Unlike breakfast tacos*, queso is a little easier to find in New York City. Over the last few years, queso became mainstream. It has been celebrated all over the news, and was the darling of sarcastic articles out of Texas in 2015; we remember seeing a headline in the Houston Chronicle “Tex-Mex queso: New York's 'it' food of 2015,” and first feeling pride, but then realizing much of the article was making fun of the prices New Yorkers will shell out for these little pots o’ gold. It’s a seller’s market, OK! The heart wants what the heart wants, to quote Selena Gomez, and it’s definitely the only thing we agree with Senator Ted Cruz about (do we actually?) (answer your goddamn phone, sir!). To help narrow down your options, we made a map of all the places we know of that you can get queso in New York City, with notes on some of our favorites.
*Important breakfast taco update! We were excited to find out Jalapa Jar’s breakfast tacos are now on Caviar for delivery in Brooklyn. Feast on breakfast tacos in bed!
1. Mamasita
818 10th Ave, New York, NY 10019
2. El Original
735 10th Ave, New York, NY 10019
3. Mexicue
1440 Broadway, New York, NY 10018
225 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010
Mexican AND barbecue!
4. Oxido
18 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10010
Texan-run Chipotle-style burrito place is not a place we’d expect to get great queso, but it’s really good (so are all of their salsas).
5. Javelina
119 E 18th St, New York, NY 10003
Obviously a BKTX favorite, this is for when you want authentic queso but with the works, like all-out Bob Armstrong dip.
6. Cowgirl/Cowgirl SeaHorse
519 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
259 Front St, New York, NY 10038
7. Central Bar
109 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
Bob Armstrong dip is solid.
8. Hencho En Dumbo
354 Bowery, New York, NY 10012
9. Rosie's
29 E 2nd St, New York, NY 10003
10. Avenida Cantina
25 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009
We haven’t had good experience with this queso.
11. La Flaca
384 Grand St, New York, NY 10002
12. The Levee
212 Berry St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
13. The Commodore
366 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
14. El Diablo Taco Truck
484 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
15. Taco Chulo
318 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
16. Jalapa Jar
100 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
17. Lobo
218 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
B- queso (and B- everything else =/)
18. Threes Brewing
333 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
These nachos have damn good queso on them. You can get just the queso, but they’ll charge you the same as for the nachos.
19. Gueros
605 Prospect Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11238
This one is Emily’s favorite, she thinks it’s the most authentic of the bunch. Perfect with their margaritas.
20. El Cortez
17 Ingraham St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Thick and white — not really authentic, but really hits the spot.
21. King David Taco
*delivery only
(a) Toloache
251 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019
(b) Rosa Mexican
1063 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10022
(c) Empellon Taqueria
230 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10014
(d) Empellon Cocina
105 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003
(e) La Esquina
114 Kenmare St, New York, NY 10012
(f) Fonda
434 7th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215