Casa Enrique

"This Long Island City restaurant made waves when it first opened in 2012, and everything from the ceviche to the chile relleno served in a little pool of mildly sweet sauce is still excellent there. Nowadays we find Casa Enrique more reliable than groundbreaking, but you can definitely count on this art gallery-like space for anything from an impressive date that doesn’t feel too formal, to a casual dinner at an outside table, with a couple of friends who appreciate good crab tostadas and ending a meal with tres leches cake." - willa moore, bryan kim, will hartman, neha talreja, carlo mantuano, sonal shah

"Casa Enrique is a Queens institution, and their crunchy fish tacos, spicy ceviche, and rich mole de Piaxtla are essential eating whenever you're in the mood for unfussy Mexican dishes. They also have seasonal watermelon margaritas, which you can drink around a big bar while watching soccer on TV. For a casual date night, sit at one of the white cafe tables in the spacious dining room. It’s a simple and timeless LIC spot that’s become one of our favorite places to eat over the years, and we don’t see that—or anything else about it—changing anytime soon." - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick

"Casa Enrique was New York’s first Mexican restaurant to earn a Michelin star, and it remains one of the city’s most affordable options in that category. The menu includes cochinito Chiapaneco (pork ribs marinated in a bright red guajillo chile sauce), red pozole soup, and other dishes from his hometown of Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state." - Robert Sietsema

"At Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Casa Enrique — from chef Cosme Aguilar — expect dishes like crispy crab tacos, eggs served over mole, and scrambled eggs with jalapeño, black beans, and roasted poblano peppers. There’s some outdoor seating here, but brunch is also offered for takeout and delivery on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m." - Eater Staff

"This Long Island City mainstay — one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city — has a plant-filled, partially enclosed outdoor dining setup along the sidewalk with some space heaters for added warmth. The restaurant is known for dishes like its mole de piaxtla, carne asada, and tres leches cake." - Erika Adams, Tanay Warerkar, Bao Ong