Letter of Recommendation New York
Amidst a Sea of Trends, Lupe’s Perfects the Art of Staying the Same
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On my birthday this year, I naturally wanted something indulgent (fried carbs!) and celebratory (frozen cocktails!). After some quick consideration, the right choice quickly appeared to me and my friend Joe: We should go to Lupe’s, and that was that.
This decades-old Mexican restaurant’s full name is Lupe’s East L.A. Kitchen, but having eaten here countless times since who-knows-when, I think we’re now on a first-name basis. And given its impressive tenure on a quiet corner of 6th Avenue in Soho, I imagine that thousands and thousands of New Yorkers have a similarly intimate relationship with Lupe’s, which owners David Seixas and Shash Blount first opened in the 1980s.
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My first visit was probably 20 years after that, in the late 2000s, a couple of years after I graduated from college. Along with iconic Mexican joints like Mary Ann’s in Chelsea and Blockheads in Hell’s Kitchen, Lupe’s offered budget-friendly Americanized Mexican food (heavy on the gooey cheese) and potent margs (always available frozen) that I couldn’t get enough of in my early-to-mid-20s — and still love today.
All these years later, however, most of my favorites have all but vanished, sadly taking their unlimited complimentary chips and salsa with them. By some divine mercy, Lupe’s remains among us, thriving. She’s survived not only a pandemic (thanks in part to a crowdfunding campaign that went directly to employees in 2020) but also the ever-shifting New York City restaurant scene.
If you’ve never been, it’s important to note that the chips and salsa are no longer free —admittedly I can’t remember if they were ever free — but the 2025 version of Lupe’s is otherwise almost identical to the Lupe’s I was first introduced to 15 or so years ago. The festive pastel interiors are the same, the Formica tabletops are still there, and other than the prices next to the dishes, the menu looks entirely unchanged. The kitchen continues to churn out chunky burritos (there are at least 10 versions), juicy enchiladas, tacos stuffed with fried potatoes, and crunchy taquito platters. And they serve eggs all day.
Given how much nostalgia satiates us these days, Lupe’s very existence is a salve against the chaos of which restaurants are hot, and which are even open.
If they’ve added new-fangled dishes, I wouldn’t know. Usually, I start with chips and salsa — maybe nachos if I’m feeling spendy — and then move onto the roast pork burrito, which is drenched with a piquant red-chile sauce. Obviously, a frozen marg or two, too. It’s rare that I deviate from this, but if I do, I may opt for some beef tacos nestled against beans with melted cheese and a tidy scoop of lettuce and chopped tomatoes. It’s not unlike the platters I would ravenously tuck into at Mary Ann’s or Blockheads.
And that’s what I love most about Lupe’s. Unchanged is likely the last word you’d ever use to describe this city’s dining scene. Exciting? Yes. Volatile? Unfortunately. Especially in a neighborhood like Soho, which seems to be fed by the fleeting nature of trends, a dependably delicious and comforting place to eat is something to cherish. And given how much nostalgia satiates us these days, Lupe’s very existence is a salve against the chaos of which restaurants are hot, and which are even open.
And then there’s the people you share Lupe’s with. The staff is affable and easygoing in a way that befits and elevates the atmosphere of a casual, diner-esque Mexican restaurant. Over the years, I’ve experienced its tiny dining room or its smattering of outdoor tables alongside couples on dates, families visiting from all over, young friend groups, and older guests, who, based on their rapports with the servers, might be regulars. There’s even the occasional suit-and-tie businessperson who likely pranced over from one of the nearby office buildings.
Lupe’s fanbase is a motley crew which, to me, speaks to its limitless appeal. I’ve dined at Lupe’s representing these disparate demographics as well: I’ve been part of a big group dinner; I’ve gone on a casual date here; and I’ve popped in for a quick lunch to break up a flurry of errands.
So, in some ways, choosing to have a birthday meal here in 2025 was as much a celebration of one restaurant’s longevity as it was my becoming another year older. And that afternoon, on my 41st birthday, as the waitress sat happy hour frozen margaritas next to the chips and salsa in front of us (yes, the roast pork burrito had been ordered), I wondered if I — now among Lupe’s older guests — could strive for the privilege of being considered a regular.
Lupe’s East L.A. Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner daily.
Chadner Navarro is a journalist from Jersey City, N.J. Follow him on Instagram.
Janice Chang is a Los Angeles-born illustrator now based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her work spans across editorial, animation, and commercial projects, as well as large-scale murals, usually featuring bold colors and expressive characters. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
