I initially noticed the shorts. When I arrived on a pleasant summer evening, I was a little shocked by the complete lack of lengthy pants among the patrons sitting at the restaurant’s outdoor chairs. Casa Enrique is New York’s least expensive Michelin-star restaurant, therefore I believed it to be more laid-back than a few of the city’s other fine dining establishments.
Multiple families invited their children for an early dinner, as well as a table of young women who are working on the relationship updates of their acquaintances. A different group of guests came with their white labrador, who was calmly lounging next to a drinking bowl that was previously set out for it, while kids giggled happily at 2 additional tables.
Casa Enrique is different for more reasons than just its laid-back atmosphere. This straightforward Mexican cafe has been a regular in New York’s fiercely competitive dining market since 2014 and has maintained its affordability throughout. It has a Michelin star.