Lunch at the Costa Rican ristorante Tucanes (Toucan) in Prospect Park, NJ was such a wonderful experience. The food is amazing and the service is wonderful. We had plentiful plates of arroz con camarones (shrimp) y arroz con steak with jugo de guana'bana y jugo (juice) de maracuya (passion fruit). Also, we had an outrageous tres leches for dessert!! GO!! read more

See all

We recently visited Tucanes and absolutely loved it. I went with my wife and her sister, and we all enjoyed a delicious, authentic Costa Rican meal. The highlight for us was the gallo pinto -- perfectly seasoned, comforting, and true to the flavors you'd expect back home. It tasted just like something you'd enjoy in a Costa Rican kitchen on a Sunday morning. The service was warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere made us feel immediately comfortable. Portions were generous, everything was freshly prepared, and the presentation showed real care. It's rare to find a place that captures the genuine spirit of Costa Rican cuisine, but Tucanes truly delivers. This is the kind of restaurant you want to return to again and again. Highly recommended -- a real 5-star experience. read more

On my first-ever Prospect Park excursion, Tucanes was an excellent reward for my long uphill walk in the cold from Hawthorne. I got two appetizers, drawn to those that were specifically Costa Rican, both great. The vigoron had juicy fried pork that worked beautifully with the tart cabbage. I liked the chifrijo even more. It encompasses rice, beans, fried pork and pico de gallo, with avocado on top. This delightful juxtaposition has a wonderful citrus vibe that almost feels ceviche-esque. The entrees look great but I knew there was a risk that I could spend 20 minutes studying the menu. The service was excellent. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Vigoron and Chifrijo - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

Nice to have a local Tico spot. Tucanes has a nice selection of typical Costa Rican dishes read more

3.99% non cash fee. Tamale(3.75) was delicious. We're pretty picky with these. But the tamales here were tasty. It has a good amount of flavor, as I don't usually expect this much flavor with Costa Rican food. Overall, the size was good, but it needed more meat. It came wrapped in a banana leaf. Parrilllero(25.95) was good. The steak was the highlight, very nicely seasoned and flavorful. The tostones were also very good, not too thick. The shrimp was mild and good. The rice was nice. The chicken was bland. The chicken is the only thing that will stop me from ordering the Parrillero plate again. But the good thing about the Parillero is that I know what I'll try next time, a steak dish. The tamale is also a winner, we'll get that again. Super clean. Excellent staff and service. read more

Excellent everytime. Love their mashed potatoes and breaded chicken. Have brought friends and family here and they love it too. So many options to choose from read more

I've been curious about this place for quite a while and finally decided to give it a try this past weekend. I was welcomed with many smiles from the staff upon walking in and was quickly seated. The menu has a good variety of Costa Rican food and it all sounded great. My friend and I finally decided on the chicken Casado and the Gallo Pinto. We also tried the empanada mix to see how Costa Rican empanadas compared to the ones we were used to eating. All of the food was delicious. If I had to give a minor complaint, it would be that the chicken could have used some more seasoning but that was quickly remedied by this really tasty sauce they keep on the tables. Also wish they served alcohol bc than that would've made it even that much better but oh well. Overall, great experience, good service and pretty good food. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Chicken gallo pinto - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

See all

We don't come here often but when do this place never disappoints. Your meals are delicious!!! My family's first time here, they enjoyed their dish. Service was great!! BYOB!! Pura Vida!! read more

See all

Place is nice and cozy but tbh the food was nothing special it was lacking flavor- presentation was nice though read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

Also, try the Gallo pinto with steak especial, Costa Rican sausages. It is amazing, I will make sure to get that next time. Plus, their flan is very unique from the Mexican or Filipino flan I am used to. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Gallo Pinto with steak especial, Costa Rican sausage and plantains and guacamole - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

The food was amazing! The cute little outside patio was so homey. The waitress was so knowledgeable about the food, fast, friendly, and overall just such a kind woman. I love this place so much and will be back very soon!!! read more

Amazing!!!! The food is delicious and fresh! Small Gem in the neighborhood!! I had the CHIFRIJO, (just close your eyes when you take the first bite!! ) OMG!! It was as I can feel myself in a tropical island !! Or COSTA RICA it was delicious Then I had the Maduro con Queso y Natilla! I love sweet plantains and cream We are definitely going again read more

TUCANES Restaurant - CHIFRIJO "amazing" a lil fresh taste of Costa Rica - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

See all

Was in the mood for some Latino food and a quick search on Yelp turned up this location. So glad I stopped in! Clean, cozy location with extremely friendly workers. Thankfully they spoke English since my Spanish really sucks. Based on another reviewer's yelp picture, I ordered the Chifrijo. This dish is the same concept as a chipotle burrito bowl... But 100 times better! I have an appetite like a bear who just woke up from hibernation - and I simply could not finish this bowl of food. Although it appears small in the picture, it is a sizable meal for a gordo hombre like me. This establishment works hard, serves fresh quality food and deserves to win your hard-earned dollars. Take a chance and try it out. Next time I'll be back with the whole family. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Chifrijo - similar concept as Chipotle's burrito bowl... but 100 times better! - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

Tucanes its everything you need to from costa rica and more! Lovely place great variety on the menu freshly prepared good quality ingredients! Family owned n run . We order a couple dishes Casado " rice , beans, salad, sweet plantains and Beef" they do offer with chicken , pork , fish or beef I got a a sample and f beef chicken shrimp with tostones Pinto rice and Russian salad " beet n potato salad with egg n mayo" everything made by order so dont rush take a bottle of wine or beer (BYOB) relax this place a family oriented So comfort food its all around ! Plenty of parking on the streets and they have a lil patio for the summer nites ! If you visit make sure you try some of their pastries yummm read more

See all

Food was very good, we had pick up service and it was well packed and complete. Did not sit in for dinner so I can't tell you about the ambiance. read more

Delicious food. I ordered a primavera pasta and a shrimp vodka pasta for pick up. From the get go the lady that took my phone order was very nice. As soon as I walked in I fell and love with the interior decor and the music was very nice as well. The service inside was amazing as well. They give a discount to Prospect Park residents which is a great think and makes me want to keep supporting local businesses like Tucanes. read more

Great costarican food. I only order takeout and my food was always great. I do wish they had more vegetarian options.

Came here for my birthday, love the Costa Rican food , the food was very delicious, great service, very nice patio wonderful atmospheres, Can't wait time go back again . read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Plan - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

Authentic yummy tasting food. There usually isn't a super big crowd and the staff are friendly. The food is good. They give bottled water instead of from the tap, which I like. The mix empanada appetizer is good for you to try all the variations and not over eat. My chorizo was a little dry but the fried cheese on the rice made up for it! Delicious! read more

See all

I've never had Costa Rican food outside my friends home but from the moment I walked in, it had a comfy home feeling. The decor is modern with a "Tico" vibe. The restaurant is so clean (loved that). The service was very good. The food! The food was great. We ordered delicious Mora smoothies, Chifrijo and I had the Casados with steak. ¡Una delicia! ¡Pura vida!! read more

Beautiful and relaxing Costa Rican oasis. The chifrijo was perfect and my Costa Rican family was thrilled with everything they ate. If your looking for authentic Costa Rican food, go no further. This is the place. read more

See all

This food was excellent, the tamales were just like if I was sitting in Costa Rica. The favor is the best. The waitress were very lovely and friendly. There is nothing bad I can talk about this place, even the decor is so beautiful. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Gallo pinto! - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

See all

Today marked a new addition to The Boys top restaurants!! Tucanes in Prospect Park has been added to our list. A beautiful little Costa Rican restaurant in the middle of Prospect Park. A big thanks to Cynthia and Jorge for making us feel right at home. Now for the amazing food. We started with the Chifrijo , a delicious concoction with Fried Pork , Rice , beans , Pico de Gallo , avocado and fresh chips ! The other appetizer was Vigoron which included Fried Pork Cabbage Salad and Fried Cassava !!! We could have easily stopped there and been completely satisfied, but The Boys have a reputation to live up to. Entrees were the following: Sopa de Pollo (chicken soup) , Sopa Negra (Black Bean Soup) , Gallo Pinto ( with steak , grilled chicken), Casado (Breaded chicken), Shrimp In Tomatoes and garlic, and Steak Fajitas. Dessert consisted of Tres Leches and Corn Cake and cream. Do yourself a favor and try this amazing Costa Rican Restaurant !!! read more

I am not from NJ but i was in town for business.. i was looking to eat good Costa rican food.. well i ordered a to go.. Ceviche, Casado for my son ane for me Rice cantones with 3 orders of sweet maduros.. the lady there super friendy and pura vida! Love this place read more

Cynthia, the owner, is very sweet and helpful. I didn't have the pleasure of meeting her husband, Jorge. They are bilingual and the menus are translated line by line. I love when someone speaks to me in Spanish and English. That's how I speak it anyways! This is a Costa Rican restaurant. If you love la comida Latina (Latin food), then you'll love this place. I had a typical Costa Rican dish and thoroughly enjoyed it along with the beautifully decorated dining room filled with color and flair. It was nice to be there. I've posted pics. Finally, I would recommend you try this jewel. The outside doesn't quite catch your eye like the inside does but I think you'd find you'll enjoy the food. That is not to say the outside is hideous. It's just not as bold as the colors on the inside. I wish I had room to try the Tres Leches cake. I'm stuffed! But in the words of the Terminator - I'll be back!!! Here's a challenge: Walk into the men's room. If it isn't the cleanest bathroom call me a liar! You can trust this place is doing the right things. read more

See all

Just went there today on Mother's day as a first timer. The service, the food, the atmosphere were all fantastic! The churrasco was delicious! I will definitely be going there with my family again. read more

This is a place I've recently discovered and I'm so happy I did. I ordered the chifrijo for lunch and omgosh it's amazing. Everything cooked to perfect with great flavor. Love that the pico is marinated in a lime juice and the chips add a great texture to the bowl. Also love that there's not much fat from the pork so the bowl doesn't feel too heavy. Will definitely come back to try more! read more

Excellent restaurant! Very reasonable prices . Food is outstanding. I highly recommend it. Make sure you try their coffee ,it's delicious.

Great Costa Rican restaurant. My first impressions were how I loved the decor and the cleanliness. The staff seemed very friendly and answered any questions we had. The maduros were very good and the cheese added a flavor I had never tried. I didn't know how I would take it but I was certainly not disappointed. The Plato Parrillero was delicious and gives you a little bit of everything (steak, chicken, shrimp). The only the missing was beans for my rice. The Churchill was a nice finish to the meal. Although there was chunks of syrup that made the desire to continue fade every time I encountered it. Overall the meal was excellent. My only gripe was the speed of service. I'm not a tyrant when it comes to service but when I need something from my waitress and she wasn't come to check on us and consistently passes without looking our way, I get a little annoyed. I eventually walked up to the nice woman at the register to ask for what I needed. But don't let that stop you, this is a great place and I'll be back. read more

See all

Delicious authentic Costa Rican cuisine with friendly staff, light music, hot sauces available. Lots of variety, chicken, fish, shrimp, beef, pork. read more

Hmmm... I been wanting to try this place out for over a year and been putting it on the back burner for sometime, finally worked up the courage too. I also had a hard time deciding how many stars and settled for in the middle. For starters I am not Latin and there was deff a language barrier when ordering food. Person was not personnel over phone and could not really give me details on dishes. I ordered beef stew with white rice and black beans and REQUESTED to have them all packages individually for obvious reasons, ( I did not want the rice absorbing any of the sauces and wanted to be in control of my own mixing. Meat was cooked to perfection, white rice/ black beans extremely bland. and Little be hold I get my plate of food and it is all in one container. Who does that? I made sure person taking my order understood I wanted it separate. NEXT I ordered two beef empanadas because I read in one of the reviews their chicken was dry, ehh I've tried empanadas from different Spanish backgrounds and was not fond of taste, it was greasy and tasted more like a steak empanada, not my favorite. Last but not least I ordered chicken strips along side fries for my 6 year old daughter who didn't mind if, looked a little mediocre. Going back to the language barrier. I mentioned to person taking my order for a frozen drink and which one wS their top seller, considering how they advertised it online. Did not mention which one was the best instead named all the flavors and just opted for a frozen mango. Delivery was fast, driver was very polite and nice. Question is will I ever return! No I think I am no longer curious and aware of flavors. read more

See all

Fair prices, great food, friendly service. We were happy with the portion size and what we got for the money. A great alternative to other restaurants in the area serving similar cuisine (such as Noches in Clifton). No parking lot, street parking only. Not in the best neighborhood, so be alert. Still, better than venturing to Paterson. read more

This is one of my best friend's restaurant. The food here is so amazing, it's so delicious and if I had the money to eat here every day hahaha I would. Service there is so nice and the place is so clean. 10/10 Shout out to my boy Armando read more

TUCANES Restaurant - One of the popular dishes - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

This place was nothing less than amazing. I had my wedding here and they were super accommodating. I had a small intimate wedding and they went above an beyond with the food and service. They closed extra early to make sure everything was set up on time. The food is amazing and they made sure everyone enjoyed themselves. I highly recommend this place whether you're looking for a great breakfast lunch or dinner or even a place to host an event. read more

See all

I order food to go I order more then $100. The food is not good I am from Costa Rica and I want the flavor of my country but doesn't. I want to make a comment so maybe they can find a costa tocan chef. And cook whit less oil read more

Best food ever and I been hooked since the 1st time I went and I'm still going every chance I get. the best authentic food

The Good: Good food at great prices. The Wait staff, though small, is very attentive and very polite. The Bad: Small place with not so great acoustics. Sometimes just a few small groups can make it sound super busy and loud. The Yummy: I haven't been disappointed yet. So far everything I have tried has been great. The shakes are very filling, even for a big guy like me. The restaurant is fantastic, which in a way scares me from writing this review. I almost want to keep it a secret so that it doesn't get too crowded. I was taken to this restaurant by my girlfriend who lives a few blocks away. I was a little awry at first of going to a "hole in the wall" place, even though it looked clean and very well maintained. The food lived up to my expectations, and if anything, surpassed them. Tucanes is a small, South American restaurant in Prospect Park with great food and very friendly staff. The food is always fresh and very tasty, and has yet to disappoint. The steaks have been cooked exactly how I have asked, and have always tasted great. The food is freshly prepared, even though it usually comes out very quickly. There have been times when I have been shocked as to how quickly our meals have come out after ordering. I suppose this is one of the benefits of not being very busy during lunch (when I tend to go most). Their specials aren't numerous, but what they have is always good. I had an issue once, where the waiter told us the lunch special was a steak with white rice and black beans. He came out a while later with 2 fried fish plates, tostones, and salads. This may have been a huge problem for many; I being as curious as I am, tried it and ended up loving it, probably more than I would have enjoyed the steak. As i stated previously, the restaurant is not very big which gives it a great, cozy feeling but unfortunately makes it a little too noisy when there are just a few parties. They have TVs which play music videos, music alone, or sometimes the futbol matches going on; great for when sitting and relaxing on a quiet afternoon, a little annoying when the place is just a little crowded. They have a large screen in back which they apparently use for special events or important games. I've yet to see it in action, but it is a great idea. They supposedly have parties weekend evenings, but I have not attended any of these, and don't know if I ever will to be honest. If you are in the area and want good, fresh, South American cuisine, I highly recommend Tucanes. read more

Quality spot. I love the "homey" atmosphere. I've never been to Latin America, but I got the feeling of it when walking in there. A friend of mine ordered food to pick up from there, so we didn't dine in. But the experience was friendly and pleasant nonetheless. Great food. I tried something along the lines of a Costa Rican chicken-fried-rice, with french fries. No flavors out of the ordinary, nothing eclectic. But simple comfort food done in a highly DELICIOUS manner. The chicken wasn't dry, but tenderly cooked. The rice had a nice flavor with vegetables, and it wasn't overwhelming. I would go to this place any time I'm in the area. Next time, I will have to try the sammiches that many people rave about. :-) read more

Eh. A bit disappointed. Went last year, and it was amazing! Now? Ceviche sucked, cas was not as amazing, piña drink, tres leches sucked :( i wanted to like it so bad too. Platanos were better. & The lomo saltado was okay. Peruvians do it better though tbh lol. read more

TUCANES Restaurant - Latin American Near Me - Prospect Park, New Jersey

Had a basic chicken dish here and it was phenomenal! The rice was flavored in such a way that it tasted sweet. They included some fried plantains as a sort of a garnish that really brought the dish to life. I had two cups of the most simple, regular coffee and it was (hands-down) the best cups of coffee I have had since moving to this area of the country! I've only been one time so far, but I am definitely going back! read more