Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Boriqua Kitchen

    4.7 (160 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Boriqua Kitchen Photos

    BORIQUA KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Boriqua Kitchen

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Pork chop off the hook, rice delicious! This place man oh man
    Nicole C.

    This is the most delicious quality meal I've tried in a long time. Not one disappointment not 1!! The man is such a nice man so friendly. He has a customer for life in me..the garlic things (forgot the name) delish!!

    Empanadas
    Joyce Z.

    We came across Boriqua Kitchen outside of the Lucky's parking lot when we were about to do our grocery shopping.  I am always up for Puerto Rican food so even though we already had dinner, I had to at least try a couple of sides like their empanadas and garlic tostones.  Both were full of flavor and the garlic tostone had the perfect crunch that is offset by their addictive dipping sauce.  I definitely need to follow them on IG to see when they will be back so I can try those entrees too.

    Stacie J.

    ********Blacked Owned Business Alert************************* I was finally able to catch them at their published location before the food was SOLD OUT!! I was winning that day. I was out running errands and saw where they were going to be for lunch and the times. The Universe was working with me that day because I found a park and was 4th in line before they were taking orders. Please be mindful that there was only one person taking the orders and cooking/prepping the food. I don't know if it is always the case, but he got it done. Of course, there was somewhat of a wait. Now that I am thinking, maybe I was just ready to tear into the food and that there wasn't a wait. LMFAO. This is what I ordered: #21 Roberto Clemente and some Empanadas Carne. Need I say more..... If you see someone running behind the truck for a plate of food, that's me. Lol

    Chicharrones de pollo plate
    Nadav M.

    I enjoyed it a lot. The only con is the portion size. I was able to get a plate in Alameda. Nice area to just walk across and enjoy food in the park and find some tables around. The grass is nice too. The menu is pretty straight forward, either a plate or a la carte items. I went with chicharrones de pollo. Very nice and crispy. The inside of the chicken very tender. The rice and beans are in good flavour as well as the plantains. Plenty of plantains which were yum. The rice had nice seasoning; tangy and flavourful. Very chill staff, there was no wait around 4pm on a Sunday. No cash or cards accepted. There's vegetarian plates as well. Next time I'll get the chuleta.

    Maduros
    Dan B.

    Chef Darren continues to deliver some of the best (arguably in California) PR food. This trip, I had the Roberto Clemente and side orders of maduros and garlic tostones. Everything was nicely seasoned and the portions were generous. I'm a longstanding fan of Boricua Kitchen and will continue to support the Bay's tastiest PR food spot.

    Dameon S.

    Fantastic! One of the best empanadas I've ever had. Chicken was moist and crisp. Garlic plantains totally hit the spot. Excellent price as well! Get some extra hot sauce. You'll drink it up!

    The ground beef empanadas.
    Jennifer G.

    Just recently tried Puerto Rican for the first time and let me tell you... It was AMAZING! I ordered the (chefs special) which was the deep fried pork shoulder with a side of arroz con gandules, maduros, and habichuelas. Also ordered the ground beef empanadas, and the BK wings. Everything was so flavorful and deeelicious! Service was great and efficient. Presentation was very nice as well. Location was cool, had some places to sit and enjoy the food. Can't wait til they come back to San Jose! Craving all of this now.

    #21
    Lo P.

    Finally got to try Boricua Kitchen and it did not disappoint. Got the Chicharonnes De Pollo which was fried perfectly- tender but crispy and so flavorful! Apparently this is also Bad Bunny's favorite place to order from when he's in The Bay. The portions they give is good enough for two meals. I'm looking forward to trying the fried rockfish meal next. I'm sure it'll be smackin.

    Ron B.

    Holy delicious treats Batman!!!!!! This place is bomb. The empanadias are delicious the tostones are amazing and OMFG they had Alcapurrias. IYKYK listen up east bay you need to track this food truck down and get yourself some while they have them and they run out fast. Alcapurrias are as Puerto Rican as you get and it's so worth the time to get one. The prices are great and you won't leave wanting. In past visits I've had chicharonnes as well and the whole menu is fire. I can't recommend this place enough. I'm so lucky they park minutes from my place so I can eat there often. Get down here now. WEPA!!!!!!!!!!

    parked at hayward heritage plaza
    Anjelica C.

    i've had them bookmarked for years and finally saw from their instagram stories that they were in hayward last weekend so we stopped by heritage plaza park and gave them a try! was lucky that there was no wait cuz even with only one person ahead of us, the food still took maybe 20 min to come out. the meal overall was satisfying, but the meat was a little dry so nothing to rave about. the thing i did love were the maduros. those i would definitely come back for and maybe try new entrees next time. i got the carne frita special and my husband tried the empanada which he liked.

    Roberto Clemente plate with tostones.

    See all

    26 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric F.
    199
    7
    2

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 3
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nicole C.
    4
    648
    124

    3 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dameon S.
    11
    218
    49

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jen W.
    837
    1842
    3345

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Darrem L.

    Darrem L.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lo P.
    0
    28
    20

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Darrem L.

    Darrem L.

    Thank you for the support.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Delicious food and always friendly service. Happy to have good PR food on the west coast.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Everything here is excellent. My favorite is either the carne frita or empanada. Can't go wrong ordering from here.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 4
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of jaime n.
    194
    45
    9

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aj P.
    201
    30
    36

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of E A.
    1
    45
    24

    4 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Zo M.
    30
    22
    308

    5 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kat P.
    321
    185
    52

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jayne C.
    93
    26
    77

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jennifer L.
    115
    159
    67

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Boriqua Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Boriqua Kitchen

    Do you have gluten free options?

    Yes the #5. Mi Corazon. Rice , stewed kidney beans and sweet plantains

    View All 5 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Food Trucks 5,944 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine

    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine

    4.7
    (53 reviews)
    3.4 km

    I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Erick to discuss his management approach and culinary…read morephilosophy. We also discussed his upbringing in NYC and his long history in the Bay Area's challenging culinary scene. This conversation happened before I had the opportunity to taste the succulent Puerto Rican dishes on his menu. Chef Erick is a truly humble and professional culinary artist. He lets his cooking do the talking, allowing his ingredients and timely combinations to showcase his superb culinary skills. From our conversation, I learned that he genuinely cares about the quality of his ingredients. While we talked about his experiences cooking for all kinds of tables in the Bay Area, from VIPs and celebrities to daily blue-collar San Franciscans seeking standout meals, Chef Erick answered at least five phone calls. He diligently coordinated with his local suppliers to ensure he, and in turn his customers, would have access to nothing but the best ingredients during the upcoming weekend rush. Most Puerto Ricans, including those adopted (see Chef Anthony Bourdain's memoirs), know a Puerto Rican restaurant is truly judged by the quality and flavor of its Pernil. This slow-roasted pork shoulder or leg is marinated in a robust herb paste. Many Puerto Rican families guard their herb paste recipes as closely as The Coca-Cola Company guards its Coca-Cola recipe. Pernil is the centerpiece of holiday feasts and family celebrations. That's why I chose this menu to celebrate meeting Chef Erick. Without hesitation, he prepared for me--someone born and raised in Puerto Rico--his masterfully concocted pernil with arroz con gandules and a side of maduros fritos. I have to say, this was the best Puerto Rican food I have tasted in all of California, from Santa Rosa to San Diego. I have visited all the restaurants in the Bay Area: El Coqui, both Sol Foods locations, Parada 22, and Lola's Lounge in Sacramento. I admit, this is the best and most authentic plate of Puerto Rican cuisine I have enjoyed in 16 years exploring Latin Cuisine Restaurants in Northern California. If you like Puerto Rican cuisine and have not tried Puerto Rican Street Cuisine, you must add this restaurant to your "must-visit" places in California. Thank you to Ceci, all the cooks, and Chef Erick for helping me relive the experience of proper, authentic pernil y arroz con gandules like my abuelita used to make for us on "la lomita" in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico!

    This has the best Puerto Rican food I have had- including in Puerto Rico! The carne was wonderfully…read morespiced, perfectly medium, and full grain meat through each chunk. The amazingly sweet and ripe plantains finish out a very generously portioned meal.

    Photos
    Pernil and yellow rice..Authentic, flavors and texture right on point! I like my pernil a little more dry and chunky.
    Pernil and yellow rice..Authentic, flavors and texture right on point! I like my pernil a little more dry and chunky.
    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine
    Chicharonnes

    See all

    Chicharonnes
    Mama Roc's Puerto Rican & Caribbean Cuisine

    Mama Roc's Puerto Rican & Caribbean Cuisine

    4.8
    (53 reviews)
    65.1 km

    I am still dreaming about them beans! I had the pleasure of trying Mama Roc's at the Salsa Festival…read morein Downtown SJ. And when I say pleasure -- I mean it!! The line was long but thankfully my boyfriend waited in line, so I could go dance. Hehe. But the food came out fast and it was deeeeliicccious. It was so good half way through we had to see where we could find her food again. So we looked her up! The way I would follow this cute lil trailer just for her food. If you have the chance to find Mama Roc's, definitely stop. Definitely get a plate.

    I highly recommend choosing Mama Roc for your next catered event. Her food was so flavorful and…read moredelicious. I was in search of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine for a special birthday lunch at work for 15 people. I thought maybe we could try one or two dishes but the menu she put together was amazing! We had a delicious rice dish with pork belly, Pernil, fried chicken that was hands down the best fried chicken! Clearly made from the heart! The beans were like nothing I've had before, plantains and the beef empanada were cooked to perfection. Her mamagotchu sauce was a favorites by all, a fun savory condiment that complimented everything dish. Rochelle's communication from the beginning was dialed in and she responded within the day to my text and email inquiry. She met us at our budget with generous portions and every dish had so much flavor. She delivered the food with her warm bubbly personality and I'm so grateful we found her through Yelp. If you want a delicious, catered event with food that folks will be talking about for days after, call on Mama Roc! I will definitely be on the lookout for any events she will be at locally.

    Photos
    Puerto Rican Food
    Puerto Rican Food
    Lechon, beef empanada, plantains Madura, beans, rice, macaroni salad, all were delicious!
    Lechon, beef empanada, plantains Madura, beans, rice, macaroni salad, all were delicious!
    Mama Roc's Puerto Rican Pasteles wrapped and ready to eat...absolutely mouthwatering!!!

    See all

    Mama Roc's Puerto Rican Pasteles wrapped and ready to eat...absolutely mouthwatering!!!
    Sol Food

    Sol Food

    4.2
    (5.9k reviews)
    33.5 km
    $$

    This is my favorite restaurant in Marin county! My only complaint is the San Rafael location is so…read moresmall, if you go during their busy hours good luck finding a spot to sit at! They do have a to-go area where you can place order and pick it up, rather than going into the actual restaurant. My go to dish is the bistec sandwich, paired with their house special hot sauce, it is soooo good!!!! They also sell bottles of their hot sauce and salad dressing which is amazing. I recently tried their plantain burrito and it was also very delicious. My go to drink is their ponche which is super refreshing, especially during their summer months. I always forget to take photos of the food before I eat here because I am so excited to always dig in! I'll aim to come back soon to take photos and update my review. I love that they also have a mill valley location as well as Petaluma!

    This is a really popular spot among the locals so getting here anytime past 6PM and expecting to be…read moreseated immediately is an anomaly. I came around 5:50PM on a Sunday night and had to wait about 10 minutes, but by the time I left around 6:30PM, the line was out the door and then some. Definitely get here early, and parking shouldn't be too hard with a lot nearby and free street parking. This spot is pretty casual, as in you order at the counter before grabbing a number and sitting at a table. As opposed to a food hall, you get directed where you sit before ordering, and sometimes end up sharing a table with another party, especially in my case when you have a party of 2. Service was attentive and food came out at a decent pace, though they did not come all together. I ordered a large Bistec Sandwich and a Pasteles Special. The Bistec sandwich is a must order, and I recommend ordering the sandwich over the plate due to how fragrant the bread was. Pictures might not look like much, but the bread was sooo good and crispy, and they give a good balance of meat, avocado and veggies. It can be a little heavy, but a large sandwich was perfect for my wife and I to share along with another plate. The Pastales was alright - the rice is pretty unique if you're looking for new flavors, but the pork was a little stinky and dry. The hot sauce on the table is really good and managed to mitigate that, and it's not as spicy as you'd think given the color and smell. The banana leaf in the tamale made it really fragrant with a unique taste, and the lemon sauce on the salad balanced the entire plate out. For a party of 2, I recommend ordering the Bistec Sandwich in large size (since I believe the regular price only gives you half) and another plate. I also recommend using the toast tab (online order) to look at the menu over their actual menu; the UI of it makes it hard to choose what to order and the toast menu has pictures next to the menu item. Given that Marin food options can be quite expensive or fancy, this place is the perfect place to go for a unique food spot, especially if you're coming from SF.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bistec Sandwich
    Bistec Sandwich
    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's  Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry

    See all

    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry
    Oyo

    Oyo

    4.4
    (1.5k reviews)
    33.2 km
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Eco-friendly

    4.5/5 First time…read morehere and was pretty quiet on a Monday night. Inside was so colorful with plenty of seating. Staff was very patient and gave great recommendations. The table ordered the jerk chicken, 2 coconut salmons, 2 P.O.G.s and I ordered a paella oyo! There were rave reviews from the group for the plantains. Everyone enjoyed their meal and it was a very cozy warm experience. The paella was so crispy, the corn was delicious and it was flavorful! Excited to eat my left overs.

    We had a great experience at Oyo! The drinks and food were excellent, and every single dish we…read moreordered really hit the mark. The Food: Street Food Double: The chutneys were incredibly flavorful, pairing perfectly with the well-cooked chickpeas. The bara pockets were wonderfully soft and delicious. Beef Patties: The pastry was beautifully crisp and savory. The spiced short rib filling was a total delight--it had a nice kick to it without being overly spicy, which I loved. Oxtail Stew: Generous portion size with plenty of chunky meat that literally falls off the bone. It was perfectly marinated in a great blend of spices. Pairing the stew with a side of their coconut rice is highly recommended! Banana Bread Pudding: Having heard so much hype about this, it was just alright for me. It was cooked perfectly and I appreciated that it wasn't overly sweet, but it lacked a real wow factor. The Drinks: Red Wine Sangria: Really nice, refreshing, and fruity. Chase The Devil: Fun to try if you want something different, and it has a decent kick, but I would probably skip it next time. The restaurant itself is spacious with plenty of seating. On top of that, the servers are friendly, attentive, and incredibly helpful. Definitely worth a visit!

    Photos
    Jerk Chicken
    Jerk Chicken
    Mimosa's at Oyo!
    Mimosa's at Oyo!
    Paella Oyo

    See all

    Paella Oyo
    Casa Borinquena

    Casa Borinquena

    4.7
    (74 reviews)
    17.9 km

    I went to Casa Borinquena the other day for the first time and WOW I've really been missing out…read more The menu is small but mighty. Everything sounds delicious but the sample plates pack the most punch. I love plantains so having those figure prominently, with delicious rice and plant based chicken, is perfect. The service is incredibly fast and easy, and being at Saluhall, you get to take advantage of other vendors and a full a bar. It felt a little quiet on a Friday night but places like Casa Borinquena definitely make it a destination for me. Go now if you've been waiting. Casa Borinquena is not to be missed.

    Wepa! Casa Borinquena is anything but boring. Puerto Rican vegan food with all the flavors is far…read morefrom your typical mall food. Saluhall has two floors of food options. Definitely go upstairs and explore Casa Borinquena. If you're wondering what Market Street has to offer, duck inside IKEA. There are many seating areas. Yes, in addition to IKEA's viral food court, there's so much more. Saluhall opened with all-vegan vendors but things have shifted back to meat and dairy. Case Borinquena is the last standing all-vegan stall. This is Caribbean soul food and it's so good. If you're looking for a salad or something light, this is not for you. This food will fill you up and leave you wanting more. Loaded Tostones is pumped up with nacho-ish toppings. Served with a thick and tasty mama sauce. I was dunking everything into that sauce. I opted for the side of tostones because I was craving the crunchy plantain. It was crisp perfection! Lulu's Famous Pastelillo filled with vegan beef or chicken was another winner for me. The dough was fried perfectly and I loved the chicken filling flavor. Chef's kiss. Coquito cake is on the menu! If you love eggnog, get this right now. I want to return for the sampler plate. At $20, it's cheaper than a flight to Puerto Rico. Pro-tip: first hour of parking is free!

    Photos
    Some of our menu favorites
    Some of our menu favorites
    Casa Borinquena
    Vegan chick'n pastelillo. Yummy!

    See all

    Vegan chick'n pastelillo. Yummy!
    Doña Aida's Empanadas

    Doña Aida's Empanadas

    4.8
    (24 reviews)
    10.5 km
    $

    Overall subpar flavors and absolutely not worth the long wait…read more I came across this vendor through a festival unfortunately they are not equipped to meet the demands of event goers. Hopefully their catering is better. Waited over an hour for empanadas, rice and plantains. The food was sadly overcooked, skimpy and not worth the cost. I do think with some operational improvements they may be able to overcome their current obstacles.

    I tried empanadas from Dona Aida's at the Latin Food Festival in San Jose. My personal opinion is…read morethat it provides the best experience when you use them for catering and a reasonable experience when you try them at an event like a festival. I ordered both the crab and Cuban empanadas when I visited them at the San Jose Latin Food Festival. Their empanadas are made-to-order, which is great in theory as you know they are fresh but also resulted in waiting almost 30-45 minutes. The empanadas were definitely tasty but not necessarily worth the long wait. Now I should mention that the festival itself was a complete flop (if I could write a review, it would be two stars)... besides this place, there was literally one other taco truck and a Puerto Rican food stall. There were quite a few people in attendance at this festival that were literally all split in terms of waiting in line between these three places. I'll give Dona Aida's the benefit of the doubt and that they may have just been overwhelmed with the crowd hence the long wait time. However, I should note that I also caught a glimpse of this place at the Latin Food Festival in Oakland (much more successfully put together than the festival in San Jose) and they seemed to be backed up there as well. Once again, the empanadas from here were delicious and had I picked up my order immediately, I would have given a five star review, but it does seem like they are best used for pre-orders/catering rather than made-to-order at an event.

    Photos
    Doña Aida's Empanadas
    Doña Aida's Empanadas
    Doña Aida's Empanadas

    See all

    Boriqua Kitchen - foodtrucks - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...