Kai L.

I took my favorite Nuyorican here for her birthday so she could enjoy a taste of home, and Cocotazo delivered. Even though I arrived an hour late for my reservation, the hostess graciously found a way to seat us. They don't serve alcohol, but there's a liquor store around the corner, and with a $20 corkage fee, our bottle of sangria paired perfectly with dinner. The space is nostalgic, modern, and incredibly welcoming. Hearing La India playing while we enjoyed bacalaitos and pastelillos was the perfect touch. Our entrées: pastelón, blackened salmon, and La Gallina were all outstanding. The birthday celebration was unforgettable, with singing, maracas, and music, followed by delicious bread pudding and tres leches cake. Chef Francis even stopped by our table! My friend realized she had missed the blood sausage on the menu, and they surprised her with a complimentary order to take home. That thoughtful gesture perfectly captured the warmth and hospitality of Cocotazo. The standout dishes for me were the bacalaito and the pastelón, both are must-orders. I also recommend making a reservation in advance on Resy. If you're driving, street parking can be tough, but there's a convenient parking lot just one block away at 409 E. 110th St.

Lanni L.

Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and provided excellent service. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the host and the kitchen staff, who seemed almost annoyed that we had walked in and asked for a table???? Hopefully it was just an off day. The food was okay, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The arroz con gandules was on the dry side, and the meat could have used more seasoning, particularly salt, to bring out the flavor. Overall, it wasn't a bad meal, but it wasn't memorable enough for me to make the trip again. While I'd like to believe this was an off day, based on this experience I probably wouldn't go out of my way to return. Super excited to try the food but did not meet expectations. Restaurant itself is small and cute. Sounds of coqui in the bathroom.

Alexis A.

I've been contemplating writing this review for actually a few months now because I wasn't sure if I really wanted to review Cocotazo again knowing that I didn't have the best experience since she opened her restaurant. However I think it's important to be truthful about the positives and negatives about dining at cocotazo. The positives- My family and I went on a Sunday afternoon in March without a reservation. It's a small place so it was packed out! The owners wife said there would be a wait and would accommodate us when she could which was 100% fine with us. She seated us about 30 mins later and we were thrilled. We have been supporting Cocotazo since she was in La Marqueta. The atmosphere was culturally decorated and paying true homage to Puerto Rico. A loving memory of our homeland in its simplicity and strength. The restaurant itself is dedicated to good food and its rich history. The wife of the owner is so sweet and the staff were welcoming. We ordered alcapurria, a coki bowl, la gallina and pastelon. The food took a bit long to come out but we were not complaining because the food has always been fresh! The negatives- The alcapurria was literally so small on this big plate that it was kind of comical. It tasted good but left more to be desired. They ran out of La Gallina but said they could substitute it with fried chicken and my friend was okay with that. She tried the chicken and saw it was a little pink close to the bone and she was uncomfortable with the cooking done on it and politely told the waitress that she thought it was raw. The chef came out and seemed pretty frustrated. She came out with the chicken torn apart to show my friend the chickens doneness. The chef then asked her how she liked it cooked and left. The interaction felt frustrated and defensive to me as well. I was actually pretty surprised given previous experiences were always nice. We appreciated her coming out to address the concern but we just wanted to make sure the food was safe to eat. We were hoping for something more reassuring. The interaction left us feeling disappointed. Now I have no issue paying for quality food but I do feel like the prices are a bit steep. The coki bowl by itself is almost $30. The economy is horrible right now and inflation is at an all time high for sure. Someone's gotta pay the overhead at the restaurant and the staff etc so I understand but we are all feeling the same pain. It would be hard to dine here often and they do not offer lunch specials to my knowledge. Also PR food at its core is simple, amazing, flavorful and not typically expensive. It's humble food and that is not an insult. Being Puerto Rican myself I truly appreciate the intention and thoughtfulness put into the restaurant and menu. Its authenticity shines bright and puts a spotlight on the culture. The music was good and reminded me of home. The diners were playing dominos. It's traditional. The real downside was the interaction with the chef and the prices. For myself I would try it again once I saved up a little bit more coin lol. Otherwise take my interaction with a grain of salt and let it be information or knowledge for you. I encourage you to try it for yourself and taste Puerto Rico.

Kern C.

Cocotazo was an ok but not a very memorable restaurant as I thought it might have been . Started out with their beef alcapuria which was super bland and the accompanying sauce didn't do anything to elevate it whatsoever . I had the gallina which was their baked or rotisserie chicken with rice and beans and plantains . This was a safe meal and tasted good with the standout being the plantains and the chicken . I also was able to have a taste of their salmon option and I thought it was well cooked and tender but also a little bit on the bland side. I ended up ordering their cheese puff pastry and flan for dessert . I didn't take a picture of it ,but the flan slice was very tiny , and cut in a very irregular almost butchered yet close to triangular shape . I didn't end up eating it because I felt it was tampered with. I initially placed it as a dine in option and it didn't appear in that shape when it was in the table . I don't know what happened in the mix after I asked for it to go but I wasn't going to chance eating it at that point . Overall cocotazo was an ok experience. Even the service felt abit off to be frank . Id probably revisit cocotazo but for their pastries . They did look appetizing and the cheese puff was quite good .

Loucito C.

Came for a quick bite for lunch after hearing so much about this place from IG it did not disappoint nice decor friendly and knowledgeable staff. Clean and the bachata music was nice. I was dancing in my seat. I had the bacalaitos and the tripleta. Delicious o will def will back next time will be for dinner. Good eats in El Barrio

Yessenia F.

If you want authentic, homemade Puerto Rican food - this is the place to be! I felt like I was at my tia's house, waiting for food to be prepared. Some of the dishes are named after family members, which I thought was lovely, and there are family portraits all over the restaurant. It really felt like we were transported to someone's living room! I was chatting with a fellow diner at the table next to me, and we were raving about how comfortable and at home we felt. The chef Frances Roman also took the time to check in on each table and the people waiting outside the restaurant to see how they were enjoying the food and if they had any questions. The hospitality here is top tier! I ordered the bacalitos to start, which are cod fish fritters. They were nice and crispy. The sauce it came with really enhanced the flavor! I also ordered the guava and cheese pastelillos. Both pastelillos were also crisped to perfection. For my main dish, I had The Rican sandwich, which is a nice twist on the Cuban sandwich. The sandwich is made with pernil, Swiss, pickled onions, and the chef's own special garlic mayo sauce. It was absolutely delicious!! Cocotazo also has freshly, homemade juices. I recommend the Chi Chi Rodriguez, which is a mix of tamarind and passion fruit. It's not overly sweet. If you'd like to try the main dishes, I do recommend arriving hungry! The portions are super generous, and you will leave with happy and full bellies.

Manny S.

Not a good experience here. The food needs salt doesn't taste like abuleas food; . After sitting down for a few minutes, the waitress came over to tell me that she would be right with me and then went to take care of two ladies who had just been seated. One of the ladies wasn't sure what she wanted, so the waitress said she would come back. Instead of coming to take my order, she actually waited for the lady to make up her mind. Unbelievable. The pernil wasn't fresh and was dry. The alcapurrias were tasty but small. The bread pudding was also dry. The menu has limited options.

Amneris M.

Had a great dinner here. We made reservations ahead of time. We did sit at the community table since we were a party of two. We started with the bacalaito, it was so good! For the entree I went with the Coki, tasted just like how my mom made it. My daughter had the Rican, which she devoured. To drink, I started with a Parcha and finished with a Kola champagne. We were too stuffed for a dessert. Would definitely be back to try something else.

Matthew W.

First thing first, if you're lost (like we were) due to Google Maps and Yelp misdirecting you, then please note that Cocotazo is INSIDE the nearby La Marqueta, which hosts a few boutique shops and other food stands, such as a Filipino food place (Mama T, which I also recommend), a vegan soul food place, and an afro-Caribbean eatery. Seating inside La Marqueta is plentiful and it's quiet and temperature controlled inside, with security guard for safety, and bathrooms. Staff at Cocotazo itself was very pleasant and our order was ready in about 6-8 minutes. Prices are fair, about $16-32 per entree. We ordered the Rican sandwich and the Coki bowl, both containing pulled pork. Both were quite good. I enjoyed the softness of the tender pork compared to the crunchy texture of the bread, and the flavor was delicious (especially the Coki rice). I'd happily return here again.

Roderick R.

I was missioned to check out the new Puerto Rican restaurants location. Happy to see chef Frances on premise totally with pride cooking her favorites. The staff was amazing and helpful in making my visit welcoming and the vibe in the restaurant was authentic and pure. The food hit the omg taste bud with reminiscent of my mom's cooking and home cooked taste. Did not have time for a meal but the bacaloaito and Alcapuria were excellent. Tamarino and coco Lima drinks were great. Other persons dishes looked amazing. This place is cozy and certainly will be packed during prime time so reserve! Looking forward to seeing the restaurant thrive.

Barbara C.

I ordered the Blackened Salmon , it was delicious and refreshing with salad & tostones. The taramindo beverage so good. Must check this place out.

Candido C.

The food was so good and the service was excellent. I love the way the place looks, it's like being in someone's home. I definitely would be going back again and again. The chef is good people.

Nancy M.

I'm always looking for good Puerto Rican food. Growing up in PR during my younger yrs., it is nostalgic when you eat food that tastes and reminds you of home. The place is cute, a little small, but the decor is spot on with nice little touches of PR which make you reminisce. It was the counter for me made of decorative blocks like the typical porches (balcon) of homes in PR, loved it. Let's get into the food. We started with the Bacalaitos and Alcapurrias ( beef n crab)... Delicious, especially the crab Alcapurrias which are my favorite but can only get in PR. It was on point. Disappointed that they didn't have the Relleno De Papa. We tried the Coki n the Gallina. Both plates were good but I expected more flavor especially the pernil. Pernil was tender, wish it had more of a garlic flavor, the arroz con gandules n potatoe salad was good, nice pairing. The rice and beans were good wish we would have asked for chicken breast, we got dark meat, not the best. The juices were 10/10 the jugo de Parcha n Coco Limon were refreshing. The portions were generous. The table next to us ordered the ceviche which was a special, which the gentleman who served us didn't tell us, it was plated so beautifully. Hope to try next time. Serves was a bit slow. I didn't realize that the to go orders closed early... want to order a Tripleta to go for later. Prices were reasonable. I loved the salsa playing in the background. It was nice to see Chef Francese front and center, wish her much success. Nice experience, would recommend n hope to have the opportunity to return.