Came here for lunch to meet up a friend. It was my first time here and I was excited to see what they got. There were three plate sizes and I got a medium. Which honestly can feed up to two people. They had a variety of stews and meats. Parking was plentiful which I love seeing. Walking in your are greeted by the staff who point out what the have for the day. There is a set up of prepared food and you pick and choose what you want on your plate. There is also a good amount of seating if you want to sit in. I ordered the roasted pork and yellow rice. It was delicious and not too salty. I couldn't help be eat it all in one seating. With the food, drink and tip it was about $20 which is pretty good for what you get. I am looking forward to come back and try other items. read more

La Isla - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Food is seasoned properly. Service is quick. The ambiance is small and quaint with touches of culture. I feel it is a take out scene more than a dine in. read more

The food was really good, super fresh and delicious. I will say that I recommend you try the pernil sandwich. Super tasty and rich

Food lacks seasoning has no taste. Cost is $$ but not worth the money. Rice and peas very dry. Cabbage is bitter. read more

La Isla - Pork cabbage and rice pea - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

My food experience was amazing! I learned of this restaurant some time ago. I was finally able to stop in and order some takeout. They do have a few booths and high seat dining. It smelled amazing as soon as I stepped in. I was greeted by a young lady. I ordered the arroz con gandules (yellow rice with pigeon peas) and red beans. I was so happy to see that they have plant-based options which included empanadas made with Beyond meat. I ordered the regular Beyond meat empanada and another one which had mozzarella cheese and sweet, plantains inside along with the Beyond meat. They are made to order, so it took about 15 minutes, which I had no problem with. They didn't have the potato balls available with the Beyond meat, but hopefully they will next time. The food was delicious. That was the best rice and beans I've ever had. It was perfectly seasoned without being salty, and the texture was on point. I ordered a medium and I was able to get about three servings out of it. I've never had an empanada with "meat", cheese, and plantains, but it worked so nicely. It was also seasoned to perfection, the cheese added a nice, mild creamy element, and the plantains were sweet and provided a nice contrast to the seasoned beyond meat. As I'm writing this, I'm thinking about the rice. They are closed on Sunday and Monday, but I am going on Tuesday. Lol. They do have pernil, and a variety of chicken options from what I saw. read more

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This is my second visit to La Isla. Both visits were incredible. The space is absolutely adorable. It has beautiful and lively decor in a small, but accommodating space. This restaurant is fast casual. You go up to the front and order the food at the counter. The offerings change based on what they are cooking and what the menu offers that day. The first time we got those amazing papa rellena. They came fresh and were amazing. The tres leches cupcake was perfect. Today I had both their mango and guava wings. INCREDIBLE. Truly. I ended the meal with a passion fruit limber and it brought my heart so much joy. Another worthy note is how wonderful and kind the people are. When you go in there you feel the warmth of their welcome. They are happy to see you and I am just as happy to be there. I will be returning many times to this hidden gem! read more

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Food Fast & Amazing Flavor Chicken Stew was hit Empanadas = wow and don't forget Plantains Sauces top all off perfectly Service with a smile!!! read more

La Isla - Chicken Tostones - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Spent the morning moving my niece into her room at Quinnipiac and stopped by this small restaurant for lunch. There were 5 of us. The restaurant is owned by the mother of the person at the front. The cook is a good friend of the family. It's been open about 17 months and the owner is still trying to figure things out. First, the information on Yelp is incorrect in that they are open in Sundays contrary to what Yelp says. I brought it to their attention so they can correct the error. There menu also says that there is no sit-down eating. Again, not true. Secondly, they sell no beer or wine. There is a package store next door and you can bring beer or wine into the restaurant, but the restaurant charges $5 charge per person as a "cork fee". This charge seems excessive and could deter customers especially students from the nearby university. Two people in our party ended up buying beer and drinking it in the car before lunch. Now the food... I grew up eating Puerto Rican ( the "isla"), but hate to cook. I'm always o the search for food as good as my mother's. The menu is limited, but very good. I had pernil with rice and beans. Meals come with 2 tostones. The plain rains were sweeter than I'm accustomed to in tostones, but thy hit the spot. Others on out party had sandwiches made with plantains instead of bread. One was with beef and the other with chicken. They said both were very good Note that this restaurant is bare bones, but clean. The staff is great. Order at the counter and the food will be delivered in a takeout container. No plates or metal utensils. I say this do people will be prepared. Personally, I couldn't care less. Overall, nice place to get comfort food. 4 stars for the minuses I already mentioned. I'll be back! read more

La Isla - Chicken plantain sandwich - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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This place is a complete joke. I got the beef and cheese, and chicken and cheese empanadas and the potato ball. The empanadas only had about 1/4 of filling and the rest was air. It's clearly a frozen product and not anything they're making fresh. For $4, I'd expect at least 3/4 filled but no, this is bought frozen in bulk from Restaurant Depot in a 50 pack for $50 and they charge 4x that. The potato ball was so greasy it leaked through the wax paper bag it was in and onto the brown paper bag it was packaged in. Just nasty. I could squeeze the grease out of it. Thankfully GrubHub was offering $10 off if you ordered $15, so I only paid $5 for all three, but I wouldn't pay a dime for the food ever again. It was gross. Maybe the "homemade" food is better? But don't get the premade frozen empanadas or potato ball. You're wasting your money. Aye! Arepas in New Haven makes an amazing empanada. It's worth the drive! read more

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I am more than overjoyed to have discovered a local eatery that makes amazing arroz con gandules. I ordered beef stew, arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas), and habichuelas (beans). Food is 10/10 due to the bomb flavor produced by the wonderful kitchen staff. Service is incredibly friendly as the cashier gave us nothing but a big and hospitable smile while taking our order. Food arrived promptly shortly thereafter. The minute I walked in, I was blown away by the fantastic ambiance. Great attention to detail in portraying island vibes. The theme incorporates grass walls, bright colorful lights, and artwork featuring a relaxed and beautiful depiction of Puerto Rico. read more

La Isla - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Delicious. Enough said. The only complaints I've had were not food related. Rice, seasoned to perfection, pork belly was porkin' and the cups were deliciously filled with shredded pork and their pork plantain cups, great. I could probably eat just the rice alone, but luckily it can pair with some delicious protein. The empanada I had was good as well and held itself well for breakfast the next morning. The restaurant is relatively small but is equipped with a handful of tables for those who would rather dine in. The parking lot isn't huge, but I have never had a problem getting in or out in a timely manner. They have desserts there as well. I always ordered to go as I was always on the move. Got everything in a decent time, and staff will always greet you. The only problem I had was when I ordered an extra side of pork belly (extra money), I didn't receive one. So, make sure you check your takeout order before leaving! If This place is sort of close to Quinnipiac University and if you haven't tried, you probably should. If I'm ever back in town I will surely love to come back, maybe try the wings next time! read more

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Finally CT has something good to eat! I saw la Isla on Instagram. I didn't believe the reviews until I tried it for myself. The restaurant is clean, cute and has an up to date vibe. Upon walking in I was greater and I felt welcomed. The empanadas were made fresh to order, the pernil was good and the rice had olives. A lot of times when I buy Spanish food the rice has no olives and is poorly seasoned. Everything was good I will definitely go back. read more

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La Isla serves large portions of authentic Spanish dishes. You can eat there, though most people do takeout. The people who work there are friendly and helpful in describing the dishes. I ordered chicken and cheese empanadas as well as beef. I liked the chicken best, hot and crispy with a soft cheesy taste. I also ordered a potato ball filled with beef. It was fresh and filling. The fish stew came with plantains and I chose red beans and rice. So good and aromatic. It's impossible to finish the full serving unless you want to be full to bursting, so you'll have some leftovers for later. The restaurant is clean with a nice display. Prices are good for the amount and quality of food. I recommend La Isla the next time you're in the mood for good Spanish fare. read more

La Isla - Cod stew with rice and beans - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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I went to try it out, got a small Bacalao and stewed chicken meal (because I couldn't decide on one) and it was very tasty. It was flavorful, not bland and it tasted very fresh. The staff was friendly and the alcapurrias are made to order . read more

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Saw balloons and came in turns out to be 1st anniversary. Cheerful staff with smiles everywhere. We went with the beef stew over the Spanish rice. Nice flavor everything cooked well and seasoned to perfection. A few plantains mixed in really a nice touch. Right off dixwell ave near the police station with private parking so no need to worry about parking. Definitely will stop by again. read more

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Great food and excellent costumer service! Bringing the flavors of Puerto Rico to Hamden, CT read more

La Isla - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

Won't be returning!! Walked in this afternoon coming from the nail shop next door and while helping another customer the young women behind the counter blurts at me with no courtesy, "are you picking-up or ordering?" I placed a quick order and tried the empanadas (two types) which ended up tasting overcooked and inedible. I threw them in the garbage....Never again!!!!!! However, HERE IS THE KICKER - as I walked away a couple came in and they received the most courteous "Hi, is this your first time here....let me show you what we have." I was baffled....did my darker complexion give me the... "I've got serve YOU" customer service experience because she treated me completely differently, like she couldn't be bothered?! Wont be ever returning AGAIN!!!! read more

The place is new, it has faux grass mats on the wall, white benches, industrial style chairs. The service is good. The food? small servings - overpriced definitely. The guy before me was shocked to get a $42 bill for few small items! It's cafeteria-style service with ala carte choices. The prices are more appropriate if it was a sit-down service. I've been to Los Parceros in Wallingford (Colombian), El Rincon and Caribbean in Meriden, El Coqui in New Haven that have better tasting food, although the interior decoration in La Isla is better. So if you're looking for new, modern deco style restaurant, you'll like this place. But if you want delicious and reasonably priced dishes, skip this one. read more

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Went there for the first time recently - portions are generous and food is excellent. I will be returning many times (and with friends!).

the service was great everyone was very nice and helpful and the food awesome !!! great parking very nice place I will be back.

I wanted to love this place, but so far it is just okay. Ordered the small beef stew with rice and it was tasty and came with 2 tostones. Portion was a little small for the price but it filled me up. Husband got a regular baked chicken, tasty as well. Tried the "plant based meat" empanada as I really like the veggie empanadas elsewhere. I have no idea what was in the filling but it was foul. The sweet plantains were by far the best item I tried. Not sure if I will be giving them another try. read more

La Isla - Beef stew small Carne Guisada \ Beef Stew (Small) - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

I was in town and looking for a place to eat and stumbled across this place. Firstly, when you walk in the staff were so friendly!! A+ customer service. However I was underwhelmed by what was available for choices. I think they only had BBQ chicken, beef stew, pernil and fish (maybe one more other meat). I ordered the pernil with yellow rice and red beans (it came with 2 tostones) The meal was a "small" and was $10.99 I think that's a bit pricey for this. The large was $14.99 and came in a small round aluminum pan. Im used to Spanish food being a lot cheaper.. but.. inflation. Sure. The food itself was just ok. I found the pernil to be a bit soggy as well as the rice, and surprisingly everything was over-seasoned and a bit salty (and I LOVE my food seasoned). I know they just opened 5 weeks ago so I am sure they will fix the kinks and some people will love it and some won't. However the food was fresh and they were out of a bunch of items so they must be doing something right. I'd go back to try more items on the menu but maybe they should add a lunch menu or make the portion sizes bigger. read more

La Isla - Small portion - Puerto Rican Near Me - Hamden, Connecticut

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Food was flavorful. Chicken was nicely baked and moist, the meat fell right off the bone. I ordered a medium but it seemed small. The portions are not as filling as other similar restaurants. I was still hungry. All in all it's a good spot. read more

So I'll start with the taste--the food was really yummy! But it's incredibly overpriced. My friends and I ordered four small meals for delivery and our bill was over $60! Which would've been fine if the portion matched the cost. This is what we got for $15 each. There are other places that are just as delicious for more reasonable pricing. read more

Friendly service, and a cozy ambiance. We got the empanadas and papa rellena, so good!

As you walk in you are hit with the nostalgic aroma of Abuela's house and then promptly greeted by the employees. The ambiance gives you a relaxed feel so you are able to enjoy your meal with ease. I tried the yellow rice with habichuelas guisada and it gave me all the memorable flavors of growing up in a Caribbean home. I do not eat meat so I tried the plant based pastelillos and you would never know it was not meat unless told, still filled with tons of flavor. I was able to finish my meal with a Kola Champagne. The whole establishment is very clean and nicely decorated. Don't forget to take a look at the beautiful Afro Caribbean mural by the bathroom for a quick photo op. I can't wait til my next visit to try something else. read more

To start off, I love a clean and friendly place to eat and they have both. The staff goes above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable while eating there or just taking food to go. Omg.... the Passion Fruit Juice one of my favorites. Oh did I mention the ice cold good ol Malta a classic that goes with any of their meals. The plaintain fries with mayo ketchup sauce are so so good. The relleno de papa (aka) potato ball stuffed with beef are excellent. I've had a little of everything on their menu so I can go on and on. Oh yeah and the desserts from flan, tres leches, arroz con dulce and cupcakes..... just out of this world delicious. Nothing but goodness all the way around. Ya'll just go on and try for yourself. I highly recommend! read more

Food is overpriced. Empanas displayed in warmer looked over fried and non-edible. Restaurant is clean and has a nice ambiance and that is the reason for the three stars. Menu needs better options. read more

I had a great lunch today. The pulled pork was tender and very tasty. Let me just say everything I ate was great and I topped it off with a cold Malta. The customer service was great. I will definitely be back really soon. read more

This place is really good! I love how clean it is. The girls are friendly and polite. The food was SO good, I had to come and review it as soon as I finished. The food taste like my auntie cooked it lol it tastes like it was made with love. Most of the local restaurant's food taste exactly the same and that is because it is cooked in a way where you know they were making it to sell/make a profit. Bare minimum and dry. This restaurant's food looked like someone cooked it with care and wanted to put great quality food out there, not just sell. The rice was perfect and had the perfect texture/moisture. The chicken was moist and fresh! That's a BIG deal for this style restaurant. It was absolutely delicious! When I saw the prices I was a bit taken back, but with inflation I understand the price of food overall has gone up. I havent had spanish food out in a while, so I can see how It may have changed. Even considering the price, I'd still go back and gladly pay it. This is one of those "charge your worth" situation. I will gladly pay it for their food. The quality makes it worth it! read more