Javelina NYC Tex Mex Restaurant Review
Javelina Restaurant Locations
Javelina has two locations in New York City, one in the Upper East Side and one in Union Square. We had the pleasure of dining at the Upper East Side location and boy, did we have a wonderful night! Javelina NYC opens at 4:00 PM Tuesday through Friday and on the weekends starting at 12:00 PM. Reservations are recommended and can be made with OpenTable on the Javelina website.
The First Tex-Mex Restaurant in New York City
Javelina was established in 2015 and was the first Tex-Mex restaurant in New York City. Owner Matt Post grew up in Texas and moved to New York City in 2005. He quickly missed the authentic Tex-Mex cuisine from his childhood, so he set out to bring a little Texas to the Big Apple. The Azteca black and white tiles and bright pops of color tie the Tex-Mex food to the decor. Javelina gets its name from the Southern pig-like animal. The restaurant’s fun and laid-back feel invites you and gets you in the mood for a fun night ahead.
Javelina NYC Menu
Javelina NYC has a great menu with a variety of Tex-Mex options. They are known for their queso and margaritas, making this a top spot to meet friends for a fun night out. I love the Mexican restaurants that offer many additional complimentary sides and dollops. Most entrees at Javelina NYC come with rice and beans, along with the beginner complimentary chips and salsa. If you want good Tex-Mex food and a variety of margarita offerings, Javelina NYC is the place to visit!
What We Ordered
Prickley Pair On the Rocks – $14.00
Traditional On the Rocks – $13.00
Frozen Strawberry – $14.00
A round of margaritas for the table included a traditional on the rocks, frozen strawberry, and a fan favorite – prickly pear on the rocks. Each margarita was delicious in its own way. The prickly pear offered a unique fruity and floral flavor. The strawberry was not overly sweet and had a fun slushie texture. Traditional margaritas are my favorite and this one was the perfect drink for the night.
Queso Sampler – $17.00
The Bob Armstrong queso is one of Javelina’s most well-known dishes. The famous dip has guacamole, tomato, sour cream, cilantro, and group beef. You can choose the traditional or the white queso for the base. This well-known dip has even been trademarked! I really enjoyed the simple white queso dip, the white cheddar added a great flavor and smooth texture.
Steak & Shrimp Fajitas – $29.00
The grilled shrimp and steak fajitas were a great pick. I love fajitas and order them pretty much every time I visit a Mexican restaurant. Javelina’s fajitas lived up to every expectation. They came out sizzling hot with a mound of juicy sautéed peppers and onions. The grilled shrimp were large and flavorful. Each bite offered a rollercoaster of flavor with the many toppings and sides.
Grilled Shrimp Tacos (2)- $17.00
The shrimp tacos were large and flavorful. The shrimp was grilled to perfection and added a fresh texture to the homemade tortillas. The homemade tortillas were soft and had a nice chew. Pico de gallo topped off the ensemble and added a punch of acidity and texture.
Tres Leches Cake
We finished the night off with a traditional Mexican dessert, tres leches cake. The cake was light and had a nice vanilla flavor. The crumb was a bit dry but the layers that were soaked in the tres leches were nice and moist. The whipped frosting was light and the perfect outer layer to this delicious slice of cake.
Rating
This was a fabulous experience, I cannot wait to come back! Thank you, Karla and the Javelina Team for a wonderful night!
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