Stopped in for lunch today. Have passed this place before and never made it in. They are open for breakfast and lunch and the bakery items look amazing. We got sandwiches... I got the bisteca (beef) and my daughter got the turkey. The sandwiches were fire! Fresh hot bread, fresh ingredients... and it was so big I couldn't eat the entire thing! This place isn't fancy, but it definitely gives off cute cafe vibes. Service was good as well. Also the prices were very reasonable! Can't wait to go back and try the baked goods! read more

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Oh, man! I woke up craving mofongo and looked up places in the area and this came up. Let me tell you one of the best mofongo I've had in Florida! From the beginning , nothing felt rushed unlike other places that you are just another number or sale. Enjoyed a nice cold Medalla, with some sorullitos. Filled with cheese and fried to perfection. Now let me get to the main part the mofongo! I had the trifongo, which is green plantains, sweet plantains, and yuca. It was so soft, so spongy and buttery, please do yourself the favor of visiting this place! Nice little spot with outdoor seating available as well! Thank you for such a delicious treat! read more

Coqui - Medalla - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Excellent puertorican restaurant. Truly the most attentive team ever, from the moment we walked in you're greeted with a smile that makes you feel right at home. I tried the bifongo with garlic shrimp and it was delicious and a great portion as well. read more

A must... locally owned and one of the best Puertorican food in town and good prices... quality food amazing service....5stars Ay que rico....alcapurria de juyes..delicious read more

Coqui - Alcapurrias de jueyes - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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An authentic Puerto Rican restaurant with the most welcoming staff. Jay, the very nice gentleman at the order counter was so kind, helpful and passionate as he explained the specials of the day and items on the menu. Fortunately, I've had real Puerto Rican food before and I knew what to expect. What I got was the real deal. I ordered the beef stew and the meat was so tender and flavorful. It was stewed with potatoes and carrots. It came with rice and beans and my favorite, sweet plantains. The chicken was fall off the bone. The pernil was full of classic Puerto Rican flavor! The potatoes salad was top notch. The alcapurrias masa carne is like heaven with the complex flavors and contrasting textures. Seasoned beef is stuffed inside plantains and then it is deep fried! There's nothing better!!!!! Their chicharonnes is amazing! Crispy, crunchy skin. We got dessert to go. Quattro lesches cake and flan with rum cake. The Quattro lesches was so light and delicious. The flan cake was decadent and rich. There was a lot of takeout while we sat and at there. There's indoor and outdoor seating available. It was nice and cool in the restaurant because the ceiling fans were on. Modern decor. Food and service is fantastic. I highly recommend this establishment and will return. read more

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Small, quaint, amazing little gem! Incredible food and genuine Puerto Rican hospitality! Hidden treasures like this are hard to find. Highly recommend giving this place a try! read more

The service here was amazing! I was greeted as soon as I came in and they explained the menu and all the specials to me. I got the roast pork and arroz con gandules and a side of chicharron. The food came out fast and it was super fresh. The roast pork was soft and tasty. The arroz con gandules was good but it could use more flavor. The chicharron was great! It was not super hard. I was able to bite into the skin with no problems. It was very tasty and flavorful. It was top notch. Overall good experience, this place won me over with their service and awareness of their customers and their needs. Most items amazing but some can use more flavor. I would definitely return. Great experience! read more

Coqui - Chicharron - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Upon landing in Sanford, we decided to check out the local restaurant scene. We came across this Puerto Rican restaurant online with some pretty good ratings. Upon entering, the staff was extremely friendly and proactively explained their daily specials and other meals to that. As someone who isn't familiar with PR food, this was extremely helpful. If I'm not mistaken, this is a family business and the owner was explaining the different foods to us. My wife had the Mofongo and had the Carne Guisada meals, along with a Guava and a Mango juice. The tables were clean, there was adequate seating, and I recommend checking out this place. read more

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Service was great! Jay was very pleasant and explained all options very well. Food wasn't terrible, but wasn't amazing. Felt like it could have been good but everything tasted like it was missing something. My friends got the passion fruit and mango juice and it tasted very sugary. read more

Coqui - Mofongo with pernil - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

I've only had the beef empanadas from here, but they are outstanding. They're stuffed with beef and perfectly seasoned. I was asked if I wanted sauce on the side and I chose garlic. It was pretty busy, so be prepared to wait. I waited approximately 20mins for three empanada's. When I got to the car I noticed there was a tiny container of garlic sauce for my three huge empanadas, so I went inside to ask if I could have another. I could tell he was annoyed by the request which made me slightly uncomfortable and confused me at first as he was so kind when taking my order. The place is pretty small so I felt like everyone was staring at us. The man explained sauce does not come with empanadas and they charge .50 per sauce. He said he would give it to me free this time which I greatly appreciated, but I have no problem paying for sauce, I just wasn't aware there was a charge at all based on our interaction when I ordered. He noted the mild ketchup sauce is very popular so I will be trying that one next time! The food is great and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt so I'm not going to knock any stars off for the "sauce interaction". read more

The food we ordered was great, especially the alcapurria, stills, shrimp, yuca, and arroz con gandules. The service was friendly and the wait was only 20 minutes for everything we ordered. We'll be back again! read more

This place makes homemade authentic mofongo - really good it had those crunchy good bites and also soft at the same time M-mm! I'll say you do have to wait a bit longer than usual so anticipate that as the food is prepared then and there. I wasn't a big fan of the roast pork I ordered more of a garlicky person for pork but I ordered my son the bbq spare ribs and that was highly tasty and fall off the bone tender, I would recommend it. They had it on the menu specials so it was also only 10 bucks with 2 sides so I thought it well worth it. Rice and beans count as 1 side too which was a plus. The beans were a bit cold (not my fav thing) but the flavor still gave me the Latin tastes I was craving. Last but not least the alcurpurria was YUM-AY! One my throw back nostalgia foods, and they make it just like your in PR again! Mm! read more

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Oh my goodnessssss. We were on our way to the Sanford airport and sought out Yelp to help us find a nearby shop to grab a Cuban sandwich we had a hankering for. I could not be more pleased with our choice. We got our sandwich to go and it was heavenly! The bread was the perfect amount of soft yet firm to hold the delicate tender pork on the inside! The melty cheese, the decadent pork, the salty ham and pickles made for the best lunch! It really hit the spot. read more

Coqui - Cuban - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Loved this place! Leaving Sanford airport, we were starving and as a native Floridian living in Utah, my first stop was the closest Puerto Rican restaurant with good reviews and Jay at Coqui did not disappoint! He was super helpful with explaining all of their specials and the food was amazing! Highly recommend! read more

Coqui - Tostones - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Loved the food. We ordered a Beef Patty, 2 alcapurias and 1 Sorullito de maíz (sweet corn with cheese). Everything was delicious. They also carry cola champagne. I would definitely return for the food. read more

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Absolutely amazing and authentic Puerto Rican food in Seminole County! You have to place your order at the counter and you have the option of eating inside/outside the restaurant or take it to go. Best service! The gentleman that takes your order is so kind and articulate. He's patient and enjoys explaining the menu and daily specials. Their menu is concise and includes all the necessary Puerto Rican staples like acapurrias, pernil, bacalaitos, tostones, mofongo, everything! Food is cooked to order, so fresh and made with love. Highly recommend and we enjoy taking our out of town family there! read more

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Food: An absolute GEM! They have flavorful, authentic food for a good price! I have tried many dishes and they are all delicious. My personal favorite was the chicken soup (comes with rice and is ridiculously good) and any of their stewed meats! You can't go wrong here. Oh! Empanadas are on point too. When it comes to choosing two sides go for the rice & beans and tostones! Service: VERY friendly and eager to explain the featured dishes! Great service. Has that family - feel. Ambiance: Has a very cozy, family owned vibe that makes you feel like your grandma just cooked for you. Casual! Love it! There are inside and outside tables. read more

Not just the best Puerto Rican restaurant, but also the best food around! Amazing service, feels like we're really in Puerto Rico! read more

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Came here a few weeks ago per granma's suggestion. I'm just gunna say it , OMG DELICIOUS. every single thing we ordered from the arroz con gandules (not pictured) to the mofongo to the damn flan was made to order and had an outrageous amount of flavor. If you're ever in Florida , please stop by Coqui to satisfy your craving for authentic Puerto Rican food. 10/10 read more

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First thing first, the food is great but I'm not a big fan of being charged first before meal is served. The ambiance is rather small in size as are the tables. The table has an ornament in the middle that doesn't really have any place for it being the table is that small. (Just my thoughts). The food is great yes and the portion is OK. What really took me aback.was that the person (gentleman) who took the order tried to upsell (which is fine) however who would need to order desserts up front when we haven't been served yet? About the paying up front choice this business has in place, you're not only being forced to purchase meal..and dessert up front but you're also not left a choice of holding off on a tip. How can we properly tip the staff before we are even served? In addition, we asked for another side of mayo-ketshup because the one they gave us at first (3 full entrees), plus 3 appetizers was not enough. When asked for another mayo ketshup condiment he said it was $0.50! I was taken aback some but said fine and waited until we were leaving to go back and pay that $0.50. I wanted to leave the whole $1.00 to make a point but decided to test the gentleman out first to see if he'd back track and offer it as coortesy. Of course he did not! He was taken an order over the telephone, place the customer on hold and took my $1.00 and gave me change. At that point, I realized this establishment was not at all interested in providing great customer service but more in taking in as much as it can and upfront (without being offered a chance to tip properly. I normally tip 20%+, but this time I kept it at minimum 15%. Not sure who gets it but the cooks preparation did a great job and this type.of customer service takes away from what they could potentially be which is a go to place to dine. Again, the food is great but just because of my overall experience here, it merits the 3 stars review. All the stars to the cooks and the food. The owner should reevaluate how these handling of service can be done better. I will not visit again but I wouldn't say stay away. If you do t mind what I shared above then it is a place for you, just not for my family and I. As always best of luck to this business and it's owners but again, should consider changing in the way they take orders and charge up front. In addition, when you spend over $60 for dinner and you provide 1 condiment for the entire order, you should provide additonal ones per client for free, not charge extra. read more

Coqui - Front of business - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

My husband I came across this gem while visiting from out of town on the hunt for authentic Puerto Rican food and wow it did not disappoint! The mofongo was so flavorful, not to dry and not to moist. My husband got arroz blanco con habichuelas y carne guisada which also was full of flavor and fresh. To finish we got tres leche and flan. We have not one single complaint everything was perfection! And to top it all off the customer service was phenomenal. This will be one of our must stop at spots whenever we're in town from now on. read more

Coqui - Tres leche - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Their food is very good and would have rated them a Four star if it wasn't for the pasteles. I order them each year and unfortunately this year's pasteles were not as good as last year. Overall the food is fresh and very good! They always have awesome specials. read more

What I like most about this restaurant is the food is authentic. I recommend the Bistec Encebollado Platter, Mofongo (fried plaintains), Cuban sandwich, and Chicken tenders. The sides of beans and rice are generously served too. The food is an excellent value for the money. The owner is very friendly and the service is excellent. The atmosphere is welcoming and great for being able to organize a family or small class reunion. The name takes some effort to remember but is hard to forget. The parking lot can sometimes fill up during meal times so I recommend arriving a little early or later. When I say the place is authentic--I mean that native Puerto Ricans eat here by choice and are not trapped like tourists are. Coqui was one of the more memorable restaurants I visited in Sanford. read more

The food and service was excellent. Family run place, food is fresh, hot and tasty. Highly recommend.

The seafood alcapurria was on point!!! The mofongo was not the best, but it was edible. It wasn't fried plantains. Service was good he was very knowledgeable on the menu items. The seating layout needs work to accommodate bigger groups of people and need better lighting. If I was to go back, I would go back for the alcapurrias for sure!!! read more

Coqui - Alcapurria de mariscos Mofongo con Carne Frita Plate India uva - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

Coqui in a nutshell.....A nice restaurant, with great food, good prices, and outstanding service! I was told they opened their doors at the beginning of 2020, so they must have just opened a few months before I happened to drive by earlier this year. I immediately wanted to try it, as authentic Puerto Rican food seems hard to come by in Florida (That's been my experience since moving here 2 1/2 years ago). So finally that time arrived and my only complaint, is to myself, for taking months to visit! Coqui is run by a husband and wife duo. The hubby answers the phone, greets guests, takes orders, and does an outstanding job of making sure you are taken care of. The wifey is the chef and cooks up all of the deliciousness. They have a nice menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. The lunch specials (which change daily) is where it's at. On my visit they had Pernil (roast pork), bistec encebollado (steak with onions), costillas en salsa (Ribs in sauce), y pollo al horno (baked chicken). For $7.99, you get your choice of meat with 2 sides, and a drink. The food quality along with the portions and the price simply cannot be beat. The food is truly authentic Rican food and reminded me of back home. I tried the lunch special of Pernil, maduros, ensalada, and a coke. The Pernil was tender and tasty which reminded me of my mother's. The sweet plantains were good and the salad was fresh and crisp. The only part of my meal that I didn't enjoy was the balsamic vinegarette, it just tasted off to me. I also tried the mofongo con cerdo frito. Wow! They are known for their mofongo, which is made to order so expect to wait about 15min as she prepares it from scratch. It was fresh, soft and tasted very good. The fried pork chunks were excellent. They were fried to perfection and topped with onions. They also tossed in a small salad, so for about $13 it made me smile from ear to ear. I must say, it was a great first impression and experience. When I was told the day prior they had pastelón, I almost lost my mind! I have been craving that special goodness for years now! I simply cannot wait to go back and try the other menu items. They also make fresh empanadas daily and even had chicharón de cerdo. Do yourself a favor and give Coqui a try because you will not be disappointed. read more

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Coqui did not disappoint! Best Cuban sandwich and my youngest is admittedly getting better but still a picky eater and loved it too! Would definitely recommend and would go back when we are in the area again. Nice that it was near the airport for us too. read more

Coqui is a small simple restaurant as far as appearance goes, but my abuela's house was small and simple too, and honestly the food this place puts out is the closest I've found to hers! Believe me when I say, that is the highest compliment I could ever give. Jay, the front of the house half of the owner duo is so friendly and makes you feel at home. His wife Teresa is the master chef who leads a team of ladies in the kitchen that make EVERYTHING from scratch and made to order. While sitting here eating lunch today a man walked in and said I drove from Apopka, just for your alcapurrias, cause they're that good! I have been here well over a dozen times over the last few years, and I have never once witnessed an unhappy customer. Jay and Teresa are the type of people who deserve great success because their love and passion coves through in everything they do in this restaurant. Thank you so much for giving this community delicious, authentic Puerto Rican food read more

The food was amazing. I ate it all so fast that I forgot to take a picture. It was good to be able to eat Puerto Rican here at home. Getting ready to call in my order now. Oh the service is what sets this place apart from the rest. Beautiful atmosphere. read more

The mofongo.... Sadly the mofongo was not the best, it seems it was processed using a machine and not a pilon to mash the platain. It was very dense and rubbery, not chunky and loose. I went because of the good reviews. Maybe I'm very critical with my mofongo. On a good note the service was good. I hope the owners take this with a grain of salt and improve on their procedures on making the great mofongo. read more

Craving excellent Puerto Rican food that will transport you to la Isla del Encanto? You have to stop here. It tastes just like home and abuela's mofongo. The service is excellent and homey and the ambiance will make you feel like you're in one of Puerto Rico's small towns having delicious food and listening to salsa. Make sure you try one of their pastelillos for the ultimate island throwback. read more

Great food, nice guy working there, took time to explain the menu, it's really chill like come seat urself and we will serve u after u order up front. read more

Just walked in and it smells good! Found this place by searching Yelp whole in town for a Baseball Tournament over at the Boombah Sports Complex. The place is slowly filling up and the smells coming from the kitchen are great. I want to try everything haha. Would love to have tried the mofongo perhaps with pork... but I opted for the Cuban. It's been about 20 minutes but fortunately not in a hurry. Let's see how it goes. Just got my sandwich and tostones, the best description I can give is that after a couple bites, the cook got the perfect ratio of ingredients. Excellent mix of pork and ham with just the right amount of pickles. I really enjoyed it. The sauce on the side with the tostones was good and the tostones had just enough salt and not greasy at all. Totally would come back here if I'm in town again. It seems to be slim pickings of food in Sanford so I would give this 5 star for the authenticity and taste. Only recommendation would be for them to put napkins on the table. Check out the sandwich read more

Coqui - Cubano Sandwich with the perfect ratio of pork, ham and pickles. Tostones on the side, very good. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

I'm from Humacao and I hadn't eaten PRican food in so so long but this food took me back home, all I was missing was the ocean breeze because the humidity was on point. Lol. The atmosphere was excellent, the people are kind and serve with a smile. The specials were great, choice are plenty not only for food but drinks as well (Coco Rico, Malta India, etc). My family's favorites are their Alcapurrias (yuca & masa), Empanada (pastelillos) de Carne, arroz con gandules, maduros, tostones with Coco Rico, Kola Champagne and soda de piña. Awesome! It has become our weekly spot. We're there every Saturday. You're going to love it!! read more

Coqui - Arroz con gandules, tostones y bacalao - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

Didn't expect much on my first visit to the restaurant, actually was expecting to be let down. I mean, a Puerto Rican restaurant in Sanford? Ok... Walked in, place was super clean, had guest inside and outside eating lunch...then the chicharon (sp?)...sold! I need some of that. :) So ordered an Empanada, Mofongo, and Pernil (sp?). Everything was excellent, minus the beans - but I might be bias cause my wife makes awesome rice and beans. Wish these had a little more flavor to them, but I'm not going to judge a whole meal on that. The chicharon wasn't only nice crispy skin, it also had a nice chunk of meat on it. My wife being from the island, PR., really enjoyed it and we are def coming back...often. Also, with the current environment, this spot is perfect for dine in and take out. read more

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My hubby is Boricua and this is his feedback. He said that the chicharron had too much meat attached, he expected the traditional which has just skin and fat. The yucca, Alcapurrias, and papas were very good in my opinion but I am not Boricua. My hubby said that he has had better papas. They were jot the best but still good. The tostones were a good deal given how many we got. Excellent service and most customers were Hispanic and we're definitely enjoying their meals. read more

Great food here, authentic Puerto Rican food. Taste like my grandmothers cooking. Service was great. The restaurant owner explained everything on the menu like side options and meals. Everything here was on point. Very chill atmosphere. Kid friendly too. I recommend the sopa de pollo it's the type of soup that will heal your soul. The pernil was moist and flavorful And the aroz con gandules was just amazing. I topped it off with a Malta India and it was just a perfect meal. read more

Coqui - Soap de pollo - Puerto Rican Near Me - Sanford, Florida

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Great service. Good was a little salty but cooked well. Ordered beef and chicken empanadas. Grilled chicken platter with Maduros. Boyfriend got a Cuban which he liked. read more

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This is my favorite family-own restaurant in Central Florida ! I am a Hispanic woman , so I know good Spanish food. I love the pernil , carne guisada, pollo , guisado, and best red beans in all of town! And my favorite thing about them is that they have certain menu items on special everyday and all times for just $10 with a soda! ( great drink options, from Caribbean sodas to regular) Jay is who usually takes your order and he offers amazing customer service ; and also bilingual with is a plus ! Hats off, to the chef !!! read more

Employees very courteous. Explained the menu and the specials. Food excellent. I ordered Pernil, pork, and mofongo, salad and a drink. My husband ordered Carne Guisada, Candles rice. All excellent read more