The best nachos in NYC

At both East Village and Hell’s Kitchen locations of this utilitarian Mexican restaurant, you can find six varieties of nachos, each doled out as a heaping mess of fresh-fried chips, cheese and toppings on a sheet tray. A standout is the house al pastor, which features quivering, yielding bites of blistered, spit-roasted pork tossed with white cheddar, salsa and choice of beans (pinto, black or refried). $9.87.

The nachos at this Cal-Mex chain (with locations in Park Slope, Greenpoint, Red Hook at the Upper East Side) cloaks a mound of chips, black beans, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños and roasted corn with copious amounts of molted cheese sauce. The stack is finished with heaping spoonfuls of chunky guacamole and smooth sour cream, as well as your choice of protein (chicken, steak, pork or ground beef for $4 extra). $12. 

Instead of traditional Mexican cheeses, the nacho plate at this West Village Cuban diner features an unlikely but delicious mix of Gouda and Meunster. Those cheeses are matched with chopped beef short ribs, black beans and zingy jalapeño, and dressed with fresh guac and crema.$10.95.

The nachos at this East Village sports bars come as “single” (for 1-2 people; $7.95), “double” (2-4 people; $13.95) and “triple” (for five or more people, issued out on an 18-inch pizza tray; $26.95). No matter what size, you can expect with a nuanced house-special cheese blend (melted Jack, sharp-aged cheddar, nutty Havarti) and a vegetarian-friendly medley of chopped jalapeños, black olives, green peppers, red onions and tomato.

The Nacho Mama at this Battery Park City restaurant smartly arranges thick-cut tortilla chips in a single layer—that means each chip gets a generous amount of toppings, from melted jack cheese to pickled red onion and salsa ranchera. Want meat with that? Order the Macho Nacho ($17), which is the Nacho Mama with the zesty addition of chorizo. $15. 

Texan barbecue meets Mexican flavors with the chili con queso nachos at this barbecue temple. Beefy chili melds with house queso atop crispy tortillas, which are further festooned with red onion, pickled jalapeño and chipotle crema. Take things even further into ’cue territory with optional chopped brisket for three bucks more. It’s enough for two to three people, but you won’t want to share. $8.95.