La Palapa Cocina Mexicana

The food and atmosphere were top notch.The owner was out and about in the diningroom,and that was really refreshing to see.We liked it so much we went back the next day and took 4 of our friends.

Posted 05/02/03

dined at la palapa last night and had a homemade chosrizo and cheese stuffed gordita. It was delicious as was the fish special witha guacamole and tomatillo salsa. my hibisicus margarita also outstounding..I could taste the fresh lime... the food, the service and the value all are great. I will return...so will the friends
dined with.

Pros: great service, lighting good, great foos

Cons: loud, hot

Posted 05/02/03

After spending more money than intended, I felt even more disappointed in the food. The southwestern spices were more than overwhelming to the point where you couldn't taste the actual food!

Posted 04/23/03

$ of us had a Saturday brunch at La Palapa. I found the atmosphere quite confortable, the restaurant is bright and clean. I wasn't that thrilled with the food, though. I say stay away from the Bloody Marias and stick with the Marys (vodka); somehow tequila, tomato and horseradish make an odd combination. The "Fruit of the Day" offering is a joke - a very tiny portion of slightly oxidized canned pineapple, a sliver of unripe strawberry, why bother? I tried the french toast, also tiny, and way, way too sweet. The coffee was on the verge of being too old (over 20 minutes.) I have heard good things about their lunches and dinners, so I will give them another try.

Pros: comfortable, clean

Cons: so-so food, indifferent service

Posted 04/05/03

I've been to this restaurant 3 or 4 times. The first time was with a group for friend's birthday! It was great, we all felt it was one of the best meals we had. Unfortunately the next few times I went with my boyfriend our meal wasn't all that great. The guacamole was terrible, and the steak dish was too salty. And our bill of $70 (without drinks) was definitely not worth it. Too bad because it was a great option for dining in the village. BEWARE if you decide to change something in your dish like a different mole sauce you will be charged extra.

Cons: Poor food quality

Posted 04/02/03

Went on a busy Fri nite and waited to be seated for 20 minutes or so. Other than that I have nothing but positive things to say. The food is tasty and served quickly. The service is prompt and professional. Our table happened to be near the liquor cabinet and when the owner needed to access the cabinet during our meal - which was hardly a major inconvenience - she removed the pitcher of Sangria we were drinking from our bill. An excellent alternative to your usual burrito and fajita Mexican place.

Pros: Tasty Food, Great Service, Lively

Cons: Hot, Crowded

Posted 03/03/03

A small side of rice was $4 and a side of beans was also $4. Have chips and salsa at the bar. The same chips at your table and you'll be paying $5 for them (a NY mexican restaurant custom, it seems). Our waitress explained, "we charge for them because we make the chips and salsa here at the restaurant." The entrees are expensive enough. Don't nickel-and-dime the customer over the chips.

Pros: Good lighting, Good salsa

Cons: $4 rice, $4 beans

Posted 02/14/03

Being from Texas and constantly in search of good Mexican food, I have finally found it at La Palapa! The margaritas, especially the frozen pomegranate, are huge and delicious. The chips are dusted with a mild chili powder and pair with the guacamole spectacularly. I have had the mole enchiladas 3 times and have to say that they are just as good as back home--sorry, Grandma! The green chicken enchiladas are mouth watering, as well. I am so glad La Palapa exists and highly recommend it.

Pros: Food

Cons: None whatsoever

Posted 01/31/03

One of the better authentic Mexican restaurants around. You get a great value for a great meal. Can't go wrong.

Posted 01/21/03

I have to disagree with that last "rating"...I dined at La Palapa on Sunday night...I had the enchiladas in red mole...not only were they awesome..the serving was gigantic and the mole sauce was rich, thick and tasty..my mouth is watering just thinking of them...they are worth every penny! I also recently dined at Dos Caminos...where the enchiladas were 16.95..you get rice and beans but I would rather have La Palapas Enchiladas anyday!!
Hands Down!!

Pros: birthdays, Child friendly, Garden

Cons: loud, Little Hot

Posted 01/19/03

...asked my waitress after I placed my order. Of course, she didn't tell me I was going to get charged $3.95 for it. I had the Enchiladas de Pollo Verde, which was good, but not exactly worth $11.95. The chicken was a little dry. They didn't even have the decency to include rice and beans. Too bad. The atmosphere was wonderful, with its Mayan artwork, romantic lighting, and music that's not too loud or soft. The service was warm and friendly. Better to just go for drinks.

Pros: Pleasant atmosphere, Fairly good food

Cons: Way overpriced, $3.95 chips and salsa

Posted 01/15/03

This place is strong. I find that Mexican food in the city is generally pretty weak, but I'll go here and be happy. Terrific Verdes sauce and nice margaritas. Service is a little naive, but pleasant enough. The seating is a little odd(I've been there several times and sat in differen sections, but always feel squeezed in and a little in the way

Posted 01/01/03

Amazing food, friendly service and a spacious dining area. (no bumping elbows and spilling your Tecate!) A great selection of Mexican beers and tequilas, not to mention margaritas in every flavor imaginable, accompany the mouth watering dishes.

Posted 12/15/02

I am surprised to see negative comments! I went for dinner this weekend and had a delcious meal. The food was great- not your basic taco/burrito Mexican. The dishes are really interesting and very flavorful. Large portions too! I have been before and have a similar experience. Prices are also very reasonable. My favorite Mexican in NYC!

Pros: interesting food, sangria

Posted 12/01/02

Ate there the other night as part of a party of 10. The service was attentive, the atmosphere fun with interesting Mexican-ish decore, and the food was decent. Good margaritas, although I had around 6 and was still standing. We went for a birthday and there just happened to be 2 others in the same evening there.

Pros: Fun, Cool Decore, Attentive Service

Cons: Sort of plain food

Posted 11/26/02

The foode was delicious, however, portions are small and prices high. It also seemed as though the waiter was just tolerating us and completely ignored some of our requests.

Posted 11/13/02

This place definately deserves to be on the best Mexican list (if not the best). Everytime I've been to La Palapa (10 times) the food and drinks have been fantasic and the service impeccable. I don't know what they'er doning to get it so right but it's working. And what a margarita!! I'm so happy I live right around the corner from this joint ,I'm trying to become a regular at the bar, but I keep sitting at a table to enjoy the food.

Pros: Good staff, Back garden

Posted 11/12/02

The food is amazing, the service is prompt and friendly and the ambience keeps me coming back... and the drinks are superb!

Posted 11/10/02

My first experience at La Palapa was disastrous. My blind date was ugly (not restaurant's fault), the beer was warm, and the food was so spicy it numbed my taste buds. However, I loved the ambience, and decided to give it another chance. I'm glad I did so, because all my gripes seemed to have been addressed. I've since been there many more times, and I would probably rate this restaurant as one of the top three Mexicans in the city. To top it all off, getting a table there is never a hassle.

Pros: Friendly service, guacamole

Cons: none, really

Posted 10/11/02

La Palapa makes Burritoville look like Daniel! Here are a few reasons: 1) The margaritas are overpriced, unpleasantly sour and weak. 2) When not otherwise unacceptable - blandness, dryness, etc. - the dishes are generally one-note disasters with the singular note being hotness. 2) The sauces they leave on the table are the same sauces they dump on the food, one of which rendered the enchiladas - which don't earn a positive numerical rating to begin with - bitter, overhot and totally inedible. 3) After biting into a piece of duck, I had to look at the menu again to see if I had, in fact, ordered the "duck jerky special". 4) In general, there is a lack of fundamental skills in the kitchen...culinary sins abound here, folks! La Palapa is a primer for how not to prepare Mexican food. 'Nuff said.

Pros: Friendly waitstaff, Pleasant decor

Cons: Awful food, Awful drinks

Posted 10/07/02

If you are looking for refried beans, go elsewhere. This is modern regional Mexican cuisine. I have been to La Palapa several times with friends and each plate is always excellent. I don't know what other restaurant these folks are complaining about. I've had to push my plate away due to the large portions (the enchiladas are gigantic). Although, I have to admit that the mixed drinks are awful, stick with beer and wine.

Pros: great setting, garden, real Mexican food

Cons: slow service

Posted 10/03/02

Having ordered delivery from here, I decided to go and try out the restaurant with six friends. We ordered apps and main courses. 3 apps came 10 minutes into being there, the other 3 came 45 minutes later NO JOKE!...then 5 minutes later they brought out all the entrees. don't know about you--but mexican food is type of meal i need time in between courses. having a full plate of appetizers when the entrees were brought out did not allow me to enjoy my food at all. The waiters were rude, the place was empty (thus no justification for this type of service), and we were treated horribly. Guess that automatic 20% tip on parties of 6 really hinders their desire to give good service. Though the food was good, it is very pricey, and the service is awful. I will NEVER return (nor get takeout) again. Such a shame...

Cons: service, service, service

Posted 10/01/02

and the vibe. I had the Mole and a really cute waitress. Scene is a good one. I really dont know why everyone seems to be so nege about this place. kick back and relax!

Pros: vibe, hot servers, mole

Cons: pricey

Posted 09/10/02

La POOPlapa is a more fitting name. Don't bother with this place

Posted 08/26/02

This place was a huge disappointment. Starting off with having to pay for chips n salsa (isn't this against Mexican restaurant tradition??) the food was very, very spicy. This is good if you like spicy food, but it was just too much. I even like spicy food but this one was too rough on my stomach. It had a lot of fancy Mexican dishes (those of you looking for the basics, go elsewhere) and it was super loud, hence not very romantic. All in all, it is a great place to go if you like VERY spicy food and you have a large group. Otherwise, I would try a different restaurant. Cheers.

Pros: fun for a group, friendly service

Cons: expensive, spicy, food not tasty

Posted 08/17/02

All of you people who think that La Palapa is overpriced and not authentic are insane!!!!! They have the best Mexican food I have ever had, full of delicious unique flavors. And everything tastes so fresh! The staff is so friendly and knowledgable, and the owners are so personable, and often come to your table to give you tastes of dishes. Those of you who think it's too expensive: what's so espensive about $5 for a quesadilla, or $12 for an entire brunch. As for small portions, yes, a couple of the appetizers may be small, but I dare anyone to order the chiles rellenos, and tell me that it is a small dish. The ambience is also wonderful - I love the lit wall in the back. I frequent this restaurant, and everyone else should too!

Pros: best margaritas ever, good service, good value

Posted 08/12/02

upbeat mood and music...I was happy to see the table salsas were like the ones I had in Mexico and really loved the tacos and quesadillas. We tried the Hibiscus Margarita recommended by another ctitsearch reviewer and wow was it great or what!!!?

Pros: authentic tacos, huge portions, blue corn chips

Cons: noisy on weekends

Posted 07/28/02

This place has a super fancy exterior---too bad
the food quality doesn't match the decor's quality.
The food is bland, served in small portions, and is overpriced. Only someone who likes to be ripped
would love this place. For all its glitz and glam, it
still serves some of the worst Mexican in NY. And
their service is super slow!

Cons: expensive, terrible food, bad service

Posted 07/23/02

Great place! The atmosphere is inviting and the waitstaff attentive and knowledgeable. The menu is original with something for everyone--including cheese that is made on the premises. And for the drunken horticulturist in all of us, there's a hibiscus margarita that will keep you planted at the bar for hours.

Pros: Good prices, Wonderful service

Cons: Lacks elbow room, Chips cost extra

Posted 07/17/02

Why oh why do people love this place. The food is downright yucky sometimes and occassionally decent. Overpriced. The tacos were dry and bland. The enchiladas were a big indecipherable mass. Cocktails are good and will at least keep your spirits up (until you get the bill). Service is OK.

Posted 07/09/02

I have been to La Palapa countless times and each time I go, I cannnot bring myself to order anything but the delicious duck mole. It is the best mole dish I have ever had. And this is coming from a proud Mexican who, until now, would scoff at the pretense of creative, unconventional Mexican dishes. The well-concocted spices are expertly paired with simple sides of saffron rice and spinach. My string of dinner companions have also raved about the steak with lime and the chicken tacos. Stay away from the enchiladas. It is the only dish that hasn't received a stellar review from one of my recruits. The service here is always friendly. Their attentiveness leaves a bit to be desired, but the bright and cheerful atmosphere makes it impossible for you to care. Especially if you've had a pitcher of the delicious white sangria ;)

Posted 07/01/02

So what? Its not like an extra few bucks is going to kill you, relax! If charging for chips is what it takes to keep that place consistantly good, I'm all for it. I love it every time I go there. Real mexican (not taco bell/maryanne's style tex mex), good marg's, service is ALWAYS polite, and the atmosphere is fun. I finally branched out from my standard order of the skirt steak with lime, and was not disappointed. Great place. If you can't afford chips, go to burritoville.

Posted 06/20/02

the ambiance is tres cool... kind of lounge-like... not at all pretentious... low lights... funky mexican music... excellent decor. apparently, the place as been feng shuid to the hilt! the food is incredible. if you love margeritas---it's totally worth sampling one here. they use fresh squeezed lime juice---as opposed to bottled---and the taste is evident. also, the quacamole is to die for. it is soooo genuine. i always order two heaping plates of it!!!! and one last thing... the chips are different... they are spiced chips, not just plain chips... and i assure you, they are yummy chips! a most satifying meal awaits you at la palapa.

Posted 06/16/02

lousy:

first we were seated in the garden right up against the super loud air conditioner. so we asked to be moved back inside-- so far, so good. (during our dinner, it appeared that another couple encountered this and also asked to be relocated.)

then we got the infamous "try and taste me" dishes -- we paid for chips to discover they were mostly flavorless except the overspiced salsa. we both practically choked on the spicy salsa.

my frozen margarita was undrinkable -- sour and weak.

the enchilladas were some crappy pieces of chicken wrapped in a tortilla with the same sauces we already got for free and some flavorless cheese.

the chicken with plantains: well, the plantains were good. the chicken was (see enchilladas above).

go somewhere else like any mexican place below 14th street for better food.

(oh, the service was excellent, otherwise!)

Posted 05/26/02