I'd been hearing amazing things about Cilantrillo, and since I've stopped eating out consistently, I wanted this to be a real treat for my mom and me. I'll be transparent..we spent about $80 for the two of us, and it was absolutely worth it. I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed, and they truly delivered. We started with the fried cheese bites with guava sauce, and wow... what a perfect opener. The outside had this delicate crisp, the inside was warm and creamy, and the guava sauce added that perfect sweet‑salty balance without feeling heavy. It tasted like the kind of appetizer you savor slowly because you don't want it to end. It set the tone beautifully for the rest of the meal. My mom ordered the passion fruit juice, and the moment she took a sip, she looked at me like she'd been transported straight back to Puerto Rico. It was bright, refreshing, a little sour, and so full of flavor, not watered down, not overly sweet, just pure passion fruit goodness. It honestly made me nostalgic too, the way certain flavors can bring you home. For my entrée, I ordered the grilled chicken with a small mofongo on the side, and it was incredible. The chicken was juicy and tender which is rare because most places overcook it and it had this beautiful herb flavor from the peppers and cilantro. You could taste the freshness in every bite. The mofongo was smooth, garlicky, and perfectly seasoned. I've had a lot of mofongo in my life, and this one is easily one of the top. It had that perfect balance of texture and flavor that makes you want to keep going back for another bite. My mom ordered the mofongo with shrimp, and the shrimp were huge, plump, and juicy ..not rubbery or overcooked. The sauce tied everything together so well, and every bite felt like a memory of being back on the island. Everything came out fresh, hot, and full of flavor. The wait was long, but honestly, it was worth it. Our server was attentive without rushing us, checked in at the right moments, and let us enjoy our meal at our own pace. The whole experience felt intentional and warm. If you're craving authentic Puerto Rican flavors that make you feel at home, this place is it. I would definitely come back. And next time, I'm trying even more from their menu. read more

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The food was phenomenal! The customer service was excellent. The server was very attentive and extremely professional. Great atmosphere! The coconut and the passion fruit mojitos were amazing. read more

This restaurant is located very close to the Florida Mall. Right across the parking lot. If you are looking for a great Puerto Rican dish, try this. I had a Churrasco Mofongo (Flank Steak) and a Traditional Mojito. Both were delicious. It's a generous portion. Enough to share. I had enough left overs for lunch the next day. I sat at the bar. Service was fast and staff were friendly and polite. I love the Latin food and vibe. I will be back. read more

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Very good friends of mine in town Puerto Rican sisters and I found this restaurant on yelp we went we had dinner. It was delicious. The ambience was wonderful. The service was good. The food was very tasty and plentiful. read more

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We had such a great experience at Cilantrillo! The service was amazing from beginning to end. Everyone was very welcoming, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of throughout our visit. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and we truly enjoyed our time there. Great customer service really makes a difference, and the team definitely made our experience special. We will absolutely be coming back and would highly recommend Cilantrillo to anyone looking for great food and wonderful service! read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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As visitors in the Orlando area and wanted to try some Puerto Rican cuisine. Being from Chicago area wanted to see what they offered . Arrived around 745p on a Sunday and it was not super busy so we were seated right away. It's a casual restaurant. We ordered the new Trozos de pork belly con tostones and they were pretty darn good. Also ordered an alcapurria de carne because they are my favorite and it did not disappoint. Crispy and flavorful and with a hot sauce on side . For my main entree I ordered the carne guisado w a side of arroz mamposteao. The guisado was good, the broth was good but I did add some salt . The rice was different, had alot going on but I'm partial to arroz con gandules but wanted to try something different. I do wish the rice was hotter but otherwise everything was good. Service was awesome , quick and attentive . read more

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I met up with a group here to have dinner. Parking was easy - they share a lot - and when we arrived it wasn't too busy on a Thursday evening. We had a table reserved for the party of 11. We were told that at least half of the party needed to be present before we could be seated - that didn't take long. We quickly learned that many of the staff/servers didn't really speak English (according to their own words), and the Hostess just spoke to us in Spanish, and we were able to figure it out. Once seated we were given menus, but our Server told us that she couldn't take our drink orders until she knew how many checks there would be. She also said that she didn't speak English, but I think that she did quite well getting our drinks, our orders and taking care of the table. She was able to answer my questions about my order just fine. I ordered churrasco and it came with a salad (lettuce with 1 or 2 tomato slices) and a premium side. I chose maduros as my side. I think that everyone's order came out fine - my food was ok. The chimichurri was really good. Churrasco is a pricey item but was one of the few things that I knew what it was so I knew that I would eat it. There were at least 2 other tables that were celebrating birthdays. The staff came out to their tables with a dessert while clapping and singing, in Spanish. Our table clapped along, adding to the audio ambiance. The restaurant was clean, and they seemed to be operating in an organized and efficient manner. The lighting wasn't too low or too bright, but the noise level did pick up a little once a few other tables of 4 or more guests filled in. Once was enough for me, but I'd probably go back if there was a group meeting there for some reason. I would like that chimichurri recipe though. Everyone else's food looked good (though I probably wouldn't order those items) and I heard no complaints, so I'd have to say that if you like this cuisine type then you probably should dine here at least once. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Churrasco y maduros - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This restaurant average for a mall food court. The chips and very good and the guacamole were good but it had too much line. The quesadilla with just cheese was pretty yummy. The chili riano on the other had was so bad it was way too greasy and had a bad flavor. The service was also slow and the person and the front were very unfriendly. The ambiance was kind of loud for a mall with dirty tables. There was lots of vegetarian options though. read more

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The wife and I were in the Florida Mall area doing errands. When we were in the mood for some yummy Puerto Rican food. We stopped by El Cilantrillo based on recommendations from friends. We had Pollo à la plancha with arroz con gandules. It was the lunch special, yummy food and an affordable price. The service was fairly quick. The ambiance was nice. read more

What a great place. This place was totally PR vibes. We were seated right away on a Sunday after church. Our waitress came and took our drink orders. I got a delicious passion fruit alcohol drink that was so tasteful and huge. We ordered an appetizer of fried cheese and guava dip. Which was one of my fav parts. Our entrees were perfect for one person. I got the carne guises and my bf got the fried pork. The trick to was filled with flavor and so delicious. This is definitely a place we will go back to. Authentic taste of Puerto Rican food. Love the whole experience. read more

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Food quantity: 9/10 Food quality: 8/10 Service: 7/10 Ambiance: 7/10 Overall rating: 8/10 Great food and great music! I really enjoyed their mofongo! Highly recommend going early for dinner as they get crowded and quite noisy later in the evening. It was a bit difficult to have a conversation towards the later evening hours. read more

We had dinner on a Sunday evening. Upon arrival the wait time was about 20 minutes. The ambiance was more of a family oriented restaurant with latin music playing but not too loud. The restaurant had leaks from air conditioning vents at the entrance. Once seated, our waitress throughly explained the menu and the drinks. She kindly suggested recommendations. We ordered some mojito cocktails which deserved to be repeated although we found it to be a bit pricey. We started with fried cheese as an appetizer which was great. Our main course was a churrasco which we found to be tough. The yuca fries were good. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Mojito - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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We had a good experience here, they have a lot of variety and flavorful dishes. The seasoning was on point across the board, and the prices were fair for the portion sizes. Highlights for us were the mofongo, which was absolutely delicious, especially paired with their garlic sauce, and the fried cheese bites, which were perfectly golden and satisfying. However, a couple of things kept it from being a full five stars. The arañitas were a bit too thick and came out greasy, we think they'd be much better if they were thinner and crispier. Also, the cooking of the meats was inconsistent. I ordered my churrasco medium and got a mix of medium rare and medium well, while the ribeye, which was ordered medium rare, was mostly well done with just a few bites cooked properly. Despite those details, the overall quality and flavor of the food were excellent, and we'd definitely come back to try more! read more

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This restaurant reminds me of local restaurants from the island. Live music, friendly staff and delicious food. They have a pretty extensive menu and everything sounded so good. I settled on a pechuga a la plancha with arroz con gandules. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. The rice was amazing- first bite and I could taste some plátano - it also had some salchichón and longaniza mixed into it. Large portions - thought I wasn't going to be able to eat it all but I did . Couldn't stop eating! I also got a mofongo con carne frita to go for my husband and it was SO GOOD! Juicy and flavorful meat with a very well made mofongo. Definitely coming back !! read more

Food was delicious. The steak was so tender and the addition of the mushroom sauce was unique and a perfect addition. The Latin stir fry rice is a mix of red beans, plantains and bacon. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Churrasco with mushrooms sauce. Latin fried rice - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Had a not so great experience here. We had a 45 minute wait for a table which wasn't too terrible. The live music was very loud. Service was pretty slow. The drinks were great but very expensive. The appetizers were ok - the corn fritters were very oily but the alcapurria was good. We also had a single beef pastelillo that was good. I was very much looking forward to my mofongo but the power went out, plunging the restaurant into near total darkness, and no mofongo for me. We ended up having to pay the bill for what we ordered over our waitress's Zelle account which was weird. The total bill for 3 drinks and 3 small apps was $80! We weren't offered anything for the ruined dinner experience and left to go to another restaurant. The only thing that saved the experience was I was there with good company. read more

Alright, my food was great! I would say pricey but good. The flavors were awesome and the portions were good. However, our server didn't return to refill our waters, nor offer us salad dressing for the "side salad" Also, they auto add 18% gratuity so just fair warning. read more

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My cousin and I decided to go out to dinner. We both would be flying back home tomorrow. We decided to try El Cilantrillo. They prepared authentic latin food. My cousin and I decided to share a plate. We ordered the fried chicharrones with pickled red onions. We choice the spanish rice with smoked sausage and grandules.We also had the white rice with red beans. The service was excellent. The food came out popping hot. The ambiance was lit and their were several large tables for family gatherings. If your in Orlando, FL. Please check out El Cilantrillo. To all my yelpers. Let's continue eating our way through the world. read more

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If you ever in the Orlando area, El Cilantrillo is the place to go for good Puerto Rican food. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

So El Cilantrillo is yet another first for me...I have been dying to try this spot for quite some time now since I see them on social media all the time...and boy am I glad I finally did! This restaurant location is right next to the Florida Mall with plenty of parking spaces for easy access. Upon walking in, we were greeted and seated almost immediately. The restaurant itself had a lot of tables and was a pretty big space...great for large parties. We first started off with drinks and ordered the coconut mojito and tamarindo margarita. The margarita was definitely the favorite of the two and had great flavor. The coconut mojito was good, but I just wish it was a tad bit stronger to cut the sweetness. For food we ordered the fried cheese w/ guava for appetizer, pulpo stuffed mofongo, trifongo and the fried pork. Let me tell y'all... the presentation was immaculate!! It was all so visually appealing. The flavors were spot on too...our favorite items hands down had to be the fried cheese w/ guava and the trifongo! Overall, we had such a great first experience at El Cillantrillo. The service was great and the food was definitely tasty. I definitely recommend for folks to try this spot out and make sure you come hungry because they definitely feed you with their large portions lol. read more

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First time here after hearing such great reviews. Honestly... I don't get the hype. The food wasn't terrible but I feel anything fried is the way to go. The service however was nothing special. It took long for everything. It wasn't even busy. We had to wait for someone to come to the table then wait for her take our order and after that we never saw her until we asked for the check. It'll be a while before I decide to eat here again. read more

It took them a while to acknowledge our Table; we almost left. We ordered their Bacalaitos (cod fish fritters) and White Parcha (passion fruit) Sangria to start. Delicious Cod Fish fritters but a low quality Sangria pitcher at $40!!! Not recommended. Need patience; once ordered main courses, kitchen is slow. We ordered staples; Mofongo with Shrimps and Pernil (roasted pork) with Arroz Mamposteao side. Ambiance is loud and busy (even children squealing). Main entrees finally arrived and are huge and tasty. Both are very juicy and Good values. We are only two and still they stick you with 18% Gratuity and will not tell you when bring the check. BEWARE! Place is pack because food is tasty and great food price. It's slow though and Sangria is not recommended. $105 for lunch for two because of the overpriced Sangria. We will go elsewhere. read more

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The service was incredible! We were treated so nicely. The food tasted sooo good although their tamarindo juice is quite sweet and not too sour and I didn't like it much, everything else was perfect. The restaurant was very nice, clean, and simple and not too big. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Mofongo de bistec - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Recommend it 100% Food was Delicious Server Fernando at the Sandlake rd location was Top Notch... Will be back Soon.... read more

Always have great lunch specials in rotation, I always stop by when I'm in the area. They have several restaurants throughout Central Florida. Great natural drinks and refreshing cocktails service is always friendly and the ambience is tropical with island vibes. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Carne guilds (stewed beef) rice & salad - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Food was amazing and the ambience. Service was eh. They were a bit too slow. Not even did they offer us an apology for the slow service. Food was delicious though. read more

Where do I begin? We have visited a different location of this restaurant and it was great today was a total disappointed . The waiter Camila shouldn't be a waiter if you don't enjoy serving people . Took our order and after a few questions about the menu she didn't have much knowledge of portion sizes or how some of the food was served. The appetizer didn't come to the table together to be able to share. I order a mofongo with pork chunks to find out it's a more garlic sauce that you couldn't even taste the plantain and the meat seems to be precooked all day that it was like rubber. The other dish was Carme guisada was soup not the way it suppose to be made . What a waste of money and time . We left the food and we didn't even am apologies after expressing why the food was still in the plates Never again read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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THE FOOD WAS WAS SOOOOOO GOOD! We came after a day at animal kingdom and when I say it was everything it was . Reminded me of eating at my besties mom's house. They were pretty busy and food came out at a decent time . Con: parking sucks read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Sweet plantains - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Good quality food in a very nice setting. Service is good. Choose your day/time carefully as it can be busy and because the food is made to order take time to arrive to your table. read more

Love love love this place!! It's lively, but not overbearing, the food is phenomenal, the service was great, no complaints at all! We started with the queso frito con salsa de guayaba (fried cheese with guava sauce) it was perfect. I would drink that guava sauce. It was so good and paired absolutely perfectly with the cheese. For dinner, I went with the mofongo de bistec (mofongo with beef and onion). You can choose a garlic sauce or a creole sauce, I chose garlic and was NOT disappointed. It was so garlicky and delicious. The portion size was huge, I had plenty left over for lunch the next day. They do not skimp on the meat, which was great to see. I want to try everything they offer, but it would be hard not to order these two amazing dishes again. When we arrived, we were told there would be a 25-minute wait, and they sat is about 5 minutes later. Our server spoke English, but many did not, which is fair. It seems like the vast majority of patrons also spoke Spanish. Shortly after we sat down, someone came to take our picture for a free postcard. We were skeptical but smiled anyway. They did eventually bring the free post card, and then offered additional prints for a cost, but she was very understanding/not pushy when we said no. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Service and food is always great!!! Don't look anywhere else, this is your spot for authentic Puerto Rican food. Sundays are the worst!! They have someone singing so darn loud that you cannot even speak, hear or enjoy the atmosphere. It physically hurts your ears!!! I walked out once when they couldn't accommodate our party away from it. It is super annoying. read more

Decent local place. Was very busy for a week night. Drinks were the best part. Portions were large! read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Chicken in lemon sauce with Cuban rice. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Highly recommend for authentic Puerto Rican food outside of PR. We had a Passion Fruit juice which was refreshing and delicious they also serve Acerola juice which was nice to see on the menu. The Chicken Tostones was served with chicken breast strips that were in garlic sauce in a cup made of fried plantains. Chicken was moist and very flavorful and the tostones were perfectly fried. I ordered the Shrimp Stuffed mofongo and it definitely hit the spot. Perfectly seasoned and moist and fresh ingredients. The grilled chicken breast was moist and rice well flavored. The portions are large and definitely shareable. The restaurant was clean and food is very good. Service did lack a bit since it got busier but overall, we would return. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Shrimp mofongo - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Food was good but a little pricey, service is a little slow, there's a photographer circling around offering photos she takes of you for $20 which was kind of cute but a little random. I would definitely be back to try more from the menu. read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Pechuga - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Just got to the restaurant and the hostess was rude. We were willing to wait the 30 minutes but with that kind of customer service , I won't risk it. Dining is not just about the food , it's about the experience. read more

Yay , was looking forward to experiencing the food and drinks at the restaurant and left very happy with the experience. Nice service and nice ambiance. We ordered an appetizer to share and we all enjoyed every bite and my Coconut Mojito was delicious. Was not disappointed on my 2 hour drive to enjoy and try my Puerto Rican gastronomy. read more

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Good service Not pleased with the dish we ordered. The fried pork small pieces were too hard to cut and chew. Other than that I would give it an average. read more

Went this past Thursday a little wait empty restaurant around 6PM , assumed short staffed, the lobby looked messy napkins on the floor. Seated after 15 minutes or so. The booth seats were dirty. Not usually like this in the past. Stayed because the food smelled great coming out of the kitchen. Waited another 10 minutes for waiter to take our order. He was friendly. The food was still great reason I continue to come back. Only food complaint not enough beans just broth. Please keep this restaurant clean it is important read more

I have driven by El Cilantrillo countless times, but finally made the proper visit. It was busy on a Saturday afternoon with a 20-25 minute wait. Fortunately the bar was open seating and we grabbed our seats. The bartender was patient and friendly as we perused the menu. The drink menu is missing prices, but seem pretty comparable for tourist area. The sangria priced at $14/glass. My friend ordered us the appetizer sampler, Surtido EI Esmayao" which was a great size for splitting between 3-4 people. My favorite items were the fried pork chunks, cheese, and corn fritters. The fried pork chunks can also be ordered as an entree and would recommend 10/10. Everything we tried was great, next time I need to try their rice and beans and maybe even the bistec. Also be sure to check the bill as they added gratuity automatically. The food was great, we will be back again! read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - SURTIDO EI ESMAYAO - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Amazing Puerto Rican food that will leave you full and satisfied! Service was great, we had a big party and they were able to put us in a designated party area. Great atmosphere and everything was delicious!! read more

El Cilantrillo Restaurant - Florida Mall - Puerto Rican Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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