Tacos Matamoros
"Families with strawberry batida-sipping children sit alongside young bachelors slurping hominy-studded white posole, while Asian women peddle bootleg DVDs table to table. The tchotchke-free, wood-veneer-paneled dining room lacks the taquería charm of the former digs across the street, but the intensely flavored dishes remain superlative," writes Ganda Suthivarakom for New York magazine.
Peter Meehan for the New York Times raves about the tacos: "They were some of the best, if not the best, tacos I’ve had in New York: carne asada with a real char to it and a flavor like steak, not the mystery meat stuffed into most tacos in the city. The chorizo was spicy and crisp but not dry; the pastor was glistening, the flavor of pineapple just an emphatic suggestion."
Many Matamoros devotees say that their tacos will even impress those West Coast transplants who think that NYC is a Mexican food wasteland. In fact, blogger Eat Drink One Woman says, "I turned my back on California with one bite of their tacos al pastor -- double-stacked little corn tortillas, lightly edge-crisped and softened in a little oil, topped with their savory, crispy shawarma spit-roasted red pork, finished with a dollop of mild red salsa and a liberal sprinkling of sweet chopped onions and sprightly cilantro." And Chowhound PAL adds: "The carne asada cemita that I had at Tacos Matamoros was better than any burrito I've had in San Francisco." What's your take on this place?
Reviews (11)
PPSer wrote a review on February 24, 2009 12:09 PM
Terrific place, terrific food, byob or you can order a Mexican Coke (with real sugar).
winthropst wrote a review on February 24, 2009 12:26 PM
great food. still working my way through the whole menu.
very sweet waitresses - their english isn't perfect but the pictures on the menu helps.
clean place. nothing memorable in terms of decor. fellow diners are entertaining to mingle with or look at. runs the gamut from mexican/central american families, foodies and hipsters.
amazing value. 2 people can eat a substantial lunch for around $20.
i took a friend once though who got a headache immediately after eating - he thinks it might have been high salt content. but i've yet to encounter that problem here.
Prodigal_Son wrote a review on February 24, 2009 1:05 PM
I'll have to throw down a superlative as well: best Mexican in Sunset Park and indeed in Brooklyn. I'm racking my brains trying to think of one better in all of NYC. Even a tad above the amazing-ness of the Red Hook/ Brooklyn Flea vendors. Zero atmosphere except for the real atmosphere of Sunset Park families, loud salsa on the radio and the most authentic tacos this side of street tacos in Mexico City. Don't go looking for margaritas or "fusion" "continental " Mexican. This is the real deal.
Its 1:05...time to get in the car. Tacos by 2.
bktycoon wrote a review on February 24, 2009 1:18 PM
seriously the best mexican food i have had in brooklyn. carne asada was authentic and prices are beyond cheap (i think i went there with a group of 6 and the bill was less than $50). if u live in greenwood or south slope, definitely make your way down to this spot, you wont regret it.
Brenda from Flatbush wrote a review on February 24, 2009 2:33 PM
Best. Horchata. Anywhere. Great tacos, too, but my favorite Matamoros experierience is to get a bag of el pastors (and a HUGE horchata) and head (in summer, duh) to Sunset Park with a picnic blanket, and have a feast overlooking the killer sunset views. Absolutely one of my favorite Brooklyn experiences ever. Note: Sometimes, takeout can take a looong time to get.
KHuebbe wrote a review on February 24, 2009 3:45 PM
Been here a bunch. This place is excellent! Try their pastor tacos, their horchata. I agree with Brenda, the horchata is the best I've had. Light, creamy, none of that chalkiness often associated with it.
Great place on the weekends when it's busy, music is playing, and you're walking around Sunset Park.
Thanks for choosing such a great restaurant!
chrishavens wrote a review on February 24, 2009 3:47 PM
I agree with KHuebbe, who is a genius. An upstate friend said where can we go for dinner, he was paying, so we went to M and we ordered too much and we still spent $21 only, plus beer from across the street.....
sixyearsandcounting wrote a review on February 24, 2009 4:20 PM
As a San Diego native and one of "those West Coast transplants who think that NYC is a Mexican food wasteland," I have to say this place is simply awesome.
partyliz wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:26 AM
Is this any relation to the Matamoros that was a taqueria in the back of a bodega on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg? It was a wonderful hidden jem and sometime last year it closed.
winthropst wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:34 PM
i don't think this sunset park matamoros is related to the old bodega on bedford. i used to go to that one also when i lived in the burg. it was cheap and convenient - right next to the subway. but they were pretty awful greasy tacos with no subtlety in flavors.
herkimermaid wrote a review on March 22, 2009 4:15 PM
I decided to check this place out on the strength of the Brownstoner responses and WOW! It really IS good -- great even! Definitely worth a swing by. I got a carnitas burrito and cheese quesadillas. Super good. I love how they serve everything with radishes and fresh lime.
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