Senor Swanky's Mexican Cafe & Speakeasy

I used the Buy One Get One margarita coupon.....very good choice. My meal was very good and a free margarita made it even better.

Pros: Mexican food, margaritas

Posted 11/07/09

The food and the portions left alot to be desired. The service was also poor. We had to chase someone down to get water.

I don't think I'll be back... I'll find another Mexican spot where the food matches the taste of the Margaritas.

Pros: Margaritas are well done.

Cons: Service was poor.

Posted 04/18/09

I've never not had a fun time at Swanky's. Delicious drinks, good service and food. Also, there's always good specials like the ones you can find right on this Citysearch page....Swanky''s!

Pros: drinks, specials

Posted 11/24/08

Had a good time at Swanky's. Service and food were both well above average and the margaritas were excellent. Very good atmosphere to chill after work. Recommended!

Pros: cuisine, service, margaritas

Cons: None

Posted 10/22/08

My son and I were expecting an awesome meal after reading the menu online and all the reviews. First of all the only waitress on staff was a bit lazy and since there are no busboys I had to ask her for water twice. When we did get our water is was extremely warm.
The chips were so stale that we didn't even bother to entertain the salsa. I ordered two different types of chicken entrees my son's entree tasted exactly the same as mine,except for a few sorry slices of tomatoes and onions that were on my chicken. My son's lemon chicken tasted so much of butter that you couldn't appreciate the lemon essence. The yellow rice was not bad but the black beans with a very tiny pool of something that looked liked mozzarella cheese tasted like they came out of a can of Goya seasoned black beans. I suppose that Senor Swanky's is really only known for their Margarita's but I didn't have one. I would not return or even reccommend this place to ANYONE!! The food was so BLAHHHHH. Oh and the portions were very tiny too.

Pros: Colorful and cheery

Cons: FOOD IS AWFUL MEXICAN CUISINE

Posted 10/14/08

I like Senor Swanky's for the frozen margaritas but the food is also good. I've been there a few times and it's been consistent as far as taste, quality and service each and every time. It's also a fun place to hang at the outside tables when it's nice out.

Pros: Drinks, Food

Posted 09/23/08

I've been to Swanky's many times over the years. The food is tasty, the service is dependable and the atmosphere is comfortable with a good neighborhood feel. In the nice weather, there is outdoor seating to drink the very good margaritas. Recommended!

Pros: Food, Service, Margaritas, Outdoor Seating

Posted 04/19/08

Very disappointed. Should not have been the first option under Mexican because this was not good mexican.

Pros: nice space

Cons: food...margaritas....service

Posted 06/26/07

I write this review to defend senor swanky's, I have been goign to this restaurant since its inception in the mid 90's and i have had nothing but a great time at this place. My former husband (NOT) and lousy reviewer burt reynolds said some pretty nasty stuff about swanky's, but i guess i must have fleeced him for so much money in the divorce that he considers an average of $13 for an entree overpriced then he should get finacial help from the state lol.
I have always enjoyed teh food and drinks and service whenever i have gone to swanky's and i love sitting outside and as mr reynolds calls them wobbly tables, have never caused me a problem. My ,former and now i guess really broke, husband says there are tacky decorations up every where, i notice not a single decoration up at all, im convinced that since i left mr reynolds his life has gone so down hill that he has nothing better to do than to be destructive of a place that i have had only wonderful times in, but wait all the times that i have been in there it hasnt been with him, and that automatically makes it better,lol.
All i can say is that mr reynolds needs a life, swankys' is a great place to have a fun time and have some great margaritasand really great mexican food, plus they have been there since the mid 90's, i guess they must be doing something right,lol. I love senor swanky's and so will you!!!!

Pros: margaritas and fajitas and outdoor dinning

Cons: burt reynolds eats there, but hopefull not any more

Posted 05/30/07

What a fun time i had at this place.... the music was pumping,and the vibe was great ...thank god spring is here my friends and i sat outside and had a few delicious mango margaritas...and some even better sizzling fajitas....it was fun...being able to sit outside and enjoy a margarita...i am looking forward to that all spring and summer long.....what a blast

Pros: maragritas, outdoor dining

Cons: none

Posted 03/30/07

This place was great from the get go...red, white and green tortilla chips...how fun...lol...my group of 5 had a blast the service was great...out server was fun and attentive ,,,,she suggested a mango margarita....GREAT choice...yummy....so with her great margarita choice, when she suggested the fajitas,,,we went with it ...3 of us ordered the fajitas,,,they came out like a flow of smoke...and sizzle..and smelled amazing...the steak was delicious....my girlfriend had the chicken fajitas,,sliiy girl ...but they were great too...my other buddies had the enchilladas mole....to die for...mmm chcolate!!!!
I was watching a ball game on a 10 foot screen.....i didnt want to go home and we didnt for a while....lol
Lets see...great margaritas...great fajitas...great big tv....wow nirvana,,,lol....
Cant wait to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 02/12/07

I went here on Friday night with a group of friends for a birthday dinner and we were not impressed. They were incredibly slow with everything and the food wasn't anything to write home about. And they charge way to much for the quality of food they serve. But the thing that sealed the deal was the manager. We were trying to use a coupon printed on this site and he wouldn't honor it for a very stupid reason. One top of that, he started being rude to us saying "It wasn't his problem, it was ours". Never in my life have I been treated so poorly and in such bad taste!! I will never go here again and recommend that you don't waste your time and do the same.

Pros: Wish I had one

Cons: Service, manager, food and value

Posted 02/05/07

I travel from the east side and drag my friends to the west side all the time for the best damn fajitas ever...i have been scoffing down el Senor's fajitas and washing them down with his yummy and strong margaritas for almost a decade,,,,,i love them...i am never dissapointed...the food is delicious and the margs go down like water...they even have a huge TV to watch football on.....there is no other sport now that baseball is over...lol....LOVE those FAJITAS,,,,keep it up......hey maybe i'll move to the west side to be closer to swanky's....lol...now that would be a litttle sick...lol

Pros: fajitas, margaritas, decor and service

Cons: are you being silly....

Posted 10/25/06

We went to visit New York, and we stayed on the Upper West Side, and came across Senor Swankys. The chips and salsa were good...but that was about it. We each had a margarita, which was $11 for a small marg! It wasn't even that good. Then, when I got my quesadilla, the chicken was marinated in some nasty 'mexican spices.' The server was new, but he was pretty nice. All in all, i would never go back.

Pros: Chips and Salsa, Ambience

Cons: Food, Margarita Price

Posted 09/27/06

Ok, where do I start. The chips come eh ok, then the watery salsa, gross. Then I order a quesadilla (normal mexian would be nice chicken (no sauce on it) and cheese, plus rice on the side yum!) but no this is COVERED in some tomato sauce, with spicy gross stuff on the top then smothered with guac. and salsa, I picked it up and it fell apart and was so messy , and the rice was extra!!!! I send it back (such a nice server was helping) and I get a new one still no rice and still all the sauce was taking over any mexican taste that could be hidden. After our Bill for two people came out to over $70 for ( 2 margs $12 each, 2 apps, and the quesadilla oh and the rice is extra $4) The head waiter came over with his pompus attitude and said they would not take my meal ( untouched) off the bill, after they messed it up two times. What an @ss,and he was only a waiter not even a manager or owner!!!! We paid our bill and left. Never will I go to such an over priced gross place again. What a waste of $ and time. Do not go!!!!

Pros: Nice waiter ( just started two days ago so we will see what happens to him)

Cons: THE HEAD WAITER IS SUCH A SNOB FOR NO REASON!!!!!!!

Posted 09/14/06

SENOR SWANKY DOES IT AGAIN!!!!! I was up in my neighborhood during the heatwave last week...and El Senor has done it again....he has installed cooling misting fans in his outdoor cafe....so now even in the sweltering summer heat I can enjoy a frosty frozen margarita with a cooling mist....he is always thinking...and improving....the fajitas were scrumptious as always,,,and the service was great...I love going to Swanky's. I wonder what he will do next !!!!
VIVA EL SENOR!!!!

Pros: margaritas fajitas..COOLING MISTING FANS for outdoor cafe

Cons: none

Posted 08/15/06

The food here makes Taco Bell seem gourmet! It's greasy and tastes disgusting. The drinks are nothing to write home about either. There are a TON of better Mexican options in the city.

Pros: None

Cons: Food and service

Posted 07/30/06

I've only been to this place once for dinner, and it wasn't all too spectacular. So, I will not be returning again. It was so dark that we couldn't really read the menus. We were holding up the tiny candles to the menus. The food was overpriced and the quality of the food was just average. The service was average: he was really nice but he HARDLY came around to see if we needed anything. A couple times we had to ask another server for more water. Not to mention, the drinks were overpriced as well. I don't recommend this place for dining. For a night of drinking at the bar, then that's a different story.

Pros: the Bar

Cons: Food, Service, Too Dark

Posted 07/25/06

This restaurant was the worst! Not only was the margarita one of the worst I've ever had, but it was also $10 and served to me in a plastic cup! The bartenders were some of the worst I have also ever seen. The food was okay, but overall, not worth the price and the service was below average. I left incredibly dissatisfied and never plan on returning!

Pros: Outdoor seating

Cons: Bad margarita, Bad bartenders, Service

Posted 05/09/06

This restaurant was awful! The $10 margarita was poured out of some big jug, into a plastic cup, and tasted like syrup. Gross. The fajita (twice the price of a normal restaurant) was terrible, chicken tasted processed, came with no lettuce or tomato (that was an extra $3). The bartenders were some of the worst I have ever encountered - spent 20 minutes counting their tips as I waited to close out my tab. Lastly, after asking to use the City Search 20% off coupon, the waitress told us that it does not apply to outdoor seating. That is not indicated on the coupon, and frankly, I think this inadequate waitress was lying! I will never return!

Pros: location, outdoor seating

Cons: everything else.

Posted 05/05/06

In a world of nuevo wacky micro cuisine...and silly trends....its nice to see that Swanky's has not become that...this place was fun from the get go....he still has his silly fake pics of him with celebrities all over the place....and who else but swanky whold hang 3 five foot peppers over the bar...but with taht all sadi the reason i have been coming to swanky's for over ten years still holds true...great margaritas great food and great service....I love this place...whenever i go for mexican i go to swankys....my girlfriend lives on the east side..and i always drag her to the west side for swankys....long live El Senor

Pros: food and drink, service, fun atmosphere

Posted 12/21/05

mexican moves up...this place is really swanky...this place is beautiful and really swanky they have a private party lounge which is beautiful....dinner was wonderful..and the drinks were huge and strong...and the margaritas were flavorful..this place will be a sure place that i will frequent again real soon and often....

Pros: look and feel, food and drink, service

Posted 12/13/05

A freind of mine had there engagement party in the lounge area of this "swanky" place.... and it was beautiful...the room was stunning,.,,,I am hoping to have an event there myself....we had a ,what seemed to be a never ending buffet of food.,..and in most resaturants they give you lots of lousy food...but this food was delicious and fresh as can be,,,,,and mountains of it...plus they were giving us drinks like they had an inside tip on a drought...lol, after the party in the swanky longe we went to the bar for more drinks...just what we needed.,...lol....but we continued to have a great time. The bar was fun and service was good...i cant say a bad thing about this place cant wait to go back...and have a party in the lounge

Pros: private party space, margaritas, service

Posted 11/30/05

I eat out a lot, and I don't mind spending money, but Senor Swanky's was a loser in many regards. It cries out with cost and inventory problems. I ordered a diet coke for 2.75, which came in a small glass engulfed in large ice cubes. As I asked for a refill, the waitress stated, "No free refills!" If the glass was 16 ounces, with that amount of ice, there were less than 8 ounces of soda.

Nothing about this restaurant fits together right. The service and price of some items, contradicted elementary concepts of supply and demand; a small glass of soda should not cost 2.75. This restaurant compared poorly against below average restaurants like TGI Fridays and Mcdonalds.

Posted 11/25/05

i couldn't wait to write this review....it was the weds before thanksgiving,,,the upper west side was madness we were going to see the ballons...so as we got out of the train on 86th street and cpw we walked down columbus towards that ballons...and decided to help our attitude witha drink before taking on the throngs of balloon watchers, we saw this really nice place and decided a margarita was the way to go...the place was full of people and excitement...the "salsa music was good but the salsa and the margaritas were even better...we satyed for a few drinks and left ...went to see the balloons and on our way home they were still open at 12:30...full menu ,by the way they were the only place open...what luck ..we thought even if its ok beggers cant eb choosers...boy were we wrong the food was great ,,,,i will defiantely go back...

Pros: maragaritas, music, late nite kitchen

Posted 11/24/05

me and my date went with our 2 children. it was a saturday,still early at 6pm,so it was empty.we had 4 different meals,which were absolutely delicious.the margaritas--out of this world.they certainly didn't water them down like other places.we stayed awhile and the kids didn't upset any of the staff,which is always good.place is small but worthwhile.everything else makes up for it.i'd go back in a heartbeat,even just for a margarita

Posted 11/20/05

We were walking up Columbus Avenue and came across Swanky's. It looked nice enough from the outside so we thought we'd give it a try. We ordered two different types of maragaritas while munching on some very tasty chips & salsa. The drinks came quickly and were absolutely delicious. We stayed around for a couple of rounds and had some appetizers. There was a nice cool, relaxed vibe here which would make me want to come back again.

Pros: margaritas, service, ambiance

Posted 11/06/05

I was on the upper west side the other day,,,,and was walking along and i saw this really cool looking place ....called Senor Swanky's I looked in and saw one of the biggest TV screens ever,,,wow.....so i was sat at the bar and had ordered a margarita..the bartender crystal recommended a black cherry margarita...nice ...like gino's italian ice, except witha kick,,,two and i was feeling groovy. I also ordered food i had the enchilladas Mole,,,,,very nice,,,,,it would have been great except the bartender wasn't a Jets fan....but I'll be back....i feel a convert in her is possible...lol

Pros: food, margaritas, jumbo TV

Posted 11/01/05

When Senor Swanky's closed a while ago i thought that was a fun place but so it goes...then i was told that they moved up the block and boy did they mopve "up" the block...this place is really really nice...its clean its vibrant its happening...and its a whole bunch of fun.. They have ,like a ten foot projection tv at the bar....what a way to watch a game while drinking swankaritas,,,the bartender was lots of fun...and although she was a a giant fan and we were watching the jets,,...it was still fun...i had a Swanky buritto...and it was really good and boy was it huge,...its like swanky had an inside tip on a famine...lol ...I'm looking forward to going back again and trying to covert that bartender...to a jets fan

Pros: margaritas, food, atmosphere

Posted 10/24/05

As a tour operator for groups from Europe, I am looking for a good Mexican restaurant - but this is not it. The decor is a tacky stereotype, the food is mediocre (neither authentic nor imaginative). The service was unforgiveable. The waitress didn't seem to know what to do when we asked her to take our order. It was a slow night and we still waited for 20 minutes. The music was loud rock which they would not turn down. There was a game on TV which they forced us to view. Additional drinks/dessert was never offered and we never saw the waitress again. A different waiter brought us the check. I wouldn't set foot in Senior Swanky's if it was the last restaurant in New York City!

Cons: service, music, tv

Posted 08/21/05

Ihave been going to Senor swanky's for ovweer 10 years...and although i loved the dive bar on 74th st...this transfomation is unbelievable....this plcae is beautifull its clean its sexy sultry and amazing the priave lounge in the back is amazing...the oiudoor cafe is huge and the veiws are fun and entertaining.....the food was grerat ...order the Steak Fajitas...and the mango swankaritas are great on a hot summer day...im glad they moved up in status and just up the block...now i love to bring my dates in there...the place is real nice....my mom would even like it and she is one tough cookie...lol...plus i was there on a thursday night and they have live music ...with no cover bonus...yeah!!!!!!

Pros: outdoor cafe, private lounge, live music

Posted 07/25/05

Since moving uptown from their former dive at 74th Street, Senor Swanky's has undergone an unfortunate transformation. What was my favorite Mexican restaurant has, in their effort to become "respectable", lost all of its former charm and appeal. Cleaning up one's act doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice service and food quality! In order to mesh with their very atteractive new location, the menu, while the same, has undergone an upsetting change to the mainstream. Their Jalapeno Bombs are now about as exciting as a grocery store frozen product. Their formerly great Mexican Burrito, while still listed identically on the menu, has become insipid. In addition guys, please hire some waitstaff who know both English and your menu. A recent trip has shattered all my pleasant past experiences. If your new image is what you planned to achieve, change your name so you won't dissapoint your former patrons!

Pros: Attractive setting

Cons: Bad food, Bad service

Posted 07/02/05