Taqueria Ramirez: Viral Taco Spot You Need to Try in Brooklyn

Taqueria Ramirez in Brooklyn: The Tiny Taco Spot With a Massive Cult Following

You know that one place where the line is wrapped around the block every weekend? That’s Taqueria Ramirez in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a tiny taco shop that’s gone totally viral thanks to TikTok, Instagram, and just straight-up incredible food.

But what makes this spot so special? Is it really worth standing in line for tacos when NYC is literally overflowing with great Mexican food? We went to find out and spoiler: yes, but maybe not for the reasons you think.

Where Is Taqueria Ramirez?

Taqueria Ramirez is located at:

94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
📍 Greenpoint neighborhood, Brooklyn
🚇 Closest subway: G train to Greenpoint Avenue (about a 5-minute walk)
🕐 Open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays)

Why Is Taqueria Ramirez So Viral?

In a city full of taco trucks and taquerias, Taqueria Ramirez has managed to carve out its own identity and people are obsessed. From NYT critics to TikTok foodies, everyone’s been hyping it up.

So what’s the deal? Here’s what makes it stand out:

• They only do tacos, and they do them extremely well.
• Every taco is made using traditional Mexican cooking methods, including a disco de suadero (yes, that’s a real thing, basically a metal disc used to slow-cook the meat).
• The flavors are deep, bold, and unapologetically greasy in the best way.
• The spot is tiny, the line is long, and the experience is kind of chaotic, but that’s all part of the charm.

You’re not coming here for Instagrammable interiors or trendy cocktails. You’re coming here to stand on the sidewalk with a plate full of tacos and feel like you just found a Mexico City street vendor in the middle of Brooklyn.

How Did This Place Get So Popular?

Let’s be honest, TikTok and Instagram made it blow up.

It started with a few NYC food creators showing off the sizzling meats, the assembly line in the open kitchen, and the bites of dripping suadero. Then came the NYT shoutout in 2022, calling their Campechano taco one of the top 7 NYC dishes of the year. After that, lines got longer, and the hype never really died down.

Plus, the vibe is very much “if you know, you know.” There’s no big neon sign, no fancy seating, just a constant crowd of taco lovers waiting for that first bite.

Location, Vibe & Backstory

You’ll find Taqueria Ramirez tucked away at 94 Franklin Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The shop itself is tiny, like blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tiny. There’s just a counter, an open kitchen, and a small window for ordering and pick-up.

Inside, it feels more like a back-alley taco stand in CDMX than a polished Brooklyn eatery. That’s exactly the vibe they’re going for. The owners, originally from Mexico, wanted to bring real-deal street taco culture to NYC, and they totally nailed it.

No frills, no fluff, just tacos cooked with technique, love, and fire.

The Tacos Everyone Talks About

The menu is super focused, just six tacos plus drinks. No burritos, no quesadillas, no fusion fluff. Just meat, salsa, onion, and cilantro on a house-made corn tortilla. And all tacos have same price, $5.

Here are the big hitters:

• Campechano – A mix of long-simmered suadero (beef) and crispy chorizo. This one made it to the NYT’s top 7 dishes of 2022. It’s fatty, crispy, juicy, and just… wow.
• Pastor – Their most popular taco. Pork marinated in spices, pineapple juice, and chile, then cooked on a vertical spit (aka trompo). People go wild for this one.
• Tripa – Fried beef intestines. Don’t be scared, this was actually our favorite. It’s crispy, not too intense, and super easy to eat.
• Longaniza – A spicy, house-made sausage that’s full of smoky flavor.
• Suadero – A classic, with slow-cooked beef that’s soft, rich, and full of flavor.
• Bistec – Simple grilled steak taco. Great, but gets overshadowed by the funkier options.

What We Ordered (and What We Thought)

🌟 Campechano

This is the one that got us in line. And yeah, it’s really good. The combo of juicy beef and crispy chorizo is rich and flavorful without being too much. Totally worthy of the NYT love.

🔥 Pastor

This is the bestseller, but honestly, we weren’t huge fans. The flavor was nice, but it was kind of sloppy to eat. The meat kept sliding out, and the tortilla couldn’t keep up. If you love messy tacos, go for it. If not, maybe skip.

💯 Tripa

Don’t sleep on this one. We were low-key blown away. It’s crispy, salty, and super snackable. Even if you’ve never tried offal before, this is a great intro. It’s surprisingly clean-tasting and not “weird” at all.

Things to Know Before You Visit

• Yes, there’s a line, but it moves fast. Don’t let the long wait scare you off. The staff works like a well-oiled machine, and tacos come out super quickly. We were surprised by how fast we got our food even with a line out the door.
• The space is tiny. Like, barely-any-room-inside tiny. Most people grab their tacos and eat outside or around the corner. Honestly, that’s part of the charm.
• But guess what? There’s a restroom. And that’s a big deal for a small NYC taco spot. We’ve been to plenty of places this size that don’t have one, and it’s always frustrating. Shoutout to Ramirez for making our lives easier.
• Card-friendly. They accept credit cards, Apple Pay, etc.
• Tacos are small. You’ll probably want at least three or four to feel satisfied.
• You will smell like tacos. That sizzling meat aroma is amazing, but fair warning, your clothes will take it home with you.

Tips for Visiting Taqueria Ramirez

1. Go during off-hours. Late afternoons (around 2 to 4 PM) tend to have shorter lines.
2. Try something you wouldn’t normally order. Like the tripa. Trust us.
3. Bring a friend. More tacos to sample, less decision stress.
4. Skip the fancy outfit. Between the grease splatter and sidewalk dining, this is not a white-pants kinda place.
5. Eat right away. These tacos aren’t meant to travel. Fresh off the grill is where the magic’s at.

Final Thoughts

Taqueria Ramirez isn’t just another viral taco spot, it’s a full-on experience. The chaos, the sizzling meat, the no-frills setup, the bold flavors, it all adds up to something really special.

Would we wait in line again? Absolutely. Especially for that campechano. But now we know: bring a buddy, wear comfy clothes, and always save room for the tripa taco.

Brooklyn taco lovers, this one’s for you.

Location: 94 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
📍 Greenpoint neighborhood, Brooklyn