Hola! Welcome to New York City’s most authentic Mexican joint–so authentic, in fact, that you may want to brush up on your Spanish. While the help speaks about as much English as Mr. Hipster speaks Swahili, Tovar’s food says nothing but “yum!” Burritos bigger than a baby’s arm tempt you with their chickeny goodness. The three-taco plate will put you in a murmuring coma. We’ve heard that the green Mexican soda has just the right amount of fizz, and is just different enough to keep the Sprite people off their tails. While the dining room is about the size of a small studio apartment, the jukebox stuffed with Mexican classics from yesteryear through today fills the space with mariachi merriment. With all the crappy Chinese Mexican places in the city, it’s nice to find a true diamond in the rough that charges down-home prices and doesn’t have lines of yuppies from here to Tijuana lining up to drink $12 margaritas and eat fancy-pants specialty flautas. I dare you to order the goat tacos! [MF]
691 10th Ave.
212/399-4416