The food was authentic and delicious. Served hot and fresh. The flavors were perfect for my wife who is not accustomed to Latin / Caribbean cuisine or any cuisine that has peppers involved . I was able to ask for some special spices and sauces that made it bring the heat the way i like ;)) The service was on point, everyone was friendly and offered suggestions based on our questions. The ambiance was great! You order at the counter and can sit anywhere. We chose to sit on the balcony overlooking the marketplace allowing us a great vantage point to enjoy some people watching. The plates were large so we were ready for a nap after we finished. We will definitely come again! read more

Best authentic Puerto Rican food in the Bay Area hands down! My hubby and I were so happy to find a spot that reminded us of the Spanish food back at his hometown in Massachusetts. Furthermore, the decor blew me away with all the Puerto Rican flags, art, pictures on the wall and bright colors. They serve authentic dishes from Pernil with arroz con gandules, beef and chicken empanadillas, and mofongo. For this visit, I ordered the daily special, which was the combo Pernil plate with arroz con gandules, tostones (fried plantains), and a beef empanadilla. My hubby ordered the chuletas combo plate. All I gotta say is that after I took that first bite of Pernil, I instantly knew that this was not going to be our only time eating here. The Pernil wasn't dry and the skin (the best part) was so crispy, including the tostones. The beef empanadilla was delicious! Not only was the food amazing, the service was excellent! Plus I couldn't stop dancing while eating in my seat while they played Bad Bunny songs. We met the owner who was very friendly and I loved the positive energy that he brought to the restaurant which made our first dining experience such a vibe! If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would. Can't wait to come back to try the mofongo! read more

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I'm sorry for the three! Our first time coming and we were so lost! I walked up to the counter. No greeting. I'm huge on greeting's. I almost left. But I really wanted to try Puerto Rican food. And I had read so many great reviews so I said OK maybe it's me. So so I look at the what you call it. KISOK and I said OK maybe I order here? So then I asked the young lady behind the register. Do you take my order and hello how are you? And she said I could take your order you can order on there. It wasn't busy. I don't know why I felt a little brushed off! So my daughter proceeded to give her her order. And then I had a few questions and after that she was really friendly and very helpful. It's just the first impression for me is something else. I've always been huge on greetings. So she did make up for it that's why it's three stars. I can't remember the names of the things I ordered. So there's pictures and I enjoyed the food. I won't say that I would eat there again because it just wasn't to my daughter or my liking. But that's just us nothing personal food was really good. It was just different so I would honestly give it a 10 out of 10. My daughter had the pork belly. She said it was all fat so she gave it a Three out of 10. read more

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This Puerto Rican restaurant is NEXT LEVEL! I've been rocking with them since they were in Oakland off Fruitvale, and I'm so happy they're now at the Marketplace in Castro Valley (second floor go find them!). The hospitality? 10/10. Customer service is always on point, the staff is welcoming, and the whole vibe feels like family the second you walk in. Now let's talk about the FOOD. Flavor packed in every single bite! I ordered the arroz con gandules, pastel, sweet plantains, and the tostones. FIRE. Whew! Everything was seasoned perfectly and cooked with real love. And don't even get me started on the sauces... GAME. CHANGER. They take the whole meal completely over the top. read more

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First time trying Puerto Rican cuisine. La Perla is located on the second floor of the Castro Valley Marketplace. We decided to come here because parents were visiting from out of town and Dad wanted to try this place out. The decor is very cute. Streamers of Puerto Rican flags strewn across, bongo drums, and colorful tables and chairs. Also the energetic trumpet sounds of Latin jazz filled the air. You place your order at the register and choose your seating where you like. They offer water , pitcher for self serve. Husband ordered the pork chop. I ordered the chicken combo plate. My chicken was very tender and juicy. My husband's pork chop was also thick and tender and juicy . I also loved the vinegared onions on top of my salad. The olives in the rice was new to me but was also very yummy. And of course the fried plantains were hot and sweet and delicious. We really enjoyed trying a new cuisine, something new and different for us. I have no comparison for Puerto Rican foods and other restaurants, but from a first timers experience I would rate 5/5. Would love to come back again. The food was good, hot and tasty and it's a cute little corner shop with fun festive decor. read more

La Perla - First time trying Puerto Rican - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Order: 1 Chicharrones de Pollo (Fried Chicken Cracklings) with Arroz con Habichuelas Price: $17.00 1 Pollo Encebollado (Baked Chicken with Sautéed Onions) with Arroz con Habichuelas Price: $17.00 Total: $47 The restaurant is located inside the Castro Valley Marketplace on the second floor. There are both stairs and elevators available. Parking is plentiful in the lot and free. The food was great--truly a delicious meal. The chicken was very tender and juicy, and I loved the tostones; they were super crispy. My husband really enjoyed his fried chicken cracklings and said the meal was a 10/10. We enjoyed every bite. Service was good. The young lady at the counter was friendly and polite and answered all of our questions since it was our first time visiting on 01/25. You order and pay at the counter, then take a seat. I'm personally not a big fan of ordering and paying at the counter because it can feel a bit rushed. Water and utensils are self-serve. I loved the ambiance of this place. They incorporated their culture throughout the entire restaurant--very colorful, vibrant, and visually appealing. The aesthetics were beautiful. Overall, I will definitely be coming back to try other dishes. I highly recommend this place. read more

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Solid Puerto Rican spot tucked in the top floor of the CV marketplace! You can hear the music when you walk in, and it was a bit busy on a Sunday afternoon. You order first at the counter and then seat yourself, with self serve water available. The food arrived in decent time, and we were given two sauce bottles as well. The pork chop mofongo was my favorite out of everything we ordered! The pork chop was tender and juicy, paired well with flavorful mofongo and surrounded by a delicious sauce. The empanadas were also good and filled with meat, albeit the beef one was a bit dry - the chicken was less dry. The baked chicken plate was great as well! Juicy chicken, well seasoned rice, and solid yuca fries. The only disappointment were the fried chicken cracklings - they were overcooked, hence dry. Overall, had a pleasant time here and enjoyed the food! read more

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La Perla is on the second floor of the Castro Valley Marketplace. There is an elevator so it is accessible. You ordered at the counter and the food is delivered to you. We dined there on a Sunday for lunch, and almost all the tables were occupied when we arrived, a good sign. The menu is only one page and a bit limited. I was a little disappointed that the Pernil(roasted pork shoulder) they are known for is available only on Saturdays, but we tried the chuletas pork chop, the fried chicken, the baked chicken, and grilled shrimp. For each order, you can request up to two sides, such as plantains or seasoned rice, and a side of salad is also included. Don't come here if you are already very hungry, cause it took about 25 minutes before our food started to arrive, and the reason for deducting a star. While waiting, the owner was singing along to the Latin music he was playing over the sound system. He actually sang pretty good, and with the Puerto Rican decor around the place, it is not a stretch to imagine you are in Puerto Rico. Onto the food, the pork chop was one of the best I ever had. It was chunky and thick with meat, and the way the seasoned the meat made it tasted so good. I am salivating just thinking about it. The fried chicken was also pretty good, but my wife thought the baked chicken was a bit bland. My mother enjoyed her grilled shrimp. The portions of the order were pretty good, so we didn't have room for dessert. As we were finishing up our meals, the owner came by and asked us how's everything, and we gave him a thumbs up. We plan to make a trip back on a Saturday for the Pernil. read more

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La Perla's new location inside the CV marketplace is a big upgrade from their former location in the Diamond District of Oakland. Plenty of seating, TVs, and access to the rest of the marketplace make it a place worth driving over for. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but my personal favorite is anything with the chicharrones de pollo. Their in house hot sauce is excellent too. Their ordering and food pickup process could be a little smoother, as everything is ordered at the counter, and it's confusing as to whether or not you are supposed to pick up your food from the counter, or it will be delivered to your table. And for the price you pay, it would be nice to see some real plates utilized rather than paper boats. This will not however deter me from returning for more delicious mofongo, chicharrones, camarones, and empanadas. read more

La Perla - Hot sauce - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Came here for the first time a couple weeks ago on a Tuesday for lunch. My order: combo plate with chicharrones de pollo, with the sweet plantains (you can choose between the savory and sweet one, or yuca fries), and I got the seasoned rice. My husband got the mofongo. Dishes are around $17 to $25 if you get the average priced ones. Pros: - I feel like it's really rare to have puerto rican food in the East Bay area, so this is a really nice addition to the indoor market here in CV! - Really warm and bright atmosphere, open seating, very colorful - The worker was really nice, and explained the items on the menu in a patient way since I hadn't had Puerto Rican food before - Pretty large portions, we definitely had leftovers, especially if you get the combo plate - Really good bottled sauces that you can use with your meal! there's like a spicy one and a mango one and it's really good on the chicharrons, plantains, and rice. Cons: - Everything to me felt very ... dry? I felt like I had to put sauce on everything so that it didn't feel so dry in my mouth when I was chewing it. It could also be my own ignorance since I haven't really tried Puerto Rican food much before - Not great for parties bigger than like 4 if it's a busy time like during dinner, since most of the tables are smaller - Parking can be tricky if it's a busy meal time, since the village is always super crowded. Overall, not a bad try! Wouldn't mind coming here again read more

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The setting is perfect and clean. Nice music playing. Friendly service. The mango sauce in the squirt bottle is perfect to use as salad dressing. The pork chop dish was very good and it comes with a flag as garnish. The baked chicken with onions was juicy and the plantains were excellent. Rice is a nice change from the usual although a coconut rice option would be a great addition to the flavors provided here. As some noted, the credit card charge back is weak. That should be stated as you order as nobody likes surprise charges. Maybe just increase the prices a couple points and don't cause people anxiety. Bottom line though - the food and setting are very well done. read more

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Repeat customers of the former Fruitvale District location and had to check out the new spot in Castro Valley. Different staff (at least on the day we visited), but nice and friendly. We noticed the portions are smaller, mojo used to be complimentary and we paid $2.50 for less than 2oz. The beans are usually delicious but primarily gravy and less beans. I specifically asked for more beans and less gravy and received more gravy and less beans, which were completely bland. I was so sad, the beans were one of my LaPerla favorites. We also ordered an empanada and didn't receive it but also wasn't charged so we didn't attempt to reorder. read more

La Perla - Carnitas plate with rice, beans, salad and order of chicken chicharron. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Cached in the corner upstairs in the Castro Valley Market, this little place offers Puerto Rican cuisine with 'order at the counter' convenience to eat there amidst the festive decorations or take out. I got carried away and ordered a combo plate, a mofongo plate, and three empanadillos. Total was like $72. Saving the empanadillos for leftovers. Chicken with Mofongo was delightful, savory, and like homemade. Mofongo is made from Plantains, cooked, partially mashed, then maybe fried together. Winds up half way between mashed potatoes and a dumpling. Shrimp in creole sauce tasted really good, and it's not spicy like Cajun creole Worth checking out! read more

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This is a walk up, order, find a seat and pick up your order when it's called out kind of restaurant. It's located upstairs in a grocery / food hall, but separate from the other businesses so it isn't confusing to find. I ordered the creole shrimp. I can't really remember the name, but it was very flavorful and if garlic was used like I think it was, it definitely made an impact in the dish. Side note - you know when you're younger and there are just certain things that your taste buds don't like? Mine was pickled onions from only God knows where, until last Sunday. They weren't half as bad as I remember. In fact, they weren't bad at all, so kudos to growth. Anyway, the one thing I have to pick at is mofongo not being offered as a side. It's only offered as an entree, but I would have loved a side of it. This is a simple restaurant in terms of seating and just ordering your food. We were checked on about our food and that was it - I was able to eat and enjoy in peace. read more

La Perla - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

This place is legit. We ordered the fried chicken and baked chicken combos, a veggie empanada, two juices of boxes, and coconut. This is not going to part of the normal rotation. The food was delicious. Three plates and the additional item I mentioned was roughly 80 bucks. I guess this is the norm in costs these days. Process- you order at the counter and sit down. They yell your name and you pick up the food. When you are done, there is a trash can just outside for you to toss your food and drop the plastic trays. Easy. FYI. All the tables were filled by 7pm on a Friday night. They have big tables so it's nice for kids. I consider this a family friendly atmosphere. read more

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I m a Fan of La Perla !!! I have wanted to try them, when they were located in Oakland!!! Now they have a New Home in the Castro Valley Market Place!!! There's Tons of Parking and It's a lot safer than Oakland!!! La Perla is definitely a Family Owned Business and a Family Run Business!!! Decor is Vibrant and very Puerto Rican Proud !!! La Perla was recently featured on KTVU Zip Line Feature on their AM News Show!!! I arrived at La Perla to a very Clean and Festive atmosphere'n The Owners DAUGHTER IN LAW took my Order! I ordered the Beef Empanada , Yucca Frite and Arroz Con Gandules Combination Plate !!! I also ordered a Coconut for a Beverage!!! I grabbed a Table and Chilled out!! 15 minutes later my Food Arrived at my Table. It was a Nice Presentation!! I used some of their House Secret Sauce on my Beef Empanada and my Yucca Frites!! That Sauce is like Crack!!! Yummy!! The Owner and Chef ‍ is Quite Hospitable and Social able !!! For All These Reasons, This Is A Baller On A Budget Approved Establishment!!! I Always Keep My Pimp Hand Strong !!!! read more

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We were so happy to find a legit Boricua joint nearby and we had to check it out! Cute spot - welcoming, bright colors, comfortable vibe, good music, and friendly staff. Tasty, good portions of food - nice selection, and the mango habanero sauce is delicious. We will definitely be back! read more

La Perla - Carne frita special - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I've eaten here twice and I thought when I had the pork chop the second time, it was hard as a rock. I had the flan twice and it was delicious. Once I was passing through and tried to order the flan, but the person at the counter said they do not carry it anymore. That was the most consistently delicious thing there, in my opinion. Like another reviewer mentioned, the staff wasn't very friendly or helpful. I think they are nicer to Latinos in general, but I get that. The music was a little too loud for me as well. You order at the counter and you pick it up at the counter, too, fast food style without the reasonable fast food prices. Everything is self service, including the water. read more

What a gem of a place! So nice to have a local Puerto Rican restaurant (my fav one is Sol Food in San Rafael). La Perla is a delicious and authentic restaurant located within the Castro Valley Marketplace. The decor and ambiance feels like you're in Old San Juan, and the music makes you want to dance! The owner also came out to play the drums a bit and mingle with the patrons, love how personable he is. Came for dinner around 5pm on a Saturday and it wasn't busy. Ordered the pork combo plate which came with 2 sides and a small salad while my bf ordered the chicken combo plate and an empanada. Food came out relatively quick, you can tell they make everything fresh. The chicken and pork were superb, very moist and tender. We ordered the arroz con gandules (rice with pidgeon peas) and the sweet plantains for the sides and WOW the rice had the same flavor that I remember from Puerto Rico and the sweet plantains were just the right amount of sweetness and a little firm. They were out of the beef empanada so we went with the chicken, glad we did! They stuffed the empanada with tons of chicken that was seasoned so well. It's also pretty big, you could definitely get one and a side of rice and be full. The sauces they give you with your meal are also delicious and complimented the food well. The only thing I wish they had on the menu was some type of skirt steak. When I was in Puerto Rico every restaurant had that on their menu and it's delicious. I know it would sell well! I've already been twice and I'll keep coming back to support! read more

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Boricua, wepaaaaaa baby! Oh how I love to see Puerto Rican restaurants. They are so hard to come across. As many Puerto Ricans as we got out here, igs we always only eating at each others houses lol. We definitely need to open up some more Puerto Rican restaurants/food trucks and bless the world with some of our sazon! Because we don't see it enough. I didn't know that this spot was the one that used to be on Fruitvale and prior to that on MacArthur in the liquor store in Oakland! I noticed the name, but I just didn't realize until we got there and I noticed the decor and the owner! The set up is nice, restaurant is a little small but it has such a home-y feel!! The decor takes me back to Puerto Rico. The music was a vibe. All of the food was 10/10... We came on Mother's Day and everything was great, except for all of our food was cold except the tostones. I figured it is Puerto Rican food so takes time, so they make it all in the morning and keep it on like a hot plate or stove? Not sure, but everything was cold and we just felt so bad asking them to reheat it because we ordered so much food and the place was packed plus we aren't ones to complain, but the food shouldn't have been as cold as it was, it was disappointing especially for it to be on Mothers Day. However, the flavor was there!!! Gave me a taste of mi isla del encanto Chuleta Mofongo 10/10 the pork chop was seasoned perfectly and juicy! Chicharrones de Pollo 10/10 the chicken was so tender inside yet crispy on the outside. Flavor profile was good. Arroz con gandules 10/10 Just like my Mami's Tostones 10/10 hot and crispy, perfect saltiness. Maduros 10/10 sweet sweet bananas, sprinkled salt on em so yummy! Pernil 10/10 tender, juicy, flavorful. Pique 7/10.. I wasn't really a fan of the mangoey habanero flavor I tasted.. but it wasn't bad, just not my flavor profile. Didn't taste like the pique I usually eat. I'm talking all the food was authentically Puerto Rican. Way better than I remembered it on Fruitvale! I would definitely be back, I think I'd just come earlier in the day because maybe then everything will be fresh off the stove or out oven and HOTTT. I 100% recommend for you if you're reading this to try this authentically Puerto Rican Restaurant! read more

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First of all, when you go upstairs to find the restaurant you will quickly feel like you're in Puerto Rico (or Bad Bunny's Super Bowl show ). The decor, music, and vibe felt fun and authentic. It was my first time here, so I had a lot of questions, especially as I am gluten free. The woman working was so nice and helpful with my questions. She told me that many items are gluten free, however, they share the same fryer as the gluten items. That was a bummer, but since I'm gluten sensitive (not allergic), i decided to order anyway. I got the yuca fries as an appetizer and the mofongo with chicken as my entree. The fries were crispy perfection and even better with the sauce! It was my first time having mofongo and I enjoyed it. The chicken was so tender and everything was flavorful! My friend got the mofongo with shrimp. I think I might try that next, or the combination with the rice instead. I liked the fries so much that I ordered more to bring home! read more

La Perla - Chicken mofongo, shrimp mofongo, yuca fries - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The food was amazing! We ordered the shrimp plate. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed. The waitstaff brought out the food quickly, checked in often, and maintained friendliness. We were quite impressed on our first visit today. We will return. read more

Cool new spot for this great restaurant! We loved the Fruitvale spot as well. But this place is cool, hip, way more tables and the food is still delicious! Service is with a smile. You do most of the work here, bus your table, pick up your food, utensils, etc. Check out the other businesses in this market place as well! Cheers! read more

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I have been waiting for this place to open up since I saw the owners interview about leaving his Oakland location. We finally came on the weekend and it was busy but not packed. The service was great and the wait was not long at all. The vibe is very welcoming and the owner walks around greeting and checking on everyone. He's very friendly and nice to talk to. What we ordered: Pollo Encebollado con arroz y habichuelas: 10/10 ** The chicken was moist and tender. The bean "soup" you can pour over your rice and it's fire! The side salad has pickled onions, yum! The fried plantains were perf. The sauces were delicious! Beef empanadas: 9/10 Kids chicken tenders: 9/10 **real chicken (my kiddo approved) Camarones ala criolla: 9/10 If you know this market, you know it's had many restaurants come and go. I really hope this one lasts here! They are so good! read more

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Found this gem on upper floor at a market in Castro valley . What caught my eye was the Puerto Rican flag hanging near the entrance . Then a beautifully designed neon light hanging to the left of that. Had to try. So glad I did. Hands down best Puerto Rican food I have had in the Bay Area . The owner was walking around checking on everyone and providing a welcoming feeling . The lady who took our order was patient and answered all our questions about the menu. So friendly . Small, clean , organized and full of life with Latin music playing in the background particularly salsa provided a lovely spot. Food came out within a decent time frame and didn't disappoint. Had leftovers which were just as tasty fried up again. A must try . read more

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Came here while walking around Castro Valley. I was surprised to find a Puerto Rican place on the second floor of the shopping center and had to check out their menu even though I wasn't too hungry. There was a good amount of seating and not too many people when I went in the afternoon so after looking at the menu, I had to order the mofongo with pernil to take home for later. The owner took our order and was super nice and helpful with this recommendations. Once I got home, I took a bite of the mofongo and the flavors were great! The plantain wasn't dry and the sauce was super flavorful and not too salty. The pernil also had really good flavor but my only comment was that it was a bit on the tougher side. Definitely will have to come back when I'm over in Castro valley cause the flavors were fantastic overall and the employees were nice and helpful! read more

I'm obsessed, I'm really happy CV has a new addition in the Marketplace, let alone a Latinx restaurant. It's located on the 2nd floor, be sure not to miss out! I haven't tried La Perla at their Oakland location so I was excited to hear they were moving to CV. The menu has various options that I'm not as familiar with, knowing there lacks a widespread access to Caribbean/Certain Latinx food in the Bay Area compared to NY, Miami, or other areas. I had the pleasure of eating the Chicharrones de Pollo and I can't wait to try the Pernil (only on Saturdays) It was amazing, the sauce really held everything together. Particularly the mango habanero sauce was my favorite. I'd love to snag a bottle of this one day if possible. Overall, service great: you order at the counter and you can takeout or dine in. It's not a huge place but it has the homey, family feel. I do recommend coming and bringing along any friends or family because it's great to share. I'm definitely coming again and you can tell the food was made with love! read more

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The food was pretty good but I'll have to ding them severely on the stars because they charged a mandatory 18% gratuity for a group of 6 for pretty much no service except taking our order and calling us up to collect our food. And to add insult to injury they charged us a 3% credit card fee! (oh yes the worker bent over backwards to point to the garbage bins for us to bus our own dishes and trash) Also, credit card fee surcharges are illegal in California unless posted, from AI: "No, you generally cannot add a surcharge for credit card use in California because Senate Bill 478 requires businesses to include all mandatory fees in the advertised price, effectively banning surcharges at checkout." read more

La Perla is a great addition to the Castro Valley Marketplace bringing Puerto Rican cuisine to the area. Let me get this out of the way.. HANDS DOWN my favorite hot sauce, the Fuego Mango is to die for! I couldn't get enough of it, definitely would purchase a whole bottle. Okay, now for the food. A bit expensive overall but great flavors. The empanadillas are $8 each but a pretty good size. The Mofongo Camarones A La Criolla also had warm and vibrant flavors but the portions felt a little small and the mofongo a little dry. As a comparison I usually order this same plate at Sol Food in San Rafael. Also got a side of maduros which came with a good quantity. I would come back to try some more dishes! read more

First time trying Puerto Rican food. This venue is new and located upstairs in the Casto Valley Marketplace, with over a handful of other food venues and the small grocery store. Stopped in to check out the menu and since I wasn't hungry, ordered 2 items to later snack on at home. I got the chicken chicharones appetizer (fried chicken pieces) $12. And their daily special, Alcapurria $7, which didn't appear to be on the regular menu. It is a fried starch dumpling filled with seasoned beef mincemeat. My order came with 2 dipping sauces: a garlic aioli and spicy hot mango. Both went really well with both snack/appetizer items. Fun atmosphere here: they have reggaeton music playing and I thought it was sweet that the chef (probably owner too) came out dancing to the tunes and said hello and thank you to everyone for trying their food. There's about 8 tables of 4 seats to dine here. You first order at the counter and pay. Then they bring the food to your table (if you're eating here). I'm looking forward to be back to try their other dishes when I'm in the area again. read more

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La Perla opened in Hermanos Verdes' vacated space. Infrastructure similar with new decor. Offerings (Puerto Rican): combos, appetizers, drinks.. Fam. Member picked up take out here. Bites Combo: Camarones Ala Criolla (21) with Tostones, Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rico national dish) -Camarones-sauteed shrimp with creole sauce 6 crunchy & firm med. Lg. tail on shrimp. Creole sauce had slight spicy chile kick. -tostones: raw sliced cassava lightly battered, fried. Eat asap. Healthy alternative to french fries. Arroz made with piegon peas, local herbs & spices. Has sweet, salty, and spicy notes.. read more

La Perla - Combo (21): camarones ala Criolla, arroz con gandules, tostones.. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Loved them when they were in Oakland, and it's totally worth the trip here. Everything is well-seasoned, with generous portions. We had the Chuleta Pork Chop, Pollo Encebollada, and the best Maduros and Yucca Frita ever. read more

I don't know what they put in the meat at this place, but whatever it is..................... KEEP DOING THAT!!! The theme song for the meat at La Perla should be LaRussell's song "I GOT FLAVOR!" I had the Chicharrones De Pollo Mofongo recently and the Pollo Encebelado and Beef Empanada in the past. The Mofongo had me savoring each bite. They hook it with some sort of ketchup mixed with mayo sauce. The chicken tasted so good. Same goes for the Pollo Encebelado. Now the Beef Empanada. For the price you pay, its a pretty damn big Empanada. And that was BOMB AF as well. It smacks for sure. *Translation: You'll like it Chef Cheo's IG posts on La Perla IG account be cracking me up. Like he always says. DON'T BE LATE. He's not waiting for you. :P La Perla is on the second floor of the Castro Valley Marketplace. Chill vibes. Cool photos, artwork and concert posters around the place. read more

I was skeptical at first of trying La Perla based on past Yelp reviews, but some of my family had tried it and said it was good. I stopped by on a Saturday night around 6:30 and there was quite a few people. There were maybe 2-3 tables left and 4-5 people in front of us in line. Most tables are 4 or 2 seaters, so I wouldn't recommend coming with a bigger party than that. If the inside is too full, you could sit on the benches outside overlooking the marketplace. The plus of dining in is that they have bottles of sauces at some of the tables so you can put as much as you want on your dishes. Since there was a wait, it took about 30 minutes to get our food. Baked chicken combo: (5/5) for what it was, I was happy with what I got. I did put (I believe) the mango sauce on the chicken and tostones, which made the entire plate gain a bit of flavor. The tostones were crispy, but relatively soft on the inside. The chicken was shredded with no bones, which was a plus. Most of it was tender, except for the edge piece towards the end. I also got the pink bean stew as a side, which was also tasty. There was a good amount of beans in there with a few pieces of soft carrot. Beef empanadas: (4/5) very crispy exterior. There was a good amount of beef in the filling. I wish there was a tad bit more flavor to the beef. Pampas empanadas are better in my opinion. Again, I put the mango sauce on the empanadas and it did taste better. If you want to eat here, I'd probably suggest dining in as the food won't travel well. It's better to eat everything hot and fresh. This is a nice local addition to Castro Valley! read more

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This is my first visit here. My father and I ordered two different plates with an appetizer. I attached photos with the appropriate names. I hope I matches them correctly. I really enjoy my meal, it was the chicken and rice with vegetables. My father never had mofongo before and I think he may not be a fan. The appetizer was delicious. We will be back to try different items. It was a great first experience. We went on a Saturday and there was a small line but they still served our food on time. read more

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Another Oakland resto moves to the suburbs. The good is it is closer to me now, as it was hard for me to try the Oakland spot. Puerto Rican food now in the upstairs area of the Castro Valley Market Place. Very colorful and upbeat space, just hope the traffic finds them as since this common food hall opened just 5 years ago, this space has converted 3 times. Hope third is the charm. Small space, order at the counter and your food will be called out by name, whether eat-in or take-away. Utensils and napkins at the pick-up area. I did a take-away but took bites minutes from receiving as I wanted to taste and be able to judge when things are fresh. I dislike reviews that lower a rating because their impression was based on food that traveled (cough, cough food delivery platforms). Chicharon de Pollo ($17/4*) This is basically Puerto Rican style fried chicken. It is chicken that has been salted (dry brine is my guess) and fried without any coating, no breading, no batter, no dredge. Just seasoned chicken and hot oil. It is fried to super well done status that the meat gets pretty dense and I'll even say dry to most Americans. But many ethnic cultures fry and cook their proteins like this, more than not. The skin gets super crisp, so the chicharon does make an appearance, but is also just a part of the equation. This is definitely better hot than if you let this sit/travel. It will get tougher the longer you wait to eat it. They will ask you to choose a rice to pair with your entree and also a type of plantain. I think both rices offered are rice/beans combos, so the beans are mixed in with the rice. Just different variations. They are more the same than different to me. Plantains you can choose a fried unripe version which is closer to a fried potato or yucca and this is savory and starchy. The other choice is a fried ripened plantain and that has a sweetness to it. I prefer the latter most times. Pernil ($21/4*) This is only available on Saturdays. It is a Puerto Rican roast pork that is usually the pork leg. The pork is seasoned in Puerto Rican fashion probably lots of garlic, spices like paprka, cumin, maybe oregano and maybe squeezes of citrus, sour orange if authentic. Slow roasted until the meat gets tender and the skin gets a crisping. The meat was indeed tender but very string-y maybe because of the leg cut. Not a whole lot of flavor also in the meat itself but they give out 2 sauces that are awesome mixed into the meat. One is like an herbacious aioli and another is like a spicy mango vinaigrette. I liked both as they both absorb into the meat wonderfully. They included a few pieces of crisp skin that was no longer attached to the meat, so basically like crisp chips. The skin was intensely flavorful, very salty and savory. I think next time I may chop that skin up in little bits and mix it into the meat, to add more flavor to the mild pork meat. Here I think I ate it separately as it was just a bite or 2. So glad they are closer to me. I'm a fan of any island culture food. Their menu is small but I wanna try just about everything. Pork chops, mofongo, garlic shrimp and tostones, all me want-y. read more

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My friend and I decided to try La Perla because I love Puerto Rican food and she had never tried it. Well, the food was fantastic! I had the sautéed shrimp with gandulas and fried sweet plaintain. The shrimp was cooked to perfection. It's in a market place with various merchants and their specialties; very casual yet a place you'd want to go back to. We even had a chance to meet the owner/chef Chao. Thank you so much for the experience and food. A winner! read more

So I heard through the grapevine that they had really good food here. My first experience wasn't a good one. I had a chicken and rice plate and it was on the dryer side. A friend of mine was saying it was just a off day you gotta try them again. She loves them. So one day she was going and she said she was getting empanadas. I said oh I love empanadas. She said,you want to try them one more time? I'm like sure. Oh boy, that was the best empanada I ever had. It was simple with just chicken, but the seasoning and the flavor in that chicken was so good. The crust was really good too. So I went a third time. I tried another empanada of course, still good. Then I tried the chicken Chicharrones. Oh my goodness. Fire! OK I'm a fan again. read more

La Perla - Chicken empanada - Puerto Rican Near Me - Castro Valley, California

The menu is a little confusing* but the fried chicken is amazing and everything else looked great *not sure why without the rice or salad, it's listed as appetizer? There is a table for musicians, at night or weekends? read more

First off! Hidden gem in the area and must-try Puerto Rican restaurant! The vibe is authentic as it gets. The owner greets his patrons wearing his countryman straw hat and singing his heart out. Love the decor in the venue. Spacious and clean. This would be the second time dining. Long overdue review. Let's dive into the food: Chicharon De Pollo combo::: Combo comes with rice, sweet plantains, and house salad. Chicken is deep-fried with adobo spices. If you're into deep-fried chicken, this would be a great option. Pork Chop combo::: Come with rice, plantains, and a side of house salad. The pork chop is super moist. I want to say, if you're into pork. This is highly recommended. Pernil Combo::: Delicious soft pork shoulder meat served with rice, plantains, and house salad. Another fav! Service is excellent. Definitely will come back. Highly recommended. read more

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