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La Isla Restaurant

3.8 (66 reviews)
InexpensiveDominican, Puerto Rican
Open • 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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LA ISLA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Divey
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - La Isla Restaurant

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a variety of pastries on display
M T.

I came here for lunch and got some rice and beans with the pork($10). Pork wasn't bad but could've been a little juicier. A good portion of rice and beans, but that's normal since it's so cheap. The place is clean and service was quick. Pay cash to avoid credit card fees that most places are now adding.

Costillas and tostones, $10 together (not including tup), perfect.
Alan Y.

I started coming here about ten years ago. I'm in Greenpoint now, and just yesterday came back for the first time in a couple years and, yeah, they still got it. They say you can only pick two out of good, cheap, and fast, but La Isla shatters that law of physics. Its a safest bet for Latin food at this juncture of North Brooklyn with a deceptively extensive menu. Love the bistec encebollada (steak with onions), morcillas (blood sausage), sweet plantain frituras (add hot sauce), yuca fries, roast pork or chicken, mofongo (mashed/fried plantains) with gravy, tripe stew, dominican pasta; they have the classics down. Last night I got the tender costillas (pork ribs) and crispy tostones, the items totalltling a mere $10. It can best be described as a counter service place, light on atmosphere with no alcohol, but with friendly service that will oblige any requests, so don't be afraid to ask for condiments (just ketchup, hot sauce, and gravy), water, onions etc. This location is my favorite, super consistent (though rule of thumb with these places is to check the hot shelves on the way in to see what's looking fresh). There are similarly named cuchifritos restaurants on Myrtle in Bushwick and down on Broadway and Flushing. With the neighborhood "changing" as rapidly as it is, it's paramount to support and treasure places like this one.

Combo 1 - half roasted chicken with rice and beans
Winnie Z.

I've walked past this place a couple of times and wanted to try it but never too hungry to enter. My colleague said to come here today so why not. If you're going to order half a chicken and rice and beans, make sure you order it together or ask for combo 1. If you order the chicken then ask for rice and beans after, it's considered two items instead of one. In which my colleague did earlier and had to pay extra while getting the same amount of food I had. I believe combo 1 is $8.50 while getting them separately is around $2 more. I also ordered a small coconut drink that was $2.50. Not bad for a whole meal that can feed 2 people. For the price, it's great. However, I did think parts of the chicken was cooked slightly too long and it was dry. Not to the point where it's unpleasant, but it was enough to not want to take more bites than I'd like. The chicken and the rice and beans had a pinch too much salt, so it's not fitting to everyone's tastes. I did however really enjoy the coconut drink, even though I thought it was a little sweet. It did remind me of a Pina colada. Would've been nice to have spiked it tho! Overall, it's a lot of food for one person, but for that price, it's worth it. Definitely come for their drinks even if you're not there for food. It won't be a first choice to come here, but it's still worthy of having.

Cheap tasty meal when drunky drunk!
Phil H.

What the heck time was it last night when we stumbled in here after a night of hard drinking at Duff's nearby? 3:30 AM? 4AM? Got me. All I know is that it was still open, had lots of cheap food, and we were drunk and starving. Large-ass crispy beef empanadas, whole roasted chicken cut and quartered, terrific yellow rice and beans, house hot sauce, and a half dozen or so juice and lemonade drinks to choose from. Devoured this meal as if it were my last. Was it any good? I think so. Who knows - we were hammered! But it was a good meal to help soak up all the alcohol in my belly! Saw other patrons of the bar wander in here to eat as we were leaving. Thank goodness for these late night hole in the wall spots open until the wee hours. Right next to the subway stop too which is a bonus!

Lunch special
Latoya G.

I had the $4.50, $5.50 w/juice, lunch special. Chicken stew, yellow rice and beans. It was delish. The coconut juice is amazing. I also had the Papas Rellena (Fried Stuffed Potatoes) which was very bland.

Pollo entero

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9 years ago

Such big portions of food. My and my best friend just split our meal! I was very satisfied with the food

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15 years ago

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10 years ago

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14 years ago

Really loving their frituras, damn good late night/drunk food.

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10 years ago

The people Talk ALOT and LOUD They wind up spitting in the food. Believe me 99% of the time. They overcharge also.

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Kiosko 787 - Shredded Sofrito Chicken Empanadilla

Kiosko 787

4.0(172 reviews)
2.6 mi•Gowanus
•$$

The food was good and brought me back to when I last took a trip to PR. Very traditional flavors…read moreand on point. The place had a traditional PR vibe. Service was good. I would def go back.

On Friday, 2/13, while visiting NY, we were looking for Puerto Rican cuisine after another…read moreManhattan restaurant we planned to visit turned out to be permanently closed with no online update. We found Kiosko 787 while searching nearby options. We tried calling three times, but the phone would ring, play a greeting, and disconnect. Despite that, we decided to give it a try and arrived around 2:30 pm. The exterior was colorful and inviting, reminiscent of Old San Juan. Inside was smaller than expected but vibrant and cozy. The restaurant was empty except for one hostess on her phone. When we asked to dine in (party of five), she immediately asked if we had a reservation and told us reservations had to be made online. She explained they do not answer the phone as it's only for online orders and business information. After waiting a few minutes, she was able to seat us. Three people in our group had never tried Puerto Rican food, so we were excited to introduce them. We ordered drinks and the Picadera Sampler, which was excellent -- flavorful fried chicken chunks and delicious fried cheese. We finished the entire platter. For entrées, two of us ordered the Chuleta Kan Kan to share, and the other three also shared one, adding a mofongo as an extra side. The menu describes it as a "mega thick cut pork chop" and shows a large cut including belly and rib, which is why we chose to share. When the dishes arrived, the pork chops were normal-sized, thin, and nothing like the description or photo. We jokingly renamed them "Chuleta Can't Can't." The server dropped off the plates without knives or checking in and remained distracted on her phone. When we asked about the size, we were told the butcher sends different cuts. We asked about adding extra meat, but were told we would need to purchase another full entrée as they could not sell us a portion of meat, even when we asked if carne frita/pork chunks or a pork chop would be an option. The pork was thin, overcooked, and dry. The rice and pigeon peas were bland and heavy on tomato paste or sauce flavor. The mofongo, however, was moist and delicious with a garlicky butter sauce. Shortly after, another staff member brought out an additional pork chop that they "found in the kitchen," which was appreciated but also very dry. Given we were the only table (aside from one later customer), more proactive service and a heads-up about portion sizes would have helped manage expectations and given us the chance to order differently. The restaurant was also extremely warm. When we mentioned the heat, the response was dismissive. We really wanted this to be a great introduction to Puerto Rican cuisine for our friends. Unfortunately, the service and misleading entrée presentation fell short. The Picadera Sampler and mofongo were the only highlights and the reason for the 2-star rating.

Photos
Kiosko 787 - Inside

Inside

Kiosko 787 - Come n Get Em' Best Cuban Sandwich, Tripleta amazing!

Come n Get Em' Best Cuban Sandwich, Tripleta amazing!

Kiosko 787 - Outside of the restaurant looks just like viejo San Juan

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Outside of the restaurant looks just like viejo San Juan

Empanada City - One of the better ones I've had. 9/10

Empanada City

4.2(45 reviews)
2.0 mi

OMG!! These…read moreempanadas are seriously the best tasting empanadas I ever had. Immediately I was going to rate them lower due to size and no labeling but the taste was truly made with lots of love. I ordered 4 via Ubereats, totaling roughly $24 with 3 sauces. I ordered the Chicken macaroni and cheese, Ropa Vieja, Americano and a Pastelon. Every single one of them were on point, warm and crispy. My only true complaint is that they're super small. Better for my calorie intake I guess lol. The meat was extremely well seasoned, cheese was melted, plantain was sweet. The edges were crispy and the flavors together were delicious. The avocado sauce is way too thick. It's more like a thick heavy cream. The pink sauce is your typical mayo ketchup. There is absolutely no way of knowing which empanadas are which. They need a better concept so that customers know especially if they're ordering as a group to share. I've never seen an empanada place not label their empanada. I read a google review from the owners saying they put it on the package on the bottom corner but that is a lie. It's not on the empanada itself or on the packaging. Overall I'm still ordering from here again : )

Starr Street location.. Well seasoned & cooked to order, overstuffed goodness so it will take a…read morefew minutes. Cozy seating area if you want to enjoy, hot and fresh. The cons... they charge for sauce, you get none if you don't order it... $.30 each. I got the avocado and hot sauce, decent but nothing fancy. They have plastic cutlery, no knife, just forks. They have rice and bean dishes with your choice of protein, but if you're traveling, and you like your beans separate, they will not pack it separately. So I didn't order it. They're not very accommodating, but they were still good. I'll be back, rates 7.5/10 This shrimp empanada is my #1 favorites.

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Empanada City - Inside

Inside

Empanada City - A bit dry but flavor is good.

A bit dry but flavor is good.

Empanada City - Guava & Cheese (GC)

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Guava & Cheese (GC)

Mia’s Cocina - Chicken empanadas

Mia’s Cocina

5.0(2 reviews)
1.7 mi•Lower East Side

These are some of the tastiest, homestyle, boricua empanadas ive had in ages. Think cuchifritos of…read morethe 90s or the Tia outside serving them up from the silver foil pan after cooking them up fresh on the block. The array of sauces deliver nods to other hand held treats from across Latin America, so evervone can snag something they like. Theres arroz con gandules, white rice and tempting main dishes to round out a meal after an alcapurria or two. Check them out, im sure you'll enjoy.

The Puerto Rican comfort food served at Mia's Cocina are simply delicious. They feel lighter than…read morethe typical American comfort food due to its vibrant use of fresh herbs, sofrito base and amazing seasoning. I had tried their Carne Guisada ( beef stew) over rice and beans. The beef was tender and flavorful. The Chicharrones de Pollo (fried 'Chicken chunks' ) were bite size delightful pieces of fried chicken that I had with rice and beans and a side of plantain chips. The Mac n Cheese surprised me with the different layers of flavor and it had a hint of sweetness. The young woman at Mia's Cocina patiently explained what the daily specials were and what they are called in Spanish. The price is very reasonable. I can't wait to try their other specials and of course, their pasteles, alcapurrias, and empanadas!

Photos
Mia’s Cocina - Order counter

Order counter

Mia’s Cocina - Large order of Chicharrones de Pollo ( 'Chicken Chunks') over rice and beans.

Large order of Chicharrones de Pollo ( 'Chicken Chunks') over rice and beans.

Mia’s Cocina - Menu

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Menu

La Isla Restaurant - dominican - Updated May 2026

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