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The atmosphere here is so lively and filled with beautiful Puerto Rican decor--it could easily make you feel like you are right on the island! What truly made our experience special, though, was Cheo. It was my mom's 88th birthday, and his kindness and big heart showed in exactly how he treats his customers. He made her feel so incredibly celebrated! The food was absolutely amazing: * Empanadilla de Pollo: Fried to a golden crisp with wonderfully seasoned shredded chicken inside. * Chicharrón de Pollo: Perfectly crispy and delicious. It paired wonderfully with the mayo-ketchup and the mango habanero sauce. * Tostones: Perfectly fried and so crunchy! * Habichuelas (Beans) & White Rice: The beans were perfect and packed with flavor. They paired flawlessly with the white rice. We had a beautiful time, and Cheo's incredible hospitality made it a day we won't forget. We will definitely be back!
Finally a Puerto Rican restaurant semi-nearby! The ambiance is cute with good music. Drinks include fresh coconuts, alcohol, and I believe PR sodas. The 2 chicken appetizers could have used slightlyyyyyy more seasoning though. The beef empanada was huge and filled well. May come back to try other stuff. Cashier was friendly.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
This place is a gem. If you order what I order you are going to have a great day. I eat this 2-3 times a week and I think I could eat it everyday and be stoked. Get the Pollo Encebollado, with Arroz con Gandules and Maduros. Put the mango habenaro sauce on the rice and beans. Put the garlic mayo on the side to dip the chicken in. The sauces are made in house and Chef Cheo"s creation. And the sweet maduros, I swear they are like dessert while you eat. I would like anyone to please tell me where I can get a better tasting chicken thigh, anywhere!? I challenge anyone. Also a beer goes absolutely stunningly with this meal. On top of all this flavor they also have friendly staff that break out in some bangin salsa music occasionally. This place is my happy place.
I love !!! First time trying this kind of food and it was so delish ! Came here for superbowl and everyone was having a good time listening to bad bunny representing the culture and it was so amazing to see. I would definitely come back!! The prices were so fair also ! I loved the decor and the ambiance.
The food was good as always! I finally got the empadillas! It was SO good! You can taste the seasonings and the coconut in the chicken! The counter and service was quick! The art of the wall is timely and historic! I love the fact that they didn't over clutter the decor! The rice was a little on the dry side for my personal taste, but the yucca was on point! This is definitely our go to Puerto Rican spot near the house!
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.
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
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.
I saw on social media that a Puerto Rican place had opened up recently and decided to try it out with my family. It's located in the CV Marketplace, which has different food options all in one location. I ended up trying the pollo encebollado combo (chicken) with arroz con gandules (seasoned rice) and yucca frita (yucca fries). You order at the counter and your name is called when the order is ready. I thought the combo was pretty good. The chicken was seasoned and pretty moist (a small portion was dry). The rice, while not exactly my taste (not a fan of olives), was cooked well. My favorite part was honestly the yucca fries. I love crunchy fried goodness, especially when done right! They also provide 2 sauces, though I'm not sure exactly what they are (a hot, mango sauce and a creamier sauce). Both were tasty though. Staff was super nice and took the time to explain to me what the dishes were and differences of rice and sides, since I had never eaten Puerto Rican food before. I really appreciated their patience! You seat yourself after ordering and they have music playing as well. I did see their menu had a roasted pork combo, which sounded delicious, but only on the weekends. I would say the meal can be a bit pricey. Maybe a bit more chicken for the price would be better? Overall though, I had a great experience and the place is very lively and welcoming! read more
First time trying Puerto Rican food and I believe this is a great addition to CV. Already there was a line to order - since they aren't open fully it's walking up to the counter, ordering your food, and then waiting around the side bar tables on the second floor of the marketplace. You can choose to eat there but for now, I recommend ordering to go and sitting elsewhere. We ordered Mofongo Pernil, Arroz con gandules, habichuelas guisadas and empanadilla veggie. There were 2 sauces: an aoli and then a spicy pineapple/mango which were both fantastic to add to the empanadilla however I also added it to the arroz and the Mofongo because it was that good! The surprising appetizer was the habichuelas - very flavorful and went so perfect with the arroz. read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
Una de mis mejores experiencias culinarias de la comida Puerto Riqueña sin duda fue este maravilloso restaurante, su dueño tiene un carisma encantador, el ambiente es bastante limpio, la comida es deliciosa por no decir que es demasiado deliciosa, la atención fue excepcional y tiene un servicio bastante rápido. read more
2 years ago
Lunch with a friend. First time for La Perla for us. The food felt like it was heated up verses cooked. The chicken was a bit over done - the rice was warmed and didn't taste like it was cooked to order. The Tostones were the only real delicious thing in the plate. My friend's shrimp tasted good, the sauce was great. Their chicken Chicharrones were not great. Instead of crisp chicken skin they serve small chicken pieces with the skin on, which were over cooked and reheated. They were very chewy and difficult to enjoy as chicharrones. The service was ok. Not much enthusiasm for the place. The ambiance was as expected, bare bones decor, rough ceilings - it felt like a visit to a garage party. read more
La Perla is located on the second floor of the Castro Valley Marketplace and proudly offers Puerto Rican food in a casual, decorated setting. The combination plates came with a choice of protein, rice/beans, and fried root vegetable. The Pollo Encebollado was tender baked chicken with onions; the Carne Frita were tough pieces of fried beef; and the Camarones a la Criolla (my favorite) were juicy prawns in a tangy and spicy creole sauce. The sides included Arroz con Gondules (rice mixed with pigeon peas and pork), Arroz con Habichuelas (white rice served with a pink bean stew), Maduros (fried sweet plantains), and Tostones (fried green plantain slices). Perhaps the most uniquely Puerto Rican dish was the Mofongo, made of flavored mashed plantains, served with a choice of protein and sauce. Finally, we had the special Pernil Sandwich, a pressed and toasted sandwich with a filling of shredded pork and a creamy dressing. Overall, the food here was all flavorful and delicious and went nicely with the sweet and spicy mango sauce that came on the side. That said, the service was slow (but friendly), and the prices were rather high for the portion sizes. read more
1 year ago
Food is very tasty.. the two additional sauces they provide are incredible!! I wish they could sell them!! Service was impeccable, although bistro style; and place is clean and inviting. Downstairs are art vendors and grocery. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
Our second time here and we love the food here came back for the Chicharrón de pollo combo y empanadas de beef. read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
Additional charges: This business adds a 3% credit card surcharge--be sure to check your receipt. Pretty sure that's illegal. Called to get my $ back, no one ever answers and it's not posted anywhere in visible sight. Beware groups of 6 or more. While an 18% surcharge on groups of 6+ is fairly common, why is this place charging for larger groups when they don't provide any service. There's no host, no table service, and no one assisting beyond the order counter. Self-serve: I'm fine with self-serve places, but it would be nice for staff to let guests know where to find the essentials. You place your order at the counter and pick up your food when they call your name. You get your own silverware, napkins, water, to go containers etc... Think cafeteria style. Food: The food is just ok, not good enough to plan a return visit. The beef empanada was just eh, the chuleta (pork chop) was dry and not very flavorful, and the pollo (chicken) was just average home cooking with some onion on top. Portion sizes are on the smaller side given the pricing, especially the $25 chuleta combo. Overall: Disappointed as I was so hoping to have a good Puerto Rican place in the area. Sol Food in San Rafael is a far better choice if you're willing to make the drive! Waiting to see if the place picks up their phone or messages me about the 3% surcharge and if others will notice it on their bill... read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
Overall great tasting food and good portions. I recommend stopping by and giving this gem a try. read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
My partner and I ordered the pork chop with plantains and rice with pigeon peas and the baked chicken and onion with rice and pink bean stew. The pork chop was flavorful and the baked chicken was juicy. Service is counter service. The owner was very friendly and checked in on us. As for ambiance, there are colorful tablecloths and lively Latin music. read more
8 months ago
Had dinner with my girlfriends at La Perla for my very first time. I loved the vibe and the food was great! The owner, Chef Cheo was friendly and took our order and served us too! We ended up staying for awhile having dinner and talking, before we knew it, it was closing time. Chef Cheo even took our picture.... I recommend La Perla if you're looking for an authentic Puerto Rican food restaurant and fun vibe!! read more
7 months ago
Man this food taste so dang good! Feel like I am in Puerto Rico! I just know the chef cooked this food with love! Jeez I will be coming back everytime I want a home cooked meal that taste like my abuela made it! Seasoned to perfection! Chicken crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Monfongo pairing perfectly with the chicken. read more
3 months ago
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1 year ago
Amazing food......:.....................!!!!!!!!!' . Worth checking. Out if you have not had Cuban. Food yet. You will be sorry if you miss this little gem . This is on par with being at a friends grandmas.house no disrespect but . You know nothing beats grandmas cooking read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
Great food and we will definitely be return customers. I wish they offered Bistec Encebollado but the chicken encebollado is delicious! Nice atmosphere and very nice dining experience. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
Food was amazing, flavorful and fulfilling, but giving a 4 star due to portion sizes for our to go order. Next time, we will dine in. We ordered the baked chicken and Sat special, pork. We saw dine in guests receive a side salad so assumed our to go order would too, at least for the combination item. It didn't so we were a little confused. We will make sure to ask next time. The flavors of our dishes and the sauces were spot on. Even though we ordered to go, the restaurant felt lively and a place we'd see ourselves enjoying for a night out. Though the music was a little on the louder side so it was hard to hear the cashier when explaining menu items. read more
4 months ago
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1 year ago
2 years ago
The staff were knowledge on describing the food. The food was good we finished all the plates. Def going back to try other dishes! read more
1 year ago
6 months ago
2 years ago
This was one of my first times trying Puerto Rican food and I loved it. The food was amazing! I ordered the chicken chicharron with Puerto Rican rice & a side of plantains and I would definitely order this again. The staff was really nice & the owner or manager went around and thanked everyone for coming. Will definitely be back soon & would recommend to anyone who hasn't been here yet! read more
1 year ago
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Is there easy parking?
Yes! There is parking on the West side of the building witch goes to the back lot with lots of parking
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La Perla Castro Valley - puertorican - Updated October 2026
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