This is a little hole in the wall, family-owned, authentic Puerto Rican restaurant that I just…read morehappened to stumble upon. The food and the service there feels like home. They cater to you like your family, as if you're literally eating at your tia's or your abuela's house. The pernil is so flavorful and melts in your mouth. The pastelillos, tostones and bacalaitos fritos are beautifully cooked. I was even fortunate enough to have a limber de coco and I haven't had that since I was a child, so creamy and refreshing. Highly recommend if you're ever in Long Beach.

I thought the best Puerto Rican food in the US was in NYC, I was wrong…read more I lived in NYC for 45 years & my son who is half Puerto Rican grew up there and lived there 20 years. My son & I agree that this is the best Puerto Rican food we have ever had. If you are in Long Beach hop into LA Casa De Iris, thank me later. Pernil - 10 out of 10 juicy & flavorful Empanadas 10 out of 10 & shell was crisp and filling was packed with great tasting meat and cheese Tostones 10 out of 10 - crispy with just tge right about of seasoning Maduro 9.5 out of 10 - Maduro are Maduro Mofongo 9 5 out of 10 - not dry like many I've had. Arrow con gandules 10 out of 10 - fluffy with perfect flavor. Better than abuela's Pollo guisada 9 5 out of 10 - 9 5 only because I'm a beef & pork type of guy. But perfectly seasoned and meat was tender The vibe was definitely Puerto Rican. The employees were super nice. We visit Long Beach 3X a year and try something new every time. Rarely do we go somewhere twice on the same trip but we are definitely going back here before we leave

Natalie gave an amazing experience in Anaheim! The food was definitely worth it. I truly hope she…read moremakes her way back frequently to the Orange County area. Natalie, thank you for the delicious food and also an even greater consumer experience. You definitely have a supporter in me! Now, I just need you to open up the restaurant!

Directions a little marketing would help people with finding your place of business. People need to…read moreknow

Have been wanting to try this place for years after going to a movie premier where they catered the…read moremost amazing food. But we live so far and are never in the valley. Well finally we were in the area for a game and got to stop by! Firstly, the space wasn't the fanciest and the service wasn't very welcoming at all in fact the server seemed super grumpy which was surprising since we were the only customers there. A warm welcome or hello would have made us feel more comfortable. Anyway we sat ourselves because there was a sign that M-F you seat yourselves and order from QR code. We started to but the. The server removed the sign and brought us menus. Anyway they have a nice happy hour which allowed us to sample some yummy items that are hard to make or find. Husband ordered a bacalaito (a fish fritter looks like a tostada) and pastelillos (puerto Rican version of empanadas) de pollo and carne. All so delish! Although if you're used to bacalito from the island, this one was a little thicker and different but still good. For entrees we ordered the pollo guisao (chicken stew) and pernil plates. Our favorite part was the arroz con gandules. One bite took us instantly back to the island to my mother in laws house. It was a little more oily than it should be but the flavor was on point. Husband liked his pernil but we wouldn't order the chicken dish again. Anyway by the end of our meal the awkwardness with our server eased up and he actually smiled and joked with us (in his own grumpy way) by the end. They seemed to have consistent to go orders by regular customers which is def a good sign. Also saw the server cleaning front windows and tables which is important to me because it shows that they care and the kind of place I'd return to!

I rarely leave reviews, but this place deserved some attention…read more We visited Puerto Rico years ago and absolutely fell in love with the cuisine, but ever since, we haven't been able to find good mofongo anywhere in LA...until now. We drove an hour to get here and arrived right when they opened. The gentleman at the counter greeted us warmly and asked if we'd ever had Puerto Rican food before. We told him about our trip and how much we'd loved the food, and from there, he proceeded to walk us through every single item on the menu--including the drinks and desserts. He was incredibly welcoming and clearly proud of the food they serve. After plenty of deliberation, we finally placed our orders. We started with the bacalaitos--a thin, crispy cod fritter served with garlic sauce. A tad greasy, yes, but what a treat! Then came what we had driven an hour for: the mofongo. Between the three of us, we ordered the pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder), the churrasco with chimichurri, and the shrimp with garlic sauce. These are definitely not light meals, but WOW. The flavors were impeccable--rich, garlicky, savory, and incredibly satisfying. It immediately brought back memories of the food we loved so much in Puerto Rico. Needless to say, we found our mofongo spot. And yes, we will absolutely make the trek again.

Wanda's food is always a hit and an easy way to impress guests. Her arroz con gandules y pernil is…read morethe best. So much meat! Her pastelillos are amazing too. My teenaged boys ask for them for their special birthday food. I still need to visit her farmer market stands, but I'm sure I will love whatever she's selling there.

After leaving NY, I never thought I would be able to taste authentic Puerto Rican food just like my…read moremom used to make when I was young. I tried a few places in San Diego, and they were decent, but nothing to write home about. When a friend recommended me to Wanda's Puerto Rican Cuisine, I thought it can't hurt... Maybe it will be decent since it's homebased... After trying the pernil, arroz gandules, empanadas and pasteles (especially the pasteles)... I had to declare this was the best puerto rican food... [dare I say]... EVEN BETTER THAN MY MOM'S‼ I almost [probably did] cried while eating it. The next time I brought it home, I refused to share it with my husband, but he's stronger than me, so he got some. I thought I would be smart the third time and ate it when he wasn't home, but it almost broke up my marriage when he came home and smelled the fragrant delicacies in the air, but no remnants of the actual food‼ If you don't mind ruining your marriage for this fantastic Puerto Rican food, then you should definitely order from her‼ She has an Instagram page, so you have to direct message her to order: https://share.google/KiXehQlzI2LRdcDFF Don't forget to order the cheese and guava pastry too... It's another fight waiting to happen in my marriage if I don't buy at least a half dozen to share with him‼

Food is flavorful and staff was polite and helpful! We tried the Cuban sandwich and the Jibarito…read more Both were delicious with different flavors. The fried plantain with pulled pork was a nice mix of sweet and savory, and the side mango was refreshing. The vanilla flan was just the right amount of sweetness.... creamier than traditional Mexican flan. Great experience here. Will definitely visit again!!!

We tried out Plaza Borinquen for the first time and w're not disappointed. The restaurant is small,…read morebut cozy and has a very inviting atmosphere. The staff were friendly and attentive. We started with a beef & cheese empanada each, which was flavors and well prepared. For my entree, I ordered the Plato tipico, which came with some roasted pork, rice with pigeon peas, and yucca. This restaurant is on 20th West, by Pep Boys, tucked way back in the parking lot. You are NOT likely to see this little spot from the street, so put it in your maps and head I over there. You will be glad you did!

Coming here to try a new workout and the experience was pretty awesome. There are several choice…read moreitems on the menu. We practice with variety of food and excel in variety in strength. The food was also nice.

I purchased two meals. Pernil and rabo. Pernil plate , Yuca…read morewas extremely salty and the mojo had way too much oil. Rabo, was only served one piece, two plantains, white rice and a very small cup of black beans. Unacceptable!!!!! For the price I paid, it was NOT enough food. $40 lunch on two meals. I will NOT be returning or ordering food any time soon.

In a city built on tacos and guisados mexicanos, Wepa Pa'l Mundo brings the flavors of Puerto Rico…read moreto LA and they make a big statement. The Pernil: roasted pork is Puerto Rico's love letter to the Mexican Carnitas. Everything ordered was delicious. The hospitality and enthusiasm of the staff was an added bonus, there's great pride and joy behind the menu. I'm looking forward to their next pop up event, the food is really good! Muchas gracias mis Boricuas!

WEPA Pa'l Mundo is a new Puerto Rican pop-up restaurant by a sous chef from the lauded Magna Kusina…read morein Portland, Oregon. I visited the inaugural pop-up event at Seoul Sausage in Downtown LA which was recommended to me by my cousin in PDX. You'll choose from a short menu of appetizers to main dishes such as the pernil asado (slow roasted pork) and the arroz con gandules (yellow rice with pigeon peas) to dessert. There is only one Puerto Rican restaurant in LA and a take out operation all in the San Fernando Valley. For those in the city who would like a taste of Puerto Rican food, follow this chef for his next pop up. Check out chef Roberto Almdovar's Instagram for the next pop up and menu. @wepapalmundo

The place is Gorgeous, a Classy island vibe. Clean and Fresh…read more The service was Great. Sharp Host and Amazing Server - Attentive and fun, professional and business minded. Their offerings of my Childhood Cuisine were Delicious. My Buddy and I left Happily Full with ToGo Boxes and wanting to return. We had the Fried Chicken and Mofongo, the Pernil, the Stuffed Potato Balls, the Tostones, the Beans & Rice. We ate.... and ate well. They have outdoor dining which is Key for this Lively Area. $ Street Parking. Free after 8PM. I can't wait till the City gives these people a Beer & Wine License. Call about Bottle service. Maybe get a wall knocked down. A Must Stop on your List.

As a Puerto Rican transplant from the Bronx, I was excited to see Tainos open their brick and…read moremortar somewhere that was convenient for me to drive to from Burbank. I was also excited to have access to Puerto Rican dishes that I generally do not make myself because they're a bit more of a process. I think I echo people's concerns with the amount of time it takes to get the food from the time of order. I also can cosign the reviewers who said that the wait staff didnt take down the order. Not a huge deal as long as the order cones out timely and accurately. We ordered the pernil and arroz con gandules, pollo guava, alcapurrias, ensalada de pulpo, and a pina colada. The pina colada tasted watered down like they added too much ice and not enough coconut cream. The pollo guava was average. The sauce was sort of gloopy and tasted mire like a bbq sauce then a guava sauce. Also cosigning on the cooking here... it wasn't raw or underdone, but it was purpleish towards the bone which can be off putting to people. The chicken itself wasn't very flavorful. The pernil and arroz con gandules was good but not standout... the areoz con gandules was average. As a staple puerto rican dish, I expected better. It was dry and tasted like it had too much of something... I clocked it as cumin. The pernil was decent, but it wasn't as tender and garlicky as is customary... it felt more salty then garlicky. The alcapurrias were skimpy. I'm used to beefy, football-shaped alcapurrias. These looked more like pastele shaped and the filling was minimal. For the price, this one felt very over priced for the quantity. Lastly, for me... the highlight dish was the pulp salad. It was refreshing, flavorful, the octopus had a nice chew while still tasting tender... the citrusy flavor wasn't to a point where it tasted overpowering or sour... the cilantro came through very nicely. All in all, would I go back? I would give it another shot probably for the mofongo - but those seem super expensive for what you get. Overall, pricing-wise - it ranges to reasonably priced to overpriced, especially for the portions. My expectations would be a bit more tempered on a 2nd trip. As a Puerto Rican, I'd love for this place to succeed.

I had been looking for a good breakfast burrito spot and I remembered Don Rubens. The prices are…read morevery good and the burritos are a good size too. One burrito is good for one person but if you're not too hungry you can share it between 2 people. Service was excellent and staff answered all our questions. They also sell other Mexican food but my focus this trip was to have a breakfast burrito. Seating: There is limited outdoor seating and some parking. Ordering:Make sure you order at the window and wait for them to call your number ( everyone stands around waiting). I look forward to trying all the other burrito varieties.

Their Tacos & are a true gem. The staff are some of the kindest I have ever seen. The ground beef…read moretacos are so flavorful and crispy. The enchiladas taste homemade, I always ask to add chopped onions to inside the cheese enchiladas. It is some of the best I have ever tasted. John Cronin