As part of a date night and pre-birthday night out, we'd heard good things about this place and decided to try them. Although it doesn't look like much from the outside, this hidden gem is a must if you're in the mood for authentic Caribbean food. Once you step inside you feel the ambience of a cozy Puerto Rican place with music to welcome you to the theme. We made it there for an early dinner, so the place wasn't crowded, but it looks like they offer live music for the evening audience. Our hostess and server was polite and friendly. And their menu was pretty good considering it's focus on the theme. We both decided to start with appetizers by ordering "empanadadilla" which was quite tasty and didn't feel like they skimp on the chicken filling which we chose. We both also went with a traditional dish, their mofongo with protein. I had the pernil (roast pork butt) and my wife had the mixed plate, which came with chicken, steak and shrimp! The meals also came with a house salad. Although I went with a simple soft drink, my wife tried their signature margarita. It was quite good, although it was a bit on the strong side. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly, even the mofongo wasn't overly garlicy, which other times we've had it, it was. The decor was up to standard within the theme and music wasn't too loud. And surprisingly enjoyable overall. The best part was when getting the check, the prices were adequate for the amount of food we had. Didn't feel hungry at all when she came back to offer dessert. I would highly recommend this place and will be back if in the area again. read more

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My family visited this cozy restaurant and it is decorated with island pictures and symbols. A very extensive menu with traditional Puerto Rican dishes. The night we went the 2 waitresses hopped from table to table and kept all in order. Sadly the signature dish, the sticking of the pot "el pegao" and the name of the restaurant was not available - what a shame! Ample parking read more

i always get the pork chops with rice and beans!!! absolutely delicious. from crystal at storage rentals of america

This is a great PR style cafe that has a large menu and very fresh choices. Been here a few times, never disappoints and always so so good! Great clean inside and well decorated w/PR flair. Service was above par and very attentive to questions and ensure you get what you are wanting, very pleasant staff. Lived in PR for a few years, and this family hits it on the head for authentic PR style food. If you're a fan of this style food, you cannot go wrong with this place!!! A young family bought the original owners out and they do a great job on making it even better. Heck, they even make homemade chicharones in bags to go!!! By all means, seek this place out and see for yourself. You will go back I am sure. Charlie read more

An unexpected pleasant surprise to find a genuine Puertorican restaurant in Orange Park on Kingsley. Extensive menu & many surprises. I ordered the Mofongo with fried pork chunks. Excellent flavor and a satisfied customer. Don't miss it 5 read more

Great food and excellent service! They even prepared arañitas for me as they weren't part of the menu read more

El Pegao Restaurant - Excelentísimo! - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

First time visit. Great food. Had steak and arroz con gandules and very delicious. Keep it simple. Small place but cool that it's very culturally decorated. My server was friendly and kept checking on me. Will look at visiting again. read more

The food was amazing and the staff was soo welcoming. I will definitely continue to eat here. It was the best flan I've ever had read more

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What a hidden gem, you would never knew this little family run place existed if you didn't do a Yelp search. Very quaint and clean restaurant with Latin music playing and very attentive staff serving some of the best Puerto Rican food I have had in a long time. The flavors all had some level of a WOW factor, both in presentation and flavors. Both the pork chop and steak were served very well seasoned, tender, moist and filling. Tostonies were very well prepared and fresh along with a nice dipping sauce with cilantro (I believe?). The beans had a very smoky flavor and you couldn't stop eating them. Next trip, I must try their Kan Kan pork chop, looks great. They apparently have a small lunch buffet during the week and do what appears to be a robust take away business. Great job read more

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Awesome Restaurant. Came after church on Mother's Day. So happy to try it! Food was good, hot and fresh, and well seasoned. The queso frito was a little salty, and greasy but after patting it dry it wasn't too bad. However, there were only 6 pieces of cheese for $8. That's crazy to me. We also did a side of maduros for $6 for 4. Also, wildly expensive. The special was okay my husband didn't like the fish and it was odd it didn't come with rice & beans. Service was Excellent Diana our waitress was amazing so kind and attentive. I loved the fresh juice! I was bummed there was no coffee and no flan. Nonetheless, I tried it. It was good I may stop in for a jugo de parcha if I am in the area again, but that's about it. Prices were a bit steep for what accompanied the dishes. read more

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This is the best Puerto Rican Restaurant in the area. My favorite is their shrimp Mofongo but everything is great. read more

El Pegao Restaurant - Pork Mofongo - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

It's very pleasant inside El Pegao--a type of food--Caribbean music plays and makes one feel very upbeat! My husband had the buffet special and chose ribs, white rice, and yucca (it has onions cooked with it). He enjoyed it! Very friendly service and the ladies explained the items to us if we weren't familiar with them. The dishes are moderately priced so be aware of that, but the servings are more than ample! They have tables set up for both small and large groups. (I do want to note that they prefer cash for payment. There is a 3+ % surcharge for using any card.) read more

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El Pagao underwent new ownership 3.5 months ago. The restaurant name was kept the same. It's Puerto Rican cuisine. My dad and I decided to try this place out being in the area and all. Looks like they have a hot Bar of some sort which offers Sides and Main Entrees. I didn't see any menu but price for a combo starts at $9.99 for a choice of one Main Entree and one side. From what I'm told, everything is made fresh and from scratch. And it showed, nothing but delicious food. We'll definitely come back. read more

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Sooo delicious! My American husband and I(Latina), just had a most wonderful dinner at El Pegao restaurant on Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park! The service was great, very attentive and helpful. The ambiance with Latin music and the feel of our homes in Latin America, how can you go wrong? We are coming back for sure. I will try the Mofongo con chicharrones de pollo. read more

I was in the Orange Park area and wanted to try something new. I found El Pegao Restaurant using my handy dandy Yelp app. BTW shout out to Yelp for always leading me to some great finds. Anyways, I found El Pegao Restaurant and decided to give it try after seeing some awesome reviews. The menu had a nice selection of food. The special of the day was only $7.99 and you got a meat, rice, beans, and one side. I decided to try the fried chicken. I'm not sure the method of frying the fried chicken, but it was really flavorful and tasty. I opted for the yellow rice and black bean with plantains. Honestly, I could have eaten the sides alone. I really enjoyed it. The location is clean and quick. The only thing I wish I would have done was to eat inside and have a nice adult beverage with my food. If I'm in this area again, I'd love to try this place out again. read more

Puertorican restaurant with an extensive menu sure to please the most picky dinners. From soups and asopao to fresh chillo/red Snapper. Great service & had to compliment the head chef for outstanding preparation. On Kingsley in Orange Park. 5***** read more

El Pegao Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

Excelente servicio a el cliente y excelente comida hasta ahora. La carne guisada es deliciosa. El arroz con gandules y pernil muy rico también. read more

My first time going to a puerto rican restaurant near me with such excellent food, loved the food & the service, everything amazing. yall need to come visit. My server was ronald. Fue tan rico y increíble el servicio. Todo nos encantó. Muchas gracias :) read more

El Pegao Restaurant - Mofongo Carne Frita - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

Came after a month again!!! No complaints!! Food was amazing and tasted home made! Great flavor & service! Pork chops was flavorful! read more

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It's really nice to have low expectations sometimes then proven wrong. When we entered El Pegao Restaurant, there was only one customer inside and I thought hmmmm food is probably not so good. Despite the rave reviews, I still had my doubts. We started with flat garlic bread. It was simple yet really crunchy and tasty! It was gone in seconds! We waited quite a while for our main dishes but boy oh boy, I was proven wrong! Not only was it worth the wait, they are worth coming back again and again! I ordered their Bistec Encebollado which is a Sautéed Beef Steak with sliced sautéed onions. The beef was so tender and onions were sweet! We loved it! My husband got the Stuffed Chicken Breast with sweet plantain cheese and chicken sausage. Now that's how you should cook chicken breast! It was packed full of delicious flavors! We devoured our food with gusto! I'm actually salivating now just writing this review, remembering our unforgettable dinner that night! Check this place out! You will not be disappointed! Can't wait to come back! read more

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After an intense workout at Planet Fitness (NOT!), my wife and I were headed to Orange Park Mall to pick up an order at the Hollister store. It's dinner time so I checked the Yelp app for nearby restaurants that we haven't tried and BOOM, El Pegao popped up. It had a 5-star average reviews so far and we figured why not try it. It's located in a small plaza across Orange Park High School in Kingsley Avenue. I thought El Pegao was a new hole-in-the-wall restaurant since it didn't have many pictures and the oldest review being just 5 months old. Come to find out, they've been there for over 9 years under a different name based on Iris' review. El Pegao's made-to-order Puerto Rican food was excellent. There was a little wait, but it's worth it. We shared their Stuffed Chicken breast and Bistec Encebollado. The chicken breast was stuffed with sweet plantain, cheese, and chicken sausage. The tasty sauce brought the chicken alive. It was flavorful and my wife ate the majority of it. The bistec was tender and plentiful. Everything was delicious even the sides of sweet plantains, red beans, and yellow rice we paired them with. We were stuffed just like the chicken breast. Great service! At first, I wanted to order their Chicharrones de Pollo, but I will next time. read more

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In the area and this place came up so thought we'd check it out. Ordered pulled pork called El Pegao, son ordered Bistec which had pink peas that were excellent, daughter ordered steak mofongo, & wife ordered fried pork chunk mofongo. Food was excellent, service was great and made you feel at home. I don't usually rate places on my first visit but this was too good not to, my only complaint is that I don't live closer to go more often. read more

Fantastic and delicious food! The staff is super friendly and accommodating even close to closing time!! Fabulous experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for authentic Puertorican food!! read more

Having lived in Puerto Rico and NYS I am very familiar with this cuisine actually I prefer . It over the Cuban and Mexican cuisine. .this place is clean with a friendly staff. Presentation of dishes was excellent. The various dishes we tried were tasty and good portions. I do highly recommend this restaurant. But like Cuban and Mexican restaurants? Stick with chicken, pork or fish dishes. The shrimp I had were cooked perfectly Well worth the visit . Price of entrees was very fair enjoy read more

Someone here said "Doesn't look like much..." & it doesn't, but the place was Clean, Everyone was Friendly, & Best of All - The Food was Exceptionally Awesome!! We met friends from out of town here and this was our first time here... I got the Sauté Beef Steak with sliced sauté onions & a Side of their Awesome Broccoli (which by the way has tiny onions & peppers too!) --- Because I can only eat like 6 oz at a given meal, I saved the leftovers and reheated them for dinner this evening and still have enough for lunch tomorrow!! (So, about 9 oz of meat & about 10 oz of Broccoli given to me at lunchtime!) See Photo! My husband got the Grilled Chicken Ceasar Salad & a Coffee (with 1 refill)... Both meals were So yummy, we are planning to go back as often as possible!! These people know how to cook!! Wowser!! If I have to find a complaint, it would have to be the price of the coffee ($1.99 for the first cup and $1.99 for the refill)... People who order Fountain drinks - get Free refills - when dining in... Oh well... That's the only negative we could find!! This place is So Awesome, Be sure to check out the photos!! read more

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My puerto rican wife approves! So far i have only tried their lunch special. They have food cooked and ready where you can pick 1 protein, rice, and a side. Saturdays they serve pork shoulder, i havent had the opportunity to try but my wife said its the best. Inside is small but tables are well spread apart. Definitely our go to spot when were in the area during the day. read more

El Pegao Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

Food is great, reasonable pricing and the is very friendly. Best Mofongo I had in a while

Very good Boricua food! Very friendly, responsible and efficient service! Reasonable prices!

Really good food! I got the bacalaito which was tasty and the roast pork platter with rice and pasteles and the rice was amazing!! If you like Puerto Rican food, definitely try them out! read more

El Pegao Restaurant - El pegao platter - Latin American Near Me - Orange Park, Florida

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We came here on a whim for lunch on a Saturday and while there were a few tables open, the place became packed real quickly, which is usually a good thing. The service was good. The waitress was attentive and the food is cooked to order so expect a little wait. Actually, the people that arrived after us had to wait at least 30+ minutes for their food. We were able to pay with a tablet so cashing out was quick and easy. The food. I thought it was good. Not best Latin food in Jacksonville good but pretty good. The rice with chick peas were the highlight. I thought they nickeled and dimed a bit here as pickled onions were extra and I ordered the chicken and rice - which did not come with a salad but my wife's meal of roasted pork did. I'm going to stick to my usual Latin restaurants on the westside. read more

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Instead of having the hours posted, it should say - "We close whenever we want." I guess the island attitude never leaves a person. I'm better off making the food myself, it'll taste better. Bless your hearts. read more

Excellent service, delicious food. Best Spanish, oops! PUERTO RICAN food I've had since I moved to JAX from NYC 5 years ago Tasty pina colada beautifully accented with an umbrella, of course. I had the Seafood and Yellow Rice which could rightfully be called 'paella'. Who knew that such a cute little strip mall would have a Fine Dining restaurant? The decor was all PR and spotlessly clean. ‍ read more

True authentic Puerto Rican cuisine we found delicious! This takes me back to that most cherished island and a beautiful people I grew to love while living in PR!! The service is perfect and the food is beyond words. ¡Buen Provecho! read more

I'm giving three stars because the food is good, but when it comes to customer service this restaurant is really lacking. Staff seemed to be annoyed and really don't want to work.Definitely not going to be coming back. read more

The shrimp mofongo was to die for!! It was delicious! The only problem I had was the churrasco steak. I asked for medium but it was cooked well done. I would definitely order the mofongo again. read more

El Pegao never disappoints. Staff is friendly and food is delicious. Small and very family oriented. If you're missing home, this is the place to be. Authentic Puerto Rican food. 5 stars is not enough for what you experience here. J & A from Orange Park. read more

In the area and this place came up so thought we'd check it out. Ordered pulled pork called El Pegao, son ordered Bistec which had pink peas that were excellent, daughter order steak mofongo, & wife ordered fried pork chunk mofongo, Food was excellent, service was great and made you fell at home. I don't usually rate places on my first visit but this was too good not to, my only complaint is that I don't live closer to go more often. read more

My friend and I went to El Pegao on Thursday January 26, 2023 and we were happily welcomed by Miss Nordana, we ordered Churrasco Steak with Tostones and Mofongo and friend pork, we ordered Medalla Beer and all the food we ordered was excellent, congratulations to the owners. Of course we will return. read more

Customer service was good but horribly overpriced for the quality of food. 39.00 lunch for the trimixto with small slivers of steak, small cubes of chicken and a few shrimp is not worth it read more

Ok usually we have excellent food here but yesterday, August 16 the kitchen drop the ball. My mother LOVES the whole fried red snapper. Cooked to perfection served with elegant presentation on a plate of shedded lettuce with slice tomatoes around. She got an OVER FRIED HARD fish with a little lettuce and one tomato. She was too hungry to complain about the preparation of the snapper. But, the server said the kitchen was in a "mess". Now I understand shortages in staffing but that can't effect the product. I love your restaurant, servers and the food however I hope no one experiences the lack of care we got for our meal. Thank you read more