El Rinconcito de Santa Barbara Restaurant

The first time here and we wanted some mofongo. This place did not disappoint. Their bandeja boricua is worth the price and it fills up two people easily, with some food to take home. Would gladly come again and we'll gladly recommend it to anyone who likes Hispanic, particularly Cuban and Puerto Rican.

Fabulous menú. You want it they have it. All in-house made. Food well seasoned and authentic food. We had Chuletas can can…wow! Avocado salad yummy, lots or healthy options too. El café 🍵 Rico. Music on the weekend on point. Thank you.

I was very disappointed with my experience here. The quality of the food was far below what I expected, and the service was slow and inattentive. No one ever came to refill our water, and I had to get up myself just to get napkins. I didn’t eat my appetizer because it was extremely oily, and when I mentioned it, the server simply said “sorry, I can’t take it off.” In all my years dining out, I have never had a response like that. On top of that, it took 20 minutes just to pay, and another person (not our server) eventually had to check us out. We normally tip generously—over 20%—but this time I left 15%, and honestly, that was still more than the service deserved. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this place and will not be returning. I should’ve called management:

This place is awesome with great authentic Colombian food I would go again.

Great experience. The food, the service, and cleanliness, all great. Been here many time over the last 15 years, always the same good food and service. Can't wait to return.

Let's begin...4.5⭐️ After spending a good portion of the day at the food market in Hollywood for my wife's birthday, we headed to El Rinconcito to finish the day before heading back for a 2 hr drive back home. Straight to the point... we ordered the Bandeja Boricua, which is for 2-3 people and it was good. The mofongo was not oily but still moist with a bunch of chicharron. Alcapurrias, carne frita, sorullos, pionono, Arroz con gandules y pastel. The pionono was alittle oily but had good flavor. The sorullos were small but good. Pastel was good too though I had to add alittle salt - rather that than salty 😉 Also the jibaro sandwich was good. The tripleta was good but the pork tasted alittle salty. The trifongo tasted good but I thought it was a tad smaller than the regular mofongo. The Guanabana shake was good. We had some friends with us and they enjoyed the food as well. The service was great and atmosphere was great as well. They sang and danced a birthday celebration music for the wifey. We brought our own cake and shared with the staff, as they were all great. When we are visiting again, we're making this place a must stop for some good Puerto Rican/Cuban food. 👌🏽 ¡Gracias por todo!

This is my favorite local place for some delicious Puertorican food! They have the best arroz con gandules in Miami.

The restaurant is really pleasant, but the best part is the Menú. There is a good variety of options, and the sopas are especially good, especially the pollo "in the punto" with a riquísimo flavor. I would definitely recommend it. Also in a very convenient location for access and departure.

Spectacular. The service was great. The food is out of this world amazing. Great environment. Parking sucks, but I expected it. Puerto Rican food craving -- go here! Make sure to get dessert. Lactose intolerant-- get Tembleque.

Back in love with Rinconcito! Last few orders have been amazing! Churrasco quality has improved and the arroz con gandules has been absolutely delish!

Muy Delicioso!! I just touched down in Miami and my friends took me to El Riconcito De Santa Barbara. I've had Puerto Rican food before but this was my first time going to an actual restaurant that's authentic. When we first walked in, we were greeted by it seems like almost all the hostesses. It was great because they had a live singer and it added to the experience. To start, we ordered the red sangria, which was oh so good. We also got the ropa vieja for the table, and that was quite possibly the most tender beef I've ever had. It paired really well the plantains. Since this was my first real meal of the day and I knew I had a lot of salsa dancing to do later, I went with a lighter dish and got a grilled chicken breast with maduros and arroz con gandules. I had been looking forward to this because I love arroz con gandules almost as much as pesto, and when cooked correctly, can be a real treat. The chicken was well-seasoned and oozing with flavor; the maduros was just maduros but still spectacular. My friends split the trifongo and wow, talk about a game changer. The presentation alone was gram worthy and the flavors all melted in your mouth. I never knew you could make such a dish out of plantains, but I stand corrected. The garlic was an added bonus! Last but not least, we have the 4 leches. Even though we were all stuffed and I was about ready to unbutton my pants, we pushed through. Surprisingly, it was just enough to split between three people and we all got equal amounts. It reminded me more of like an oatmeal cake but omg, was it good. All in all, this place was a hit. This place set the bar high, esp after it was my first stop since leaving the airport. Don't worry if it seems crowded because their service is fast AND accurate. Both pluses in my book. I hope to experience their breakfast while I'm here because I heard it's excellent as well!

Ever had food that's makes you wanna dance merengue and all night? This food has me and my taste buds dancing! Que Rico. How about the fact that is so dang affordable?!?! Ugh. Amazing. Great place for some Puerto Rican food. I had the Puertorican pastel for appetizer and it's freaking amazing. If you haven't tried one before, I highly recommend it!! For entree I got the trifongo with lechón asado and arroz con gandules. Que ricura. I'm not sure which was my favorite cause it was all amazing. Service is great. All the staff is so kind and always keeping an eye on you from afar in case you need something. You never feel rushed. The dining area is casual and laid back. Has some beautiful paintings from Puerto Rico on the wall. Definitely hits the spot if you're looking for some food from La isla del encanto!!

I instantly understood why the parking lot was so full after having the appetizer and limonada. I did have to add a little salt to my fish, but I can't even take any stars away for that because overall everything was . Food came out hot and fresh. Amazing service, great atmosphere with music and a gentleman playing the violin. I enjoyed everything about my experience here.

Very good ambiance and the good was delicious! Highly recommend. The mofongo was excellent. Drinks are very good.

This hidden gem off Palmetto 826 is truly a delicious place for so many dishes. Although well known for their mofongo we did try the churrascaso today which was spectacular. Cooked to perfection (rare), the skirt steak is wrapped around an exquisite mofongo topped with additional morsels of pork fried chucks, chorizo, and shrimp. Obviously this is a take home type dish because the portions are plenty!!! Give this place a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised. The fried spammer is equally delicious. Fried so crisp you can eat the tail like a chip, the meat is soft and flavorful. Beautifully presented also with mofongo this treat will certainly satisfy you hunger

I have driven and walked by this Hialeah staple and totally ignored it every single time until today. Every once in a while when I'm craving Cuban pizza I go to Polo Norte literally next door but never really looked this way. Today my pops and I decided to give it a try and even though we had every intention of trying the mofongo which is really a puertorican dish and something this joint is known for, last minute we opted for a sort of parrillada with a few sides. This grill consisted of churrasco, pork chop, chicken and sausage and it didn't disappoint at all. All the meats were juicy and cooked medium as requested. My pops got congrís and I got me some arroz con gandules and an order of fried green plantains aka tostones. The food was mouthwatering and the service was excellent so we are now fans of this joint. My father loves puertorican pasteles or plantain tamales ever since he tried them 4 months ago so we ordered 2 of those to go and he was a happy camper. Prices are surprisingly fair considering how expensive meats are nowadays. Definitely coming back to try the mofongo or trifongo if that's even an option.

Running some errands in the area and well while you're in Hialeah let's get some decent Cuban Food. There is plenty of parking. The restaurant has plenty of seating. They were playing some live music (violin with the some background music) this Sunday. We ordered the standard sandwiches (pan con bistec and sandwich de pollo) and they were delicious. The fries were so so but it filled the gut. Overall this was a good spot to get a bite to eat and if you have a large party they can accommodate. Nice spot.

I have lived in Hialeah for a couple of years now and have never been here. My coworker recommended I come and I'm so happy I did. This is real authentic Puerto Rican food. It was absolutely delicious. The mofongo was definitely the best part. I would love to come back and try their other dishes. The arroz con gandules must be delicious! The food came out super quick and the service was excellent. It's not the most aesthetic restaurant, but the food makes up for it.

It was a truly amazing place. Easy to find wonderful customer service. The food was delicious. Can't wait to return wonderful life music. Everyone was amazing there food was delicious. Can't wait to return and be able to try other food items. My food was excellent. Perfectly seasoned the appetizers plenty to choose from as well as also vegetarian items to choose from as well, plenty of seafood options and chicken and beef love this place. I highly recommended a little hitting gym in Miami.

Used to be much better. Very disappointed last time I ordered take out. When I contacted to complain they said they couldn't do anything, should have looked at my order before leaving restaurant even though it was double bagged with a knot. My friends like the pasteles from there but not cheap.

This is a terrific place to hangout for Puerto Rican and Cuban food. Definitely a hidden gem. As soon as we got in the hostess was very friendly and immediately upon sitting down the waiter served us water. The service was on point. We started with the pastel which was amazing. We ordered the lechón asado and arroz con gandules with a side of trifongo. The trifongo was really good and moist. For the people that never eaten that, it's basically mashed plantain, yuca and banana and topped with fried pork rinds. It was super good. Everything was good and tasty. We also tired the alcapurrias which is fried plantain stuffed with ground beef. I haven't eaten that in years but it was close to the real thing flavor wise. But overall, it's nice and family oriented. We didn't need a reservation yet it was fast and also they have a bar area if u want to get some drinks. I know they play live music so eventually we will come back for that. Hope you guys enjoy this review. ..... oh... before I forget. For dessert I ordered the tembleque. It's a coconut pudding jello. Omg..... my favorite so far. It came topped with cinnamon and shredded coconut on the inside. My favorite. Can't wait to go back for that.

Delicious!! Ordered the appetizer sampler that serves 3 but only 2 of us and we ate every bit of this. We were so full that I thought we would need to be rolled out. Lol.

Didn't pay attention to me they put to little salt in my meal it was excuse my language it was ass

Im sorry, but this place should not call itself "La casa del MOFONGO" arroz con gandules was definitely not good or "Puerto Rican Style" And the pernil was not a roasted "Pernil" I've ever eaten in a Puerto Rican Restaurant. The server was sweet. The only good experience I had.

This was an interesting place for me. At first you think it is like most Latin restaurants, and it is very "Latin" but it has this upbeat vibes uncommon for fairly priced locations in Miami. Maybe it is the violinist playing todays hits through his instrument that gives this place a fancier feel, yet the environment and aesthetic is relaxed. Our food was amazing, big group and they did great with serving everyone. It was grandmas birthday & they show up with a dance party for the birthday person, lots of dancing, singing, instruments. Loved it! Big portions, good food. Definitely recommend it.

Our family loves this place. The food is so fresh, and the music is so much fun, especially when you are celebrating a birthday!! It's not cheap, otherwise we would go more often.

I came with my partner and his family for lunch and everything was sooo delicious. We had frituras de malanga, Alcapurrias, frituras de balacao as appetizers. I had the Bistec Uruguayo de res with Moros & yucca con mojo & it was delicious. The bistec was tender, the cheese and ham were soo good. Needless to say we were all very pleased with our choices & the service we were given as well. Definitely a good restaurant to visit while in Hialeah

As a little kid, I would dine in here often with my family. I came back this week after years of not walking into the restaurant and I'm so happy to have re-discovered this place. The food takes you back to Puerto Rico! It was 2 of us but we were stuffed between the appetizer platter and the one entree we picked out. You can choose from cuban or Puerto Rican appetizers. We stuck to Puerto Rican food this visit and ordered the antojito boricua. What a great start to our meal! This included 2 alcapurrias, 2 sorullitos, and a Puerto Rican styled pastel. Think of a mozeralla stick but replace the outside with a sweet fried corn base... that's what a sorullito is. the mix of sweet outside and savory cheese inside makes for a great treat! The pastel is layers of food that all come together- you get some fried plantain with meat and cheese all in one bite, A DELICIOUS BITE. And when you think you've had the best thing ever you move on to the entree: Chuleta Kan Kan. This plate was massive. It included pork, arroz con gandules and a trifongo. The red onions over the pork and the chunky chicharrón on top of the trifongo make your taste buds dance. Their arroz con gandules were delicious and fresh even close to closing time. The Kan Kan was crispy in all the right places and juicy. Not a healthy meal but it's a very comforting one

Doesn't look like much from the outside, but el rinconcito is now celebrating 25 years of serving in Hialeah and for good reason! Consistently good Puerto Rican food at a great price! My go to order always includes a small chicken soup as an appetizer, and (not pictured unfortunately), a bistec de palomilla steak with a side of rice and black beans! On a weekend night you will usually find that it is full and there is a live band!

This is my second time and I loved it as always. What's special about here is that on the weekends is that they have a live dj. Also when it's someone's birthday the lights turn into disco lights and they start singing and playing the guiro y tamboreen. It's such a lovely experience and the waiters are so nice. The restaurant is like eating with your family

Wow what a find!! We wanted to try a nice Cuban restaurant & found good reviews for this one. The food was FABULOUS! red Snapper was lovely & the chicken with garlic sauce was equally delicious! Loved the plantains & sweet potatoes. Crema Catalan was a lovely sweet way to end the evening. Fun live music made te atmosphere lively and special!

Best Monfongo in Miami If you are looking to try some Authentic Puerto Rican food , this is the Spot We started with the Assorted Platter with their typical appetizer. They were so delicious like no other. And for our Entree , we had the Pescado Enchilado which made with a Creole sauce. If you are in Hialeah, this is a Must Eat Spot !!

We came again tonight. It did not disappoint and was packed. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I tried their mango milkshake which was delicious. I also ordered lobster with their garlic sauce and their legendary monfongo. My husband had their surf and turf - lobster with the tomatoe sauce, steak and monfongo.

This place is by far my favorite place to celebrate family birthdays ! I've been coming here since I was younger. My dad started raving about this place because of the hospitality and how accommodating they are on birthdays. I can't start recommending every dish I love because I will be here a while but I can say my favorite is a bistec de palomilla with rice and beans and my bf's go to is a bistec de milanesa, moro and maduros!

Strange. Wrapped up review into one word. Trying to forget the dry mofongo, bizarre ambience and the disco lights and sirens of happy birthday celebrations. Strange place. Maybe go just to feel like you were transported back to 1980. But, bring your own caldo to soften what they think is "The Best Mofongo in Town." ... please! Take the sign down, its misleading the hungry.

This is a hidden gem. The food is very good. A mix of Cuban and Puerto Rican delicacies. Although very similar in flavors and ingredients there are some differences In dishes and preparations. Overall really good Latin home cooking. I had to go with the traditional mofongo with pork. The plate is large and very filling...the pork was flavorful, tender and with the perfect amount of fat to meat ratio for my taste. The mofongo come with a side of broth so you can make it as moist as you prefer...I loved this.... So you can have it just the way you like it. The little chorrearon pieces are also perfect and you can order extra if you like. They have many dishes including vaca frita and other Cuban staples. They have juices and shakes and also beer and drinks. They have live music and the place is spacious and bright. It's worth going out of your way to have a meal here.

This place can be hit or miss. On a scale from 1-10 I'd give it a 8. Food is good but not always fresh. Service is good, entertainment is a 9. Try it, you may return.

I used to order here quite often and eat at the restaurant. The prices were good for the food quality and quantity however prices have gone up quite a bit lately. I know prices have gone up in general but for example their churrasco which they have an ok quality meat, is in my opinion over priced. i ordered 2 meals for delivery and it was over $70. plus of course, i had to tip the delivery person because it is not their fault the prices are so high. The beans were watery and no flavor. for prices this high the quality has to be a lot better imo. The arroz con gandules was good and the mofongo could have been smashed more, but good. for the current prices, I don't think I'll be going back.

It's been years since I have eaten here . Yes the food was amazing good specially the mofongo .!! i wanted to say , el rinconcito de Santa Barbara , had the best mofongo out side of Puerto Rico , that's why I'm watering at my mouth for it , it's quite a drive from we're i live that's why I've haven't been by since . Miss the food the fried fish the el arroz con gandules and of course their famous mofongo , with chicharrón , or shirmp mmm , really recommend visiting ..

Maybe this place was good at one time but not anymore. The main dish which is the Mofongo it's not even close to being great anymore.

It is an authentic hole in the wall. Situated at a storage center, but once you're inside, you forget about it. Their food is sooo good, tasting homemade all the way. I was craving the chicken fricassee, but I went too late, near their closing time and all they had from the specials was a delicious meat stew with potatoes, and believe it, I forgot what I was craving. Omg, it truly hit the spot. The lady that served me was really sweet and accommodating, making sure I liked the food because I got full too quickly and asked for a box to go, so she thought I wasn't ok with it. Super recommended, you will not regret coming here

Food was dry and seemed old or reheated. Many years ago this place was a great place to eat authentic PR food. I am sad to say I will not come back again.

Over priced for mid Puerto Rican food. They also need too change the oil in their fryer bc it tastes funky. The decor is cute I guess and they've had the same owners for forever , but decline in service and quality of product though.

The whole experience was excellent !! First time here from Texas . Excellent service and the food was very delicious. I definitely will be back Thank. You

Great food, great ambiance, great service. Would totally recommend anyone to visit this hidden gem in Hialeah Gardens!!!

Excellent plate sizes to share and enjoy with the table so everyone gets a taste of all the deliciousness this place has to offer. Any mofongo you order is a good mofongo! Always fresh and always yummy!

Never in a million years did I ever think this would be where I would end up after my aunt's wedding vow renewal ceremony. To begin with, I never know with my aunt. To go on, I never knew this existed. To finish this off, we ended up here after calling two other restaurants that were packed and dear boyfriend coming to the rescue. Thank you! Ahem. Onwards and forewards. This restaurant is in a large shopping plaza, the one that's following the one with local hot spot, Breadman Miami. The original location, folks. They serve a mix of Cuban and Puerto Rican food, which suited everyone just fine. Choices, people, choices. They're definitely important. It saved me from having to hear banter between my aunt and her husband. Anyway, when we arrived, there was a 15-20 minute wait for four people. We chose to wait it out and sat outside. Soon enough, they called us in and attended us right away, presenting menus that might as well have been books. With the exception of me, everyone got a mofongo dish. Be it with a chop, shrimp, etc., they got it. I sampled some of it and it wasn't bad. I enjoyed it, although I have to say I have had better. The rice dish with grandules was the bomb though. As for my actual dish, I got ropa vieja. The ropa vieja was joined with white rice, black beans, and maduros. Pretty standard Cuban dish. Everything was seasoned well and the portions were generous. I ended up with leftovers, but more impressive was that my aunt's husband did. The chop was fit for a dinosaur. Had some appetizers and coffee, too, and they were on point. Have to say that the restaurant ultimately surprised me though. It seems that this is the place to be for your birthday, and well, given that we had a birthday amongst us, add a dessert in terms of food. Mind blown that I never knew about this gem in my neck of the woods. A repeat visit is definitely in order. Maybe next time I'll go for the Puerto Rican side of the menu.

Great food and service fantastic, go with family and friends, the place is 10 , we love Mofongo y arroz con gandules Arroz con gandules

Whoa! This place is thebomb.com! I just came back from Puerto Rico about two weeks ago, and I was craving some mofongo. My Puerto Rican friend had recommended me this place, but I never cared to go.. until today. Let me tell you, it did not a disappoint. I came with my mom on a Sunday afternoon around 3:30pm. We had to wait a few minutes to sit down because it was packed. As soon as we sat down they served us water and bread. My mom ordered the mofongo with chicken in tomatoe sauce and I ordered the mofongo with fried pork chunks. Each plate cost around $12 (more or less) but the serving size is big. We could have probably split a plate, but we couldn't agree on the the chicken or the pork so we each ordered one. The meal came quick and it was delicious! It also came with a side of soup. This actually really hit the spot because the restaurant is freezing!! Other than that, it is a great place for your typical mofongo, it definitely satisfied my craving. Tip: Bring a sweater it's freezing inside.

I was craving my Puertorican food in Florida. It's hard to find great Puertorican food especially when I'm from NY and I been cooking it all my life I was fortunate to find after googling and also got recommendations from other Puertoricans in Florida where to go eat. I was referred to this Restaurant. I was very impressed with the food it was flavorful and delicious. They serve a nice portion so I took my leftovers. I ordered a side of rice n peas , mofongo with Shrimps al ajillo Garlic. I also ordered morcilla blood pudding and alcapurrias. I don't order morcilla unless I get a referral took a chance n they were good.The decor was traditional PR culture pics, big pilón by door.

Food is so good, service is great and there is usually live music. Wish I lived closer I'd go more often honestly.

El ambiente es divino y la comida súper buena la atención súper profesionales Bistec De Palomilla Steak ese plato me encanto se los recomiendo

The food was fantastic! Mofongo made perfectly! The live music...wow. The singer wow amazing. He sounded like a record. Very smooth and crisp voice. I love this little gem! If you're a fan of Puerto Rican food come on down. If you haven't tried it, this is where you want to come!

The best mofongo in town by far! Great service, always busy, food served very fast. Prices are excellent.

La carne muy seca y quemada. No mucho sabor en su comida. Baño mmm no miy limpio. Buena porcion son caros. Una carne y mofongo $$$

In the mood for Puerto Rican dishes this is the place. Love their alcapurria and pastels.

This is Number One Restaurant in the City of Hialeah. I've been coming to this restaurant for many years. Great Customer Services. Great Food Great Staff Members. The food is always delicious Thank you for serving the residents of Miami-Dade County Ray Gonzalez from NBC Universal Telemundo Center

11/11/2018 - Came here with my sister to see if we could find a decent Puertorican restaurant in South Florida. We're from Puerto Rico and then moved to Orlando where there are plenty of authentic Puertorican restaurants that specialize in mofongo. Parking is no problem as it is located in a shopping center. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the hostess. We were sat right away. We looked over the extensive menu, and I mean extensive. The menu is like a book. We ordered the guanabana (sour sop) shake and a Malta India. After a little while the lights sort of dimmed, almost looked like they had lost power. Then you start hearing the music, the panderetas and the guiro. It was someone's birthday and this was truly a treat. There were around six staff members that were singing, playing instruments and dancing to Happy Birthday to you! Puertorican style! It was very entertaining. We decided to share and try out different items. We ordered the Pastel, Surullos (4 to an order), an Alcapurria and a Mofongo with shrimp in red sauce. The pastel masa tasted authentic, but it had (2) garbanzo beans and it was red meat. It also had (2) green Spanish olives. The PR pastel is typically made with chicken. The surullos were sweet and they had cheese inside. Surullos (which are my favorite food item in the world) are usually salty, no cheese. They came with mayo ketchup. I really liked them but my sister did not as they were sweet. Perfect! more for me. The alcapurria is just a heavily fried item, the dough surrounding the meat, is made primarily of green bananas and "yautía". The meal is usually ground beef. I'm not a fan. Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, and oil in a wooden pilón. The mofongo was good. I didn't taste any chicharron (pork cracklings) inside the masa. They just sprinkle them at the top. The shrimp was served separately. It also came with a broth. I'm used to the mofongo being served in the pilon with the protein on top drizzed with the sauce. Overall, it's a nice place, good food, service was just ok.