El Camion

I loved this place. It was a fun place to go. Of course I filled up on the chips and salsa. I loved the margaritas. I had a chicken burrito and it was very fulling. The atmosphere was fun and they have a nice bar to hang out if there is a wait.

I can’t believe I never wrote a review of their brunch when I came here with my old Unilocal buddy Aviva about three years ago! I suggested this place to some friends, and when I went to send them the Unilocal link, I’m like, «…HEY! Where’s my review?» (Oh, the horror! HORROR, I SAY!)
All I can say is that it’s a great brunch and a great bang for your buck. Myself and four other friends arrived at 11 on a Saturday morning; virtually empty, but it filled up fast, and we were close to not getting seated as one guest was running late and they have a very strict «we won’t seat you unless your entire party is here» rule. (Fair enough…) Off of their brunch menu, all entrees (except for the taco platters) come with a complimentary drink. SCORE. With all brunch items being priced between $ 10 — $ 14, that’s a wicked good deal. My friends ordered Huevos Rancheros and other breakfast platters, while I opted for the burger with sautéed onions and peppers. Just the whole concept of having a juicy burger, seasoned fries, and a frozen peach margarita for only TEN DOLLARS… wow! Just wow. Like I said, you can get a great bang for your buck with their brunch. We also ordered a guacamole to start, which didn’t come until after our entrees arrived. *shrug* It’s only $ 6, but the portion is teeny tiny, so be forewarned.
I’m glad I remembered this great brunch option. It’s one I’d gladly return to!

Explored a bit on national margarita day and found this unassuming spot. We were sold on the happy hour $ 5 margarita deal. Margaritas were on point, not extremely sweet and had a good amount of punch to it. We tried all of the flavors available, with no thought of having to go to work the next day. The place isn’t blessed with the biggest bar area so we moved to a table and ordered three taco plates: grilled chicken, beer battered fish and the short rib. Short rib was the table’s clear cut favorite. Our only complaint was the waiter. He took forever to provide us service even though it wasn’t busy, and he messed up our order when we were finally attended to.

Seemed below radar. Never heard of this place
Sat at bar and enjoyed the cod tacos
Also had pig ass and beef but codfish tacos were the best
Bartender might be a little bit of a dumee

Standard American style Mexican food of salads, burritos, tacos and some entrees. Guac was just puréed avocado and needed salt, more lime and flavor. However, the warm bucket of chips and spicy hot sauce requested made up for it at only $ 6. Good grilled veggie tacos in corn tortillas, 3 for $ 12 and side of slightly soggy maduros $ 5. Very noisy when full and lack of attentive service but fine for relatively cheap and filling food and drinks.

Super brunch value. $ 10 got me a full entrée (I got the chicken chilaquiles), a bloody mary (with bacon, as is still in vogue), and unlimited coffee. Solid food. Friendly staff. And when we went on a Saturday, we got there early enough (before noon) where there was no wait. Though by the time we left, the line was substantial.
Where in the world can you get all that for ten bucks? Certainly not the East Village. And yet…

Probably the best bang for your buck in the area for brunch!
We were told 20 minutes, ended up waiting 45 which was a bit frustrating. They have tables for 3&5 so don’t expect to be seated in a 4 or 6 person table if you’re not 4 or 6 people. We were 3 so we had to wait for the only 3 person table, while tables of 4 who arrived after us were being seated…
The food was really good. As far as authenticity goes, this place isn’t there, but slight Mexican twists on brunch favorites is more accurate. The eggs benedict with their green sauce is amazing if you like eggs benedict but want to try something new! Good enough to come back for.
The food comes with coffee and a drink. The drinks are listed as $ 10+ but I think there is some unspoken deal because our subsequent drinks were only $ 5. Their margaritas are strong, but they’re sugary and sweet enough to mask it.
Only complaints was waiting for our table while others were seated before us, and service could have been a bit faster, but otherwise, $ 10 for a good brunch, with coffee and a drink… I’m not mad about the other two things!

Got the chicken fajitas, they were great. The chicken was tender and the vegetables were very savory. The portion size seemed a bit smaller than the standard fajita portion size, but it certainly didnt leave me hungry.
4 stars for service, water glasses were left empty for the majority of the time, which is a basic thing to take care of.

Strong margaritas, great guacamole and delicious fish tacos. Order all of those things and you’ll be a happy diner.

Best brunch deal in the East Village! (I should probably keep this a secret… but I have to give this place its due). For $ 10 you get an entrée and coffee/​tea/​drink. For the drink you can choose between mimosa, bloody mary (with a bacon strip in it!) and margarita (very strong so prepare to clear your calendar for the rest of the day).
I recommend the Chicken Chilaquiles. It’s shredded chicken, scrambled eggs, soft tortilla chips, and cheese all mixed up and baked together. Warm, flavorful and eggy, soft and chewy, with crunchy bites. The perfect savory brunch item. The Huevos Diablos and Huevos Rancheros are also standouts.
There are a good number of tables insides – it’s pretty spacious for an EV joint and has a corner location with big windows that are great for people watching or pitifully gazing at the suckers on line still waiting to be seated. They don’t take brunch reservations so be prepared for 45-​minutes to 1-​hour waits during peak brunch times, or wake up early, because we all know that brunch is competitive and the early bird gets the margarita.
PS: I have been here for dinner as well. They have great tacos but it’s definitely not as memorable as their brunch.

Only reason why they lost a star was because service was slow when the restaurant was empty. Other than that everything else was made up with the delicious food and frozen margaritas. I had the flank steak. It came with yucca fries and a side salad. And my boyfriend had the ribeye which came with sweet potato fries and a sautéed spinach like mix. Love my meal and he loved his. And you can’t go wrong with $ 5.00 frozen margaritas! I will be back.

I came here on a Friday night with a friend, we both got the chicken burrito wrap. We really enjoyed it! The burrito wrap was really crispy and fell apart, so we had to eat it using fork and knife. I didn’t mind that at all. Servers were really friendly and accommodating.
My friend ordered a pina loca and I believe I had the la negrita? It’s basically a mexican bulldog (frozen margarita and corona). Both were really strong and tasty!
I would definitely recommend this place and come back!

El Camion is legit! the food and the drinks, this is easily my favorite brunch spot in the East Village. My first visit was a mere lucky one, and it seemed that the brunch was probably almost over, so the place had seats available and we got right down to it. As usual, I ordered the steak and eggs which I believe came in a burrito at the time with guac… I mean, the plate was amazing. The drinks served are made with great tequila, the brunch comes with a free drink, and you can add a flavor to it at no cost. But that is just the trick, that first one MAKES you want more, and they are seriously good. Like not foamy frozen margaritas. I continue to get the vampiritas, which aren’t as cheap, but the mix of sangria and frozen margaritas is top notch and has become my favorite drink at brunch anywhere.
Recently, I had friends come in from out of town, and when we said brunch, we traveled from Queens all the way down here cause I could not think of a better location. A thing to know, I believe the do not take reservations for brunch and the place is usually packed (because it’s that good), but this should not stop you from coming, the plates are pretty packed (you definitely get your money’s worth) and the drinks will get you very happy very quick.
This is a good spot to eat great quality food and drinks and cool environment. Which brings me to the usual, this is definitely a second to third date spot, but only if you really like the person, cause you don’t want a potential maybe to turn this to their spot to bring their dates. Keep this place for the special ones! The trip is worth it no matter which area of NYC you are coming from…
Suggestion… take a quick minute to see the pictures posted and become hungrier… (I am surprised people remember to take pictures, the food is so good here that I usually remember I should have taken the picture after eating halfway through).
Great job El Camion… now if you only opened other slightly closer locations to LIC!

A great Mexican food spot in East Village!
I came here with a date one Wednesday night. The place looked promising, so we thought we should give it a try. They have everything from appetizers, tacos, burritos, fajitas… and don’t forget the drinks.
We weren’t starving, so my date ordered a beer and I ordered veggie tacos to split. The meal came with three small tacos, which was perfect if you just wanted a bite. We also ordered a side of Guacamole which was very addicting.
Overall, we both left satisfied. Not the best Mexican food I’ve ever had, but it sure was tasty!

Super cool dinner spot! Everyone in the place seemed to be having a good time (probably thanks to the delicious drinks). I had a piña colada inspired margarita and had no trouble feeling the tequila. Ordered chips and guac for the table. Wasn’t disappointed. For the meal, I went with a steak burrito. Others had fajitas and everyone left happy.
Will be going back!

You can’t go wrong with this place for brunch! $ 10-​$ 12 for a drink, meal and coffee! I have tried a few brunch items on the menu all have been delish! Today i tried the popular huevos diablos and it was very good — spicey, filling, and fresh.
It’s gets very busy so be prepared to wait a little while but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Eh. Not in love. It’s interesting how the East Village seems to be teeming with Mexican restaurants and yet none of them are really that great.
Was turned off from the moment I walked in. The ambiance is very confusing; the décor is clearly casual but there’s still a slight air of hipster/​trendy about the place. Yet in a way it kind of feels like a cold cafeteria. And it was pretty quiet on a Saturday night while all the nearby bars/​restaurants were packed — not a good sign. But my friends wanted Mexican, so El Camion it was.
We ordered guacamole for the table and the mojito camion and piña loca margarita cocktails.
The guacamole was good, not great. And while I enjoyed my mojito, the piña loca was utterly undrinkable.
Won’t be back.

El Camion is always busy in the evening and for brunch. It’s in a good location on Avenue A and attracts a lot of 20somethings looking for a low key but fun night.
I’ve been here about 3 times and never been entirely impressed. I’ve ordered quite a few things on the menu, ranging from salad to tacos to enchiladas, but I have never loved my meal.
Somehow I always find myself at El Camion with friends or for birthdays, so I look forward to updating my review when I make it back a 4^th time so I can finally share the hype!

What an amazing brunch experience! Came around 11am on a Saturday and could not have been happier with my choice. Overall, service, food, and ambiance was excellent.
FOOD: They had a brunch special where every entrée came with coffee and either a Bloody Mary, mimosa, or frozen margarita. WHAT A GOOD DEAL. The entrees were only around $ 10 each and were in and of themselves substantial! I ordered the breakfast burrito and thought it was incredible. Unlike most burritos, the tortilla was crispy (like it had been pan-​fried or stuck in a panini press) which I really enjoyed. There was lots of filling (eggs, rice and beans) and a good amount of sides (sour cream, guac, salsa, and some mixed greens). I had an excellent meal!
The rest of my table ordered the huevos rancheros and steak and egg doblados, and were also very satisfied.
SERVICE: We got there and were seated immediately, thank goodness. By the time we left (around noon-​1pm), the line was out the door. Our waiter was attentive and very good about telling us about the brunch specials.
AMBIANCE: The place is trendy and a typical brunch spot in East Village. The décor did not detract from the meal at all.
Definitely loved my experience here and would come back!

Another great restaurant in the East Village. El Camion earned stars for their food and lost stars for their service. I would’ve given them 3.5 stars but food was good enough to bring it up to 4.
I was the first to arrive from our party of 6. When I asked how long the wait was for six people they told me they couldn’t give me an estimate because not all of us were here. But how were we to decide if we wanted to wait if we didn’t have a wait time? Very shortly after, everyone else got there and then we were given a 15 minute wait time. Those 15 minutes turned into 30 mins. Pretty hangry at this point. It was 1:45pm.
We get a waiter immediately who comes to take our drink orders but we were so hungry we just wanted food. In all the time we were waiting we all decided what we wanted already so we asked to order. None of us really came for a boozy brunch so we asked if we could substitute mimosa (included in brunch entrée) for a regular OJ. You would think a restaurant would be happy to hear that but no! Extra $ 2 for OJ. No budging on the coffee for tea either. So we all ended up getting mimosas/​bloody marys.
Our food took almost another half hour to arrive, but when it finally did, boy was it good. We got two orders of tacos to share. I had a beer battered cod fish with cucumber slaw and avocado crema. There was too much batter on the fish but the condiments on the taco and avocado crema were amazing.
My entrée was the huevos diablo: two poached organic eggs on habanero-​corn muffin with carnitas; served with chipotle hollandaise, served with home fries. The best part about this dish were the habanero corn muffins and Chipotle hollandaise. The combo of those two are outstanding. The corn muffins were soft and moist on the inside, with a crunchy bottom. Chipotle hollandaise should be sold in bottles in stores. It wasn’t too spicy overall and very creamy and added that extra kick to the rest of the dish. I ended up dipping my home fries in the leftover sauce. I had a bite of cold carnitas so that was unpleasant but the rest was fine. It was very heavy so I couldn’t finish my entire entrée but I would have liked to substitute my home fries for a salad next time. Not sure if they’d be able to do that though. They don’t seem to like that: p

Service was terribly slow. We arrived a bit after 8pm and waited for a friend for our party of 3. We sat at the bar and had to seek attention to grab bar tender and get some micheladas. They were ok. Not the best in the city by not the worst.
Then we ordered guac, it was the smallest portion I’ve ever seen in my life. Granted it was $ 6, I think we got 4 spoonfuls.
Then when we finally got seated, it was such a process to close out. By the time we sat down we were ready to order.
I got the steak burrito. It was not really an entrée size to be honest. It was more like a large appetizer but after filling up on drinks I was full.
Overall, I was a bit disappointed… The reviews were so good but since was nonexistent and slow, portions were small etc.

I’ve only been here for brunch. The prices for brunch are incredible: $ 10 includes a meal and a cocktail (bloody mary, margarita, mimosa). It does get very busy, so give yourself plenty of time and don’t show up starving. It also gets loud, but that’s a given in any small, EV restaurant/​bar. I ordered the huevos diablos, which claimed to be really spicy, but they’re just sort of «gringo spicy,» as I like to call it. It’s more spice than actual heat, probably due to the chipotle flavoring. They are good, though, and the potatoes that came with the plate were really tasty.
The service is a little awkward — it always seems like we’re bothering the waiters by being there, and it’s not easy to get a refill. And when we came in for a late brunch one day (maybe around 1 or 2pm?), the hostess seemed not so thrilled to see us, even though there were a few empty tables. Service aside, though, the food is good and the prices make it worth it. We’ll be back.

Probably a 3.5 star for me. There were some good some bad. First, the waitress/​hostess spilled water over the table and got my phone wet. Thankfully nothing happened, but she didn’t really replace the water after she spilled it. We had to ask for more glasses.
My friend ordered the $ 6 bowl of guacamole. The chips come free and the guac was quite good, but that was the tiniest bowl of guacamole I’ve ever seen. I ordered the carnita tacos. The tacos had a lot of meat in each taco and was well marinated and tender. It comes 3 for $ 12. I had one friend who ordered the fish tacos and she seemed to enjoy hers as well. Tacos seem to be the way to go here. Someone also ordered the fajitas and that comes with so much food (rice, beans, chicken, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and tortillas). The burritos are also huge and although it doesn’t say on the menu, you can add chicken to the quesadillas for no extra cost.
The food was pretty good, but I think I’d only come back if I was in the area.

Eh… just ok.
Margaritas are excellent though: 4-​stars
Food: 3-​stars
We had the chips & guacamole, «coca-​cola» carnitas, chicken fajitas and burrito. All of it was just ok, nothing exceptional, but not bad and a decent price.
I’d recommend spending a few extra dollars and go to Barrio Chino down the road for some exceptional Mexican… unless you plan on just having margaritas, then this place is perfect for that.

This place has good Mexican food!
Apps:
Ordered the corn on cob with cheese and paprika. Im typically not a fan of these like the ones they sell in the street but I really did like this one.
Also ordered the guacamole which was fresh and tasty.
Drinks:
Tried the house mojito «a la casa» and the guava Mojito. I loved the la casa and hated the guava!
Dinner:
I ordered the hanger steak with Yuca fries and salad. The steak was really good but it was a very small piece and I found myself eating off of my company’s plate after because I was still hungry. The Yuca fries I must say were really crispy and good. The salad was a healthy portion and very fresh as well.
I also tried the burrito which was really good. I was told that it was too much rice but I really thought aside from that the taste was very good.
Overall the service was great and friendly. I highly recommend!

After an end to an early night of babysitting drunk people, me and the other designateds wanted some food. El Camion was packed when we passed it and therefore, probably good. It’s a good thing we made reservations on the way back there or we would’ve had to wait awhile.
The restaurant is dimly lit, loud, and cramped. Complimentary chips and salsa came quickly, guacamole was extra, but worth it. The margaritas looked amazing, but yeah designateds lol. I got a carnitas burrito as an entrée. It was quite large, served with sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. But it was open on one end and covered with the sour cream and guac, so you couldn’t neatly eat it with your hands.
No big deal, I can be civilized and use a fork and knife. The burrito was quite tasty, and filled me up nicely. Carnitas were a little on the salty side, but the guac and sour cream helped.
Also had some of yucca fries, cuz I love yucca fries. Theirs are good and comes with spicy ketchup. Looking through their site, best deals seem to be for lunch and brunch. Good excuse to day drink in the East Village.