It is the second time I visit this place and (ESPAÑOL ABAJO) the food is spectacular. If you love Latin food and you are in the mood to eat something "homemade" without spending much, this is the place. The only thing that would improve is the service which is a bit slow. I ordered: Grilled chicken with rice, maduros and gandules. Palomillo with salad and Palomillo with rice, black and gandules. Food: It was delicious and we ate it all! ---- ESPAÑOL: Es la segunda vez que visito este lugar y la comida es espectacular. Si amas la comida latina y te provoca comer algo "casero" sin gastar mucho, este es el lugar. Lo único que mejoraría es el servicio que es un poco lento. Ordené: Pollo a la plancha con arroz, gandules colorados y maduros. Palomillo con ensalada y Palomillo con arroz, gandules negros y maduros. Comida: Estuvo deliciosa y nos la comimos toda! read more

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I feel obligated to start this review by saying we only came to this place because my legit Puerto Rican friend's beloved Benny's Seafood had unexpectedly permanently closed, and we were determined to have mofongo. She had been going to Benny's for years and after consoling her from the grief from this tremendous loss, we checked out Yelp reviews and settled on this place. We arrived around 4:00 on Saturday and the first thing we noticed was that the service was ultra slow. By that time in the day they had run out of pasteles and pionono which my friend says are staples. They did have the alcapurria which was alright at best. It was missing flavor, seasoning perhaps? The bacalaito was quite large in size and was probably the best thing we had. It was on the greasy side though. I had read from other reviewers that they give complimentary bread with garlic sauce. It took forever for that to come out. My friend had to go up to the counter and ask about it. The bread was pressed with some butter inside already and the garlic sauce was quite pungent with a slightly acidic taste. Not great. The mofongo with churrasco. Sigh. Very underwhelming. I'm not sure what it was supposed to taste like but whatever this was, was not something I would want to eat again. My friend was disgusted. It was served with what can only be described as chicken noodle soup. She said the broth that is supposed to accompany the mofongo should not have noodles or really anything else in it. You could see the grease at the top. The churrasco itself was alright. But the rest was inedible. The waitress came by and asked if we liked it. We said no and she apologized and asked if we wanted something else. We asked for rice con gandules. Now THIS I have had before at another Puerto Rican friend's place and I have to say this was not nearly as good. Sigh again. They charged us for the mofongo though took 20% off the bill without us having to ask or say anything. So I guess that's admirable. If you take the time to read through the reviews on here it seems like people either love or hate this place. There were two large groups inside when we arrived and a steady stream of Puerto Rican's picking up to-go orders. This just wasn't for us, unfortunately! read more

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Great authentic Puerto Rican food! Had the rice and beans with grilled chicken (great flavor). Walked here from Wynwood Walls

If there was an award for the best cafeteria food in Miami it will definitely go to El Bajareque. The food is cheap, the food is good. But before I talk about food, one thing needs to be said. If you are coming to El Bajareque, you probably want to seat at a table instead of the counter, specially if you have company. Why? Well, this cafeteria caters to the businesses around the area, which are countless body shops and auto mechanics. Also, this place caters to many characters, like bums and drug addicts. The policy at El Bajareque is simple, if you have money, you're getting service ..... at the counter. So, if you don't want to rub elbows with sweaty mechanics covered in grease or the area's characters, I recommend that you seat at a table. From your table you can safely wish for a take-out window. As intimidating as it may seem, everyone knows each other in this cafeteria. I arrived and found a table quickly, and minutes later the place was full with elderly couples, families, and groups of mechanics and gear heads. Most of the patrons knew each other, as well as the staff. Unfortunately, the characters mentioned before showed up too. If you are not disturbed by them, you are good. If they may annoy you, skip El Bajareque altogether or order take-out. The food. The food here is delicious. I am starting to think that Puerto Ricans have made a culinary art form out of chuletas fritas (fried pork chops). I don't care what nationality you are from, when it comes to pork chops you are at a disadvantage and the competition is not fair. Puerto Rican seasoning on chuletas is that good. With my chuletas I got a side of rice, red beans and tostones. The sides were pretty good, which was a relief, but they were not amazing. My companion had the special of the day, which was steak on a peppers and wine sauce, with arroz con gandules. The steak was really soft and the sauce was very tasty, and had wine. The rice and peas was fragrant and very well cooked. We also had bacalaitos, which are cod fish fritters, and they came out looking like a thin steak. They were also very flavorful and soft, or pretty amazing if I must say. In simple words, El Bajareque has made me a fan. The place is clean and has a fresh coat of paint. The seats are cushioned and everything is pretty new and clean. Service is also good, although our waitress seemed a little cold, maybe because we were not regulars, or maybe because everybody flirts with her and she is fed up. This place opens early in the morning, and closes late at night. I wouldn't call the area a dangerous area, but it is part of an industrial park, so most nearby residents are low income, meaning that they sell drugs in the park at night. And those are not my words, I am only quoting one of the characters. Finally, let me reiterate that the food here is amazing. Additionally, the prices are ridiculously cheap. I didn't get a gourmet experience, neither did I get the best location or ambiance, but I did get the best cafeteria food in town. The dish I enjoyed is double the price at my other favorite Puerto Rican restaurant near Coral Gables. Of course, that other restaurant IS a restaurant, with better beans, better cuts of meat, and better everything. But for a quick lunch, packed with flavor, El Bajareque rules in Miami. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Pork chops = chuletas - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

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The spot is small yet there is enough space in between each table. They have great customer service and delicious food. The portion sizes are great worth every penny. You can't complain about the prices as well. The atmosphere is great. They have meat and seafood options. I'm a pescatarian and they had a variety of options for me. Love it read more

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Went to try this little spot and it was pretty good. The alcapurrias were good. I had the chuleta and arroz con gandules and it was on point with some tostones. My significant other had the white rice, beans & fried chicken. We thought the beans were a little watered down and could've used some more flavor. Other than that we would be back if we ever in the area. read more

Love this local spot for Puerto Rican meals. Friendly and fast service. You can count on good service and home cooked flavors.

Best mofongo in town at a great price. The place is not fancy but the service and the food is outstanding read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

This food is absolutely positively outstanding !The Steak was amazing ,the habichuelas was FIRE ,the empanadas were amazing the bread is amazing, the coffee was amazing !!!This place is worth every cent and then some !!! read more

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After reading all the Yelp reviews, I was guarded regarding this restaurant and initially planned to just get take out as we only had 45 minutes before we had to leave. I tried to call them several times and their phone was out of order. When I got there, I said I wanted to place a to-go order but asked if it would be long if we sat down. The waitress told me that everyone had food so shouldn't be long. I ordered beef empanadas, pork and arroz con gandules. The empanadas were at the table within 10 min of ordering but I had to ask for bread. The entree took another 10-15 min and was very good. The pork was very juicy and flavorful. The rice was nothing out of this world but was good. The waitress didn't really check in on us and I had to track her down to get a to go box and the check. She also didn't know if there were any desserts and had to go ask (I was craving flan). I would come back during down times as I can definitely tell that they are either understaffed or just poorly organized. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Lechon asado (pork) with arroz con gandules. The pork was very juicy and flavorful. The tostones were fresh. - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

Meh? The servers are really nice and they really care about helping you figure out what to order, getting you the correct order, and about your entire experience for sure, but the food was so darn dry. And by dry I'm talking about Middle Eastern climate dry where they ain't got no water for 40 days and 40 nights, not like oh this wine is a tad bit dry .(of course that's the analogy I would give, bu here we go). I had the lechon asado, mofongo, and the grilled chicken, along with the pan that my nice server packed for me to-go. The lechon asado was juicy, with delicate notes of citrus and powerful savory bites, and it was probably my favorite thing that I ate. I also loved the pan, but hey who doesn't. Everything else was meh or just waaaaay too dry. The rice with grandules was okay, still dry, but the maduros were so sadly dry (*cries internally*) that I took one bite and couldn't do anymore. The tostones were stale (probably old) and even drier, and the chicken tasted like a solid piece of rubber. The mofongo was good in terms of flavor, but again, dry dry dry. Given that so many people rave about this place, maybe I came on a bad or off day? The service was so nice that I'll go back and give it another go, but ya'll should just stick to that lechon and the pan. read more

Went here to get my Puerto Rican food holiday fix and I wasn't disappointed. Ordered arroz con gadulez, pastel, pernil, yuca con ajo, and amarillos. Though the food wasn't as good as mom's cooking, the restaurant captured the feel of being in Puerto Rico really well. The tables, seats, and just general feel had me feeling like I was in my lovely island. I thought the rice was dry but the pastel and pernil was really tasty. I will be going back! read more

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Considering making a move to Miami so spent the day checking out the city. Look forward to seeing the artsy vibe st Wynwood. I looked to Yelp for suggestions and saw that El Bajareque served Puerto Rican food. Being Boricua, I had to check it out. The place is small but open. Big enough for groups though. The staff is friendly and they have wifi. Wow! The food was on point!! I had lechon asado con arroz y gandules with tostones. Hate to say it, but it was better than mom makes it. I definitely plan on stopping by if I make Miami my home. Sooo good! read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

Not much parking here restaurant is located 36th street with only two parking meters in front of it, there's parking across the street but it's busy and difficult to cross due to traffic. The wait was long food excellent Arroz con gandules with steak. Tender seasoned just right this place definetly did not disappoint. I will visit again. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Wish I was that coqui - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

Solid pechuga a la plancha at a good price. Also always greeted with great customer service.

The alcapurias and jibaritos are Much love from Chicago. We'll definitely spread the word and be back when we visit again!! read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

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I've been on a search for a place that has decent Mofongo. Years ago as a kid in Queens, mofongo seemed to be served on every corner in my neighborhood. Ever since moving to Florida it has been my mission to find someone that comes close to childhood mofongo. Thankfully a mofongo UYE was set up by Ashley M and Greshka P at Bajareque. Apparently, Ashley has known about this place for awhile and finally decided to share it with the rest of us. Don't judge Bajareque how it looks on the outside. The inside is really small and simple and there is a bunch of puerto rican paintings. It's really comfortable and the people that work there are nice. Before ordering my mofongo, I tried Michelle C's "pasteles en hoja" and immediately thought about how much it tasted just like my mom's homemade "pasteles en hoja". It was loaded with tons of flavor. I really wanted to steal it from her. I wanted the shrimp mofongo but a certain yelper happened to be very anti-seafood (LOL) so I ended up ordering roast pork mofongo. The plantains and the meat were not dry and you could taste the pieces of chicharone with every bite. The dish was flavored with tons of garlic; great for eating but no so great for out breathe. Thankfully Blue A was there to give out Yelp Mints. Also worth noting was that my dish was just 8 dollars; a heck of a lot cheaper than Jimmy'z Kitchen serving the same dish for around 17 dollars. I will be returning again. Next time I think I will be bringing my "mofongo loving" parents. read more

I have only had Puerto Rican food once before. The mofongo was dry, tasteless, just plain bad. Then I got invited by two Puerto Ricans to come check out Bajareque - I had to check it out. I arrived late - because even though it is a PR restaurant I stay true to my roots and run on Cuban time! The group was huge and took up more than half of the place - granted it isn't the largest inside, there is adequate space for patrons. We sat down and ordered up some lechon with mofongo. There were 2 women serving us - one was a lot more welcoming, warm. The other one wasn't rude, just not as..."outgoing?" So to the grub. The mofonogo wasn't as dry and the previous one I had somewhere else and was a lot more flavorful. It came with a great broth which I poured over the top to make it a little more...mushy? The lechon was great! Seasoned perfect, with onions. We ordered two meals (which were very large) and sodas for $20. You can't beat that. Yet again Yelp has directed me to a business I passed by a couple dozen times a week when I worked in Midtown and never thought of stopping in to check out. read more

As a Puertorriqueña, from the island, I'm always craving good Puerto Rican food. I miss my grandparent's cooking, the kioskito's food along the coast in Piñones and Luquillo, the Lechon Asado in Guavate... I could go on but, I read the reviews for Bajareque and Knew I had found a place to satisfy the cravings! A group of us planned to try this place together. The anticipation and excitement on everyone's face was obvious. So many of us missing authentic Purto Rican cousine.... Made me feel a little better knowing I wasn't the only one. The place is small, if I wasn't looking for it I would have probably missed it. It's definitely more of a cafeteria than a restaurant. It seats about 20 people total (only inside), and maybe 5 more at the counter but has a lot to offer. There were Pasteles, mofongo, chicarrones de pollo, shrimp, lechon (pork), arroz con gandules, and more on our tables. Oh! And authentic pan con ajo (garlic bread) exactly as I remember it being at the restaurants in Puerto Rico. As I don't eat pasteles (I know, I know... What Puerto Rican doesn't eat pasteles? Well, this one!), my sister, who does love them, tried one and, although she said they're not as good as our grandparent's ones, she said she would definitely go back for more. Now this is a real compliment... She has tried a lot of pasteles made from different people and restaurant, and she never has them again so, Bajareque takes the win for Pasteles. I had the mofongo with lechon asado. As you can see I have no picture of this meal. Sorry about that... As I said before, I was missing this so much that, as soon as it was put in front of me, I just went in. Like 5 bites after I realized I had no picture. Oh well, guess I have to back for it (and more food). The mofongo is garlicky, as it should be, they add chicarron (pork rind), which is something a lot of places forget (a sin in my opinion), and comes with the chicken broth on the side to either dunk each bite or pour over the whole mofongo. So far this is the closest I have found to the "real" thing. The plantains seemed to be a little ripe this time but still I would definitely come back for more. The lechon was well seasoned, juicy, delicious! Oh! and they even have Quesitos (sugary flaky though filled with cheese) one of our favorite things in Puerto Rico. Hmmm... Wonder if the have Pan Sobao. Must find out. Another reason to come back. :p Everyone in our group was very happy to have found Bajareque and now our "go to" Puerto Rican food source. If you too are missing or craving it don't wait any longer go try Bajareque you will not be disappointed. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

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In the beginning service was a little dry in the beginning but she did a quick turn around once we got situated. It helps that I speak Spanish! :) Small and very clean restaurant! The food is made to order and you get fresh warm tostada with a side of garlic sauce and lime to squeeze, omg garlic lover's dream! Empanadas de pollo came out piping hot and tasty. I also ordered bacalaitos and too much oil. I'm used to it also being a thicker consistency. It was thin big and crunchy, some may like it the way it is but I couldn't eat it. This restaurant is also extremely inexpensive which is always a plus when you're on vacation. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Need the recipe to arroz con gandules?! - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

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These colorful placemats welcome you in as you find a seat at Bajareque. Make sure to take a look over to the counter to check out a couple of blown up 8x10s of Lebron James and the owner, taken in this small cafe. While there are solid Puerto Rican items on the menu, like most things in Miami, you can't escape the Cuban influence. Bajareque, like any small hole-in-the-wall cafeteria also covers your typical Miami Cuban Café items. I love Bajareque for three reasons. The food is mad affordable, comes to the table quickly and is simply delicious. A no frills take on just plain and simple flavors done right. I ordered the Mofongo con Camarones. It's served with a flavorful tomato sauce, that hints to a marinara, with bell peppers and onions. Super yum! Then an interesting dish appeared on our table, courtesy of a co-worker who just loves Pasteles. Not at all like Cuban Pasteles, this little log of goodness can only be described by me as a pork tamale, without the husk with plantains mashed in. Don't let the looks fool you, it's incredible. There's hidden chunks of fried pork inside and was wiped off the plate in about 3 minutes flat. Definitely check it out. I've never had anything like it. read more

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First off if your gonna hire ppl who aren't puertorican at least TEACH THEM ABOUT THE FOOD. Buenos días tienen cremitas?! Waiter (non pr) no se que es eso. Me caso en na. Nexttttttttttt! Mejor ni pedí nada si no sabe q es cremita que va saber de comida boricua. read more

Ughhh this place truly has my heart. The mofongo and chicharrón de pollo are so tasty and amazing. The bacalaito was just right omg so yummy read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

OmG Ok so based on yelp reviews and distance from the home I'm staying at, I saw the reviews and had to try it. Haven't been in Miami for a while and all of the Cuban restaurants are not as epic as I remember and why are there so many so called Cuban retaurants that have tacos on the menu.. Side eye. I love Mexican food but not when I am looking for some Cuban cuisine. After 4 days I have given up and tried this little gem. It's clean, fresh and the waiters are very nice. Yummmmmay!! I ordered the arroz con pollo it came with two sides I got some delish black beans and yucca. Anyway for the price I paid and the quality 5 stars is NOT enough!!! Loving this place and they will see me over and over again!! read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Guava n cheese yumm - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Expect nothing fancy in this place but the best Puerto Rican food in Miami! Big portions for a very fair price. I always order grilled shrimps with white rice, tostones and salad and is more than enough. They also serve garlic bread as an entrance and is delicious! Coffee is also a must and customer service is good. The only thing I don't like is that you'll smell like a kitchen the entire day after eating here. The place is small and guess they don't have a good air extractor in the kitchen. read more

As a Puerto Rican gal living in Miami, I always jump at the opportunity to eat Puerto Rican food in Miami with the hopes that it will taste somewhat like what we have back home. I've been a few times to El Bajareque and this is what I think: Pros: Good location (close to my place) Great staff Parking in the street Best lechón asado I've had in Miami so far Great Yuca (always needs some salt though) Prices can't be beat Free pan con ajo basket Their flans are amazing Cute decorations (living for the placemats, haha) Cons: Place is small aka not a lot of tables Very busy during lunch time, don't come with a group Mofongo is not good, nope, don't even go there No Medalla (every time I go I ask) They close early, should consider opening for dinner time on the weekends Overall, I will continue to come here every time that I have a craving for PR food until something better opens. read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Lechón asado with arroz con gandules and yuca al mojo - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

La mejor comida Bor, I love the mofongo.

Food was authentic , tasty, delicious. Only wish they opened late , other than that I highly recommend

Came here twice during my visit to Miami last week. My friends and I were looking for some delicious home cooked style food and they delivered!!! The Medía Noché, Mofongo de Camarones were on point. We all really enjoyed our food. The service was also great, we had the pleasure of being served by Yency on both visits and she was really attentive and friendly. Looking forward to stopping by on my next trip to Wynwood. read more

Little place , great atmosphere. Food was delicious and the price was affordable. Will love to visit when in the Miami area . Would recommend for sure read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Puerto Rico - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

I love this place!!! The garlic mojo and bread are ahhhhmazing and they're complimentary. The pollo ala plancha is my favorite in Miami. The fried chicken and pork are great, too and I love the way they serve their mofongo with a side of broth. The staff is friendly. They have daily specials and all day breakfast. Try the steak and eggs! read more

Anytime I come to Miami I make sure to swing by here. Chicken Jibarito is my go to with a mango smoothie. Nothing fancy and nobody will roll out the red carpet and wipe your mouth for you but you'll get some of the best food in Wynwood. read more

Me gusto! 4 Stars. My backstory: I'm in Miami on business for a few days and I really want some good Latin food so yes, I found this place on Yelp (naturally). Here's my breakdown... FOOD: I had mofongo with shrimp and a side of yuca. This was my first time having mofongo and Puerto Rican style yuca. I gotta give it a 3/5 just because I'm not used to the taste to be honest. The young gentleman sitting next to me really loved his food and we had the same thing so there you go! LOCATION: This place is in the middle of nowhere sort of. When you walk inside it's very home-y, warm and inviting. SERVICE: Serving is great! Very welcoming, just like you're at home. I'll recommend this place to anyone :) come on by! read more

Best Puerto Rican food here in Miami. Amazing food everything that I get from here taste great . Service is good as well. Highly recommend if you are looking for a nice affordable delicious authentic Puerto Rican meal. read more

Hidden little spot outside of midtown is amazing! I enjoy Puerto Rican food and this place did not disappoint! I had the Jibarito de Pollo a chicken sandwich with tostones rather than bread. It was huge! My group had the mofongo and breaded chicken steak, all seasoned and prepared well and everyone had food to take home! Highly recommend you to try it! read more

El Bajareque Restaurant - Jibarito de Pollo so good! - Latin American Near Me - Miami, Florida

I had some friends in town from Chicago. Both have Puerto Rican roots through genetics and marriage. I had mention this place after we were doing touristy stuff in Fort Lauderdale. It's a small comfortable restaurant located on the fringe of wynwood. In Chicago we had small mom and pop places like this which brought back good memories of life before restaurant chains. I had lunched here several months ago and had the ox tail. For dinner I had the Mofongo with a chicken breast smothered in onions. My friends did the baccalo (fried cod) and a smothered steak in tomato sauce. Everything tasted very good. Olga, our waitress, was a lot if fun as she promised to bring us things today instead of tomorrow. Inside joke we wanted the specials being served the next day. It's good to get back to your roots especially when food is the vehicle. read more

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This is not Puerto Rican food. The arroz con gandules was YELLOW RICE. My grandmother would beat me with her Chancleta if I brought that out to her. The empanadas were terrible, Chicharron was OK, Yet Service was just as bad as the empanadas.... this Puerto Rican is let down. read more

After escaping the cold in Jersey for the weekend, I decided to find some comfort in a good home cooked meal, and this place sure did deliver. Service was a little laggy though, wish we had a half star rating, I would deduct .5 for the service. It took us a little while to get seated, we were kind of just standing here waiting for the waitress. The decor and atmosphere is super clean, neat and plain. Nothing too crazy with the decorations, but simplistic. So for our entrees, I decided to go with the breaded steak with the arroz con gandules with tostones, and my sister got the roasted pork with the same rice and yuca. My breaded steak was super crispy and salty, and I loved it. The saltiness from the protein mixed with the rice was a perfect combo. And my sister loved, loved her dish. Her roasted pork was perfectly cooked, moist and juicy. It was a good joint, and I'll be back! Happy eatings! read more

It was packed and we had to wait for awhile to sit down We were lucky to sit next to a friendly Puertorican lady. She explained some traditinal food. My husband is Cuban and he wanted to try bacalao. It was prepared differently from Cuban style. But it was fresh and full of flavor. He really enjoyed his meal. I ordered ajiaco which came cold. We had to ask the server to heat it up. But it was still not hot enough..... the place was busy and the soup tasted good so I gave up. The bread basket came with a garlic sauce which is addictive. Over all, the food is good but maybe stop by less crowded time, next time?? read more

Being born and raised in Puerto Rico I am happy to say this is an authentic place right in the middle is Miami! I had the mofongo, palomilla steak, with rice and beans. Everything was phenomenal! Also, the cortadito was on point! Will definitely be back. read more

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