Cheapo nachos worth the mess

Nachos really are the awesomest food and great to enjoy with friends, but you can run into two common problems: 1) A lot of nachos suck (and I mean bad), and 2) Even the bad ones can be pricey. With that in mind, I’ve gone through the archives of Nachos NY and culled some delicious nachos for $8 or less in Brooklyn. Cheese is, of course, a requirement. And each and every one has its own special ingredients making it worthy of the list.

Acapulco, 1116 Manhattan Ave. at Clay St., Greenpoint
$5.50: Nachos with Cheese (beans, salsa, Jalapeño peppers) come tangy and leave you happy. There’s a load of Jalapeño peppers, tomatoes and cilantro. If I lived closer, this would be my go-to spot.

Maya Taqueria, 637 Vanderbilt Ave. between Prospect Pl. and St. Marks Pl., Prospect Heights
$6.75: Super Nachos (meat, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, “the works”) have a ton of amazing toppings and a salsa bar for the side. They really pile on the toppings, so grab a napkin.

5 Burro Cafe, 127 Columbia St. between Kane and Irving Sts., Red Hook
$8: Nachos (beans, sour cream, guacamole and Jalapeño peppers) come on homemade chips made on-site. Cheese is everywhere and they’re not stingy with the guacamole. Don’t miss their backyard, too.

Veracruz, 195 Bedford Ave. between N. 6th and N. 7th Sts., Williamsburg
$6.50: Plain Nachos (beans, guacamole, crema, Jalapeño peppers) come in the pizza/delicate/Texan style that took some time for us to appreciate. But now we do—each chip gets equal distribution of toppings to show off the great collective flavor.

Taqueria De Los Muertos, 663 Washington Ave. at St. Marks Pl., Prospect Heights
$5.50: Super Nachos (Pico De Gallo, beans, guacamole, sour cream) come right in the aluminum case you like. Dangerous to get them delivered, but worth it at the restaurant.

For when the craving strikes and you’re not so close to home, try some worthwhile $8-and-under nachos at these places outside of Brooklyn: Tacos Mexico and Guacamole (Queens); Piano’s and Tortilla Flats (Manhattan).

Lee Frank is Managing Editor of Nachos NY. Join Lee and the site’s other NYC nacho experts for the first ever Salsa Slam, Sept. 12 at the Bell House.