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    El Criollo Restaurant

    4.4 (35 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Mofongo with Fried Pork
    Jose T.

    Amazing and authentic Boricua spot in MA! Being away from our beautiful Island is not easy at all, but having places like El Criollo bringing closer to us a little piece of our traditional cuisine to this corner or the world is priceless! We visited El Criollo for the first time recently and have to admit that we felt like eating in one of our delicious restaurants from our beloved "Patria". Starting with the drinks, my wife ordered a Piña Colada that was full of flavor and I ordered a Coconut Mojito that was absolutely delicious. Then, moving toward the appetizers, we ordered the traditional "alcapurrias" and the chicken empanadas. I have to admit that when I tried the "alcapurrias" I almost cry . They were so tasty and well prepared that reminded me the ones our grandmas used to made us when we were kids. The empanadas were also delicious, but I can't stop thinking about the "alcapurrias". Then, the main dishes! My wife ordered a "mofongo" with fried pork and I ordered a "trifongo" with "ropa vieja". Both the "mofongo" and "trifongo" were absolutely delicious, with pork crackle mixed inside it which enhanced their already great flavor. The fried pork was very good as well as the "ropa vieja", although I did not like the "ropa vieja" very much because it had a sweet taste that I wasn't fond of, but I am just judging it from my personal taste and not necessarily that the flavor was wrong at all. And, of course, it comes the desserts. We normally order one dessert to try but this time we ordered two, the passion fruit cheesecake and the guava bread pudding. Both were absolutely delicious and were a great way to finish our meal!! The place was very clean, organized, and inviting, although I think that it is too small, for which we highly recommend making reservations in advance so you don't have to wait for a table, although you may do so at the bar. Our server was very cordial and polite and she did a very good job taking our order and regularly checking how everything was going. In overall, amazing experience that we highly recommend to whoever wants to enjoy a taste of Puerto Rico without leaving this "warm" place that we call home now. Blessings to all the staff at El Criollo!!

    Paella de Mariscos

    Pros: - delicious food -great drinks - great service - cozy atmosphere Cons: None

    EMPANADA DE RES / Chicharron
    Selina L.

    Cute little Caribbean restaurant in Dracut! It's definitely a hidden gem. The service was a bit slow but the food was excellent. Had the beef empanadas and crispy pork belly bites as appetizers. The main dishes were seafood paella and mofongo with steak. The best was the margarita flight!

    Alcapurria de Carne y Chicharron
    Claudio C.

    This place never disappoints! This is my third visit, and I absolutely love it! The service is super quick and so attentive. The cozy ambiance makes it a perfect spot, and the food? Just fantastic! Can't wait to go back!

    Ribeye steak chef's special
    Eleftheria B.

    Yes nice place if you want to try something different!! The food we got was really tasty I got the skirt stake with rice it was really amazing!! My husband got the rib eye special that was also delicious except that the rib eye was extremely fatty. He said next time he will get the steak I got because it was amazing and not fat at all. The drinks he got were very good and I think we will be going again.

    Chicken - fall off the bone, delicious 1/2 Pollo al Horno
    Janet H.

    Amazing food, drinks and service. Hidden gem! Dining area is a little small so you may want to call ahead if you have a bigger party.

    This is the best Latin Food Restaurant in the area. I can't name a specific plate because EVERYTHING taste soooo Goood. Èste es el mejor restaurante de comida Latina en el área. No puedo nombrar un Plato en específico porque TODO sabe taaan riiicoooo. ​

    RIBEYE STEAK.

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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 months ago

    The atmosphere, food, and service were good. A mandatory 18% gratuity is added to the bill.

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    10 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    OMG food was delicious!!! Best mofongo!!! People were nice and attentive, I'll definitely go back soon!!!

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    7 months ago

    Super Brutal!! Y la comida buenisima un excelente servicio simpre! Buen ambiente familiar

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    10 months ago

    I did not like the vinegrette. My spouse did not like the chicken. But the mofongo was superb!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    the food is and amazing staff. I love the garlic shrimp monfongo, I reccomend it it's delicious

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Excellent Caribbean style food. Very authentic. Staff was great! Nice atmosphere once you get inside.

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    Fishbones

    Fishbones

    3.7
    (746 reviews)
    4.8 mi
    $$

    3 of us had lunch around noon, plenty of seating available…read more FOOD: Very good, fresh. The fish and chips were flaky, fries crispy and the cole slaw is savory. The seafood casserole was decadent with plenty of scallops and shrimp. SERVICE: Nina was excellent. Ensured we had everything we needed, patient with an elderly party member and took photos which came out really nice! BAR: The Bloody Mary had just the right amount of mix and alcohol and was loaded with fresh garnish - 3 jumbo olives, a shrimp and lemon and lime wedges. ATMOSPHERE: It was chilly as we arrived (March), warmed up a bit as more patrons entered. Of course, it does have the aroma of a fish restaurant. Parking is in the back, the entrance is before the restaurant. We missed it the first time around as the parking sandwich board sign was behind the white picket fence. A little inconvenient as we had to then go all the way around the center for a second time. I suspect if the sidewalk was shoveled, the sign would be out there and more visible. There is a parking sign with an arrow on the building, but it is in front of the restaurant walkway entrance, so by the time you see it you likely passed the parking lot entrance.

    A welcome addition to downtown Chelmsford! Fresh local New…read moreEngland seafood. Service was friendly and efficient. Large portions so one meal can also be tomorrow's lunch. Good wine selection, and the bar was quite crowded when I was there.

    Photos
    The bar without bar staff... reason for 4 stars
    The bar without bar staff... reason for 4 stars
    Baked seafood casserole
    Baked seafood casserole
    Fishbones

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    Good Thymes Family Restaurant

    Good Thymes Family Restaurant

    4.2
    (219 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    I have been many times and I have never been disappointed I…read morelove the turkey dinner and the short ribs Fish is also a must do

    This restaurant is quite strange upon walking it it is like your average chain bakery restaurant…read morewith pies in the cases. The manager (possibly owner) was at the counter talking with an applicant. There was another girl trying to get tables set up for two other people that were waiting. Nobody acknowledges us for about 5 minutes. After the manager dealt with the applicant she took a phone call and walked away. Eventually she came back and sat us. When you walk into the restaurant you are in silk flower land. Over the arches hanging from the ceiling. It seems as though you are maybe entering a wedding event center. In between dining areas there are tiny disco balls hanging. Like I said strange. The waitress was really nice she answered all of my questions. Water and tea came in closer to a wine glass than a goblet. To start we ordered clam chowder soup. It was lacking flavor. It was thick and seemingly rich but it was missing something. The chicken Marsala was one of the 20 specials of the night. It was breaded chicken cutlets (2) over a bed of fettuccine and Marsala sauce. The chicken lacked and was probably frozen the sauce was tasty. I had chicken cordon bleu with mashed potatoes and Cole slaw. The Cole slaw was ok. It was slightly soupy and not as much crunch as I like. The mashed potatoes seemed like box and the gravy seemed like jarred. Neither one had any substantial flavor. The cutlets were bland. Overall, the waitress was good. The rest left little to be desired. It seems that they are trying to be fancier than the diner they are.

    Photos
    Bar area entering our private function room.
    Bar area entering our private function room.
    Speacialty cakes for special occasions, available for pre orders.
    Speacialty cakes for special occasions, available for pre orders.
    Strawberry shortcake

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    Strawberry shortcake
    Gary's Restaurant & Bar

    Gary's Restaurant & Bar

    4.0
    (108 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Alert: Gary's charges a 3.5% hospitality fee and an 18% auto-tip on everything. They don't trust…read moretheir customers to tip for good food or service so they decide for you. My wife and I have been there many times, which is why we were there for her birthday with our adult children. But if we can't be trusted not to be deadbeats we won't go back again. Plenty of other options in Lowell.

    Parking was on the side of the building, and if they're busy it's sort of hard to find parking. The…read morecroquettes are really good, crispy exterior and creamy interior. For the main course I got mofongo with creamy chicken. It was bland and the modongo was hard and dry. The cream sauce reminded me of Alfredo, but it was on the bland side. The chicken within it was dry and tasted like microwaved chicken breast covered in white sauce. Would try something else next time. My fiancé got the ribeye and that was cooked to his liking with good seasoning and very tender. The server was very nice, however very slow. Had to go up to her and flag her down multiple times throughout dinner and especially when we were trying to get the check. I had to keep reminding her because she would come then leave "to get it" but then went behind the bar and was talking to people. Then would come by and ask if we needed anything, and after the fourth time it was very annoying.

    Photos
    Gary's Restaurant & Bar
    Skirt steak with chimmichrui suace
    Skirt steak with chimmichrui suace
    Gary's Chofan (A mountain of goodness!)

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    Gary's Chofan (A mountain of goodness!)

    El Criollo Restaurant - caribbean - Updated June 2026

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