Portal Latino
Restaurant · Gowanus Heights ·

Portal Latino

Restaurant · Gowanus Heights ·

Authentic Latin American cuisine, generous portions, fresh ingredients

dominican food
cuban sandwich
pernil
rice and beans
great value
home cooking
stewed chicken
friendly staff
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null
Portal Latino by null

Information

217 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Get directions

$10–20

See Menu
Restroom
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Cozy
Family friendly

Information

Static Map

217 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Get directions

+1 718 246 1416
portallatino.store

$10–20 · Menu

Features

•Restroom
•Popular for lunch
•Popular for dinner
•Cozy
•Family friendly
•Good for solo dining
•Coffee
•Comfort food

Last updated

Dec 19, 2025

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Author R.O. Kwon’s Grub Street Diet

"I ducked into El Nuevo Portal for an early, quiet meal and had an omelette with onions, ham, tomatoes, and half an avocado — a safe, all-right option when I wanted a moment to myself before the reading." - Chris Crowley

https://www.grubstreet.com/2018/08/author-r-o-kwon-grub-street-diet.html
Portal Latino

Traci

Google
I dined here unintentionally one morning and you know it's going to be good because you can smell it from down the block. I had pernil, scrambled eggs, bacon and homefries with a HUGE portion of toast that fed two people. The pernil was INSANELY good, as was everything else. It's a small place with to go mostly and a few tables. Is it wheelchair-accessible seating wise though counter is very high and I think while the entrance to the restroom is awkward, it's navigable.

wruiz9o

Google
This restaurant has changed in the last 10 yrs! I have ordered here many times yet has gotten better since before! This restaurant is the only place that I have found that has made great alcapurrias in the area.

Isabelle J

Google
Was just walking down the street when we came across this place and ended up having an unexpected feast! Loved everything about this place — the food was excellent and in big portions with great prices, the staff was sooooo nice and telling us about all of the best menu items. We got the roasted chicken, plantains, salad, red beans, all were amazing with their homemade picante and garlic sauces. Would definitely be back!

Elsa B.

Google
This place stands above others because of how they treat you. The personnel delivered excellent customer service and the dishes were superior. All dishes we picked featured fresh ingredients, great flavor and expert cooking. Their prices remain surprisingly affordable. The restaurant has won our trust.

Sunshine K.

Google
Little gem in Brooklyn. The staff are kind and welcoming. Always a big smile. The food is absolutely delicious. Just like eating at Abuelas. This restaurant has been a family favorite for many years. I came here as a kid, and now as an adult.

Judith V.

Google
The overall experience ensures I'll make this a regular stop in my dining schedule. Staff answers curiosities about ingredients happily. I'll be back if I'm in this part of town. Portal Latino serves food at its prime moment. This restaurant exceeded all my hopes.

Ryan P.

Google
This restaurant used to be known for its generous portions, but unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. What they’re offering now for $12 is surprisingly small and just doesn’t feel worth the price anymore. It’s disappointing, especially considering how good it used to be. Looks like I’ll be heading over to Cibao from now on instead.

Anthony D.

Google
Best Dominican food in the city. Been going here since my parents moved us to the area in 1996. It is honestly the best and no matter where I go I always say el portal is the best with the best chicharrón de pollo. Love the place the people, everything. Thank you for never letting me down in so many years. ❤️☺️
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Humberto S.

Yelp
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Was away on vacation for several days and when got back home, all I wanted was a home cook meal. Son's friend invited us out to dinner to this Spanish restaurant for his birthday and man he did not let us down. Every single piece of food that came out that kitchen was DELICIOUS! The rice and black beans felt like home. Wife ordered the mofongo with pernil and yes, I had some and it was soft, and seasoned great and juicy. We had the avocado salad and it was fresh - like as if it was just picked from the garden. But the best thing I had was the chicharrón de pollo sin hueso and OMG - the best thing ever: moist, crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, seasoned to perfection. The cook went to town with that food. My son and girlfriend had the pepper steak and they said it was top tier. The birthday boy let us taste his "French chicken" (I was skeptical at first) and wow that was a real nice taste of flavors, meat and herbs. What also made the evening pleasant was the waitress and host who was very friendly, loving, as if we knew each other forever. She was attentive, treated us with such warmth and made sure we were comfortable. She would interact with us and made it seem like we were regulars. The other waitresses there were also so loving and attentive. While eating I observed the other customers were treated with such affection - from teenagers, families, cops, little kids, etc. If you want some food that feels like home cooking, stop by here asap. Easy commute from Manhattan either via train or by car right off the Brooklyn bridge or Hugh Carey tunnel. I'm going back as soon as I have another free weekend. I recommend you also go asap. Wonderful people, wonderful food and wonderful place.
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R H.

Yelp
Fast food amazing lunch spot. You will be in and out in no time with a wide selection of prepared favorites with different types of rice and beans. Amazing selection of eats. Dropped in for an empanada during breakfast and then came back for lunch. Place was packed during lunch, which tells you the locals love this place because it serves simply good tasty hot food.
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Domonique G.

Yelp
Portal is my go to restaurant whenever I'm in Brooklyn. NYC used to be a biweekly road trip for me. This past Thanksgiving weekend was my first time there in nearly 3 years. The quality of the food has not changed one bit. Usually I have breakfast delivered but this time I got lunch. Stewed chicken with an extra order of beans and rice and morir soñando. I wanted to walk back to the restaurant and grab the pitcher. The drink was just a delicious touch. I'll be retuning to Brooklyn next month and I know where I will be stopping or getting delivery from!
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Honest T.

Yelp
This restaurant lost its taste, food is no longer good. I usually call an order in and pick up, but lately there really sloppy in taking an order over the phone. Never pay attention to what I want and to ask how much it's like asking a 5 year old what's 5 x 5 is. Never again!
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Roro B.

Yelp
This restaurant catered our back to work luncheon and they did not disappoint at all. Being that we are social distancing we had to eat at our desks. We had some healthy portions of food because I brought mine home. I had the yellow rice and peas, chicken chunks and plantains. Seasoned and cooked well. I saw my other coworkers plates and knew I will be eating from there again Delivery was on time and they even gave us extra food just in case. And this was our first time using them. Funny part by te end of the day we were stuffed and ready to lol
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John C.

Yelp
We've been ordering chicken stew for the office for a while. The dish is a braised chicken with carrot and potato dish with gravy. For the past couple deliveries, we noticed the gravy spilt out everywhere and the container crushed. Not to mention long delivery time of around 45 minutes to an hour even though we are about a 10 minute walking distance. It's upsetting since we've been ordering for the office for a long time and we're going to discontinue our business for the future due to the recent change in quality.
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Jany R.

Yelp
Food is really good, authentic and delivery is always fast. The women who work the phone are always polite and helpful if I have a special request. And their white rice is . If you know my reviews on Dominican restaurants, you know I like to judge them on how their white rice tastes and they clearly know what they're doing.
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Lisa R.

Yelp
I did not enjoy the food here at all. The cuban sandwich was not a cuban sandwich. It was missing mustard and pickles. The morir soñando was a morir pesadilla. Made with regular milk, not evaporated milk, had no vanilla, and she sprinkled cinnamon on it, I've never had it with cinnamon. The chicharon de pollo was not crispy chicken it was just chunks of fried chicken. 1st and last time going there.
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Justin C.

Yelp
Got some chicken with rice and beans to-go. The chicken was good, rice and beans were good as well. The portion size was very large. The reason it just gets 3 stars though is because it was just 'good', it wasn't very good, nor was it bad. I'll get food from here again, but i'm not rushing back.
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Elizabeth P.

Yelp
Loooove this place!!! I just started working a block away from El Portal and everyone at work raves about it. I decided to get some lunch and I am so happy I did! The cuban sandwich was stuffed with the most genetous amount of nicely flavored pork. It was pressed nicely too. I wouldnt call it a cuban i would call it an amazing pork sandwich. The pastellitos and alcapurria was nicely fried and also great flavor. Looking forward to trying other items off the menu!
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Connie H.

Yelp
It's really easy to walk by this place and miss it as it's one of the more unassuming spots on Smith Street. While the rest of the stores are trying to be ~modern and hip~ this place probably looks much older in terms of decor. The cubano ($7) is good while the pastellito con queso ($2) didn't have the cheese fully melted so meh. As far as dining in, there are a few patrons but it's mainly a grab & go kind of place. There are so many places to try in this area but if you're into dominican/cuban then this is one of the few spots for ya. TIP!!! - They do accept credit card but you get a 4% fee for using one. *shrug*

Fausto T.

Yelp
Best Dominican food in brooklyn! Ordering take out is the best, the delivery always gets here under the expected time and the food is always hot when it arrives. Feels like I'm eating back home at my grandmas table
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Virginia L.

Yelp
Returned here for rice and beans when a craving for that excellent Dominican dish hit and was delighted to discover that the food was as excellent as when I worked in the neighborhood years ago. This is the real thing - family run, excellent authentic food and great value. A stunning cappucino/cafe au lait and bounteous beans and yellow rice - $8.75. Comfort food at its best.
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Sherry F.

Yelp
LOVE THEIR CUBAN SANDWICH. The first time I ordered here, I only got the Cuban sandwich as a recommendation from a friend. I really wasn't expecting much based on the description I heard. The first bite I took blew my mind. It was one of the best sandwiches I had ever eaten. I usually don't get too impressed with sandwiches, but this one was top notch. The bread was crunchy on the outside and they were very generous with the amount of meat. The pickles also gave a fresh crunch to it. I just wished there were more pickles, as I had only gotten 2 slices lol. The price is also surprisingly cheap, considering the size of the sandwich. After the first time I got the Cuban sandwich, I have continued to order from this restaurant because it really is consistently good.

Dan D.

Yelp
Just had breakfast , best breakfast I ever had, it's like a bacon egg cheese and thanksgiving day dinner had sex and this was its baby
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Lucius G.

Yelp
I like the food at this Latin spot, but I hate the vibe and attitude I get when I go to pick up the food, like since I'm not Hispanic I should be ordering elsewhere
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Krystal B.

Yelp
Honestly the food is so bland. It's Spanish food but it doesn't taste like they use any authentic Spanish seasonings.. just salt and pepper. Not something I want to taste when I think of Spanish food, especially being that I'm Hispanic and also a chef. They have decent prices, a dining area that is very small, the workers are even a bit rude and mostly speak Spanish. The portions are nice though, big. Over all I do not recommend if you're looking for that spanish flavored Spanish food, it's non existent.
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Josh B.

Yelp
A remnant of pre-wine bar Smith Street, El Nuevo Portal offers a dazzling array of meat items. Although I considered going for a bellwether dish of pernil, I was drawn to the Dominican-style pork chops. This turned out be a giant, garlic-laden delight. As someone who gets on hooked on awesomely caloric treats then feels guilty for a few minutes, I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of vegetables including broccoli and peppers on top of the pork chops.
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John Z.

Yelp
Food is great here. Favorite is the Stewed chicken here. Saucy, tender flavorful chicken with potatoes and comes with rice and beans on the side. Great that they packaged it separately. Good portion at a decent price for the area. Unfortunately, the delivery people probably stacked alot of weight on top because a lot of times, the aluminum container with the plastic top gets crushed spilling all the sauce all over the place.
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Shar Z.

Yelp
I love everything about this place! Their chicken sandwich is very tasty! The food is prepared fast, it's well priced and authentic. I used to live in the neighborhood and would go here weekly...take out also available.
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Glenn C.

Yelp
Beef Embocellado (myself, beef with grilled.onions) 4.0/5, good onion flavor, portion was fine Mofongo con Pollo (her) 4.5/5 Mofongo looked like it was dry but it was definitely not, was actually delicious. Mangu (a side dish, was mashed green plantains cooked into a stew, took some home) 5/5 One of the better versions of this, classic Dominican comfort food done right, great portion as per usual. Morir Sonido (drink, myself) 4.5/5. Portion was a bit small but the flavor was very good, good amount of vanilla/milk. 4.5/5 with giant portions. Rice was good and beans were solid as well.
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Will C.

Yelp
$6.50 for eggs, bacon, home fries, toast, and a big glass of ice water. Nothing special, you might say, but then that makes it something very special indeed. I can't remember the last time I had an American breakfast in a restaurant. The portions are correctly sized and the food is tasty and filling. The waitresses and cooks are nice and helpful. This restaurant isn't trying to give your taste buds a unique culinary experience. It doesn't treat you like a food critic or a judge on CHOPPED. It's just trying to feed you a tasty, filling meal. And that it does!
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Ty M.

Yelp
Had to try this place. My lady and her family order here all the time and her pictures looked amazing!! Wanted to try something new this morning so I figure I would try them out. Saw great reviews on the mongu (not sure of spelling) but it was great!! Very hearty breakfast and even more leftovers. Defiantly will be returning.
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Jenny D.

Yelp
My husband and I were looking for a place to eat and stumbled upon this gem. Decor is pretty standard but the food is amazing. I had the bbq chicken with plantains and my husband had the octopus with rice and beans. It was fantastic. They give you lots of buttered bread before the meal..so GOOD. Waitress was friendly and service was excellent. Will definitely be back!
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Fitzroy B.

Yelp
The fried pork chops was fantastic. I definitely recommend that everyone should try this.

Karen B.

Yelp
Our go-to Latino cuisine restaurant in downtown Brooklyn. The food is excellent. The Smith St. restaurant is tiny so keep your party small or take-out. Service is excellent , pleasant and welcoming.
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Stephanie P.

Yelp
Okay, so I have to be really specific here with my rating. This was easily a 4.5 experience, but until Yelp gets with the halfsies program, I'll keep the 4 star rating up... So needing a much needed nerd day to watch 2 nerdy movies back to back (Catching Fire and Thor 2) Ingrid S. and I needed to first get some breakfast fuel. We looked for boozy brunches but places in Brooklyn weren't catering to us on a week day so we had to be creative in order to achieve our lush needs. In a sea of hip bars and cozy dining establishments all along Smith and Bergen streets I spotted this no-frills Latin food place and my lil Hispanic heart began to flutter. I knew this could be the start of a yummy, inexpensive breakfast with at the very least a cold beer or 12. Upon us seating ourselves our waitress brought us a menu. Lots of yummy Puerto Rican/Dominican dishes on this menu but we opted for more traditional breakfast fare. Then out of nowhere (okay, it came from our waitress) a complimentary (yeah, FREE!!) basket appeared with warm, buttery bread. We gobbled up that bread as if we had never had buttered bread before. But in all seriousness - that was some bangin' ass bread, possibly homemade. Mmmmm...buttered bread. I ordered a sausage, egg and American cheese sandwich, they don't have conventional rolls so my options were regular bread, I think an English muffin and Italian bread - I went with the last option, I mean...dah. My sandwich came pressed as if by a Pannini presser - YESSSSS. Also they did that thing where they made the eggs with the cheese in the center so that it melted and oozes out with each bite. I kind of hate when people make an egg and cheese sandwich with jut plopping the cheese on top of a cooked egg and the heat doesn't melt the cheese - I mean DAMN, this isn't fillet minion, thankfully El Nuevo Portal got it right. Also, my sausage was delicious and not burnt...huzzah. Ingrid ordered a Western Omelette which came with green bell peppers and ham. Her eggs were slightly over-cooked and I personally think it would have been fantastic with some mozzarella cheese, but sometimes dairy products don't agree with her sooooooooooo she was content being cheese-less. Her meal also came with fries which I happily assisted with, I mean - I was just looking out for her calorie intake and decided I would take one from the team. What kind of friend let's her friend inhale all the delicious carby, starchy, potatoey calories by themself? Let's just say it wasn't much of a sacrifice as much as it was a labor of (yummy, fried) love. The fries were good. Actual potatoes in there and they came out fresh from the oven. Om nom nom nom! I also developed a special relationship with the Jamaican Parrot Hot Sauce that they had on the table. My attachment to hot sauces is still very, VERY new and my taste buds are still no0blets in the wide world of spicy things. This hot sauce was spicy and I didn't think I could handle it, but then I drowned the inside of my sandwich in it and mixed a healthy amount into my ketchup and I was set. As far as our quest for beer went we both ordered Presidentes only to be informed about 10 minutes after placing our orders that they were fresh out. We each ended up getting Coronas instead. Bottles were plopped in our midst and large wine goblets followed alongside a generous bowl of limes for our pursual. CORONAS IN LARGE WINE GOBLETS? YES PLEASE. We were the classiest broads in all of Brooklyn-land. Need a cheap, tasty, no frills breakfast in this neighborhood? Want it to come with beer in a large wine goblet? Then this is your place :). At the end of our meal we each ordered an empanada (yellow cheese and white cheese) to go as we went off to our nerd movie jaunt. They were decent, probably better had I eaten them warm but instead we noshed on them enthusiastically about 2 hours after getting them. They were still tasty and at only $1.50 each, pretty comparable with some of Queen's finest empanada establishments. I'd totally be up to coming back here to try some of the actual Latin food which is their focal point. Plus beer in wine goblets...MAY BEER IN WINE GOBLETS BE FOREVER IN YOUR FAVOR!!! :)
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MICHAEL Z.

Yelp
Great spot for Spanish takeout! Big portions at a great price. All the dishes I have tried have great flavor. Spanish food done right! This is my go-to Spanish takeout place.
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Uyen T.

Yelp
Ordered fried pork chops (which came with rice and beans) and chicken soup. HOLY MOLY...both were delicious. The pork chop was crispy and juicy (I especially love the fried fat part); the squeeze of lime gave it an extra zazz. I'll have to say the chicken soup was the star of the show; GET IT! Definitely will be a weekly spot for me to order from now. :)
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Nga C.

Yelp
If I'm ever craving for a real deal Dominican food, this is most definitely my it spot!! My best friend and I generally go here and this is how we usually meet up. Dinner on a Friday Night with my Bestfriend: Nga: Hey, wanna hang out tonight? Ralph: Sure, what do you have in mind? Nga: Dinner at ENP Ralph: Okay ______ Nga: Hi, I would like to order the grill chicken with extra onion and I would like rice and beans and salad on the side ($9.50) Ralph: And I would like the pepper steak with yellow plantains and salad on the side. ($10.00) Waitress: Would you like anything to drink? Ralph: Actually yes, I would like a coke please ($1.25) _______ Nga: Mmmmm....dude, the food is GOOOOOD, don't you think? Ralph: Nomnomnomnom Nga: :) _______ 30 minutes later Ralph: Excuse me, check please. Waitress: (hands over the check) thank you Nga: Dang dude, this is why I love eating with you, this place is always so cheap! _______ Total with Tip: $25 Dinner with my best friend: PRICELESS http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/el-nuevo-portal/menu
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Tory L.

Yelp
Ordered lunch from here. Got the Chimichurri sandwich which really didnt taste much like Chimichurri at all. Just tasted like a regular steak sandwich. Not terrible but not what I expected. Meat was tasty but the sandwich had too much mayo and mixing with the tomatoes it got pretty sloppy. Bread was nice and crisp on the exterior though. Go a side of Yellow Plantains and they were pretty good. Flan was pretty tasteless, my coworker said it tasted like the cup and yes a piece of Flan in a paper coffee cup is a rather odd sight. Overall took a bit for delivery but being in Red Hook everything takes long, I would give them another shot when the Latin craving hits again.
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Pinky C.

Yelp
WOO my 100th post. This restaurant was delicious! First off, I would have to say that the staff were very hard-working. Although there were more customers than the staff could seem to handle during the lunch rush, they still pulled it off with a smile. Kudos to you, El Nuevo. Because of that, there were not enough free tables that were clean, but our waitress apologized before we even had any thought of complaining. I looked at the place and I wasn't expecting fancy decor, but expected family-oriented atmosphere and completely received that vibe. The portions were huge and hot off the fire. The bread that the waitress gave us was fresh out of the oven it seemed, with lots of butter flavor. More importantly, it was not soggy, but crisp to the bite. Yummy! My Rice with Chicken arrived and was completely overwhelmed by the mountain I had on my plate. My first thought, "Oh I cannot finish this", and it was a true statement... The chicken was tender and I loved the onions. I realized that it was listed on the menu as "Rice with Chicken" insinuating that there was definitely going to be more rice than chicken. However, I was still not disappointed! Hot and FRESH. I enjoyed the breaded beef steak! It was a nice new texture to explore on sandwiches. At the end of our meal, I took a portion of the rice and a small bite of the sandwich,home, so I could eat it the next day. Even still, the flavor kept and was equally nice to my taste buds. When my boyfriend and I were leaving, I was peering over to our neighbor's meal at the next table. Dang, he ordered some kind of stew. It smelled so good and we could tell that he was a regular there. Next time, we shall try that! Read more: http://pinctoradventures.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/el-nuevo-portal
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Elizabeth N.

Yelp
The dominican breakfast of mangu, fried eggs, cheese and salami is one of the best I've ever had! This breakfast can be hard to find in this part of brooklyn. Asked for an extra egg and extra cheese for $9 total. So worth it! They also have a good variety of food for lunchtime. They have delicious beef empanadas that are $1.50. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Soups are yummy too. All the waitresses here are dolls.
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Sara P.

Yelp
My go to for a taste of mom's cooking. Of course my mom's is better but it's as close as I can get. The staff is attentive and they remember your likes and dislikes. And I even get to order off the menu if it's reasonable.
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Ebony C.

Yelp
All I have to say.....very good Comida!! You can't go wrong w/ chicken, white rice, black beans, & maduros!! Trust that it is traditional in the way were you aren't rushed, and it may take them sometime to get to you...but its definitely worth it. My long time favorite spot closed years ago, and now I found an adequate replacement. Yay!
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Ingrid S.

Yelp
Options for brunch/breakfast/early lunch on a Friday are a bit limited. I was searching for at least a place that served alcohol before noon on a weekday and that was my challenge. Steph P. and I stood debating between Cafe Luluc and this place. I let her pick. But I definitely want to go try the pancakes across the street some day. This shouted "I am cheap and will provide you with decent enough breakfast foods and some bottles of beer." Your wish is my command. One of the nicer touches and shocking was that the waitress set down an actual bread basket with melted butter. It went amazing with the Parrot hot sauce drenched on top. Steph got a breakfast sandwich with cheese and some kind of meat. Bacon, sausage, ham? I think all of those are available options. I went with the western omelette: slightly over-cooked eggs with green bell pepper and ham. Kind of happy there was no cheese in it because my stomach couldn't handle it. Option of fries or potatoes on the side. Went with the fries so Stephy could eat half of them. The highlight of the experience most def. was getting a wine glass to pour my Corona into. CLASSY. I love drinking Corona from a goblet on a friday afternoon instead of going into work! This is also why they got 4 stars.The failure of the experience was that they ran out of Presidente but it took the waitress about 20 minutes to come back and inform us of this. Overall, I'm moderately pleased with the breakfast and assume that their lunch/dinner food is a million times better. I'd have to come back to actually try that. Super cheap. Super friendly. Also, we took empanadas to go. They are $1.50 each and come in chicken, beef, and yellow or white cheese. Do it.
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Pinaki S.

Yelp
Old school spot for the neighborhood. The pernil, which I got one serving of, was unbelievable and got us through 4 meals. Try it out! Smith street has a good variety of restaurants, and this one is probably the oldest.
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Michelle B.

Yelp
Absolutely delicious and savory! I had the eggs with dominican salami, home fries, toast and fried cheese, thats right, I said fried cheese!!!! I cant wait to have wherever other dish they make.
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Sam B.

Yelp
Really good value here - you get a lot of food at a reasonable price. I've always ordered the "dinner special", which seems to be pork with a choice of rice, choice of beans, and a side of bread. There may be other meat options for the dinner special, but I can't tell because no one there speaks English all that well. The food is good - nothing to write home about - but definitely good. Oddly enough, the yellow rice may be the best thing I've had there. I'm not sure what the hell they put in it, but it's working, so I'm not asking questions.
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Moses G.

Yelp
The food overall is mediocre. Nothing special. There are two other places nearby (Cubana Cafe & Nuevo Cibao) that have way better food. I recently had their chicken soup and was very disappointed. There were huge chunks of potato, random chicken pieces attached to bone and ligaments. I'm not a fan of eating soup that I have to nibble chicken off of a bone and spit out ligaments. Soup should be comforting and easy to eat. I'll never waste my time with this restaurant again.

Gladys D.

Yelp
The food was good I've ordered before and it has been better. The timing was good When we ordered we thought it was going to take longer
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Jon J.

Yelp
My god this place is good. The roast pork, Jesus. The inside is modest and homey. It's just excellent home cooking. And the portions are enormous for the price. Definitely one of the best cheap spots in a very pricey neighborhood

Reese W.

Yelp
Great flavor! The only thing is the meat to rice ratio is a little off (I got three small slices of meat on a huge bed of rice with not too much sauce) but not a bad quick grab lunch spot. Make sure you double check the receipt, they charged me for a regular meal when I had ordered the lunch special.
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Mike R.

Yelp
I went here n used my brand new debit card(first n only place I used this card with) n right away was a victim of fraud... someone was able to take out money out of my card n if it wasn't for capitol one they would've continued to take money out.... if u want to go here don't risk it use cash!!!!!! The bank will investigate but this is foul!!!!! Been going here since a kid smfh
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Eileen H.

Yelp
My routine breakfast hunt for a Spanish breakfast and found this .. the food was delicious and the drink was tasty! The girls in front were really nice !
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Ken K.

Yelp
Food was ordered and paid online for delivery. Despite having an email confirmation showing it was paid for the delivery guy said it was a cash order. The woman at the restaurant said if I wanted my food I needed to give them cash. Sent the food back. Not going to waste my time here anymore.
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Gabriella B.

Yelp
Worst food I have ever had. Do yourself a favor and eat somewhere else. Ordered a Cuban sandwich from this restaurant, received it with MAYO. Since when does any Cuban sandwich have Mayo on it instead of mustard? Called them to complain & the girl tells us that due to the neighborhood the "white people" prefer it that way!
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Heath R.

Yelp
Panchita reviewed the wrong restaurant, as Robert T. mentions. El Nuevo Portal is a traditional Spanish eatery along the lines of other culturally adjacent cuisines such as Cuban. For lunch yesterday, I went to La Taza de Oro in Chelsea, where I got the beef stew, black beans and yellow rice. For dinner then, I went to El Nuevo Portal for the first time -- it's been on my list for awhile. At El Nuevo Portal, I got the chicken stew, black beans and yellow rice, as well as an orange soda. I just love this stuff. The beans and rice were flavorful and plentiful -- you could order just the beans and rice and be fine -- and the chicken stew was savory. I'd have preferred it if the chicken had been deboned some, as some of the dish was a challenge to eat. Although the decor is bare bones simple, there's a lot going on. There's a lively Spanish speaking gathering at the counter near the entryway. Lots of people come and go for takeout. The jukebox has legitimate Spanish music in it -- and the TV is tuned into a Spanish language station airing soap operas and comedies. I'll be sure to eat here again.

Cynthia G.

Yelp
I love this place. Their filete a la parilla or en salsa is excellent. Me and my coworkers always band together on Sundays (yes open on Sundays...yay!) and order a ton of food because we are hungry and sad that we are stuck at work on a weekend. Their beans aren't the best but the fish makes up for it entirely! They deliver fast except that one time where they couldn't find the office but after we guided the bike dude on the phone to our building, he now has our address embedded in his memory! The only thing is that they are a bit overpriced compared to other Puerto Rican/Dominican spots. Maybe because they have more awesomeness packed into their food. Wow...Yelp did not correct awesomeness. Did not know that was a word.... Anyways! If you do eat there at the actual restaurant be prepared for a wait. It's pretty small and when I went it was busy and they had one lady doing tables and taking orders on the phone AND doing the counter. Damn! But yes eat this food!