It’s no secret I’m a sucker for Latin American and Caribbean food. Here at NYC Hidden Dining Gems, I’ve covered Venezuelan tequeños, Jamaican eateries in Harlem, Colombian arepas, Bolivian salteñas and all-day Mexican breakfast. But one Latin cuisine I’m less familiar with is Guyanese, so when I heard about Datz Delihttps://www.instagram.com/datzdeli190/, a small shop in Hollis, Queens, I added it to my list of places to try.
Datz Deli blew up on social media because of their now famous mac patty (more on that later). Run by the Dat family, their name is a play on their name but also an allusion to a slightly more famous New York City delicatessen — Katz’s Deli, if you need it spelled out for you.
Datz Deli in Hollis, Queens. (Kailyn Rosati)
Joshua Dat tells me their father came to New York from Guyana at 8 years old and has a culinary background. In December 2022, when Joshua saw a space open up in Hollis, he knew he needed to take a chance and open up a deli with his family to serve Caribbean food.
The rolle of the dice paid off for Joshua Dat and his family. Only a few months after opening, Joshua made the mac patty and immediately knew they were going to go viral.
He was right. Datz Deli has since garnered millions of views across social media platforms, bringing in customers from all around the globe. Unlike other many other mega social media viral sensations, Datz Deli was a real from-the-ground-up organic sensation. This is just a humble family-run business in a fairly tourist-free part of Queens. Though they serve a cuisine many don’t know the first thing about, their passion, creativity and execution have led them to serious success.
Jerk chicken mac patty at Datz Deli in Hollis, Queens. (Kailyn Rosati)
Much of that success is attributed to the mac patty. It starts with a beef patty placed inside butterflap, a buttery Guyanese version of traditional coco bread. The patty is then cut lengthwise, piled high with mac and cheese, and topped with either braised oxtail, goat curry, or stewed chicken. The whole thing is drizzled with extra gravy and garnished with a plantain.
The mac patty is, for lack of better words, an insane combination. It is such an unlikely sandwich that you might think it’s too much from reading the description — confusing, even. However, I urge you to try this far-fetched yet genius concoction and have your mind blown as mine was.
I visited their newer Lower East Side location with a good friend. As we watched Bobby Dat make our mac patties, one with oxtail and one with stewed chicken, I was amazed by how much they could stuff between the butterflap. My friend and I took a seat at the high-top table by what Bobby Dat said was his favorite artwork in the tiny storefront, which is covered in murals.
The making of a mac patty at Datz Deli. (Kailyn Rosati)
As we each took a bite into the oxtail version of the mac patty, we collectively let out a moan. I bring this friend with me as my date to plenty of the spots I write about, and he said it before I did: “This is the best one yet.”
What was most surprising about the mac patty, aside from the introduction to Guyanese flavors, was the texture. I assumed it was going to be a soggy mess. I mean, we’re talking soft bread, wet mac’n’cheese, gravy and stewed meat — the oxtail alone takes four hours to cook and falls apart. Yet the crunch from the beef patty crust still comes through. Second only to the crazy burst of warm spices from the mac and cheese and the meat, the crunch factor is what takes this sandwich over the edge. I can’t say I’ve ever had anything like it.
“We wanted people to taste all of the flavors of the Caribbean in a sandwich,” Joshua Dat tells me.
They are currently running a special through October 27 to celebrate the Spongebob Squarepants’ 25th anniversary with their take on a Krabby Patty: a chopped up patty and cheese, placed inside a Jamaican beef patty with lettuce, tomato, and onion. It’s all encased in their butterflap bread and served with a side of onion rings. Lines for their Queens location continue to be wrapped around the block. Safe to say, it seems to only be up from here for the Dat family.
“I cry every morning in the shower,” says Joshua Dat. “I’m so grateful. Every single day.”
Address: 190-01 Hollis Ave, Queens, NY 11423; 69 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
Phone: Queens: (929) 356-3400; Manhattan: (646) 669-7234
Hours: Queens: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Manhattan: Monday-Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 a.m.; Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Prices: Mac Patties $11-$25; Desserts: $7
Takeout and delivery available; no reservations.
Have a suggestion for a great hidden dining gem in your neighborhood? Reach out to us with your recommendations
[contact-form]
https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/10/09/nyc-hidden-dining-gems-datz-deli-restaurant-review/