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La Cocina

4.4 (199 reviews)
ModerateLatin American
Closed 9:30 am - 5:00 pm

Order La Cocina Takeout or Delivery

La Cocina Photos

LA COCINA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - La Cocina

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Reviews With Photos

Packed Sandwich Cubano
Jerry D.

Ordered a wonderful Cuban sandwich from here for lunch. I must admit it was packed with all the goodness of pork, spicy mustard, great pickles and that garlic took it over the top. Perfectly toasted and was satisfied with half for lunch, the other half for dinner. Just AWESOMENESS!!!!!

Chickpea salad - catering
Sara B.

Delicious and authentic Cuban eats and a seamless catering order. La Cocina, I am a fan! I ordered a few catered trays for a work event and La Cocina was a big hit. Leading up to the event communication was seamless. Josh was very helpful and provided me with suggestions on what and how much to order. On the day of the event delivery was prompt and I was set up with everything that I needed - utensils, plates, napkins, etc. The food was delicious and everyone was really pleased. Cuban sandwiches were definitely a highlight - stuffed with lots of tasty meat and served on fresh crispy bread. Empanadas were HUGE and filled to the brim with tasty meat. I also ordered a tray of maduros and chickpea salad, both delicious. This was a great option for catering and I'd definitely consider again for future large events.

Beef Empanada
Kierra P.

Tried this food at a stand at SHI stadium and it was the best choice. The stew on a cold day was just what I needed. The stew sauce soaked into the rice perfectly. The rice was a nice texture, flavorful and not too soft. The meat fell apart and was not too chewy. I wish I had gotten more carrots and potatoes. The empanadas were stamped with the name of the restaurant which was a nice touch. They pressed each as they were ordered to keep them hot. My friend got the chicken and liked those as well. Service was quick.

Nehal A.

We stopped by La Cocina for Monday lunch. It's a small store in the busy downtown area of Newark, parking is really really hard to get. There 5-6 tables inside the store too dine-in, it's self served, not so fancy esthetic wise. The line starts right at the door, luckily no one was in front of us. They served it chipotle style, you get to pick the items for your plate. The have white, brown, bean rice, vegetables, chicken/beef stew, baked chicken, salmon and few other items. The have ready made empanadas too. The price so reasonable, between $9-$12 for a decently large portion. We tried the chicken stew, baked chicken and salmon. Everything tasted like freshly homemade. Both brown and white rice were excellent quality. The stew chicken almost melted before even I bite it. Salmon was cooked to perfection, and baked chicken has this lovely brown skin with beautiful cooked inside. This is a hidden in Newark, and for sure will be a regular spot for our lunch.

Pernil lunch special with rice and beans
Vaughn F.

So good! I ordered a pernil lunch special with beans and rice, the serving was HUGE. My food was ready for pickup five minutes after I placed the order. All the employees I interacted with were friendly and I received great customer service. The food totally hit the spot. I ate some of the pork by itself, then started dribbling sauce on top. Combo bites also proved to be rewarding. Try as I might, the rice and beans were too much for me, and will be a lovely snack later on. Location is on New Street at Washington, right by Rutgers - Newark and just a short walk from Military Park. Prices are very fair.

In search of a little something delicious to eat on a gorgeous Friday afternoon and La Cocina did not disappoint. There were many options - three types of rice, stews, veggies, grilled chicken, etc. They prepared a generous and affordable plate of ribs and tostones (made to order!) in about five minutes. You can't tell from the sidewalk, but there's a cute patio out back. I sat on the second floor of the outdoor dining area, which seats about 20 people. I picked a table without an umbrella so that I could enjoy the sunshine and soft, soulful music playing on the speakers.

tables and chairs in a restaurant
Desiree F.

I was in the mood for some Spanish food and tried this spot. When I arrived I found parking on the street nearby. I walked in and was greeted. The service was great. I ordered several meals and for myself I got the salmon with the rice and beans. When I ate the food was soo good. The salmon was seasoned to perfection and the rice and beans were soo good. I really enjoyed the food and service.

Beef stew with morro and broccoli
Irving R.

I've been coming to La Cocina for the last two years now and I really enjoy the spot. The staff is always friendly and helpful and the food is always very tasty. The lunch crowds outside of this covid times can get crazy but when I went this week there weren't many people there. I appreciate the meals here as they remind me of home and hit the spot on days I just want comfort food that I grew up with. They have some outdoor seating which is great wish they would spruce it up a bit, especially since this is the only option to dine there. Don't forget about the coffee selection too, they make a mean café con leche. I'll continue to frequent this place now that they have reopened. Salud y buen provecho!

Take out box
Jaidelys S.

Went there today for the first time to pick up lunch and i was very pleased. You ask for what you want and you get to have a choice of meat and side. I do wish there were more side choices. Food was very tasty. Would go there again.

Arroz con Gandules Garden Salad

I ordered arroz con gandules and garden salad. I liked it! The service was good and hygienic.

Cuban sandwich
Belinda B.

Yes very good clean and fast I got the Cuban sandwich omg loved it just like Miami Florida's and there are llenar lol My daughter always comes here to take home also the salmon is delish

Carne con Papas (Beef Stew)
Sam M.

Beef stew had a weird smell. I ordered about 2 hours after opening, so it may have been leftovers. It smelled like it had gone bad. The arroz cons gandules had so few gandules that I thought they gave me the wrong side. Salmon is SUPER salty, and dry. The chicken empanada was ok. These pictures are just before we threw it out because it was just too bad to keep forcing ourselves to eat. I honestly wouldn't have forced it if I wasn't starving. Absolutely do NOT recommend

Good Oxtails but the Chicken Empanada was SUPER Flavorful and Juicy. The BEST Chicken Empanada in Newark.

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14 years ago

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14 years ago

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12 years ago

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9 years ago

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

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7 years ago

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Manny B.

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4 years ago

The rice was hard and the food had no flavor. Will not order from there again. I hate writing negative reviews

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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Josh M.

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11 years ago

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Josh M.

Thank you so much! You are a pleasure to serve. Beautiful family!

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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13 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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Manny B.

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12 years ago

They changed the head chef. Thank goodness! Food is now edible and actually tastes like home cook meal. Meal w/drink is about $10.

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Josh M.

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13 years ago

Pernil is so juicy! And the Arroz Con Gandules has a very 'homemade' quality.

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

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12 years ago

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12 years ago

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Josh M.

Great picture! Try our Baked Chicken next time!

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11 years ago

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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La Cocina Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - La Cocina

I saw an old review (12 yrs) saying the chicken is halal, is still still true?

Does La Cocina accept Apple Pay?

Yes they do

Are you guys open for takeout?

Absolutely! Take out, dine in and delivery!

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Sabor Unido

Sabor Unido

4.5
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0.9 mi
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I have been eating at exclusive restaurants my entire life, but this could honestly be the best…read moreexperience and meal I ever had. The grilled sardines were perfection! Crispy on outside and savory buttery inside. Veggies freshly sautéed with bit of crispness. Waitress as kind and friendly as can be. Do not live in NJ, but would go out of the way to experience a meal here again. Delightful people to boot!

I did not expect to enjoy this restaurant that much! It's unfortunate that it's located far into…read moreNewark, but I'm so happy I was able to try it. They had a wide variety of food, all ranging from beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and some vegetarian options. They had an extensive wine menu, and my boyfriend joyfully enjoyed a glass of wine. I got the brazilian fried chicken, which was extremely flavorful, and i was surprised there wasn't any breading on the chicken as typical fried chicken does. I much preferred the no-breading style, which I think is the Brazilian way. I would have preferred a boneless dish, as there were quite a few pieces with bones, and it was pretty oily at the bottom of the dish. It came with two very large sides, and totaled around $25. 100% would recommend this dish, but I do think at a lower price point, this could make do with just one side, instead of two, as the main dish was quite large enough to fill me up. My favorite part of this meal was the garlic butter bread that they provide for free. It comes out extremely fresh with lots of chopped up garlic, which is my favorite part of garlic bread. It was a great way to start the dinner off. The service was great and the waiters were extremely attentive. They regularly checked up on how we felt about the food and filled up our drinks. The restaurant was pretty empty while we were dining, but the space was laid out very nicely and the decor was beautiful. Would come again if it wasn't so far!

Photos
Skirt Steak
Skirt Steak
Shrimp
Shrimp
Fried Chicken

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Fried Chicken

La Cocina - latin - Updated June 2026

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