La Fonda

Just stopped by for their legendary Bacalaoitos, reminded me of being back in PR with my family! They just experienced a robbery and remained open for the holiday, that takes guts and strength! Bless their hands, their hearts and everyone that supports this neighborhood staple! Shootouts to the chef, James and his staff! We loved our meal with you today! May you always rise above! Asé

Had the new brunch today on 3/29/25 and it was amazing. Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. I had the pork chops and my wife had the perni. I had the puńeta cocktail pasión simple syrup lime. A hit

Everyone is spot on that the food tastes of family, home, memories, good days. I love the artwork and the fact that the menu of the day is verbally communicated. Tells me what is made is fresh & sincere. Guests need to release expectations, support a local business, and the chef(s) will not disappoint! Thank you kindness and love on a plate. Shameless plug: I do hope the salads return to the entrees, but I'll be back regardless.

My loved ones and I have dined here several times. You can tell the staff here is VERY DEDICATED AND HARDWORKING. …..HOWEVER management needs to do better. It’s clear that management/new owners are not investing in the success of the restaurant and staff. They have one person doing everything, from hosting to bartending to taking orders to food running. She does an amazing job however it causes unnecessary delays in the dining experience. My last time here there was a manager/owner standing around asking people how the food was and just chit chatting while the one server on staff ran around doing everything. Extremely poor leadership on their part. I hope that they do better in ensuring the success of a neighborhood staple and give that wonderful woman a raise

Talk about home, Felt like I was in Puerto Rico, the people, the music, the food, the restaurant itself and ofcourse the flags and pictures of nothin but Puerto Rico all around, one of the best Puerto Rican spots to go to in the city, the owner makes you feel welcome and the waiters are the nicest and very helpful, would recommend and best believe ill forever keep coming back to eat and enjoy my time here. BORICUA 🇵🇷

Came here on a Pulsd deal. Sometimes those Pulsd and Groupon deals are kinda a swindle if you will. What you spend on the deal plus what you have to spend in store equals out to if you had just went to the restaurant somehow. It's wild. But. This Pulsd deal was a home run! I ordered the Pollo Guisado A Caballo (Pic with the soup bowl) and The 2 Chuletas & Rice. Food was DELICIOUS. So good that I'm like who cares about the deal. You get a lot of food and it's SOOOOO GOOD. The Pollo Guisado had this broth that was SOO good and you can take some and pour it over your rice. That's what I did and it set everything OFF. The 2 Chuletas and rice was flavorful as well and the rice was outstanding once I put the broth from the other dish over it! Service was lacking because there were a few new ppl waiting (per the owner). He definitely tried his best to cover for all of them and he did a good job. I'd definitely come back in a heartbeat and plan on to get that food again. You should come here too! Loads of food for what you pay AND the food is SCRUMPTIOUS.

Had a wonderful time celebrating family. But while there i are the pernil and it was sooooooooo delicious 😋

The restaurant decor and ambience are great. But it seems like it’s just for the gram. This restaurant had two waitresses for about 10 tables. One of the waitresses was bartending and was clearly overwhelmed by having to do so much. We had to wait to receive forks and knives even after getting our food. The restaurant has potential but today was definitely not their day. Most food items were also sold out. They didn’t even have chicken breast.

Good food good service. Casual restaurant came here for lunch with friends we all enjoyed our dishes.

The food was so good me and my sisters visited on Sunday around lunch time and they served us their brunch service/menu. We were skeptical at first because it was brunch but it was some of the best Puertorican restaurant food I have ever had! The pernil tasted so good. The arroz con gandules was on point.The pollo Guisado, was very good. They also give you free fried chicken and that was really good. It tasted like Popeyes. The food was cooked to perfection and had flavor. The owner/chef was very nice came out to greet us and gave us a tester of some ice cream sweet that he was trying to work on for his menu. The place was also nice aesthetically. The waitress was also nice. We loved our experience not sure why some mixed yelp reviews.

Came here since it is supposedly a popular Puerto Rican restaurant that's been around for 35 years but has changed owners twice. The wait on Sunday, the same day as the Puerto Rican parade was an hour long. I was ready to go elsewhere when finally my name was called. The owner of the restaurant had come out about 15 minutes earlier that the wait was worth it because they're not a "cuchifrito" and cooked fresh on the spot. Now hearing this I was excited to try the food. Everything was underwhelming and I was left totally disappointed!! I don't like being served in disposable plates, using plastic fork and knife and cups. It is so tacky and horrible for the environment. Imagine doing this all day and everyday? The food was not up to par and some were undercooked or overcooked, greasy and not exactly representing what the item should be. One of the pastellitos of bacalao had several pieces of bones!! The bacalao is supposed to be properly cleaned before it is prepared and put in a pastellito. The drinks served in plastic cups with a lot of ice is a rip off and spaces with tables not properly cleaned is also a huge problem! The bathrooms (2) were missing toilet paper, hand towels and floors were wet. Not properly maintained. It appears this place needs to hire more workers in every aspect for this place to run smoother. Cooks/chefs must be retrained to better prepare foods. I would not recommend this restaurant for so many reasons and don't understand why they're still in business. If I could give them a negative 1 star, I wouid!

beans were burnt, and chicken was raw. When letting the owner James, know he told me we didn't know what we were talking about and we don't know how Spanish cuisine taste (I am of Hispanic origin). WOULD NOT RECOMMEND! 0/10

VLa Fonda is cute, but for me, it did not meet the mark--full disclosure: I picked La Fonda because of a deal I found on Pulsed. Honesty, I had high hopes for this dining experience, but alas, things did not go well. When I arrived at the restaurant, there were not many customers. I was directed to my seat. One of the first things I noticed was the beautiful art that decorates the walls and shelves. I would say it gave the restaurant a real, authentic feel. The waiter helping me seemed to be very enthusiastic and friendly. I ordered a margarita to pass the time as I waited for my bestie to arrive. Sadly, the drink was terribly watered down and missed the mark. My friend arrived, and it was all downhill from there. I explained to my friend the finer points of the dinner voucher that no burger would be served or items over twenty dollars would incur a surcharge. My friend wanted the burger, which had cost within the deal price, but our waiter and staff declined to make it. We went back and forth several times before they decided to go ahead and make the damn thing. Sadly, they served a hockey puck and not the medium rare burger he wanted. Adding to our disappointment, the voucher was for a bottomless option, but we had to keep asking to replenish our carafe. My meal was just ok. I had such hope for this experience, but as I said, it missed the mark.

First time here, as a cooking puertorrican , I have to say the food was really really good. We order the avocado salad, arroz con gandules with pernil borracho, we also order white rice with red bean. The owner came and they have live music on Friday's night. Super nice and will be back for many other option.

If you are uptown and looking for a fun place to brunch with home cooking check out La Fonda! They have fun brunch themes like Flamenco brunch or drag brunch. They also have a dj spinning making sure you are dancing while you eat. And the brunch drink specials hit. Seating gets limited prime brunch time so try and get there early. We went on their very first drag brunch and it was packed which slowed service a bit. The staff was really good and I noticed each wait staff member had a flag from their country on it. I love pernil and this one was juicy, not dry, had lots of flavor yet not salty. I'm drooling while typing this. The pricing is a teeny bit higher than what I've seen in Queens but the portions are good. For those who like blue cheese and bacon I highly recommend their blue cheese burger the bacon they top it with was phenomenal. Insider tip: ask for a side of the homemade sofrito. They don't put it out on the table unless you ask.

A great hangout! We managed to try their empanadas, pollo a la plancha, canoa, pollo guisado, mofongo, empanada de guava con queso. Not to mention their cocktails are thirst quenching! They are so popular of their ensalada de pulpo and bacalao that they run out of it that day! The place is lovely! If you like to dance and party, they have this outdoor patio with a live band, but if you like a little intimate, you can stay inside or in a bar! Their staff is amazing! The restrooms are clean too! So if you wanna have fun, this is a place to be when you visit New York! Which I am sure the locals will agree too!

Ambiance, the attention to detail, the service, and above all - the food = Chefs kiss Like wow, way to check all the boxes! The brunch menu is priced appropriately and the unlimited mimosas come in a variety of flavors! The crab cake app? Hands down the best I've ever had! I will wholeheartedly be back!!!

Brought my friend here . It was our first time and it was honestly amazing . We were super surprised because the reviews didn't look to good . But when the food came out . Omg it was so flavorful we got the monfongo de pernil and the tostonos. The monfongo was amazing. We also order the puneta drink and it was also really good . Would definitely be coming back. The service was great. And the vibes inside are amazing I came and they had a DJ.

Service is very slow. Food is mid. They were out of a lot of things. The mimosas were very strange tasting (we ordered Bellinis but they were out) But the servers were nice and the best part of my meal was the Arroz con gandules. The service was so slow we saw four different seated parties get up and leave.

We had a great time here for my mom's birthday - tasty food and great service! Apparently, there is live music sometimes so I'll be back. I recommend the vegetable mofungo!

Sometimes is good and sometimes awful. They need to get their act together. They're not consistent with their hours either.

Amongst the many cuchifritos in El Barrio, this has got to be the Puerto Rican OG in the area where you'll get real down home meals and NOT corporate, ill-tasting or mass-produced food like you'd find at Don Coqui or Sofrito spots and billing it as "Puerto Rican". No here. Aside from some mismanagement of sorts and closure in the past, don't fret because the Puerto Rican-born owner is here to stay AND you will get a hearty and tasty meal. La Fonda's menu is stocked with those Puerto Rican well-known staples such as: Ensalada de Bacalao, Bistec encebollado, arroz con guandules, etc, etc, etc, etc. Their main door opens with a long bar+high stools and the dining room follows. There's enough seating with an elevated area that doubles as additional seating but seems like it could be a 'stage'(?) for live music nights. Hubs being the Nuyorican that he is, enjoyed his Pernil in all its pork glory with a slab chicharron on top. My garlic+tomatoey shrimp dish was plentiful and very good. There were some minor flaws like our tostones could've used a heavier smash to make them a bit flatter (but not too flat) or that my shrimp was served in an awkward bowl and our Piña Colada was weak. For being an impromptu visit, it was tasty....considering their average standing.

The customer service was poor. I ordered from the app "Too Go Go." What they gave me was inedible. I waited over 40 minutes for chicken scampi and white rice. What bothered me most was that someone else received their food at the same time as me. I believe this was an attempt to discourage me from patronizing their business. It worked, and I will share my experience on social media.

La Fonda: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly... As they say, you always give 2 compliments before giving constructive criticism. We arrived on time and were sitted right away with a very friendly staff crew. The place was cute, and the bathrooms were clean. Onto the Bad.... We immediately gave our drink order and food selections as we were Hangry after a long day of work. Our order was taken at 7:10pm. The order was repeated to us to make sure everything was correct. We were celebrating our Christmas exchange, and we were talking and having a good time. The place was not crowded for a Saturday night. it should have been our 1st clue, but I digress. 7:45 pm hits, and we still do not have our drinks nor our food. We ask and are told that food is being prepared to please be patient. Okay, we are thinking we are going to get some really great food. We got our drinks about 8pm. I got the mango Loco, which is supposed to be spicy. Drink was not spicy, nor did I taste any mango flavor, but ok, I won't get that one next round. We drink our drinks and again ask about our food. It's coming out, they said. Food is finally coming out at a snail pace. Six of us ordered meals. I ordered the fried pork chops with pigeon pea rice and tostones (extra crisp). Four of our dishes came out with minor issues we didn't even bother with. My tostones came out when I was done with my not so great food, which I refused because I was done with my meal. We were still missing 2 meals, which we kept asking about, and were told that it would be coming out soon. It is past 9 pm now, and we are finally out of patience. Bartender comes to us with receipt showing us that wait staff (who was new) did not, in fact, place all 6 food orders. Okay, what!!! Why were we told the food was coming? We asked multiple times. Finally, the chef comes out. He tells us that his wait staff is new and that the complete order was not placed. He apologized and said he would make the food immediately. Meanwhile, we had waited 2 hours plus to get our order, which we placed at 7:10 pm. He said he would give us a discount, but he stood by his workers as we all started for the 1st time somewhere in time. We absolutely understand that, but why have a new person take an order from a large table. Mind you, she repeated the order to us in front of another staff member. The last 2 orders came out. One girl said her food was ok. The other had ordered a monfongo, which was more like mangu. They finish their meals, and we are asked if we would like anything else. Absolutely not! They clear the table, and the check was immediately brought out. We were charged for the tostones I sent back and an extra shot of tequila we did not have. The only discount we received was that they didn't add the gratitude. Needless to say, we won't be going back there.

Take a trip down memory lane. El barrio comes alive when you visit this place. The smell. The food. The music.

Came here on a Sunday morning hoping for a good brunch. Definitely did not receive that. We walked in and even though we were the only ones and had a reservation ahead of time, we waited 15 mins to even get seated when doors opened at 12. We didn't get any menus when we sat down and waited for a long time. When we finally got menus probably at 20 mins after, the server informed us that rice wasn't ready. We ordered the appetizer platter they were advertising for $65, and it took another hour to get to our table. Throughout the wait, the restaurant was still setting up and didn't come to take our order for actual brunch food. When we got the appetizer platter, we tried to order. We tried to order the plantain Benedict and she told us the kitchen still wasn't ready to take orders. She never came to fill our waters or Check on us, even though we were the only ones there. They had already been opened for an hour and a half and nothing was ready. At that point, the owner came out and informed us a free sandwich was being made for us because we had already been waiting so long. After 30 mins later, the sandwich was still not out. We asked for the check and 10 mins later it still was not brought out. I had to get up and ask for the check again and it just felt like they tried to keep us there until they were ready in the kitchen. We were there for almost two hours and we were just done at that point. They kept saying a few more mins, and it would turn a long time. The food that we did get, was good. But it's not worth it to come back. I did also see a table or two also get up and leave before we did. If you're not ready to take orders in your kitchen, I wouldn't give customers false hope and turn on your open sign.

I was very excited to try this place. When we got there we were asked if had reservation but we didn't . We waited about 10 mins to be seated which was fine, the host had mentioned it would be few minutes for seating . Once seated we waited about 15 mins for water and a menu the another 20 mins our order to be placed . Once that was done we waited .. and waited and waited some more for our food. The food was OK. Nothing exceptional. Since we were starving by the time it came we did finish it all. I won't be going back

This place was here for years it was great when George owned it now that James is running this place it sucks . I went in to sit for dinner on a Sunday and he said they were close because there is no waiter but I could get it to go . The drinks are over price and the waiting to get your food is long. This place has so much potential because the food is not bad but everything else I give it one star.

A once charming place with carefully seasoned and well prepared food now unfortunately a price-gouging must to avoid. The service is chaotically occasional, and the food is at that dumbed-down level of mediocrity that characterizes so many "Latin" restaurants in this city. There are countless places serving the same core menu with no particular national identity. Is it Dominican? Cuban? Puerto Rican? Or is the cooking so genetic as to be unidentifiable? This is one of those places. Every Latin Caribbean cuisine has its own unique flavor profile. I've always thought that real-deal Puerto Rican food is the most interesting and uniquely seasoned version of those cuisines. La Fonda fails on every level to serve anything memorable and a lot that one would want to forget. Chicharron de Pollo is dry and obviously re-fried from cold. The Churrasco steak-at $47.00 (1) is a chewy challenge that I didn't want to finish. There are steaks at Smith and Wollensky and The Palm in that price range, So La Fonda's price works best as a joke. This place has changed hands several times over the last 25-30 years and the current version is sadly not worth a visit.

Went to enjoy lunch with friends and experience blackricanvegan food options! Tasty, flavorful and large portions. Left full and content!

I had heard such amazing things about La Fonda, so when I saw them on pulsd I had to visit for brunch! We came over the past weekend, and it was great. Food was delicious, bottomless drinks were perfect, and service immaculate. The Chef's Eggs Benedict was a creative take on the classic brunch dish, while my friend got the Chuleta & Rice which lasted about 8 minutes it was that good. Our waiter was super friendly and attentive - just the right amount. Drinks were topped off and unlike many brunch spots we've been to in the past, not too sweet. Just right. We don't come uptown that much but brunch at La Fonda is worth the trip, no question. They have a lovely back garden, which will be just perfect for when spring comes around in a few weeks. We'll be back then and can't wait to try some more delightful brunch eats!

Not what it used to be, haven't been here in a few years. Came for diner and food is still not to par. My babes food is cold and the pork is dry. Service was slow , ambiance is nah. Music kept jumping all over the place. Don't think I'll be ack

First off I gotta say this place use to be absolutely amazing great atmosphere and amazing food and the staff was amazing. Now it honestly sucks the menu has been destroyed there's barely anything on it they'll give you an excuse and say oh we had catering today. Service is super slow even when there's only 2 tables that are being served. Idk if the owner is just throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks but it's as if he forgot what made La Fonda a great restaurant. Hopefully he shapes up soon and the restaurant can become what it once was

Terrible food, they served cold yellow rice probably left over to my pick up order. Not going back!!!

The food was mediocre. Service was not good at all. We were sat in a booth that was infested with ants. And yes I sat infested. When my kid had a few on her hair and back and I them crawling up my legs. We sat there for 25min before even being asked to place an order. Then when asked to be moved they didn't move us until we decided to leave after another (20 min of waiting )then someone else sat us elsewhere. After another 20 min the food arrived. They got my son's order wrong but at this point he just ate it. They had 4 items available on the menu. Everything else wasn't available. Like just shut down on the dining side. The bar however seemed lit and everyone seemed happy.

The service was just right, not that fast to serve the food nor that so slow. The staff knows what to recommend for curious patron like me (my first time visit). I tried pernil and was great . I had the in house sangria version, really good. It gives you a booze but not that strong. Just satisfying your craving for the moment. Salsa music was played and made you dance with the beat . Overall experience, it was good. Will come back for the sangria

I love that it's usually quiet. Service is not always fast but servers are always friendly. Thank you to my bartender who went to the back to get a blender because even though "Piña Colada" wasn't in the menu , he made me one anyway and it was DELICIOUS !

While in the City we visited a museum and asked one of the young lady about a place to grab a bite. She suggested this place and I am glad she did. We had a wonderful lunch with great service. We were craving Puerto Rican food and this place did not disappoint. I had the carne frita wit bolitas de Mofongo and my girlfriend had the bacalao with arroz con gandules. For starters I had the empanadas the carne and they were delicious. The carne frita I ordered was served in a sauce which was different than what I expected but I was not disappointed. It tasted so good. The bolitas de Mofongo were delicious. The serving size was perfect! My girlfriend loved her bacalao. She is normally not a big rice eater but she said the arroz con gandules was really good. This was an excellent lunch, we were not looking for huge portions, but we were looking for quality food and this is what was served.

My partner surprised me for a bday meal here with friends and family. The host greeted us and we were sited immediately. The waitress was out of sorts and taking our orders incompletely. My friend sat next to a metal pipe that had heat coming off of it to which the restaurant did t even bother to cover the pipe. The food came out sporadically and waited over an hour for the rest. To say we all were not impressed. The pernil lacked seasoning and the cod fritters were very greasy. Horrible wait time and not a good experience with the wait staff. I'm glad we were in good company that was the best thing. Nonetheless we are not returning.

Fantastic Puerto Rican food and friendly service. The owner greeted us right when we walked in. He was super nice. We sat at the bar. There was a live salsa band and the music was banging. We ordered the pollo guisado and the pernil. The pollo guisado was very savory tender dark meat chicken with potatoes and carrots in a thick stew broth which was great with rice and peas to soak up all the juice. The pernil was fall apart tender pork with crispy skin that was flavorful and succulent. Food was fantastic. Would definitely want to come try more. One thing, the food took a while to come out. We waited about 45 minutes and then we asked the server about our food since we had a flight to catch. These dishes are cooked a long time, so they aren't made to order. But they were busy that night with the band. Overall, great experience and delicious food.

La Fonda food was awful. Paid over $100 for something that was disappointing and completely tasteless. I do not recommend and will not return ever again.

We went here last Tuesday night for dinner... We had the best experience. The place was quiet since it was kind of late but we got remarkable service. The food was absolutely delicious We had the permit, rice, beans, sweet plantains, shrimp mofongo . No pictures of the food b/c it was so good we devoured it.....Definitely freshly made to order and you could tell they were family recipes. We got to meet the owner...James, he was such a nice guy! Super friendly and spent time talking to customers. I highly recommend this restaurant. He told us they have Salsa on Thursday nights too. If you haven't gone..... go!

Came here because we always passed by La Fonda and decided, hey why not. Let' support our local businesses. What a mistake. First off, for 7:00 p.m., it was empty. I told my husband that's a sign but he said I'm hungry, let's give it a chance. Second they had a B from the department of health. As we were being seated by a very personable host/owner, he mentioned we ran out of pork chops. We sat and decided on an appetizer, the chicken pastelistos. They were decently filled and they served two in a pilon. The host/owner, I think, came by to tell us the story of the pilon. Meanwhile we got two pastelistos for $5.00 each with special sauce. Ha..Ha. It's mayo and ketchup. We make it at home. He tried to sell it by saying we add hot sauce, yeah right. Already know. We decided on the roast pork (pernil). How could you go wrong in a Puerto Rican restaurant with pernil. We ordered the pernil, arroz con gandules and a side of tostones. Orders only come with one side. Already a problem. When the food came, I noticed that they shredded the bottom of the pernil and served it to us and poured the sauce from the pan. I kept telling my husband this is the bottom of the pernil. To make matters worst, another couple came in and same host/owner informed them that they had no pork chops or pernil, which confirmed that we got the bottom of the pernil with the fat from the pan. The plate was garnished with a itty bitty amount of romaine lettuce and two pieces of small cucumbers. Wait it gets better, I asked for hot sauce and he comes back with sriracha and says we have no hot sauce. Newsflash, Hot sauce doesn't go bad. You could have it on the table and it doesn't expire for a couple months. We had to ask for salt and water. The water was served from some fancy bottle, pointless. I ordered seltzer with lemon, he said we have no lemons. I said to my husband after he took the order, I'm gonna tell him you gave us the bottom of the pernil, which I did and he started telling us about the big lunch rush which is bull because we pass there many times at lunch and it's empty. How we should come on Thursdays for the live band, sure, NOT. I said you didn't even serve a sliver of skin, he said we ran out of skin, everybody wants skin. We probably had old pernil because the next day we had bathroom issues. Lastly, the kitchen is visible and no one is using gloves. The stories of the pilon and the water bottle were worth more than the whole experience. NEVER GOING BACK...not even if Marc Anthony was performing live! The food was horrible and neatly disguised. Go to the Malecon for real good food 97th and Amsterdam or even the cuchifrito spots are better. Don't recommend La Fonda...Why have a restaurant when you have nothing you're trying to sell on the menu and then you serve crap.

Came here on Saturday night for vegan dinner with a group of 4 for my husband's bday. This restaurant has a nice ambiance, nice decor and friendly waiter. Love love love the vegan menu!! my favorite was the vernil with arroz con gandules, oh and the empanadas The chicharrones de "pollo" was delicious too !! Serving size is good, enough to fill up on. Will be back.

I came here after work with some friends. The outside was closed when we came and were informed it wouldn't be opening for the day. We made dinner reservations and still had to wait about 45 minutes or so. So we opted out of waiting and we just sat at the bar and ordered drinks and food. I would recommend that this please have happy hour on Fridays, I hate that they don't have happy hour on Friday! The drink was delicious but it was over priced for something that didn't even give me a slight buzz after two drinks. The food was good but nothing spectacular. We ended up leaving early because a older woman came and sat at the bar and basically cursed and complained about how the establishment has changed over the years.

The food is really good and would definitely return. There's a wait for your food to come out but it's worth the wait. I'm sure they are better staffed later in the day my family and I went around 2/3 and only the brunch menu is served. The decor is wonderful great artwork all over really sets the tone to enjoy a Puerto Rican meal.

We go often and the food as well as the serve is Wonderful! Music evenings are lots of fun, with great Salsa bands! I've

Not the best food. Vibes are nice. Really cute place! Puerto Rican theme is one point. The service was good. They were out of Red Beans which is a crime for a Puerto Rican restaurant for sure. Before you book, consider if they have brunch before dinner service. If they do, they will most likely be out of some food items. The Food: The Pernil was really good, the Mofongo with shrimp had WAY too much garlic and lacked flavor. The alcapurria was flavorless, the empanadas were good, the bistec was made with thinly sliced cheesesteak meat :( , and the flan was way too sweet. Lastly, they only had American Coffee at a Puerto Rican joint so just prep to have a cafe in mind for after dinner before your disappointed at the end of your meal...

This place is more than just a restaurant - it's an artistic culinary experience. James the owner was so inviting and interesting. He walked us through his favorites on the menu and then explained how the photos displayed throughout the restaurant are the original pieces by Hiram Maristany , which is normally displayed at the Smithsonian, but was there on loan with them temporarily. Super cool! Even their permanent pieces hung up around the restaurant all reflected Black and Puerto Rican New York moments in history. Their cocktail menu is amazing. I seriously ordered 3 different ones because I couldn't choose and just loved the thought that went into each cocktail and their menu overall - the other owner was on Bobby Flay and challenged him to a Puerto Rican dish and won! The food was delicious and omg the portions! You will not leave this restaurant hungry that's for sure! We ordered the Beef Empanadas and Montaditos appetizer - both were delicious but the Montaditos De Camarones app was definitely my fav. For our entrees we ordered the Pernil ( omg the pork was soooooo amazingly delicious ) , the Mofongo De Mariscos in garlic sauce and the Mofongo De Camarones and all of it was so good. The shrimp was made really well and the seafood was just super fresh. During the dinner James came back over and introduced us to one of their tequila vendors YaVe tequila company and we tried a shot , and I honestly am not a tequila person , and it was so good! I was impressed. I just really love the culture vibe they have going on with their staff and just members of their community. These are the local business owners we need to be supporting more! They also have an awesome event space in the back that is fully covered and very spacious. I can't recommend this hidden gem more !!! I will definitely be back- many times.

This was a bad experience. We had a reservation for 6:00 pm. The reservation service said you can't be late more than 6:10 pm or I will get charged, so my party of 6 came on time, but we had to wait at least 15 mins before we got seated. The music was good. We had a friend prepaid some appetizers and drinks for 2 people's birthdays, but we were missing some appetizers. The sangrias was not bad. I have to say that was the one good thing for me. The worst thing to ever happened at a restaurant was that one of my guest did not get his food and my husband who was the guest of honor did not get his dish until very late as well. They mix up people's side. They gave my husband a side to another person and they gave another person's side to my husband, which was so messed up. Also, one of my guest wanted to take her leftovers, and the bus boy (who didn't speak English misunderstood) threw her food away. At the end of the meal, we complained to the waiter (whom was the only waiter for the whole restaurant and an inexperienced waiter too) but he couldn't do anything about it. I finally went outside to speak to the boss. He was outside washing something (I heard that the President of PR was supposed to come to visit the next day) so he was outside doing stuffs that wasn't meeting the needs of the customers. He should be helping to meet the needs of the customers. I saw several people in 2 tables leave because the service was too long or the food took too long too. I had the pernil which was dry, but the sliced steak was decent according to 2 of my guests. Ruined my husband and his cousin's birthday dinner!!! Never again!! One of the most horrible restaurant experience ever!! Don't go during dinner time when it's busy. When we were there, there wasn't a lot of people so they shouldn't have our orders mess up and miss someone's order. I see some reviews that brunch is okay. I bought the Pulsed vouchers too, but I couldn't use them on Friday which was my husband's birthday. I may have to go on a weekend to use the voucher and give it one more chance!!

Chuleta, Rice & Eggs for brunch with the unlimited mimosa tower.the food is always good, fresh and hot. Service us great! The bartender makes excellent drinks!

Showed up to this restaurant with a group of about 6 adults and two children. Aside from our group, when we arrived the only other customers were a couple sitting at a table near us. In other words, the place was not at all crowded. After a few minutes, a waiter came over and gave us 2 menus - a brunch menu and another menu with drinks on one side and the main menu on the other. We spent the next 15 minutes deciding what to order and waiting for the waiter to come back. When they finally did and we started to tell them our orders, he basically said, oh no, this is mostly brunch, there are only a few things from the other menu. We then had to change a few orders having already decided from the main menu. They obviously should have told us this detail when the first dropped off the menus 15 minutes ago. That was the first issue... annoying, but not the end of the world. After finally settling on our orders we waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. It took them 90 minutes to bring us our food aside from 2 appetizers that took about an hour. I ordered a Cuban sandwich, which was clearly the worst Cuban sandwich I have ever had. It wasn't pressed like traditional Cuban sandwiches that we are all familiar with. Now don't get me wrong - I'm not a snob about strict interpretation of classics, but if you are going to change it up, at least make it as good, or better or at the very least more interesting. They did none of the above. The hero was toasted but toasted in a way that it was just dry and crumbly and the pork was poorly seasoned. They screwed up at least 2 other order details for other people in the group For us to wait nearly 2 hours for food and to finally get a unsatisfying food is terrible. My group left there disgusted agreeing to never, ever go back.

Okay so I went to this place and ordered chuletas fritas, they told me they didn't have any . . . ya can't be a Puerto Rican restaurant and not have chuletas any day of the week. I asked for Malta Goya (which they used to have when I used to go years ago) they didn't have that either . . . the tostones were soggy and soft. ANY Boricua knows that tostones should be firm almost crunchy, the mojito con ajo used to be legendary back in the day, now? Meh, watery not as good any more. So I had to settle for the Mofongo con pernil which was "okay" but I wouldn't go back there again for it. . . . I'm guessing the ownership changed and the quality has definitely went down a bit . . . . was kind of disappointed.

I decided to make another attempt at supporting local community businesses. Regrettably, as with my last visit, the food was , let me be kind, terrible! They actually RAN OUT of white rice and beans and served arroz con gandules with my pork chops (I ordered white rice/red beans). The arroz con gandules was the most tasteless dish I have ever had the misfortune to eat. The "last" of the red beans was served to 1 of my guests. It was terrible. The coffee seved was ice cold. If a Puerto Rican restaurant can not make basic staples well, then there is a PROBLEM with this restaurant. To make matters more adventurous, the credit card system was not functioning. I either had to use CASH or use a Venmo or Zeille system! Why weren't customers informed PRIOR to ordering anything? Suppose I didn't have access to those quick pay accounts or enough cash to pay the bill? This is outrageous! My bill was paid to someone named "James"! I don't know WHO this person is or who owners are, but they need to SELL the restaurant! It's OBVIOUS this local restaurant takes the community for granted in providing good quality Puerto Rican food. It's an insult to Puerto Ricans who KNOW good food. Adios LA FONDA- burnt once/twice shy

My experience was somewhat disappointing. I came with a group and as soon as we walked in we were asked if we made reservations despite the restaurant being completely empty. Our waitress insisted to collect my name and number to submit a reservation request. Not sure why we needed to give them all that information especially if no one else was dining at the time. I was initially excited to try the carne guisada and empanadas but once we were seated we were informed that nearly half of the menu was not available, including the carne guisada and empanadas. As for drinks, my friend tried to order two different cocktails and again was told that they did not have those cocktails available. This took place on a Thursday night, how could a restaurant not have half of its food and cocktail menu? The food was somewhat mediocre, nothing special for the price. You're better off going to the cuchífritos spot and getting more food for the same amount. Aside from not being able to order what we originally wanted, the service was good. The food did not take long to come out. The atmosphere was chill, they played a lot of salsa at first and as time went on they shifted to reggaeton and Latin trap which I liked. What I didn't like was the fact that we had to pay via CashApp, Zelle, or Venmo. There was a sign indicating this however the sign stated it was "for today only". The waitress told us that their system was down and could not accept any credit/debit card transactions. Once we got the bill they quickly handed us a worn out laminated paper with QR codes for their accounts. Seems like this is more than a today thing. I would've just appreciated the honesty if they prefer these methods of payment for whatever reason.

Unfortunately, my experience at La Fonda was pretty disappointing! I decided to give this place a try 1) because I love to support my ancestral food & 2) because somewhere I came across a review indicating that the food at this establishment was pretty good. That is saying a lot because often times when I am asked where to get good Puerto Rican food, I always say it has got to be homemade. Oddly enough, it is rare to fine amazing Puerto Rican food in NYC. Exactly a week ago today, I made a RSVP with a friend who is also of Puerto Rican descent. As soon as we arrived, there were 2 groups ahead of us which waiting to be seated, which would make sense since the expectation was high & a great place to eat is always a wait. Early on I noticed that restaurant was feeling overwhelmed with getting people seated in a reasonable time to the point that I wondered if reservations were being honored since we were never asked if we had reservations while we waited. After about a 15-20 minute past our reservation time, the host finally seats us at our table. It took about 10-15 minutes before we were able to put our orders in. The host kept apologizing to us for being short staff. I am generally understanding of that especially since we were not in a huge rush. However, I sensed the host was out of his league in being able to handle all he was expected to do being short staffed & all. Trust me! I work catered events. I have a "sixth sense" on these things! Finally, we place our orders for cocktails and food. Of course, I thought, "Great, I could enjoy cocktails for a good amount of time before our food comes out because they were short staff." Boy was I wrong! After waiting about a good amount of time, our food finally arrives & yet, we had not received our cocktails. That really disappointed me because we had ordered Four Roses Old Fashioned cocktails, which I was so looking forward to enjoying before eating but it was not the case. In addition, I had ordered the Eggs Benedict with pernil over tostones (broiled pork shoulder over fried plantains) but it did not come with the hollandaise sauce. When I informed the host, he apologized & said that there was not any in the house. Interestingly, while we were waiting for our food, there was another person, who seemed like a manager, going around to nearby tables apologizing for being short staffed. However, as we were eating, I saw him out the window getting in to his car & leaving. I thought, "Wow! If this was a catered job, which I normally manage, I would have rolled up my sleeves & jumped in to assist in any way I can." I guess that is just me. Although, the food was tasty, not having the sauce was a let down. Also, the eggs were overcooked & not over easy. At that point, we still had not received our drinks so I decided to cancel our drinks & enjoy what I could of my plate of food. Sadly, I had such high hopes of enjoying a great meal & cocktail at La Fonda with hopes of returning in the near future. Unfortunately, I will not be returning back any time soon!

This is one of the best boozy brunch spots- shout out to chef Wilmer for such delicious dishes (my favorites: Mofongo, empanadas, wings, ribs and Chicharrones) and MIMOSA TOWERS. Their back patio is spacious and they have DJs playing good Latin music- it's a great spot! Totally worth the trip to Harlem and I will definitely be back again.