Pastrami Tacos and Kosher Mexican Food on the Upper West Side

Polanco Social at 476 Columbus Avenue is the Upper West Side address for kosher Mexican-Jewish cooking, and the first thing worth knowing is the calendar: the kitchen closes entirely on Friday and Saturday and runs from 4 PM on weekdays.

Sunday is the exception, with brunch from 10 AM to 3:30 PM and dinner again from 4:30 PM. The menu takes its cue from Mexico City's Polanco district and crosses it with Jewish kitchen traditions instead of keeping the two apart, so pastrami tacos and steak share a page with Machaca taquitos, pollo asado under its sauce and burgers reviewers keep returning to. Behind the bar, drinks are built on house-infused spirits, homemade juices and real fruit purees rather than a standard cocktail list.

Kosher diners with restrictions get real room here: the kitchen accommodates gluten-free and dairy-free diets, which is unusual for a fusion menu this broad. The room runs chill but lively, and staff warmth comes up across 61 reviews at 4.6 out of 5.

Budget is the open question. The asset records no price range, so call (646) 480-0585 or check polancosocial.com before committing to a full dinner.

Address: 476 Columbus Ave, Manhattan (Upper West Side)
Hours: Mon–Tue 4–10 PM · Wed–Thu 4–11 PM · Fri–Sat closed
Sunday: brunch 10 AM–3:30 PM · dinner 4:30–10 PM
Phone: (646) 480-0585
Web: polancosocial.com · Instagram: @polancosocial
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 from 61 reviews
Menu: kosher Mexican-Jewish fusion, pastrami tacos, Machaca taquitos, pollo asado, burgers
Diet: gluten-free and dairy-free options listed
Price: not stated in the asset record

The fusion is structural, not a garnish. Mexican cooking supplies the tortilla, the taquito and the grill; the Jewish kitchen supplies the pastrami, the kosher rules and the brunch habit. So pastrami turns up inside a taco rather than on rye, Machaca taquitos arrive as the plate regulars mention first, and pollo asado is served tender under its sauce instead of dried out.

The burgers are the sleeper. Reviewers name them alongside the steak and the pastrami tacos, which suggests a full dinner menu carrying a fusion headline rather than a small taco counter. Take one plate from the grill, one from the taquito side, and share across the table.

The bar does equal work: drinks come from house-infused spirits, homemade juices and real fruit purees, so the cocktails here are fruit-forward and built in house rather than poured from a mix.

The honest limitation is that this is not a greatest-hits list of either cuisine. If you want a plain kosher steakhouse dinner or a straightforward taqueria, the tail picks below will fit better than this room.

Days matter more than hours here. Monday and Tuesday run 4 PM to 10 PM, Wednesday and Thursday stretch to 11 PM, and Friday and Saturday are closed — a pattern worth reading twice before planning a weekend dinner.

Sunday is the busy one. Brunch runs 10 AM to 3:30 PM, then the kitchen resets and dinner returns from 4:30 PM to 10 PM. That hour-long gap is the detail that catches people: a mid-afternoon Sunday arrival lands in the closed window, and the next table is an hour away.

Weeknights suit a quiet dinner. The room is described as chill but lively with warm service, and a Monday or Tuesday booking is the calmer version of it. Wednesday and Thursday give you one more hour if you are coming after work.

Because the two closed days fall on the nights most people plan around, a Friday or Saturday table here is not a late-booking problem, it is a different restaurant. Check the calendar first, then pick the night.

Treat it as a dinner-and-drinks stop rather than a quick bite. The room sits on Columbus Avenue in the Upper West Side, so the natural shape is dinner here plus a walk, not a dash between two addresses.

Order in rounds. Taquitos and a grill plate first, then decide on a burger or the steak depending on appetite, and leave room for a cocktail built on house-infused spirits. Sharing suits the menu because the fusion plates carry more weight than a straight taco order.

The dietary side is why many people come. Gluten-free and dairy-free kosher needs are accommodated, which is rare in a fusion kitchen, so say it clearly when you sit down instead of assuming it is handled.

One limitation to plan around: the asset lists no price range, so budget stays unknown until you see the menu. Call (646) 480-0585 or check polancosocial.com before promising a group a set spend, and book Wednesday to Sunday rather than the closed weekend.

What are Polanco Social's hours?
Monday and Tuesday 4–10 PM, Wednesday and Thursday 4–11 PM, Sunday brunch 10 AM–3:30 PM and dinner 4:30–10 PM. Friday and Saturday are closed.

Is Polanco Social open on Friday or Saturday?
No. Both days are closed in the asset record, so a weekend dinner has to be Sunday, when the kitchen runs brunch and then reopens for dinner.

Is the food actually kosher?
The kitchen is listed as kosher and accommodates gluten-free and dairy-free diets. The menu crosses Mexican cooking with Jewish traditions through pastrami tacos, Machaca taquitos, pollo asado and burgers.

What should you order first?
Machaca taquitos and pastrami tacos come up most in reviews, with the burgers and steak also named. Share across the table and add a cocktail from the house-infused list.

Does Polanco Social take reservations?
The asset does not state a reservation policy. Calling (646) 480-0585 is the reliable check, particularly for Wednesday through Sunday when the room is open.

How much does dinner cost?
No price range is recorded for Polanco Social, so this page cannot quote a cost. Check polancosocial.com or call before planning a group spend.

Where exactly is Polanco Social?
476 Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, with the phone number (646) 480-0585 and the site polancosocial.com for confirmation.

What is the atmosphere like?
Reviewers describe a chill but lively room with warm staff, and rate the restaurant 4.6 out of 5 across 61 reviews. Groups and couples both fit.

Stay on the Upper West Side after Polanco Social. Six neighborhood tables cover an easy, mostly mid-priced dinner across Amsterdam and Columbus Avenue, and handmade tortillas with mole open at 11:30 AM on Columbus. A pub trivia night adds martinis and a fries hour on Amsterdam, a kosher bagel counter bakes bialys from 6 AM with real lox, and Amsterdam Avenue serves fresh tortillas with tacos rated 4.3, daily.