I went for a late lunch earlier in the week. It's a great space, love the artwork. My coworker and I opted for sampling a few sides. The fried cheese was sooooooo good!! I loved that guava maple sauce that was paired with the cheese too! I also ordered the yuca fries. The yuca fries tasted great with the seasoning that was sprinkled on them, however I did not care for the mayo based sauce that accompanied them. I also traded a yuca fry for plantain with my coworker which was yummy! I will be back soon to explore more of the food options. read more

kokí - Yuca fries and queso frita - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Damn, the food here is good. The pernil is garlicky and moist. Everything else on the plate was also delicious (special sauce, mofongo--dry but good, maduros). The guava and vanilla cream cheese empanada was gooey, tart, crunchy. Just a dream. The kind of food you think about for days and days. I will need to get another one of these soon, and try some of their other flavors. read more

Amazing! My husband and I stopped in here for lunch recently. Currently, if you follow them on instagram you get a free empanada! We spent so long staring at the menu because everything looked so good and we were having trouble deciding. We finally ordered the fried cheese to share, and I got the ahi tuna bowl. My husband got the fried pork belly and an avocado stuffed with ropa viejo. Everything was so good! The fried queso was addictive and came with an amazing guava maple sauce. It was so rich that I'd probably only get it again if I had a larger party to share it with. The empanada was fabulous- flaky and amazing, would definitely order again and try their other fillings. The tuna bowl was delicious, but huge. My husband really loved his stuffed avocado and pork belly. I can't wait to go back and get my own stuffed avocado and more of those empanadas! They also seem to have quite a few vegan/vegetarian friendly options. I would love to try their jackfruit! read more

I have been coming to this restaurant whenever I'm in town for business and the very last time I came I must say that I enjoyed my meal. I ordered the Buenos Aires and just like before it was tasty. Only this time I didn't get the other sauce to go with it. I would've enjoyed it much better than the last time however it was still good nonetheless. The carne was very well seasoned and the rice was tasty. I ordered through a food delivery app and called the restaurant to see if they can seal my bag/food for delivery and luckily they did! They definitely provided great customer service and because of that I will return. read more

kokí - The Buenos Aires was delicious - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We stopped in for dinner before a show at the Carolina Theater. I wish I could write a better review but the clerk messed up my order. I ordered the mofongo bowl but just got it as a side dish. I brought this to their attention and they apologized but didn't really offer to make amends. My wife enjoyed her vegan Cuban sandwich, and it looks like they have many breakfast and entree options. Service was pretty fast, probably from their training in a food truck. I will give them another chance but was a little disappointed after our first visit. read more

kokí - Mofongo. - El Coqui - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Omg!!!! My family and I stopped here tonight for a quick dinner. We ordered the Carne Frita w/ Rice and Beans and Tostones, Crispy Pork Belly, several Spanglish Cuban sandwiches, Beef and Maduros Empanadas and Abuelas Chicken Empanadas. Every single thing was amazing. We were going to just taste the food but we ended up eating in the car lol. All of the food was hot, fresh and seasoned perfectly. We were all very impressed and would highly recommend. Sn: I didn't go inside but apparently the staff at this location was also amazing and super friendly! :) read more

This is one of my favorite spots in Durham. It's right downtown and convenient. I love the atmosphere of the restaurant and the brightly colored murals that decorate the inside of the restaurant. The food is also excellent; it's often hard for me to decide between the Buenos Aires Bowl, the BBQ chicken salad, any of the empanadas, or the fried queso with guava sauce. Their weekly lunch specials are also a great value. This is a wonderful spot for brunch, lunch, or dinner. read more

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The people who work there don't speak Spanish, at least out front. My fish was supposed to have black beans, but they weren't black and they definitely weren't Cuban. Cuban, you say? They do serve a Cuban sandwich and lots of empanadas which aren't Puerto Rican, either. I'll have to give it another try, but this visit didn't impress. read more

Undoubtedly one of my top five favorite restaurants in Durham. All the food was incredible. Generous portions and excellent flavor. I will be returning often. read more

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Sooooooooo delicious!! Ate here for the first time & will be coming back. The beef was perfectly seasoned and their chimichurri sauce is delicious. I also had their guava danish and it was great with my coffee. I love when Latin food is exactly that - Latin and not Americanized. Can't wait to eat here again read more

kokí - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Come here on Thursdays for their $2 empanadas!! DO IT!!! They are honestly some of the best empanadas I have had, they are half the price then, and they are SO SO TASTY! They are pretty big in size too and we love the pork filling, the chicken filling, the bean filling--all of them! You really can't go wrong getting a bunch of these! They make me feel so happy whenever we get them! They also have tons of other main dishes too and they are super vegetarian friendly if you are looking for that. Their chicken chimichurri sandwich is pretty good and filling, their salads are also very large in size and are good for sharing, and then there are their mofongo dishes which is our other go to over or in addition to some empanadas. They are very timely with to go orders, and are set up for easy curbside pick up and such during our strange COVID times, so definitely hit them up!! read more

Empanadas taste ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, and they stay crispy even after food delivery. The yucca fries are crispy and the paired sauce is divine! read more

Wonderful place to eat!!! The empanadas are soooo tasty and the price point is good for lunch. The gentleman at the counter was nice. Can't wait to try the breakfast and coffee. Had 3 empanadas. One beef, one chicken & pineapple, and one pork. The chicken was my favorite. The chicken soup had lots of meat and it's low salt; which is healthy, but I like salt. read more

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What a hidden gem! The mofongo was dense and delicious, and the pork was sooo juicy. The plantains were also fried to perfection. Price was very reasonable for the amount of food. read more

kokí - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I really like all the options here. Breakfast is always delicious as well as the coffee. Sandwiches and bowls are plentiful. Empanadas are my favorite in Durham. Puerto Rican style read more

The food was phenomenal! I really enjoyed the Cuban sandwich. It was hearty and delicious. The fries were fresh and crispy. Also, we enjoyed the s'mores empanada. read more

kokí - Cuban Sandwich - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My daughter and I ordered takeout for dinner last night. I chose the Abuela's Chicken (a traditional Cuban with the addition of slow-roasted pork), and she chose the Old Havana bowl (steamed white rice, pink beans, ropa vieja, maduros, fresh sliced avocado). Ordering while hungry, she also added three empanadas to the mix: one each of chicken, pork, and s'mores. She said it was ready to go when she drove up, and she only lives a few blocks away. Amazingly, she didn't dip into the bag on the way to my house! When she arrived, we inspected the haul, and were happy to see a healthy Cubano, and a lovely bowl for her. We transferred them to plates (we are quarantined, but still civilized!), and sat down to feast. It was all excellent! We split her order of Maduros (I swear, it was her idea!), as well as cutting the empanadas in half. At times, we had to just stop talking and let the flavors of the food and the sauces wash over us. Neither of us could finish our main dish (in the fridge for my enjoyment tomorrow!), but did save room for the meat empanadas, and, of course, the dessert. Wow, was that an amazing piece of work! Nutella, marshmallow creme, and (I think) graham cracker crumbs inside an flaky crust of fried pastry. More silence - the angels sang and we just sighed into the happy bliss of the evening. We'll be back - oh yeah! read more

Delicious food and easy to order from online Toast service. I ordered as I am an Offline Member and I wasn't really planning to go so I'm glad I got an opportunity. I'm planning to go again soon. But definitely get the pink beans and a pizza empanada. read more

kokí - 2 Empandas - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I ate at Spanglish with a few friends last night and it was delicious! I got the Old Havana bowl and the beef & maduros empanada to go with it. The bowl was pretty large for the price you pay ($9 I think) - with the empanada I was able to take half of my bowl home. The flavors of the ropa vieja (shredded beef) were very tasty, especially combined with the rest of the ingredients that went into the bowl. I would definitely get again! A friend of mine got the stuffed avocado with chicken chimichurri, and another friend got a salad that she really liked. My beef and maduros empanada was awesome - the crust was so flaky and the empanada wasn't at all dry. I also definitely recommend trying the s'mores one as it was a delicious dessert treat! Currently, if you follow them on Instagram, you get a free empanada. The restaurant is fast-casual with a really cool mural on the wall and a good amount of seating. I recommend checking Spanglish out! read more

kokí - Part of the cool mural they have inside - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Ragz and I stumbled in here late afternoon on Saturday and we were famished. The place is listed as a food truck on yelp, but it's not - it's a restaurant, and a bright and airy one at that. There was only one other party inside and they left soon after. Given how much I freak out by people in general during Covid, I definitely felt safer once other folks left. It's sad, I know! Anyways, now for the food. They were no longer serving breakfast, but the menu did look Delish! Ragz started with Abuela's chicken noodle soup and produced it delicious. The bread it came with was awesome but I definitely wanted more than the puny little slice. He also got the trip of empanadas - 2 cheese and a chicken. The taste was good, but I was definitely disappointed with the technique - the skin was not smooth like to should be, instead riddled with tiny little bubbles due to the wrong oil temperature. The Maduros were yummy, I loved the caramelized skin and the soft insides. I had the roasted peach and walnut salad, which in my mind was average. First off, the plate they served it in was 2 sizes smaller for what it should have been. This also lead to all the toppings for the salad sitting just on the top and not enough space for me to mix it all together. The dressing was okay but the pears were definitely not great. Hard in a weird way and the flavor was too concentrated. Over all, ore Covid I would have leaned toward a 3 star average review but these are trying times and this place has its chin up. Also - the girl who took our order was great. read more

Twice now I've ordered rice and beans and there's been pieces of pumpkin cooked through. It adds so much flavor and is such a loving touch. I'm Jamaican and I appreciate good Caribbean food. I'll definitely order again. read more

This place was absolutely delicious!!!!! Love the wall mural. To0 notchservice. Lots of interesting options for food. I've been to Puerto Rico so had to try this place out. Not only is the food and service outstanding, they do coffee:). Highly recommend. read more

kokí - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

10/10. Ordered over the phone, easy quick pickup, nice staff. Got the Havana Bowl with extra maduros. Everything tasted as good as it looked. Good bang for your buck too. read more

kokí - Havana Bowl - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My husband & I went for lunch recently. It was our first time eating here but it won't be the last. The food was fantastic & the space was pleasant & relaxing. We will be back soon! read more

Newly opened in Downtown Durham, this restaurant boasts an excellent menu of Puerto Rician cuisine including rice bowls, monfongo, empanadas, sandwiches and more! Got a chance to visit them and was beyond impressed by the flavorful dishes they had to offer. The restaurant is set up nicely with a beautifully painted mural on the wall that contains numerous images with lots of significance. Was able to sample several of their dishes such as the Southern Gentleman bowl, Old Havana bowl, Spanglish Cuban, monfongo, chicken empanadas, queso frito and maduros with queso fresco. For dessert they had an amazing s'mores empanada filled with Nutella, marshmallow crème and graham cracker crumbles. I can definitely say that you cannot go wrong with any of their menu options as they all were so flavorful and delicious. read more

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I've got this terrible habit of always wanting to eat at certain restaurants when they aren't open. For example, I wanted to run downtown, grab breakfast at Spanglish, and run home on a recent Sunday morning. Fortunately, Spanglish was open for dinner last night and I was in the mood to check out their grub. I had the Dirty Dancing bowl, a combination of white rice; pink beans; fried eggplant; chimichurri; maduros; roasted corn salsa; and fresh avocado. The fried eggplant was the star of the show, perfectly crispy and not at all soggy on the inside. The table also split one of the bean empanadas, a combination of pink beans and butternut squash. Also a winner. My only wish (and this isn't unique to Spanglish) is for a more substantial menu of vegetarian proteins. The pink beans were awesome but would be nice to have the option to add some of the vegan ham from the Jackfruit Cuban or another veggie protein to the equation. Will definitely be back soon to try the breakfast items and the Jackfruit Cuban. read more

Wepa! Welcome to Durham...a new restaurant serving puerto rican cuisine...Spanglish! Doors open July 15 ...[but please note this review is based on preview party at Spanglish's new downtown Durham location that I attended. ] --------------- About Spanglish Spanglish is the creation designed by four friends from Puerto Rico who took an adventure together and launched a food truck serving Puerto Rican dishes crafted with Southern inspiration. The owners are strong believers in their motto "barriga llena, happy heart", which is a Spanglish take on a Spanish proverb that translates to "full belly, happy heart", and they are excited to bring the flavors they love to the Triangle. Spanglish's new Durham location is opening on July 15th with a variety of dishes ranging from meticulously crafted breakfast options to an exciting list of rice bowls, empanadas, mofongo, sandwiches, soups, and salads. For more information about Spanglish, visit eatspanglish.com. ----------------- If you have ever been to Puerto Rico and crave authentic flavors, dine here. If you have never been to Puerto Rico but want to transport your taste bids there..eat here! Everything from the beef/chicken empanadas to the "fountain of youth" salad, to those sweet potato tots and mofongo was so amazing. No need to get on a plane to experience Puerto Rican culture and cuisine. Established in 2016, Spanglish started as a food truck and also has a location in Raleigh, North Carolina off of Durant Rd called Pressed by Spanglish. I am so excited for the Grand Opening of their second location! Be sure to check them out and FOLLOW @eatspanglish on Instagram and get a free empanada!!! #eatspanglish read more

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We got the food to go. The restaurant is nice and warm homie space. The service was good.

Fast-casual food with fun ambiance. The food came out very quickly. The sauce that came with the empanadas was good, and spicier options were available. read more

kokí - Pork-u-pine empanada and Abuela's chicken empanada - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

First time visiting this location it's not quite in the best location so parking might be a hassle. I tried the chicken and beef empanadas, shrimp mfongo, and old Havana bowls. The chicken empanada was kind of dry and the dipping sauce provided didn't do much to help. The beef empanada was juicy if not a lil greasy but leaps and bounds better than the chicken. There were probably about 4 oz of shrimp and 2 cups of mashed plantains in the shrimp mfongo. It comes with a creole sauce which veered a little salty and had bits of fish in it. I enjoyed It but couldn't finish it and wouldn't order it again. The old Havana bowl was more my speed rice beans and ropa vieja with some avocado and other toppings. The breakfast menu was more extensive than the regular menu so I definitely want to go back and check it out. read more

kokí - Shrimp mofongo - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My Puerto Rican husband & I give this restaurant 5 STARS. The food was so good, tastes very authentic, and the tres leches cake & guava pastry were To.Die.For! I had pernil, mofonga, & maduros, and my husband had steak, rice, beans, & tostones. It was all delicious!! The service was quick, and the staff was polite, friendly, & professional. Whoever is doing the cooking & baking...don't ever let them go...they have skills! We'll definitely be back. read more

Enjoyed a meal yesterday as we always have ! This was our 4th visit, (and in addition I had a catered meal for a $150 for my husbands birthday last weekend. ) But here's the kicker.. Yesterday, my husband lost his balance when getting out of a chair yesterday because the stupid chair was caught on the flooring. He almost fell to the floor and it caused a lot of commotion and noise. NOT ONE WORKER, SERVER, OR CHEF CHECKED ON US TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING! Very disappointing ! Not sure if we can ever come again. I should have complained then, but we were sooooo shook up and upset that it wouldn't have been pretty. read more

These were seriously the best empanadas I've ever had in my life! They were delivered hot and crispy, with a yummy dipping sauce. I feel an addiction starting... read more

Came here for the first time the other day for dinner. I had never been but also never seen this location. It is super cute inside and parking was fairly easy considering it was downtown Durham. We ordered the RDU to SJU which comes with pork confit, rice & beans, maduros, avocado, and guava maple sauce. We also got the Buenos Aires that has steak tips, rice & beans, tostones, avocado, chimichuri sauce, and MK sauce. For an appetizer & dessert we got the Queso frito and guava cream cheese pastry. The only thing we were disappointed with was the pork belly confit. It was kind of flavorless and they forgot to give the guava sauce with it. We only realized once we got home and it was too late. I really think a sauce on the pork would have made a huge difference. Overall, the steak and chimichurri was delicious! And the Queso Fritos was pretty good! Definitely a nice spot and cute set up. I also am interested in trying their breakfast menu. read more

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When you find "natives" enjoying the cuisine, you know the restaurant is doing something right! This Puerto Rican joint is Oh So Yummy! You really can't go wrong here with anything you order! Tostones with mayo ketchup, queso fritos, empanadas, habishuelas (pink beans), coco rico!! Y'all COCO RICO!! I'm ready to smush my face into my leftover churrasco and drown myself in the chimmichurri sauce!! And did I say COCO RICO?!?! Don't forget to order your COCO RICO!! read more

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I wanted to like it. I really did. I got all excited when I learned about it and looked forward to checking it out. Well, I couldn't have been more disappointed. And it takes a lot! I guess I had the expectation that this would be authentic Latin cuisine, not gentrified knockoffs. I order the stuffed avocado with chicken, rice and beans. The chicken was strongly seasoned with basil and I really couldn't tell much about the rest of it. The basil was so overpowering. The rice, beans and yucca were okay. Meh. Nothing special. The tostones were overdone and not particularly seasoned. Needless to say, I didn't finish my plate. My wife ordered the empanadas - or meat pockets as we called them. Empanadas should not just be meat and dough. There's more nuance to it. Now here's the kicker...The maduras...were...cold...inside. Come on. That's just offensive. Were they frozen?? I mean, really. That's such an easy thing to get right. While I hate to have to write such a bad review of a new place, it had to be done. This is a competitive market and you have to bring your A game. My palate is refined enough to know good from bad and as a Nyer, I know Latino food. Maybe they'll take the feedback and take a closer look. I hope so, because I love it when restaurants thrive, but at these prices, I expect more. There's too many alternatives like Blue Corn, Boriqua Soul, and Copa. read more

Fantastic! I have come here for breakfast and dinner. The food is reasonably priced considering the location(in downtown Durham). The portions are large and more on the the heavy side. So, make sure you have an appetite if you eat here! My recommendations include the the bowels and also empanadas! The wait for our food was probably 30 minutes, not horribly long. The interior is down-to-earth, comfortable, and cute. read more

Good service, good food, will come back to explore more later. I had the Mallorca, which was pretty sizable, but I definitely need to try more of the entree options for a better sense of the food. read more

We did Spanglish for the first time during Covid. The food was absolutely wonderful. We ordered way too much but enjoyed every bite (plus the left overs). Looking forward to adding this as one of our regular spots! read more

kokí - Crispy Pork Belly, Steamed white rice with pink beans, Yucas Bravas, Maduros, 3 Empanadas, Ah Est - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Delicious casual dining with a homecook feel. Also generous portions. Can't wait to return and try more menu options. read more

kokí - Daily special, fried pork with tostones - Puerto Rican Near Me - Durham, North Carolina