Malecon

"Named after Caribbean seaside promenades, the iconic Malecon has a 12-page menu with daily specials and calls itself the “King of Roasted Chicken.” My go-tos are the octopus salad and mofongo—because (ICYMI) plantain is life. Malecon is the first Dominican restaurant I tried in the Heights that never fails, and if you’re lucky you’ll get to meet the owner’s daughter, Larissa who welcomes you with Dominican hospitality.   For Angie, the star of the show at Malecon is always the arroz con longaniza. “Whether it's in a rice dish or served alongside tostones, longaniza seasoned to perfection with oregano, garlic, and the juice of bitter oranges is a personal favorite of mine,” she says. “Just ask my Tia Tita!” " - shelley worrell 31

"Malecon is a party restaurant even on a Sunday night, when this place fills up with families coming from church, and friends celebrating birthdays with pitchers of sangria. The menu is lengthy, but your first priority is the juicy rotisserie chicken this place has been known for since they opened in 1987. Round out your order with some shrimp mofongo, or a steaming bowl of sancocho, full of oxtail, smoked pork chop, and guinea hen. Malecon also has a second location on the Upper West Side." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah

"Malecon is a party restaurant even on a Sunday night, when this Dominican institution fills up with families coming from church, and friends celebrating birthdays with pitchers of sangria. The menu is lengthy, but your first priority is the juicy rotisserie chicken this place has been known for since they opened on this corner of Washington Heights in 1987. Round out your order with some shrimp mofongo, or a steaming bowl of sancocho, full of oxtail, smoked pork chop, and guinea hen. Malecon also has a second location on the Upper West Side. photo credit: Emily Schindler" - Willa Moore

"High chairs: Yes Even on a Sunday evening, this Dominican restaurant in Washington Heights is packed with people of all ages who enjoy an expertly cooked rotisserie chicken. It gets so loud that your toddler could have an award-winning tantrum and still nobody would bat an eye. Come with a group, order a spread that involves chicken, chicharron, maduros, and rice and beans, and let your toddler gnaw on some garlicky mofongo. " - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick

"Malecon is perhaps the city’s most well-known mini-chain of all-day Dominican establishments. The Washington Heights location opens for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. serving mangu (mashed green plantains) with longaniza, eggs and salami, and stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends, offering an almost infinite variety of Dominican specialities. The signature item here, however, is the rotisserie chicken; it’s slowly spit roasted to allow for tender flesh and stretchy, supple skin." - Korsha Wilson, Brianne Garrett, Ryan Sutton