Crema

The name has changed to Serenata and although the décor and awesome guacamole remain the same, my main entrée was meh. I ordered the vegetarian tacos without tofu and was less than impressed. They needed some heat and maybe even a little salt. The rice and beans on the side were bland as hell and looked like they were from a frozen TV dinner.
My mom (who loved Crema and had me take her there every time she is in town) ordered the corn salad side and had the chicken quesadillas as a main course. The corn salad gets 5 stars. It had some heat and much more flavor than all of our dishes combined. The quesadillas she said were just ok.
Maybe I made the mistake of eating tacos at Domo in Crown Heights the weekend before. Now those are some tacos!!! I’m just not feeling Seranata’s menu. I won’t be back and mourn Crema.

I can’t believe this place is closed :(The mole brunch item was SO F’ING GOOD!!! MUY TRISTE!

Came here for dinner last year. Loved their drinks and guacamole. Food was good overall. I remember having a seafood entrée and meaning to go back again.

I have previously been to Crema and had some of the best Mexican food and service I’ve ever had. When I found out the restaurant was closing, my wife and I decided to come before it shuts it’s doors for good.
The food was incredible, we loved vegetarian tacos and enchiladas de papa. The desert was tres leches, absolutely phenomenal, it’s complex and not overly sweet.
I was a little surprised at the service though. Carmilo didn’t seem to care much, never asking how our food was or if we needed anything else. I asked for chips and salsa and we never got it. Our meals arrived and I asked the waiter what happened. He said «they didn’t bring it out?» Either way he didn’t really seem to care. I asked him to forget about it and please don’t charge me for what he forgot to bring. People make mistakes, but I was really surprised he didn’t care. Maybe it’s because they are closing and reviews like this don’t matter.
I tipped the waiter anyway, but wondered if I should have at all since he seemed to not care at all.
What happened to this place? The service used to be great, now it’s mediocre at best. A previous waiter, Roberto, was great last time, what happened to people like him? I hope the new place they open has the same great food, but with better service than Crema now.

I came here with my brother and vaguely remember it. Its a great quiet spot that can accommodate a big party but for the life of me I can’t remember what I ate.

CRÉME DE LE CRÉME
Crema is a fantastic establishment. Came in on Sunday brunch with a reservation. Ordered their bottomless mimosas and their mole burrito… delicious and super filling! Having tres leches on their dessert menus, we couldn’t leave without having it. Best decision ever. Our waiter was nice but I enjoyed the attentiveness of the hostess better. Unfortunately this place is closing by the end of this year. We were told the same chef owns a similar establishment in the city and they serve the tres leches dessert there. #priorities

My friend and I ventured here for brunch last weekend, particularly for their deal on bottomless mimosas. We had made a reservation and were seated promptly upon arriving. As someone who’s a bit picky when it comes to her eggs, I requested that the omelette I was ordering be scrambled. The waitress said she’d relay the message. When we got our food, I was given an omelette and the server said she tried. I wish she had told me before so I could have ordered something else I was debating between. Besides the service, the food was okay. I wouldn’t come back for the food, however, I will most definitely be back for that tres leches we ended our meal with. It was to die for! Unfortunately this place is closing by the end of the year so I’d hurry in for that tres leches ASAP!

Delicious food!
We went here on a recent Friday night and had a great time. The food was excellent! We ordered the enchiladas and tacos vegetarianos. I’d describe the food as traditional Mexican with a modern and slightly upscale twist. Recommended!

This place is good. Not mind blowing because it doesn’t taste very authentic… a bit too refined for Mexican food. that can actually be a good thing though — was able to have good food without feeling gross afterwards like you do with a lot of Mexicen.
Staff was really helpful, nice atmosphere…
Ordered the Fish tacos, and they were great! Their salsa is also really good.

Came here for brunch. As an avid «bruncher» this place was good ³⁄₅. It wasn’t a true bottomless I felt like my friends and I had to flag the waitress down. However the food was authentic and tasty. Wasn’t too crazy about just an hour of bottomless!

Awesome Mexican food here! Mariah, the manager, is awesome! Loved the service loved the food, a little pricy but w.e. We were in the area and needed to eat.
I got the pork tacos DELICIOUS however not a big portion so I would get something else with that. My friends got the ceviche on mango sauce and fish tacos, everything was awesome. We got into a little of a disagreement with the server but the minute we called the manager (Mariah) she was able to fix it in a professional manner.
Overall great experience, would recommend it.

Pricey but super good. They charge you for chips and salsa, but it’s worth the splurge. We got the vegetarian tacos and the filet mignon skewers. Both super delicious and pretty filling. There’s a great back patio for small parties and it’s intimate. I liked this place but not sure I am dying to go back.

Amazing place for brunch. No complaints! Friendly service. Great music. Love the ambiance. Quick service on food and drinks. Price was fair and area was nice. Guacamole there is just so good I had to order two. My friends and I really enjoyed our time here for brunch. I loved everything there.

Super delicious! I came here with my fiancé during restaurant week and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food Crema was pumping out. The guac was perfectly spiced and their freshly made tortillas were perfect. I had to stop myself from eating too many of them since we ordered a 3-​course meal. The taquitos were crunchy, had a good amount of filling, and was paired with a chipotle-​cilantro crema. It’s definitely a repeat. However, you can probably slip the queso flameado. It was ok, but nothing special.
The fish tacos were pretty good, but what really blew me away was the burrito de Atun (Tuna Burrito). It was AMAZING!!! The tuna, and please order this medium rare (at least), was lightly seared on the outside by beautifully medium rare on the inside. Seasoned nicely, the huge tuna steak is drizzled with a sesame sauce and paired with a creamy and crunchy slaw. Now imagine all this yummy goodness wrapped inside a warm and toasty tortilla. BOOM! Taste heaven!
Oh, and if you have room… order the churros!

Filet mignon was ordered medium rare, came out well done. I do not recommend getting this dish because the meat comes out in kebob style which ruins the texture, making it very rough and dry. Also the filet mignon was very bland to the point where we could not figure out whether if it really was the cut.
Friend ordered fish which had cheese filling inside that overwhelmed the dish with excessive saltiness to the point where each bite tastes as if I was eating cheese as a standalone.
The dishes look very artsy but food was not delicious.
Guacamole was excellent.

Really dug this place. Cute setting and great service. We came for the unlimited mimosas during brunch. My glass was constantly being refilled which was very nice. I chose the goat cheese, spinach and potato stuffed omelet and my friend had the Chilaquiles Verdes y Rojos con Huevos. I actually loved her plate more than mine. It was a baked tortilla casserole with shredded chicken, green and red salsa, chihuahua cheese, crema, red onions, fresh cilantro, topped with poached eggs. It was sooo good! Definitely hit the spot. Thank god she wasn’t able to finish it so I was able to help her out! I recommend this spot to anyone looking for unlimited mimosas and craving yummy Mexican food.

I came here for dinner with my sister because it’s close to her office and we needed a place nearby before catching a show, and I am really glad she brought me here! The food was great and they have some interesting additions to traditional Mexican fare. Also important to note in a Mexican restaurant, the margaritas were delicious (and on happy hour special). I did, however, feel that it was on the pricey side, even for New York ($ 25 for three tacos with nothing on the side). I recommend sharing a side of the sweet plantains with your dining companions, they’re awesome!
With regards to the atmosphere, the restaurant is on the small side and painted in warm colors. I didn’t feel that the décor or atmosphere were anything special. A nice place to eat, but not anything out of the ordinary.

I’ve walked by this restaurant on numerous occasions and finally made a dinner reservation. Having recently moved from Phoenix, AZ, I am always looking for a good Mexican restaurant as there are not many I have found that have an authentic taste. I was a bit worried though, because the restaurant was fairly empty, it was a Tuesday night, but still thats kind of unusual to find.
Crema definitely delivered — from the drinks to the guacamole and appetizers, through the main course — everything was fabulous and full of so much flavor! I saved room for dessert and ordered the churros, they were amazing! I will definitely be coming back.

Came here for brunch on a Sunday
Atmosphere: Space is small with trendy décor. Crowd was mainly young.
Service: Staff was friendly and attentive. Don’t forget that you get free tea or coffee as well; the waiter failed to mention that.
Food: Truly delicious; no complaints.
Overall, worth checking out.

I’ve been dying to hit up Crema after hearing so many rave reviews about it from my friends, so I was psyched when one of my friends told me that she was having her birthday brunch here. Unlimited mimosas for an hour, here I come!
For $ 25.95, you can get an entrée, coffee or tea and of course, unlimited mimosas. Sounds like a fab deal to me. I decided to go with the Burrito de Mole Poblano. Immediately after ordering, we were given our first of many, many mimosas.
To start, our group of 12 got 3 orders of the Guacamole, which was delicious. Served with crispy, flavorful tortilla chips and made with a bit of a spicy kick, I was definitely a fan.
When my burrito arrived, I was pleasantly surprised that it was served in six pieces. Not only did this make it neater to eat, but also easier to eat, as I was definitely in tipsyville by the time our entrées came around. While I liked the overall presentation of the dish – it also came with 3 spoons of guacamole, salsa and sour cream – I was underwhelmed by the taste of the burrito. It wasn’t as flavorful as I would have liked.
On the plus side though, I don’t think there was ever a time my glass was empty. Our waiters were definitely on top of refilling all our mimosas glasses. Thanks for keeping me drunk, Crema!

Came here for boozy brunch over the winter holidays and both the food and service was amazing! I made reservations ahead of time since we’re from out of town and would like guaranteed seating, however when we showed up the place was busy but not overly crammed with long lineups like I imagined.
The food was great and the cups kept refilling, and after 1.5−2 hours (who remembers how long after 6 mimosas?!) we ended the meal with a $ 35 hit to the wallet per person. Well worth it.

I really want to say I like this place, but I feel it’s just more of average. The $ 25 price tag for a brunch entrée and unlimited mimosas (for an hour) is about right, but the items that you can choose from aren’t that amazing. Presentation does look beautiful, but they are all smaller plates and not very unique.
The Mexican quesadilla was definitely not a filling plate and the drizzle of sauce on top is really nothing special. It’s the type of thing you would order for kids at a restaurant and not as a primary plate. The other plates seemed very beautifully placed (e.g., the stuffed pepper, the chilaquiles, the burrito) but after trying them all, I was left with the impression that the only one that is actually filling and has a great taste is the chilaquiles bowl. The burrito and the quesadilla is more of an app to share with friends than a main entrée.
The unlimited mimosas was also a different experience. The first time I went to Crema, it was in a group of 8, and our server hardly came to our table. We received about two refills within the hour. We had all finished the small plates of food in less than 10 minutes, but we did pay for our unlimited mimosas, so I went up to the bar and asked for a pitcher so I can serve refills to our table as we had only gotten two rounds in the hour we were there. On our second visit, the mimosas were flowing better. The difference is we were sitting in the middle of the restaurant versus the front and to get to the rest of the tables, the servers had to pass by us first.
All in all, I am not wow’d by the food, but the place is very clean and nice, the staff is very friendly, entrées are presented beautifully, even though the food itself is just not filling and I could possibly cook any of those dishes myself.
It is however a great place for a first date, considering you won’t leave feeling full and you can definitely go for a run or outdoor activities without feeling like you should go home to take a nap.

When they said it was a bottomless brunch — THEY MEANT BOTTOMLESS! The waiters were so fun and we definitely never saw the bottom of our glasses because they came around to refill them so quickly! Though there was a 1 hour time limit, they were pretty nice about it and didn’t rush us.
We were looking for something more affordable (~$ 30) and the price is really good for unlimited mimosas and a very satisfying and high quality entrée. There aren’t a lot of entrée options, but the food is very good — especially the French toast!!!
Would definitely come again — my only complaint is that the place is not huuuge and if you’re a large group you might have to sit at a very long rectangular table.

CREMA ERA DELICIOSA, PERO LA COMIDA ERA PEQUEÑA!
Another night out to celebrate a friend’s birthday has brought us to Crema for endless pitchers of sangria as we were seated in the the party table by the door. The sangria (Agua Loca) can be purchased either by the glass ($ 13), pitcher for 2 ($ 22), or pitcher for 4 ($ 42). We opted for the pitcher for 4 to give the best bang for our buck. Usually allergic to most of the fresh fruit in the sangria (I can only eat most fruit only after they have been boiled), I chose to have the Spicy Mango cocktail. Unfortunately, it was not to my tastes and it sat there as i nursed my drink throughout the meal.
The waiter suggested the large guacamole appetizer to start while we perused the menu. I upped the ante and requested the guacamole combo which also included the salsas de la casa. The salsas were (1) small cup of Habanero (very spicy) and (1) small cup of Chile-​Frijol (mild). The first salsa was pure fire in a cup while the second was a blend of roasted tomatoes, chile jalapeño, black beans, and cilantro. Its safe to say that I preferred the second one.
Having a few adventurous people at the table, we also decided to try the Ceviche de Pulpo (African Octopus marinated in orange citrus vinaigrette, avocado, cilantro, flour tostada avocado mousse, Picture #24). This was served standing up in a cocktail glass in what had a similar appearance to colored sand art. When I asked the waiter how I was supposed to eat such a beautiful appetizer, as all of the avocado was at the bottom and all of the octopus ceviche was on the top. He confessed that he just pours it out onto the plate. While this completely destroyed the plating presentation, it certainly now made it feasible to be consumed without the risk of knocking over the awkwardly balanced glass.
Once its contents were spilled out, we finished it in record time. It was at this time that we started to notice a common theme between the appetizers which we devoured each of them in less than a few minutes without much effort at all. Could it be that although as delicious as everything tasted, that the truth was … that we were in a «small food place.» You know the place, where the chef’s concept is to give you mere glimpses of the food without having any one dish that is too large to overwhelm you. My suspicions were confirmed when we received our last appetizer, the Taquitos de Chilorio (Slow-​cooked pork mini tacos chile ancho, jalapeño vinegar, chipotlecilantro drizzle and crema, Picture #25). Yet again, while these were quite tasty, these were all gone in a few quick bites.
For entrees we ordered the «larger» versions of the Tacos de Carne Asada (adobo-​marinated grilled skirt steak, black beans served in corn tortillas), Pulpo (Octopus), and pan seared Foie Gras (goose liver). Each plate had 4 small corn tortillas with their featured filing, thus making each one done with no more than two-​bites per portion. After some passing around of the tacos to promote variety in flavors, I was able to taste each one of the tacos and found that I preferred the skirt steak tacos most of all. But after being teased by the small pieces of skirt steak within each taco, it made me slightly miffed that the chef did not even offer a full-​size portion of the steak.
In all, everything was certainly flavorful and there were very few things on Crema’s menu that you would find in your average Mexican restaurant. I also realize that the concept of small food is meant to promote sharing among the guests at each table (which we did gladly). But the fact that several of us left hungry and were eying an opportunity to grab a hot dog at Gray’s Papaya cannot be ignored. The food and service were great, just keep an extra menu on the table so you can order more food. I’d go back again, but I’m readying myself to order more appetizers to complement my meal. Maybe I’ll also order the Guava Chipotle Margarita, hopefully I’ll have better luck with that than with my last drink.