Theirs something special about this place. Been coming here for a couple years already. I've had such a great experience here! The restaurant serves amazing dishes everything tastes fresh, flavorful, and made with love. You can tell the chefs be putting love into their food. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was comfortable, and the overall vibe made the meal even better. If you're looking for a spot with great food and a good experience all around, I definitely recommend checking this place out! My go-to is cuban sandwich with fries. Lorddddd!!! The best sandwich in the neighborhood. And when I'm not feeling well their Chicken soup is on pointttt. My remedy I call it. If you order a large they give you a small container with white rice. The perfect combination. read more

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It has been YEARS since I've been here. I was so glad to know it's still around given the major changes in NYC. Their oxtail is a must. It literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth deliciousness. Chicken noodle soup was wonderful as well. They give you at least three whole hearty pieces of chicken vs shredded chicken breast. Food is seasoned to perfection. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Oxtails - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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I met a friend here for a casual lunch. The vibe is very laid back. We ordered sodas. I had a beef pastelillo, and chicken mofongo. My friend ordered The Dominican sandwich. It's their twist on the classic Cuban sandwich, roast pork, fried Dominican cheese, zesty mayo-ketchup, pickled red onions, crispy fried plantains on crusty hero bread. We both really enjoyed our food. When you leave, you are across the street from Economy Candy. A fun place to go check out, if you're looking for something sweet. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

This is definitely a classic Dominican restaurant. No frills. Just good food and quick service. There was even a birthday celebration when we went for breakfast. My friend and I ordered the classic Dominican breakfast. Delicious! We also ordered a side dish of sweet plantains and morir sonando drinks. Will be back for lunch or dinner soon. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Sweet plantains (maduros) - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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One of the few restaurants open early in the area. I took shelter from a downpour of rain and was grateful the restaurant was open very early in the morning. It's spacious and there are lots of tables and seating for large groups. There were only a few other patrons at the tables but at the counter I could tell from conversations a group of regulars. It's the kind of place that's definitely a neighborhood meet up spot. My server said I could sit wherever I wanted. I ordered black coffee and mangu with fried salami. I wanted sustenance and stick to your rib kinda food as I had a long day ahead in the nasty weather. The menu offered lots of choices. My food took about 15 mins to arrive. I wasn't in a rush . My mangu was prepared fresh, I could tell by the lingering steam that maintains its vigor till the last morsel. The pickled onions were really done nicely- the perfect amount to acidity I enjoy . My salami was not overly salty . I really felt like cuddling up in a blanket and staying in after that comforting homemade meal . I'm going to come back to try ptjer items when I'm in the area again. My server was attentive and checked on me several times. Overall a great experience. One thing to note is that tje bathrooms are located down a very steep flight of stairs and there no elevator, so access is limited. read more

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It was a late spring afternoon, dusk sprinkling across the New York skyline like the spice settling on Arrakis. I had just stumbled off the treadmill at 12 incline and 3.1 speed for 45 minutes after starving myself all day, my Red Hot Chili Peppers hoodie drenched with the sweat of a slight incline walk. I was going to fuel up from my local Thai spot again, but I had had it 5 out of the last 8 days and decided I need to be more like a normal human and diversify my dinner selection. I remember someone on instagram sent me a multiple paragraph DM swearing by El Castillo de Jagua, which just happened to be right by my gym. I had never heard of it before, but it being a Dominican diner plus 4.4 stars on 1200+ google reviews sold me. I'm a pretty easy get. I walked into an interior untouched by the river of time for more than 20 years. Beat up tables, concrete walls, old leather barstools, and a small dominican flag hanging on the wall. Just about the last place a food influencer would be. My kind of spot. I sat down and scanned the menu before honing in on the oven baked half chicken and 2 sides ($16) and the Carne Guisada ($18), which is essentially just a beef stir fry. The sweet waitress tried to warn me about the amount of food, but I told her I would take some home for dinner. I wanted to believe that, but knew when I was halfway through the chicken that I was gonna demolish both entrees. As a grown man, it's hard for me to take leftovers. It's almost like a ritual of shame if I ask for a to-go box. This truly felt like a home cooked meal. The chicken was piping hot, with crispy skin and tender and juicy meat. It wasn't a top 5 chicken I've had, but certainly in my A-tier. I've eaten a disgusting amount of chickens at this point in my life, so the bar is high. The Carne Guisada felt like something my Granny would make me back in the day. Fresh, tender meat along with a mound of yellow rice and red beans, and maduros for a touch of sweetness. It was a HUGE plate, thank god I'm a big dawg. I sat there after destroying 2 entrees, thinking "damn, how did I not know about this place for the past 3 years?" That's one of the reasons I love New York City so much. Places like El Castillo de Jagua just fly under the radar, waiting to be discovered. This spot will be getting MINUTES out of me moving forward, which is great because Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen needs a well deserved break. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__ read more

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This is a pretty tasty authentic Dominican restaurant tucked in between parts of Chinatown. Most of the patrons seem to be Spanish speaking, though the menu and staff are English friendly. I had the pork mofongo, it comes out looking pretty grand with a giant mound of it, salad, sopa and a giant pork skewer. I struggled to finish it, so it's a generous portion. The pork skewer pairs nicely with their hotsauce (definitely a kick). read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Pork mofongo - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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This restaurant is located in Lower Manhattan on Rivington St., specializing in Dominican-Spanish food. One popular favorite is the delicious Mofongo (mashed plantains with broth & choice of meat or seafood). The atmosphere is bright, clean & very group & family oriented. The staff is up beat, friendly & work quickly to accomadate you. Breakfast, lunch & dinner are served here. So bring your friends or family & enjoy! read more

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The breakfast here is absolutely delicious! It fills your belly without making you feel weighted down and/or bloated afterwards. This was a great place to take my niece for a quiet morning meal. Very clean establishment Service was quick I will definitely be going back and I recommend this eatery to anyone looking for a quality meal at an amazing price! read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Delicious Cappuccino - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Great salad and appetizers with old world charm! Love it n will be back!! Great menu of authentic dishes read more

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As soon as I walked in the atmosphere was very welcoming. The service was great and they attended us as soon as we walked in. The food was amazing. I will Highly recommend it. The flan was the cherry on top literally. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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If you happen to be craving Spanish food that tastes like gramma's cooking, this is your spot! They have the BEST chicken soup. Like full of fresh roasted chicken and veg. They serve it with a side of rice and bread. So good! Their roasted chicken, red beans and rice are my fav. The service is top notch! Same people serving since we've been coming for over 10 years. They have plenty of seating too.They treat you like family. Side note, they do also offer delivery via most delivery apps. read more

AMAZING! We come here every week. Always amazing. El servicio de Mercedes está maravillosa!!!

10/10 everything is amazing. I order from here once a week at least. Always consistent and fresh

Sunday October 19, 2025 party of 3. We were seated as soon as we arrived. I ordered a Cafe con leche as well as 3 glasses of ice water...which was brought to table quick. One order was 2 chalets with yellow rice and beans One orders was the fried boneless pork chunks with yellow rice and beans with Maduro I ordered the polli guisado with tostones( fresh garlic sauce is a must) and salad as well as an order of fries The food was fresh, well seasoned, and came out hot and delicious. We enjoyed our meals. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and attentive. If you are in the Lower East Side definitely pop in and eat or grab something to go. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Cafe con leche Fried chops Side salad Fried pork chunks plate Yellow rice n beans Tostones French fries Pollo guisado - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Tik tok brought us here, and I'm so glad it did! This little hole in the wall spot has the most amazing sandwich called The Dominicano. If you are reading this and looking for what to eat in NYC, immediately go now. It has pulled pork, fried white cheese, plantains, pickled onions... You'll thank me later. :) read more

We've been wanting to come here for a while and finally got a chance to give this place a try for breakfast. We got here just as they opened and got immediately seated. I had the 3 Golden Brown Pancakes with Eggs. This was pretty good. I ordered it over easy and got it over medium. Pancakes were nice and fluffy. Hubs had the Mangu with Eggs with Red Onions. Mangu was more like mofongo and beans mashed together. Hubs thought it was different and liked it. He said that he's glad that he tried it. He asked for the eggs over easy and also got it medium. I ordered coffee with cream and got cappuccino, instead. I kept it and thought it was pretty good. Service was quick. Will definitely return to try other items on the menu. read more

Ok so, of course I am a little biased with Dominican food since it's what I was raised with. But, I can tell when the taste is reasonably fair or if it's a fake. This one passed the test and I can attest that it has great traditional seasoning and consistency. I tried white rice with black beans and beef and out of those three, the beef won the battle, although those black beans had a good impact as well. I ordered some CHICHARRÓN (pork belly cracklings) and although its initial taste felt slightly dry, after full savoring, it also passed the test, not to a maximum level, but acceptable. The service was attentive and friendly with a friendly and nice ambiance. read more

The food was delicious as always. I had chicken soup, beef stew and yellow rice with beans. My server was attentive.

Found this gem through TikTok. The dominicano sandwich is delicious and worth the hype. Savory and sweet. The chicharrones were crispy and warm. Mofongo delicious and authentic. Service: sandwiches are made to order and might take a little bit. I was here on a busy Saturday night and sat immediately Ambiance: feels like an authentic Dominican spot. Food is reasonable priced and everything is delicious. read more

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Solid Good old school PR & DR food served by locals in the LES Neighborhood, these are the dishes you remember from growing up in the city & eating at your Hispanic Caribbean friends homes read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Rabo Guisado & Pernil, Arroz Amarillo - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

This is a classic Dominican spot in the LES. I've been here on multiple occasions and the food is always on point. I got me the El Dominicano Sandwich and it was amazing. The bread was good. I like how they had the maduros in the sandwich. The queso frito added that salty cheesy taste. Pickled onions added that pickly taste and the sauce topped it off. Great sandwich. The pork was tough when I had it but I still enjoyed the sandwich and would definitely come back. FOOD REVIEW ON @jefeeatsss read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - El Domincano Sandwich - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

I ordered from this place today at the last minute The food was okay. There was a barely any meat in my order and it also could've used some more salt. They didn't send any utensils which was disappointing. Clearly I don't want to do dishes which is why I ordered out. Other than that everything else was okay. read more

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El Castillo De Jagua located at 113 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002--horrible takeout and delivery customer service. I had placed an order for delivery, and the food arrived cold and incomplete. One of the food items was missing. I also ordered a sancocho soup, but instead received a chicken soup. I rate this restaurant a zero as there was no compensation offered for their error. read more

The food here is affordable, generous, and so tasty - what's not to love! If you haven't had Dominican/Cuban food, it's farther from Mexican food than you'd think but so hearty and filling and with really easy to love flavors. The dining area is quite spacious with plenty of indoor tables, as well as a counter in the back where regulars seem to like chatting with the staff. The staff does disproportionately stick to the back, but it's not hard to get the attention of a server when you need it. They DO accept card now unlike previously reported! I recently came with a group, and our table started with an order of tostones which were crispy and already quite filling. We also received complimentary crispy buttered bread which was a nice surprise. However, be warned that if you do get any appetizers or even snack on the bread, the entrees are so big that you might have a lot to take home! My main dish was the weekend special of sancocho, a super filling chicken and pork stew that was literally filled to the brim. The flavor is really meaty and well-seasoned without anything that could put anyone off (not spicy or sour or bitter at all, just very comforting). It also comes with a plate of fluffy white rice to bulk it up, not that it needs it AT ALL. My friends' entrees were also similarly huge and we each ate like half our entrees before we were stuffed. I've also had the yummy mofongo (like a denser mashed potato but made with plantains and meat) served with a thick and meaty broth kind of like birria consomme. Their orange and guanabana shakes are deliciously fruity and creamy, which can help cut the meatiness and carb-ness of the meals here, and are also filled way to the brim of the cup! With such good food and portions for the price, I'd absolutely be a regular if I lived close by - I don't unfortunately, but still can't wait for any excuse to come again! read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Sancocho and Guanabana Milkshake - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

i had the Pastelillos cheese, yellow rice and the queso frito. all very good! they also give you sauce with the Pastelillos which was also very good. very affordable and homey in there. you feel very welcomed. i would come again. staff is very friendly. read more

Chicken was burnt, very little seasoning on chicken or tostones, delivery was left at door and not handed to customer

OMG OMG OMG Ok now this should be a crime to have food this spectacular sold in the city and for the price my lord you can't go wrong. Wanna talk authentic?! yeah well you found it. You can easily compare but why would you,? Try this instead close your eyes and let the aroma bring you back to your grandmother/mother's kitchen. There a reason your reading this review come on :-) just sit back and enjoy the great service and family feel good vibes. Great food, great service and now you're part of the family. Welcome read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Pepper steak, brown rice, black bean, sweet plantains and a small salad - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Ordered adobo wings, def not as advertised. Not golden brown, more like dark brown from not cooking in a clean oil. Place does seem solid just the wings not even coming close to what they advertised was wack. read more

Awful! Over fried chicharrón de pollo burnt to black! plantains were over fried as well ..the palest cheapest quality of tomatoes and iceberg lettuce posing as salad ..horrible. Ive come here for many years (well over 20) and my oh my this was just awful! Then the bill came it was one total then wen she returned another $16 was added as a gratuity.. what? Luckily i caught it and i "custom tipped" how dare they. Awful!! Just awful! Porqueria! read more

Really great authentic place! I got the pork chicharron cracklings - a decent portion with 4 large pieces. ($17) We also got the rice and pigeon peas as a side, as well as a side of maduros. I believe the sides were $4-5, and were also a great portion! I've also tried the rotisserie chicken and the pinto and black beans on separate occasions. I would definitely recommend, and will be back! read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Chicaron de Cerdo Pork Cracklings, Rice with peas, Maduros - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

no frills, fairly priced and delicious Dominican food! i want to come back and try other options but it's hard not to gravitate towards the arroz con pollo. it's so simple but always hits the spot! they have daily specials but can run out so keep that in mind. the servers are helpful if you have any questions. the food comes out pretty quickly too! their takeout line seems super busy incase you're trying to place an order that way. read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Arroz con Pollo - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

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Mendy C fue maravillosa! El servicio y la comida es espectacular definitivamente volveré.

Everything was AWESOME!! Went with friends and had a few different dishes. First off, we had the Don Miguel a seafood medley in a mild garlic sauce, the calamari was perfectly cooked, literally perfect! Included shrimp and scallops and served on a hot metal plate. You need this in your life! Pro tip: save some bread to dip in the sauce! Also on the table, Beef Stew, The Dominican Sandwich, Chicharones de Pollo, Maduros, Rice and Beans for all. We also had Paypaya Shakes. There's a reason they've stood the test of time and they're in the "trendy LES". Old school no frills decor (love it!) and SUPER sweet wait staff. Much Bueno!! read more

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I've been a customer of this establishment for years. The food, service and prices are all solid! This place is great. read more

DELICIOUS This soup saved my life and tasted like my grandma made it The rice was soft and flavorful The beans were wet and delish The avocado was super fresh This came in handy for my hangover! 10/10 I want to go back to NYC just for this read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Service was friendly and quick, but the food? My, oh my. I had the most delicious sandwich, The Dominicano. SO SO good. I have a few dishes on my bucket list with this place so I will be back. I have to try the Cuban next, and those Ox Tails. read more

I ordered chicken soup from here and it was really good. Portions are huge and the price is right! My soup came with a huge order of white rice and a large soup all for under $10. The bread that comes to the table is really good as well. I've missed pressed bread with butter since I've left miami. Def coming back for other dishes! read more

Got this delivered for me and my two friends. I loveddd all the sides and my friends said they enjoyed the bistec salteado. Great plantains and yellow rice. I thought the shrimp Mofongo itself was ok, but the sauce and the shrimp were perfect! I really didn't enjoy the carne frita. They're bits of pork roasted. Loved the flavor but man was it difficult to eat read more

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant - Shrimp Mofongo, Especial de Bistec Salteado, Carne Frita - Latin American Near Me - New York, New York

Bad analogy- but I feel Jagua is like that long-standing Broadway play that either gets better with time- or slightly shifts with time. Let's be right on the money though- I think I have a say on this one and have been coming to Jagua on and off- for almost 20 years. During that time, things have changed, portions changed, as well as taste. But on plus side- they ditched the vinyl table covers for faux-wood table tops and "woven" neutral place mats. Don't get me wrong- Dominican food here isn't horrible at all. But it's enough for me to notice obvious differences- or maybe I'm just wishing for Dominican food- the way my Mom makes. With the ever-changing Lower East Side, high rises, chichi Lounges, yada yada yada- it's downright nice to see Castillo is STILL pumping out Dominican food after all these years. Hubby would come here on a daily when he lived in the LES in the late 80s- so I guess these guys are doing something right. Seems small, but Castillo has plenty table seating plus more at the counter. Go in and sit yourself with Merengue, Bachata, Perico Ripiao or Salsa always playing- so you're all good with the music. A few slips along the way, but really nothing to make me not want to return. Will brutally say though- it didn't dawn on me til midway our Lunch- that on my most recent visit with Mom and my hubby- Maduros I ordered, tasted like they've been fried using the same oil for other stuff (Chicken? Meat?- none I eat) and left most behind ;-(. Camarones Enchilados were substantial and good. Mom liked her Mofongo and my hubby always enjoys their double-broiled pork chops. FYI... Forget about all the other "Jagua" restaurants- this right here folks is king. Crowd? A real nice mix of cultures digging in plus prices are real damn good. Service? Very attentive but other times it lacks- so don't take insult if the all Dominican crew on deck isn't smiling ear-to-ear. Just come for the food. read more

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