El Barajo has long been on my list of restaurants to try in the Utica area. We finally ordered lunch from there via UberEats and were very pleased with our meal. We ordered the pollo guisado, camaronfongo, and a vegetable empanada. All three were delicious, but I especially enjoyed the pollo guisado. The chicken--all dark meat, which I prefer--was melt-off-the-bone tender and very well-seasoned. We opted for yellow rice and black beans as sides, which were excellent accompaniments. My kids also loved this dish. I really loved the flavors of the camaronfongo (basically mofongo with shrimp), but only wish that there was more broth to pair with the mofongo. The mofongo was a bit dry, and I needed some more sauce or broth to moisten it and cut through the density. The fried vegetable empanada was crispy and delicious. The portions were generous; our order was enough for two adults and two toddlers, with leftovers enough for an adult's full meal. read more

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The food was cooked fresh and they provided great service. They make Empanadillas with your choice of filling so it's always fresh. A little bit of a wait but definitely worth it. read more

El Barajo Restaurant - Side of location. - Dominican Near Me - Utica, New York

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Definitely comfort food Stew was very salty Ox tail is inconsistent (Both seasoning and texture) Empanadas are dry inside and basically looks good from outside and empty from the inside. Service was alright , I might not speak Spanish But I understand a few bad words Mr. who served me. read more

It gives a nice 1st impression. The service was very friendly and the food is delicious. I highly recommend it!

Great spot for empanadas in Utica if you ever want a filling snack!

I wish I could give this place a four and a half. Very generous portions, excellent price, but every ONCE in a while, and I don't know why, the food isn't quite as good as it usually is. Of course, that means I go there quite a bit. Definitely worth a try. It's usually EXCELLENT and if you happen to stop in and it isn't, try it a second time. read more

This part of Bleeker Street isn't pretty, but it really is the United Nations as Utica leaders have encouraged newly arrived immigrants to settle upstate. This has created a new informal moniker for the Sin City, now known as "Second Chance City". El Barajo sits in the Corn Hill section, which ten years ago was Exhibit A of the consequences of the urban decay in the Mohawk Valley. El Barajo isn't easy to find (didn't see a sign in front..), but a great addition to this area with classic Dominican food. The neighborhood also has Viet Pho, Fried Chicken, and an old school Italian bakery. Had the Pollo Picante which is a pretty simple dish with spicy chicken (red pepper), peppers, onions, and black beans and rice. They also have classics like balaco, roasted pork, oxtail, pig ears, and even tripe soup on certain days (..good hangover remedy btw if you have had too much barleycorn). Sides include empanadas and plantains as well as my frijoles negros. Very friendly staff and very genuine food... will be back. read more

Have heard great things about this restaurant but it is a little out of the way for me. Dropped in and had Juan make 3 takeout orders his choice and wasn't disappointed. For $30 we had 2 meals each for 3 people and the pulled pork, chicken and beef with rice tasted as good as they smelled driving 4 miles home. Highly recommend this place for food. Neighborhood is a little rough as mentioned in other reviews but there was 5 people in line behind me as I checked out. Excellent food (and a ton) of food at a great price. read more

Very good place to eat. Love taco Tuesday's...can't beat the prices!! My favorite thing I've had are the tamales...they are wonderful!!

I love this place, ear here all the time, portions are huge and the food is great, I ususlly get the stewed beef with veggies over rice and beans, tne ox tail is incredible, the prices are cheap, its tough to spend more than $10 per person read more

El Barajo Restaurant - Stewed beef and chicken over rice and beans - Dominican Near Me - Utica, New York

Used to be much better, but still very decent. The pork is great. By the standards of other spanish delis in southern NY and new england, thry are maybe 3/5... but this is the best ive seen for this kind of thing in this area, easily. read more

Went here over the weekend with my family to try it. Wellll the service was not the best. The young lady at the counter was so unbelievably rude I couldn't believe it. The food though was decent. I had the yellow rice and spicy chicken. It was better the next day for leftovers. I won't go there again based on the service we received so I will try a different place next time! read more

We really enjoyed eating here. The food was delicious, the servings were generous, the price was very reasonable, the staff was very welcoming and the place was immaculately clean! I ordered the pork and rice, my husband ordered the Cuban sandwich, and we decided to try two $1.50 beef empanadas on the side. The empanadas were as big as an open hand! We had to share the pork and rice and take the sandwich home. Including drinks our tab was $24 to which we added a generous tip. If i lived or worked in Utica I would eat there regularly but we will definitely go back when we are in the area! read more

El Barajo Restaurant - Half of serving! - Dominican Near Me - Utica, New York

horrible service and the food they serve is from days before...not going to that place again ALSO i was eating there and a cockroach was on the table waste of money and time read more

Amazing food! Very authentic Dominican food, the potato balls are the best! Beef stew is great too. The staff are very willing to recommend dishes and explain the menu. read more

Really good food! The staff at night doesn't seem so friendly though. They are not inviting at all.

Awesome food! I grew up in Miami and moved up here about a year ago with my husband who is from here. I'm used to eating very authentic caribbean food and when I found out about this place I could not wait to come. I finally did, and honestly was so much better than I expected (as I didn't expected them to find the kind of fresh ingredients that are typical for this food that are easily found in Miami but they definitely maintain freshness and authenticity as well as the typically huge portions for low prices). My hubby loved the food too. This will be my new go to place to keep trying all their different dishes and variety I grew up eating that I've been craving for over a year... come and taste for yourself, you won't be disappointed! Congratulations to the owners and friendly staff for their wonderful service and quality food. The roasted pork and ox tail (rabo encendido) are to die for! read more

REALLY good DR food. Make sure to check and see what they have for the day, sometimes the stuff you really want is out or not made certain days. Super cheap for the portions, and soooooooooo tasty. Recommended! read more

Off the beaten path, but well worth the search. Not your typical sit down order from the waitress place. You order from the counter making selections from the food that is there. The server dishes it up and takes it to your table. Servings are huge. Price amazingly low. The roasted pork is fantastic. The building is an old diner style, totally spotless. wish we had found it earlier in our trip. read more

Great ""home cooked" Spanish American food. Daily specials $6 and up. Carne Guisada (beef stew), Chivo (goat stew), chicken, white or yellow rice. Also a full menu in addition to the daily hot dishes (including paella). Sit there and eat it, take out or delivered. Very tasty and reasonably priced. A favorite of Spanish speaking folks in East Utica. read more

Had an awesome dinner while staying nearby for a training. The food was excellent. I had salmon which was cooked perfectly and tasted fantastic. The staff was generous and offered free samples when we had questions about the fried plantains and chicken. Homemade and authentic Dominican food. Empanadas were awesome! Reasonably priced and Highly recommended. read more