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    La Cocina De Yala

    3.1 (52 reviews)
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    La Cocina De Yala Photos

    LA COCINA DE YALA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for groups

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    Leah S.

    On our way through New York, we found ourselves in a major traffic jam. We sat on the freeway for a good hour before we decided it was time to get off at the next exit and have some lunch. We hoped that by the time we were done with lunch, whatever the traffic jam was would have abated, and we happened to find Cocina de yalla just off the freeway from where we were stuck. There was convenient parking on the street just a few doors down from the restaurant, so we parked and made our way in. The restaurant was well decorated, with interesting artwork and despite being peak lunch hour, there were only two other diners in the restaurant. We were happy to see that the menu was in Spanish on one side in English on the other, despite the fact that both of us speak some Spanish. The waitress came over to take our order and between her introductory English and our introductory to mediocre Spanish, they ended up bringing someone from the back who was more fluent to take our order. Hubby ordered the mofongo de pollo ($15) and I ordered the canoa de platanos maduros ($12) with a side of yucca fries ($5). I ordered the passion fruit juice ($4) and he ordered a glass of water ($1). As we sat, we looked around to try to entertain ourselves and saw many interesting pieces of artwork and eclectic decor lending to the ambiance of the restaurant. It took us about 15 minutes to set our order and then we waited another hour before the food came out. This is pretty shocking to us, given that there were only two other tables occupied and they were both tables of two so it wasn't like the place was hopping. For our food, the mofongo was dry and oily, with very little seasoning other than the garlic. The chicken alongside the mofongo was very bland although it was cooked well with nice char. The canoa is a dish that I love, however this one was a ripe sweet plantain filled with an extremely greasy ground meat and cheese and was weirdly topped with ketchup which I found to be truly unappetizing. The only thing that was notable about this meal were the yucca fries, which were served very hot with a good smooth texture. The restaurant only takes cash which is a little behind the times in my opinion, and has an ATM in the restaurant but there's a large sign that says " We take no responsibility for this ATM" whatever that means. Prices are extremely reasonable given the quantity of the food, however the quality of the food and the accurate seasoning of the food was extremely low in my opinion. Paired with the absolutely glacial pace of serving after ordering, this is not a restaurant I would return to if I were in the area.

    Tomahawk Steak w/ Yuca fries and salad.
    Adrian P.

    Very excited to be able to try this spot. It's a booming dominican restaurant in the bronx right off i95. Many selections to choose from on the menu as well as daily food choices and fresh juices. Employees are very friendly. I had the massive 32oz tomahawk steak with yuca fries. I was surprised to see that it came with a salad which was a plus. Very tasty and excellently displayed on a cutting board. Very smooth to cut into and full of flavors. The Boca Chica is also another grear selection if you're craving fried fish. I am looking forward to trying more items in the future.

    Outside
    Casandra P.

    We randomly decided to visit and grab lunch and to say the least we were pleasantly surprised. This little space in the Bronx was a touch of Caribbean & homemade in one. They currently have outside seating. We ordered The filet basa and one of their signature boxes. Both were a hit. The fish was nicely cooked, the chicken in our box was moist and the plate appeal was very nice. Be prepared to have trouble parking but if you visiting the Bronx it is without a doubt worth going! FIVE STARS for sure!

    Sabrina S.

    This was an unexpected yet very beautiful small restaurant in the East Bronx. There are amazing and vibrant paintings in the restaurant. The Yala burger was DELICIOUS. I would come back here again. FYI - they only accept cash. I'm not sure if it has changed.

    Churrasco with fries
    Tiffany D.

    Updating. Have gone twice more and the quality has really gone down hill. Not only that but prices have gone up $10+ per entree. One of the times I went all the fried food tasted like it was fried in old oil. And my recent visit a couple days ago the churrasco was bland and I had to ask for more chimichurri sauce, which is ridiculous now that the churrasco is worth $35. Not really worth it anymore when it's out of the way with long waits and more expensive than other places.

    Skirt steak, yucca fries, grilled shrimp topped with pico and Guac!
    Madeline O.

    This spot is definitely a little jewel in an unexpected part of the Bronx. The decor is bright and lively while still maintaining the intimate ambiance! The food is fresh and delicious! This is a perfect date night location but be warned due to its small size, they get full fairly quickly. The restaurant does not serve any type of alcoholic beverages but the juice options make up for it! If you're around the neighborhood definitely stop by. You'll thank me later!!

    Ana M.

    First waited too long for food. Only 4 or 5 tables filled. Food arrives cold, full of flowers and with owner hovering her phone over my meal recording to post on social media. She was very nice, but that only takes you but so far. Yesterday gave a second chance, as I felt for some sancocho. My husband goes to buy in person, and is dismissed for a few minutes until he spoke Spanish ( he looks black, but yes he is Spanish), his nationality should not depict good service. Fast forward, hubby arrives with my sancocho and some pasteles. SUPER EXCITED sancocho full of oil, looked well seasoned but only tasted how salty it was. The pasteles smelled pretty bad, but taste is everything right. OMG they were still raw, and the taste matched the smell. Wouldn't guess in a million years I was eating a pastel. This establishment needs to focus more on their food and less on flowers and social media, maybe then they'll have a prominent chance. Wanted to go back for the Tomahawk steak, but I'm too disappointed.

    a steak with a side salad
    Carlos F.

    Wow! Is all can say the food was really delicious. If you're looking for some good Dominican food I highly recommend this place. The steak was so good. Can't wait to go back !

    Yala burger Tostones Camarones al Ajillo
    Carolina R.

    This is a great place to eat. It is also a very beautiful location. My boyfriend and I went here for my birthday. The staff was very nice and friendly. The food was delicious! We ordered a few things and the yala burger was exquisite. The fried fish was really well seasoned and my favorite, the tamarind and chinola juices were really tasty and fresh! The staff members always came by to our table to ask if we were doing ok. The only thing that I see is extremely unprofessional is the fact that they have to record every single plate when they are bringing it to the guests. Otherwise everything was perfect!

    Claudia B.

    A hot new Latin fusion cuisine with a touch of the Caribbean on 174th Street, BRONX. We have patronized this business since the beginning. You have to check it out- the ambiance, rich decorum, soulful Latin music, crisp alkaline water and delicious entrees. A local must patronize for lunch or dinner. One visit and you will be back for more. Thank you Yala for sharing your passion for food and diligence for excellence.

    Picadera mix from la casina de Yala

    I have been in this restaurant a few times It is such a relaxed place the food is great And there picadera Bandeja are great for party Definitely recommend thi

    Yala Burguer

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    3 years ago

    Great food and service and when it comes to churasco and steak is the #1 place to eat and go in for some

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    5 years ago

    Overated , the food was tasteless. The services is trash, waited over an hour for a fry fist with mash potatoes.

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    8 years ago

    This is one of the best Dominican food I had ever tasted. It's like being in Dominican heaven with an American touch to it.

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    Rice And Peas And Tings

    Rice And Peas And Tings

    4.1(7 reviews)
    3.3 miConcourse Village

    You ever walk into a Jamaican food establishment and be greeted with a smile? Me neither! So that…read moreinstantly makes this place an anomaly. Rice & Peas & Tings is located toward the rear of the Bronx Terminal Market food court. I wound up here early on a Sunday morning and decided to give them a try. After the warm greeting, I asked if it was too early for stew chicken and was told 'Course not'. I was given a hearty serving of food, with EXTRA GRAVY like I requested. I could have fallen in love right there. I grabbed one of the many available tables, near the Christmas tree, so I could look wistfully out, onto...the highway. While the plate was plentiful, the chicken I received was small boney pieces. If you look, you can see the chicken back in my picture. This is not exactly a complaint (bones are for chewing), but I would have liked to have more actual meat. The chicken itself was also slightly sweeter than my preference, but still very good. Honestly they had me at the extra gravy and could probably do no wrong. The rice and veg were both well cooked and I have no complaints on either. I will definitely return and try different things from the menu (looking at you oxtail).

    Having arrived earlier than expected to The Bronx Terminal Market and not looking to eat, as I was…read morehere for a YEE (Yelp Elite Event), I killed some time by walking around the small food court. Saw a large sign boasting, Rice & Peas & Tings, so I strolled over. Behind the counter was this cordial young gentleman who I had a lengthy conversation with. In a part of our conversation he informed me that they recently opened in the Terminal in 2024 and they are eagerly looking forward to sharing their food with the masses. For the undecided, samples are offered to help in any decision making. I didn't accept his offer of samplings, but what better way to entice someone. If you're looking for 'authentic Jamaican food like your Mama and Grandma used to make...', as they quote, stop by Rice & Peas & Tings.

    Photos
    Rice And Peas And Tings - The Restaurant

    The Restaurant

    Rice And Peas And Tings
    Rice And Peas And Tings

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    AfroSpice BisTro - Chicken Suya (~$15)

    AfroSpice BisTro

    3.3(3 reviews)
    1.3 miClason Point

    Ordered: Malt (~$4)…read moreMango Juice (~$5) Chicken Suya (~$15) Street Waakye (~$25): rice & beans served with gari, spaghetti, tomato stew and black sauce (shito); fried fish and goat stew Jollof Queen (~$25): spicy, well-seasoned tomato stew rice served with salad, sweet plantains, and chicken Aya's take: I'm a big fan of African cuisine and this was my first time at a sit-down Ghanian restaurant! They have a DJ so if you're looking to vibe while enjoying Ghanian food, this could be the spot. It was my first time trying Malt and the best way I can describe it is it tastes like molasses, slightly bitter, slightly yeasty but very mild overall. We started off with the Chicken Suya which was a bit dry and chewy but the suya seasoning made all the difference. It tastes like a blend of chili powder, ginger, garlic, onion powder, paprika, etc. It was a fine starter but definitely skippable. For entrees, we got the Street Waakye and Jollof Queen. I've had waakye (pronounced waa-che) before but this was pretty dry. The spaghetti was light and I actually liked that they used thinner noodles rather than the regular spaghetti. This dish comes with fried fish which was light, flaky, and moist. The real winner was the goat stew. I'm salivating just thinking about it! You get the essence of tomato, the tenderness and slight gamey flavor from the goat, and the thick and luscious sauce that was an explosion of flavors. I even dipped the boiled egg into the sauce which was unbelievably satisfying. The jollof rice from the Jollof Queen was cooked way better than the waakye. It was moist, well-seasoned, and didn't really need anything added to be good. I loved the sweet plantains and the chicken was also well-prepared. Considering how much jollof rice there was and that it was ~$25, they could've given more than 2 pieces of chicken. Overall, it was a pretty good meal! When the bill came, I saw there was an automatic 18% gratuity added which is totally fine considering we were a party of 7. However, they then pointed out that this wasn't tip and was a fee for "the table". I eat out a lot and never in my life have I heard of this. We ended up adding another 10% on top of that. They also charge a 3% credit card fee. I don't agree with them trying to squeeze out more money from customers who are already coming and spending money; this is definitely not the norm anywhere else I've been. Not too many restaurants in NYC serving Ghanaian cuisine but you'll enjoy some traditional dishes here.

    Be careful.mthis place is a scammers. They steal your credit card number or food stamps and charge…read morethem... Do not show or use your cards in this store .. shame on you

    Photos
    AfroSpice BisTro - Mango Juice (~$5)

    Mango Juice (~$5)

    AfroSpice BisTro - Jollof Queen (~$25)

    Jollof Queen (~$25)

    AfroSpice BisTro - Malt (~$4)

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    Malt (~$4)

    La Cocina De Yala - caribbean - Updated May 2026

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