Julio was amazing! What a friendly and attentive person. Food was good and vibe was great. Music was just loud enough that we could enjoy it but also speak to each other.

I have been coming to this establishment for many years. It’s a family restaurant with an excellent environment. The service is friendly and welcoming. The menu offers a variety of dishes with great frozen drinks. The food is tasty and affordable prices. I love Refined Beans, 🙌❤️!

Food is great and the service can't be beat. We often come with our baby and they are so sweet to him. He always gets his own water cup and the servers say hi, wave, make silly faces.

Refried Beans is a staple in our community and has been for years! My friends, family and have been coming here for over 10 years. The ambiance is always amazing. Margaritas are the best in Manhattan. The Mexican cuisine is also some of the best. All of the servers are great including Arnold who always goes above and beyond. The owners are always in the restaurant also which is nice to see. Fave restaurant in the neighborhood!

I come here often and always sit at the bar, quick and yummy food. Bartenders are great

We love this restaurant! The food is always delicious and satisfying and the service is top notch. Always a fun party vibe with delicious food and great frozen margs. We’ve become “regulars” here, and our favorite waiter, Arnold, always recognizes us when we come in. A neighborhood treasure!

My wife and I have been coming here since 2011. We moved to New Jersey about three years ago, and every time we have the chance to visit New York City, we make it a point to stop by this restaurant. We will always support and love this place, from the staff to the owner. Thank you, Refried Beans, for being so unique!

Refried beans is our go to local Mexican spot. I believe it has the best salsa in the city. All of their food is 10/10.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE, first of all the chips and salsa are awesome, the quesadillas are sooo delicious especially the spinach and mushroom quesadilla. I LOVE the taco salad and the enchiladas which are AMAZING! Whoever is reading this please stop by to the Refried beans restaurant and you will not regret it.

Great drinks, food and service

This place has been awesome for over 15 years! They have excellent specials and tried-and-true staple meals. Chimichanga is a fan favorite in our family, and the seafood soup is phenomenal. Staff is excellent, top-notch. It's a friendly place with high quality food. The decor is cheerful and fun and vibrant. We've been here on date night, or with the kids, or to celebrate a birthday. It's great for any meal!

One of our most favorite places in Wash Heights. We have been coming here since it opened and adore the owners, the staff, and the events they have for special occasions. We LOVE this place. Ask for Arnold to be your server- he’s the best!

I have been coming here for more the 15 years, food always good, their salsa ranchera is amazing, and they are usually very but always get a great service, you can get a gift card for your Birthday every year, please order their Súper coconut margarita and their New addition to the menú the Birria Burrito is súper good,Iam planning to come for the Salsa Night

Great food love it. I will come back with my family

My family and I have been coming to Refried for many years and we absolutely love the staff. The head waiter Arnold is the epitome of hospitality. We absolutely love him. He always takes care of us. Thank you always Arnold!

I moved to Tucson, AZ a year and a half ago. I still haven't found Mexican food that's as good as what they serve here. I don't know what they do to their shrimp but it's always delicious. Whenever I visit NY I make time to go here.

Best Tex-Mex restaurant in NYC without a doubt, delicious food, great service and atmosphere.

Lovely place,🥰🥰 great service, excellent food and cocktails.

Food: ton of variety, comes out fast, tastes great Service: sat immediately, super friendly and hospitable Atmosphere: has a lot of personality that reminds me to the Mexican restaurants I went to as a kid Place is a gem!

Some of the best Mexican food I have had! Amazing coconut margarita, nice cosy atmosphere and friendly staff! Thank you

My family and I love Refried Beans! We’ve been going to Refried Beans for 14 years! Refried Beans is a magical place where we have and continue to create beautiful memories. My late husband, Ed, loved Refried Beans! And it continues to be the place we go to celebrate loved ones and enjoy delicious food as well as to be around elevated souls! 💖

+4

Always delicious. We ordered the weekend specials (burrito and tacos). We caught live music on Saturday which added to a lovely atmosphere.

Delicious Mexican food. The service is outstanding every time! Try this restaurant, you will not be disappointed especially during these difficult time. We have to help keep these wonderful businesses alive.

Delicious and consistent food and drinks. We order takeout from them and it's always been great. There are several vegetarian options. I'm a fan of the Cancun burrito.

A nice spot with friendly service. I got a combo with an enchilada, burrito, and one taco. Mmmmm mmmm. Next to one long staircase, great to do the stairs then come up.

+2

The food was delicious! Service was kind. Being a Southern California girl, I've spent a lot in time in Mexico, their namesake Refried Beans were SLAMMING as well was everything else. I spend a lot of time in the hospital, I'll be ordering takeout from here often! Great find!!

Great food! Came for my sons birthday and the service was amazing and the food was delicious!

Fantastic food !!! Love love two is the pins colada, the different Mexican cuisine it’s fantastic can’t wait to be back 🙏✨

Amazing place! I would definitely recommend it. Service is great, food is great. This place is excellent didn't have to wait. Ordered a burrito and it was amazing. Came around 5:40-6:40 and its amazing!

Red fried beans has the best Quesabirias and nachos . If wan want a good Margarita , you need to come here.

Tacos are divine, truly a taste of yesteryear! Prices are unbelievable.

Amazing spot! The food and delivery were excellent. Will absolutely order again! But i can’t figure out what’s inside the banana (?) chimichanga? I need to know. Update: still no answers. still mystified. was it meat? was it unripe plantain? please. Help. Need 2 kno.

Very good lunch. The decor is really cool. Some might find a bit kitschy. Had lunch with a friend so did not drink. I live outside the city so drove in. My friend and I ate a late lunch together before school was out so afterwards traffic was terrible. Parking is luck of the draw.

My fave local spot for Mexican! Delicious black bean soup, fresh guac and the combos are a great deal. Super friendly and attentive service, a Washington Heights gem I've enjoyed since 2010!

Excellent service, the food is spectacular and the atmosphere is amazing, inviting. Will definitely recommend this place 💯 %

My favorite spot in the neighborhood!! The ambience is amazing; the food and drinks as well! I love when they have live music and other special events. You can definitely feel the appreciation they have for their customers. A year later and this is still my favorite spot to come to solo or with family/ friends! All of the servers and other staff are amazing, attentive and friendly. I try to have different dishes here and there and I’m never disappointed. My go to drink is the frozen passion fruit mixed with strawberry margarita pitcher that you can share with 2-3 people.

It was a little cold inside but it didn’t matter because the server, Gino, and the food and drinks were top notch. Thanks so much!

Was on a date with my girl here. Had a great time with wonderful customer service. Good food. All day Monday happy hour. Also had women’s basketball on which was fantastic. Thank you for the amazing date.

Great food and service! Such a wonderful place to go with family and friends

Went there with a group after visiting the Cloisters. A lot of food for the price which is great. There were five of us, outside seating wasn't available due to the cold weather, but we were seated in the back which had a nice atmosphere. Service was excellent.

A neighborhood redoubt for those addicted to Mexican cuisine in all its myriad manifestations, Refried Beans is SO much more than … refried beans (though they have those too)! Current fave is their savoury taste bomb, the Quesabirria! Margaritas of many varieties are yours for the asking. Friendly proprietors and wait staff mix with colorful patrons in this “Upstate Manhattan” treasure. Great for families, celebrations and late night shenanigans! Don’t miss it!

Had lunch today, went on my work break, the food was fresh & delish! I had chicken quesadillas and chips with salsa, so good, and the service was quick & very friendly, i will go again for sure!

I love the food it was great and the staff was too. We asked them what their recommendations were and they did not stir us wrong…i definitely recommend this place for a date night or even a night with friends. The margaritas are a must.

Dawn Wilson

The food is reliably good and fresh. I love the smell (and sizzling sound) of the fajitas when they bring it to the table.

Justin Rushing

So great every time we go! We have lived in Texas and man, this is like being at home eating tex-mex. Everything is really solid, but we love the enchiladas the most of all!

Limi Bukspan

I visited the restaurant with my family a few times in the past couple of years and was very happy with food and service.TODAY, I asked them to cater our holiday party at work. They did an EXCEPTIONAL job! The food was delicious, delivered right on time, they included a mug as a gift and created a framed menu for display. They provided all paper goods, utensils and serving spoons. Everything was fresh, warm and pleasantly packaged and displayed. Pricing was very reasonable as well. Thank you so much!

Oscar Acero

First time here and I loved it! The chicken fajitas were super fresh, the lemonade was delicious, and the service… WOW! The manager and the staff are incredibly friendly. The atmosphere feels warm, cozy, and peaceful. I’ll definitely be coming back. Thank you for the great experience!

Elaine Bell

Love this place! I always meet friends for happy hour frozen margs! Love their tamales and chimichanga! Your classic Mexican restaurant. And GREAT salsa. So happy this exists, so hard to find places like this in the city.

Nancy Cauthen

My family has been frequenting Refried Beans since it opened. These days, we tend to get take out or delivery more often than actually sitting down in the restaurant, but we absolutely love the place! We love the food, we love the staff, we love the personalized attention and service we receive every time!

Keyre Marte

I enjoyed this little spot! We went as a group, and as more people joined, tables were added without any fuss. One person received a complimentary drink, which she really enjoyed. All of our meals came out at the same time, and we even got an extra serving of chips—warm and freshly made. The portions were generous, the nachos were delicious, and the service was excellent. For the price, the value was definitely there. If you're looking for a place to get a good plate, I’d definitely recommend stopping by—you won’t be disappointed. This restaurant is tea, and I’m not talking about the drink! I’d rate it an 8.5/10!

Ravi Sivaraman

Loved the food & service at this Mexican restaurant! Simple dishes like ground beef & refried beans and chicken tortilla soup tasted so good with great-tasting tortilla chips. Tacquitos was another good dish.

Lauren

Cannot recommend this enough!! This is a cozy neighborhood gem with quality ingredients, exceptional service, and great value. We went on a Monday night so it wasn’t so busy we needed a reservation, but the dining room was full by the time we left. We ordered a burrito and a quesabirria. While the quesabirria could have been filled with more meat, the flavors of both were incredible. The margaritas were also great. During happy hour, the do $7 margaritas which is a great deal. Our server, whose name i unfortunately didn’t catch, was incredibly nice and kindly answered our questions. If anything, I’d return because of how great the service was.

Juan ADC

I’ve been coming here consistently for 3 years and it’s time to say something! I really love to come here after a long week of work and reward myself with their amazing chicken mole and the mango-chile margarita. This mole. Listen, don’t take my word for it, just give it a try. Also, as someone that looks for value for money and quality, I appreciate the flavors, consistency and the size of the portions Perfect spot date for a date, to come alone or with more friends. In refried beans the staff treats you like family, their attitude is always so welcoming and warm, people are smiling and they do make an effort in getting to know every customer by their name and know about them; not in an overwhelming way, they also kindly understand that some people might want something more private, and they know how to read the room. They’ll just know. The attention to detail is always on point. They always notice if you’ve been traveling or away from some time, and when you come back they are genuinely happy to see you, they make you feel like this is a spot in a nice small town.

Ivonne Cruz

I’ve tried the Churrasco with french fries and chimichurri sauce and it was to die for. The service was so kind at all time. For drinks I had Tito’s vodka with soda. Great time with my friends. Thanks especially to Julio, Bernardo and all Refried Beans Staff.

B. Astorga

Had a changing table! Great food and great service! We had enchiladas suizas and burrito and both were delicious and had fresh ingredients. Also had the lemonade and jalapeño margarita — both good and refreshing.

Ely Figueroa

My sister recommended this place to take our mom out to eat for her birthday. They sang to her without us asking which was very nice. Everyone was super friendly. The food was good. The drinks are very good.

+2

A P

Cute, small place with indoor or outdoor dining. Went for a quick bite and got possibly the best chicken tamale I’ve ever eaten! The preparation was not traditional - sort of deconstructed - but it worked! A pure masa tamal (no filling) is opened, mashed a bit and topped with delicious, juicy charcoal-grilled chicken, guajillo sauce, and shredded cheese. Served with tasty rice and beans. Staff was professional and courteous. Clean restaurant (and restroom.) 👍👍

Kathleen McDaniel

2/8/2020 - Came in for brunch (weekends) right near opening so wasn't crowded at all. Tried out the Club Quesadilla and wow is it packed with flavor from the BBQ sauce and cheese! Also had the chicken fajita omelette and the vegetables were so nicely crisp, though the chicken was a bit dry. Very filling, can't wait to try the menu out during lunch or dinner. 3/12/2020 - Lunch was very delicious, highly recommend their steak burrito or steak fajitas. The sauce on the fajita meat itself was a little clumpy, but still yummy!

We order some appetizers and some plates, we're ok. The frozen margarita was good, not very strong but tasty.

+2

The service was great and their banana flavored margaritas were amazing

Love that I have a new favorite place now that I discovered this gem after visiting Fort Tryon park nearby. I wanna return for fajitas or other events. Good chips & salsa. Coffee was meh. Torta was decent but no wow factor. I'd like to try their tamales and Chile relleno. The guy host wasn't very friendly, not great social skills considering he's the first contact as customers enter. The female staff was awesome! Super friendly and very interesting.

David Ryan

This place is pretty much a dump, but the food is good and there is more space than meets the eye. We shared the shrimp quesadilla and I will say there was a lot of shrimp in the quesadilla. The service was OK at best and the prices are reasonable too. This spot is definitely a locals spot.

Jazmine Perez

UPDATE: STILL GOOD AF! So I might be biased about this review and place because I developed a schoolgirl crush on Jonan the bartender. 😂🤣😅 He was just so sweet, kind, and attentive so the fact that he's easy on the eyes and he wore a pineapple hat, just did it for me! I have a thing about pineapples so I took this as a sign. See, biased! But the food was great, the drinks were great, the ambiance was great, and so were the prices! I have to go back.

+10

Steak burrito, guacamole with chips, frozen margarita were good. Gets very crowded on Sunday afternoon

Food & drinks were ok, I had better other times I’ve been here. We were a big group and had to reserve the patio section but the waiter was rushing us. We didn’t appreciate that.

O V H

Plain ol' Mexican restaurant with burritos, nachos, hamburgers 🍔, margaritas. The chips and fresh salsa were the best things here. Everything else was straight out of a can or jar and microwaved up to order. The decor is pretty good. Waiters are excellent. Great for a neighborhood joint but definitely not a place to travel to.

+4

Angelic Crown

Decent prices and menu options. However, food was stale, didn’t really taste fresh. Ordered the nachos steak and steak quesadilla along with refried beans, tasted very bland. Needed a bit of spices to it, tasted as if it was watered down. The gaucamole could use a bit of lemon to it. The steak was missing a bit of jalepenos. Unfortunately, it was a bit too dry for my taste buds. The ambiance was cool, full of Frida Khalo wall images as an homage, which was neat! The staff could be a bit friendlier, but for a quick affordable bite, overall, it's not bad.

+2

Takeout is low quality and dine in made my stomach hurt. Giving two stars because the frozen margaritas are good but not enough alcohol in one drink.

Food and attention were great. But when getting the bill we found they chose the gratuity/tip instead of leaving us to choose it. For sure that was based on the fact that they immediately got we were tourists. That shouldn’t happen. When asking, they mentioned they could remove the tip from the bill (20% is what they chose) and let us choose it, which we rejected and kept it like that, but won’t come back and wouldn’t recommend for tourists.

I went here with a friend who is a regular. A busboy spilled water on me while clearing cups from a table behind me. He said sorry and ran to the back for paper towel. He gave me some first then used some to clean the floor. I was expecting a manager to come and check on me but no one came. The waiter came to take our food order and I told him what happened. His immediate response was "what do you want me to do about it". I was surprised by the reaction because I am used to a certain level of customer service as someone who owns their own business and who has patronized many different businesses. In the end I didn't like his attitude so we decided to leave. It was a very unfortunate experience and I would never go back there or recommend this business to anyone ever. Customer service is the most important thing to me when supporting a business and the employees here were very rude. And this is the short version of my experience.

I grew up on the Mexican Border and know from quality Tex-Mex. If Refried Beans opened in my hometown, they'd go out of business in a week. Frankly, the food is awful and a disgrace to Mexican American cuisine. They can't even manage to make a passably good taco, so forget about the enchiladas which are nothing more than dried out chicken inside a folded over tortilla (not wrapped and no cheese or sauce inside) with a stingy amount of flavorless cheese melted over the top and swimming in a horrible sauce. The management at this joint is clearly motivated by doing the least possible to keep the doors open. The cheapest, lowest quality ingredients are the standard. Their chips are like cardboard and the salsa is inedible. I will say that if you dine in, you get a somewhat better quality of preparation - but not enough to recommend it. Nevertheless, it's always packed - only because there isn't a good option in the neighborhood. 187th street generally suffers from sub-standard, poorly run businesses, and apparently the mantra is, if you build it, they'll have no choice but to show up. Unfortunately, Refried Beans is only too happy to offer poor value for money and take advantage of being a restaurant of last resort.

Bhakti Dalvi

I was fairly disappointed with the food. The chicken in all my dishes was not fresh, I ended up having upset stomach later. The chicken enchiladas and fajitas, same case with both. The white fish tacos were below average, no special taste in it. The guac was okay, tortilla chips were fresh and crispy.

+2