The Black Ant Reviews

While in NY, this resturant was recommended by friends so we went for dinner over the weekend and it was fantastic! The food and the service was exceptional! We will definetly recommend this be a go to when in NY and will absolutely visit again when back.

The drinks are wow, I got a jalapeño margarita and it was the best I’ve ever had. The jalapeño salt was amazing. If you are a tequila fan then go here. The selection is amazing.

A few steps down from 2nd Avenue one enters the cool lighting of The Black Ant. The long bar is immediately at the entrance to tantalize you with delicious cocktails. I was seated on the banquet across from the bar as my intention was to have a light appetizer and cocktail before my next appointment. My focus was clear. I was there to dine on BUGS. The menu is filled with Mexican delicacies that included other forms of protein such as pork, chicken and crispy duck. However, I zeroed in on the Grasshopper Soft Tacos! Absolutely Delicious!!! The critters were crunchy in consistency and a flavor that went well with the avocado, tomato and lettuce. The flavor was well balanced and I was able to overcome my typical habit of "swatting" away anything with legs near my plate. Pedro (my excellent server) shared with me the "wild caught" process of acquiring grasshopper in Mexico. He even explained that it is typical in some parts of Mexico to see a bowl full of grasshopper on the table instead of chips for nibbling. That would take me a minute to get used to but after this experience, now willing to try.

Went there for dinner. Started with drinks. I had a cucumber margarita. It was awesome. Then we had cactus fries. They were also good. I had enchiladas and my daughter had the fish tacos. They tasted great. Nice atmosphere. It was a fun place.

My friends and I were searching for a dinner spot at about 10PM and found this place. The atmosphere is hoppin' and loud, but not unbearably so. There were plenty of people sitting down and eating, and plenty standing or sitting at the bar as well. We ordered the guacamole to start with - we all agreed that it was the best we ever had! We all ordered tacos for dinner - tacos de lobo (fish), tacos de chivo (goat), and tacos enchapulinados (shrimp). They were all flavorful and presented beautifully, though the goat tacos were definitely the best. I had the traditional margarita which was STRONG! I got my money's worth, for sure. Split among the three of us, the bill was affordable. With the atmosphere, food, and drink, The Black Ant is a great choice for a late night dinner and drinks when you're in the Lower East Side.

Delicious. Great guacamole. Attentive staff. Duck dumplings were excellent. Will definitely go back.

Well, The portions were not huge but that doesn't matter. The place has amazing food. I mean who would have thought that roasted grasshoppers would have been that good. This is one of the few places where I found that all dishes are as good as it gets. We had a party of 6 having dinner and all our dishes came out wonderful, duck, octopus, suckling pig, ceviche, roasted grasshoppers (I still cannot believe I had those), the beat salad, shrimp and tequila to match. The Churros and Merengue seems to polish off the great meal wonderfully. The place doesn't pretend like most places that it's a haut cuisine restaurant but it definitely is getting more there then just being a neighborhood bar, as it appears from the outside.

I came here for cinco de mayo...so it was quite packed and noisy. The place is small and narrow but nice, clean and chic. Had amazing tacos there with beautiful flavors. Margaritas were good. Had an interesting Popsicle with mezcal shot. Fun experience. Grasshopper croquettes were tasty although my friend was not a fan. Good happy hour from 5-7pm

So if you like Mexican I'm sure you'll love this contemporary twist on the theme. The restaurant was clean, had a great hip atmosphere and the food was lovely. Mexican wouldn't be my first choice but it's something I would try again. A new restaurant that certainly needs support and be remembered for the fab people they are

Our Friday night reservation for 3 ended up being changed to one for 10 however, happily they were more than accommodating and when we arrived the table was already set up. Needless to say, we started out on a good foot! Now we were just worried that the additional guests may not be so adventurous in their culinary pursuits as us; we were coming just for the chapulines and hormigas negras. Anyhow, our worries were unfounded as everyone was able to find a dish to their liking. Although I did order guacamole for the entire table and did not tell them about the black ant salt until after they had devoured it. Didn't matter, they all thought it was delicious. As were the dishes that followed such as the fluke ceviche and the tacos enchapulinados along with wonderful cocktails like the "La Santa Hormiga" and interesting mix in the "Yum Kaax". We will be back again soon and until then, continue to recommend it to our friends as the spot for innovative Mexican cuisine in the city.

Really good food, good ambience for groups or couples. If you're visiting new york and are around the east village/soho area for dinner time, definitely recommend going here over some of the more expensive options in soho. The food is done very well, more attention to detail and creativity than you would expect for this price range. Definitely recommend having a dish with mole sauce (the duck dumplings were amazing). Portions are a bit on the small side but you can always supplement with tacos! Most important for visitors is that this place has great ambiance. Easy to get a bottle of wine with friends, some outdoor seating for a hot summer's night, and plenty of bars within walking distance for after dinner festivities.

I'm a fan of this place! I love the gastronomic proposal they have, since they combine traditional Mexican food with insects, it sounds weird but it is really delicious!

We looked forward to our trip to this spot-it was definitely more bar-like than a restaurant. Volume was sky high. The drinks were quite good. Nice tequila and mezcal menu. The ceviche and the mole sauce for the duck was killer good. The grasshopper croquette texture was too mushy and would not recommend. Bottom line-glad we went once but would try another place next time.

3 of us went on a Friday night at 9 PM. Extremely crowded. Extremely noisy. Actually sat us in the back room which initially was better but then became Just as noisy and very hot. Has the crispy duck dumplings with mole-very good. Suckling pig was disappointingly fatty. The rabbit enchiladas were very good. Guacamole and margaritas look up to the billings. Overall, would go again, but not on a weekend.

I've been wanting to come here for a very long time and now that they initial opening hype has died down, I made it a priority. I was a little nervous, being that their most talked about dishes are bugs and thought I wouldn't enjoy it. We wound up loving the Black Ant. We came here on a Friday night for dinner and wound up being very impressed with the food. I wasn't that impressed with the Margaritas at $13 a pop and thought mine was eh. I would go again for happy hour though - at $6 it would be a worthy steal. Everything we ate was better than the last. We had the Wolfish Cheek Tacos, the Grilled Cactus (which was impressively tasty) and my favorite, the Miso Cod. When I saw Miso cod on the menu I was hesitant to order it since it's usually a staple at Asian Fusion restaurants (which is my least favorite cuisine) but this dish was super inventive and had a great Mexican twist between the tortillas and the spices. I would come back to the black ant regularly and am now going to try Gardenia (by the same chef/owners) on the west side.

I had heard such good things about The Black Ant before our dinner here that I was very excited. Unfortunately, my experience didn't live up to the hype. The restaurant was severely understaffed to the point where I asked a bus boy to send over the waitress and still had to wait another 20 minutes. The real concern is why I needed the waitress to come over in the first place. We ordered enchiladas and found 3 small bone chips before deciding it was unsafe to continue attempting to eat. That sort of gross safety issue is a complete showstopper for me. I'll never return.

We had a selection from the Happy-Hour-Menu for 8$ each. Size and taste was OK but not outstanding. Atmosphere was nice.

Very busy Saturday night at prime dinner time. We were seated promptly and ordered drinks (very interesting options!) and were asked if we wanted to order appetizers. Said we'd wait. Our waitress came by a couple of times to see if we were ready. She was probably too subtle in saying we should have ordered sooner rather than later, as our order took longer than expected. That said, the food was terrific. Wonderful flavors, nice presentation. Servings just the right size. Guacamole served three of us well, and was a bit different from the usual, with some added ingredients such as garbanzo beans. The entrees all rated high, and the vegan dish was excellent, maiz y tierra, unlike any I've had. The vegetable dumplings were small but delucious. The tables are close together and the noise level fairly high but neither was intrusive. The bill for three for a meal of this calibre was reasonable. I might not go back, but I'm certainly happy to have gone.

I came here with my family on labor day. We made a reservation since there were 8 of us, and it was kind of last minute, but they had room for us at 5:45. We all can't wait to go back! The food was excellent. You won't get a regular old burrito at this place. We ordered the grasshoppers just to try it and it was surprisingly good. They came chopped up in a sauce, so to me, they seemed like flavored crunchy noodles. We also got the ceviche and a whole bunch of the $8 appetizers. The pork belly and chorizo appetizer was one of the favorites. I had the suckling pig entree which was perfectly fatty and tender and came with a couple of delicious pork rinds. My husband got the rabbit enchiladas and my sister got the short ribs. I don't remember what everyone else got, but everyone loved their food. It was all perfectly cooked and very flavorful and beautifully presented. The drinks are good and strong too. I agree with another reviewer that the place was a bit hot. They only just turned on the air before we got there and it never got very cool. Service was a bit slow but not anything crazy, so we didn't mind, and our waitress was very friendly. Overall an excellent experience and a fantastic new restaurant. Also nice that there's a small bench in one of the bathrooms that can be used as a little changing table (for those with babies).

This place was just perfect. Portions are generous and quality of food very good. Very friendly service and a great find!

We had a large party and they sat us outdoors in the back of the restaurant. The little patio had a very nice atmosphere and felt more open than many places in NYC due to the white walls and such. The menu is interesting, you could order enchiladas which were OK... but not unusual. The other dishes were more fun. We tried the plantains and the yucca fries which were excellent. Drinks were good... and everyone said they liked their dishes, with the size of the party almost the entire menu was sampled. I think my choice to try the enchiladas (served stacked style) was unfortunate. I've had better. They weren't bad, they were just kinda eh. They're a good choice if you're not feeling adventurous.

Took a first date here. I would check out the menu before coming in because it's a little more "ethnic" of a menu than your typical mexican place, in other words they don't have chicken quesedillas or burritos. The food, however, is great and so are the cocktails. Also the portions are smallish which I think is good for date just cuz I personally wouldn't want to be gassy all night if I'm on a date. Good vibes in there too, highly recommend.

Had a great experience at Black Ant during a recent weekend Brunch. The restaurant has a cool / trendy decor and provides a fun atmosphere with constant upbeat music. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly, taking time to explain each dish (they are somewhat unique) and also remade one dish with no problem. The food was generally great: - guac was smaller dish than expected for the price, but fresh and flavorful - fish tacos were amazing; likely some of the best fish tacos in the city - lobster eggs was delicious, but took two tries as first time received, the eggs were too hard boiled. We also had a pitcher of prickly pear margarita - fantastic; well balanced sweet, tart and strong. While a bit pricey, absolutely recommend this restaurant. Would have given it 5 stars if the egg dish cam out right the first time.

We were walking down second and came across black ant and were very pleased that we ate there. The food was very good and they had great specials for happy hour.

The black ant guacamole is a must (it really contain ants!! We were shocked how good they tasted). If you’re hungry go for the chicken en mole. Drinks were so good, we had mezcal margaritas but don’t miss the espresso Martinez

The smoky jalapeno margaritas are absolutely delicious. The food looks nice and good portions. Also the staff is very friendly and the ambience of the restaurant is nice.

Don't take your chain restaurant friends to this place...it is unique. Shrimp tacos featuring shrimp crusted in grasshoppers, black ant salt featuring real black ants in the guacamole makes it hard to order something plain. The food was well prepared and interesting, but only 1 option for the vegetarian in our group. The cocktails were delicious, the wine list small. The service was not great as the waitress did not offer up much knowledge about the menu items even when asked. Still worth a visit, cool atmosphere!

Situated in the heart of the east village but only 5 mins from metro on 2nd Ave. Stylish restaurant serving completely delicious food with totally interesting and eclectic use of ingredients. Had never thought that Mexican food could be this creative! Guacamole was some of the best I have ever had. I can't wait to go again next time I am in NYC and that is the same for my husband - when he is working in NYC he can never usually be winkled away from Wall St as he is ground down by work - but this will definitely tempt him to make a bit of an effort!

This restaurant is known for the use of insects in their dishes, which interested me a great deal. Unfortunately, the insects didn't add unique tastes to the dishes. Our table struggled to view the ants in the guacamole and didn't taste anything different. The flan had bugs sprinkled on top but there was no interesting taste or presentation. Take away the bugs and what is left is mediocre, overpriced food.

This isn't your average Mexican restaurant. The food was delicious, the spices were perfect, and the service is impeccable. Definitely recommend going there at least once in your life.

A wonderful experience , we were a group of 10 people , great food and amazing drinks …we all share the croquets ( my favorite ) then we had all different tacos fish , al pastor ,mushroom ,carnitas and few main course … Octopus , enchilada de conejo And different drinks ..smoky Jalapeño. Etc The service was very good and very attentive …many thanks to our server Mariana . The ambiance is very elegant and cool .

The Black Ant is a very interesting and unique restaurant that is a new dining experience. Their food is NOT what you'd find in any chain Tex-Mex restaurant, and most of the staff is right out of Mexico. For that reason, it would help if you spoke some Mexican in this place - not to address the waitresses, but to read the menu, which is largely in the native language. Speaking of menus, make sure to read them all, because they put four separate menus on our table; one was the main menu, one was specials, one was tacos, and the last was drinks and desserts. The tacos menu was largely in English, whereas the main menu was not. Speaking of authentic, my older daughter (a Vegan) did not understand one question asked by the waitress; she asked if she wanted "worms" (or something sounding like that) on her dish. Our daughter thought it meant something different, so she said yes. Well, it turned out that the worms were actually fried grasshoppers...no kidding! So she picked them all out and then ate the rest of the meal, which I thought was kid of funny, but I guess it tasted good. My own dish was scallops in a tomato-based sauce with lots of things that I couldn't identify, although I'm sure they were authentic Mexican. The overall atmosphere inside this place was wonderful; soft earth-tone decorations and nice wall adornments throughout the place. Very nicely set up and decorated. I enjoyed this place, and would come back again in the future. (But I still wouldn't eat the grasshoppers!)

Very satisfying meal, started with the black ant guacamole (definitely recommended)...my rabbit salad was very tasty... The best part were the watermelon margaritas anyway, very fresh and well mixed !! Real mexican restaurant in a nice area of the Lower East Side !!!

The Black Ant delivers delicious fare that balances upscale regional Mexican with a standard fish tacos. The entry room has a warm lounge atmosphere and delicious drinks, many from cacti from back in Mexico. The taco is superb: fried cod cheeks mingle with mango slaw in a cloud-soft tortilla. Grasshoppers garnish a tlayuda; a rim is salted with grated ants -- nutty and rare. A fascinating venue, great to explore eating insects and excellent Mexican food. Five stars for the adventurous.

Four of us had a 6pm dinner reservation on a Saturday evening prior to our 8:00 curtain at the New York Theatre Workshop a block away. Two arrived first but had to wait at the bar until the others had arrived, although the reserved table was already available, the restaurant minimally busy. Once all were present, we were quickly seated, given water and menus. Our server was a great help deciphering the menu, something much needed as, though our group is quite familiar with Mexican cuisine, the restaurant's use of less commonly encountered ingredients had us needing more clarity than the menu descriptions provided. We ordered from all over the menu and, on the whole, were quite impressed. This is not a restaurant for anyone looking for the familiar, though the dishes we sampled would delight all but the most conservative palates. Although the restaurant was near empty when we arrived at 6:00, it filled rapidly and stayed full through our meal. Although seemingly well staffed, service was a bit slow. It bears noting that the restaurant's website menu is out of date. Each of us would eat here again, at the drop of a hat.

The aguachile and the carne asada were great and the carnitas de pato. The drinks were great and unique had a special drink made for the night and it was refreshing and a bit spicy.

First time visit and excellent experience. Great food from appetizers to desert. A couple of firsts for me 'Cactus Fries' and a super goat dish...cannot pronounce ..not normally a desert person but tried and worth it... Very enjoyable experience - Great Food, Service and atmosphere.

I have been here twice. I like it because the menu is always changing and they use interesting ingredients, yes bugs... But in ways you won't even notice them. Example, the black ants on the guacamole look like fresh cracked pepper. You'll never notice. Another thing I've never seen served in a restaurant is something called pickleweed that grows along beaches where I'm from. I knew it was edible and it was kind of cool seeing it on a plate. The food is great. Portioning is ok. Mid range in price. I love the decor though, like the moss on the walls. Can't beat the neighborhood either.

The food here was excellent. Everything we had was very tasty - guacamole with chips, fish tacos and octopus. I can’t fault the food at all, portion sizes were large and everything was as expected. As with most places in NYC, it was expensive. $16 for guacamole and chips… but every good Mexican we looked at was the same price. So if you’re happy for the cost, I recommend this place!

Great spot! Perfect for Mexican with a twist. The drinks were creative and they serve many different tequilas. The Pomegranate Guacamole was incredible! Fun spot for friends or a small group.

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the MANY happy hours in Manhattans. You know the ones… Where it’s almost over so you order 3 more drinks for yourself… And that really dope bartender gives you the 3 drinks throughout the night, still charging the happy hour price. Phew… I don’t have to drink warm wine later. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t do this all the time. But it does happen. And most of times, I get that dope bartender. No matter what bar it is. And the ones that do give me them all at once, that’s fine too. Cause I usually drink it within the hour. Well, I’m sad to report, I managed to find a bar that wasn’t cool. Forget cool, they weren’t even nice. I did get there before 7pm, like 7 minutes before to be exact. The bartender was talking to other guests at the time. I wasn’t going to be like, “hey, can I order drinks and food before your happy hour is over” Cause like I said, I’ve never been to a bar that didn’t honor it. He eventually made his way over, showed me his phone (7:01pm) and said happy hour is over. And that his computer won’t let him place any orders. But I can talk to the manager. Ok, so I don’t want to be a jerk but technically I was here before 7 so… I did ask to talk to the manager, I mean, it’s principle at this point. He was really hesitant, like really hesitant. I mean… seriously. It’s like $2 less, and like I said, principle. Here’s the DL. My friends and I are very kind and generous. Tipping 100% at times (cause that’s what you do when a bar opens, after they’ve closed, just for you and your group of 20). I’ve had (many) bartenders say, “that’s too much” and won’t take it but I insist. Because, hey, I see you and I know what you’re doing for us. But this bar… This bar could have struck gold. Our bar tab was $1000. And now I’m about to tell you why they didn’t… Maybe it was a friend or regular he was talking to when I came in, but at least acknowledge me and lmk that you’ll be with me shortly. Don’t make me plead for a happy hour drink when you know as much as I do, that I’ve been sitting right here. Manager – why is it so difficult and why aren’t you smiling… You’re about to have a group of 20 in your nearly empty restaurant. Speaking of smiling, I didn’t see our bartender smile once. And I guess you don’t have to be nice to us, but shouldn’t you be? Didn’t you get the memo on bartending and how to get good tips? I mean, if you don’t want to deal with people, maybe bartending isn’t the job for you? Cause I know so many people that would kill for that job (though maybe not in an empty bar… hmmm… I wonder why the bar is empty). The icing on the cake (that we didn’t have). They wouldn’t let me order ANY dessert for our b-day girl. They were saving ALL their desserts for Cinco De Mayo the next day. What? Again, what?! I literally ran across the street to one of my favorite restaurants (looking at you Bar Verde) to order dessert to go. And this server, bartender, manager (not sure) also gave me a candle and lit it, gave me something to cover the candle since I had to run across the street. Now that’s the kind of service I enjoy to be around. Kindness, helpful and all with a smile (so what if he was cute too). I saw on our tab that he charged us for more happy hour drinks than he gave us. I know for sure because I was asking for more but they wouldn’t budge. Not sure what else he added on there, cause like I said, our bill was over a grand. He told us the tip was included or maybe he was referring to the drinks he added that we didn’t get… So many bars in Manhattan Take your business elsewhere. At the very least, you should be greeted with kindness (the happy hour drinks after happy hour will just be a plus)

I enjoyed having drinks at the black ant although it was definitely bar volume music not restaurant volume so we had to eat outside in front, which was nice, but 2nd ave is kind of loud too. I had a watermelon margarita and my husband had a cucumber margarita. They were nice and light in flavor and since we got there just before happy hour ended we were happy to have a cheap margarita (ends at 7pm, $8). We also had a very nice duck taco which was on the happy hour menu and it was terrific. We ordered duck dumplings with mole and there was too much fry for me on the dumplings, not enough filling, so I didn’t eat this, but i did enjoy the swordfish taco, which wasn’t quite as good as the duck taco but it was pretty good. The waitress was super sweet and i think I would go back to at least try some of the other offerings on the menu which were pretty unusual for a Mexican style restaurant. If you can go before happy hour ends, the food was just as good on the bar menu.

This place has been getting excellent comments in some of the blogs so we went tonight. The comments in the blogs are inadequate. Black Ant is spectacularly good. What are the standards of comparison. How about Cosme today and Frontera Grill and Topalabamba years ago in Chicago. Black Ant is as good or better. I was reluctant to order the guacamole. After all guacamole is pretty trite - right? wrong. No show. This is made in the kitchen, not at the table. It is served on a plate, not some volcanic bowl. It contains citrus, radish and is spectacular. Also had the grilled cactus which is excellent and which I have never tasted. The rabbit enchilada was good. Again, I was reluctant to try the pork belly which can be had in almost any restaurant in NY with the possible exception of a seafood place. This is the best I've had. The meat is tender and just falls apart. The skin is like an old fashioned cuchifrito and the fat is to die for. Even the desserts are great. This is a restaurant that shouldn't be missed.

Just about to pass up this little gem when we seen delicious food being served. We ordered the same lunch, fish tacos and lamb burger. The fish tacos were outstanding. The beer was nice and cold. Just sat back and people watched while eating.

OK atmosphere. Strong and good, not great, margaritas. Some food we order was very bland but the fish tacos were the best both of us had ever had. Service was good

So we had our first-ever grasshopper as food; let's just say the predominant experience is textural - crunch. Cool place. The smoky jalapeño margarita is great (actually all the marge are great.) Really good food - our group had the rabbit, shrimp, pork and guar. Nice east village vibe, flavorful food and a completely amazing bar (with a gobsmacking mezcal menu.)

Fantastic service. Amazing ambience. Food is authentic with a unique twist such as cactus fries or worm salt mescal. You cannot go wrong here. Perfect dim lighting for a night out with friends. You must try the guacamole...total home run. Gustavo is the manager and he is one of the most considerate, passionate restauranteurs out there. He is a mixologist so definitely ask him for any drink suggestions you might have.

I came at brunch, so not enough opportunity to try bugs. I would definitely come back, I had the duck hash which was pretty good. I recommend it for anyone looking for something out of the ordinary without compromising the cool factor. I would rather come at night and check it out more as a bar with food, it's def that more than a brunch place.

Went there a summer evening! Really tasty food, friendly staff and geat margaritas! Even the kids enjoy!! Beautiful evening

Great evening with great authentic mexican dishes, large selections. Margaritas were fresh and tasty

We've been coming to your restaurant for years - before your establishment became popular. We've recommended Black Ant dozens upon dozens of times to friends over the last 6 years. This was probably the last time we will ever come to the restaurant or ever recommend it again. In fact, we will go out of our way to make sure everyone we know is aware that the Black Ant has changed and to beware coming here. I called yesterday to ask your receptionist/front desk person if there was any issue with booking a mother's day table for 8 using 4 pulsd deals each for a couple to have 2 drinks plus entree each. She said absolutely not, and I booked accordingly. We arrived today with grandparents and great grandparents, and we were inquistioned (several times over) that the PULSD deals could not be combined. The waiter and then manager approached our table several times to say that this was a problem - embarrassing my wife, child and I in front of our entire family. Finally they agreed to let us use the certificates I was previously told I could use. We sat at 2:30. We did not receive our first drinks until 3:330. Some of our meals were modified as certain ingredients were not available (e.g., I had a squid and lamb chorizo dish that had no lamb chorizo and resmembled an appetizer side dish). At the end of the meal I was handed a bill with a close to $100 surcharge. I was being automatically charged for Taxes on twice the amount of the PULSD deals I paid for. And automatic gratuity on that same amount. I questioned this with the manager and the waiter and was told "this is how you do it". I was embarrassed in front of my entire family in repeated conversations. I paid the bill just to get out of there and let management know this would be the last time we would ever come to your restaurant. This entire email is going on yelp. Congratulations on losing a long time customer and turning a social influencer against your entire establishment to let everyone they know to avoid ever going to the Black Ant again.

The Blank Ant is a Mexican spot down in the East Village that has good drinks, good food, and a nice atmosphere with a patio and all. Happy Hour runs 4-7 pm, and while you won’t be getting $2 tacos or $3 beers, the price for the value reasonable. Margaritas are $8 down from $11/$12, and boy are they good. The Smokey Jalapeno has a complex flavor that pairs well with the chili, salt, and sugar rim and the classic margarita is close to perfection, with the right ratio of tequila to fresh lime. If you want to get fancy, try the classic margarita with a smoky rim! The fish tacos feature perfectly fried swordfish with a hibiscus slaw, spicy aioli, and some hot chili. Each bite has texture, a bit of sweet, and a bit of heat. Happy hour will set you back $10 for two tacos ($15 on the regular menu.) They were so good we decided to try out the chicken as well, but it proved to be fairly yawn-inducing with basic flavors and no punch.

Great meal -- and lots of innovative dishes to share or try! They even have crickets and other crunchy insects in the dishes (they can be optional if you're not adventurous) Drink menu was great, marguritas in many flavors --plus, a whole side menu of Tequila.

If you're in East Village- this is worth the stop to try some tequila-craft cocktails. A bit hot inside but very nice decor, staff. Next visit I'll plan on enjoying their food.

Delicious food and cocktails, attentive staff, fun and relaxed vibe, great price point. Highly recommended—was craving Mexican, which is hard to come by where I live (Chile), and wanted something with a nice twist. The Black Ant definitely delivered.

I arrived at The Black Ant early in the evening, sat down at the bar to eat dinner. I told the bartender I wanted fish. He said there were no fish specials today, but recommended the cerviche with hamachi. It was tasty, but the soy sauce was so overpowering the fish could have been anything. The chef came out, I asked for something special, and he recommended the Sun Chokes he was just making. They brought me a pot, literally, of roasted then sauteed with LOTS of oil, chokes. After eating the pot, they were so tasty, the bartender then told me about the two specials they were having this evening: both fish, no soy, a sweet ponsi sauce on the cerviche which sounded great. So I did not get to try the specials because the bartender was not told. One of the hazards of eating at a bar. But the bartender then told me that the fish special is usually what is left over from the weekend (this was a WEdnesday night). That scared me too! I left the restaurant and two hours later I was so sick. All night in fact Not sure if its the pot of oily/rich chokes or the fish. I wish I had gotten to try some of the interesting dishes the chef makes, not typical Mexican, but I am not sure I can let myself go back

The food was good, the margaritas were great and the whole vibe of this place did it for me. They have a small outdoor seating area and plenty of room inside. Love the decor. Have to say that everything we ordered was delicious but my favorite thing of all was the margaritas LOL.

I love margarita's but have never tasted anything like this, these guys make concoctions to die for and they really work!

Hit it at happy hour and don't miss the mango guacamole and the huarache nopale but skip the fish tacos -- they were gross.

I wanted to take my son (a young foody) to an unusual restaurant to celebrate his engagement. With over 12,000 restaurants to chose from in New York, this restaurant fitted the bill. The food is 'Mexican' based with a twist - dishes with roast black ants supported by baked cricket starter and various bug based variations. To be honest the wild life lifts interests and a twist for the memory. I'm not sure it really adds massively to the taste save for a certain 'salty' tang. The prices are reasonable, service excellent, atmosphere charming and a buzy buzz which isn't just down to the insect additives. I reckon this is a one time destination place perfect for entertainment of family and friends. Go.

Really fun restaurant, decent prices and best guacamole ever! Staff really friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a visit.

Just back from a Mexican adventure, we needed another fix of Mexican food. The Black Ant was a great choice. With big black ant paintings one the wall, a la Andy Warhol, we enjoyed a very tasty and creative meal. Drinks were an added extra. The wait staff was welcoming, efficient and attentive.

Having become a bit jaded by eggs Benedict etc...and the usual brunch suspects I thought I would try the Black Ant. A good call as the food was deliciously different and the staff were charming. They even kindly allowed me to go and get a chai latte and a juice from the excellent Bean almost next door as they serve only coffee, (which my friend remarked was excellent) and tea, neither of which I drink. Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in New York.

Fantastic Mexican food a step up from anything i have had before, together with a great atmosphere and friendly attentive staff.

Trendy small spot for good Mexican food - their guacamole and chips is a hit !!! I order the fish taco and my daughter had the mushroom, veggie tacos and they were outstanding. Good happy hour - 4-8pm too!

Went there with a party of 6 in December. It was a weekend and the restaurant was crowded. The service was extremely slow. The hostess/manager tried to explain that the kitchen was backed up. But our party was in the restaurant for 3 hours. I very dissatisfied. Thought the food was average. I would not go back.

Happened here This time IT felt that no staff was there took long time to get the food and we didnt get What ordered This was a bad night

This modern Mexican fusion restaurant has very interesting and tasty selections, not to mention great deserts(which helps to finish off the meal). We had the following with indicated prices: Black Ant Guacamole ($13),Ceviche Jurel ($15), Tacos de Lobo (13), Tacos de Chivo (12), Enchiladas de Conejo (24), Lechon (28), String Beans (7), and for deserts: Santa Parfait (11), Churros Sundae (10). The tortillas are freshly made, and definitely not frozen....best I have had in many years. Tables are close, and the restaurant is a bit tight, but have been in much tighter & worse. Noise level can be loud. Well worth the visit. Service was very good. If you are looking for classic Mexican Food, then this is NOT the restaurant for you. Otherwise, nice eating experience.

If you are looking for a margarita in a frosted glass and a plate of nachos, The Black Ant is not for you. So forget what you know about Mexican food and get ready to sample some black ants in your guacamole and bisque with grasshoppers! So many more eclectic items on the menu! It will be a restaurant we talk about a lot in the future!

My group of 4 friends just went for cocktail and the Black Ant didn't disappoint. There's a very intriguing menu of Mexican liquor based cocktails that are both delicious and powerful. More than two and you probably wouldn't want to walk far (forget driving altogether) afterwards. Most cocktails ran between $13-16, which is pretty much par for anyplace decent in Manhattan. We didn't try the food, as we has a dinner reservation elsewhere, but it looked and smelled yummy. We'll be back.

In all fairness the concept is great but I have to say, We ordered the pork dish and it was raw now I'm ok with an apology. But they were in denial about it and it's raw pork it's actually dangerous I asked for anything not spicy on the menu and I was recommended the chicken and it was so spicy u had tears coming out of my eyes Very average

The food was ok and the service as well. But the desert (churros) was not ok, to well done. Complained but nothing extra, not even the coffee at the end.

Next month I'll be traveling to Mexico City, and very much looking forward to the cuisine. But who can wait? Not me. Mexican cuisine is more than inventive tacos, it is second to none in the preparation of six-legged creatures. If you've ever been bitten by a mosquito, here is your chance for revenge. Thus the chapulines (roasted grasshoppers) are exquisitely presented. Delightfully crunchy, tasty and accompanied by a nice pepper sauce, avocado puree, and grated cheese. And tequila, of course. Oh yes, you can. This is the place to take that chance. But there's more to The Black Ant than bugs. It took me a long time to decide on the main dish. I eventually went with the Pulpo (octopus), which was succulent and wonderful. But I must return more than once to try their braised pork cheeks, duck dumplings, and the wrapped rabbit enchilada. (I can't wait.) They have a fine list of tequilas, from which you can order blanco, reposado, or añejo. The only thing missing is an accompanying sangrita. Perhaps one day they'll add that. The service is absolutely first rate!

I am not a big fan of typical Mexican food, but this place is a fussion. I had the octopus and we shared some starters. portions are very big so be careful not to order too much. eveything, the drinks, food, ambiance, creativity, was the best value for money. I would go back

While i truly love mexican food the Black Ant didn't really meet my expectations of great mexican food! We tried the grasshoppers which was an interesting try but the rest was really average in terms of food! The service was good with friendly waiters and a yummy margerita!

An absolutely brilliant meal at the black ant. It was a very fresh and beautifully presented, magnificent balanced, fresh and exciting. The food we ate was an excellent guacamole with fresh fried tortillas, then a selection of beautiful fresh tacos of various flavours, then some great mains which included beef rib, chicken mole, suckling pig ( beautiful) and then some sensational dessert of churros with salt caramel and choc. Great great service. The staff are brilliant! In every way. This place is new but an absolute must in mexican food....fantastic!!!

Having never visited Mexico, I've never been exposed to Mexican food, only Tex-Mex. Each dish I've ordered in "The Black Ant" made me feel as though someone had just switched on the light. This is the place to be for discovery, exploration, and revelation. Some dish recommendations: Guacamole with black ants- a very fresh guacamole that blends in black ants; comes with a portion of tortilla chips. Grasshoppers with peppers and fresh queso- A must-have starter! Very similar to street-food in Mexico City so seriously worth the adventure. The grasshoppers are the actual meal- they are not a decoration that you cannot eat or appreciate, just to note. The octopus- A fantastic, though very spicy, dish that is guaranteed to wake up your taste pallet! Braised pork- I believe on the menu it is called Lecoch. It is the most tender pig imaginable and comes with a fantastic seasoning accompanied by several tortillas to make, what I believe to be, the best taco in the world. I would certainly not miss out on it. Duck dumplings- crispy fried parcels containing dumplings, seasoned with a mildly spiced chocolate sauce, with fresh queso sprinkled on top. I don't think that this was necessary since my favourites were those above, though if you're very hungry, it's an interesting choice. Also, enjoy the cocktails! They are fantastic! Enjoy.

This is my new favorite neighborhood restaurant and certainly one of the best Mexican restaurants in town. The dishes we ordered were terrific: innovative and tasty. Even the desserts were outstanding. Some of the dishes contain some oddities like grasshoppers and worms. If that is not your interest, no need to worry, those dishes are limited.

Bartender was so nice & helped us pick out some so/so adventerous items. I was too nervous to get the grasshoppers BUT I had the cod cheek & goat tacos and the black ant guacamole. Very complex and delicious food. The guac was some of the best I have ever had. Prickly Pear margarita was good and STRONG. I had two and was very buzzed up. I'm sure this will become a hot spot in NYC.

If you are looking for unique Mexican food option - this is your place. The kitchen sneaks insects into almost off of their dishes.

Very very nice place. Something different, but deffinately worth the visit. Very nice service and very good food.

This is a tough one to review. The service was good for the most part but also a bit slack at times, similarly the food itself was excellent on some dishes but below par on others. I liked the margaritas, they were extremely strong which I take as a positive. The addition of insects into some of the dishes is a cool idea particularly as they aren't advertised as the main attraction, just something to increase the flavor and texture of certain plates. In a World where food is becoming increasingly more scarce, insects may well play a part in combating this global problem and by using them to improve a select few dishes whilst avoiding making a sideshow out of their use should be applauded. I sat in the back terrace and whilst very pretty, the music here is quite loud so naturally conversation was as well, the end result being quite a noisy dining room. I would recommend anyone to visit, I'm just not so sure that I would return.