Boricua Restaurant 2

"One step into Port Richmond’s Boricua 2, and you’ll notice their love of Puerto Rico and the lack of anything sports-related. Everyone’s more invested in their plates of adobo-spiced, slow-roasted pork, potato salad, and flan. While the menu can be hit or miss, you’ll leave satisfied if you go with the sizable “Boricua Special” platter. Plus, the tropical-decorated restaurant and its constant rotation of Santana and Willie Colón blasting through the speakers provide a sports-town escapism that works every time. " - candis mclean

"Your immediate reaction to your first bite of macaroni salad at Boricua 2 will be “Ay Dios Mio!” (whether you’re Puerto Rican or not). The Port Richmond restaurant has classic Puerto Rican fare for a super reasonable price—try the $16 “Boricua Special” to get a hefty portion of food, including your choice of two sides and one main entree. While neither the tuna macaroni salad nor potato salad are uniquely Puerto Rican, you must get a side of both—they’re so good you’ll find yourself eating those before you’ve touched your mains. The entire place is covered in tropical florals reminiscent of El Yunque, with an upbeat Latinidad soundtrack, including Selena, Santana, and Willie Colón. If you’re in Northern Liberties, check out their original location on N. 3rd Street for takeout." - carolyn rivera, candis mclean

"Good, slow-roasted pernil, and what's almost certainly the highest concentration of Puerto Rican flags in Philly—that's Boricua 2 in Port Richmond, the larger sibling of the original Boricua in Northern Liberties. There's plenty of room inside to eat solid Puerto Rican classics like mofongo, beef and chicken turnovers, and pollo guisado. And while you're hanging out, you'll probably hear laughter from the kitchen and see the staff ask about the family members of at least four people who walk inside. Order your dish as a platter—that way, it'll come with sides like evenly seasoned beans or thinly sliced plantains." - candis mclean

"Good, slow-roasted pernil, and what's almost certainly the highest concentration of Puerto Rican flags in one Philly restaurant—that's Boricua 2 in Port Richmond, the larger sibling of the original Boricua in Northern Liberties. There's plenty of room inside to eat solid Puerto Rican classics like mofongo, beef and chicken turnovers, and pollo guisado. And while you're hanging out, you'll probably hear laughter from the kitchen and see the staff ask about the family members of at least four people who walk inside. Order your dish as a platter, that way it'll come with sides like evenly seasoned beans or thinly sliced plantains. " - candis mclean

"Boricua 2 is a casual Puerto Rican restaurant in Port Richmond. This larger, dine-in version of the original Boricua in Northern Liberties is part eatery, part Puerto Rico tourism bureau. The entire place is emanating Puerto Rican pride, covered in flags and tchotchkes, and has a wall declaring “Yo Soy Boricua.” When it comes to the mains, it’s all about the pernil–incredibly tender, juicy, adobo-spiced, slow-roasted pork, which you can order as the Plato Boricua (which comes with two sides). If pork isn’t your thing, the fragrant pollo guisado is a tasty second best. Skip the under-seasoned pasteles, but share orders of the crispy beef pastelillos and garlic tostones. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Potato Saladphoto credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo" - Alison B. Kessler