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    El Nuevo Frutilandia

    3.9 (477 reviews)

    El Nuevo Frutilandia Photos

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    EL NUEVO FRUTILANDIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for kids

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    Yum!
    Maurine S.

    Had this in my collections list as a "want to try" after seeing it on Diners, Dives and Drive Ins. We ordered the empanadas which were the best I've ever had. Everyone always seems to get excited about empanadas but I could never see the reason. This spot gives you a reason to be excited about them. I enjoyed the beef one the best but I am a carnivore at heart so maybe that's why. The chicken tasted like the same as the pollo dish ordered and the veggie just tasted like veggie. Loved the beef (5/5) as the outside of the empanada was crisp but the inside still fluffy. Yum! Happy hour until 6:30 so what a deal! The taro chips were also spot on cuz they were light and crisp and lightly salted. Tastes way better than the fake ones you buy in a bag at the supermarket. Also ordered this during happy hour so the price was reasonable. The rest of the dishes were okay but nothing that made me feel like I have to return for. The meats were tender but it had been simmering in a big pot in the back and it's not freshly simmered. Maybe all the dishes have to be made this way so I don't really want to mark them down too much. The cook was super sweet and kept smiling at us. The cashier seemed a bit frazzled but was also really nice. It's a nice little friendly spot that I'd stop in for happy hour.

    Mofongo! Nice and crispy which I don't think I have had it so good.
    Jaime S.

    Staying in San Francisco each and every Black Friday weekend. Took the Bart from Powell St. and got off on 24th St. This is my go to spot for my mofongo and arroz con gandules.

    *Ceviche Mixto
    Danielle L.

    There seem to be so many hidden gems on 24th. When my friend found out that this restaurant was featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, we knew we had to try it out. We ordered: * Ceviche Mixto: a refreshing starter with shrimp, fish, and a mango and jicama salsa. We ordered the taro chips on the side (+$3.50). * Tostones: crispy, smashed, and fried green plantains. They were SO crispy and the garlic sauce on the side added a nice flavor addition. * Lechon Horneado: roasted pork marinated in a garlic, achiote seasoning blend. We swapped the white rice with arroz con gandules (+$2.50). When we initially arrived at the restaurant around 7 pm on a Thursday evening, there was no one else inside, and it took a while for the server to recognize us. But he quickly came over once he realized and was friendly, recommending the main dish for us when we couldn't decide. I'd come back here just for the experience of the food alone - it was delicious!

    *Empanadas de Verduras Veggies   @hybrideater
    Zach H.

    Great food! Alright service. They were participating in restaurant week so I thought I'd give it a go. The vegetable empanadas with pink sauce was quite yummy. Really enjoyed the chicken special dish they had. Chocolate cake came from some pink box lol. Lord knows where they got that from...

    FRUTILANDIA COMBINATION PLATTER
    Sheila P.

    I got the Frutilandia combo plate and it was sooooo good! Everything was freshly made and tasting. All veggie too! It includes sweet plantains, green plantains (tostones), yucca fries, taro chips, and an empanada of your choice. I had never tried their sauces before, but I loved them! One is a garlic citrus sauce (mojo de ajo) and it was my favorite! The other was a sriracha spicy cream sauce. Both complimented the food very well. Next time I'd like to try their mofongo (veggie) since it was on the Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives show.

    *Vanilla Caramel Flan
    Jordan W.

    I discovered this restaurant during Black Restaurant Week and I am so glad that I did! While el Nuevo Fruitlandia has an unassuming appearance, the looks and flavors of each dish are quite the opposite -- bold and beautiful. We started with the veggie mofongo and yuca frito. The garlic, onions, and peppers gave the mofongo a predominantly savory flavor but it had a lovely sweet undertone from the plantains. The flavors were rich and comforting. The fried plantains offered a subtle crunch while the interior was soft and chewy. Absolutely delicious. The yucca frito was a bit dry, but the flavors were right. The citrusy dipping sauce had a great flavor, but was very liquidy and took away from the crunch of the fried exterior. If I were to do it again, I'd pass on the yucca frito. The Ropa Vieja exemplified Caribbean flavors. It was not spicy, but was incredibly well spiced. The dish was almost stew-like and sat upon a brothy, tomato-y, pool. The braised, shredded, steak was succulent and tender. The meal was very meat heavy -- not a bad thing, just something to know before ordering. Oh my gosh the flan. Absolute perfection. The caramelized top was spot on and the texture was unbeatable. It was one of the best pieces of flan I've ever had.

    Yih R.

    The food was good, but I am not satisfied with the entire experience. We were going to use 10% Yelp coupon I got when I checked in, the waiter told me she doesn't know how to add that, so basically you need to pat the full amount. I was like WHAT??? My friend who was treating us dinner said it was fine. He paid and tipped well. Then we ordered some food to go. They messed up the order and mixed beef and vegetarian fried dumplings ( I forget what it is called). The waiter who doesn't know how to apply the coupon apologized several times, BUT the other lady was so impolite, and kept say that's why we don't do mixed. Anyway, the food is fine, but the experience is not.

    Empanadas and alcapurria
    Manuel G.

    Great mofongo and arroz con Gandules today! I like the quality of their food. I even more enjoy how their food is not greasy like so many other Puerto Rican restaurants I have visited. I'll come back on the regular!

    glorie i.

    OMG!!!!!!!! Luckily, my boys were visiting the bay area from Chicago! They chose this EPIC restaurant! EVERYTHING we ordered was beyond delicious! The sauces make the dish! EMPANADAS!!!! We tried ground beef,chicken and vegetable! I LOVED the veggie empanada! Light,NOT GREASY at all!!!! We tried a caraf of Rose' with papaya added...so perfectly paired with the meal! We ordered and shared a cerveice(sp)..I could have eaten a gallon! Sooo fresh, with jicama!!!! Bright,clean and stellar... Main entre'.. We ordered a shrimp,pork and beef plate and shared!!!! The Cuban/Puerto Rican rice ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! We left fat and happy! No room for the delicious desserts! I will make a point to return!!!!! Excellent service in a small,clean environment! Parking right in front! Metered!

    Tostones
    Karol N.

    Jessica greeted us and served our table with a big smile and great recommendations; great customer service! The Mofongo con Lechón was delicious, the meat was so tender and I haven't tasted a Mofongo that good since my trip to Puerto Rico in June. My kiddo had the arroz con pollo and she couldn't stop mentioning how amazing it was, she's normally a picky eater, not this time, too good to pass up. Great Service + Delicious food = Definitely going back!

    *Tostones - Savory Green Plantains, *Yuca Frita Fries, *Veggie Mofongo Plate
    Kai B.

    First off, I travel the world trying new foods and cuisines . I love the fact that the restaurant is family owned and operated, but the food was not tasty nor was it flavorful. For starters, my order was made incorrectly twice. The Puerto Rican rice was dry, overcooked, and lacked flavor. The sauce used for the tostones and yucca fries fries was just sour and tasted like Italian salad dressing. I did enjoy the yucca frita fries, but unfortunately not enough to bring me back to this restaurant.

    Dianna H.

    This is a cute neighorhood spot in the Mission with a lot of Puerto Rican and Cuban flavor for decoration. Clearly the owners have a lot of pride in their culture which is great! My friend and I made a reservation for Friday night at 7 pm two days earlier, but we really didn't need it as it was mostly empty when we arrived and was never too full the entire time we were there. We started with a carafe of their rose guava sangria ($22), enough for about 2 glasses per person. I didn't really taste the guava but it was good sangria. I just wish the diced apple pieces didn't all float at the top of the carafe. My friend poured first and she got all of the apple pieces which just sat floating in her glass as she didn't want it. We shared the picadillo (i.e. Cuban ground beef) empanadas for $9 and these were delicious. A great start to the meal. However, the rest of my meal was quite disappointing. They have three house specialties, and after reading raving reviews about their lechon horneado ($16.50) on Yelp, I decided to try that. It's a Puerto Rican dish with slow roasted pork marinated in garlic and pineapple, served with arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice). I don't know if they were having an off night but my lechon was really dry and bland. The top layers of the lechon already didn't have much flavor, and by the time I got to the bottom half, it was completely bland. I hate dry meat and had a really hard time getting through even half of the dish. I almost never leave food on my plate (always try to take it home if I can't finish), but I could only finish half and didn't have the heart to bring the rest home. My friend took a bite and agreed. She got the mofongo and really enjoyed that though.

    Chewy flavorless "ropa vieja"... just an insult
    M J.

    Infuriating! As a born and raised Cuban living in Bay Area I feel offended. How dare you try to pass this junk as our food? My review: -vaca frita- it's supposed to be on the crunchier side and flavorful, this dish is chewy, flavorless and impossible to swallow, imagine swallowing a ball of plastic. -arroz con pollo: main word is chicken, it should have it... this dish has a minimal amount of tasteless chicken, rice is mushy. -tostones:it should be double fried crunchy green plantains, this dish used sweeter plantains that were not properly fried resulting in sogginess and sweeter flavor rather than salty, pathetic. -guava pastries: OMG! Lacks any tangible amount of guava and they were at least 2 days old !! STALE ! Seriously?! - Mojo sauce: it was water with lemon and oil flavor, disgusting. -mango and passion fruit juice: neither mango or passion fruit, some sort of sugary liquid that made me diabetic just by looking at it. -yuca fries: the ONLY properly cooked item. Is the food edible? Yes if you lack standards. Is this cuban food? Resounding NO Should you eat this? Absolutely NOT I need a Miami trip ASAP :(

    Cuban Mango Salad

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    Thank you Ivan! Looking forward to your next celebration!

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    Thank you so much for the wonderful review. Appreciate your business.

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    Thank you Alice for the lovely review! Appreciate your business!

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    El Nuevo Frutilandia Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Nuevo Frutilandia

    Casa Borinquena

    Casa Borinquena

    4.7
    (74 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    I went to Casa Borinquena the other day for the first time and WOW I've really been missing out…read more The menu is small but mighty. Everything sounds delicious but the sample plates pack the most punch. I love plantains so having those figure prominently, with delicious rice and plant based chicken, is perfect. The service is incredibly fast and easy, and being at Saluhall, you get to take advantage of other vendors and a full a bar. It felt a little quiet on a Friday night but places like Casa Borinquena definitely make it a destination for me. Go now if you've been waiting. Casa Borinquena is not to be missed.

    Wepa! Casa Borinquena is anything but boring. Puerto Rican vegan food with all the flavors is far…read morefrom your typical mall food. Saluhall has two floors of food options. Definitely go upstairs and explore Casa Borinquena. If you're wondering what Market Street has to offer, duck inside IKEA. There are many seating areas. Yes, in addition to IKEA's viral food court, there's so much more. Saluhall opened with all-vegan vendors but things have shifted back to meat and dairy. Case Borinquena is the last standing all-vegan stall. This is Caribbean soul food and it's so good. If you're looking for a salad or something light, this is not for you. This food will fill you up and leave you wanting more. Loaded Tostones is pumped up with nacho-ish toppings. Served with a thick and tasty mama sauce. I was dunking everything into that sauce. I opted for the side of tostones because I was craving the crunchy plantain. It was crisp perfection! Lulu's Famous Pastelillo filled with vegan beef or chicken was another winner for me. The dough was fried perfectly and I loved the chicken filling flavor. Chef's kiss. Coquito cake is on the menu! If you love eggnog, get this right now. I want to return for the sampler plate. At $20, it's cheaper than a flight to Puerto Rico. Pro-tip: first hour of parking is free!

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    Some of our menu favorites
    Some of our menu favorites
    Casa Borinquena
    Vegan chick'n pastelillo. Yummy!

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    Vegan chick'n pastelillo. Yummy!
    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine

    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine

    4.7
    (53 reviews)
    10.0 mi

    I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Erick to discuss his management approach and culinary…read morephilosophy. We also discussed his upbringing in NYC and his long history in the Bay Area's challenging culinary scene. This conversation happened before I had the opportunity to taste the succulent Puerto Rican dishes on his menu. Chef Erick is a truly humble and professional culinary artist. He lets his cooking do the talking, allowing his ingredients and timely combinations to showcase his superb culinary skills. From our conversation, I learned that he genuinely cares about the quality of his ingredients. While we talked about his experiences cooking for all kinds of tables in the Bay Area, from VIPs and celebrities to daily blue-collar San Franciscans seeking standout meals, Chef Erick answered at least five phone calls. He diligently coordinated with his local suppliers to ensure he, and in turn his customers, would have access to nothing but the best ingredients during the upcoming weekend rush. Most Puerto Ricans, including those adopted (see Chef Anthony Bourdain's memoirs), know a Puerto Rican restaurant is truly judged by the quality and flavor of its Pernil. This slow-roasted pork shoulder or leg is marinated in a robust herb paste. Many Puerto Rican families guard their herb paste recipes as closely as The Coca-Cola Company guards its Coca-Cola recipe. Pernil is the centerpiece of holiday feasts and family celebrations. That's why I chose this menu to celebrate meeting Chef Erick. Without hesitation, he prepared for me--someone born and raised in Puerto Rico--his masterfully concocted pernil with arroz con gandules and a side of maduros fritos. I have to say, this was the best Puerto Rican food I have tasted in all of California, from Santa Rosa to San Diego. I have visited all the restaurants in the Bay Area: El Coqui, both Sol Foods locations, Parada 22, and Lola's Lounge in Sacramento. I admit, this is the best and most authentic plate of Puerto Rican cuisine I have enjoyed in 16 years exploring Latin Cuisine Restaurants in Northern California. If you like Puerto Rican cuisine and have not tried Puerto Rican Street Cuisine, you must add this restaurant to your "must-visit" places in California. Thank you to Ceci, all the cooks, and Chef Erick for helping me relive the experience of proper, authentic pernil y arroz con gandules like my abuelita used to make for us on "la lomita" in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico!

    This has the best Puerto Rican food I have had- including in Puerto Rico! The carne was wonderfully…read morespiced, perfectly medium, and full grain meat through each chunk. The amazingly sweet and ripe plantains finish out a very generously portioned meal.

    Photos
    Pernil and yellow rice..Authentic, flavors and texture right on point! I like my pernil a little more dry and chunky.
    Pernil and yellow rice..Authentic, flavors and texture right on point! I like my pernil a little more dry and chunky.
    Puerto Rican Street Cuisine
    Chicharonnes

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    Chicharonnes
    Chao Pescao

    Chao Pescao

    4.3
    (365 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$
    Large group friendly
    Gluten-free friendly

    If I could give it more stars I would!!…read more Visited in a Wednesday' around 5pm, Staff were friendly, didn't go above and beyond, but also not bad. Service was as expected. Food was delicious! Appetizers Empanadas we were really good, the sauce that came with it was awesome Maduros cooked perfectly with a great seasoning Dinner Lechon - so much flavor Dessert Rice pudding, yummy I will be back for sure!!

    What a lovely spot for latin american cuisine! Made a dinner reservation here on Friday evening,…read morebefore attending a musical at the Orpheum Theatre just around the corner. My friend and I were greeted with prompt and cordial service at arrival. Found parking diectly in front of the entrance too (meter is free after 6pm). The quirky decor inside the restaurant added character to the place, with each wall panel in the main dining room showcasing a unique theme of 3D artwork, like instruments, phones, and mirrors. There was also high top seating available near the bar, toward the front of the eatery. We ordered quite a few items from the menu and ended up with leftovers. The classic mojito and mango tango cocktail, the latter which came in a cute tiki glass, were both refreshing and delicious. For food, we had the arepa rellena de bistec without habanero salsa, which was stuffed with flavorful skirt steak, a bit chewy but tasty nonetheless. Got it with regular fries on the side which were surprisingly really good and quite addicting. Added an arepa with cheese and this was so buttery and cheesy. Loved it! The cubano was served with thick pieces of ham and pork, and the dijon sauce came on the side. As recommended by staff, we opted for yucca fries to go with this dish, which were thick and dense, not bad, but we liked the regular fries better. The soup special, ajiaco, was a unique concoction of chicken, corn, potatoes, and veggies, topped off with crema. It was enjoyable as well. All in all, we had a positive experience. And Chao Pescao is a convenient option for grabbing a meal if catching a show at the Orpheum nearby. After dinner, we continued our awesome evening with a tale as old as time.

    Photos
    Ropa Vieja (opted for no rice)
    Ropa Vieja (opted for no rice)
    Tajin Fried Chicken: hree-pieces free-range local poultry, mexican spices, lime, hot sauce - served with black beans, rice & plantains
    Tajin Fried Chicken: hree-pieces free-range local poultry, mexican spices, lime, hot sauce - served with black beans, rice & plantains
    Our Daquiri & El Avión

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    Our Daquiri & El Avión
    Paula's Cafe

    Paula's Cafe

    4.6
    (120 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Cute little café. Fresh delicious, hot food. Great service, friendly, attentive, kind and engaging…read more We went on a Saturday morning and it just kept getting busier and busier, but that didn't change the service. Going back soon!!

    There's a place I frequent, in the Castro, about which I never hear anything. It's well-priced,…read moreserves satisfying fare, and the owners who run it are always on point and welcoming. Why I thought Paula's Cafe might be anything like that place is a mystery even to me. Paula's Cafe has some good deals announced on the sandwich board out front which I missed upon entering. The menu? These aren't good deals. My carne asada hash, with tax and tip ran $30 which seems whack when one considers the ambiance, service level and, sorrowfully, the food itself. My server delivered my seemingly well-prepared meal to me with a stack of napkins. He never checked back with me, ate a meal at another seat, and cranked the music up to a level that I thought unpleasant. That stack of napkins quickly became useful: the first four bites of carne asada had to be spit into them. This meat was chewy to the point of inedible. Things fared better when I cut pieces very tiny and the eggs and potatoes were good. I told my server this when I rose to pay at the register. His response? "Next time order the meat medium rare". I'd actually not specified or been asked how I wanted my carne asada prepared but I'd go one step further: I'd never again order any meat-containing menu item here. Truth is, there's a million places in this and surrounding blocks and I'm unlikely to return.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Denver Omelette & side salad
    Denver Omelette & side salad
    Chilaquiles Rancheros with add on: Carnitas (hidden under eggs).

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    Chilaquiles Rancheros with add on: Carnitas (hidden under eggs).

    El Nuevo Frutilandia - latin - Updated July 2026

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