Casa Adela Reviews

Pros: the ladies who serve you and the food were both nice. I had the mofongo. It looked like the grandmother was the one who served us the food which I thought was a nice, authentic touch. Cons: the space is very small and tight; you will need to go at non-busy hours to get a table. Definitely not a place for groups.

I heard about this place through social media and saw an advertisement, so decided I would try this place out. So last night myself and 2 family members checked this place out. we got seated right away, someone came and took our order within a quick period. The food came out and I was in disbelief that the food had now presentation what so ever, also when i received my pork chops with rice and beans, it normally comes with lettuce and tomato when i get this same meal type at other places. I can not give it a bad review because they cook differently then i do, so the taste was very different then when it is made by my family or others who cook in the same style. They stay busy or so it would seem so some individuals may enjoy this place but for myself it did not appeal to my pallet.

My first day in NYC I ate at Casa Adela. I returned the next day. And the next. Honestly, it was the best meal I had while in NYC. I stayed in the Lower East Side, Loisaida, and so I'd make the walk to Adela's in the morning. Obviously, a lot of the LES is gabacho centric. But, the corner of 6th and Avenue C smelled like rice and beans. It was a good way to start the day because the place, even at its busiest, is laid back. I'd sit at one of the five tables and slowly eat my rice and beans while the din of Spanglish in campo cadence mingling with the telenovelas and Spanish news in the background and it was exactly like sitting in my grandma's kitchen starring into her living room when she was alive. I had fried chicken, which is a half chicken, broken down into pieces, seasoned in adobo and sazon and fried until crispy. Pair that with some white rice and red beans and it's a match that's meant to be. They don't BS like so many these days by putting ham or calabaza in their beans, it's just beans. They let the flavor of the beans speak for themselves. The rotisserie chicken is unbelievably juicy, so juicy that there's not much crispy skin. But they give you a half of a chicken, seasoned with oregano, garlic, sazon and citrus...maybe some vinegar. Casa Adela needs to be saved for all of eternity. As the once vibrant and unique Puerto Rican culture that came to be Nuyorican has disappeared, making way for newer Latin-American immigrants. But none contributing as much raw art, poetry, music (hello, salsa?!) and just general savoir-faire as those Nuyoricans. Nuyoricans were to New York what Chicanos were to the West Coast. So important is Casa Adela that the restaurant has been immortalized in Tato Laviera's “Criollo Story,” and Adela's papier mache head was added to the Loisaida Festival Parade last year. So many characters come through for take-out and dining in. Adela's son and granddaughter are a delight. F&%$ what Eater is listing as their essential 38! Eat at this eternally essential institution and don't bring all of your friends at once, it's a small place. Be respectful. Be understanding. Be a mensch.

We were in San Juan a month before visiting this restaurant and had eaten at a highly regarded (among the locals) restaurant. Casa Adela serves up just as authentic and just as delicious Puerto Rican food. I highly recommend ordering a side order of the mofongo, and if you order an entrée, make sure to have the RED beans and white rice. Very flavorful. Generous portions, and DELICIOUS food. It isn't in the most tourist-ready area of NYC, and they close at 10 p.m. However, at no time did we feel unsafe. Take a cab if you have to, but if you want authentic, delicious, Puerto Rican food make sure to visit Casa Adela in Alphabet City. Note that there IS a charge for sharing. But the food is so amazing you won't mind.

So good! I ordered pork chops with rice and beans and tostones. Tostones were crispy without being dry, best pork chops I've ever eaten. Period. My husband had penil with rice and beans and loved everything! Worth the trip.

Simply the best rice and beans place I've been to in Manhattan. Nothing fancy, just a half a chicken (very tasty and moist) and a good helping of rice and beans. Friendly staff.

BEST ROAST CHICKEN IN NYC! This small place feels exactly like the kind of Mom & Pop places you'd find in Puerto Rico. They're not open too late ('til 9 or 10pm) but once you've tried their Chicken, Rice/Beans and fantastic Maduros (sweet plaintains) , you'll be returning for more!!! This place has "Flavor" in both food and atmosphere.

Casa Adela is on the LES of Manhattan and serves everyday authentic home style Puerto Rican Comfort Food. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Pablo Pamias-Mulero

My daughter and her Puerto Rican boyfriend had suggested we try Casa Adela. After spending the afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art we headed downtown to alphabet city to Casa Adela. It was worth the trip in the rain. The cooking at Casa Adela was just like we remembered from our trip to Puerto Rico. The mofungo was rich with pork crackling. The pernil was tender as was the steak with onions. The service was attentive and friendly. But I wonder about the cuisine, when I mentioned to our server that it was as good as what I had in Puerto Rico she said no more like the Dominican Republic. So even though it says Puerto Rican cuisine in the window is it? All I know it was good and we will be back. Keep in mind it's BYOB but if you order a pina colada they will put a generous amount of rum in it if you like. We like!

When we first entered this small restaurant in the East Village, my wife and I didn't know what to expect. However, after we met Doña Adela, we were treated like family the rest of the time we were there. The pernil, alcapurrias, rice and beans, and mofongo were delicious-it was like being in Puerto Rico! You can bet next time we are in New York, we will stop by Casa Adela for some amazing Puerto Rican food!

This restaurant offers very authentic taste of Puerto Rican food. We came to NY on vacation and came here for dinner celebrating our sister's birthday. The place is very small but that did not affected the experience. Our waiter was awesome. He made us feel very much welcomed. All of the dishes were excellent and reminded us of our grandmother's cooking in Puerto Rico. The pork is delicious. So is the sancocho, the yellow rice, yuca, chicarrones de pollo, etc. They even brought us a candle so that we could sing happy birthday to our sister. Definitely a place to try.

When in NYC and you’re craving home cooked Puerto Rican food head to Casa Adela in Alphabet City. You will not be disappointed.

This is a terrific casual neighborhood restaurant serving freshly-made delicious Puerto Rican food. It's just ridiculously good, yet it's so down-to-earth, so inexpensive, and so unpretentious. If I lived in the area, I might eat there very regularly--everything looks good.

This place had such delicious food. The rotisserie chicken was falling off the bone in perfection and the rice and beans were just the right amount of comfort food.

This place is extremely small with only a handful of tables. I needed to order take out and actually stood by the front for 10 minutes before anyone took my order, despite numerous staff being in the area. After I placed my order, it took another 15 minutes to get it. Several staff were looking confused as to who was responsible for orders. The food was good but definitely not worth the wait. During my time waiting, I was able to observe that patrons sitting at the tables had to constantly get staff attention to be waited on. This is not a place to go if you want good service. Next time I will hit up a " cuchifrito" joint where the takeout is readily available.

Well we were seated quickly it seats about 20 people. The food arrived quickly we had fried pork chops with pink beans pigeon peas and rice fried plantains garlic sauce chicken rinds and alcapudria. I came here because of Facebook and a video review. I was really excited unfortunately the food was not what I am accustomed to. That is not saying that the food was bad however not what I expected.

What a wonderful find. Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. I ordered the sancocho and the fried plantains. It was delicious and the root vegetables and the oxtail meat was melt-in-your-mouth. My companions had the mofongo and they both had rave reviews about it. This is a "must go to" restaurant. Note: CASH ONLY. The prices are reasonable and you get a good portion.

Food was like a real home cooked Sunday roast! Very casual atmosphere, when we paid they had to call the owner that was sweeping outside - only he can handle the cash. Authentic!

My husband is from Puerto Rico and while visiting in New York we wanted to try out an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant. Casa Adela provided the perfect getaway from the touristy areas of New York and gave us a chance to experience some DELICIOUS Pernil and chicken soup. My husband felt right at home and enjoyed having conversations with the staff, and the whole-in-the-wall feel of the restaurant made it a perfect cozy, rainy-day stop. We can't wait to eat there again the next time we visit NYC!

The food here is awesome. It is very authentic in flavor. Now do be aware, first, this is a hole in the wall, so seating is very limited. Second, service can be slow. But the people are truly awesome, they are friendly and really know how to cook. It is worth the time to go and try the food, it will make you overlook all of the other shot comings. And yes, Doña Adela is on site and is a pleasure to meet- she is very sweet.

wow. I like caribbean food, but it’s rare that I’m “wowed” by it. this place is wow. we had the mofongo with pernil and carne guisado. both were moist and flavorful. we added a side of sweet plantain that was the best I’ve ever had.. it was clearly made to order and made to please. highly recommend!

Casa Adela is your home away from home. If you like plain simple service and great Puerto Rican food, this is the spot. A remnant of the Lower East Side before it was gentrified. Great roast chicken, rice and beans. Try the octopus salad, cod fish stew and the homemade beef stew. Great coffee and natural juices. Adela a Lower East Side icon is always there as is Luis, her son. Visit Puerto Rico by visiting Casa Adela.

Recently my Cubana gf and I were looking to have some food, bring our own wine, and not invest a car payment in doing so. She suggested Cafe Adela, a small family owned resteraunt on Avenue C or Losaida between 5th and 6th on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Man-oh-man! Service is slow, but worth it. I had a big bowl of oxtail soup, a first for me, with lots of meat, plantains, carrots, yucca… and some tostones or fried smashed plantains. She ordered 1/2 a week-seasoned chicken and a side order of Yucca. My tostobes were crisp and served w oil and minced garlic. A carafe of water for each table. Yum!! This is the real deal and what’s so great about knowing one’s way around the east village: In areas not over- gentrified (?!), there’s still a square deal as there is here: authentic yummy food, being enjoyed by authentic people from the hood. Can’t beat it. Today I had the chicken soup to combat spring allergies. Yum again. Well worth the hike. Only accepts cash.

This is a great restaurant for home style Puerto Rican food. Prices are pretty average, which means cheap for NYC, and the portions are plenty large. I think that they make their food excellently. Steak is soft and tender and flavorful. Pork chops are seasoned just the way my friends and their parents used to, and cooked just right - tender inside but crisped outside. Red beans are flavorful. The mofongo here is my favorite over any other place: flavorful, soft yet a bit crunchy, and the guiso on top is wonderfully flavorful too. The crispy pork skin is perfectly crispy and neither burnt nor too fatty on the underside. Soup tastes as good as we make at home. I've had fantastic pernil and average pernil here, but never bad pernil. Maduros are nice and ripe and cooked just right, not too mushy or burnt or tough. Cuban sandwich is heavenly and flavorful. And don't forget the pasteles! (Yes, I'm using the word flavorful a lot in this review. You'll find the rich flavors in most of the food here makes your mouth very happy!) To say, "Service is friendly and familial" doesn't do it justice. The ladies (and gentleman) make nice conversation and the way they bring us food feels casual and homey. It takes a little while for the food to come out, as you should expect when something is made just for you. This is a small place, with seats for about 20, and it has a simple hole-in-the-wall feeling that is very comforting. The restaurant has been open for about 40 years. I started eating here about 15 years ago (I think) and one more great compliment I can give is that the food they cook is just as great now as it was then. It's nice to see familiar faces inside. It feels good to see grandmothers making food for you and bringing it to you. The place is ever so slightly fancier and pricier than it was years ago, but thankfully nowhere near as gentrified as the neighborhood became. You can speak English or Spanish.

It is great to find nice, home made food in NY. I come from Panama and all the menu is familiar: red beans, beef or chicken stew (carne guisada), smashed plantains (tostones), sancocho (hearty beef stew) and many other typical dishes that you find not only in PR but also in the DR, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and Panama. If you like typical food from these countries, then Casa Adela is the place to go!

Great PR food. Place is small and packed!! No cash accepted even though Luis accepted our Venmo. Loved the chuletada and maduros. We had 6 apps and loved them. We will come back

Very friendly reception - a group of 7 in such a tiny place but they quickly moved tables for us. My Spanish is rudimentary so we had some language issues, but the food was fantastic and the server tried to work through the confusion. The bill was really slow to arrive - by that time she was dealing with another large party as well - so we ended up just going to the counter. So bring a relaxed attitude, some Spanish, CASH (no cards here), and an appetite and you'll have a great time!

Food is excellent, flavorful. Like your grandmother cook, which actually she did. As Doña Adela is there making sure every plate have her touch.

Delish authentic Puerto Rican food made with love! Only thing i wasn't impressed with was the alcapuria. the place is super small (only about5- 6 tables or so) but good enough for a couple friends and its BYOB so bill was super cheap for 4 of us. I'd defnitely go back next time.

If your looking for Puerto Rican food this is it. Great food , good portions and very reasonably priced. There aren’t to many restaurants left in the city that serve Latin food so don’t hesitate.

I had the steak and onion sandwich and it was out of this world amazing! A bit of a trek if you don't live in the area but definitely worth the visit!

Don't judge this place on looks. It actually looks like a small family restaurant would in Puerto Rico. It's a bit off the beaten path, but food is really good and will not break the bank. Adela is still cooking and working here. I really like the rotiserrie chicken, potato salad, beans, rice & mofongo. My grandma in Puerto Rico seasons her chicken the same way, so it's flavorful. Place is small and takes cash only.

Visiting my brother in law in NYC he suggested this restaurant for dinner one evening. We were fortunate to get a table in this tiny restaurant. The restaurant is nothing special but the food is spectacular. I had the grilled octopus salad that blew me away. My main meal was the roasted chicken and the spices and flavour were great. My wife and brother in law also enjoyed their food. If looking for something different definitely check this place out but be prepared to wait, but you will not be disappointed. Glad my brother in law suggested it.

I heard about Casa Adela and was staying in the East Village. The atmosphere was very relaxed everyone coming in seemed to be a regular. The food was delicious, we had the Chicken crackling to start, followed by Mofongo and pernil. The portions were generous and we ended up taking our leftovers home, they were far too good to leave. The service was relaxed, and informal. We enjoyed it so much we are planning our next visit.

We were six people who enjoyed the best food we gave had on our trip so far. And Adela is original and made us feel at home. 10/10.....

Went to Casa Adela on Sunday August 26,, 2018 with some friends and family. Friends came from Orlando Florida and they discovered the best seasoned pink beans in a delicious sauce. We ate a number of excellent foods of Mofongo with pork, Pork, carne guisada ( stew Beef) rice and beans, tostones, amarillos ( friend ripe plain Yanis) avocado. We drank Goya passion fruit juice, tamarind juice and coke. For desert we got the last piece of flan. The food was outstanding! I highly recommend this hole in the wall. The one drawback is it gets full and you might have to wait.

The food is very authentic, your feel like you stepped into Puerto Rico, and the people make you feel like yout in there home

Really enjoyed the rotisserie chicken and homemade beef stew. A little chaotic, a long wait, but definitely worth it! Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.

It's like walking it most Puerto Rican homes where you stay in the kitchen talking and eating and never want to leave. The best pork chops ever. One day someone there is going to crack and tell me exactly how they season them. Lol

all for under $11 or so bucks in NYC. What is the catch? There is not catch. Perfect Hispanic food, perfectly seasoned, so warm and yummy as a main meal of the day. So, yeah part of my trip to NYC this times was to find affordable but good tasty real food eats and we found several.

The food was ok. Not as good as it use to be. It's August and they have no Air Conditioning. They ran out of ice. I don't think I'll be going back. The food is just not hitting the way it use to.

So disappointed really flan in a cup mushed up ... The soup was not made fresh for the day alcapurria burnt . the salad thats not an avocado salad . As a proud puerto rican I am so disappointed in this place .. never again ...

Went here whilst staying at the LES Really small local place, locals helpful in menu choices Staff friendly - tasty meals, I had the pork chops- good value and inexpensive

This casual restaurant located in the East Village offers authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. The yummy mofongo (mashed plantains and garlic) and pernil asado (roast pork) was done to perfection here. Owner Adela Ferguson is proud of her restaurant and it shows through her foods.

My buddy dated a Puerto Rican girl for one night and she raved about this place, so I had to check it out. Wow. What an establishment this is. I feel as though I walked through some sort of worm hole into what I think an authentic hole in the wall restaurant in Puerto Rico would be. No flash, all character and delicious food. For $12.50 you get half a chicken, and two sides that are bigger than my head and I have a HUGE head. It is quite literally 2 meals in one, I can't eat the whole portion in a sitting. This essentially comes out to $6.25 a meal, which rivals some TJ's froz-- Wait did you hear that.................yeah I think I did t-- INFLAAAAAATION BUUUUUSSTTTEEERRRRRR!!!! The chicken is tender, juicy, and rich in flavor while essentially falling off the bone. The yellow rice and beans were everything I could have hoped and dreamed. I absolutely love this place and have been back 3-4 times since I first went. ALPHABET CITY STAND UP!!!! IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

Months later and we can’t stop thinking about and wishing we could go back to Casa Adela’s. Authentic, warming and out of this world flavor. If you’re looking for a place like home to eat and feel welcomed with open arms, this is the spot. Can’t wait to come back!

Small place with no frills and pretentions; first time for our family to try Puerto Rican food and it didn't disappoint. Our Puerto Rican friends brought us there and swears by the authenticity of the cuisine, and they were right. My husband loved the Mofongo and I loved the stewed chicken. Servings are just the right size. Just be warned that they can be pretty busy during lunch hour so expect to spend 1.5-2hours here, including the wait. All worth it though!