El Rinconcito is a popular, family-owned Spanish-American restaurant in NYC's Lower East Side known for authentic, affordable Latin comfort food like roasted chicken, pernil, and mofongo, with a cozy, lively atmosphere and large portions. It offers a mix of Spanish, Dominican, and Puerto Rican dishes, including empanadas, sandwiches, and seafood, and is praised for its friendly service and value, though some find the drinks mediocre. The restaurant recently moved to a new location on Avenue C. Karrie didn't just serve us food--she showed real character. We came up a couple of dollars short, and without hesitation or obligation, she stepped in and helped us out. That kind of compassion is rare and unforgettable. Her service was warm, professional, and sincere from start to finish. The entire staff was welcoming, and the food is Absolutely unreal with an amazing Authentic Caribbean dishes bursting with flavor--hands down some of the best you'll find in New York City. El Rinconcito isn't just a restaurant; it's a place with heart. If you want incredible food and people who genuinely care, this is it. Highly recommended. And for this mi familia at El rinconcito this is hands down the number one best Latin cuisine spots to try out .. read more

My job ordered food from here once and it was great, so I was excited to finally try it in person. Service was good; friendly, attentive, and everything came out at a reasonable pace. The seating was comfortable, making it an easy place to sit and enjoy the meal. I ordered the pernil, and the skin was, dare I say, perfect... crispy, flavorful, exactly what you want. Unfortunately, the meat itself was pretty lean and ended up a bit dry. The maduros were a bigger letdown; when I had them before, they were ripe and sweet, but this time they came out dry as hell. I sent them back, and to their credit, they took them off the bill without any issue. My friend enjoyed his Cuban panini, and while the pork chicharrón had a few off pieces, it was decent overall. So overall, I'd say this place can be really good, but there's definitely a consistency issue. When they get it right, it's excellent; it just doesn't seem to be that way every time. read more

I like eating mangu, fried eggs, salami, cheese with an espresso for breakfast. But this meal eas extraordinary. I am definitely coming back for more! read more

My friend and I dined at this homey, casual spot for lunch. There was plenty of seating and the place had a welcoming ambiance. I got the Morir Sonando drink, which was wonderfully thick, oh so refreshing and sweet, full of rich orange taste. We shared the Mofongo and Steak dishes. I really enjoyed the Mofongo, which was served with pernil, sausage, and cheese. The Mofongo was cooked perfectly, while the meat was succulent and well seasoned. All the ingredients combined together to make for delicious bites. The Steak was made with onion, and came with a nice, fresh, crunchy salad, along with choice of side. We went for the Maduros. Steak was delightfully juicy, while Maduros were soft and slightly caramelized. Service was solid. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Everything came out in a timely manner. Prices were quite reasonable. If I am in the area, I would return to try the Bacalao Empanada, Fried Pork Chops, Breaded Steak, and Guayaba Dominican Cake. read more

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Super friendly laid back style inside. I felt so comfortable ordering from here. There're inside and outside bench/restroom is inside. I'll be back here again. I had a nice time having pasta. It was my taste :) read more

EL Rinconcito Restaurant - Spring 2026 - Comfort Food Near Me - New York, New York

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Very nice staff and food is authentic and very delicious. Ambiance is like sitting in a Latino home on thanksgiving giving with all of the amazing smells. read more

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Service was great. The waitress was attentive and friendly. Ambiance is good, a place where you can stop by and select from hot food that's already prepared or make your own selection. Food was okay, nothing really stuck out. The rice and chicken was served in a huge portion enough to be able to share. My friend said the mofongo was good but nothing extraordinary. The drinks were mediocre, the hot chocolate was literally made from Swiss miss , only good thing is you can decide if it's made from milk or water. The morir sonando was tang and milk not what it's suppose to be. I wouldn't go back none the less. read more

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Amazing food! They're always very attentive and kind at the restaurant. Try the pernil mofongo, bistec encebollado, chicharrón de pollo, and morir sonando. Make sure or give your phone number is that you receive perks. read more

One of my simple pleasures in life is a small, local latin american cafe that feels like getting a home cooked meal. El Rinconcito perfectly fits into this category, as it's a small family owned business that has been serving the Lower East Side since 1994. I find myself in here often, picking up an ideal post workout meal of a half chicken and 2 sides. The portion sizes in here are INSANE. You essentially get a bucket of rice, 2 cups of beans, and a half chicken all for $14. Bang for your buck is crazy for Lower Manhattan. Eating here reminds me of going to my Granny's house, where she'd make enough food to feed a small army for my brother and I, and give us HUGE tupperware containers filled with leftovers to take home. After I'd eaten as much as humanly possible, she'd hit me with a "Mijo are you sure you ate enough?" Damn, I miss my Granny. Is this the best chicken I've ever had? Nah, but it's a solid 7.5/10 and just fills a gaping hole of a quick meal that is relatively healthy... and the green sauce they provide takes it up a notch. My method is to shred the chicken up, put it over the rice, dump the beans on top, and add hot sauce. It's like a DIY chicken bowl. It really is a delicious meal. This last time I got a beef empanada too, and that was actually gas. Some real well seasoned ground beef in there. When I leave the city one day, it will be these local places that I miss the most, so I do my best to not take them for granted. Trying to appreciate the good old days while I'm actually in them. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__ read more

Think this used to be a pretty grungy hole in the wall but they've literally cleaned up their act. Small place with a counter and some tables. Had the pernil (roast pork) with an included side of rice and beans and a side order of tostones (green plantain). The tostones were super fresh and some of the best I've had: crispy outside and soft in. Ask for garlic sauce! Liked the garlicky red beans recommended by the server and the white rice was moist. Might try the black beans and yellow rice next time. The pork was reasonably moist, the portion large, but I wasn't a fan of the spices that masked the flavor of the pork. That said, this is the same spicing that they have a the nearby Casa Adela, so haven't deducted a star. Second visit was frustrating, with the staff prioritizing take away orders, and my having to ask 3 times for hot water. It was 20 minutes before I could order, and the rice with shrimp took something like 25 minutes to prepare, meaning I had to wait a good 45 from arriving to eat Although there were a good number of moist and tasty shrimp, and I liked the flavoring of the rice, the rice was verging on mushy. Deducting 2 stars and don't think I'll come again. read more

This restaurant is lacking in so many ways. Whenever I'm in the mood for Authentic Spanish Food, I make it myself. IMO, this place has gone down, their "Chicken Fricasse" tastes disgusting, the Beans are horrible, the only thing that I could do, after paying $28 for this meal was toss it in the garbage, seriously, didn't waste your money and time!!! read more

Like eating in someone's home, generous portions, affordable prices, lovely staff, clean and charming! Try the Bacalao Stew! Their Grouper w/Coconut Milk! Their 8AM Breakfast Mangu! ALL day/night "Lunch Specials"! Special priced dinners for four! This place is a total winner, come weekdays when it's less busy. Solo? Sit at the Counter. A+++++ Closes at 9PM - don't miss it! read more

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The food is great, and the counter-people wonderful. Ambiance is family-like. I went there today, a very cold February 20, 2025, with the warmth of the people working here. Plus, the arroz con gandules, mofongo and the tostones were superb! read more

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What really sets this restaurant apart is their attention to guests. The food never disappoints and the setting enhances meals. The menu is affordable yet the food is excellent. Staff members show service that's both exceptionally attentive and tailored. We cannot wait to dine here again! read more

Best Puerto Rican food in New York! My girlfriend is from Cabo Rojo PR, been here 20 years. Never had good comida criolla until now. Mofongo? Unreal. Huge portion, made fresh, 2 types of platanos, pernil, chicharron and delicious sweet prawns. I had the pollo asado, crispy skin, tasty rotisserie chicken w rice n red beans. Empanadas on the side were muyricas! Dinner for two, with tip under $50 Super nice folks working here. Clean space, no waits, they take ccs. Crowd? All locals who know what's up. Go! read more

EL Rinconcito Restaurant - Mofongo con camarones y pernil Pollo Asado Arroz con habichuelas - Comfort Food Near Me - New York, New York

Ambiance old school. Loved the beef empanadas and garlic bread . Our friends loved both cakes ! Great service.

Picked by one of my pickiest eater friend, this place felt like home. It was cozy and warm. It felt like we'd gone over to our friend's house for dinner. We ordered the Pollo Al Horno Family combo to share, with a whole chicken, white rice, beans and mixed green salad and a 2 liter soda. The chicken was amazing, it was very very tasty and juice went very well with the green sauce. The beans were well seasoned and paired with the white rice and chicken perfectly! We had to get the maduros in the side to complete the combo! Additionally we also order the a cubano sandwich and the Rinconcito Mofongo and this is A Must! Probably our dish of the night! The cubano was good on its own right but we couldn't enjoy it as we were already stuffed from everything else. Not even dessert. For Latin American food this is a place you must certainly try! Great tasting food and they make you feel like you're being served at a friend's house... what's not to like? read more

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The food is always flavorful and the staff very helpful it's a small business but that is what makes it even better. I love the care and clean environment they keep. I enjoy the food all the time read more

I've been going here for about a year now. The Rincocito Mofongo and Cuban Sandwich is my absolute favorite.

Saturday, December 14, 2024 around 2:39ish. Party of 3. We were sat by the door so the persons who sat along the chair side ( not wall/bench side) got a freezing burst of cold air when someone went in or out the door. One of us ordered 2 alcupurrias and a cafe con leche. The Alcypurrias were hard and not fresh and the coffee was weak and watered down as if it were from the bottom of the burnt pot. One ordered the pernil sandwhich which surprisingly lacked flavor and was skimpy on meat and other contents. I ordered the chicken mole with spaghetti. The mole was bland and they gave me 3 nubs from the drumsticks with gravy. The spaghetti lacked flavor. The dish was also Luke warm when I got it and it just came off the steam table. Surprisingly today was not the day to come here. The young waitress was not focused but, was on her phone the whole time we were there. Today is a 2 star day. The food and service is usually good here so, we will be back and hopefully have a 5 star experience. read more

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I love this place, let's make that clear. The food is amazing and I never have any complaints about it. The only reason why I am giving 3 stars is because delivery takes FOREVER!!! read more

They're back!!! After a long wait to get their gas turned on by the city, they are finally back in the neighborhood, just a few blocks south. They are also offering delivery, so we ordered! Pedro took our order and was super nice and also sent us their delicious Pernil to try along with the other things we ordered. The pork was perfectly cooked and super flavorful, will definitely get that again! We also ordered the boneless chicharron and the skirt steak with onions, rice and beans, sweet plantains, a small salad and a slice of Tres Leche and the total was under $40 for 4 meals! Highly recommend, everything was so great, the service, the food, the price. Enjoy! We did! read more

EL Rinconcito Restaurant - Large portions of delish! - Comfort Food Near Me - New York, New York

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I have a bad experience and this place the people so disrespectful and always mad. i will never come back.

I would not recommend this place. They change the prices on you when you're paying. The menu clearly states a price and they will change it as you're paying. Not good business. Thieves just trying to get what they can get out of you. Pathetic. read more

This place has been serving Latin comfort food to the community for over 23 years and I understand why. read more

Food was so delicious and the service was amazing! Really good/ big meal portions. I got the empanadas, pernil, rice with beans etc. Definitely would come again. Everyone in there was so sweet and it was nothing but good vibes. read more

The best and warmest service you'll experience. I leave there feeling better than when I left due to how nice the people are there. This is on top of great food at great prices. read more

the baked chicken taste good in this place and some of the fried Empanadas, this location like the store is new like remodeled that looks clean and pretty to go and eat to read more