Food tasted so good felt like someone made it for me home made...you know what i mean...when it…read morehits the heart...i even started to cry a little

A small venue in a strip mall lot, so plenty of free parking. Simple interior with some original…read morePuerto Rican inspired art on the walls. Food is made to order, so if you're in a rush order ahead. Friendly & fun staff, not too busy to explain things to you. We had Alcapurria (Yuca), Cubano, Cheese Empanada, Papa Rellena, Chicharron Polo, Chimichurri Chicken, & a Vanilla Tres Leche. Everything was very good & definitely worth a revisit. A very casual place with a super chill vibe. Grades: Alcapurria (Yuca): A+ Cubano: A Cheese Empanada: A Papa Rellena: A+ Chicharron Polo: B+ Chimichurri Chicken: A Vanilla Tres Leche: A+

Although, La Tipica isn't located on Morris Ave., it's close enough!…read more It is known as a traditional Colombian lunch shack, perfect for a sit-down meal consisting of their daily specials or an entree off the menu. I usually order a bandeja paisa in Colombian restaurants, their national plate: steak, eggs, chorizo, chiccaron, avocado, plaintains, rice/beans, arepa. La Tipica is by far my favorite Colombian restaurant in Elizabeth. It is reminiscent of lunch shacks you'd find in Colombia and has delicious homemade food. They make delicious homemade soup, and have buffet options for those who are in a hurry. They make excellent fruit shakes, my favorites being blackberry and lulo. They also have the best pan de bono (warm cheese bread) I've had in any Colombian place so far.

The prices of the menu are not updated. I think is unrespectful to find that big mistake paying at…read morethe end

I've been coming here for a minute for breakfast, when I need something quick, affordable and…read moredelicious. It's a cozy small business that showcases the Colombian culture and cuisine. The service is quick, and in the event that you have to wait, it's usually because your item is being made. I love their empanadas and the green sauce that comes with it. And you can never go wrong with their coffee. I have yet to sit and order from their extensive menu but based on my experience so far, look forward to trying it out.

Great food very good service Be prepared to eat your way down that menu The empanadas are bangingread more

Final Review -…read more (English + Español) English: The owner personally called to apologize for his employee's behavior, and I truly appreciate that. He handled it professionally and showed that he genuinely cares about his customers. The food is good, and almost everyone else who works here has always been kind to me. However, I'm keeping this review up because once I go back to the restaurant, I do expect a personal apology from Sophia. The way she treated me was terrible, and normally I don't post a negative review after one bad visit -- but the fact that my sister also had an issue with her before is concerning. On October 19th around 10 PM, I ordered takeout and paid at the counter. After I paid, Sophia saw that I didn't tip on the card (I usually leave cash when I leave), and her attitude completely changed. She claimed she gave me six hot sauces when there were only two, rolled her eyes when I asked politely for more, and said, "Empanadas don't come with hot sauce." When I explained I've been coming here for years, she said, "I don't speak English." I also noticed an old receipt showing an 18% gratuity, so I asked if it was added again that night. They double-checked and confirmed it had been removed -- so I suggest customers always review their ticket just in case. After I shared my experience, Sophia called me around midnight and even threatened to sue me instead of apologizing. I later saw several new reviews within a few hours all mentioning how "nice Sophia" is, which feels suspicious. I don't want to assume, but it really seems like a cover-up. I removed her photo out of respect, but I'm leaving this up because she still hasn't apologized -- the owner had to. The food and most of the staff are great, but I hope this situation reminds management that every customer deserves respect. Español: El dueño me llamó personalmente para disculparse por el comportamiento de su empleada, y de verdad lo aprecio. Él fue muy profesional y se nota que realmente le importan sus clientes. La comida es buena, y casi todos los empleados siempre han sido amables conmigo. Sin embargo, mantengo esta reseña porque cuando regrese al restaurante, espero una disculpa personal de Sophia. La forma en que me trató fue terrible, y normalmente no dejo una reseña negativa por una sola visita mala, pero el hecho de que mi hermana también haya tenido un problema con ella es preocupante. El 19 de octubre alrededor de las 10 PM, pedí comida para llevar y pagué en el mostrador. Después de pagar, Sophia vio que no dejé propina en la tarjeta (normalmente dejo efectivo al salir) y su actitud cambió por completo. Dijo que me había puesto seis salsas picantes cuando solo había dos, puso los ojos en blanco cuando le pedí más de manera educada y me dijo: "Las empanadas no vienen con salsa." Cuando le expliqué que llevo años viniendo aquí, me respondió: "No hablo inglés." También noté un recibo viejo que mostraba un 18 % de propina incluida, así que pregunté si me la habían cobrado esa noche. Revisaron y confirmaron que la habían quitado -- por eso recomiendo siempre revisar su recibo. Después de publicar mi experiencia, Sophia me llamó cerca de la medianoche y hasta me amenazó con demandarme, en lugar de disculparse. Luego vi varias reseñas nuevas, todas publicadas en pocas horas y mencionando lo "amable" que es Sophia, lo cual me parece sospechoso. No quiero asumir nada, pero parece un intento de encubrir lo sucedido. Quité su foto por respeto, pero dejo esta reseña porque ella aún no se ha disculpado -- el dueño fue quien tuvo que hacerlo. La comida y la mayoría del personal son excelentes, pero ojalá esta situación sirva de recordatorio de que todos los clientes merecen respeto.

Came here on a friday evening around 6pm for dinner. We had an event in the area and figured to…read morestop by. I saw this place on ig. Our server was very nice but the food took 52 min to arrive. I ordered salmon with rice and beans, guacamole, tostones, and yuca. The guacamole took 40 min alone to come out. We just had to wrap up our food to go and couldnt even sit and enjoy or we would of missed our event. I would not drive 40 min to come here again.

Solid spot for empanadas around the area. They were juicy and tasty with the sauce they provide…read more Depending on the empanadas, they range around $3 which is pretty decent for the size of the empanada. Workers were really nice and told us all the empandas they had and what the empandas had inside. We bought 6 empanadas and the cashier gave us a free drink with that. Which I thought was really kind for them to do. Overall, I would come back here whenever I am around the area and try the other foods they have.

Delicious food for a great price! Recommend checking this place out for some authentic Ecuadorean…read moredishes! Also super friendly staff!

I decided to give this place a try after seeing a TikToker's review. When we got there, my husband…read morementioned that the food didn't quite look the same as what was shown in the videos, and I have to agree. However, the flavors were definitely there, which is what matters most. I tried the alcapurria, and while it was decent, I've had better. The chicken inside was a little dry and could have used more seasoning and flavor. On the other hand, the chicken empanada was really good. The chicken was tender, flavorful, and had a nice seasoned taste that stood out. That's definitely something I would order again. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of my lunch, but I also ordered pernil with rice and gandules, as well as baked chicken with rice and gandules. As someone who loves pernil, I have to say that Puerto Ricans make some of the best pernil. It's always well-seasoned, flavorful, and tastes clean rather than overly greasy. The pernil here did not disappoint. The rice and gandules were also very good. While it doesn't quite compare to my husband's aunt's homemade version, it was still packed with flavor and complemented the meal perfectly. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would come back to try more items from the menu. If you're in the area and craving Puerto Rican food, I think it's worth giving this place a try.

Love this place!! Great service! Amazing delicious home made food!…read more I read about this on IG. I decided I must go that same day. Easy to find and not far from my house. The first time I ate there. It felt as I walked in to a relatives house. The ladies behind the counter were eager to take my order. I got Yellow rice, pernil, yuca, stewed chicken, pastels de plantano, beef empanada and a coco loco. I was in my glory. As much as I tried I couldn't finish it all. I took the leftovers home. I returned the next day after for more. 2 days later I returned again. Week later I returned again. The menu changes I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything . The finest Home cooked meal I ever had in a long time. Definitely recommend it!!

Sometimes, being spoiled really sets the bar too high for places to match. For Peruvian style…read morerestaurants with roasted chickens, ceviche etc. Pio Pio remains my gold standard a decade after my first visit to the esteemed chain. That said, I do my best to temper my expectations whenever I go to a place like Sofia's, which strikes me as more of a mom and pop standalone than part of a chain of restaurants in New York City. I was nearby and I needed lunch so I stopped by Sofia's to get some food to take home. The exterior is a tad off-putting to be honest. The awning is black and the "Sofia's Restaurant" lettering is very worn, to the point where at first I was unclear if the restaurant was even open. I peeked inside and saw activity so in I went. The interior features rest rooms near the entrance, a counter to the left and seating to the right. It looked good inside, and quite a contrast from what I expected from the exterior's appearance. The staff was nice (not overly effusive, but not rude either) and took my order quickly. So here's what I tried: CHICKEN Like so many places with this style of menu, you can order a roast chicken. You can get a quarter, half or an entire chicken. I wound up ordering a whole chicken so I'd have left overs for a couple days. This also let me try both the white and dark meat sections. Overall, the chicken is good. If I were to place Pio Pio's chicken as an "A+", this chicken is basically a "B-". The chicken was moist and well cooked, but it was not marinated as well as I would have liked. Even the heavily seasoned skin did not have the flavor punch I am used to from Pio, but would I get it again? Sure. It does the trick in a pinch. With the chicken you get their version of "green sauce" which is...okay. Again, if we are to hold Pio's as an "A+", this would be a "B-". There is good flavor, but it does not have the flavor hit I had hoped for. SALAD The side salad order features iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and a couple chopped vegetables. A creamy dressing is drizzled on top. This was fine as a side to the chicken. It wasn't anything to write home about, but I didn't dislike it either. MADUROS Perhaps the most disappointing of the dishes I purchased. My favorite maduros come from either Pio Pio or Sophie's Cuban Cuisine. They should be well cooked, not dried out and of course, sweet. These were sweet, but the texture was bad. These had clearly been deep (deep) fried in oil far too much, so they were overly oily and falling apart. Worse, the order was *swimming* in a thick layer of oil in a plastic container that had a nice opening, causing this to leak all over the rest of my order. Never again. Overall, Sofia's is okay, but it's not great. If I'm in the area again I may get the chicken again and perhaps try some other dishes but I won't be going out of my way to visit.

Por favor no le echen la cáscara de huevo dentro del chaufa. Es muy desagradable tener que masticar…read moreeso crujiente dentro del arroz.

The food was absolutely amazing. I have to go back when I'm back in NJ. The staff is friendly and…read moreattentive.

Rancho Mateo is huge, the place could easily accommodate hundreds of diners. The decor is great and…read morethe life music was fantastic. They also have ample parking and valet. Now, the food is a different story. There were 4 of us in the party and two out of the four entrees were disappointing. I had the carne llanera and this was by far the weakest dish out of the 4. The other plate that was ok, but not great was the churrasco montañero. The meat was not a good cut and had way too many fatty pieces. The entraña à la parrilla was by far the best of the 4. This one was well cooked and flavorful and a great cut of meat. The second one was the pechuga encebollada, this one was very good and the caramelized onions were perfectly cooked. We also had the empanada appetizer which was very good as well. The service wasn't bad, but they did get one of the orders wrong and we were half way through our dinner before the correct dish arrived. Rancho Mateo is a beautiful restaurant in a great location, but the inconsistency in the quality and flavor of the food makes it a one-and-done experience for me. There are much better options for Colombian food in the area.