c/o Calabrije’s Margaritas and Tacos
Calabrije’s Margaritas and Tacos has opened its doors at 1619 York Ave, between 85th and 86th streets — formerly home to Hometown Dumpling.
Established in Bushwick, BK, this is the eatery’s second location.
Grub Street’s 2018 list of best margaritas starts with those from Calabrije’s, which come in 21 flavors, frozen or on the rocks, for $13 each.
The new spot is also offering margaritas to go, and the menu comes with 9 types of tacos, Mexican street corn and nachos.
Reviews for the Brooklyn location are positive, with scores of 4 out of 5 stars and up.
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Feedback for the new UES spot seems positive so far. There have been quite a few compliments on Instagram, and the first Yelp reviewer recommends the lychee and mango margaritas.
But at least a few folks are put off by something they saw posted in the restaurant’s window.
In a Nextdoor thread about Calabrije’s, several address the fact that it’s a ‘tip-free environment,’ with an 18% gratuity automatically added to all checks.
Photo: @iloveyorkville
“Any place that auto adds to my bill I will not go to,” wrote one commenter. “The service is reflective in the tip and if it is auto then there is no reason to give great service. Just my two cents.”
“I’m not going anywhere that demands a tip,” wrote another.
(Some people also seem annoyed by the fact that part of the tip pool is going to management.)
While this sentiment was shared by quite a few, a handful of others pointed out that most people tip whenever they go out anyway. So these individuals didn’t see the included tip as a deterrent.
In any event, let us know in the comments if you’ve checked out Calabrije’s Margaritas and Tacos — and how you feel about the automatic gratuity!
I most always tip 20-25%. Unless the tip is added on the check. My view as a former waiter and bartender and current frequent restaurant customer is that good servers do better when the tip is not added.