Los Tacos No. 1

Now for when you want to spend almost nothing and lose almost no time. Los Tacos No. 1 on 43rd is a counter, not a sit-down, and it opens at 11. You stand, you order the adobada or the nopal, you eat the best three tacos in the neighborhood off a little ledge, and you are back on the sidewalk in fifteen minutes with change in your pocket.

This is my honest answer to “we spent too much on the tickets.” Five minutes to the 44th Street houses, and you walk in having eaten genuinely great food instead of a sad pretzel. Confession time folks, on a solo matinee this is what I actually do more often than not.

229 West 43rd Street (inside the Times Square location). This is the one restaurant I’ll recommend that’s actually in Times Square. Los Tacos No. 1 makes legitimate, Mexico-City-style tacos on handmade corn tortillas, and they’re $4.75 each.

Order the adobada (marinated pork) or the carne asada. Get the green salsa. Get a horchata. The whole meal will cost you $15 and it’ll be better than anything at the $35 sit-down places surrounding it. The line moves fast. This is the best quick meal in the Times Square area and it’s not particularly close.

One of the top spots in Times Square (and a personal favorite of mine) for food is Los Tacos No. 1, a renowned taqueria founded by Tijuana and California natives who aimed to bring authentic Mexican flavor to Manhattan.

Despite the initial shock of $5+ per taco, the juicy and tender meat quickly justifies the price, making it a great quick bite in Times Square (Los Tacos is actually one of the best cheap eats in all of NYC). With a simple menu honoring traditional flavors, even my Mexican in-laws agree – it’s one of the best things to do in the area!