Caracara Mexican Grill - Farmingdale

Caracara Mexican Grill
354 Main Street
Farmingdale, NY 11735
(516)777-2272
Rating
Overall: 8/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Decor: 10/10
Value: 7/10

Courtesy of Caracaramex.com

Courtesy of Caracaramex.com

After coming here twice, once for lunch with my wife and once at night with a group when the kitchen was close to closing, I've decided to finally leave my review. Typical of Farmingdale village, you can either get lucky and find parking on Main Street or park in one of the lots in the back. Always a pain, but it is what it is. We really went here the first time on a whim, not knowing what to expect in terms of prices or being low-key or upscale, and we were pleased. Upon entering, you feel like you've walked into a NYC restaurant. The bar is in the front with the dining room in the back. The decor has an upscale ambiance, not to mention the bathrooms are very well done (love the sinks!)


The first time we came here for lunch, the service was just o-k. It was probably because we went soon after it opened, earlier than a typical lunch crowd and a large party of about 20 people were there taking up much of the one waiters time. We sort of felt neglected a lot of the time. But either way, we had been given homemade tortilla chips and salsa which were delicious and sitting for such a long time really allowed us to read over the menu and get an idea of what we wanted. Everything sounded great. My wife ordered steak tacos that came with rice and "refried" black beans. I got the chicken quesadilla with a side of fried plantains. When the food came out, we were a little surprised at the size of the tacos considering the $14 price tag. The sides were in cast iron bowls which was a nice touch. The rice was some sort of cilantro white rice and the black beans were not refried beans, but just regular straight black beans. Both tasted great. The one thing that made up for the prices and portions was that the food was extremely fresh and you could tell it was authentic Mexican food. Despite seeming like smaller portions, with the chips and the sides, we were both full. BUT we had to try dessert! We split a piece of flan, which was underwhelming. I feel like I've had better from a box. We won't be ordering that again. We did take note however of the extensive drink menu and tequila list which led us to come here again with a group for drinks.


The second time we came here it was with a group late at night around 11pm when the kitchen was closing. We decided to get a table rather than stay at the bar and quickly ordered the tableside guacamole as well as churros (both were fresh and delicious!) The rest of our party ordered mixed drinks, margaritas and the like. The bar was pretty busy and there were a few other parties at tables but we ended up being some of the last people there. Service was great because there was a larger staff than when we came for lunch. Our friends were all impressed with place and we know it is a place we will return to.