Chelsea Market is an iconic New York City food destination where you can feast on delicious eats in a chic, industrial food hall setting. With 30 (give or take) different food vendors, there’s something for everyone.
Craving Asian flavors? Check out Very Fresh Noodles, Mok Bar, or Pearl River Mart Foods. Maybe you’re in an Italian mood. Swing by Filaga Pizzeria, Buon’Italia, or the newly opened Di Martino pasta bar. Does meat tickle your fancy? Head to Dickson’s Farmstand Meats or grab a burger at Creamline. Mediterranean? Jamaican? American? Baked treats? Chelsea Market has got you covered.!
There’s one food I’ve been craving: tacos.
With 3 taco spots to choose from, I embarked on a Chelsea Market taco crawl to find the best one.
Stop One: Los Tacos #1
Los Tacos #1 was created by three friends with one mission: bring authentic and delicious Mexican cuisine to the east coast. Naming your restaurant “The #1 Taco” is a pretty bold statement. So it seemed appropriate to make it the #1 stop on my Chelsea Market taco crawl. I joined the line of fellow taco lovers and marveled at the operation.
Hand pressed tortillas were furiously passed off to the grill next to a rotating spit of glistening adobada. I spied two more grills loaded with sizzling meat further down. A chef in the middle scooped the protein into a tortilla and passed it forward. “Con todo?” knocked me out of my awestruck daze. The man repeated himself while taping on a sign explaining what “con todo” meant. Onions, cilantro, salsa, and guac. When the guac isn’t extra, you can’t say no.
I collected my carne asada taco on a corn tortilla “con todo” and dug in. The meat was tender and juicy with a tasty grilled flavor. The guac and cilantro complimented the meat nicely, and the fresh corn tortilla tied it all together. It was simple, fresh, and utterly delicious.
There’s a reason why Los Tacos #1 is one of the most revered taco spots in New York City… just saying.
Tip: People come from far and wide for these tacos. Go on off peak hours on a weekday to avoid a line.
Stop Two: Los Mariscos
I moseyed next door for stop 2 on my Chelsea Market taco crawl: Los Mariscos. Los Mariscos is the sister restaurant to Los Tacos that specializes in seafood. The ceviche passing by was tempting, but I stuck to the mission and ordered a fish taco and a spicy shrimp taco.
I snagged an open bar seat (PS they serve drinks too!) and my tacos came out in no time. One bite into the fish taco and I was in heaven. The fish was crunchy on the outside and flaky on the inside with the perfect amount of saltiness. A sprinkling of lettuce added a freshness and the red sauce on top brought a slow burn heat.
The spicy shrimp taco was so loaded that shrimp were jumping ship on my first bite. The shrimp were covered in a sauce that packed a punch, but the pico and dollop of guac helped smooth out the heat.
While the spicy shrimp taco was tasty, the fish taco is something special.
Stop 3: Takumi Taco
The 3rd and final stop on my Chelsea Market taco crawl was Takumi Taco. Takumi specializes in Japanese inspired Mexican with creations like spicy tuna and Japanese lentil tacos. I went with the tofu tinga taco, which consisted up marinaded tofu, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, cilantro, sesame seeds, and chipotle sauce in a corn tortilla.
I took one bite and was immediately disappointed. The tortilla was dry and a touch rubbery. The Asian flavors were fighting with the Mexican flavors in a dramatic battle of who could stand out most.
“Should I try another type of taco?!” crossed my mind. But here’s the thing, if you’re going to put something on your menu, it should be good. Great eateries have pride in each menu item. “Ordering the wrong thing” shouldn’t exist.
Wrapping Up My Chelsea Market taco crawl…
Takumi Tacos was exceedingly disappointing. I wouldn’t try it again nor would I recommend it.
Los Mariscos and Los Tacos #1 were exceptionally delicious. Fresh tortillas and flavorful ingredients make for A+ tacos. Which should you choose? Both! Grab a couple from each, snag a table outside, and dig in!
Hungry for more food crawls? Check out my Chinatown food crawl HERE and french fry food crawl HERE!
