Showed up for a reservation and the restaurant was closed. Of course things happen and sometimes it's not possible to have an establishment open due to unforeseen circumstances, but we were not contacted prior. We also tried getting in contact with someone afterwards to no avail. Disappointed at the lack of communication.
Marc E. Babej
The food was soso - the place has clearly seen better days. What ruined my appetite was the large wall painting celebrating sexual abuse.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 3
Osbaldo F.
Excellent food. Good service (the servers could be a bit less dry, tho). Wonderful CDMX-like vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Saif Dia
TL;DR - Overpriced, with small portions, but they can fix things.
I’ve been meaning to try Claro for a while, and finally had the chance to do so. A combination of location and dietary restrictions had limited me from doing so in the past.
When I arrived, I found the menu was different from the one online (not a big issue), but while I was waiting to order, I saw the table next to me get the quail mole rojo and the duck mole negro. Though both dishes looked lovely, the portions did not seem commensurate with the prices, so I opted to order something from a different section of the menu.
I went with the taco vampiro and the tuetano - bone marrow with black mole and tortillas. Which the waitress informed me would be sufficient for the amount of hunger I had.
First up was the vampiro. It was three fried tortillas, with the beef and cheese filling between them, and then sauce drizzled on top. It was a good dish, but at $24 I definitely expected more beef on the inside.
Next up was the tuetano. It comes with four tortillas, so you’d expect a decent amount of bone marrow, right? This one unfortunately came with barely enough for one tortilla, about a teaspoon full to be exact. When the waitress saw I was done, she asked me how it was, and I politely told her for the price its a very meager amount of bone marrow, she looked at the bone and seemed to acknowledge it with her facial expressions. I do get that it is tough to judge how much bone marrow is in a bone, but this was unacceptable. After I came back from washing my hands, she came and informed me that they’d be sending another one over (no apology mind you).
The second one came and it was a by far better portion, maybe 5 times the amount of bone marrow, but it was definitely still a little short on marrow. There was enough to fill one tortilla, and if you’re rationing maybe two. Also, the mole was effectively a glaze on top that did not add anything to the dish. The restaurant is actually doing itself a disservice having this dish on the menu for $22. It’s nothing special, and too pricey for what it is.
I was not even asked if I wanted anything else, not even offered the dessert menu. My bottle of water and cup were taken away and I was just given the cheque.
I honestly felt ripped off spending $46 before tax and tip to end up eating 7 tortillas and a few fillings, leaving disappointed on many levels and hungry to boot. Service on the whole was good - it was kind that they sent a second bone marrow, but in retrospect it might’ve been better had they comped it and I just left as quickly as they apparently wanted me to - but there is definitely room for improvement, in terms of speed too. Lastly, I was a little shocked that the man who appeared to be the manager simply said “thank you, see you back here soon”, as it felt as though there was a disconnect.
The weird part is that I feel that there is potential in this spot, but it’s going to need either fixing the pricing, or adjusting the portions. However, I do not see myself coming back any time soon.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Saif
Overpriced with small portions, and it's not as if the taste makes up for it. Unfortunately it feels like Claro is living off of their prior reputation. However, there is hope that it may rise to that standard again. I just won't be the one to find out if they do
Jacob Bower-Bir
Definitely expensive, but the food is excellent. Each course was surprising and enjoyable. Easy to split dishes between two people. The cocktails were disappointing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
William Rheingold
Fabulous Mexican restaurant in The Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn. Gourmet’s delight . Excellent food. Huge selection of varied style tequilas and wine. I live in Boca Raton, Florida. This is a rare find only in Brooklyn
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Louis Rassaby
Pretty inventive food, and dedicated gluten free. The portions are tiny for the price, even by NYC standards. $8 each a side of white rice, beans, or tortillas. Le Club was a tasty cocktail.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Maria Amigon
Very cute little Mexican spot tucked in the middle of Gowanus. The service was honestly excellent, our server was super nice and really attentive. When I asked how he recommended eating the short rib mole, he told me, “Usually with a fork.” I had to laugh, I told him I’m Mexican and I’ve never heard of eating mole with just a fork. It needs a carb. Tortillas, rice… something. He smiled, went to the back, and brought me a whole order of tortillas. Very sweet.
Now, the mole itself, it was good. Not great. Definitely not the best. I’ve been to Pueble and had my fair share of mole. It was a bit overpriced, but that’s probably the neighborhood and whatever rent they’re paying , I get it. Overall, the food didn’t impress me. It’s not a place I’d come back to, but the experience itself was good, and I genuinely appreciated the service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Miguel Quijada
We were really excited to try Claro and went in with high expectations, especially considering its former Michelin star and all the great reviews. We live in New York and dine at Mexican restaurants often, so we were hoping for an experience on the level of Quique Crudo, Oxomoco, or Casa Enrique.
Unfortunately, we left quite disappointed. While the ingredients seem to be of good quality, none of the dishes we tried really lived up to the hype, and the value for money felt quite low, with portions being very small. For the same price, we’ve had far more satisfying and well-executed meals at places like those mentioned above.
Service and ambiance were both fine, but overall the restaurant felt overrated. It’s not a bad spot, but we’d recommend thinking carefully before spending this much here, especially with so many higher-quality Mexican options available in the city.
New-age take on Mexican food. Server was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Food certainly caters to the clientele of the area, not necessarily authentic to the culture it comes from. One of the food runners clumsily knocked over our flight of tequila when putting our food on the table, was replaced by server. Restaurant was a bit cold near the door where we were seated. Noted in reservation that it was for a birthday, but no candle included when we ordered dessert. Overall, just fine.
Jasper van Dijk
Food is outrageously expensive for the quality and the amount of food you get. If you like fine dining and have a few hundred dollars to spare for dinner, this is the spot for you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Tuetano De Mole Negro Bone, Taco Placero
Rebecca Gleason
The food was very good! It’s a bit pricier compared to the neighborhood/brooklyn but overall was very happy with the dishes. The different types of mole were really great. The cod was cooked so well. My partner and I ate up the food so quickly we didn’t have a chance to take pictures but the drinks were also unique. I really enjoyed the mezcal Negroni.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Connor Cawthorn
An absolute treat of an evening. Creative and unique menu, thoughtful wait staff and an eclectic drink list to top it off. A celiacs/gluten free dream of a restaurant and we can’t wait to come back to enjoy the patio!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julian Muller
This place is a joke, would not recommend. $18 for chips and salsa, $20+ for a single taco, and $50+ for an entree is just absurd for the quality of food here. Most of the food was bland and unoriginal. Servers were impatient and they sent out the wrong entree to one of our friends who then had to wait for the correct meal to come out while everyone else had their food. They sat us on the patio and it smelled like animal urine.
Showed up for a reservation and the restaurant was closed. Of course things happen and sometimes it's not possible to have an establishment open due to unforeseen circumstances, but we were not contacted prior. We also tried getting in contact with someone afterwards to no avail. Disappointed at the lack of communication.
The food was soso - the place has clearly seen better days. What ruined my appetite was the large wall painting celebrating sexual abuse.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 3
Excellent food. Good service (the servers could be a bit less dry, tho). Wonderful CDMX-like vibes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
TL;DR - Overpriced, with small portions, but they can fix things.
I’ve been meaning to try Claro for a while, and finally had the chance to do so. A combination of location and dietary restrictions had limited me from doing so in the past.
When I arrived, I found the menu was different from the one online (not a big issue), but while I was waiting to order, I saw the table next to me get the quail mole rojo and the duck mole negro. Though both dishes looked lovely, the portions did not seem commensurate with the prices, so I opted to order something from a different section of the menu.
I went with the taco vampiro and the tuetano - bone marrow with black mole and tortillas. Which the waitress informed me would be sufficient for the amount of hunger I had.
First up was the vampiro. It was three fried tortillas, with the beef and cheese filling between them, and then sauce drizzled on top. It was a good dish, but at $24 I definitely expected more beef on the inside.
Next up was the tuetano. It comes with four tortillas, so you’d expect a decent amount of bone marrow, right? This one unfortunately came with barely enough for one tortilla, about a teaspoon full to be exact. When the waitress saw I was done, she asked me how it was, and I politely told her for the price its a very meager amount of bone marrow, she looked at the bone and seemed to acknowledge it with her facial expressions. I do get that it is tough to judge how much bone marrow is in a bone, but this was unacceptable. After I came back from washing my hands, she came and informed me that they’d be sending another one over (no apology mind you).
The second one came and it was a by far better portion, maybe 5 times the amount of bone marrow, but it was definitely still a little short on marrow. There was enough to fill one tortilla, and if you’re rationing maybe two. Also, the mole was effectively a glaze on top that did not add anything to the dish. The restaurant is actually doing itself a disservice having this dish on the menu for $22. It’s nothing special, and too pricey for what it is.
I was not even asked if I wanted anything else, not even offered the dessert menu. My bottle of water and cup were taken away and I was just given the cheque.
I honestly felt ripped off spending $46 before tax and tip to end up eating 7 tortillas and a few fillings, leaving disappointed on many levels and hungry to boot. Service on the whole was good - it was kind that they sent a second bone marrow, but in retrospect it might’ve been better had they comped it and I just left as quickly as they apparently wanted me to - but there is definitely room for improvement, in terms of speed too. Lastly, I was a little shocked that the man who appeared to be the manager simply said “thank you, see you back here soon”, as it felt as though there was a disconnect.
The weird part is that I feel that there is potential in this spot, but it’s going to need either fixing the pricing, or adjusting the portions. However, I do not see myself coming back any time soon.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Overpriced with small portions, and it's not as if the taste makes up for it. Unfortunately it feels like Claro is living off of their prior reputation. However, there is hope that it may rise to that standard again. I just won't be the one to find out if they do
Definitely expensive, but the food is excellent. Each course was surprising and enjoyable. Easy to split dishes between two people. The cocktails were disappointing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Fabulous Mexican restaurant in The Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn.
Gourmet’s delight . Excellent food.
Huge selection of varied style tequilas and wine.
I live in Boca Raton, Florida.
This is a rare find only in Brooklyn
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pretty inventive food, and dedicated gluten free. The portions are tiny for the price, even by NYC standards. $8 each a side of white rice, beans, or tortillas. Le Club was a tasty cocktail.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Very cute little Mexican spot tucked in the middle of Gowanus. The service was honestly excellent, our server was super nice and really attentive. When I asked how he recommended eating the short rib mole, he told me, “Usually with a fork.” I had to laugh, I told him I’m Mexican and I’ve never heard of eating mole with just a fork. It needs a carb. Tortillas, rice… something. He smiled, went to the back, and brought me a whole order of tortillas. Very sweet.
Now, the mole itself, it was good. Not great. Definitely not the best. I’ve been to
Pueble and had my fair share of mole. It was a bit overpriced, but that’s probably the neighborhood and whatever rent they’re paying , I get it. Overall, the food didn’t impress me. It’s not a place I’d come back to, but the experience itself was good, and I genuinely appreciated the service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
We were really excited to try Claro and went in with high expectations, especially considering its former Michelin star and all the great reviews. We live in New York and dine at Mexican restaurants often, so we were hoping for an experience on the level of Quique Crudo, Oxomoco, or Casa Enrique.
Unfortunately, we left quite disappointed. While the ingredients seem to be of good quality, none of the dishes we tried really lived up to the hype, and the value for money felt quite low, with portions being very small. For the same price, we’ve had far more satisfying and well-executed meals at places like those mentioned above.
Service and ambiance were both fine, but overall the restaurant felt overrated. It’s not a bad spot, but we’d recommend thinking carefully before spending this much here, especially with so many higher-quality Mexican options available in the city.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
New-age take on Mexican food. Server was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. Food certainly caters to the clientele of the area, not necessarily authentic to the culture it comes from. One of the food runners clumsily knocked over our flight of tequila when putting our food on the table, was replaced by server. Restaurant was a bit cold near the door where we were seated. Noted in reservation that it was for a birthday, but no candle included when we ordered dessert. Overall, just fine.
Food is outrageously expensive for the quality and the amount of food you get. If you like fine dining and have a few hundred dollars to spare for dinner, this is the spot for you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Tuetano De Mole Negro Bone, Taco Placero
The food was very good! It’s a bit pricier compared to the neighborhood/brooklyn but overall was very happy with the dishes. The different types of mole were really great. The cod was cooked so well. My partner and I ate up the food so quickly we didn’t have a chance to take pictures but the drinks were also unique. I really enjoyed the mezcal Negroni.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An absolute treat of an evening. Creative and unique menu, thoughtful wait staff and an eclectic drink list to top it off. A celiacs/gluten free dream of a restaurant and we can’t wait to come back to enjoy the patio!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is a joke, would not recommend. $18 for chips and salsa, $20+ for a single taco, and $50+ for an entree is just absurd for the quality of food here. Most of the food was bland and unoriginal. Servers were impatient and they sent out the wrong entree to one of our friends who then had to wait for the correct meal to come out while everyone else had their food. They sat us on the patio and it smelled like animal urine.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 2
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