One of my favorite go to neighborhood restaurants, they are opened extremely late on weekends which always works for me, and though I am across the street they delivery which is definitely a plus, read more

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*CASH ONLY* This place is okay - nothing special really. I came with a friend really late at night because we were craving latin food and everything else was closed. This closes at 2:30AM, so we were happy to find something to satisfy our cravings. I ordered the roast pork with yellow rice and beans. The meat was kind of dry, but the beans and rice were good. What I can say is the portions are humongous. For ~$11 a dish, it's a good price. I was full and happy at the end of my meal, with a lot of leftovers to take home. We definitely could have shared a dish instead of getting 2 large entrees. Nice spot if you're looking for a late night snack, but I'm not running back to come here. There's a lot of latin food in the area, so you're better off finding something else. Waitress was super sweet, though. read more

Cibao Restaurant - roast pork - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

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Very decent Latin sandwiches, I had a Cuban sandwich which is almost rare to find in NYC. The only thing that was missing was a little more garlic vinaigrette. My girlfriend had the chicken sandwich which has lettuce,tomatoes and mayo. The bread was crispy and the chicken was soft and juicy. read more

Cibao Restaurant - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

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Great place for breakfast! Spanish coffee was strong and hot. Eggs,potatoes and choice of breakfast meats. Or order one of the Cuban sandwiches and a beer! Good stuff! read more

Cibao Restaurant - Great coffee! - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Beef stew with rice and beans! SO much food for only $6??? insane. amazing flavor and super fast friendly service. Definitely going back to try more things! read more

Cibao Restaurant - Beef stew - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Believe it or not, I would actually convert to being a commie if only I was promised a Cuban sandwich at least once a week from this place. It's no thrills dive spot that doesn't glaze itself with forged Latin theme, place is authentic. Cheap, Real, and Good. Bottom Line: Quick Drunken Meal Eating Winner read more

Cibao Restaurant - Me Likes Pork While Drunkies - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Horrrrriible ... I ordered a white rice & beans with a half baked chicken. I originally wanted the green sauce that most Spanish spots give u for ur baked or fried meat but they didn't have that. So I asked for the garlic sauce & the ownerrrr insists on chargin a whole dollar for some sauce. So whateva we get the sauce, refusing to eat some dry chicken & thinkin it must be some good shit. To get to it an it be diced garlic in some oil &&&& it was cold. Disgusting, to say the least & To say I was livid would be an understatement. What type of restaurant establishment serves cold garlic oil for baked chicken. Nothin close to any type of mojito sauce. The rice & beans had nOOO flavor. Very disappointing. Sad excuse for a Cibao. I wanted half an avocado but I wasn't paying $4.50 for it. I did pay $4.50 for some tostones and that came dry as well. P.s. the owner was very rude. It was my first time there & she had no common courtesy to a potential regular. Now iiii would neverrrr ever again be caught buying from that establishment. And if it wasn't freezing & raining out today I would've definitely got my money back & left but I was hungry & didn't want to have to find something else. Smh. Waste of $$$$ read more

This was not a good experience. We were hoping for a hole in the wall experience that we've come to expect in NYC, but instead just came to a mediocre food and truly awful service. The recommended steak was not edible (but they refused to take it back); the Spanish sausage rice was pretty good, as were the plantains. The charges on the bill were significantly higher than in the menu. When we pointed it out, we were met with a sour face. Let's just say we won't be coming back. Try Cafe Habana just a few blocks away! It's amazing and truly a hole in the wall that exceeds all expectations! read more

This is a good place for a quick, authentic Dominican meal. They have a pretty good lunch special (rice, beans, chicken, a side of maduros) food is warm, filling, a generous amount is served, so you won't be hungry after it. This the purpose of this place, not a sit-down meal as another reviewer described. read more

Cibao Restaurant - Outside photo - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Good food but HORRIBLE service....After getting home I noticed the lady forgot to put 3 orders of beans in the bag. I didn't check my bag there because they pack it so tight that it becomes a mess to check. I went back and instead of her apologizing and giving them to me she interrogates me for 5 minutes for the beans. If the rice want dry I wouldn't have went back for the beans. Then she asks for the bag to check it and bring it in the restaurant. Why bring back food that someone took during this COVID crisis. I do not recommend! read more

Dominican breakfast ftw. Don't be intimidated to come here, they are super nice and warming. I love the mangu dish with fried salami and the fried dish. It's a hearty breakfasts but bomb none the less. I haven't tried anything else but I intend to go back and grab some good grub. Also this place is authentic and isn't charging you a crazy price. read more

Cibao Restaurant - Dominican breakfast. Mangu with salami, fried cheese and pickled onions . - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Maybe I just came on an off day, but the food was really dry. I ordered pernil with rice and beans and my husband ordered the chicken with rice and beans. He originally wanted black beans but the woman taking our order said they didn't have any. We took the food to go, and while it was cheap, it wasn't what I expected. The pernil meat was dry and didn't really even taste like the pernil I'm used to from other restaurants or even at home. My man's chicken was dry as well but he had no complaints with the rice. I did. I feel they may have burnt mine, because the rice tasted like it was cooked for a little too long. I didn't like the steamed taste. I wouldn't come out of my way to eat here again. read more

Cibao Restaurant - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Where to begin? As soon as you cross the threshold of Cibao you feel like you're in the heart of Havana. Other than the crisp fall air cutting through the al fresco environment you'd think you were thousands of miles south of "the Big Apple". The Cubano hits your pallet hard with the bitter taste of a fresh pickle and soon you are greeted with an amazing savory flavor of a wild boar, who minutes ago may have been terrorizing a beach full of cigar puffing sunbathers. The pork was sumptuous and moist, keeping me coming back for bite after bite. I'm not sure if they churn the butter in the back, but let me tell you, this bread was the best flavored toastiest bread mine eyes have ever seen. I'll be sure to tell all my friends to swing by and would implore anyone taking a trip to "the city that never #sleeps" to stop in for some beans and rice, plantains, cubano, or ALL OF THE ABOVE 10/10 read more

Cibao Restaurant - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Awesome experience! Expect to wait a bit, as this is a family run place. The food is authentic and delicious. This is a hidden hole it the wall place with tasty food! We got Chicharones de Pollo, Arroz con Camarones and Maduro read more

Cibao Restaurant - Dominican Near Me - New York, New York

Came here on a whim. My friend loves Dominican food so we went here. I ordered a shrimp dish, and it was absolutely tasteless. When I asked if there was a sauce to dump on it, the waitress handed me salt and suggested hot sauce. Rude. The rice my friend had was dry, no flavor. Really sad that we paid so much money for such crap. read more

The food is good but they're slow, rude as hell and don't like white people.

It's a little known fact that once I begin to drink, I forget to eat. This generally leads to disastrous results, i.e. head in toilet, heaving what little I consumed that day. As, I'm no longer in my early twenties, I figured this Friday I should start being responsible (hahah). This Friday during another fantabulous DYL, I realized, I hadn't eaten hardly all day. Hey, I said to myself, why don't I go somewhere nearby and bring food back to the bar. Great idea, I says to myself. I walk out of the bar, walk back to Label Lounge to retrieve the sweater I left in my drunken stupor on Tuesday night. As I walk the other bar, I notice this very ethnic looking restaurant with a nice greasy smell. Mmmm, I thought, I bet they have awesome grub. I walk in, I am the only non-latin person in there, generally a good sign me thinks. I get a menu, wow, this is pricier than I thought. Oh well, I need to eat I bet the food here is awesome, so I find the greasiest thing: Crackling Chicken Chunks (I know right?) which comes with Rice and Beans for $8.00 and I place my order. "It's going to be ten minutes Mommy, why don't you come back?" :) I walk back to the DYL drink for a few minutes (of course) and then head back over to grab my food. The place is pretty busy. I notice the drink selection in the fridge and a grin comes over my face. You can have wine and beer in this dive-ish establishment as long as you can twist the top open, cute! My food takes a little bit longer than they thought, but that was fine. I just watched the different types of people come in and out, the different foods being placed about. A few dozen roasted chickens, some oddly stewed meats, etc. Finally my food was ready, as they were packing it up I was sure it wasn't mine. I only ordered one thing, why were there so many containers. Oh well, I thought. Paid (left a tip of course) and brought the food back to the bar. It smelled amazing! I began to unpack the bag, I looked like I brought food for all at the DYL and we were about to engage on a nice picnic. Nope, all for me. So, just an FYI they serve Family Style!!! HAAHAH, I had an entire entree sized container of rice, a thing of beans, an entire entree sized container of chicken. 3/4 of which is sitting in my fridge right now, yay dinner tonight! The chicken was great, not sure what part of the animal it was, but who cares. It was fried, not battered, citrusy and clean tasting. The rice was okay, but once I mixed it with the beans it was delicious! I can't wait to eat my leftovers! If I ever find myself in the LES again, I am brining a huge crew to come chow down here. It's hearty comforting and a great experience. read more

MAN those rice and beans are delicious. Service blows (hence 4 stars - the two waitresses sat chatting in the corner with some friends while we stared at them for 10 minutes trying to catch their eye and get the bill), but I'll be back anyway because Cibao is open late (ate there around 1:30 am on a Monday night), it's cheap, and the food is actually quite good. I was hungry, and Baohaus was closed. Dejected, I started walking home when I saw that Cibao was open. I had always been a little curious about the place - it's usually bustling - but had been less than seduced by the lack of ambiance. But maybe that IS the ambiance. We stopped in, asked the waitress what we should order, and she recommended that we get the chicken with rice and beans. We also ordered the stew of the day, which was okay, but for $4, I wasn't complaining. When the juicy, garlicky, tangy, savory, moist roast chicken came out with crispy skin and that soft yellow rice and a huge plate of red beans, I was pleasantly surprised by how effing delicious it was. Also, it was a giant portion, and between two people, we had enough left over for another meal this morning. So it was doubly delicious, and even tasted good cold. Don't judge me for craving cold chicken and rice and beans upon waking. Try it for yourself. The chicken was $10.50 and lasted for 4 servings. How is anyone going to complain about that? read more

Lets start that this is a good deal for your money. The portions are healthy but my recent trip made me never want to go back! The service was terrible! extremely rude waitress! the table had left over, dried crumbles of rice and spots of oil or sauce. We had to flag her down so she take our order after sitting for 15 minutes. We ordered the chicharron de pollo which was FABULOUS and honestly the only reason why this place got 2 stars. We also ordered a side of tostones, a Cuban sandwich with dry, un-shredded CHUNKS of pernil, a sancocho with chicken that still had the un-plucked end-piece of the feathers hanging. It was served SOOO sloppy and was spilling all over the bowl. oh and btw, they don't make more than 3 chicken dishes. smh In addition, the bathroom is DISGUSTING. SUPER tiny and expect to walk all over paper towels thrown on the floor with a soap dispenser that barely works to dispense watered down mystery green liquid. Save yourself the trip and venture to another Spanish restaurant in the area. read more

Today I had the best flan and the best coffee in NYC in the middle of the Lower East Side

3.5 stars. Simple and delicious. Cibao is a local Dominican restaurant that features a wide variety of authentic dishes, including hearty soups and stews, a few classic rice dishes, and for the lunch crowd an amazing Cuban sandwich. While there are plenty of places to eat in the area, Cibao is the only business that has lasted with at least a modest level of success on the it's intersection. The 3 neighboring corners have come and gone to point where it's almost comical for locals. The food at Cibao is on point. In order to get to 4 stars I would recommend they do a few low cost renovations to the dining room. Fresh paint and new tablecloths go a long way. Beyond that to take it the another level they can significantly reduce down their menu and start becoming known for a few specific dishes that they do incredibly well. Considering its a local place, they would do well with a rotating daily menu of offerings and specials. With all that said its up there as one of my favorite NYC Cubans and easily can become one of those home away from home places. read more

I am going to finally get down to writing a review of this place after frequenting it for literally years, being as i grew up in the neighborhood and eat here on occasion. Price: the price to food is actually good, cibao is one of the few lower east side restaurants that make you feel like you are getting the amount of food you paid for. Taste: Breakfast here is A-OK! cheap, filling, delicious. lunch and dinner however are different stories. The food here is WILDLY inconsistent what is delicious one day may be bad the next, HOWEVER they do have some dishes, namely the famous Cuban sandwich, the roasted chicken is always on point, their beans are normally excellent but the rice is extremely mediocre. The Pernil is occasionally good, and lastly the secret bad ass dish of cibao is the sancocho, THIS dish is literally an ALL or NOTHING dish, when it's good it is AMAZING and worth buying seconds but when it is bad it is literally sad. the Tostones are also sometimes good. but ehhh. Service: not going to call anyone who works at cibao out but their customer service just like their taste is inconsistent, there are 2 women you need to watch out for when you visit. if you spot either one of them there, i promise you will have the shittiest customer service ever on the other hand the male staff and the non-pissed off looking ladies are excellent and super nice! Decoration: its not fancy, or comfy but its fitting not date material but definitely i need to get some good food material, honestly its a cheap restaurant in the lower east side and is super casual, so whatever. dont order the Morir sonando. its trash. overall, i actually recommend this place because you can come with 20 dollars and actually feed 2 people to the point of not being able to eat any more. AND get change back. plus the food ranges from great!(sometimes) to tolerable(occasionally) read more

Simple, no bullshit Cuban food that's also really cheap. My friend who lives literally across the street recommended it and I'm glad we went. I ordered the Pernil roast pork, which came with huge sides of yellow rice and beans. The pork was also pretty tender, although a bit dry. It didn't bother me that much though since it was still quite good. I think I paid probably $10 for it. They are also really generous with the bread too, so perfect to dip in the bean sauce. Proof that again eating in NYC is actually pretty cheap. read more

Had the tres golpes and definitely authentic and delicious Dominican. That in mind, they do cook with a lot of oil and butter (as a Dominican does) so if you're not as used to it you may be in for a minor shock. But in the moment, tastes amazing read more

In search of a late night fix? Do you miss Abuelita? Are you tired of eating pizza, burgers, gyros after a night of heavy drinking? Cibao might be the place for you. This neighborhood eatery is a slice of the Lower East Side's past. The Sopa de Res (Beef Soup) was great, but it needed a bit more salt. My tostones were flattened and fried to perfection - served along with a delicious garlic sauce on the side. My friends both had sandwiches, and they looked delicious. Both were satisfied with their selections. The waitress was pleasant. The food was cheap. The time we spent, well worth it. A functional place that services a hard working, blue collar community (and late night bar hoppers). read more

This is my cubano sandwich spot. It's just great. The pork is well seasoned, cheese gets nice and melted simultaneously as the bread toasts, and they give me my pickle. No cubano is a real cubano without the pickle, I don't care what anyone says!! They've been around for YEARS, and there's a reason for that. The food is good. Generous portions, as is custom for spanish restaurants, and they've managed to keep their prices classically low. Always a plus. read more

For my money, the reigning Cubano champ in Manhattan, possibly NYC. While I know many rank the Clinton Restaurant a couple blocks North a little higher, I find the flavors have a little more boom, the bread is a little better, and there's usually more crispy skin packed into the sandwich at Cibao. It puts to shame the overpriced "fancified" Cubanos that seem to be on half the menus on the Lower East Side. But heck, if you wanna pay ten dollars more for one just because it has gruyere or gouda or some crap on it, be my guest. Other dishes fare well. The Mofungo is particularly spectacular, full of crunchy little porky bits, slathered in savory gravy. You're not dining at Le Bernardin, mind you, but what you get is top-notch for what it is. Sure, it might be nice if the meat in the stews was deboned, but at these prices you can't ask for everything. Besides, them bones just add flavor. read more

Yum, yum and yum. One of my fav local spanish food spots. Its right around the corner from my house and since I don't eat meat anymore my options are limited but everything I have eaten there has been pretty, pretty tasty. The arroz con gandules are good. Even better when topped off with their tasty habichulas (brown beans). Their tostones are divine just add a little salt and you're all set. My friends have eaten their mofongo with the garlic butter shrimp. They ate every single last drop and couldn't get enough. The staff speak little english so it's helpful if you speak spanish but they're still very accommodating and I always feel like one of my Tia's are serving me dinner when I dine in. Will continue to go back and enjoy their food. read more

After a long day some friends wanted something to eat. So this place was nearby at about 10:30. It reminds of all the places I have been in Bed-Stuy, Sunset Park and the Bronx. I had the Cubano with Platano Maduro and my two friends had a Chicken Sandwich and Stewed Chicken and some more Platano Maduro. Thank God I had a seperate order of maduro because my friend proceded to drown the bananas in hot sauce. The cubano was fine it needed a little salt but otherwise v v good. The maduro on the other hand were not ripe enough yet. They seemed like tostones if you know what I mean. My friends sucked their food down so I really didnt bother to ask. Seems like a cool spot might try again. read more

I've been frequenting here for over a decade. I love this place! Prices have gone up, but not ridiculously so. Homegirl behind the counter is always really nice. I usually scream out my order to her from over the counter and then wait outside rubbing my grubby little fingers together until I hear her voice sreaming "Mami mami" from the little window. I run back inside and grab my food and BEAST. The food is delicious and tastes pretty close to home cooked. I'm particularly fond of the tostones there. And the morir sonado...damn, forget about it. Love, love, love. read more

My bf and I were wandering around for a different place for lunch on a Sunday: not our usual diner go-tos but none if the d-bag filled brunch places that abound in the neighborhood. This place was perfect. The beef tripe soup was flavorful and tender and HUGE! Im usually a maduros kid on guy but the to stones were done perfectly. And the sandwiches and platters were delish! After living here almost 30 years it's nice to see places like this: authentic, friendly and cheap - still exist. We're coming back for seafood! read more

Not like it use to be. Or it is I guess... It not the best food or "batidas" not is it even fast service but well if your around and don't want "American" food it's ok Spanish food.... Or just over to casa Adela (no seating and it's tiny but the food is definitely better). read more

I placed a delivery and ordered pink beans, yellow rice and a quarter BAKED chicken when I received my order it was the wrong chicken so I called the place to let them know they gave me the wrong chicken and they were very disrespectful and refused to deliver me the right type of chicken I ordered they said if I want to change my order I have to bring it back to them but I ordered food for a reason and there the ones that got my order wrong ... anyways they were disrespectful and don't take business or there customers seriously. Never ordering from here again . I just needed to write this cause they got me pressed up on the phone . read more

They are getting one star because at least the food taste good... BUT IT WAS COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!. How the hell are you going to serve cold rice???????? The service is the worst in the entire world. These people are rude and have poor customer service skills. They don't smile, make conversation, give you attitude and act as if you are asking for free food when you are ordering. The prices are normal for this neighborhood. The food taste mediocre. The decor is that of a place in the hood of DR. The ATM machine never works. They still expect you to pay to listen to music whole you eat. As if it's still the 90s. How hard is it to ask someone to crack a smile or don't act bothered when we want water. I hate sitting in these 1970's shi'a vary (sp) chairs. read more

Cibao is one of the best spanish restaurants in the lower east side. I regularly come here and have never had a bad experience. The flavors are all authentic, the individual serving sizes are hearty and their prices are really reasonable. I like that this isn't a fancy place so you can go dressed as comfortable as you please (I've come wearing sweat pants many times) and no one so much as bats an eyelash at you. It's got a neighborhoody feel and the wait staff is usually prompt, though a little lax in checkin in on you once you get your order. The restaurant itself is shabby looking, so it's not an ideal place to impress a date (unless you're long time lovers), that being said I'm sure it's shabby decor is what's keeping the prices low and pocket friendly, and I'm ok with that! I highly recommend this restaurant. Try the cuban sandwiches, yum! read more

After months of passing by the savory smells of Cibao's corner restaurant, I finally ventured in on a super-duper rainy day to try and order something to eat. Left with the Chicken Mofongo (prepared very quickly, less than $10) in under 5 minutes and then was on my merry way. Once I dug in, it surprised me how it lacked any real flavor. The chicken was well-marinated and maintained its juiciness, but there wasn't any flavor to it at all. Same goes for the mofongo ... everything was very dry even after I let the marinade sit in. Quite disappointing that the taste of the food doesn't mirror how good it smells. read more

Great food - great people - great atmosphere I love coming to this place. is my favorite place in town! i'm actually craving it right now read more

I will be making special trips to EV for this restaurant. Recommended Menu: Steak Sandwich, Beans and Rice (try both white and yellow), Tostones, Diet Coke, and Flan. Seriously, some of the best Flan I've ever had. Bring a friend, this will be more food than you can handle alone. I don't know the name of the waitress, but she ROCKS! Language barrier- schmarrier, she is so awesome. read more

I have been going to this great little spot for over ten years and it never disappoints. It is open until 4am so you can find a variety of people here at any given time : ) you will find typical Dominican food on the menu with a homemade feel. The portions are HUGE for great prices and the wait staff is always very friendly. This place is not about decor or anything of that nature but they do have a digital jukebox so you can create your own ambiance lol the bathroom is probably the biggest downside but also something me and my friends always laugh about. It's not dirty, it's actually always very decent, but no mirror and NO SPACE!!! Your shoulders will be touching the walls as you stand to take care of number one, and your buttcheeks maybe kissing the walls as you try to sit down to take care of business lol Otherwise I will never hesitate to come to this spot, the food is always great tasting and served with a smile and care. read more

This place had the three keys I look for in a good mom & pop latino restaurant 1) A Sweet old lady greeting you & taking your order (They had two), 2) At least 2 old guys at a table bickering while enjoying large portioned meals, 3) A line of people ordering takeout. I didn't even have to try my Cuban sandwich, I knew it was going to be satisfying! My order came up, I got my sandwich the lady took my money & said, "Cuidate Papi!" with that abuela smile that warms your heart & I was on my way. Opened up the brown paper bag & enjoyed A Cuban sandwich jam packed with lechon, perfectly toast pressed bread & heavy for a $6 sandwich. I think it had mayo & a lot more lechon than ham. If you're a stickler for how a Cuban sandwich should be made don't come here. This is working mans food, that doesn't necessarily stick to the recipe but strives for their customers to leave full. Great Service, Good Food, & Affordable Prices. Wouldn't want it any other way! read more