Agave - Mexican Fusion

Although this popular, crowded spot is tasty, it is certainly not the best Mexican food around. They have good guacamole, but only give you a few chips to eat it with. The blue corn enchiladas are excellent and the grilled corn appetizer is delicious. Stay away from the Santa Fe shepherd's pie though...it's like eating hamburger helper.

It was better than expected

If you are looking for some great meixcan cuisine, this is the by far one of the best mexican restaurants I have ever been too. If you are in New York, in the West Village it is worth checking out. I had some tacos and enchiladas, they were to die for. I also enjoyed a couple of margaritas.

I have been going to Agave for years. The food is always consistent as is the service. I have never had a bad meal there. I recently took my mom there for brunch when she was in town, she loved it...she even had a couple of frozen margaritas so she was feeling pretty good and it made her visit that much more bearable.

as a student in new york, it is not often you can find great value for a reasonable cost. this is why my friends and i LOVE agave!! it's in very central location, great neighborhood, great people, great atmostphere (in and outside the restaurant) at least once a month i take some friends here, or family visiting from out of town for delicious drinks (especially if you like tequila ;) and delicious comfort good. corn & chicken chowder and enchiladas w/ mole sauce are my favorites!! great service..the hostess and wait staff always remember my face and are so welcoming each time!

I felt compelled to write after reading the pretentious review by the college kid beneath me. I love Agave. I love hosting parties in their private room. I love the fact that I always feel taken care of. It's a neighborhood place with great food, the occasional celebrity, and a warm and unique staff. What more could you ask for?

I have to say, I was shocked by the poor level of quality to be found at the rather underwhelming Tex-Mex establishment Agave in New York's otherwise charming downtown. Leather-dry flautas lay uneasily beside rubbery chili con carne of dubious esteem, as a faint odor of burnt cumin lingers heavily in the loud-music-infused air. When one thinks of fajitas, one imagines succulent strips of grilled meat, succulent glossy vegetables, and steamy, snow-white sheets of tortillas flowing together in a mélange of delicate and supple flavors. The fajitas at Agave, unfortunately, were a different story: an abnormal admixture of soggy and stale ingredients lacking the freshness and exotic vitality ones seeks out when the first pangs of hunger make themselves known. It was the late Samuel Johnson who uttered that "A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner." Sadly, Mr. Johnson, sir, I would just as soon not think about Agave's paltry offerings for as long as I ... Read more

I always have loved this place.. been going for years and it stays wonderful... food is great, drinks are great, service is always great... good price for large, delicious portions... yummy prickely pear margaritas!!!! run and eat!!!

had some friends in town for the long weekend and stopped in agave sunday afternoon for brunch. we sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful day. the guacamole app was some of the best guac i've had and my friends devoured their huevos rancheros and and texax pecan apple pancakes! sooo yummy! i'll be back next weekend.

come on guys, good Mexican food in NY is hard to find, but his place really caca!!!! they are trying to excuse their lack of knowledge of authentic Mexican food by calling it Innovative Southwestern food (haven't seen any Agave plant in the southwest by the way). the staff is rude (unemployed, looser, actors) and even the drinks aren't that great. maybe back in the 80;s when we had no Mexican food in NY this place would it make it, but now, come on. might as well go to Taco Bell, which by the way I've never been. ps:they probably don't even know what an Agave is. lol

Its actually 1.5 and not 2 stars (but there are no half stars.) I went here two times because I lived in the area and I read somewhere that it was a good brunch spot. The first time, the waistaff was decent, but the food was awful. After waiting what seemed like forever, our dishes came and it was not even hot - it was actually lukewarm. Pretty gross since it was obviously sitting out somewhere before they served us. The second time the experience completely turned me away from ever going back. First, waitstaff was just outright obnoxious. After keeping up waiting even though they were obviously open tables available AND we made reservations, they finally sat us down. Our waiter was a total airhead - it was obvious that he was more interested in himself and his looks than he was at the food. Granted he was a fairly good looking guy, but he's supposed to be a waiter yet he couldn't answer simple questions about the dishes. Plus, prior to taking our order, he proceeded to pu... Read more

Really great for groups looking for a good lively vibe and excellent and extremely reasonable food. I had put off visiting Agave for a long time, god only knows why as its a very cool spot and super reasonable in these hardened recession times! :)

In a town of endless brunch choices, Agave offers a list of things that you actually want to eat. The servings are generous, and the service is friendly. Great neighborhood spot, but also worth a trip!

It was the first time i visitid this place, but the food was good although it was maybe a bit overpriced compared to other places I've been. All in all i I wouldn't suggest it for a fabulous dinner, but for a bite it's allright!

I took some colleagues here after reading all of these great reviews... probably most of them were from PR companies or the restaurant owners, because this place is a rip-off and the food is terrible.

For those looking for really good Mexican food, you'd be better off going to the tiny whole in the wall places, but if you want good food in general, and willing to spend more than you would at your local Applebees, this is a nice place. The tables are very close, there's not enough wait staff, and the drinks are very expensive for things not very special. However our appetizer, the Kobe beef plate, and the dessert (pastry full of cream cheese) was all delicious. It was an easy walk from the subway, and it wasn't too packed for a Friday night.

This place is a few blocks from my apartment.. I like Mexican food, but this is hardly even a decent take on good Mexican. The food is bland and boring, and the restaurant seems to rely more on a cool looking plating than it does on what is on the plate itself. Service is snooty, without a reason. The interior atmostphere is OK, a little creative. Not a lot of fun though. Drinks are pricey and mediocre. I would try any other Mexican place first.

I heard a lot about this place, so decided to check it out for dinner one day. The place has a very boisterous ambience, which is exactly what I was in the mood for. The food was excellent. The guacamole was good, though pretty average. The chipotle crab dip was very good, but it didn't have any crabs in it. Lucky for them I love cheese. We ordered the beef enchiladas, which were very good. Warning: the portions are HUGE. I read that the portions were big in another review, so we only ordered an appetizer and one main dish for two people, and we still had half the main dish leftover. I would love to go with a group of friends so that we can try all the dishes. It was delicious!

My gf has found this place after we have mistreated by Babbo where it's near-by. What a contrast of the right restaurant should be. A very friendly welcome with prompt seating plus a very comfortable environment. Sure it's hard to compare Mexican food vs Italian food. But at least we got better service than Babbo. Overall, Agave has nice appetizers esp. the calamari and the chicken chower and also very fine entrees. Don't forget to try some of their deserts even you got a full stomach. You won't feel any regrets..

The food was AWESOME. The drinks were not that great. I had a pomegranate margarita and it didn't even taste like pomegranate. The mango margarita was was pretty good. The reason I gave this place 3 stars was because we were rushed out. We weren't even finished eating when we were asked to eat dessert and then check came right away and I couldn't even finish my drink. So, if you want to hang out and relax with friends, this is not the place. People were nice though.

I was there last night with a group of 9 and it was overall a good experience. I had the shortribs--which were AWESOME--and most of my friends enjoyed their food as well...some, not so much. Some of us ordered cocktails (cosmo, margaritas) and they were delicious but our pitcher of red sangria was really weak and watered down. The service was pretty good. I don't like to be bothered every 10 minutes by the waiter/waitress when there's food in my mouth, and AGAVE was GREAT when it came to the service. Our waiter came over to get our drinks & appetizers, then to got our entrees, checked on our food twice and then back for desserts--not hovering over us. This was almost a 2 hour stay. The only critique I have of their service was that we weren't greeted when we came in--just a little awkward. Overall, I had a good time.

I thought the food and atmosphere were great. Whenever we have friends and they are downtown, I always recommend Agave The menu is fairly simple, but everything is delish. Thx JJ

My wife and I recently hosted our wedding rehearsal dinner at Agave. We had been there many times before with friends and on dates and the food was always excellent. Best margaritas in the city! But the main reason we decided to invite our family and friends there for our rehearsal dinner was the beautiful atmosphere and the exceptionally friendly and helpful staff. When I called to ask about making arrangements for our dinner I was immediately forwarded to a manager who took me through my options in a professional and courteous manner. She helped me set up a custom pre-fixe menu for our guests that included our favorite menu items and fit within our budget. I was worried that since we had such a large group of about 30 people with more joining later for drinks that she might not be able to accommodate us all, but she said it would be no problem and we agreed upon a good time to book the reservation. On the night of the dinner we were all greeted by a very courteous host who immediate... Read more

So i have been at Agave several times now and i have to say that this place is a real gem in the neighborhood. The food is delicious and the staff is amazing. The atmosphere is amazing and this place is always packed and a lot of fun. I don't know what Agave the previous review is talking about but it is not the one in the Village :) This place is just great and one the few good ones left in the neighborhood. Highly recommend it !

I threw my best friends bridal shower at Agave last year and thought that it went well - everyone enjoyed the drinks and loved the food. I went with a friend this week to grab apps and drinks and we were really disappointed with the indifferent faces and attitudes of the hosts, servers and bartenders. You would think in this economy, when people are holding tight to their wallets that waitstaff would make more of an effort to be cordial and provide great service, BUT the employees at Agave obviously aren't concerned with having regular patrons. Unfortunately although I think they're food is good, I will never go back there again until the employees at Agave learn to put a SMILE on their face.

I've been to Agave twice, and on both occasions have found cause to complain about the service. We found both the host at the front desk and the waiter at our table to be rude, condescending and disrespectful. The food is good, but there are MANY more restaurants in NY with equally good food that also provide great service. Definitely not value for money. If you're looking for a good Mexican restaurant, try Zarela on 51st/2nd!

intricately flavored twists on Southwestern fare, in generous portions. For those people who can afford it:)

This place is great! The staff are really friendly and the wine list is comprehensive. I went here with 5 people and they all enjoyed it very much. Th nachos rocked.

This is one of the best places to eat in the city! I love the drinks here as well as the service and just about every dish on the menu.

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I went there on Saturday night with a group of friends, we didn't have a reservation so we had to wait about 20 min. cause the place was PACKED!!! It was worth the wait cause we had a great time. We were seated in the main dining room in a really cool round table right next to a fireplace. We ordered some drinks that the waiter suggested and they were delicious... without a doubt the best margarita i had in town so far. The food was really god too, i personally had the Fajitas that the waiter suggested and i am glad i took his advice! The atmosphere is so much fun like the people that work there and the service was fast and attentive even though there was not one single free table available in the whole place. I live in the neighborhood and i will definitely make of this may regular hangout.

Great food, I can't wait to go back. The service wasn't bad either. Any delays were worth it for the dinner.

LOOOOOVE this restaurant. The food is amazing and the service great. Everyone was super friendly! Would go back anytime, it gets a little busy on the weekends but I highly recommend it.

Great place to eat if you want mexican on haight. The food is great service is fast. i would recommend this place to anyone who is up for mexican. Love it

I went at Agave for my birthday with a group of people and we had a blast. We were seated in their private dining room which is beautiful. The waiter was great, he helped us choosing our food and a and our drinks. They have a huge selection of tequilas and we went for their agave nectar which is, let me tell you, is simply delicious!!! The food was great and so is the atmosphere. Overall the evening was great and everyone had a great time and we loved it. We will certainly be back in this fun place.

I went to Agave last night with my mom & dad from Long Island, NY. I just moved into the neighborhood from South Africa. We ask someone where we should eat and they told us about this place around the corner. We checked it out, and I am so in love with it now. My mom and I had frozen marg's which were soooooo good. you have to try them mango. Then we shared 3 apps the carnitas of pork which sound wired, but they were so delicious, we also had shrimp app, and the spinach dip which doesn't taste like crab so it is really an amazing cheese dip. than we were a little full, but decided to share two fajitas chicken, and beef. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM******** The Kobe beef is actually Kobe beef. The service was really good our server was I think his name is John. He was really cute, nice, and even iced my dad's beer. Which was a weird request, but he totally didn't mind. LOVE AGAVE!!!!! Go, and let me know what you think!****

In terms of Mexican and Latin food, this was average. The tacos and standard mexican food were done well, but anything outside of that was sub-par at best and way over priced. I ordered the short ribs and had rock shrimp as an appetizer. The short rib was dry with zero flavor, and the rock shrimp (recommended by the server) tasted like breading from a chicken mcnugget w/ a mediocre dipping sauce on the side. They made a big deal about trying some of their new cocktails, but it was bland and nothing special for $14 per drink. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired of NYC prices for mediocre food and drinks.

Agave is a great spot to go sit outside and have a couple tasty frozen margaritas. The food is also delicious.

Poor service, little offer in the menu, long waiting. The bar service is very bad...It is up to you to go, but I was disapointed. It doesn't deserve 5 stars.

I live in the neighborhood and i often go at Agave ...last night i went with some friends and there is a novelty!! I am not gonna say anything...just ask for the punisher shot :) You will ENJOY! I love this place, it's fun and the food is great. If you are a tequila lover you must stop at Agave.

Me and my and my friends went at Agave last night for the first time. I live across the street but i never tried Agave before. I am very glad we did last night. The place is really cool. The atmosphere is great and people that work there are everything but boring. We had a great time, great food and a little too much tequila. Try the Fajitas they are delicious!!! Go for the Agave nectar, it' s one of the best margaritas i had in the city. I will be back, glad i found this cool place so close to my apt.

I was at Agave Saturday night. I had a blast. The food was awesome. I highly recommend for appetizer, the guacamole - its super fresh, for the main course, the Fajitas - a sizzling kobe beef, and for desert sapopillos - its delicious. This place is also great to drink. They have an amazing selection of tequila (and I am a tequila lover), and I highly recommend Herradura Suprema if you are willing to pay the price. On the cheaper side they have the 7 Leguas which is also amazing for the price. The staff is very friendly, and the service is top notch. Overall, there is a great vibe at this place. The only downside is that its very crowded, so I recommend making a reservation (though if you can wait a bit, they have a great bar).

I ordered from Agave because the reviews are great and I was hungry. I ordered their chicken fajita salad. I don't know how you get a salad all wrong but they did. When my salad arrived the lettuce was dry, the chicken was hard, the tomatoes were almost non-existent, the guacamole was sparse and that is all that the salad was. Okay, fine, it wasn't the greatest salad in the world, but I was hungry so I ate it. About 40 minutes later I was in the bathroom at my job violently throwing up into a trash can while I sat on the toilet being sick. Enough said. Thanks to seeing what a salad and taco shell looks like after digestion I have decided to eat 5 meals a day, so there is never that much food at one time in my stomach. I have already lost 5 pounds. See good things come out of bad events.

I highly recommend Agave, I go there often, they have the best tuna appetizer and Fajita entree, amazing drinks and service.

I've been to Agave at least 10 times. My last visit was for a birthday with a big group of friends and we had a great time. We loved the cozy setup, the music, the service, the drinks, and of course the food. The first thing that got me to come back was their amazing Kobe beef burger. It's not the typical Mexican dish but it tops the list of best burgers ever and comes with french fries covered in a special seasoning that you will never taste on fries anywhere else. The burger and fries dish is delicious. You will also find many typical Mexican dishes on the menu with a modern twist like salmon covered in freshly chopped salsa, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. I have tried all of these and you can't go wrong. Also, if you're into sushi, you'll love their tuna dish as it comes lightly grilled on the outside layer and raw inside with a delicious mixed greens. If you're going all out and topping your meal off with dessert, definitely try the warm chocolate cake with banana ice crea... Read more

I saw so many good reviews about this place that I had high expectations. It was very weak. Service was slow and unattentive and the food was mediocre...not much better than average mexican food anywhere. The drinks were good but expensive. This place doesn't come close to Mesa Grill.

I'm in love with the very tender and flavorful Kobe beef fajitas. Best fajitas anywhere and one order is big enough to share! The drinks and ambience are good too.

I've been going to Agave for a few years now, but recently enjoyed a fantastic birthday night with family and friends. We were early for our reservation on a busy Saturday night so we started in the bar until everyone in our group had arrived. The bartenders (I believe it was Steve and Ben) were really friendly and fun, and they served up the best margaritas! We moved on to the dining room where we devoured everything from quesadillas to grilled calamari to fajitas to shortribs. All amazing! Our waiter (Katzal) was excellent, and kept the food and drinks coming without rushing us through our meal. I hadn't been to Agave in a few months, and this recent experience reminded me of how much I enjoy the people, the food, the drinks and the atmosphere. I wish Agave would open an uptown restaurant, but for now I'll make the trip downtown again soon -- hopefully in time to enjoy the nice outdoor area as well.

WHOA WHOA WHOA! At first, I thought this restaurant had the BEST burrito EVER because I discovered this place hung-over, but then I drove all the way from my apartment in NJ to Manhattan just to try it again and now I'm HOOKED! There are around 1,000 Mexican Restaurants between my house and this one, but I wouldn't go anywhere else. And their burrito already comes with all the goods on it.... None of this "can you add this and can you add that." These guys know how to make one damn good burrito!!! My roommate and I give it 4 thumbs up!

I recently moved in the neighbourhood and i tried agave a couple of times and loved it. The food is great, try the fajitas, service is super friendly and the drinks are awesome. Feel free to ask any question to your waiter cause they know everything about the menu and the many tequilas they have at the bar. It definitely is my new hang out spot since i eat out several times a week and this place i can afford :)