Taco Dive Bar, Peekskill NY

We were toodling around up north today and ended up in Peekskill around lunch time, so we stopped into Taco Dive Bar for brunch, mostly to enjoy the terrific river views. The restaurant was hopping, overflowing with hipsters and baby strollers, but luckily we were able to snag a table outside where it was less noisy. Service was quick and competent, although a couple of the servers seemed to be having a spat it didn’t interfere with our meal.

The food itself was pretty lackluster, though. The menu tries to make things sound a lot more interesting than they are. We ordered a breakfast burrito, brisket scramble, brisket taco and pork belly taco. The brisket in both cases was tender but pretty flavorless. The pork belly, which is advertised on the menu as smoked/seared and having a maple balsamic glaze, had zero hint of any flavor resembling smoke, maple or balsamic - it was tender enough, but just completely bland. Furthermore, the taco itself was uninspired - just lettuce, tomato and a little guac - so without an interesting and assertive flavor on the pork, it was blah. The brisket taco at least had pickled cabbage and fried onions to give it some texture and interest.

The chorizo breakfast burrito was by far the best thing we ordered, but even that wasn’t especially creative - just chorizo, cheese, eggs and potatoes in a tortilla with some guac and sour cream on the side. Brisket scramble was extremely bland, with all components underseasoned and the plate just lightly sauced with a not-very-interesting salsa verde.

At $5-6 per taco and $6 for a tiny basket of chips and salsa, this place is also hideously overpriced, but I suppose that’s to be expected for a hipster joint on the river in Peekskill. We won’t be back.

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Thanks for posting. I wondered about this place and now know to cross it off the list. Gleason’s is still on my shit list and Birdsall and I have a complicated relationship, and then there is that terrible ramen place and overpriced Peekskill brewery. I’m a little annoyed at Peekskill lately and it’s too far now that we moved to drive all the way there to be disappointed!

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May I ask why Gleason’s is on your shit list? I occasionally attend a show in Peekskill and was considering giving Gleason’s a try … thank you!

I’d be curious too. I am going to a show in late September - picked Division street Grill but I’m not happy about it.

I had a terrible experience there but it was a long time ago and the Yelp reviews seem fine on it, though I haven’t seen any posts (positive or negative) here or on CH in a long time. There are too many pizza places closer and more reliable for me to ever return. I won’t go into details because it was so long ago and I’m pretty sure I posted at the time on CH. Please post back if you go!

We actually considered Birdsall or the Brewery but landed at the taco place because of the location. Good to know the others can be hit or miss as well. Have you been to Buns and Bourbon, which looks to be connected to Taco Dive Bar? It wasn’t open when we were there but DH was curious about it.

Thanks - we’ve no immediate plans, but I’ll be sure to post if we do go.

Regarding your avatar: My grandmother used to make her meatloaf with hard boiled egg in the center … it was insanely good I wish I had her recipe

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How many waterfront restaurants are 1) not over priced and 2) have decent food? NONE! You go there to sip on expensive drinks, munch on average food and just enjoy the view. If you really wanted tacos in Peekskill then avoid the tourist traps and hit up Mercado Azteca & Deli or Tacos Mario’s.

It’s really too bad someone can’t figure out the formula for a waterfront restaurant that actually has decent food. It’s crazy that the two are mutually exclusive.

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Why go through the expense of serving quality food at reasonable prices when they are guaranteed to be packed?