We stopped by Jarana at American Dream after a full afternoon at the mall, and it turned out to be…read moresuch a fun dinner. The restaurant is colorful, lively, and has a great atmosphere without feeling too formal. We started with the Tuna Wantacos. Our server warned us that they were spicy, and he was right -- definitely a little kick, but very flavorful. The white fish ceviche was bright and refreshing, with that tangy, salty leche de tigre that really wakes up your appetite. The Lomo Saltado was hearty and satisfying, but my favorite dish of the night was the Seafood Arroz Chaufa. It came topped with an omelet and had squid, fried shrimp, and plenty of seafood throughout. Really comforting, savory, and filling -- I would absolutely order this again. We also had chicha morada and a passion fruit drink. I've always liked purple corn drinks, so the chicha morada was an easy favorite. We finished with a chocolate dessert, which was a nice ending after such a big meal. Overall, a very enjoyable Peruvian dinner with fun décor, good flavors, and plenty of variety. I'd definitely come back, especially for the seafood fried rice.

We came to Jarana with high expectations. As fans of Peruvian cuisine, we were excited to try a…read morerestaurant associated with such a well-known Peruvian chef. We left with the impression that this is probably the kind of restaurant someone should visit for their very first introduction to Peruvian food--not because it represents the best of Peru, but because it offers a simplified version of its flavors. The restaurant itself is beautiful. It's clear that a significant investment was made in the design, atmosphere, and overall experience. The service was friendly, and we noticed that many of the servers were Colombian, which isn't surprising since Colombians are well known for providing excellent hospitality. However, there were moments when it seemed that some of the traditional Peruvian flavors and drinks weren't fully understood. For example, the Pisco Sour we ordered was much sweeter than it should have been. We decided to start with the jalea, hoping it would set the tone for the meal. Unfortunately, it did the opposite. The dish was overly salty and lacked the balance and excitement that a great Peruvian jalea should have. Instead of reminding us of the vibrant seafood flavors found in Peru, it tasted more like generic fried seafood than an authentic Peruvian recipe. After that dish, we chose not to continue with the rest of the menu. To make matters worse, both of us experienced stomach pain afterward, which confirmed our decision to leave. One thing that also caught my attention is the restaurant's description of its food as "approachable Peruvian cuisine." Making Peruvian food approachable should never mean lowering the quality or authenticity of its flavors. Simplicity and accessibility can absolutely coexist with exceptional taste. The beautiful atmosphere should be matched by food that delivers the same level of excellence. Considering the premium prices, the culinary experience simply didn't justify the cost. If someone has never tried Peruvian food before, Jarana may serve... again: may serve as an introduction. However, for anyone looking to experience what Peruvian cuisine is truly capable of, there are several outstanding Peruvian restaurants within just a few miles that offer more authentic flavors, a better overall dining experience, and often at a lower price. I genuinely wanted to love this restaurant because the concept and ambiance are impressive. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the setting or the reputation behind the name.

The place is is Romantic.. my girl and I had a date--it's low lit, and the decorations are nice…read moretoo. We had the parrillada which has steak, morcilla, and a whole bunch of food. We got the small one and it was absolutely huge. For those who eat a lot it's great Next time I'll come back and eat tthe entraña

While there isn't exactly an Argentine neighborhood in New Jersey, many great restaurants are…read morelocated in the northern part of the state. Argentine cuisine is a blend of influences from the Italian and Spanish immigrants with its chief national product, beef. They say the reason Argentine steak is so good is that its cattle graze on the country's plentiful pampas grass, rather than being grain-fed as American cattle are. The result is leaner, more flavorful, and more nutritious beef. One such establishment is on Moonachie Road in Moonachie, where my partners, our friends and I decided on Saturday dinner. Reservations were easily made via OpenTable. Upon entering this cozy, modern interior of Tango Steak as first-timers, we were greeted by the host and got a table right away. We were here 3 years ago when it was El Tango Argentina Grill. The vibe has completely changed. It's now darker and louder, not family-friendly. Music was at a decent volume and does seem to increase as it gets later, giving it a lounge type. As an appetizer, we started with Beef and Chicken Empanadas as well as Calamares (Calamari). For our main meal, we decided on the Extrana (Skirt Steak) with Mashed Potatoes & Chimichurri Sauce and Tango Burger accompanied with Fries. Food was good, not awesome. Our appetizers were tasty and well seasoned. The Skirt Steaks tasted fantastic with the Chimichurri Sauce. The Mashed Potatoes had a nice texture. However, some of us asked that their Tango Burgers be made medium but came out well done. The Fries were salty and very dry. Our service was horrendous, but our server was Nathaly who was accommodating and apologetic. Some of us had gotten their appetizer faster than others. The duration between our appetizers and the main meal was an hour. The food was not cheap given the portions received and the 20% gratuity added automatically to the bill. With insult to injury, their valet attendant charged $5. Definitely not what we expected, which is why we sadly can't recommend this place.

First time trying birria tacos and these were sooo yummy!! The lady was so kind and the food was…read moremade so fresh. The birria sauce was so flavorful, and both tacos came with sauces. The pastor tacos were also good, not as flavorful as the birria, but still a great dish. I would 100% come back with 2 orders of only the birria tacos, star if the show, oozing with cheese and packed with tons of flavor. Great spot for quick bite with the most authentic flavors. Side note, their bathroom has no light, but there come on a good sunny day for their outdoor seating!

My favorite place for pupusas in the area! Their horchata is pretty good. Service is pretty quick…read more They always make the pupusas fresh. It's not the "prettiest" decor wise. It's on the smaller side so we always take food to go and have not dined in.

The roast chicken is amazing, and the Tallerin Verde pesto is better than anything I tasted in…read moreItaly. The service is attentive and warm. This is one of the few high-quality, reasonably-priced restaurants in the area.

Another wonderful lunch with fine service in a lovely dining room, generous portions of tasty foodread more

Visited La Havana 59 for an early Mother's Day dinner because Rumba Cubana was super packed. The…read moreparking lot was pretty full, but there was no wait for a table. All the menus are tablets, and you can switch between English and Spanish. Frustratingly, there was no Cuban sandwich available on the dinner menu. We got an appetizer sampler to start. Most of it was fried foods, so it was decent. For an entree, I got the fish filet in garlic sauce. The fish was tender and the sauce was flavorful. I also tried the oxtail. Some of them were tender and other pieces were quite chewy. To finish the meal, I ordered a cortadito but got a cortado instead. You'd think a Cuban restaurant would know the difference.

For Mother's Day my mom wanted to eat at a Cuban restaurant. The one she chose had a 1+ hour wait…read moreso we decided to give La Havana 59 a try. The parking lot was packed so I expected there to be a wait but was pleasantly surprised when our party of 5 (plus a baby!) was seated right away. The place is lively and a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. There's a stage/dance floor in the middle so I can imagine it can turn kind of clubby later in the night. Interestingly, the menus are all tablets and while really cool at first, it got annoying when a couple of our menus started to glitch. High tech but also leaves more room for failure. The service was friendly though and decently quick. We ordered a few appetizers and they came out in a reasonable amount of time. We got a sampler, croquettas, and a tamal. Everything tasted great so I had high hopes for our entrees. I went with the Mother's Day Special Relleno (stuffed) Salmon. It was a little overcooked but still really tasty. I believe it was stuffed with some crab meat and cheese. I also really liked the sauce that covered it. My dad got oxtail and it was seasoned very well but the oxtail pieces were cooked inconsistently. Some were soft and came off the bone very easily while others were tough to the point I had to use my hands to gnaw the meat off the bone. Everyone else's dishes were pretty good too. All in all La Havana 59 seems like a solid Cuban spot. I'd come back.

This is by far the worst service you can get. On multiple occasions I've ordered and they just take…read moreextremely long to serve or get the orders ready. Last time I had to cancel the order and get my money back, they didn't care because they hadn't even started the food. Over ONE hour wait at their place to pick up the order. They told me it would take between 25 and 30 min. Extremely disappointed

Enjoyed the half chicken. Ribs weren't available today so I didn't get the combo. I liked the green…read moresauce and mayo and the chicha morada was sweet and refreshing. The young guy there was did outstanding work in explaining the menu to this first-time visitor and identifying the most popular items.

This review is for takeout only: seems like an OK option but could be better (and more affordable)…read moreespecially with other similar restaurants in the area. We ordered the mini tipica (grilled steak, pork rind, rice, beans, fried egg, sweet plantain and avocado, chorizo) and it was fair; the steak was too chewy but everything else was fine. It didn't feel like an $18 meal though and definitely have had better. Seems like a pretty casual atmosphere inside. There's an additional credit card charge so pay cash to save that 3%.

A Concerned Review of Pollos Mario…read more For years, my spouse and I have been loyal customers of Pollos Mario in Hackensack, NJ. We have enjoyed many meals here, from breakfast to lunch and dinner, supporting this establishment through economic ups and downs, a pandemic, and an influx of competition on Main Street. As one of the original Colombian restaurants in Hackensack, we have always hoped for the best for them, but recent experiences have left us concerned. While the food remains fresh and flavorful, Pollos Mario is no longer the only player in the game. With eight Colombian restaurants now within walking distance, the landscape has changed significantly. Recently, we found ourselves paying $32 for breakfast, which feels exorbitant. Reflecting on our past visits, it's evident that the portion sizes have shrunk considerably since pre-pandemic times. The arepa con queso, which used to cover the plate, now barely touches the edges. Both my spouse and I ordered Huevos Revueltos, priced at $13.90 each, which included scrambled eggs, a homemade potato, and corn cake with cheese. My spouse enjoyed a hot chocolate or coffee with their meal, while I was charged separately for my Aguapanela con Limón, a sugarcane lime drink that, upon receiving the bill, we discovered was not included with the breakfast and added an unexpected $5 charge for a tiny glass. This feels disproportionate for what is essentially a simple beverage. I understand that economic uncertainty is impacting many businesses, and restaurants need to find ways to stay afloat. However, the experience cannot come at the cost of customer satisfaction. It's disheartening that we now visit Pollos Mario only once or twice a month, down from two or three times a week. Price increases, smaller portions, and additional charges are not conducive to fostering loyalty among customers. I hope the owners take this feedback into consideration. We all want to see Pollos Mario thrive, but it's important to create an enjoyable experience without pricing customers out. -------------------- Una Reseña Preocupada sobre Pollos Mario Durante años, mi cónyuge y yo hemos sido clientes leales de Pollos Mario en Hackensack, NJ. Hemos disfrutado muchas comidas aquí, desde el desayuno hasta el almuerzo y la cena, apoyando este establecimiento a través de altibajos económicos, una pandemia y la llegada de competencia en Main Street. Como uno de los restaurantes colombianos originales en Hackensack, siempre hemos tenido la esperanza de lo mejor para ellos, pero las experiencias recientes nos han dejado preocupados. Aunque la comida sigue siendo fresca y sabrosa, Pollos Mario ya no es el único en el juego. Con ocho restaurantes colombianos ahora a poca distancia, el panorama ha cambiado significativamente. Recientemente, nos encontramos pagando $32 por el desayuno, lo cual se siente exorbitante. Al reflexionar sobre nuestras visitas pasadas, es evidente que las porciones han disminuido considerablemente desde los tiempos previos a la pandemia. La arepa con queso, que solía cubrir el plato, ahora apenas toca los bordes. Ambos pedimos Huevos Revueltos, con un precio de $13.90 cada uno, que incluía huevos revueltos, una papa casera y un pastel de maíz con queso. Mi cónyuge disfrutó de un chocolate caliente o café con su comida, mientras que a mí me cobraron por separado mi Aguapanela con Limón, una bebida de caña de azúcar y limón que, al recibir la cuenta, descubrimos que no estaba incluida con el desayuno y añadió un cargo inesperado de $5 por un vaso pequeño. Esto se siente desproporcionado para lo que es esencialmente una bebida simple. Entiendo que la incertidumbre económica está afectando a muchos negocios, y los restaurantes necesitan encontrar formas de mantenerse a flote. Sin embargo, la experiencia no puede venir a expensas de la satisfacción del cliente. Es desalentador que ahora visitemos Pollos Mario solo una o dos veces al mes, en comparación con dos o tres veces a la semana. Los aumentos de precios, las porciones más pequeñas y los cargos adicionales no son propicios para fomentar la lealtad entre los clientes. Espero que los propietarios consideren estos comentarios. Todos queremos ver a Pollos Mario prosperar, pero es importante crear una experiencia agradable sin precios desmedidos. Address/Dirección: Pollos Mario 63 Main St. Hackensack, NJ #PollosMario #Hackensack #ComidaColombiana #ComentariosDeClientes #ApoyaLocal #ReseñaDeRestaurant #Desayuno #ReseñaDeComida #ColombianFood #CustomerFeedback #SupportLocal #RestaurantReview #Breakfast #FoodReview