I went back and now they have a new owner 100% much better. This place needs to change its name…read morebecause all the past owners who gave this place a bad rep. They now have excellent food fresh and clean. A very welcoming staff that actually knows English and Spanish. Very sweet, very good people this place deserves stay in business. The new owners really made a huge major improvement. I'll give them five stars only because their food is good and the hundred percent improvement.

I used to like this place so much but ever since they changed from the original owners it's been…read moreslacking and falling off the portions are getting less less the food is lacking flavor, it's one of the worst yellow rice and pigeons peas I've ever had no flavor and over priced and charge something different every day. It's like a lunch special doesn't exist anymore.

I was in Bayonne looking for some quick eats after a long flight. Without too many choices nearby…read moreI decided I'd run in here for a quick bite. Street parking is a bit of a disaster here but if you circle around the block once or twice, you'll manage to find a spot within walking distance. They have a counter set up with a two dozen Dominican dishes to choose from. Like a school cafeteria setup but each tray containing something I'd like to actually want to eat. Walking my way down the counter and staring frantically at all the options in front of me, I couldn't decide where to start. The lady clearly seeing that I was on the verge of mental collapse guided me away from the fried meat items and asked me which kind of rice I wanted. After settling on yellow rice, like a child, I went on a sampling spree and came out with takeaway containers filled with fried pork chops, stew, sweet plantains, salad, and pulled pork. Two meat dishes wasn't originally part of the plan but the last second pulled pork taster sample was so amazing. So pork and more pork it was. The fried pork chops and pulled pork are absolutely amazing. The meat on the fried pork chop is tender and falls right off the bone. Each piece is seasoned perfectly and still has a slight crunch from the frying process. Portions are generous and the prices are pretty good too. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth your while to drop in here!

I rarely do this because I honestly I'm a loyal customer of many local restaurants , BUT.. this…read moresituation is so ridiculous I have to make people aware of . I have been ordering from this place for at least 3 years now if not more , I place the SAME EXACT ORDER every single week at least once or twice a week and I even make the effort to speak Spanish since it's their home language in order to make it easy for them . So here we go , I called again for the 5 thousand time to place the same exact order and the woman on the phone seemed confused even tho I was talking to her in her native language , she out me on hold 3 times to take an one single order , obviously she had NO CLUE about the menu . Fine , I wait for the order and I get something completely different from what I usually order so I called them and explained what happened. The woman on the phone tells me she asked the chef and he sent me the order , so I explained to her that is NOT WHAT I ORDER EVERY WEEK . I even went as far to say they could come and get the food back since we are not eating and all she kept doing was telling me that's what the chef made . Duhhh that's what the chef made but it's not what I ordered . Making a long story short , she didn't offer to fix and send the correct order , she didn't offer me a discount or a credit towards a future order either . With that said sounds like nowadays they send you what the chef decides to cook or what the inexperienced person on the phone understands and not what you actually order . With that said they lost a loyal customer because I will certainly NOT ORDER FROM THERE AGAIN !!! Not to mention so rude on the phone tells. MEVER AGAIN .

Nice place, friendly staff, and great prices! We ordered to go, and got chicharron', pork chop,…read morebeef ribs, and wings. The meat was delicious and tender, particularly the pork chop. Will be going back to try the dessert, salad, and other delights soon!

Stopped by here based on the chicken and ribs special that was advertised outside. Came in and was…read morepuzzled that the grilled ribs advertised was not available and only the sauced up ribs was what was available. They plated up 3 1/2 ribs and a 1/4 chicken with yellow rice and made to order French fries. The food was anything but what was advertised. The ribs were sauced up but dry AF. It was drenched in sweet and sour sauce but almost made me choke because it was way too overcooked. The chicken was worse than the ribs. I have no words to describe how disappointing this meal was except for the fries. The yellow rice had absolutely no flavor. I would hate to try the #1 dish, which is the pernil. It would only break my heart if that disappointed me. If you think I'm lying, I'm not. You would think a Portuguese BBQ was dry and more bland than Dominican food, you'd be wrong. Take the turnpike bridge to the Ironbound for some real good chicken, ribs, rice, and fries. Elm Street or McWhorter BBQ.

We've been to Dominican Food Inc. several times, and every single visit has been outstanding. This…read morespot consistently delivers incredible Dominican flavors that never disappoint. The portions are hearty, the food is always fresh, and the quality is unmatched. My personal favorite is the arroz con gandules paired with the tender, flavorful pernil--an absolute must-try! My husband can't get enough of their savory pollo guisado, which is always perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. If you're looking for authentic Dominican food that keeps you coming back for more, this is the place. Consistency, quality, and great portions--what more can you ask for? Highly recommend!

I come here frequently and I'm never disappointed. The food is plentiful and tasty, the servers are…read morenice and pleasant, the ambiance is nice and chill. It gets a little loud sometime but they're always crowded so that's to be expected.

Okay, so it was my bf's and my first time visiting El Sol de Caribe tonight and we WENT TO TOWN…read more We got stewed chicken, BBQ chicken, roast pork over red beans and rice, and also a house made flan, okra stew, and sweet plantains on the side. The total came around $30, a very fair price considering generous portion and absolutely delicious food all lovingly made on site. Also there happened to be a birthday party when we went (I think she was a family member of the owner) and one of the family members offered us to take home a slice of cake! It was such a sweet surprise and my bf and I were both charmed by their kind gesture. We very much felt welcomed, as if we were their own family, even though it was clear that we were not from the neighborhood. We are so glad we drove 15 min to try out this place and certainly will be back for more delicious Dominican home cooked food!

They don't open on time, came at 10am and there was a Dominican lady with an attitude at the front…read moresaying they open later. They need to fix their hours online if they're not going to have reliable employees to Open up and take care of customers.

10/10 recommend! Food is so good! No regrets ! Best dominican food in the area! Mofongo is always…read moregood here!

I just bought a fritura and they gave me the pork skin ( orejitas) old and nasty. Please don't…read moregive people old food because we pay full price therefore we expect at least a fresh meal. Very bad business practice.

Let me tell you something. This RESTAURANT, is probably my favorite within a close radius to me…read more The food is phenomenal (to me, but I have yet to try everything they have to offer, thus far the chicken, beans, PEPPERSTEAK , empanadas, rice, plantains etc has all been good for me. The only time they had me a little skeptics is when a friend of mine ordered a tres leches, and suspected the milk may have curdled somehow I have no complaints regarding the service. I think they do their job and do it well, and there have been times that I've ordered a dish upon request and it was made FRESH on the spot. I don't converse with them often, and sometimes the food is a slight wait depending on WHAT you get, but no complaints there personally. As for the ambiance.. well, I am a native Jersey city resident so Ocean Ave is a usual to me. Most often if you mind your business, you should be fine as long as u go straight to getting your food, and go right home. And if u are confronted walk away and go about your business, thankfully this has always worked for ME. Internally the shop is cute as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't need it to be Michelin star decor! It's not about the what the store looks like in this case, it's definitely about the quality of the food, which to me is great. I'd definitely recommend you check it out for yourself! And my personal recommendation (my go to) is of course the pepper steak w rice and beans. It usually brings me to a total of $14 flat. If you order other combos (such as the meats alone) it also Comes to a good price. I once ordered chicken, pepper steak, plantains and beans w no rice and my total was $21! And it lasted me more than a single day.

Normally, I do not write reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience due to the extremely…read moreunprofessional service I received. The employee who assisted me was very unkind and spoke to me in a disrespectful and demeaning manner, as if I were beneath her. She referenced a previous visit and accused me of having issues with payment. I was confused and calmly offered to make a partial payment, yet instead of handling the situation professionally, she told me to either pay in full or leave the restaurant. I have never been spoken to in such a disrespectful way at any place of business. What upset me most was the complete lack of basic manners and respect. When I attempted to address the situation calmly, she began laughing along with another employee. That behavior was humiliating and deeply insulting. As a Black woman, I felt that I was treated unfairly and spoken down to in a way that carried racial undertones. I am financially stable and did not deserve to be treated in such a dismissive and degrading manner. Because of this experience, I will not be supporting this establishment again. I feel it is important to share this so others--especially people of color--are aware and can make an informed decision before visiting.

Food is fabulous. Service isntop notch. I have been here before and I will return…read more I'm not a sweets guy but their tres leche cake and flan are both amazing.

I dead ordered food a few times from here and honestly it's not the best place I got Spanish food…read morefrom I was ready to In joy my food thinking it was about to be really good and I was disappointed i wasted money on food I barely ate bc it js didn't taste right.

Sooo delicious!!! You cant tell from the storefront that the…read morefood will be so good. Hidden gem for latin food. Yum

Very bad costumer service! I wasn't greeted and I didnt feel welcomed AT ALL! I came in 7/21/2026 @…read more7:30pm with my mother. My mother and I are Dominican women who are " Afro Latina" which we might not look Spanish however we are lol. They looked at us when we came in like we weren't even there no welcome no hello no nothing. I was actually having a bad day when I went and it was almost closing time and I didn't have a better day after this entry you never know what people are going through so it's good to be nice especially if its YOUR business to keep costumers coming ! Also the food was very old looking and not good and we paid enough to at least be satisfied. If the food was no longer fresh just tell us sorry we don't have it and not just give us left over (Basura) . I'm sorry and as a Dominican women going to a Dominican restaurant and being treated this way I was very upset and disappointed at my culture wow! God bless and no I will not come back!

La Esperanza Restaurant is a fantastic gem of the Greenville district, located off of Danforth Ave…read moreand John F Kennedy Blvd. Specializing in traditional Afro-Dominican dishes, the flavor of the food offered is as close as you can get to the real thing in New Jersey without traveling to the Dominican Republic. I have ordered from La Esperanza repeatedly and have never been let down by the food, it's quality and freshness, or the customer service. Anna and Erica, two employees who manage orders and servings, will gladly take your order. The kitchen staff is quick and attentive to any special food requests. The pricing is affordable, the menu choices are many, and once again, the customer service is excellent. If you're looking for Dominican cuisine in the Jersey City area, make sure to stop by, order, and eat at La Esperanza Restaurant. Gracias Erica y Anna! - Hector

Holy cow I found my new lunch spot! Talk about hidden gem! The rice, beans, and chicken for $6…read moreposter on the window caught my attention by walking by. I went in and was serviced right away. For rice,I had a choice between white rice, yellow rice, or yellow rice with kidney beans. I chose the latter. For the beans, I had a choice between black beans or kidney beans. I got black beans. Finally the chicken, I had a choice between baked chicken or chicken stew. I chose the latter. It was put in a take-out aluminum bowl. Highly satisfied of my choice. I was full and the food hit the spot. I paid cash when I was there. Not sure if they take credit card. I highly doubt it since it's a small family restaurant. There is an ATM inside should you need cash. You also have a choice of dining in or doing take-out. I highly recommend this restaurant and supporting small business.