I've been coming here for years, and it's always been one of my go-to spots for Dominican food. The prices are very reasonable, and the all-you-can-eat buffet is a great option if you want to try a variety of dishes. My favorite meal is the fried fish with rice, beans, and sweet plantains, but I've tried plenty of other items over the years and have always enjoyed them. It's an especially good lunch spot if you work nearby. They get a steady flow of customers, so the buffet stays fresh and the food is constantly being replenished. If you're looking for tasty, affordable Dominican food, this place is definitely worth checking out. read more

We had a reservation for 6 people at 6 PM. There was a Knicks game that evening, so we expected things to be a little hectic. One thing that caught us off guard was being asked for ID at the door. I know the place turns into more of a lounge later in the evening, but at that time it was still operating as a restaurant. It wasn't a huge issue, just unexpected. We were seated right away, but the hostess immediately informed us that there was a 90-minute time limit on the table. We ordered a bottle of Casamigos, a pitcher of margaritas, and several appetizers. Our waitress was attentive throughout the evening and even suggested different flavors we could use as chasers with the tequila, which was appreciated. The biggest disappointment was the water situation. When we asked for water, we were offered "still or sparkling" while being shown bottled options. Since it wasn't explained that the still water would also be charged, we assumed it was complimentary and that only the sparkling water came with a fee. Later in the evening, we noticed a staff member walking around refilling glasses with tap water at other tables, which confirmed that we would be paying for the bottled still water. Considering we were drinking alcohol and going through plenty of water, it would have been nice if the charge had been clearly explained upfront. As for the food, the picadera was huge and absolutely delicious. The wings were one of the highlights of the meal. The quesadillas were decent but nothing memorable. The nachos, unfortunately, missed the mark--they had plenty of chips but very few toppings. Toward the end of the night, around 8 PM, after we had already paid our bill and were simply waiting for our to-go containers, the hostess came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder to remind us that our time was up. I wasn't pleased with being touched, especially since we were already in the process of leaving. What made it worse was that she started attempting to move one of our tables while we were still seated. I had to politely tell her to give us a minute, and that ended the interaction. Overall, we had a good time. The drinks were great, most of the food was enjoyable, and our waitress provided good service. However, the lack of transparency regarding the water charge and the way we were rushed out at the end left a sour note on an otherwise enjoyable evening. read more

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I hated this place. Came early with a group on Sunday. It was empty and we were seated immediately. The service was fine, but I felt at times she was little overbearing. The ceviche is not traditional, and this place is cheap with everything! Literally gave 3 micro size platano chips to go with it. One person said it was pretty good and the other said it was fine. My quesadilla was okay but nothing mind blowing with 1 tiny squirt of sour cream on the side. The guac was actually decent. My friend said her mofongo was dry. They also include gratuity so check your check before giving a tip on top of one included. I do not reccomend this place at all and am mind blown to see 5 star reviews. I didn't give it 2 stars because I know how much this can hurt an establishment. However, I will not be back. read more

This was my second visit to Café Nuñez, and despite living in Connecticut, it continues to be a restaurant I return to and truly enjoy. Several of my friends are regular patrons, and among the many Hispanic restaurants I have tried in the area, this one remains my favorite so far. The restaurant is consistently well staffed, and overall, the team is friendly and attentive. That said, there were moments when we found ourselves having to look for our main server more often than expected. Others at the table mentioned experiencing the same issue in past visits, and speculated that the automatic 18% gratuity may contribute to this. While I felt it was worth noting, I do want to emphasize that our waitress, AUDREY, was very pleasant throughout the evening. Even when we needed to flag her down to place additional orders, she was always polite and accommodating. We were a party of six, and water service initially required a few reminders. The first request was overlooked while we were deciding on drinks, but once other staff members noticed, they were very proactive about refilling our glasses. Their attentiveness was appreciated, and from that point on, water service was consistent. Seating was somewhat challenging given the amount of food we ordered and the size of our group. We were seated at a small table (4 person table), which only worked because two guests arrived later. Once they joined us, those who had already finished eating had to move to nearby chairs to make room. I did ask the host if it would be possible to add a small table, as there appeared to be space to do so if the setup were adjusted, but the request was declined. Regarding drinks, most of us ordered beer or wine. I was happy to see Modelo available on draft and ordered it, as did another guest at the table. Unfortunately, the server did not confirm whether we wanted draft or bottled beer, and bottles were brought instead. While I acknowledge that I did not specify "draft," it would have been helpful for AUDREY to confirm, especially when both options are offered. After that initial round, however, all subsequent beers were served on draft and were excellent. Now, onto the food--where Café Nuñez truly shines. As a Dominican raised on exceptional Caribbean home cooking, I am often hesitant to dine at Hispanic restaurants, as I find many fall short or are overpriced for the quality. Café Nuñez, however, delivers. I ordered the garlic shrimp mofongo, which was outstanding. The sauce was flavorful and well-balanced, the shrimp were perfectly cooked--not overdone--and the portion was generous. Other guests ordered garlic shrimp with tostones or yuca frita, as well as fried chuletas with white rice and beans, all of which were enjoyed. Two friends who arrived later decided to order the garlic shrimp mofongo after hearing us rave about it, and they agreed it was excellent in every way. Overall, the restaurant offers great ambiance and lively music. Guests who are not comfortable with hookah nearby may want to keep that in mind, but aside from that, the atmosphere is enjoyable. The manager, ALEX, stopped by our table several times to ensure everything was running smoothly, which made a strong impression. Although we did not formally complain, he noticed the minor issues with drink service and server availability and offered a complimentary drink to one of my friends; who's drink order was not done properly. It was not about the free drink itself, but rather the gesture and the fact that he genuinely cared and acknowledged the shortcomings. I can confidently say that I would recommend Café Nuñez to others in the area and look forward to returning. read more

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10/10 recommend! But only if you want a spot that's more on the lively side. We went to listen to music, dance, smoke hookah and grab some bites and that's extremely what we did! The service was impeccable, they did not let our waters go empty and did not walk by without checking in on us. The food was amazing and they packed everything up for us to go when we asked for boxes. They have the front section which is a bit calmer with tables but you can still dance/hear the music... and a back section which seems to be a younger crowd/more hectic/closer to the DJ but overall a great place! read more

Great place but charging $20-$35 for a refill (same price as a hookah) rather than charging maybe $5 for coals is wild! The waitress said "sorry we're a Dominican hookah place, we charge by the head...you can go to a middle eastern place that charges your $80 and free coal refills". We ended up leaving and going to our regular spot. Sad because music was amazing! I understand business but really?? Rather than keeping customers you drive them away. Que loco! Wow. read more

Cafe Nunez - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Tried to visit this place for the first time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We made a reservation for a certain time and actually arrived quite early and was told to come back which was no issue. My friends and I went and had a drink at another bar and came back 15 minutes before our reservation and waited for almost an hour and were told that we don't know when they can seat us...a party of 3. Meanwhile we watched multiple groups of various sizes be seated. The hostess said she had no idea when we can get a table and the manager was completely nonchalant about us being seated. There was no real effort to let us know that they were working on it. It seems like they avoided us because they realized we were frustrated. I took the initiative to find another restaurant that could quickly accommodate us with better service. We came prepared to spend quite a bit for a good time but I would rather be a patron of a restaurant that values their customers and takes pride in service. read more

I came here on a Saturday night and I did enjoy my time here. However, they really do try to cramp everybody together as much as they can. The service was pretty weak. I'm not gonna lie. We had ordered a bottle service and we did get our bottles at a decent time, but the chasers were not refilled, and there was no water given out. A lot of of us ended up, feeding for water and had to individually go up to the bar versus calling upon the folks that were supposed to take care of us. Then again, it was so packed in that one little area they probably couldn't get to us . It wasn't really my favorite, but we came here already kind of lit so we did end up having a good time. read more

Cafe Nunez - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Food was super salty, service was when the waitress was available, great atmosphere!!! They forced my friend to check in her coat for $5 which there were tables with coats not checked like mines!!! Not recommended!! read more

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Service is good. Space looks great. The food was ok. The pork chop was over cooked and dry and over cooked. Buyer beware, they pre charge 18% tip, and it was only two of us...I wouldn't go back...Cheers! read more

Cafe Nunez - Nice presentation. Pork chops dry as hell... - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

I was always told never to speak ill of the dead... and now I get it, because this place was dead. They told us they had no water, and if we wanted any, we had to buy a bottle -- $10 for bottled water. Insane. I ordered the happy hour shrimp tacos advertised as $9 for three, only to be charged an extra $4 for shrimp -- and somehow there was barely any shrimp at all (see photo). The sangria was terrible, and my friends' margaritas were water down and came with surprise upcharges for flavors that weren't mentioned until the bill arrived. Misleading pricing, bad drinks, disappointing food. Honestly shocked Cafe Nunez is still in business. read more

Cafe Nunez - Where is the shrimp?? It's 2 pieces of shrimp that they cut up - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

SCAM FALSE PRICES. They tell you $250 but you end up paying $400. And they ramp up the "tax" rate charging you overall more. Stay away don't get a section. read more

Visited in a Friday night. Service is warm and very welcoming. They play all types of music. Live DJ. They offer hookah and food. Everything was great. The seafood is beyond fresh. I will be returning again - everyone should check out this spot. You won't be disappointed. read more

Cafe Nunez - Ceviche Caribeno (Raw) - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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For starters..tap water is an option. However...We made reservations for 7:15 party of 4. Friday night . We were told at the door that the table we were assigned is in the back of the restaurant where it's required to buy bottle/pitcher and choice of hooka. You also HAVE to check your coat $6 pp. We asked politely to change tables as we were there to eat. they wanted to offer us a high table but said the music may be too loud instead we waited 5 min for a table closest to the door to be free. I don't recall seeing a liquor menu, but the drink specials (not on the menu) were pitchers of sangria, margarita or mojito. They only offer top tequila Julio, Patron & Casamigos for the pitchers. We opted with the ($60) sangria. It was ok. The food was good but the protein serving on the sharable plates could be better. A couple got the paella (for two) de chicharron to share and it only had 4 pieces of meat which half fat, the rest was rice. The fried rice and the lomo were delicious. The staff is friendly, Isabella our waiter was pleasant and checked up on us often. read more

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Went with my family after a long day of touristy NY stuff. Quick service. Friendly staff. The food was a little pricier than expected for their portions but all very delicious. I was pleasantly surprised but the eggplant rolls since I don't even like eggplant. We got fried yucca, oxtail croquettes, chicharron de pollo, tostones, sopa de auyama, and lomo saltado. have to come back for the nights when they have live djs! read more

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After a wonderful brunch down the street decided to continue the party at this spot for some hookah and drinks. The hookah was very lack luster. Flavor was barely there and smoke wasn't as potent as other hookahs I've had. We also ordered the Morir Soñando drink and the guacamole. While the drink was delicious the guacamole wasn't that great. It was ice cold which lead me to believe it definitely wasn't fresh. Of course I only went for drinks and hookah but I will def try them out for their entrees. This restaurant gives party vibes with plenty of photo opportunities and the flashing lights. read more

Cafe Nunez - Guac & Chips and Morir-Sonando cocktail - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

I had the pleasure to try this amazing restaurant. It's not a fine dining however the vibe was vibing. The food is excellent I had one of the best guacamole to this day. My friend ordered the fish, I had a piece of it and it was delicious. They do have dancers in there to entertain customers. The service was fast, waitress was professional. There wasn't any dress code. Location was 1 block away from Penn Station. read more

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Went on a Thursday after work, not crowded which is good ,made the happy hour specials got the chicken quesadilla, and empanadas the sangria was good and service was awesome I'll go back read more

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I was instructed to contact management after my initial review, yet it has been over 24 hours with no response. If I do not hear back within 48 hours, I will assume this matter is being intentionally ignored. One of my checks was charged without my consent. I provided my card to hold the table, not to be processed while my party was still in middle of eating. The waitress charged my card while I was in the bathroom and never returned. Another staff member handled the receipt, and I was told her shift ended which does not justify this behavior This felt like discriminatory treatment possibly because I am white and was seen as someone who could be taken advantage of. I want to be clear that Im being discriminated against by your staff. This is just one of few issues I had at Cafe Nunez. My experience at Nunez Restaurant & Lounge was, quite honestly a nightmare. Management, I expect a prompt response to the email you asked me to send yesterday. I have yet to receive a reply read more

I went for after hours! The service was incredible I had a fresh drink at all times. The waiter suggested drinks that I would like. It was easy to split the check at the end of the night. The music!!!!! I was dancing the night away until they turned the lights on and said they were closed. I would definitely go again to try the food. read more

Cafe Nunez - Decor - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

My friend came here for an early dinner. The restaurant had just closed their buffet service when arrived, which actually looked pretty decent. The space was nice ... I ordered the Double Cut Pork Chop, which was served with salad and 1 side, which was a happy surprise. I chose Tostones. The Pork Chop was thick, delightfully juicy, succulent and well seasoned. It came with sweet plantain puree in a green apple sauce & chimichurri, which was wonderfully flavorful. The salad was fresh and crunchy. Tostones were oh so crispy, tender, and made even tastier with the strong garlic sauce. I also got to try the Maduros, which were made well. They were sweet, soft, and slightly charred. Service was good. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. Prices were not too bad, especially considering the Midtown area. I would return at an earlier time to try the buffet. read more

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Service was horrible and they auto included gratuity for a party of 3. Was impossible to get a water refill throughout dinner. Was given a different meal than what I ordered and the food is wildly over priced for what it is. read more

Cafe Nunez - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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I first visited Cafe Núñez about ten years ago. It was probably under different management then but I do recall the food being good and that the restaurant turned into a lounge at night. If you enjoy flavorful Caribbean Latin dishes, you'll enjoy the food here. Recently I ordered from here on two occasions. Both times I ordered their chicken mofongo and it did not disappoint! The mofongo has shredded chicken inside but it also comes with additional strips of juicy grilled chicken with sauce and salad. The mofongo isn't dry but it doesn't feel overly greasy. It's just right and the portion is very filling. At $22 I thought the price was appropriate for the portion. Some of the other mofongos like the shrimp and beef were quite pricey though. They also have a trio mofonfuito appetizer with smaller versions. Fit a better deal, I recommend their all you eat special which is available for breakfast and lunch until 4:30 pm. I haven't seen AYCE 8' a while especially that late in the day. Each time I've ordered for pickup I've been happy with the service. The food is packed neatly and the service is friendly. They even gave me Christmas card with my order this time! Definitely worth visiting. read more

Do not go here! If you make a reservation they may not seat you. I came early to my reservation of 3. They said to come back closer to my reservation time. I came back and had to wait over an hour only to not be seated. The hostess could not give me an answer on when I would be seated even though several other parties that came after us were seated. The manager was no help. She talked to my friend about when we would be seated and never came back. read more

placed an order for $200 - called to confirm, they confirmed the order was good. shortly after they cancelled my order no explanation. we used to love this place but they apparently hate to be called on their constant mistakes. we kept giving them chances,. read more

Placed an order for delivery an hour ago. Restaurant can't find a courier to deliver food. Won't do anything about it or refund money because they can't find staff. Avoid at all costs. Rude customer service. read more

Cyndie is a phenomenal waitress. She made sure we were taken care of. Food was delicious. Service was A++ Everything was great!

Used Cafe Nuñez for my jobs holiday party that was planned very last minute! I connected with Tiffany originally who is an absolute gem! Not just cause we share the same name but she offers top tier service! From there she connected me with Monica who worked with me and was super quick with her responses and a party I was worried would be disastrous but it turned out wonderfully! The FOOD was so good! Everyone was very happy...especially my boss who asked me and my colleague to plan it! Thank you Tiffany for helping me out with this and thank you Monica for working with me planning the last minute party! 100% will be back! read more

Saw this restaurant on instagram...was in the city and decided to come in for lunch. There are numerous food options and the food smelled n looked amazing. There was an option of all u can eat or by the pound. Orders can also be made from menu. The waitress was very helpful at helping make the decision to get the all u can eat. The food was delicious. The place is spacious, loves the music. The price was right. Definitely will recommend and revisit. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. This place was extremely unprofessional. We waited over 45 minutes just to receive drinks, and when the food finally arrived, it was cold and low quality. The service was terrible from start to finish. The only positive was the ambiance. Coat check was handled very inconsistently--some people were charged $5 while others were not, which made no sense. Overall, a very disappointing experience. I would not return and would not recommend this place. Save yourself the time and money. read more

Karla, is an Amazing hostess and waitress, she was on top of our drinks and food. I will definitely be back and ask for Karla next time

Came for breakfast on a Sunday to find out they don't serve breakfast on Sundays. I brought my niece and her friends here as they were visiting NY. I was very disappointed with their service. One young lady was not happy with the taste of her food and requested to have something else. The waitress asked several times what was wrong even though she was told it didn't taste good. Another waitress came over and asked us again the same question. When the young lady requested a salad with steak instead, she began to inform us the steak was very expensive. I spoke up loudly and informed her that we can afford to pay for the steak. My entree of steak and eggs was over cooked. I asked for med steak and over easy egg. The egg was hard. I requested a steak knife from the waitress and received an attitude. Asked from lemon and was met with an attitude. Evangeline asked me what do I want. I said my food was over cooked and not the way I ordered it but I'm going to eat it and just not return here. read more

Cafe Nunez - Steak and eggs - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

I will be reporting this restaurant to the city. Tipping is always optional for tables with less than 6 diners and tap water should be available. I may have thought the food was OK but anything good is canceled out by the two dishonest and unprofessional things this restaurant does. The waitress told us that the tap water was "broken" I imagine that was not true and I see somebody else said the same thing from a month ago. They add a tip that appears to be required without having any announcement of that. I normally tip and I order a drink without being forced. Anything they gain by this they lose more by the bad feelings it creates. I wanted to like the place but oh well. read more

There very rude if you come in off the street there mannerisms are awful I went to get my wife a pene sandwich and like 5 people ask me where's your receipt as if I'm sticking up the place really! There horrible and there service is awful never ever again. read more

Food-not what it used to be-the fried chicken has a thick layer of fried dough an VERY little chicken; the liver hard as cardboard; pulled pork not appetizing. I found myself at salads and my plate was filled with beans, Yuca, a rib. Salads plenty and fresh. Garlic sauce just a little $1 !!!!!! Beer charged $8 when was happy hour and should have been $4. So A PLATE OF VEGGIES CAND A BEER $30 ..... not worth it for LUNCH when you can buy a soup across at best bagel shop in town. Service- nice. They cleared the table as soon as I put my fork down Ambiance: wellll that is nice. Photo booth at the entrance. The place was spruced up, clean inviting I go there for food, that this time was NOT GOOD and made me go back and forth to PICK something. Also a steep price and the beer charge full price and NO RECEIPT given. So be aware of THAT if you go there and ENJOY read more

Came here for brunch with pulsd. Even though the voucher says that reservation is needed, the waitress said we didn't need one when we tried to reserve. We got to the restaurant ~1 PM on Sunday and there was only 1 other customer in the restaurant. However, the servers were still not as attentive as I'd prefer. When the first course came, we had to run around to find ourselves utensils and napkins. The table was also wobbly, which is a little annoying. I got the chicken empanada, steak and eggs, and a tres liches cake. The empanada was very mediocre--tasted like heated up frozen empanadas. The steak and eggs was decent! The steak was very juicy, though the egg and rice was okay. The cake was also okay. The red sangria tasted extremely alcoholy--in the sense that it tasted like they added a lot of vodka into it... didn't taste very good :( Overall, would recommend going somewhere else for bottomless brunch read more

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Ribs were bomb. Slipped diff the bone. Come in a Thursday, drinks were 2 for 1 until 7pm. Karla was a Server. Super attentive and sweet l, danced with the bday girl Vibes were fire from 6:30 and forward. Great happy hour spot. DJ ON POINT . read more

Cafe Nunez - a variety of drinks on a table - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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11:30am reservation and they didn't open until 11:48am. The young lady greeted us and said oh well let me clean some tables so you can sit after I told her we had a reservation for 11:30am. Website states they open at 11am and this wasn't the case. Another young lady felt the need to interrupt and tell us the kitchen might not be open yet. Asked her what time so the officially open and she said 11am.... then why wouldn't the kitchen be open. Instant attitude and was so nonchalant with her response that it just isn't. Suggested they update the open time to noon. Told her I am disappointed with the lack of professionalism and will make a note on this app. She actually encouraged me to write it because like she said she could care less what I write. The lack of professionalism and customer service left me speechless. Why wasn't the tables and eating area cleaned before closing last night? I saw stuff on the table. Wanted to support this Latino restaurant but the attitude and what I mentioned above makes it impossible. Save your time and energy and skip this place. read more

Karla was amazing with the passion fruit margaritas She also said what to eat which was great read more

Cafe Nunez - Pasión fruit margarita with tajin yum Karla is the best amazing service She recommended the picadora de la casa Karla is great server - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Such a great after work spot, the food was delicious and the margs were amazing! One of the top spots to do a hookah in the city with Spanish music and a lively vibe. We had Carla as our waitress and she was the best! Super attentive and fun! read more