Tasting Tacos & Tortas From Papi's Grill In Park Slope

Papi’s Torta

This year, 7th Avenue will see its taco game grow quite a bit, as two new spots will be serving up Mexican fare. But while we wait for the well-known Chipotle to open between 1st and 2nd Streets, we’ve already seen the first new option come in, and if you order right, it might be a pretty good addition to your take-out routine.

The second outpost from the owners of a Sunset Park bakery, Papi’s Grill opened last month at 161 7th Avenue, between Garfield and 1st, serving up a menu of tacos, tortas, huaraches, weekend tamales, and more.

Three tacos from Papi’s

We recently ordered delivery to check it out, and while there might be some better options for tacos in the area — the new Varrio 458, Calexico, and Fatty Daddy, are our favorites — the ones from Papi’s are a pretty good option. Of the three we tried ($3 each), we would definitely get the chicken tinga again, as we dig the moist, shredded chicken smothered in a mildly spicy, tomato-based sauce. The spicy pork was passable, but also pass-up-able, and we’ll avoid getting the chorizo and egg again — it’s not the best tasting version of the Mexican sausage we’ve had, which will make or break that taco every time.

One thing that made up for some of the less-than-exciting bites, though, was the salsa verde that came on the side. It’s fresh, bright, and nicely spicy, so heat fans will enjoy it — if you’re afraid of a kick, use it sparingly.

Papi’s Torta, inside, with cheese that stretches for miles

We also tried their eponymous torta, which comes in two sizes — the small is $8, the large, pictured above, is $10. It’s piled high with ham, “latin sausage,” quesillo, beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, jalapeños, and guacamole, and, rightly, it’s a sloppy mess to eat, with bits falling out and the cheese stretching for miles — basically, a proper giant sandwich. It’s not something you’d go out of your way for, like those at Puebla Mini Market in Sunset Park, but, much like their tacos, if you’ve got some beers and a nice place to sit outside, it’s a perfectly satisfying torta.

You can check out the full menu here, and note that they’ve applied for a liquor license, which is in progress. They serve breakfast, so they’re open early, with the following hours: Sunday-Thursday 6am-10pm, and Friday-Saturday 6am-11pm. They offer delivery — call 917-909-0589 or order online.