Mexicocina Mezcaleria: Birria and Mezcal in Mott Haven
Mexicocina Mezcaleria doesn’t publish a happy hour. It is a Mexican restaurant at 503 Jackson Ave in Mott Haven that serves from 9am to 11pm, to 11:45pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and it’s known for birria.
The verdict: this is a food stop first and a mezcal stop second. The birria is the headline: tacos, quesadillas, nachos de birria, a birria sampler (mini quesadilla, mulita, taco and a small soup) and even birria ramen, plus a cup of consommé de birria on its own. The catch is that the drink prices aren’t posted, so there’s no discount to chase and no price to compare for a mezcal cocktail.
What to Expect
- Birria: tacos and quesadillas with consommé de birria, cilantro and onions, plus nachos de birria with cheese, beans, jalapeño, sour cream and pico de gallo.
- Starters: queso fundido, and guacamole, pico de gallo and chips.
- Plates: bistec ranchero with serrano, onions, tomatoes, cheese, cactus rice and beans; enchiladas, fajitas and molcajetes.
- Breakfast from 9am: breakfast burritos, omelettes and chilaquiles.
- Dessert: churros and flan.
It takes reservations and also does delivery, takeout and catering.
The Room
Antonio Vilchis opened Mexicocina in a tiny spot on E. 149th St. in 2008, and it has since grown to two South Bronx restaurants, both larger than the shuttered original. The menu leans on south-central Mexican cooking, and the bar side is a mezcal selection and mezcal cocktails. The nearest trains are E 143 St-St Mary’s St and E 149 St on the 6.
See the full Mott Haven happy hour guide for the posted deals nearby. More tacos and Mexican kitchens are in our best Mexican restaurants in NYC, and a late stop is covered in late-night food.