Sophie's Cuban Cuisine really needs to be on the map for great food, good quality and the best of…read moreservice. Every Sophie's location has had the best people working at the restaurant. Every time I eat at a Sophie's or take it to go, I am made to feel valued. They treat me well every time and that is becoming rare. My favorite thing on the Sophie's menu is the pork chops in red sauce or Chuletas Guisadas, a special they run in Thursdays. The regular pork chops with onions and peppers are good too and available everyday, but if you happen upon a Sophie's on a Thursday, ask for the Chuletas Guisadas. They are excellent and the red sauce is tangy and flavorful, adding an addictive quality to the pork chops that is undeniable. If they sear the pork chops and cook them with caramelization, the texture is so good and adds to the appeal. I prefer the yellow rice and black beans over the moro white rice cooked with the black beans. The roast pork or pernil is also excellent here and is a close second to the Chuletas Guisadas. Both go well with the yellow rice and black beans, but the pernil really combines well with the yellow rice and black beans. The Ropa Vieja or beef stew is actually a distant third or fourth. It is my least favorite of the Sophie's offerings, even behind the chicken I have had at other Sophie's locations. The value proposition is paramount at all Sophie's locations. For around twenty bucks plus, one can eat a full meal in Manhattan, Midtown no less and close to Grand Central. It will not be on anyone's cheap eats list, but this is a solid value proposition hard to beat; it's delicious and will have you coming back for more. I have been here twice in about two or three weeks. It's so good, I keep eating it before I have a chance to photograph it. Four stars!

A good lunch choice with good flavor. And, so close to Grand Central…read more I got the quarter chicken with Garlic Yuca. Their green sauce is so flavorful. It so happened that my ordering app had an error and ordered 3 of the lunches and they were good enough to cancel the other 2. Nice service!

Great place to pick up lunch. Portions a huge. Food is fresh and served fast. My favorite is the…read moresteak rice bowl. Nice selection.

One huge problem with this location. On deliveries they consistently forget to include the sauces…read more And their sauces are really good. So it's a pretty big ripoff, and clearly not an accident, since it happens all the time. Uber Eats is very cheap and only gives one dollar per sauce not included. I think the meal is really bad without sauce, especially habanero, which we all love here so much. They are really bad at this, and we do not order as often as we used to. Either they are just really cheap and stingy or they have really incompetent employees. We just got a $40 order with missing sauce; such a badly run business, as I said, happens now all the time on every order. I have ordered the same thing from here 15 times in the last six months; it would be weekly if sauces were included. But now it will be no more orders. That is they do not put the sauce inside the burrito or on the side. Terrible location, and management does not care.

As the other reviewers mentioned, this place is all about the novelty of the location. It's located…read moreinside a building loading dock. It is a literal hole in the wall. You'll see the lunch special food menu from the sidewalk so you know where to find it, but it's easy to miss. There seems to be no A/C and it's quite stuffy on hot days. There are a few tables to dine-in, in case conditions are comfortable. Very pleasant team of mother and son helping serve at the counter. Bring cash. Take-out orders are served in aluminum bowls and size is generous. They come with rice, plantain, salad. *Beef stew: Chunks of beef nicely simmered in a mildly flavored sauce. *Baked ribs: These are large pieces of what look like pork ribs, bone-in. Be prepared to be gnawing on the bone for those juicy pieces of meat. It appears that this place may be past its heyday based on other reviews, but the family members remaining there are doing their best holding down the fort. Come and support!

Tasty In Any Language…read more.. Hidden in the back corner of what appears to be a garage you will find the latin restaurant El Sabrosa. The dining room has 2 family style tables that is reminiscent of a backyard family party. The oxtail stew at this Spanish restaurant feels like it was crafted with love by a team of abuelitas in the kitchen. The tender meat, slow-cooked to perfection, melts in your mouth with every bite. The rich, comforting flavors transport you straight to a traditional Spanish home, where the wisdom of generations is infused into every dish. It's the kind of hearty, soulful meal that could only be made by those who have mastered the art of cooking through years of experience. Paired with fluffy white rice, it's the ultimate comfort food, reminiscent of family dinners at grandma's house. The ladies behind the counter greeted with big welcoming smiles that that almost required a hug. A perfect lunch with a rereasonable price in NYC. I will definitely return to try some of their other menu items.

I patronized the 8th Ave location in Manhattan a couple of days ago…read more. Prior to that it was approximately 6 months ago. On each occasion, the food caused me to go into immediate abdominal distress. This is truly the worst food that I have ever eaten in my 67 years, with each bite of the chicken you could taste the thick grease which had me pondering if they are using lard and the coleslaw forget about it. I don't know what the hell that was. The Board of Health needs to do a deep dive into this establishment

The food is good but this restaurant keeps botching my order. For example, they forgot to add a…read morechicken sandwich that I didn't know was missing til I got home -- in freezing weather. I got reimbursed by the chain but THIS KEEPS HAPPENING.

This past weekend I had my very first Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers. I must say, I had no idea how…read moreawesome they are! Not only were the chicken fingers and fries simply delicious, the sauce was off the chain. And I've never said that phrase in my life before... so I really mean it. I also loved how they had unsweetened ice tea. It's the perfect way to enjoy a fountain drink without any of the guilt, sugar or calories. Finally, I really enjoyed the old school diner vibe. I'll certainly be back the next time I'm in the city and need a quick bite!

Raising Cane's keeps its concept incredibly simple, focusing almost entirely on chicken tenders,…read morefries, Texas toast, coleslaw, and its signature sauce. We walked into a bright, clean, and energetic space with a fast-paced atmosphere that reflects how popular the chain has become. Even with a line forming at the counter, the staff kept things moving efficiently, and the operation felt well organized considering the volume of customers coming through the door. The dining room has a casual, functional energy, the kind of place where the focus stays on getting a satisfying meal rather than lingering, and the open kitchen adds a layer of transparency to the process. We went with one of the tender combos, which is really the reason most people come here in the first place. The chicken tenders were juicy, freshly cooked, and had a crispy coating that held up well without feeling overly heavy. The coating had a good crunch that stayed intact through the meal, and the chicken itself was moist and tender throughout. The real standout, though, is the Cane's Sauce. It adds a tangy, peppery flavor that works perfectly with the chicken and honestly ties the entire meal together. Between the tenders, crinkle-cut fries, and Texas toast, it is a simple meal, but one that is executed consistently well. The toast is buttery and soft, and the fries are solid enough to hold their own alongside the main event. One thing we have noticed is that the chicken can occasionally feel a little greasy depending on the visit, especially if you are ordering a larger combo. For some people that may not be an issue at all, while others might find it sits a bit heavy afterward. That has varied from visit to visit, but it is worth mentioning because the meal is definitely on the richer side compared to some other fast food chicken options. The coleslaw provides a lighter contrast, though it is a fairly standard version of the side and does not stand out the way the chicken and sauce do. The staff during our visit were friendly and efficient, and the restaurant was well maintained. Food came out quickly, and despite the limited menu, there is something refreshing about a place that focuses on doing one thing rather than trying to offer dozens of different options. The simplicity of the menu makes the decision process easy, and the consistency of the meal across visits is a big part of the appeal. Raising Cane's delivers a satisfying chicken tender meal with quality chicken, a great signature sauce, and consistently solid sides. It may not be the lightest meal around, but when you are in the mood for crispy chicken tenders and a straightforward comfort-food combo, it is easy to see why so many people keep coming back. The meal is familiar, filling, and hits the right notes for what it sets out to do.

Really good "fast service" tacos, basically a counter and away you go with some excellent tacos…read more Reasonably priced for mid-town Manhattan and the quality is right there. The big gringo "Mexican" place (starts with a "C") is right across the street from Tacos del Barrio and they only stay in business by name recognition, not quality or price. Tacos del Barrio is where you need to go!

Stopped by Tacos del Barrio near Times Square with high hopes but was not too happy with my meal…read more The place was ok but fell short of my expectations. The place is fine and has a nice simple menu with a decent selection. I ordered the carne asada and al pastor quesadillas. The good part was that they do add a lot of meat inside the quesadillas and certainly did not skimp on the filling. However, I thought the meat was very bland. The meats had basically no flavor, but they did have a nice texture and tenderness. Additionally, I ordered mine with corn tortillas, and they fell apart almost as soon as I picked up the quesadillas, making it very difficult to eat them. Lastly, the quesadillas were very greasy. In terms of beverages, I did enjoy the piña agua Fresca. The location is convenient and the service was excellent, but the food isn't the best. It's not terrible but certainly not memorable enough to want to return again. There are definitely better options around Times Square to choose from.

I recently had some excellent Jamaican food from the Jamrock food truck downtown in the Financial…read moreDistrict at the corner of Water and Gouverneur, and it was delicious! I've been a Jamrock fan for awhile and usually hit up their trucks when I see them because their dishes are consistently excellent. If you like food from JA, then this is a must have. On this occasion I kept it simple with some jerk chicken which was perfectly prepared. In closing, if you see them set up somewhere in the City, then I strongly recommend giving them a try. I promise you that you'll love it!

Misrepresentation of jerk but overall tasty pieces of chicken. But to that affect it leaves you…read morewanting jerk spices. The "jerk sauce" is more like bbq sauce and the chicken has no hints of jerk but has nice smoky flavor. Did like the scotch bonnet sauce.

Shah's is a super solid option if you're in the area and 1. want a cheaper Mediterranean platter…read moreand/or 2. it's late (they're usually open til 3AM.) I can't speak for the meat but the falafels were super basic/premade. You do get a large portion of them, though + fresh salad + rice + olives + a lil hummus + their ridiculously good red and white sauces. Also got a green sauce on the side, forgot to ask for pita. Don't forget to ask for it if you like it on the side! No complaints here.

Food: Terrible taste. Very very little chicken, filled with…read morerice and cucumber salad. The rice was so hard and tasted undercooked. The portion of chicken was so little and the chicken tasted of poor grade. White sauce was watered down and so thin. I would not recommend. It's also over priced. Had it three times for three different tries at three different locations. Locations: This, MSG, and NJ