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    El Bacano

    4.2 (92 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order El Bacano Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    EL BACANO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - El Bacano

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    Reviews With Photos

    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

    Lights
    Glenn M.

    I don't get it. There's great Latin Chicken all over this city and this did not live up to it. Along with being one of the ugliest restaurants in LA El Bacano lacked flavor. The Santana Chicken was ok. The beans pretty good. The salad barely passable. The burger was extremely overcooked and dry. Why all the accolades? Can't be the blinding bright lights that line the entire restaurant making it difficult to even look at those you're dining with. Kinda bizarre

    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.

    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

    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.

    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
    Dilenia A.

    Ordered food to get delivered and wow!!! The food was still hot and so delicious!!! We ordered the pollo guisado and la bandera and it was seasoned and cooked to perfection w/a side order of chicken empanadas. Food is reasonably priced and delicious, can't beat that at all!!!

    Menu October 2023

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    4 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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    9 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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    El Bacano Reviews in Other Languages

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    Karibbean Cuisine

    Karibbean Cuisine

    4.6
    (181 reviews)
    10.9 mi
    $$

    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!

    Ordered the Rabo guisado served with rice, y maduros and also ordered a bottle of Mexican coke,…read moretotal came out to about 43$ which I didn't mind paying for it. A big fan of island -Dominican food although it was overpriced compared to what you Can get it for on the east coast but what ever.. I went back to the counter to ask for hot sauce and the cashier told me it was a 1$ for hot sauce.. I said really? The owner, walked over very politely with a straight face and said we don't eat hot sauce on the island so it's going to cost 1$ What does one have anything to do with the other? I didn't understand her logic. I paused for a second and she said so would u like some hot sauce? It was some bottled generic hot sauce not even house made. I declined to order. The food was pre cooked , set in a steamer. Fast casual restaurant with a few tables Food was bland and subpar.

    Photos
    Karibbean Cuisine
    Pica Pollo y tostones
    Pica Pollo y tostones
    Chicharrones Con Tostones. Deep fried pork with fried green plantains and lime. ‍

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    Chicharrones Con Tostones. Deep fried pork with fried green plantains and lime. ‍
    El Diamante

    El Diamante

    2.3
    (3 reviews)
    13.3 mi

    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.

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

    Photos
    Empanadas
    Empanadas
    Pastelon
    Pastelon
    Pollo guisado plate

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    Pollo guisado plate

    El Bacano - dominican - Updated August 2026

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