Claro Reviews

Shaun Se 2026.03.23

     

After seven years of frequent visits, we returned to Claro expecting our beloved Oaxacan cuisine. Instead, we found a restaurant that had changed drastically. Claro’s vibrant, experimental spirit has been replaced by a “business-oriented” model. The absence of their inventive brunch service is a significant loss, reflecting this new direction. We suspect this shift is connected to their loss of the Michelin star in 2023. The menu confirms this profit-first approach. Portions are shockingly small for the high prices, and several dinner items that were staples of their old brunch service are now listed at nearly double the price.

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Marc E. Babej 2026.01.06

     

The food was soso - the place has clearly seen better days. What ruined my appetite was the large wall painting celebrating sexual abuse.

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Osbaldo F. 2025.12.28

     

Excellent food. Good service (the servers could be a bit less dry, tho). Wonderful CDMX-like vibes.

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Saif Dia 2025.12.21

     

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.

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Jacob Bower-Bir 2025.12.04

     

Definitely expensive, but the food is excellent. Each course was surprising and enjoyable. Easy to split dishes between two people. The cocktails were disappointing.

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William Rheingold 2025.12.02

     

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

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Louis Rassaby 2025.11.30

     

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.

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Maria Amigon 2025.11.25

     

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.

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Miguel Quijada 2025.11.24

     

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.

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Jasper van Dijk 2025.11.19

     

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.

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Rebecca Gleason 2025.11.17

     

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.

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Connor Cawthorn 2025.11.16

     

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!

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Shaun Seukumar 2025.11.16

     

A Disappointing Fall from Grace: Loyalty Lost at Claro As loyal patrons of Claro for seven years—visiting 10-20 times annually—we considered it our go-to spot for Oaxacan cuisine in Brooklyn. After a nearly two-year hiatus, we returned expecting an old favorite. Instead, we found a restaurant we barely recognized. The Claro we once loved, a hub of passion and creativity, has been replaced by a "business-oriented" model. The vibrant, experimental spark that made its Oaxacan food a highlight is gone. The most glaring issue is the elimination of their brunch service. Claro's brunch was, in our opinion, the restaurant at its most inventive. Its absence is a massive loss and perfectly illustrates this new, less creative direction. We have to assume this shift is connected to why they lost their Michelin star in 2023. This new, profit-first feeling is hammered home by the menu. The portions are shockingly small for the high prices—a complaint we'd never had before. To add insult to injury, we recognized multiple items on the dinner menu that were staples of their old brunch service, now listed at nearly double the price. We left feeling not just underwhelmed, but deeply disappointed and frankly, ripped off. Claro was once a gem. Now, it feels like it has cashed in its soul, and that was our last visit.

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Julian Muller 2025.11.09

     

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.

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Mohammad Islam 2025.10.19

     

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Pete 2025.10.18

     

Great flavors

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Stephen Lloyd Helper 2025.10.17

     

Bland Mexican food, despite the enticing menu descriptions. I'm talking BLAND. The bartender agreed saying "it's bring your own hot sauce" when we asked for it and the maitre d' said they didn't have any. And the prices are outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. My partner and I had two drinks at the bar - while they tasted good, it is clear they hold back on the alcohol. No buzz at all. Just as bad, when we arrived without a reservation, the maitre d' said they were fully booked until 7:30 but we could sit at the bar which we did. There were still FIVE empty tables inside and more outside when we left at 7:15. In short, from our experience, there is nothing to recommend this place.

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Madeline Sorel 2025.10.13

     

Delicious food.

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Ana Diaz Rivero 2025.10.09

     

Food was pretty good but not among my favorite spots for Mexican food in the city. Service was super slow.

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Tony Gonzalez 2025.10.05

     

Claro meaning "Clear" in Spanish is fitting, as it is clear as to why this restaurant that had a Michelin star a long time ago, no longer has it. The food was truly incredible, so is deserving of a Michelin star based on that, however Michelin also takes into consideration service which was terrible. Although we decided to eat at the bar instead of a table, the service should not have been that awful. Very slow service, attitude from the main male bartender who took our order, as well as the female staff member that appeared behind the bar from time to time. I definitely recommend the restaurant but i would stay clear of the bar staff and hopefully the table service is fitting for such a great restaurant. Shame my first time there was ruined by the staff.

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