Been here twice. To summarize: flavors were lacking, customer service is poor, all the hot sauces…read moreare empty and the place needs a deep clean, and the food is really expensive for what you get. My crab rangoon empanadas looked great but all the filling leaked out on the cook. When I had asked the worker how big the empanadas were (I was in the middle of my only break on a 9 hour shift so I needed to know!) he rudely said, "empanada sized." Oh, ok. Thanks for clearing that up. The $6 side of slaw was a joke. It lacked acid and salt. Sandwiches are fine but for 17$, it's simply too much.

I always struggle to recommend a place in the seacoast that I feel confident will impress the most…read morefussy foodies. Well this is it, my #1 place for value and quality (and I've been to almost every restaurant) I've tried most of the menu and have never been disappointed. The chef and I both recommend : Pork, yellow rice, red beans, guava BBQ, add spice. $13.99 The BBQ pork is tender, juicy, and brimming with the flavors of Puerto Rico. You can spend $100 downtown Portsmouth and leave less satisfied than from La Casita.

Hidden Gem and Unassuming is exactly how I'd describe El Criollo Restaurant in Dracut. Last night…read morewas date night with my two girlfriends and we met up with some of our foodie friends for another food adventure--this time, it took us to the Caribbean. Criollo is located in a small strip mall and doesn't look like much from the outside, but as soon as you open the doors you know you're in for a treat. The decor is polished and cozy with a nice bar area; the kitchen is semi-open so you can see the flames as your food is firing. They have fantastic Caribbean and Puerto Rican fare with beautiful, thoughtfully crafted cocktails. Everything was fantastic from start to finish. Here were some of the highlights: -Chicharron: crispy pork belly bites, need I say more -Alcapurria jueyes (Fried crab fritters): golden, crispy fritter with a crunchy exterior and soft, savory inside with flavorful crab filling. The fresh bites from the onion slaw were a nice touch with these. -Chicken empanadas: dip these in the pink sauce with a touch of their spicy sauce and you're in heaven. Slightly crisp and flaky exterior with a tender, chewy bite, perfect for holding the delicious filling. -Mofongo with shrimp and garlic sauce: if you've never tried garlic sauce on Mofongo, I highly suggest it. It's creamy and garlicky in all the right ways. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the Mofongo brought me right back to my trip to Puerto Rico where I first fell in love with it. -Churros: truly the best ones I ever had. It was a last minute add on because "why not!" and the best decision! We made reservations for 6:30pm and when we arrived it wasn't overly busy, but by the time we left every table was filled. And that's no surprise based on our experience.

Small but very nice ambiance and the food is great! Good…read moreportions and the menu is diverse. The owners are super nice and the staff very friendly. Presentation of dishes are excellent. The flavors are really unique, with the definite Puerto Rico touch. Prices are reasonable for the amount of food you get.

This place is amazing! I ordered a platter for a party and it was the best thing. The alcapuria was…read moremy favorite but everything was delicious. Highly recommended!

Great Puerto Rican food, a big selection on the menu and excellent service! Best plantains in Bostonread more

I dont know if our experience was a fluke or if Puerto Rican food is just this dull. Im…read morerecommending it anyway because I've heard such good things from others. Our experience went good at the start. This is (at least from what we saw) a counter service restaurant. You order at the counter, pay, and take a seat. I do not remember the names of what we ordered but my husband had a kebab dish and I had a plantain dish. The music in the background was nice and went well with the theme. Everything was clean and the food did smell really good. At the time we were the only two in the dining area although a few others showed up later. The disappointing part for us was the food. The food looked great, but then...nothing. Very bland with very little flavor. Maybe this is normal? It smelled and looked so good that it was very surprising that it had such a bland flavor. Id still give it another try just because of all the great reviews

Pretty much would be my last resort of places to go to in the area?. Really liked that they were…read morecoming to town, tried ordering a couple of times, either sold out of anything I would order or closed unexpectedly for heat, water, electricity or something else being out. Hope they turn it around but for now I wouldn't go to.

LOVED PAPI!!!! We only got drinks here, but I'm really bummed we didn't eat dinner here too…read more Core Values was the best drink I had during my entire week long stay in Portland. Our bartender was amazing, super friendly, and after chatting about what kind of drink I normally like, he recommend I get Core Values and it was the best recommendation!! The inside is super fun too with a great bar. Highly recommend!!!

After a few days of eating ourselves silly on seafood, my fiance & I were dying to find something…read moredifferent. We didn't expect to find good Puerto Rican food in Portland, but I'm so glad we found this local gem! Reservations are recommended; they were still packed during the off season. We were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar during dinner time without a wait. The bartender is super friendly and gave us some excellent food recommendations. We ordered the beef empanadas, pernil, and pollo guisado. Everything was DELICIOUS. The beef empanada filling is hard to beat - this might be one of the best ones I've had yet. We both really enjoyed the pernil & pollo guisado, but the soup was probably my favorite. I'm a soup gal, and this was just a hearty and excellent bowl of soup. Pernil portions were very generous. Definitely a highlight of our trip!

Incredible arepas and great hidden gem! Super affordable for the quality and amount of food. The…read moreservice was great and quick. They have frozen goods in freezers which I'll have to check out next time! Small spot with some outdoor seating and great food.

I can't say no to an arepa spot, and I was wonderfully surprised to learned via my meal at Maiz…read morethat Columbian and Venezuelan arepas differ in texture. Columbian arepas are thinner and crispier...yet both are extraordinary vehicles for fillings. Speaking of fillings, mine was *stuffed* with cheese, beans, and diced plantains, making for a filling meal. Lastly, the sauces you get to pick with your arepa round out for needed freshness. I tried both the sweet red and cilantro, and they complemented my arepa well. Though this was my first time trying Columbian arepas, I hope it won't be my last. I was thrilled with my experience at Maiz and wish them many more years of serving Portland.

Service was amazing host was informative and inviting…read more Food was good with big portions as far as the plates go. Empanada's are worth every dollar. My favorite was the Hawaiian flavor. The limeade was a 10/10

As the son of a Cuban mom and fantastic cook, Mima's food hits the bullseye…read more Well seasoned and large portioned, the Mofongo with Cicharones was super delicious. Coupled with white rice, black beans and a Miami Cuban sandwich I was in heaven. Nice staff, comfortable tables and Latin music (a tad loud for my senior ears) made for a wonderful Sunday Lunch.

This place has the absolute dirtiest food style there is..I saw mice droppings near the food!! They…read moreuse left over food thats is days old..The people are also extremely dirty..There was a dead roach in one of the boxes they gave us..Please do yourself a favor and stay far far away ...

I Love coming here their food is so tasty and delicious. Brings me back to my highschool days is…read morePuerto Rico. Everything is a good price and taste fresh.

First time there. Found online. Owner told me, after I order…read morethe steak tacos, that they would be the best I've ever had and they are in fact the best in the world. Well. Not sure about the world, but hands down, the best steak tacos I've ever had. Took 15 min to prepare and worth every second. Every bite was delicious. If you haven't been there, get there!! You are missing the best food around. I will be back without a doubt. I can't wait to to try the rest of the menu.

This is my favorite takeout in Nashua! The Canoa is life changing. Make the trip. The owner Tony is…read morethe friendliest guy ever. This is a gem in a hole in the wall location. Don't sleep on it!

Ordered for an office meeting and everyone thought the food was good. I order the burrimongo which…read moreis burrito filling wrapped with mofongo instead of a tortilla. Im actually from northern Va/DC area where I've tried various mofongo dishes, some good and some just meh, so for me, I felt the mofongo tasted meh...it lacked flavor or seasoning. I mean it was ok IMO but I probably would order something different next time.

For a quick weeknight dinner, I stopped by Empanellie's. While browsing the menu, I decided to try…read morethe jibarito - a sandwich made with flattened plantains instead of bread, filled with lettuce, tomato, and a choice of protein ($14). I picked the euphemistically named "steak," which turned out to be ground beef that wasn't even well-browned. The combination of lettuce, tomato, and simply seasoned ground beef tasted a bit too much like a Crunchwrap Supreme. Fresher and twice the size, sure - but still within that same flavor palette. Even the fried green plantains, which should've added some texture, had steamed into mild sogginess from the foil wrap, despite me ordering it for dine-in. Maybe I'll try the Cubano or the empanadas next time. The jibarito was fine, but definitely overhyped here and on Google Reviews.