Tres Carnes

I came to tres cranes last week after walking around FiDi in search of a different lunch option. Tres Carnes is everything I love about Mexican food and more. I would consider them a high class chipotle. Burritos, tacos, burrito bowls salads with your choice of meat and toppings. The choice of meats include but not limited to smoked brisket, chicken, and a weekly special. They include squash, street style corn & guacamole for one price for all 3. I went with brisket tacos with squash corn guacamole & pico de gallo. It was a truly amazing experience. I washed it down with a homemade agave limeade that was delicious. About 3 days later I was craving Mexican again and I went back and got a brisket burrito. It was the first time I had ever actually finished a whole burrito from anywhere. Also being that it was a Friday they had the special churro donut available so I got one of those too. Which was filled with dulce de leche. The meal was ridiculously good. I must mention that this place can be pricey about $ 20 a person to eat but you get what you pay for.

Walking up to the door to see the closing notice. I metaphorically fell to the floor, cursing the skies, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Tres Carnes was fast becoming one of my favorite lunch spots in FiDi. The place is Chipotle meets BBQ food truck meets hip-​hop lunch meet-​up.
Smoked brisket, chicken, pork, and veg are part of the regular line-​up. You can top it with Guac, Corn, and Squash for extra. I highly recommend the pickled onions along with the special sauces they feature with the weekly smoked meats. Weekly smokes included fantastic things like short rib (double serving please), ribeye, salmon, portabellos, and chorizo.
Goodbye dear friends and staff, goodbye. Sob.

I came here a few times now and it’s a solid option in the area. I tried the smoked brisket and chicken and they weren’t too bad. The ideal time to come here is between 12 –12:30 because after 1:00 line gets pretty long. I usually order the el tres bowl with my meat of choice. Expect to pay 10 $ — 12 $ without a drink. Their is also a small seating area so good luck grabbing a seat.

Dropped in for lunch today with 6 of my coworkers. My friend got snowed out of her flight down south, so we wanted to enjoy a little Texas in the city. This place is straight outta Austin, with cool graffiti, a distinct smell of smoke, and a musical mix of Daddy Yankee and Bob Dylan.
They sit right across the street from Chipotle, but in a different world. Although they do base their menu on a similar format (burrito, taco, or bowl), it’s one step above the cookie-​cutter, «guacamole is extra» standard (but, be warned, guacamole is extra).
The food was great! The meat was well seasoned, tender, and smoky. The additions and side options were unique. And the dessert — Churro Donut filled with Caramel — was a soft, doughy and delicious.
The only setback is the size, it can probably only fit 20 people to sit and enjoy lunch. So please, if you want to keep going to Chipotle, keep going! This can be my little secret.

Ok, I get that a lot of people say it’s not authentic. It’s true, it is totally not authentic. What it is, though is totally DELICIOUS! Wish I could give it 4.5 stars.
As far as lunch places in FiDi go, this is one of the tops… I walk 10mins (past 3 Chipotles) from the office to get a burrito or a bowl with smoked meat delicious fillings as opposed to your average burrito. The line can get a little long, but as is the norm with these kind of places, you won’t be on it for more than a couple minutes. There’s a little bit of seating around, as most people take their stuff to go finding a seat isn’t too much trouble. They also have beer, cheladas, and juices as well as soda, too. The smoked chipotle michelada is amazing.
One of my favorite things to do is get a seat by the window and watch those poor uninformed souls waiting on line at Chipotle across the street, unaware of deliciousness they’re missing out on… Just kidding! Hahaha.

Ever since I found out about this place, I was dying to come and try it out! Luckily, found this location close to work and decided to drop by for lunch today with my co worker.
It’s funny this place is located right across from Chipotle and operates just like a Chipotle style menu, except the interior and atmosphere is a lot nicer.
Getting back to the food. I opted for the smoked brisket with poblano (green rice), while my co worker went with the pork shoulder (since I don’t eat pork). I have to say I was a bit disappointed, perhaps because I had very high expectations.
The brisket was not bad and had a smokey flavor to it, but overall, it wasn’t the best I’ve had. The rice was also bland and lacked flavor. I did however like the slight spiciness added with the spicy sauce. My co worker on the other hand loved the pork shoulder.
If I had to choose, I’d choose chipotle over this place and feel it definitely delivers more in terms of flavor and taste. That being said, I’d still recommend trying this place out so that you can decide on your favorite tex-​mex spot for yourselves!

I like the concept of this place… but I’m a sucker for tacos in general. I would say that I am more of a traditionalist though… but I think this place can be craveable every now and then.
I do like that you have all these options to load up your tacos/​bowls/​burritos up with… my favorite is the corn!
I walk by this place often and the smell of smoked meat has a way of hypnotizing you to walk in here…

Foiled in my attempt to take advantage of Chipotle’s BOOrito deal during my lunch hour ($ 3 ‘ritos on Oct. 31 for all customers in costume), which I hadn’t realized did not start until 5 p.m., and attired for Halloween this year as Daria Morgandorfer, voice of my generation and cartoon version of myself, I/​Daria assumed bitchy resting face, donned my AP Economics thinking cap, did a cost-​benefit analysis, and decided there was no way I was going to eat this crap, tasty as it may be, at full price, and marched promptly across the street to what would appear to be FiDi’s only remotely authentic taqueria, highly reviewed by my carefully curated cadre of comestible-​critiquing cyber compadres. Once inside Tres Carnes (such an inferior name to Los Pollos Hermanos…), the always difficult-​to-​please Daria was met with a simple (monotone voiceover: «This is America, after all; it would be a fool’s errand to expect anything less than the omnipresent execution of the ‘keep it simple, stupid’ philosophy that is our nation’s ethos.») but nonetheless enticing menu with ingredients far more appealingly described and more attractively arrayed than the dicey-​looking diced, sliced, and shredded meats across the street, some of which resemble dog food. Daria did frown upon the price for two tacos with rice and beans ($ 8.27!), even if the meats were high quality and freshly prepared. But being stuck in FiDi, and lacking both the time and motivation to trek to the El Rey del Taco truck in Astoria, Ricos Tacos y Antojitos in Sunset Park, or even Taqueria Lower East Side or Cochinita Dos in Chinatown, far be it for her to fight the towering efficient capitalist machine in making a lunchtime purchasing decision. Daria appreciated that customers could mix and match the fillings for the two, double stacked, fresh, sizeable soft white corn tortilla-​wrapped tacos and selected the adobo and lime smoked chicken as well as the «Texican”-rub smoked, pulled pork shoulder, with most of the gratis toppings: pico de gallo, pickled onions, radishes, and Cojita cheese. Daria did take issue with the fact that this taqueria played fast and loose with the definition of «taco» by insisting on putting the rice and beans in the steeply priced tacos rather than serving them on the side as a platter and giving customers the option of buying just two tacos, sans burrito fillings, at a lower price point (hence the subtraction of the fifth star). Nonetheless, Daria did sample both varieties of rice, pero aunque ella es algo proficiente en el idioma español, ella tiene una lengua de gringa y simply couldn’t handle the heat of the green poblano variety. She did, however, enjoy the yellow variety made with sweet bell peppers and onions. She also found the fresh-​squeezed limeade to constitute the perfect complement to the meal. Daria appreciated the tasteful décor, striking murals, and ample availability of (clean) table space and relative quiet – compared to the chaotic Chipotle – which allowed her to read her Sartre in peace while dining in Tres Carnes. Finally, Daria found the service she received from the two employees’ preparing the food and from the manager who walked around to every customers’ table to inquire as to their satisfaction with the Tres Carnes experience (thankfully not at all in the creepy manner of Gustavo Fring of Pollos Hermanos), to have been exceptional, which is high praise from a misanthrope. La la la la.

Slowly but surely I’m redeeming faith in the restaurants around FIDI.
So today, like any other day, I became stupid hungry around lunch. My friend and I both craved something filling so we headed to Roti to get some rice bowls until the server told us that they ran out of rice where I immediately yelled «WHAT?!» and we both walked out. Feeling disrespected and miserable I locked eyes on the fairly empty Tres Carnes across the street, zooming past Chipotle (which was right next door). Seriously, Chipolte has some serious mind control. I ate there maybe three times and there has not been one day where I’ve been on lunch at work where I don’t think «Lunch…Chipolte!» and then I remember how much I don’t like their food.
Being that Tres Carnes was not Chipolte, I walked in and ordered the El Tres Bowl: Green poblano rice, black beans, corn, squash, guac, pickled onions and sour cream. There’s a decent seating area outside the restaurant but my friend and I had trouble finding a table that outlived the monsoon we had this morning. It wasn’t that busy. Someone couldn’t come clean and arrange the tables? Any who, after some scuffling and chair rearrangements (they have this very intricate rope system that keeps you from stealing their chairs) we sat down and had our food. This. Hit. The. Spot. In. All. Levels. ALL LEVELS.
It wasn’t the best presentation but I couldn’t care less. I mixed everything up like a witches brew and it was pretty damn satisfying.

Tres Carnes is the gourmet Tex-​Mex version of your local chain restaurants like Chipotle, Qdoba, and Oxaca. The food is more authentically prepped, cooked, and served for (what most would consider) a more enjoyable take-​out experience.
As delicious as their food may be, my biggest complaint about Tres Carnes is how their menu advertises. The ‘smoked chicken’ was sure, a bit smokey, but mostly just fiery as the deep, deep, depths of the underworld. Perhaps one of the spiciest things I’ve eaten to date (granted I AM a bit of a wuss)…this dish should definitely be labeled ‘hot’. I ordered the chicken over greens, which was a sad display, not even close the amount of salad you would get at their low-​brow competitors.
All-​in-​all, I see the grab of Tres Carnes… If your taste buds are ‘faint of hot,’ expect a wild ride. And damn is that music bizarre.

Come here for tex-​mex barbecue inside your Chipotle burrito for lunch.
Imagine pulled pork inside of a warm tortilla with beans and rice. Or smoked chicken on top of two corn tacos garnished with pickled onions. Or the smoked brisket bowl with rice and spinach, squash and guacamole that I got.
The brisket was good, but not the most juicy. The heaping spoonful of guacamole more made up for it. Great lunch.
Seating is limited, line moves.

I just tried the beef brisket over rice and beans and it’s delicious. The quality of the meat is very good, and the portion was huge, enough for two people. I like Chipotle too, and can’t say one is better than the other. For variety will be going to both places.
Just one thing, the interior was a bit too dark, I think it would really improve the vibe if they added a few vintage lamps — the kind with the long filaments and warm glow. It would still be dark but would have a more pleasant atmosphere.

Update: Removing a star.
I ordered the same brisket bowl to be delivered at work. Well… it tasted like jet fuel. Maybe they accidently dumped too much liquid smoke in my plate, because it was inedible :(If I go back I’ll eat in, so I can complain then and there about the taste.
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I wanted to try this place, because the smoky BBQ smell that eminates from it totally distracts me from the Just Salad line. So I finally went in there today. I ordered a brisket bowl with yellow rice and black beans, and got all the toppings. I enjoyed it — the brisket was moist and flavorful. However, someone wasn’t too careful with chopping the jalapenos and I wound up with a too-​big chunk I mistook for a green pepper. Wowsers! Otherwise, at $ 11 it was par for what I pay for lunch each day in this area, but I felt like I was getting a really decent meal. I couldn’t finish half of it, in fact, so now I have dinner too :)

Good cheap place. Definitely more interesting than their Chipotle competition across the street. The street corn was amazing. The BBQ was very good too. I also enjoyed the lime-​aid.
Will definitely go back or get delivery.

Based on coming here once, I’m gonna go ahead and say this place is better than Chipotle. The only thing keeping chipotle in the game right now is the fact that they added tofu to the menu. Otherwise, it’s a wrap (pun intended).
I got the same vegetarian wrap I usually get from chipotle with some different sauces and it wasn’t even close! It works the same way as Chipotle, but provides a flavor punch that’s incomparable. Line moves lightning fast and you get more in your wrap than Chipotle. As an added bonus, they seem to play some pretty sick reggae and top 40 music throughout the restaurant. What more can I ask for!
This place is sick. I will undoubtedly be coming here going forward. Chipotle has some competition and it’s pretty strong.

What rhymes with Snoop?
Dr Dre… Finally, an R-​rated Mexican place for the young urban youth. As I sit here for lunch, I’m listening to loud and uncensored «Nuttin’ But a G Thing», enjoying a splendid El Tres Bowl w/​smoked chicken that is 10x better than anything at Chipotle across the street. And they have Limón Jarritos :) It’s like this, that and this and uh… new spot for lunch in FiDi. Now If you’ll excuse me, Biggie just came on.

First time eating from here and I’m a fan! Got the double meat bowl with beef cheeks and briscuit. I had the works over rice with squash. Filling and tasty in every bite. The beef cheeks were so tender I could have ate a triple. The briscuit was flavorful and not to fatty. The chipotle squash was a nice touch. Across the street from chipotle and so much better. Welcome to the nabe Tres Carnes! I’ll be back again.

So I saw this new business opened around where I live, I immediately bookmarked it.
On a lazy Friday night, I am way too lazy to cook and I decided why not give Tres Carnes a try? And yes, it is exactly like chipotle. In fact, the are located opposite a chipotle.
Whats good?
— fresh mexican «fast food». The brisket was really yummy
— flavorful, the spicy sauce was just spicy enough to give my bowl a kick
— perfect in FiDi, quick lunch spot.
— the portion is big enough to enjoy. unlike chipotle, sometimes is too small
Downside?
— slightly more expensive than chipotle. hey. if it’s about the same I rather pay a little less? I am not saying they are not good but chipotle is ½ dollars cheaper.
Maybe it was a Friday night and this place is not as packed. They simply just skipped me and went to the guy behind me. I was like. hey I was waiting for quite some time. but they apologize to me so it wasn’t really a big deal.
They also don’t have a fountain for soda yet. I was asking for a cup of water and they said they don’t have it.
This place is still growing. So if you are sick of chipotle, give them a try.

I have definitely been bored with Chipotle for quite some time now. At one point, it seemed like the cool new kid; now I find myself going there somewhat begrugingly if I need a bite for lunch or dinner and I see one in my immediate line of sight.
Well, at least on my FiDi work days, I’ve got an option that blows them out of the water.
It’s a fine competitor, offering the same concepts as «Pick your style, pick your protein, pick your add-​ons», but with barbecue-​esque options such as smoked brisket, street-​style corn, and spicy squash, they’ve got something beyond the scope of Chipotle.
At lunchtime, it’s a long but fast-​moving line of FiDi-​ians. I ordered a bowl with yellow rice, black beans, smoked brisket, gaucamole, and diced tomatoes. The brisket (save for a single inedible fatty piece) was to die for. The rice and beans were perfect. The tomatoes were red and robust, putting what Chipotle usually has to shame. I topped it off with an agua fresca in all of its lime green and cucumber-​infused glory. It was a really great lunch that left me quite pleased.
My only complaints, be them minor ones? A bowl with brisket and added gauc plus an agua cost me a pretty $ 14+ bucks (so it’s definitely a «once in a while» lunch place in my book), and the interior is SMOKY. Glad to know they are legitimately doing their own barbecuing, however! Solution? Take it to go. Simple. Ha!
This place is damn near a godsend. So happy it’s near my FiDi office! I expect many happy yet smoky returns here in the future.

At last, a really satisfying, delicious option for a quick lunch or dinner in the Financial District.
It’s pretty much a far superior version of Chipotle (I think, I tried Chipotle once a few years ago, but at least the concept is the same):
1. You can get either 2 taco, a burrito, or an El Tres Bowl, which is what I tried, and it gets you an enormous amount of food.
2. Choose your filling — smoked brisket, chicken or pork shoulder (or veggies if you must), each of which is about $ 8-​$ 9 (you can also add on double meat for about $ 3).
3. Pick either green poblano or Mexican yellow rice (the helpful server informed me that the green on is vegetarian, while the yellow is not, and is therefore tastier) and pinto or black beans.
4. Next choose any of corn, squash and guac for $ 1.37 extra.
5. Lastly, you get any number of a bunch of free toppings (pico de gallo, onions, radishes, cotija cheese, etc.).
6. Finally, marvel at the massive pile of food in front of you.
I tried the Smoked Brisket in my bowl, and it was amazing. It was surprising how high quality the meat tasted at a chain. It had a nice level of spiciness to it too, and the rest of the ingredients were also really great. The yellow rice and black beans and the generous amount of guacamole was enough to keep me satisfied until dinner.
After all that spice and meat, I needed something sweet, so I tried the Churro Doughnut ($ 3.22), the one dessert they have to offer. It was pretty tasty, but you could tell it was not at all fresh. If these were softer and/​or hot, they would be excellent.
They still don’t have a sign up front, so it was pretty empty when I walked in, but it’s only a matter of time before Chipotle loses hordes of lunchtime business to this far superior option across the street. This is a really good deal for $ 11 bucks or so, and I would gladly return for another taste of this great food.