What do fish tacos and the founder of the Whitney Museum have in common? Well, kind of a few things… namely, a penchant for those bold, undiscoverable gems that find their way into this city, and an appreciation for Latin flavors and landscapes. There’s a spicy little story behind it all, so read on to understand how hand-made, seafood-filled tortillas and a sculptor turned collector turned revolutionary just make sense together, hand-in-hand.

We live in New York because we don’t want to be defined by societal norms and what seems to be the nation’s status quo. We feel, somewhat collectively, like a community of transcendence. We are here because we find comfort somehow in the insatiable chase.  We are here because it seems no other place is big enough or energetic enough to hold what it is that we believe we can do. And in this spirit, The Whitney is kind of like our very first apartment in New York. 

Ok, let me explain.

(To skip this historical lesson and get straight to the tacos, just you know… scroll down)

The Whitney Museum of American Art did not happen because people realized there needed to be a space to highlight the work of so many up-and-coming American-born artists. During the early 1900s when so many world-class museums were all springing to life and gaining in popularity, the country and the world were all focused on the artists and movements that were making news during that time, the vast majority of whom were European.

During that time, Sculptor Gertrude Whitney saw that American artists with new ideas were getting very little respect or recognition, and thus exhibition space and room to grow. Even as the ambitious Armory show attempted to introduce American artists’ work amid those familar and progressive European pieces, in her eyes, not much respect was won. She started the Whitney Studio in 1914, a meager yet transcendent space to highlight such artists who had been neglected by the traditional academies. And once her collection grew to an immensely impressive (collection of) pieces, she assembled a collection of nearly 500 pieces to the Met as a gift. When it was declined, the Whitney was born.

Gerty provided a place and a voice and a launching ground for those artists who somehow couldn’t be seen or supported anywhere else. She said, with this meager representation, there is a chance that the thing you solely can do will be felt, and thus will move on, far beyond these tiny walls. They just needed a bit of an incubation period in order to grow and be recognized and to move far beyond their fledgling beginnings into what would become world-renowned artists. 

After outgrowing the Whitney’s first permanent location in Midtown (now the Met Breuer), it became the glorious and expansive space in Chelsea. A place that so intentionally brings the city skyline as a familiar background between surreal landscapes. 

It is, however, located in what few of us would consider an ideal place to absorb culture otherwise. Nestled among luxury showrooms and overhyped nightclubs, Chelsea has fallen from its graces as a griddy and alive artistic hub and is now, well… a sterile outdoor shopping center surrounding a very well planned food court.

But you will, and should, find yourself there- if only for the Whitney. And when you do, you will likely be hungry. 

Where to Eat Near the Whitney Museum | Los Mariscos Tacos

In the spirit of Lady Gertrude, search for the undiscovered talent in what can be a noisy and competitive arena. I’m talking about Chelsea Market, what has basically become a shopping mall and Influencer thoroughfare. How do we wade through the nonsense and crowds to find something truly covetable? You believe that this is New York, and there is something shiny and worthwhile amid all of the noise. And perhaps you listen to a trusted voice to find it.

You will only find Mariscos if you see the sign, painted on a column, surrounded by people waiting in line for Los Tacos. It simply reads “Los Mariscos” with an arrow pointing left, toward a wall. From there, you will be led down a hidden hallway papered with “Workers Rights” infographics and it will overall fell not right. Fish tacos, this way? That’s when you’ll see the next sign- “yes, it’s this way!”

At which point you will find yourself transported to a fish shack in Baja California.

Los Mariscos is the most authentic Mexican seafood I’ve found in this city, and it an ideal little flavor oasis that I didn’t know could exist in the tourist trap that Chelsea has become. 

What Not to Miss

The Fish Taco

Perfectly fried and alarmingly fresh, this perfectly-topped and sauced fish is folded into a handmade tortilla somehow sturdy enough to not require double-wrapping, yet oh-so-delicate. There is nothing more that this fish taco could be, and nowhere closer to Baja that you can get other than a barstool inside the Chelsea Market. Order at least two.

Green Aguachile with Shrimp

So those stone (called “molcajetes”) can be used for more than just overpriced avocado conglomerations! This chilled soup is filled with raw fish and plenty of spice and citrus that will have you forget ceviche is a thing. When I ordered it, the guy told me, “The green is the more spicy, but, well… you have to get the green one.” The look that I gave him back said, “Please, sir… I’m not afraid of an authentic level of spice…” Which, the look I had after my first sip was quite different.. however, the spiciness in this bowl is balanced out by the cucumber lifesavers lining the perimeter, as were the communal bag of tostadas that no Coronavirus could convince me not to help myself to, repeatedly.

Un Pacifico Claro

Even with a spinning class looming in my Google calendar, there is always room for a Mexican beer when you feel like you’re in Mexico. I mean, hell, there’s room for a Mexican beer when you feel like you’re in Helsinki for that matter, but just make sure you get one. 

Los Mariscos is open from  11am-10pm daily, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Wet your appetite here first. Then, dive in.