Great taco spot, open until 2 am…read more Carnitas are slamming Can't go wrong here for a fast bite

Maria (of Maria's Tacos, a food cart which operates in the Fordham Plaza flea market across from…read morethe Fordham MetroNorth station right behind Webster Avenue and E. Fordham Road) deserves to be mentioned as a hidden culinary treasure in the Bronx. We originally found out about Maria's Tacos from a blurb this summer in the New York Post by Justin Rocket Silverman, and we are now officially hooked. Those of you who like good food and have been hit hard by these rough economic times, listen up: Maria serves up a burrito that is out of this world for only $5. The thing is so big it should really be served as two separate meals. We're talking the works... guacamole scooped fresh right in front of you, lettuce, sour cream, beans, and your choice of beef, chicken or chorizo. You name it, Maria puts it in her burritos. The only negative about Maria's Tacos is the wait time. She literally cooks everything up right there in front of you, so the wait time for a burrito is a good 7 or 8 minutes. If there's a line of people ahead of you, expect to be waiting a while. But damn is it worth the wait... Maria's is open every day from 8am to 7pm. She's located in the back left hand corner of Fordham Plaza near 189th Street.

The truth is that the place is a real jewel, since from the moment you enter they make you feel the…read moregood vibe of the place the establishment always in very good condition the food is really very good since the quality is always 100% the waiters always very attentive people and above all very professional. If you want to try authentic flavors I recommend you visit it and you can make your own

Had a pick up order for lomo saltado and it was stacked to the brim. Very great taste and this was…read moremy first ordering here and cannot wait to go back. The esthetic inside was very well curated and the employees were very hospitable.

good inexpensive Mexican with a pretty large menu for breakfast lunch and dinner…read more Tacos, camarones in heat.

Very good food. The pupusas were the best I've had. So much flavor and variety. The drinks were…read moregreat too.

Not that good , unfortunately I don't enjoy anything about Tu Cafecito Latino …read more My wife & I , try this small hole in wall on Elizabeth ave. we had the basic pork chop and rice , steak with shrimps which was burned to the second level stuck to the plate. No flavor with the rice and beans. Lack everything.....first & last visiting this new hole in the wall , on Elizabeth avenue.

Great Cuban sandwich, friendly service, very clean, and best of all, parking at the rear of the…read morerestaurant.

This spot has not disappointed Come hungry because serving…read moresizes are large and they are happy to serve you I've been coming here for many years and I'm surprised I haven't written a review before Start with the chicha morada drink it's a little bit sweet. I love the Hugo's Classico that comes with fried seafood and ceviche along with leche de Tigre that's very sour but in the best of ways The lomo saltado is delicious And so is they're arroz chaufa which you can choose the protein type (shrimp, chicken, beef or mix))

This was our second time eating here. The first time, we dined in the storefront section, which is…read morevery bare-bones with just a few tables. Even so, the food and service were great. Recently, we discovered that there's a much larger part of the restaurant in the back, accessible through the alley off the main street via the rear parking lot. The space is decorated with Peruvian art and vibrant colors. To start, we ordered anticuchos (grilled beef heart skewers). The marinade is packed with delicious. I honestly thought I was eating steak. I ordered the chupe de camarones (shrimp chowder soup). I cannot stress enough how big this bowl of soup is. They do not skimp on the shrimp! It's probably one of the best chupes I've ever had. I ended up taking a large container of it home. Likewise, my partner ordered the chaufa mixto (Peruvian fried rice with chicken, steak, and shrimp). Always ask for the green sauce, absolutely delicious! Just like with my soup, he also had plenty of leftovers. To wash it all down, we ordered chicha (a purple corn drink), which was so good. This place is known for its rotisserie chicken, so we ordered a half chicken to go for the following day. I understand why it's everyone's go-to here, juicy and flavorful. We don't live nearby, but the food, friendly service, and generous portions of delicious dishes make it well worth the trip.

I was on jury duty in the downtown Elizabeth area, and when we broke for lunch I didn't want to do…read moreMcDonalds or any other chain food. I wanted something more "mom and pop" and local. I came across Criollo's pretty much at random. It was early so the place was empty (save for a couple take out customers). The restaurant has several tables, most with four chairs. Each table is stocked with napkins, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Already a good sign. I walked up to the kitchen/cashier area and started thumbing through the menu. Then I looked up to see a nice older lady looking at me expectantly while and older gentleman had his arms crossed with a look of utter boredom and contempt on his face, not so much at me, but it seemed, his existence in general. I saw one thing on the menu that looked good. The conversation then went something like this: ME: "Do you have the oxtail?" LADY: "No oxtail." ME: "Okay..." (thumbing through the menu more) "...ah, what about the tongue (I think it was a burrito)." LADY: "No tongue." ME: "What DO you have?" LADY: "Chicken, beef, pork sausage, chorizo..." So that settled it, I ordered a chicken breast with rice and beans. I also added in an empanada with chicken inside. The empanada was served to me first, and it was nice and hot. I could tell as soon as my fork went into it that the crust was going to be fantastic. It made a satisfying crunch and had a nice, springy feel to it inside. When I took my first bite I was in love. The outer shell was crispy on the surface level, but chewy underneath. Inside was a combination of chicken, rice and I believe some onions. It wasn't just shredded chicken stuffed into a shell and for that I was very happy. The main dish was amazing in size. I seriously think two people could share this one dish. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and tender. It seemed like it had been cooked in a pan, then grilled for a finish, giving it some nice dark char. The rice and beans were good, but nothing spectacular. It's just the sheer amount of food was awesome. I wound up leaving about 2/3 of the rice and beans because I was stuffed. I enjoyed my visit to Criollo's, but I did knock down a star for them not having what's advertised on their menu.

Good everything, muy buena comida y atención de comienzo a fin, combinado de una buena atmósferaread more

This is my second time coming here. It was a yelp event that brought us here first and it was…read moreamazing. I will say parking is street parking or side streets and can get a little crazy on weekends. Service is always great and you feel like you are a part of the family here. Food is always fresh and amazing. Anytime I am near here we stop regardless of being hungry or not. I absolutely am obsessed with their vaca frita and black beans. It's a huge portion so leftovers are always good. My boyfriend always orders their cubano as he said it is the best one he has ever had. Their Maduros are also sweet and crisp and never greasy. We also tried their choripan sandwich and it was awesome. We've never had thinly sliced chorizo which eliminates the usual oil and messiness. Always an amazing meal. We also tried their pineapple Cuban smoothie and ended the meal with their delicious flan.

I would give Cha Cha in Kenilworth 2 stars…read more This was my first visit, and while the service was friendly and welcoming, the food itself was very disappointing. I appreciated the complimentary yuca fritters with special sauce, which was a kind gesture. However, the overall quality, freshness, and authenticity of the main dishes did not meet expectations. Parking is very limited street parking. The Cuban breaded steak was the biggest disappointment. A proper Cuban-style breaded steak should be thin, tender, savory, garlicky, slightly citrusy, well-seasoned, evenly breaded, and pan-fried until crisp and golden. The version I received tasted oddly sweet, the breading separated from the meat, and the steak had a gummy texture with an old-looking color. It did not have the freshness or clean savory flavor expected from this classic dish. The red beans were very concerning. They tasted strongly like vinegar, and I had to spit them out. When I looked closer, there appeared to be a white, murky-looking substance in them. Beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless something is wrong. Cuban-style red beans should be creamy, savory, aromatic, and well-seasoned with garlic, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The white rice was also not acceptable. It was hard, did not taste fresh, and had a vinegar-like smell and flavor. It appeared as if older rice may have been mixed with newer rice. Proper Cuban white rice should be fluffy, clean-tasting, separated, and neutral in flavor. The moro with black beans and rice was better than the white rice, but still lacked depth. It needed more bay leaf flavor and stronger Cuban seasoning. A good moro should have a rich, savory base from sofrito, garlic, peppers, onions, beans, broth, herbs, and slow cooking so the rice absorbs the flavor. The oxtail was tender and okay, but it did not fully deliver the deep, rich Cuban-style flavor I expected. Traditional Cuban oxtail should be slow-braised with garlic, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and spices until the sauce becomes rich and the meat is deeply seasoned. This oxtail tasted acceptable, but it seemed as though it may have been prepared a day or two before and reheated. I understand that many restaurants legally prepare certain foods a day ahead, especially dishes like beans, stews, and oxtail. However, food should still taste fresh and be stored, cooled, reheated, and handled according to food safety standards. Sour or vinegar-like flavors in rice or beans can sometimes indicate fermentation, spoilage, or improper storage, and that should never reach the customer. The best part of the meal was the dessert. The vanilla flan was very good, and the coconut flan was excellent. The coconut flan was rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor, with shredded coconut pieces that added texture and made it stand out. That dessert showed real potential. The prices were reasonable, but reasonable pricing does not make up for poor freshness and low food quality. It did look like they may do better with sandwiches and empanadas, which I did not try and perhaps should have ordered first. I cook Cuban food, Puerto Rican food, and other traditional dishes myself, and I lived in Miami for over nine years. I also learned from Cuban friends who cook authentic Cuban food at home. Because of that, I know how these dishes should taste. In my opinion, the dishes I tried did not represent Cuban cuisine with the freshness, authenticity, seasoning, or care it deserves. The restaurant may have people who know how to cook, but based on this visit, it seems the kitchen has lost some of the authenticity and discipline needed to serve fresh, properly prepared Cuban food. Food that tastes sour, vinegary, old, or questionable should never be served to customers. The service and desserts were the highlights, but the main dishes need serious improvement in freshness, food handling, seasoning, and respect for authentic Cuban cuisine. There are several areas that need improvement. Freshness and food safety should be the main priority. Rice and beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless intentionally prepared that way, and food that seems old or questionable should not be served. The breaded steak should be freshly breaded, crispy outside, tender inside, and properly seasoned with authentic Cuban flavors like garlic, citrus, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The rice should be fluffy, the beans creamy, and the oxtail deeply seasoned and fresh-tasting. I believe the restaurant may have cooks who understand Cuban cuisine, but the kitchen needs to reconnect with freshness, consistency, authenticity, and stronger food handling standards. Cuban food is rich in flavor, comfort, and cultural pride, and with improvement this restaurant could better reflect that tradition.