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    El Bacano

    4.3 (88 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order El Bacano Takeout or Delivery

    El Bacano Photos

    Business Info

    EL BACANO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - El Bacano

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    Inside
    Brian V.

    Small Dominican restaurant located in a strip mall in North Hollywood. Look and feel of the menus and interior has kind of a Miami vibe to it, but this observation is from someone who hasn't spent a significant amount of time in Miami. This wonderful restaurant offers delicious Dominican food in a city where there is a dearth of Dominican options. Pardon my ignorance if there is a large community here in LA and that I am just unaware. I ordered the Santana's chicken - or their version of pollo guisado - as well as a cheese and diced salami empanada to start. The portions are pretty large here so the entrée lasted to me about two meals. The chicken was just so flavorful with all the different spices and ingredients. Really well done. I had mine with moro instead of the regular rice because I wanted that extra umph (and protein) from the beans. The empanada had a nice crisps to it and once you've bit in your mouth is met with the oozing, delicious cheese and salty salami. I really enjoyed my meal here. The people here are really friendly and helpful. I was created right as I walked in. There's not a lot of seating area so there's probably a lot of takeout orders here, although I was able to dine in since the place wasn't super busy at the time of my visit. I really enjoy restaurants like this that offer something different to the area and with good execution. The prices here are really reasonable as well. The lot was pretty large so I had no problems finding parking during my visit

    Stew Sancocho
    Daniella E.

    I usually don't leave a review after just eating somewhere once. However sometimes all the signs are there and you can taste the care that goes into one dish that speaks for a restaurant. Today for me that was Sancocho stew. The meat was tender, the broth was flavorful, and the plantains and corn were plentiful. Well worth the 20 bucks as it's enough for two meals. The restaurant is small, but cute and very clean and the service at the counter was very nice. I saw a lot of people picking up here for take out so I can't wait to try more dishes.

    Michael A.

    *** Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants (2024): #81 *** As one of just a couple Dominican restaurants in all of Los Angeles, El Bacano would be worth checking out based on that alone. However, seeing this place listed on the Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants list provided even more motivation. Located in a strip mall in North Hollywood, the space is small, but the ambiance is nice. With the music and decor, it's definitely a vibe. This is the type of restaurant where you order and pay at the front, then take a seat and wait for your food to be prepared. To eat, I ordered the Santana's Chicken, priced around $16. Served with a salad, beans, rice, and more, this dish certainly satisfied. The chicken was extremely tender and flavorful. The beans were great, as well. If you're in the area, make sure to give this place a try!

    decor
    J C.

    Qué vaina más buena! Those fried Dominican pork chops with rice and beans were dabomb --yes thats dopeass for good. IYKYK. My friend had camarones guisados with side of aguacate. 2 Dominicans here approve it. Nuff said

    Santana's Chicken: pollo guisado with white rice, red beans, plantains, and salad
    Edward S.

    El Bacano looks like an episode of Miami Vice with bright, neon, and tropical colors. It's the only place in LA where you can sit down and enjoy Dominican food. If you haven't tried the Caribbean flavors of this cuisine, hurry up and visit El Bacano in N. Hollywood already. Come and try the hearty breakfast plates, mangu (mashed plantains), guisados (stewed meat plates), and chimi burgers. Santana's Chicken: If you're hungry, this pollo guisado plate will hit the spot. The big pieces of tender bone-in chicken have been slowly stewed in a flavorful gravy of garlic, oregano, spices, and cilantro. The garlic has essentially transformed into pure flavor while the peppers and onion add a little texture. The white rice is firm and buttery. Pour the delicious gravy over the rice. Why do I have the urge to drink the sauce through a straw? The plantains are golden, crispy, and soft. The red beans are in a richly flavored broth. Did I mention that there's also a salad? You can choose between a green salad or a potato salad. Morir Soñando: This icy beverage is an elevated Orange Julius or melted creamsicle with more concentrated flavor. Dining Area: After ordering at the counter, there are about seven tables in this little space. The background music has a vibrant energetic beat and the friendly staff is having a great time. Parking: The large Victory Plaza shopping center has plenty of parking spaces.

    La bandera
    Raymond M.

    First time trying Dominican food. The la bandera with moros was very tasty. The meat so tender. The mangu was just ok for me. Glad that I tried it. Guava drink super fresh. I would come back here again if I'm in the area.

    Ordering area
    Moises A.

    My sister invited me for lunch. Parking is vast. Establishment is very sterile and clean. Limited seating. Not good for large groups. Tables only accommodate groups of 4 or Less. No Restrooms on site so if you get Frequent Bubble Guts you're kinda Sh out of Luck. My Santana chicken plate is served with rice and black beans. Flavorful and tender chicken. Black beans and rice equally good. Portions are nice. My Morir Soñando drink was good, just a little too sweet for my liking. Service was good and straightforward. Only advice is they don't really follow up to ask how you're doing after the food is served. I'd definitely recommend them for some solid Comida Dominicana.

    Menu
    Mike M.

    I've never had a full meal here, just smaller items like fried plantains, fries, fried salami, and empanadas. All of those are delicious and savory, especially the empanadas. I'm not sure when I'll sit down for a full meal, but I hope it's soon. I've seen other people enjoying their food, and it looks amazing, so I can't wait to try a full dish. The only downsides are the wait can be a bit long, and there's no bathroom, but nothing too major.

    Leilani R.

    El Bacano was such a beautiful surprise, my boyfriend loved it. The food was full of flavor and reminded me so much of home -- every bite tasted like it was made with love. The staff was warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere had that cozy, familiar feeling that's hard to find. If you're craving authentic Dominican food in LA, this place is truly special.

    Bistec Encebollado 9/10
    Ceon A.

    Never tried Thai kind of food before I seen it every time I'm in the Area. The girl at front answered all the questions I had about the food and she give us her preferences. We got the macho chicken and bistek encebollado. My good those Moros/Casamiento were delicious and the chicken was a very unique flavor but delicious. Definitely coming back for more

    Hector R.

    The food is bland and definitely not what it looks like on the pictures. My rice and beans were missing. I'm more disappointed at the fact that I was sooooo looking forward to try their food and I regret it so much :(. The food actually look old. Disappointed!

    Guava drink

    New eatery adventure. Haven't had Dominican food in ages - not too common in SoCal. This place is local (to me) in the SFV. Always up to support small Latino business. The place is a small storefront, probably seats 20. But the old adage holds true, though: "good things come in little packages!". This place knocks it out of the ballpark. The food is excellent - nothing like that homemade flavor and seasoning. (For those that don't know, Dominican food is similar to Cuban and Puertorican food.) Additionally, generous portions and good service - I hope they stick to the plan. Highly recommend. One of the best Latin food that I have had in a long while. Impressed!! +

    La Bandera
    Areial R.

    Amazing food! My boyfriend and I had dinner here last night and it was so delicious. I wanted him to feel like he was back home in the Bronx and El Bacano hit the spot. We ordered the Mangu (sweet), La Bandera, 16oz Morir Sonando, and Ensalada de Papa. Every single dish was packed with flavor and the meat was so juicy. The staff were friendly and very nice. We can't wait to come back for more Dominican food.

    La Bandera

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    2 months ago

    Best Dominican restaurant you'll ever have! Warning tho! You will get addicted to eating here everyday!! Great service and great seating. :)

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    6 months ago

    Good food I love it me and my wife ate everything it was so delicious. I let my son taste some of it and he was mad he chose pizza

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Karibbean Cuisine - Tostones are my favorite, and these are the best I've had

    Karibbean Cuisine

    4.6(175 reviews)
    10.9 miMid-City
    $$

    I haven't seen or had Dominican food in 10 years so I was very excited to try this place when I saw…read moreit. Walking in is just how it was back home, there's a giant menu but also some of the famous stuff on display and ready to go. I ordered fried pork, fried chicken, tostones and the oxtail. It was all absolutely amazing. I don't always spend $50 for solo dinners but I couldn't pick just one item! I will definitely be back again with my family. If you are missing the Dominican food from back home, this place will not disappoint. If you've never had Dominican food, do yourself a favor and give this place a shot!

    Stopped by Karibbean Cuisine after seeing an Instagram review and was looking forward to having…read moresome good Dominican food, especially because it reminded me of my summers spent with family in New York and visiting the DR. When I got on Yelp, I saw mixed reviews, especially comments about a woman being rude or having a bad attitude. Thankfully, we did not have that experience directly. I did briefly see her come out from the kitchen, we caught eyes, and she walked back inside. The ambiance was ok, good music , no customers at the time, but a few tables were dirty. The young man cleaned it right away . To be fair, I don't think the issue is primarily the young man taking the orders. He was kind, apologetic, and seemed to care, but the overall operation felt unorganized. Our order was incorrect three separate times. First, the drink order was wrong, but he fixed it and apologized. Second, we paid extra for mayo ketchup and garlic sauce in small 1 oz containers, but they were not placed on our tray, so we had to get up and ask for them. Again, he apologized. Then, when we received our tray, he let us know they had run out of lettuce and gave us potato beet salad instead, without offering us an option first. We ordered the goat stew plate and the grilled chicken plate, both served in to-go containers. For the plates, you get your protein, then a choice of green salad or potato beet salad, along with either white rice or moro rice, which is rice cooked with beans. We chose the moro rice. I've had Caribbean/Dominican food many times before, and it is usually packed with flavor, so I was honestly surprised that this was bland. This definitely feels like a coaching opportunity for the cook to taste the food throughout the cooking process, because a little seasoning and balance can make a huge difference. The grilled chicken portion was generous, and the plantains were delicious. The guanábana/soursop drink was also delicious, and the tamarindo had good flavor, though it had a lot of pulp/flesh in the cup. That said, the chicken and onion sauce were very bland and needed salt. For the prices being charged, the guest experience should feel more polished. Our total came out to $78 for two plates, two drinks, a small side of beans, and plantains. Pretty costly for what we received. Another thing that stood out was the napkins. When we asked for more, we were only given two additional napkins, which felt very stingy, especially when eating saucy dishes like goat stew. It just didn't feel like the best way to treat guests. As a chef and food safety professional, I also noticed behaviors that need coaching, including apron use when going into the restroom, lack of visible handwashing afterward, and bare-hand contact after scratching the head before touching food containers. These are important food safety habits that should be reinforced immediately. Overall, Karibbean Cuisine has good flavor potential and generous portions, but they need stronger operational structure, better order accuracy, improved guest communication, and tighter food safety practices. At this time, I personally would not come back, but I do wish them all the best in their business. I hope they take this feedback as constructive criticism and apply it in a way that helps the restaurant grow, improve the guest experience, and build long-term guests. If I see changes in the future, I would gladly give them another try. Until then, I truly wish them success.

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    Johnny Pacific - Corn and Cajun

    Johnny Pacific

    4.6(2.3k reviews)
    9.0 miWinnetka
    $$

    Johnny Pacific has a great reputation of being a special gem, specializing in Latin-Caribbean and…read morePacific Island inspired empanadas. It's been around for over 20 years and is currently in a newer space than it was before; featuring more parking and a larger space. Ambiance: The interior has a relaxed feel with beachy surfer themed decor. It has a clean modern feel with a bunch of tables featuring accent colored chairs. There is music in the background and a TV on the wall featuring surfing videos. Service: You order at the counter, they ring you up and you get the food brought out. You can see the kitchen as it's open. It was my first time and it was a simple and easy experience. Everything came out in a timely fashion. Food: Some of their specialities include the 20+variations of fried empanadas (meats, chicken, pork, veggie, dessert) that come in both savory and sweet types, as well as their speciality plates such as their Korean-style flat iron steak skewers and chicken satay. The sauces they serve with their empanadas are incredible and some of the best I've ever had such as their chimmi-churri, basil-aioli and sweet & sour Thai. I recently did the lunch combo featuring a choice of a 1/2 salad or 1/2 fries, choice of any two empanadas and a canned drink. I chose beef and Kailua pig empanadas; both were great, empanadas didn't break apart and were crispy, everything was seasoned well; the filling of the beef was a bit more than the Kailua pig however. Drinks: They have various drinks such as lemonade, juices, sodas/soft drinks, and some beers on tap. Parking: The lot is large and has ample parking depending on the day and time. Prices: Prices are to the times that we're in...so not too great. Ala carte empanadas are $5+ but as you order more (4, 12) the prices come down a slight bit.

    Amazing food & great service everytime we've gone!!…read more Love their #1 Korean style plate & chicken empanada has become my fave now next to the apple caramel one. And can't forget their yummy guava lemonade!! Thank you for your hospitality!!

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    El Diamante - Sancocho

    El Diamante

    2.3(3 reviews)
    13.3 miDowntown

    Authentic Dominican food with amazing flavor and best empanadas In LA being served by Chef Issa.read more

    had a really disappointing experience with El Diamanté Dominican Food…read more When I first reached out to place an order and try her food, my messages were ignored for weeks. Out of curiosity, I sent another message mentioning I "knew Drake," and suddenly I got a response within 2 hours--ready to take my order. That alone didn't sit right with me. When I asked to see a menu, I was told I was "wasting her time" if I wasn't placing a catering order. We briefly discussed dates, and I was told she was booked for the rest of the month. When I politely asked when she would be available, I was left on read with no response. She had no intentions of taking my order. It honestly felt like she only responded just to tell me "I WAS WASTING HER TIME‼." That interaction made me feel discriminated against, shamed, and honestly just sad. I truly feel like if I were a celebrity or had more money, I would have been treated with basic respect. I'm new to Los Angeles and was genuinely excited to try Caribbean food since we don't have it where I'm from. This experience really discouraged me. It even made me question myself and feel like something was wrong with me, which shouldn't happen from simply trying to support a business. Overall, the customer service I experienced was rude and dismissive--at least toward me--and it completely turned me off from ever wanting to try the food. Customer service matters, and this experience made me lose interest in trying the food altogether.

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    Empanadas

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    Versailles - Arroz Con Pollo

    Versailles

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    5.8 miEncino
    $$

    Love their food especially the garlic chicken. Whenever we have friends who invite us to eat out…read moreand have never heard of Versailles, we immediately tell them, let's go there. The servers look like they've been there awhile which shows they're satisfied with the work environment. They are always nice and very helpful. This resto is one of our faves now and will always be one of our go to places to eat. If you haven't eaten here, you gotta go today

    My family and I have been coming here for decades but it's not my love for this restaurant, it's…read morebecause my wife loves their oxtail stew (Rabo Encendido). So we come here for her. I've tried almost everything on their menu and was never able to find something i ordered enjoyable. It's just not for me. This visit I ordered their Lomo Salteado and the meat was extremely rubbery and unpleasant. My daughter ordered their chicken empanadas and it was a hard no for her too. When we were ready to close out, I asked the waiter as he was clearing some things on our table, if he could bring some to-go boxes when he had a moment for things we didn't finish so we could take them home. He had a butter knife in his hands and threw it onto the table. Rough day I guess. I personally would not come here myself, but continue to do so for my wife. Will update my review when I visit again. Until next time. . .

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    The Original Coley’s - Chicken curry entree

    The Original Coley’s

    4.4(203 reviews)
    1.7 miSherman Oaks
    $$

    Love coming to this restaurant. I've been to a lot of them, but if you're looking for originality,…read moreexcellent food, great customer service and a family friendly environment, then this is the place to come. Always 10/10 on everything, no matter what day or time you choose to come!!

    I experienced excellent customer service, but the food was a bit hit-or-miss for me…read more Starting with the highlights, the Jamaican beef patties were fire. I honestly wish I had ordered more than two. The fresh juices were also a standout; the Pineapple Ginger and Hibiscus were both spot on. Even the imported ginger beer from Kingston was really good. The jerk wings were absolutely delicious, and those small bread rolls (similar to cornbread muffins) were super tasty. The peas and rice and the plantains were also on point. Now for the downsides, the oxtails were disappointing. They weren't very meaty, and at $35 a plate, I expected more than mostly bones. I did get one decent piece, but overall it didn't feel worth the price. The vegetables were also bland. Dessert was another letdown. The sweet potato pie wasn't sweet enough and had an overpowering nutmeg flavor. The cobbler was undercooked, the crust was raw and inedible, and the peaches tasted like they came straight from a can. Overall, a mixed experience, but I'd still come back for the patties, wings, and fresh juices.

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    El Bacano - dominican - Updated May 2026

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