Just in town visiting family. This place is awesome. Got an air-bnb nearby. The gentleman working…read morethe day we went in apologized for the wait cause he was working alone. Truly, each item we asked for was done well and came out very quickly. The bread was a special thing. They make it here. My Wife makes bread at home, so She's picky about stuff like that. She had high compliments on Her sandwich. If I lived here, I would be stopping by all the time.

Found this place by accident, haven't stopped going back. Great customer service. The food is…read moredelicious. The fact that the order keeps growing because more people from the office are joining when I order speaks volume. The ambiance is great, I look forward to sitting down and eating there one day soon.

I normally do not choose Elizabeth, NJ as a place to go out for lunch or dine-in; however, El…read morePalmar Restaurant, makes it an exception for me. The restaurant and its staff just makes it such a wonderful experience. The ambience, immediately makes it comforting as a customer. More so, the food is absolutely amazing, and the proportions of the dishes are more than what an average person can consume (quality and quantity). A person can rarely find restaurants with welcoming experiences, and foods that many can enjoy with delight. I do recommend people to experience this wonderful restaurant and its amicable staff members. Therefore, as for the bad reviews, disregard them and try the restaurant's food at your experience. Regards, Andy G

The food is okay. I expected much more. But, honestly it can be a difficult take when fusing…read morecuisines. And while Puerto Rican and Cuban food has a lot of similarities. There are many differences and that's where the key lies. Hope this helps.

friendly staff very clean and well kept, and a friendly owner as well highly recommend AAA+read more

First time trying this place. Owners are very nice. Its where the old 494 was. Authentic Puerto…read moreRican food. Everything we ordered was delicious. We took it home to eat. We definitely recommend. I had an empanada that was very good too.

Excellent food, friendly staff, and quick service! This is a small, cozy spot with seating for…read moreabout 8-10 people, so the atmosphere is simple but welcoming. Although the food was served a little on the cool side, everything tasted great. I even picked up two frozen pasteles and a jibarito to enjoy at home. My husband really enjoyed both the pastel and the jibarito. I found the pasteles a bit heavy on the garlic for my taste, but otherwise, they were good. Overall, we had a nice experience, and I'll definitely be back to try something else on the menu!

A small venue in a strip mall lot, so plenty of free parking. Simple interior with some original…read morePuerto Rican inspired art on the walls. Food is made to order, so if you're in a rush order ahead. Friendly & fun staff, not too busy to explain things to you. We had Alcapurria (Yuca), Cubano, Cheese Empanada, Papa Rellena, Chicharron Polo, Chimichurri Chicken, & a Vanilla Tres Leche. Everything was very good & definitely worth a revisit. A very casual place with a super chill vibe. Grades: Alcapurria (Yuca): A+ Cubano: A Cheese Empanada: A Papa Rellena: A+ Chicharron Polo: B+ Chimichurri Chicken: A Vanilla Tres Leche: A+

Sabor Caribeno was excellent, but sadly they sold new people, who changed the name to Sabor De La…read moreIsla. Either way, it doesn't matter much now. There was a massive fire over a year ago, and the restaurant has been closed since.

So on our quest for chicharron DE POLLO throughout Union County, google lead me to this little gem…read more The first time I had chicharron DE POLLO (I'll explain later, why I'm putting emphasis on de pollo.) was at work from a restaurant in Perth Amboy. Anyone familiar w/this area knows it's a nice ride to Perth Amboy from Union for some fried chicken chunks. So I decided to call a few of the local spots near home to find out if they've been hiding these little morsels of heaven from me all along but low and behold and lucky for them they didn't. ... NONE of em. Not one. They only had chicharron which is apparently pork. Although I'm a fan of pork, I was on a mission to find heaven close to home. Which leads me to my review of Sabor de la Isla. The service is friendly and courteous. And the chicharron DE POLLO wasn't as good as Perth Amboy's version but it was a very satisfying second. You get a LOT of rice, the beans are a decent portion and the chicharron is plentiful. I personally can get two sittings from the chicken and the rice is damn near enough to share with your family. You may just need an extra order of beans. But all of that for $9 is worth it imo.

Where do I begin, I ride by this restaurant often on my way to work. I told myself I would give it…read morea try one day! Welp today was the day, extremely clean inside and the host was extremely nice. He gave me great recommendations and I actually took his advice on what to order. I got the rotisserie chicken, rice and beans with vegetables. Absolutely delicious! The meal is for two in my opinion because I couldn't not eat it all. Would definitely be back here again!!!!!!

If you're in the Linden area, you have to check out Linden Rotisserie. Their rotisserie chicken is…read morenothing short of delicious -- perfectly seasoned, juicy, and packed with flavor. Honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on their menu... every dish is cooked to perfection. Trust me, once you try it, you'll understand why it's a local favorite. Linden Rotisserie -- worth every bite! #lindenrotisserie #FoodieFaves #RotisserieChicken #SeasonedToPerfection #FoodieFinds

Their Queso Frito Mofongo is one of the most amazing flavor combinations I have ever experienced…read more I love that they use tostone and maduro smothered in fried cheese to top it off is a favorite in my house. I have had their chicharron de pollo which was too breaded for my taste. I have tried all the mofongos they offer and they are all on point. The carne frita here is okay. More oil then flavor which is not appetizing to me. My son loves their roasted chicken. I love their beans and rice. I come for Mofongo mostly. It's one of my favorite places for it and hard to find out here in NJ as I have searched for the authentic types.

We went inside and placed a takeout order it was around 7 pm on a Friday and the place was empty…read moreexcept for two couples sitting at two tables. There was one man waiting for his order. 1st red flag. The place was dark and dingy looking, 2nd red flag. We ordered real basic 1/2 rotisserie chicken with rice and peas, my husband ordered 1/2 chicken with yellow rice and red beans. The chicken was so hard and dry that I almost choked swallowing it! It had no taste and neither did the beans and rice. They were dry as well, rice was overly sticky, nothing 'traditional' about the food. I may not be latino but I have eaten enough Latin dishes to know what's traditional and what's not, and this place IS NOT. Don't bother going here if you want, at the least, good tasting, authentic Dominican food that is prepared well!

This is definitely the Best Authentic Puerto Rican Food I have had in NJ hands down!…read more Their service is also very good as well as pricing. You get what you pay for!

I always enjoy the food at El Dorado! Food always hot and fresh and the staff always nice! Great…read moretasty authentic desserts!

Nice local place for lunch near work…read more This place took over a luncheonette. I always fancy a place where I can get tacos with my eggs over easy with home fries platter. Heard there's half price taco Tuesdays. Will try that soon. Plenty of street parking.

Great breakfast spot! We tried the arepas with sausage, egg, and cheese and the French toast! Yum!read more

If you want real Cuban food, stop looking -- Cha-Cha-Cha is it. This family-owned gem serves the…read moremost spectacular Cuban food I've ever had, hands down the best Cuban food experience anywhere. Every dish tastes like it came straight out of abuela's kitchen. But what truly sets this place apart is the family behind it -- beautiful people who don't just feed you, they make you feel like part of their family from the moment you walk in. Warm, welcoming, and unforgettable. I can't recommend it enough. I love Cha-Cha-Cha!

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.