Lobo-Licious?
There are very few restaurants in the neighborhood I've yet to sample, and until this weekend Lobo on Court Street was one of them. (As an aside, its predecessor, Harvest, was the first place I ate brunch in the neighborhood.) My experience eating Mexican food in Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill neighborhoods is one fraught with disappointment. The closest I've come to Mexican love is Maria's Mexican Bistro--and that's in Park Slope. Perhaps I'd been holding out on Lobo in order to keep the idea alive that there might be a great Mexican restaurant somewhere close by.
Lobo isn't horrible, which I suppose is saying something. In fact, its chicken soup, with fresh chunks of avocado, sprigs of cilantro and lean bits of shredded chicken, veers towards the tasty side--and I think I'd order it again if I ever got around to going back. Its salsa is passable in the way that any middling Mexican chain restaurant's salsa is passable. The problem is that its food is neither good nor bad; it just is. Spicy shrimp fajitas (which do not arrive on a sizzling plate--and what's more Tex-Mex than a sizzling plate of fajitas!) are decent enough, quesadilla is cheesy enough, but there is absolutely nothing special whatsoever about this food. It's like eating an expertly prepared Mexican TV dinner. The margaritas are a high point (both in price--$9--and taste) if you order with the homemade chili infused tequila--but I practically had to pry that tequila information from our server. I wanted to love Lobo, I really did, but at least I didn't hate it. That's something, right???
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Lobo is the place to go if you're looking for a "healthy" dose of Velveeta® in your Queso Fondito.
It's a passable restaurant for Mexican in the neighborhood. Mezcal's can also do in a pinch. But there is really nothing special about both of those restaurants. Alma is good and for tacos that mexican restaurant further down Court Street near the Books on Court store.
yah. I'd have to agree, this place just isn't very tasty. Everything is a bit too watery, or watered down. This is really picky, but what turned me off the most was the rice. It was sort of like boil-n-bag rice,mushy. And strangely enough we had a similar blah reaction when this location was named Harvest. Could they have one of those cursed kitchens?
So funny - we just ate there this weekend for the first time as well and were disappointed. You'll occasionally come across positive posts @ Chowhound and we hoped for the best - unfortunately it failed.
I actually like Mexicali at Court and Atlantic. But I may be the only one.
I miss Harvest--the catfish po'boy was excellent. I used to go there lots, and only went to Lobo once, was underrwhelmed and never returned.
For superior Mexican food, Castro's in Clinton Hill is where it's at.
I liked Harvest better too, they had a good brunch for the area. I never understood why they closed. Everytime I was there they appeared to be busy.
there's a Lobo in park slope too, and it's terrible -- here are my picks: TACOS NUEVO MEXICO in south slope is awesome, and CAFE MEXICANO at union and 4th in the north slope is pretty great (tiny though).
Lobo == El Taco in El Bowl-o
Mezcal is not bad at all. And the staff is great. That counts for something. And they have matchbooks.
If you're looking for good mexican, then Alma's is your place.
La Taqueria on 7th in the Slope is pretty darn delicious but the inside is a little manky
El Huipil in Red Hook is the only place to go for real Mexican food in this part of Brooklyn. Alma is overpriced bullshit Mexican with really shitty service. Excuse me for wanting some damn rice and beans with my entree, especially when said entree is well north of $10! Go to Mezcals if you want mild food poisoning. I've never been to Lobo and see no reason to. Mexicali or whatever it is has those horrible toxic green margaritas and nasty stale corn chips.
Get thee to El Huipil if you want to eat well for not much money.
If you don't believe me, believe Sietsema:
http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0509,sietsema,61578,15.html
mmmm El Huipil *is* good. Red Hook always seems so far away when I'm starving, though. If I remember correctly, the restaurant closes fairly early, too. But it's definitely worth the inconvenience, especially for that mole.
Lobo: YUCK! Found a big black hair in our taco. so disgusted that I won't ever go back...
Maria's: Fantastic. Everything I have ever eaten there was super. Margaritas are full of tequila, guac is fresh and I had the tastiest pork & pineapple quesidillas. yumyumyum
Yea, what is it about mexican in this neighborhood? It seems like NYC in general has slowly joined the rest of the country in having decent mexican food, but Carroll Cobble is still lagging.
Lobo? Boring food.
Alma? OK, but tries too hard and the staff can sometimes come off as jerks.
Pacifico? Great space. Lousy service matched with lousy food.
That place on the corner of Court and Atlantic? I went there about 6 years ago and swore to never go back. I believe their salsa was actually Ragu.
Alas.
I recently went to a great place on Pacific (in the same 'complex' as gravy off of Smith). Not bad, but a little pricey.
I miss the Cafe Mission Delores in San Francisco. Every time I go to that great city I have to stop by that divey place. Their food is incredible and for under $7 (including drink!).
Pacifico is hit or miss..
los pollitos 2 in pk slope is really good as well. Cheap too.
I've mentioned this before, but Fast and Fresh Deli on Hoyt just above atlantic makes the best Tacos in the area. A real gem, that spot is.
re: Harvest, a) not haunted, Harvest was very successful for a long time, but when Smith St. became the hot spot, it's dinners died down. What was haunted was the space they owned that is now Quercy. First it was Harvest East, then Mojo, then Harvest Market, then Rustic, then Quercy I think, all this in the last 4 or 5 years. b) THEY STILL SERVE HARVEST BRUNCH! Most people don't know this so it's not crowded like it used to be, a few things are different, like they don't have red beans anymore, which I liked in my omelettes. But the omelettes are the same, grits, sausage etc.
I actually go to Lobo on a weekly basis. However, only for their brunch, which is absolutely delicious. You really can't get a better deal in the vicinity & this is coming from from a Texas native who is extremely picky about Tex-Mex food. I would have to agree that their non-brunch dishes are pretty average. At least it is close to authentic Tex-Mex, but just not quite there.
For brunch I would recommend the breakfast tacos w. chorizo & extra cheese, along with tasty & wholesome bloody mary. Gotta make sure that you get some free chips & salsa too w. your brunch, as both are actually quite good. Order this & you will get the best bang for your buck. Oh yeah, Maria's on Union Street in Park Slope is incredible for mexican food. Not really Tex-Mex, but their food is awesome. Order some guacamole, which they will make in a mortar & pestal right in front of you.
You cannot compare Marias to Lobo. Tex Mex is an american invention, not a mexican one. Marias is great but a little pricey. El huipil has good authentic mexican food and is much cheaper (about $20 for 2 persons, no alcohol). At Huipil you can also bring your own booze (except beer which they serve). This also saves alot of money.