Blessed to have this restaurant in my hood. Everything I've tried here is delicious, especially the bomb ass RIBS, which I usually get a pound of (with yellow rice and beans) cuz I always want more after eating half a pound...it's that good! read more

Yeah! Love these places! You want some good authentic Puerto Rican food this is the spot around here. Cheap and no frills and their empanadas are amazing! Little pockets of joy lol. read more

When you're in the mood for cuchifritos, Las Isla is the place to go! Except today, for some reason today, they had very little cuchifritos. I was in the mood for some spanish fried treats and all they had left at 1:30 PM was relleno de yuca, fried yucca balls. There is no menu displayed above the counter. But on the left hand side in the glass case there is one small printed menu, with an assortment of Spanish/English translated dishes and prices for everything. I guess, they realized that they could make more sales with a menu, even if the lady at the counter mostly spoke Spanish. You do have to know what you want and if Spanish is not your first language, you can still order by pointing to what you want or knowing how to say the words in Spanish. They had no empanadas on the menu, but they had bacalaitos. Empanadas are shell shaped fried dough with meat and/or veggies and baccalitos, are round cod fish balls deep fried in dough. Both are delicious and staples of a cuchifrito. Especially when you are craving them!! No bacalaitos left on the shelf when I got there. No beef soup, the supposed special of the day, but they had chicken soup. It was pretty tasty and made the traditional way with corn and spanish vegetables, yucca and plantains instead of potatoes. You get a large portion for $4.00. I was also going to have rice and beans, for $3.50, but the container with the soup looked like it would be enough. The soup was very tasty and the chicken fell off the bone. I don't normally go to a cuchifrito for soup, but I was very satisfied and even though I didn't get my fried fix, I still enjoyed my meal! I went across the street to George's Spanish Restaurant and they too have very little cuchifrito left and so I left empty handed from there as well. Graham Avenue is known for its cuchifrito!!! I'll have to come back some other day! read more

Horrible food. Alll of their fried food is drenched in oil.. I took a bite of my cuchifrito and nothing but oil came out. In addition, the majority is just flour and small amount of meat. I have never experienced this with any other restaurant. In fact, as soon as you come in you can smell heavy oil. I would not come here again. The cook went to the back with gloves and came out cooking again. Just horrible. Might as well buy an empanada from the carts parked outside. read more

I live a few blocks up Graham Avenue, so occasionally pass by this place on the way to the J train. It's constantly full of residents of nearby public housing projects, retail workers on their breaks and patients, doctors and security workers from the nearby hospital. These crowds continue well into the night. After years of passing by, I waited for a stool to clear up on a recent Sunday afternoon. I fought for a menu (this is typically the kind of place where things are ordered directly, preferably in Spanish), and went with a couple of small plates. I really don't get the fuss. I'm not the right audiences as in general I find cuchifritos to be heavy and low on flavor - but these seemed particularly naff. Why take a perfectly good plantain, fry it and then stuff some dry meat inside? How does anyone eat this without copious amounts of hot sauce? I know this is the traditional method, but there's nothing appealing about some little fried thing that's been under a heat lamp for 14 hours. I'm glad some people find this place satisfying, but it's a hard pass for me. read more

Mom & Pop shop FTW!! Price: $6 for GOOD amount of food. when you order chicken stew(?), they give you two pieces of chicken with some potatoes in one plate, and rice and beans in another plate. Ambiance: only had bar stools of 6 seatings available, and felt like to true mom & pop shop. friendly people. Menu: not much to choose from. i had chicken bc someone recommended it to me. Taste: OH EM GEE. i would go back again and again. ... and again (if i lived near it). yellow rice was so soft and delicious that it could've been it's own meal. and though it's only two pieces of chicken and some potatoes in one plate, when you mix it with the rice and beans they give you, it's more than enough for 2 hungry ladies! LOVE LOVE LOVE. read more

I have been coming to this spot on and off thru the years. The food is not bad but the quality is not what its used to when it comes to the rellenos and alcapurias. The alcapuria I bought today was hard as a rock. It was definitely old which was a disappointment and waste of money. read more

Beth, you get what you pay for, hit and miss, sometimes you get good food/service sometimes is a total mess of service/food, MAYBE ill come again but highly doubt it read more

Visited this place after 23 years of moving out of Bushwick! Brought back memories! Mondongo was delicious and so was the beef pastelillo. However the Alcapurrias were a disappointment as they had very little meat and were mostly dough. We had two huge plates of mondongo and a pastelillo for $9! Loved listening to the workers and clients joke around with each other. read more

La Isla Cuchifritos - Spanish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Great 24 hour spot to get your filling on your cuchifrito intake since they are now scarce in the city. Went to visit a friend in brooklyn and knew that I could definitely find a cuchifrito spot around the area. I searched on yelp and this place popped up. Great empanadas, alcapurrias and relleños de papa. I am definitely glad that I stopped by and will be returning again soon. read more

Real busy so I know the food is moving.....check. The girls that are behind the counter are fast and give generous portions.....check. The empanadas are big.....check. And greasy. The oxtail soup is flavorful.....check. And greasy. Not a fan for greasy food these days but I gave it the old college try. read more

Perfect for cuchifritos. Has a wonderful walk up window like I love and has a cute sit down bar. This is more meant for grab and go or order to take out. All I can say is alcapurrias, pasteles, pernil, etc. Puerto Rican food at its absolute prime at this place. Must go and I'll definitely stop here again on my next visit to NYC. read more

I have been walking past this place for ten years and I never tried it. However the food that they display is just pure meaty goodness and fried things goodness. Well I finally decided that it was able time that I try this place after seeing people eating it on the subway and around the area. I got one of those fried dough balls filled with meat. It wasn't amazing but good for something under two dollars. At the time, my girlfriend was pretty mad at me and refused to try it, however it was only a matter of time before she give in and try it. I would probably eat here all the time if I wasn't worried about my health. Check it out if you are in the area. Don't worry if you don't know what you want. They were very nice about it. read more

Great late night eats never disappoints. The steak sandwich is amazing and the empanadas are to de for. So flakey and crusty

Yes I love it Im full ver good food prices and taste and variety. I always come back. Also the employees are very nice I recommend it

I love the papa rellenas here especially in the orange yuca shell. They're approx 2$. It's a nice greasy cheap snack. I've been eating them for over 20 years and will be eating them for at least 20 more! I haven't been able to find this particular snack by chance in NY. The plain papa rellenas are good too. Haven't tried the main dishes yet. When you walk in everyone's speaking Spanish and people will try to cut in front of you so make sure you speak up to the cashier and order what you want. read more

This place was an amazing to stumble on after a late night. The fried things and whole chickens in the window drew us in. Because the prices were so low and we were starving we tried a bunch of different things - the whole chicken (they chop it up with a massive knife) and ribs were delicious. They come on a plate of rice and beans (really good flavors on the beans). The best fried thing I tried was something with beef and plantains inside. If you are ever in the neighborhood give this place a try - it may even be worth thinking of a reason to go to Bushwick read more

Delicious, authentic spanish food. My husband and I had carne guisada con arroz amarillo y habichuelas. Also, tried the queso y beef pastelillos. Can't wait to eat here again! read more

My boyfriend is Puerto Rican so I know what good PR food tastes like and this isn't it. Really gross and inedible.

Worse service I'm Puerto Rican my self this food is not Puerto Rican it taste like water every meat is boil with little salt and everything else is fry with no Flavor I'm not the kind of person of writing reviews but I'm offended and insulted that they say this is Rican food with Dominican people cooking I highly not recommend this place reader eat at mc Donald's read more

This is a great place for a quick bite to eat. They have very few bar stools so if it's crowded you'll have to take it to go. It's worth the trip the food was amazing it was fresh and flavorful. The only issue is that it's cash only. So make sure you carry CASH when you decide to venture out to Brooklyn. read more

La Isla Cuchifritos - Yuca and pernil (cassava and roasted pork) YUM.. - Spanish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food looks good (home comfort Puerto Rican style) but you will be coming here for a quick sit or to order out. This is not a well appointed place with nice decor for enjoying a meal with a date. read more

Good ribs but horrible rice and beans. The meat from the ribs fell right off the bone. Their rice and beans was the worse ever. Completely dry, overcooked, and hard. What I really dislike about this place are their walls. It's completely blank. There are no menus, prices or combos listed. It just feels like whatever you order, they just throw a random price at you. I ordered ribs, rice, and some other thing that came out to 15 bucks. Pretty ridiculous for a small Spanish take out restaurant in Bushwick. There's another spot that's right across the street that taste a lot better. I gave this place a shot because the spot across the street closed early on Sunday. read more

La Isla Cuchifritos - a woman walking down the street - Spanish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Puerto Rican Paradise! Very small lonchería style front, so don't get scared that it's so packed. We are At the counter, and we threw down! This place has some great yellow rice, tostones, and the pollo? Olvídate! And because I'm Mexican, they hit the spot with the chile they have on the counter. read more

This was the joint when I first came to Brooklyn. I haven't been here in years and was driving by and decided to stop by. I stood there with money visibly in my hand and the dudes just kept walkin by me and servicing other GUYS. I don't know if it was cuz I was a chick or whatnot but that shit was madd rude. I won't be back. read more

I feel like whenever you get authentic cultural food, you sacrifice cleanliness and service for fantastic food at a low cost. That's exactly what this place is! If you're looking for real Spanish/PR food that will fill you up at a low price point, this is it. Best thing I tried was the rellenos de papa (potato ball with beef), close second was pastelillos de carne (PR meat turnover/empanada). If that sounds super white washed...what do you expect out of an Asian girl?! They have the menu board that makes it a lot easier for someone like me to order there now. I'm already craving it again! read more

Hi, my name is Jor-El and i'm from Miami... this means i have a serious addiction to hispanic food and by hispanic food i mean chicken, rice, and beans. This place satisfies this addiction pretty well. For $5 you can get half a chicken with rice and beans. It's also pretty damn delicious. They have lots of other stuff too (papa rellena and such.) The best part about this place? Its also open 24 hours. Yes, you read that correctly: CHEAP AMAZING HISPANIC FOOD OPEN 24/7. It's places like this that keep my addiction going and for that, i am grateful. read more

Eating at Cuchifritos gives one a taste of eating in the islands. For a moment you can forget that you are in America. All the familiar food, lots of fried food, the rice and the beans all year round. They have a huge Parcha juice which is my one of my favs. You might have to wait a bit to get a chair to seat on. The chairs are located along one long counter for everyone, so if you are alone, it actually makes you feel like if you are eating with a bunch of people. You might be quite entertained by the conversations going on around you in such a small place. The food is really tasty and the stew beef is very well cooked. read more

Very yummy food. Always packed! Employees are all very sweet and patient. All for a great price! Ultimate cuchifrito!

Best chicken I've had in Brooklyn! Fresh, juicy, and very well seasoned! And very cheap for a ton of food. My favorite chicken spot so far

I love their pastellitos (empanadas)! Their so crunchy and delicious!! Their potato balls are great too.

Food was sub par. Service was belligerent. That did not even give you all the food that we paid for. Bitchy employee lied about what was on the menu over her head on the wall. Never even offered a beverage choice. Clearly they did not want anyone that was not Hispanic in the restaurant. So sorry the La Isla in Manhattan closed. If you want to be insulted and served dry pork with no flavor you'll love this dump. read more

Mondongo and pork skins were awesome, the old guy running the spot reminded me of my grandpa but from Cuba. Ask for a menu or the special if you arent familiar with Cuban, Dominican or Puerto Rican food ..I brought my boyfriend 's non Spanish speaking fam with me and they praised god I was there to translate. read more

Drove around neighborhood looking for a cuchifrito when we spotted this restaurant. Has an A rating so we decided to try it. We ordered 2 orders rice and beans and peril, 2 relleno de papa, 4 alcapurias, and pig ears to go. I would have kept going but I'll save it for our next trip over. Everything was delicious! And all that for $23!! I would recommend it only for take out if you're driving through. Not the kind of neighborhood you want to stroll through Will go out of our way to come here again! Definitely recommend this place. read more

This restaurant has been here all my life and was always busy with regulars and friends. I do love the vibe in there. The alcapurrias are tasty (I love my mothers better) and the rotisserie chicken is a hot and miss. If you're lucky enough to get the chicken fresh out the oven, it is a delight. But sometimes it's incredibly dry. The rice and beans are also a hit and miss. Most of the time I avoid the rice altogether because it's usually undercooked. The beans are okay, but unless you watch and direct the cooks closely, they will DRENCH your rice in beans. The juices they serve are pretty good. They have their days, but I'm Puerto Rican, so I usually wait till I get home and cook my own food. But sometimes I don't have time! read more

Small spot in Brooklyn. On vacation and wanted to PR food. Bunch of food for less than $15. Empanadas are good. I think the hours of operation are wrong on here... Call to confirm that they're open read more

Absolutely love this place! Great home cooked style Spanish food for a great price. Place is clean. Staff is super friendly. No complains about this place. read more

This place is amazing. The food is fresh, authentic and inexpensive. Extremely reasonable. The service is kind, and they make you feel at home. The mofongo was made fresh. Empanadas and alcapurria were amazing. The papa rellenos were delicious. I loved this place and will return. read more

Once you understand what this place is all about, you appreciate its awesomeness. Let me explain. It's dirt cheap. It's not there to pamper you. If you don't speak Spanish and they don't recognize you, then a regular might get served before you; don't be offended, a regular is getting hooked-up. Some items are very unexceptional (I'm looking at you, rice & beans and fried chicken)! But the good things are so good! Best Bets: Roast pork, tacos (more like a taquito or flauta to you blancos), rotisserie chicken, empanadas, and ribs are your best bets. Add rice & beans for under $2 to fill-up, not to get a flavor bomb. Tip the guys a few bucks on take-out; they appreciate it; they remember; it's the right thing to do. read more

Although I live in Lower East Side, this is my closest cuchifrito spot. The others are either in Spanish Harlem or da Bronx. Not close. I was doing some shopping in the area and needed to stop by and get some items for me and the fam. Getting frituras and cuchifritos without having to make it is a relief, an honor, and a treat. 2 pastelillos(beef turnovers/pies), 2 relleno de papa(mashed potato balls stuffed with beef), 2 alcapurrias(taro root/green banana fritters stuffed with beef), a bacalaito(cod fish fritter), and un refresco de ajonjoli(toasted sesame seed drink). Not the crispiest, but all very good. The beef turnover had the most filling. My drink was really good and cold but definitely not traditional in taste. The cod not too fishy and the alcapurrias were good, although I don't know why they don't sell the plantain ones. Every seat was allocated for. It was the lunch rush time. Tenders were very attentive and swift. I'm glad that this place is still doing well and putting out the hits. read more