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.

It's a beautiful restaurant. It's supposed remodeled, not sure if it's under new management…read more When we were there, someone had a birthday party. The celebration the restaurant offered was fantastic and noisy. We had shrimp chaufa and arroz con mariscos, Peruvian style paellas. Both were delicious.

Peru is much more than just Machu Picchu and other archaeological sites. It's a country where its…read morerich culture also shines through its internationally acclaimed exquisite cuisine, which has only recently exploded onto the international culinary stage. It is among the most generous and deeply rooted, with traditions reaching back to the Incas, a wealth of beautiful indigenous ingredients and culinary influences from Spain, Japan, Italy, Africa and China. Jersey is home to a wealth of Peruvian restaurants, found largely in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties. Passaic itself is home to the largest Peruvian immigrant population in the Garden State. Like food everywhere today, there is a new style of Peruvian cuisine emerging--so-called nueva comida--forged by Lima's leading chefs like Gaston Acurio and Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Situated on a busy N Wood Avenue in Linden, some of my colleagues came to this establishment for lunch after a three-year hiatus. A reservation was made by calling into Stancia Peruvian Fusion Restaurant. Upon arrival, our table was ready inside a modern, well-decorated space with music blasting like a lounge to evoke a summer celebratory vibe. The menu is a bit fancier than other Peruvian eateries. We began with a jar of their homemade drink, Chicha Morada, made of purple corn, pineapple, lime, cinnamon and cloves described as fruity and tangy. As appetizers to share, we decided on Piqueo Stancia, Chalaquitas de Scallops, Calamar Frito, and Mini Papas-Rellenas. As the main dish, we opted for Pescado A Lo Macho (Corvina), Quinoa Chaufa with Scallops, Tacu Tacu con Lomo Saltado, Quinoa Chaufa with Shrimps, Quinoa Chaufa with Salmon, Tacu Tacu with Chicken, Pachamanca, and Arroz Chaufa de Pollo. Complimentary roasted corn accompanied the aji verde spicy hot green sauce that started our meal. Each dish is a work of art, not just in presentation but in the authentic flavor not too overpowering, it remained exquisite with a sizeable portion. This restaurant continues to impress us every time with their consistency and good customer service. Stancia has incredible food and a beautiful space, two things many restaurants struggle to get right. All boxes checked.

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+

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.

There is barely anything a vegetarian can have here. The food is decent quality, but you should…read morelike pork or seafood to fully enjoy the fare. The ambience is cool and appealing, the music was a little loud, especially during the DJ party. The furnishing is warm. The place has been redone by new ownership (2026). The service was inconsistent at best. Be prepared, they don't serve tap water, just expensive fancy bottled water. The food came out to us with deffering amonts of delay, and they entirely forgot about one of the people's order twice, even after reminding them. On the 3rd time the waiter completely washed their hands of it and claimed ignorance about the placed order, then informed us they did not have the ordered item. When we wanted to replace the order they told us the kitchen was now closed. The person remained hungry since they couldn't eat any of the other foods people ordered. Normally I would give a place the benefit of the doubt, and write it of to being busy, but this was not good!

Grabbed lunch here with a friend. My 1st time here. Large venue with more of an old school…read morerestaurant vibe, than a "Cuban" theme/vibe. It has a separate restaurant and bar area. We sat at the bar. Service was friendly & attentive, food wait times were respectable. Metered street parking on a street that can be tricky to get parking. We had the Cubano Cuban, Beef empanadas, & Coconut shrimp. I also had the 'Renegade' drink. The renegade was really good, I enjoyed the empanadas and their sauce. I wasn't a fan of the coconut shrimps sauce, it was too runny, not solid consistency at all. The shrimp itself didn't contribute much, so the sauce was what needed to bring it home. The Cuban was flavorful, but we both agreed that the pork was dry. I'd give them another shot if invited, but I wouldn't go back on my own. Grades: Cubano Cuban: C Beef Empanadas: A Coconut Shrimp: B- Renegade:A

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!

We always love Nicole's. Their salchipapas and lunch deals are our favorites. The service is…read moreexceptional and inviting. They're always so sweet, helpful, and welcoming. We can be a bit extra with our specifications and they always nail it and smile at us. They have a nice patio area that looks amazing for summer and the inside is cozy but not too packed.

Not a good experience and won't recommend it. Food took almost an hour and kitchen was not busy,…read morewhen we got the food was cold and you can tell it's not fresh. Food tasted like old oil. When it passed at least 20 min the server told me it was not available the only good thing was the juices. Plus it was very expensive!

Awesome Colombian place in Plainfield with a parking lot right next to the establishment. Entrees…read moreare delicious and some of the best shakes I could get on the stretch of Park Ave. I've been usually doing sit down and eat and I recommend eating inside. When I got take out once they gave me Chicharrón that didn't hold up to the usual quality. It was more like scraps. However, I'm willing to overlook this as in the past, I'm always treated to such good food and friendly service.

Every time we come here they never disappoint. The food is delicious and inexpensive. We haven't…read morebeen here in a little while and the have expanded the dining room which is definitely a good thing. You definitely can't go wrong with just about anything you order . The flavors are good and if you have a chance to try the famous sauces . White garlic sauce , the pink sauce and the Pice( salsa with a kick ) so good any way you go. The portions are pretty big and the service is fast. The empanadas are some of the best in the area. I always get extra to go .