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    La Caribeña Restaurant

    3.7 (94 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order La Caribeña Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    La Caribeña Restaurant Photos

    LA CARIBEÑA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    a multicolored building
    Steven T.

    This was the new restaurant of the week and what a good choice. The decor is definitely tropical with colorful walls, murals and the hanging grass. There is a language barrier with the two people who couldn't understand English or speak it very well so I had to point to items on the menu to make my order. Service was lack luster because after my food was delivered and eaten I still waited for some to give me a box and the check and the place was not even full, see my pictures of empty tables. They have a bar but I don't know if they have drinks because he didn't understand me asking about alcohol/cocktails so in frustration I said agua, lost sale. I ordered the beef empanada and the Dominican stewed goat with rice and pigeon peas that comes with a complementary macaroni chicken soup. The soup looked good but was only ok because the noodles were cooked way past mush and had a gel texture which was weird. It had next to no chicken except for three tiny scraps and some cubed potatoes so I didn't have much hope for the rest of my food. My food came in a timely manner and looked great. The beef empanada was crispy cooked to order and super thin compared to other places. honestly it was super average compared to the last one I had from another place that wasn't thin as quesadilla. Now for the rice and goat stew, finally we get to the good stuff. The goat stew was bone in style so you have to get your hands in it and eat like a primitive person because of all the irregular shapes like eating chicken wings. The goat stew is in a tasty seasoned brown sauce for the most part with tender meat, not hand trimmed so you get some cartilage/fat which is great texture and flavor. The rice was cooked al dente and not mush that was seasoned nicely and my best side option choice for my liking. Overall the food had its up and downs and the service was not up to par but I liked most of it, the $20 price point could have been more with a cocktail if it were not for the language barrier, I'm in the city of Milwaukee and not a foreign country so they lost a bigger sale. This place has potential but in the end it's a 3 star experience on my visit and the visit is the visit for this review,

    La Bandera with pernil
    Rick R.

    Wow, 10 years since last review? Food is still pretty good, although a bit inconsistent over the past 10 years, and now they have more competition, so I can't say this place is the best anymore, but I still think they are among the best for Puerto Rican/Caribbean cuisine. I like the remodel, which includes new light fixtures with brighter lighting, and they have more staff on hand, so the service is better. They also added a pick up "window" with heat lamps to keep food warm at the entrance, for carry-out orders. I still recommend this restaurant.

    Patrick R.

    The colorful building is painted with the countries flags represented on the menu. Inside you quickly forget you are in Milwaukee and get the impression you are somewhere in Latin America as you sit in these cool looking booths. The food is great and the service is friendly. I enjoyed my arroz con gandules, with grilled chicken. Definitely a spot to try out when you are in the neighborhood.

    Jenny K.

    Stopped by for dinner on a Thursday. It wasn't too busy and staff were very nice. The interior was very fun and lively. I got the mofongo with fried pork chop. I've had mofongo once before at another restaurant and this one was okay. The pork chop was delicious. I'd be interested to try more dishes.

    SANDWICH CUBANO soggy and no meat

    Horrible to go service, do not order to go!! The to go bag was leaking oil because food was so greasy, the oil that the empanadas was fried in was old. A Cuban sandwich does not contain wilted brown lettuce or tomato. They didn't even bother toasting it, soggy bread plus hardly any meat. I'm not sure if this place is Colombian, Dominican or Puerto Rican because if it's any of the above they don't represent the culture of any of them. The pernil left me feeling sick with all the oil, sitting for days I bet....not fresh, didn't bother even touching it!! Empanadas are see through and soggy in oil, never drained, restaurant kitchen frying rule 101. Back in the day, I was a customer here and la caribeña held it down...this time, if I could do 0 starts I would. The only thing right the manager did was give me back the money for an item that I ordered that was never in my to go bag.

    Menu
    Sandy N.

    Thank you to another Yelp Elite for recommending La Caribena. I came here on a Friday evening with our family of 6 around 6pm. The restaurant had a few diners but the service was extremely slow and our server was a bit rude. She told us she didn't speak much English so there could have been a miscommunciation. There is a bar but no alcohol was being served. I'm not quite sure on the details on that. We got alcapurrias (porked filled fritters) and tostones (fried plaintain) as shared appetizers. I thought both were good but I would skip the tostones as many of the meals come with some type of plaintain side. I got the Pataconada - the portion size was gignatic and it reminded me of a deconstructed burger. It consisted of grilled plaintains covered with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded steak, cheese, and then drizzled with a few sauces. It tasted great as leftovers the next day. The rest of the family got a mix of dishes and they were all very good but the winner was the Bistek A Caballo! We all agreed after sampling each other dishes that this was the winner in terms of flavor! I'm willingly to come back to La Caribena and hope the experience is smoother next time.

    Chillo frito - whole fried snapper
    Kim C.

    Wow! I was searching for good Puerto Rican food for my boyfriend and this place totally fit the bill! Super-cute, cozy ambiance. Great music. And the food ...?! The food was awesome. Simple, yet flavorful, authentic and delicious! I've not had fried fish like this since I lived in Mexico! Socially distanced with plexiglas partitions, too. It's probably helpful to bring along someone who speaks Spanish. All in all, a terrific experience! Highly recommended!

    Pork with arroz con grandules - amazing
    Joanna T.

    This Mister goes to La Caribena for lunch regularly but dinner last night was my first time. The inside is super cute! Very tropical decor, plenty of tables for large groups and even photos of all the Brewers players that get their food fix here. FYI, they no longer serve alcohol despite the Yelp check in offer of a free shot. They do have a nice selection of tasty juices or soft drinks. We started with empanadas ($6 for 4 giant ones) - you choose chicken or beef. We had a mix and the chicken was good but the beef ones were AMAZING - go that way. My only wish on these would be for a dipping sauce but whatever man - they're completely delicious. For dinner we both had the #2 plate ($8.50) which is choice of meat & Puerto Rican rice. We opted for stewed pork which was porky, tender, crispy, fatty all kinds of tasty. Our server (a super nice young man) recommended mixing the meat and rice and adding some sweet plantains - the combo is absolutely perfect. A mix of flavors and textures - it tastes like someone's Auntie is in the back making sure you don't get skinny. If you have been, definitely check this warm, welcoming, tropical gem out. The flavors are outstanding and the hospitality Is genuine.

    24. CHIVO 19. TOSTONES

    It was my first and last time going there . I had ask for a tamarindo juice and it didn't had the sweet and sour tasted it was more sweet and water down . so I ask if I can get different one and the server ask me why then say she can't take out because they bring it out already so I need to pay for it and pay for the next drink . and also I didn't know you we pay for water now . I ask for a fillete de coco and I got one tilapia cut in two pieces. They saw my face and one of the sever that was by the bar couldn't stop looking at me . My other cousin ask for the same thing but she wanted to change the arroz con gandules because she can't eat it for health issues and they couldn't change it at all and get charge the side for something different but as soon my brother ask for chivo(goat stew) with no rice for tostones that wasn't a problem change it . The Cubano sandwich tested like weird with the American cheese and the ketchup and mayonnaise . The boys like the Chivo (goat stew)We ask the server to separate the order and she say I can't y il we go to the front then they can and I know the reason because of the tip y'all add extra and she was looking while we were was paying we had to tell her can you please stop looking while we putting our pin .. never again . Don't get me wrong the food was okay but the service is a NO for me .

    Show this to the cooks. This is how you make Mofongo!
    Linda B.

    My husband and I went there on New Year's Eve. I ordered Monfongo with pork. The plantains we're bland, soggy. The pork was dry and hard. There were no juices or sauce to top it off. My husband had the jibarito and was the same. I'm Puerto Rican and from NYC and this restaurant put our food to shame! I make a better Monfongo at home! I will never go back there and I wouldn't recommend this restaurant. It isn't authentic.

    Our waitress was super sweet and the food was amazing! I have no complaints! If seated in the booth the menu is hung on the wall (big enough to read)! Picture is Pataconada and on the top left Empanadas! Will definitely be coming back soon.

    Christine F.

    My co-workers order to go from here pretty frequently and I have been pretty jealous. Yesterday it was my turn. For under $12 you get a lot of food. The mofongo had pieces of chicharron, and fried platanos in it and was perfectly balanced with the right amount of stock and salt. The carne frita was bits of pork fried and seasoned. It almost tasted like steak. It was so delicious! I hope be lucky enough to order from here again. It's pretty close to my work.

    UYE International supper club.  Thanks Rick R!

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    I just had to leave cause a roach was crawling up the wall right were we were seated !

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    2 years ago

    Food was just ok. There were multiple flies buzzing around the table while eating. Prices were fair.

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Alexandra was a fantastic hostess. The hospitality was wonderful and the food was fresh and delicious. Thank you.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was okay. Took a long while for the waitress to take our order. Prob won't return.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great carne frita, good rice. Excellent service, fair prices.. great garlic flavor to the pernil.. check em out!

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    12 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Excellent restaurant, excellent attention. I felt like on the beach a tropical delight. I recommend them to the 100%

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Good food. Slow and rude service. The worse, they charge their tip in your bill. Total scam. Never going back again.

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    5 years ago

    Had the Colombian bandeja paisa. Delicious. So much food for $15. Will be back next time I visit area

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food. Good selection. Friendly staff. Good atmosphere. Price was moderate.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Excellent place to eat. The food is delicious and the servers very friendly. Best latin food in Milwaukee.

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    11 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    La Caribeña Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - La Caribeña Restaurant

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    McCoco’s Caribbean Restaurant - Complimentary soup

    McCoco’s Caribbean Restaurant

    3.7(50 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    I don't go into mke too often but wanted to visit and see if I could find a good Puerto…read moreRican/Caribbean restaurant since I was in the area. McCoco's stood out to me so I decided to give it a try. The service was great- it's a small establishment and once we walked in someone immediately greeting us and sat us down. The ambiance was very pleasant. They had pictures of the Caribbean on all the tvs and it felt very tropical Once we were sitting we got a complimentary bowl of soup. It was so warm and perfect for the cold day. I forgot what it was called but it was very delicious. Food I would say overall was good. I was hoping the tostones to be a bit more crispier and a little more garlicky tho /: My mofongo was good too - again missing just a tad more garlic. The meat was well seasoned and very tasty. My boyfriend got the Jibarito and he basically said the same thing about the garlic and crispiness of the tostones and his jibarito sandwich. I would still recommend this place tho! And I would for sure come again to explore the rest of the menu (: 3 1/2 - 4 stars overall

    Wow - so glad we ordered this!…read more Ordered via Grubhub and got the arroz con gandeles 2x1 with the bander pepper steak. Both were large portions and absolutely delicious! Tried the Yuca sticks and tostones appetizers and really enjoyed both of them. I'm a big empanada fan so we got some chicken empanadas and they did not disappoint! All told everything we had was fantastic. We will absolutely be back and will have to visit in person one day.

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    Travieso - Brussels Bravas!

    Travieso

    4.0(40 reviews)
    14.9 mi

    What happened to Travieso Latin Fusion? We came expecting a nice dinner and instead got front-row…read moreseats to what felt like an unsupervised teen nightclub -- just with higher drink prices. Service was almost nonexistent unless you count servers yelling across the restaurant, and ignoring us. We had empty water pitchers, food that was slung on to a plate and looking at filthy tables. Professionalism was nowhere to be found. We kept wondering if a manager was going to appear... or if the entire place was being run by teenagers. It's honestly shocking because this used to be a well-managed spot with great food and a welcoming atmosphere. Now it feels chaotic, immature, and uncomfortable for anyone expecting an actual dining experience. If you're looking for dinner, you may want to keep driving. If you're looking for a loud, awkward social experiment with margaritas, you've found your place.

    I helped in planning our work holiday party and we hosted this year at Travieso. We had roughly 70…read moreattendees with use of the full restaurant space. We choose to set up more formal dining in the dining room with buffet set up and a passed app. We had a speciality cocktail and mocktail option created for the event that guests could order at the bar - the pineapple gimlet was delicious! Their team worked with us on layout beforehand and even played our selected playlist on the sound system, they also helped me with some final set up with signs and some Christmas crackers I wanted to place at the tables. Everything ran smooth with food moving along at the times we discussed. Everyone enjoyed themselves and is still talking about it almost a whole week later!

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    LimaMar Restaurant

    LimaMar Restaurant

    4.5(55 reviews)
    77.9 mi

    Very nice place for some modern Peruvian food. The service was outstanding. The waiter even made a…read morecocktail that wasn't even on the menu. Loved the feeling and ambiance of the place.

    Truly a must-go in Rockford for anyone wanting to break away from the reruns of meat and potatoes…read moreof typical Midwestern cuisine. Honestly, this spot seems out of place in Rockford and seems like something you would find in a bigger city. The decor is colorful and bright, the drink selection is very impressive and creative and the menu is broad yet impeccably put together. I've been here a few times and had some excellent meals, though I'd like to mention the recent restaurant week menu. I brought my fiancé and parents here for a weekend dinner and they were a little skeptical about the empty restaurant. For the weekend, there were a lot of people waking right past, but perhaps the sub-zero temperatures were keeping their eyes focused on getting to their cars only. We were greeted warmly by the server/hostess/bartender (she wore many hats that night!) and ushered to a tablescape that seemed almost too nice to be in the Forest City. We ordered drinks per our server's recommendations and were not disappointed. Full of tropical fruits, peruvian liquors, and a little kick (not all are spicy, just ones we chose)...they were a delight. All were served in fantastical glassware ranging from a mirrored martini glass, a stemmed glass with dangling chili peppers, and a gorilla head. Yep, you read that correctly. My drink was served in a painted gorilla head with star fruit on top. Absolutely delicious. We ordered an appetizer with mussels, ceviche, and a potato dish, as well as fried cassava. To my delight all the seafood tasted nearly as fresh as a coastal city where the fish is likely just out of the water. Everything was perfectly seasoned and not too chewy. The mains were another home run-- the guys got a VERY hearty pork stew and a beef and potato dish (so even those who still want meat and potatoes can feel at home here!) and the ladies a fish dish with a red sauce and a squid ink orzo with seafood. Nothing left us wanting more, but for me the orzo was a complete surprise. It was a gorgeous presentation with exquisite color and the flavor-- so light and yet so... there is no other word for it... buttery. EVERYONE at the table needed more than a bite. We rounded off dessert with a passion fruit mousse (honestly we were stuffed but felt we had to try something else as everything was so scrumptious) and rolled out of there talking about how shocking it was to have SUCH a high-quality and unique place in downtown Rockford. They got more tables as the night continued, but I'd have loved to see more. I would HATE for the people of Rockford not to have this experience. A few tips, the prices are higher than some of the other places in the area (as is the quality!), so be aware. Also they make everything fresh so plan for the evening to be a bit longer than elsewhere. But I cannot stress enough that no matter your tastes you will be very well cared for here, and have an experience you'll remember. And if you're not sure what to order, ask! The owners and servers are knowledgeable and friendly. They will steer you well! Tl;dr: This place is a foodie experience seemingly transported from a bigger city, and we are lucky to have it here in Rockford! Give them a try!

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    La Caribeña Restaurant - latin - Updated May 2026

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