Casa Adela

I really wanted to love Casa Adela. I’m always on the lookout for great, authentic Latin food. Sancocho was delicious, the pernil was a little dry, but still good. The mofongo was the real problem. It was COVERED in salt. It was totally inedible. Super disappointing because I’d come in looking for some great mofongo. I’d go back for the sancocho, but that’s it.

I hate to say this at this day and age but my partner and I felt super neglected.
Granted, we love authentic Spanish food even though we are Chinese. As we first walked in, no one greeted us even though we had nothing but smiles on. Gave them a couple of mins and the server walked right passed us. Decided to seat ourselves because we figured they were busy. 10 mins passed and no one greeted us nor gave us menus even though other tables were getting complimentary coffee plus small talk and big smiles with the servers. My partner went to the counter to ask for menus. They gave him one. Finally, we waved down waitress who gave us a stank eye. Why? I don’t know. Still giving them the benefit of the doubt, we placed our orders AND had to ask for water. Meals came and everything tasted bland. Chicken was super dry. Beef stew was a lot more tastier the first time I’ve had it.
Asked for the check and 15 mins passed. Asked for the check again and the server gave us another stank eye. This is a small restaurant and I fought everything I had in me to tip the server. We still tipped just to be nice.
I’d also like to point out that this was my third time dining in. We felt a little out of place the other times but wanted to ignore it. This time, it was 100% apparent that we were not welcomed. Will never return again. What a shame.

Our table was so dirty, it looked like it hadn’t been wiped all day. The place could really do with some sprucing up. My friend really enjoyed the mofongo, but I’m not a fan of plantains. I just had the breaded chicken breast and yellow rice (boring, I know). Chicken was dry and rice was bland.

I was not impressed with the food. Saw the good reviews and decided to give it a try.
I had the mofongo: 5 stars very yummy
Sancocho: 2 stars, tasteless
Chicken stew: 3 stars, tasteless as well
Definitely not coming back.

So… I would have given this restaurant 5 stars except for the fact that they have the worst customer service I have ever encountered. If you go to their restaurant in person to eat, the customer service is not too bad, however, when it comes to delivery, they are the worst. One minute they offer delivery and the next minute they don’t…They need to get their priorities straight. If they don’t have a stable delivery person, then they should hire someone. There are plenty of people in need of work and it would not cost them anything to have a delivery person, let alone a stable delivery person.
In addition, the staff that answers the phone either never answer and the phone just keeps ringing and ringing and ringing, or if they do answer the phone, they barely speak English, and when you ask if they have delivery today, they usually are very rude and say abruptly…“NO…NO DELIVERY” and hang up on you. Then again… sometimes they do have delivery. Very confusing and unprofessional.
Unfortunately, even though Casa Adela’s food is delish, they have no conception of what good and respectful customer service is. They don’t even know who I am… I could be one of their best customers and they won’t hesitate to be rude. They would make so much more money if they would just hire a delivery person. I for one can’t always go to the restaurant in person… therefore, they lose alot of money from me.

This was a great experience. Very authentic, get the plantains sweet and green. I like the pork the best but the chicken guisada was also delightful. Cash only

This is definitely two dollars signs not one dollar sign.
Authentic Latin food which is delicious but not worth the upcharge in my opinion.
Recommendation: rotisserie style chicken and plantains. Can’t go wrong —

Ok, let me start with food first. It was absolutely delicious. We ordered octopus salad and I was super happy. Octopus was prepared correctly and it was so soft and yummy.
Also we had chicharron de pollo and roasted pork. Both were very good. I liked pork better, as it’s hard to find nice roasted pork, but my friend liked chicken.
Place is very simple. Don’t expect anything fancy.
They only selling soft drinks. I asked for a beer, she said they don’t sell it but I can go next door to a Liqour store and bring it over, which we did.
Menu is small, but everything they make looked very good. I have seen next table ordered rotisserie chicken .
The only reason I didn’t give them five stars is that Lady, who was so cute and nice, mixed up the order and gave us appetizer size instead the entrée and we were not sure what side dishes come with the meal.
Also, it is CASH ONLY, so bring some with you.

I have always loved trying hole in the walls. This place was a bit further out in east village, but definitely worth a trip. Ordered the Mofongo and the Pernil Asado. The price of the food was cheap and the mofongo was delicious. Definitely will try again if I am ever in the neighborhood. Also, they allow BYOB, so that was nice.
Side story, a customer who was ordering take out got into an argument with the woman behind the register. Can’t remember what it was about, but it was noticeable that everyone in the restaurant turned their head. Instead of the customer leaving (he has not paid yet), the customer still stayed and ordered his food. That says a lot about the food in the restaurant.

Hole in the walls are the best. They give off an authenticity that cannot be replicated by lavish and larger scale restaurants.
I ordered sancocho, mofongo with a side of pernil and chicharon de pollo. The sancocho was hearty but light at the same time; the use of oxtail really helped add in a dose of leanness amongst the meatiness. The mofongo and pernil were incredible. And I was surprised at the flavorfulness of the chicken cracklings. It was really lean chicken which I don’t usually like because it can be too dry especially when it is fried. But, it was perfectly done. I have no complaints or possible ways these 3 dishes can be improved.
Also, the service is really friendly and genuine. Yes, there is a line and it is usually packed but the workers don’t give attitude. They apologize sincerely for the wait and come check on how you are doing. Plus, prices are super affordable. Almost every item was under $ 10 for great food and great portions. I love small, mom and pop businesses. I will be back to try everything else on the menu.

Very divey kind of feel– if you’re looking for a more «classy» joint, then skip, but if you’re looking for traditional, homemade Puerto Rican food, than this is the place.
I went with friends and we ordered two mufungos, two types of plantains, some type of breaded chicken, and we all got rice and beans– it came out to just about $ 60, which for the amount of food we got was great. (Cash only!)
I wasn’t a huge fan of the mufungo, but my friend loved hers– probably just a difference in palate. The plantains (both sweet and fried) were out of this world, and the rice and beans were great too. Everyone was friendly, and I think we got really good service.

I’m 100% Puerto Rican and I just moved to this area. I have to say I’m very disappointed with this place. Mofongo was pretty good, but a bit too greasy and the pernil was fantastic. Alcapurrias were well made and I really enjoyed them. What I hated about this place was how slow and rude they were. They had terrible service and the waitress wouldn’t answer the simplest questions about their menu. We also got charged more than what we were supposed to, which really drove me nuts. I see from Unilocal,I haven’t been the only one!
TL;DR
Food was pretty good, but not cheap, specially when you get charged extra. Also rude waitress. I think id only come back for the alcapurrias.

I went to Puerto Rico, once. So, clearly I’m an expert on all things Puerto Rican. Filipinos and Puerto Ricans are more alike then different. Maybe, that’s why I took to the cuisine so easily?
This joint has a mom and pop type feel to it, similar to ones I stumbled upon during my PR adventures. It’s very homey in design and vibe. That includes the people who work here and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were family. I didn’t read a single review of this joint and met a friend who had been raving about this place for sometime. She was spot on.
The half roast chicken was amazing. Moist and seasoned perfectly it was very good and I would come back just for that alone. P. S., leftovers of this as a sandwich the next day is the jam, boo-​boo.
The chicharron de pollo app, which I was hoping was chicken skins (is this a Filipino thing only?), was actually fried chicken and could have been a meal. It was only $ 7 and although it was well seasoned and crispy, it was chopped up tiny bits of chicken that had more bones then meat. Skip it until you’ve had everything else on the menu.
The ensalada de pulpo (octopus salad) was refreshing and surprisingly delicious. It’s on the playlist for future dining here.
The mofongo was the main reason for coming here and it was the star of the night. I love mofongo. This one was classic and had the roast pork in it. I actually prefer mofongo with nothing in it, but pork is never a deal breaker for this Flip. The gravy was crack and not too salty. I could eat just this and my night would have been heaven.
In PR, I had mofonogo everyday for 10 days (I wasn’t eating land animals back then & gave up carbs) and after leaving, I swore I wouldn’t eat it again. A few months later, I was craving it. I was disappointed in Washington Heights last month when I was on the hunt for it, but everyone in the city can relax now, I found my mofo’n mofongo spot. I have a feeling this, with a side of the ½ roast chicken, is going to happen quite often this fall and winter. It reminds me of something my grandmother would make me and who wouldn’t want to be reminded of that kind of love in each bite.
I am very particular when it come to flan having grown up eating it in a family of leche flan freaks and I’d skip this on future visits. The flan here was much denser, darker, sweeter and not as creamy as Filipino leche flan; the balance was all off. Besides, after eating all that other good stuff, the last thing you need is another 200 calories Felecia.
I found a taste of the islands in the LES and it feels like a home I once knew.

Do you like mofongo? Do you like pernil? Do you like these things together while seated in a tiny restaurant that feels like your grandma’s dining room? If you said yes, then you should visit Casa Adela. From both the exterior and interior, it doesn’t seem like much. A few tables, some chairs, a small bar area, an unassuming outside. Yet it’s welcoming and cozy.
We were quickly seated on a not so busy Wednesday evening. It was a bit warm inside but considering how good everything looked and smelled, I really could not complain. We were quickly given menus which had the staples along with apps and side dishes. The mofongo & pernil combo is listed as a side dish. Why? I have no clue. My friend and I both ordered that for our entrée and were amazed by the amount of food that was presented to us.
The mofongo was perfect and came with broth to pour on top. The pernil was moist (I hate that word but it’s fitting here) and tender while remaining flavorful. I ate half of each and still wondered why this was considered just a side dish. Two orders plus two sodas came to $ 37.00, not bad! If you’re looking for a place that will make you feel right at home while giving you some Puerto Rican comfort food, this is your place. The only reason I knocked off a star is because we had to ask for the check three times before it was given to us. There is also a small language barrier if you don’t know/​understand basic Spanish.

Absolutely love this place. Food is great, portions are huge and the price is fair. Had the mofongo and pernil and maybe got halfway finished before I thought my stomach would explode. Easily shareable and so sooo good. If you’re in the mood for authentic and delicious Puerto Rican food it’s well worth the trek no matter how far.

How many restaurants in New York City do think survive 40 years? Few things take root here in this rocky field. In 40 years, you have to keep finding new customers and new regulars, or you don’t survive, and end up forgotten in history like Russian Souvenirs on East 14^th Street, Odessa on Ave A, or DeRobertis on 1^st Ave. You have to be excellent, and keep being excellent.
Casa Adela is one such restaurant.
Now the food here is not what you will find in a five-​star restaurant for $ 9, but it is homemade and authentic. My Pernil Asado had plenty of delicious, fatty parts, just like it should be, though hipsters may be more squeamish at what «real» food should be (the two guys next to me said that there was too much fat). If you have a good palate, you will be able to discern the difference between PR and Cuban food, and this place is legit Puerto Rican. Go and support it for the many more decades ahead.

Saw the NY Times article about Casa Adela, found myself in the ‘hood one afternoon and decided to try it.
I kept it simple for a first visit. Half a rotisserie chicken, yellow rice and black beans.
It was all excellent, nice quick service, good value for great food and ambiance

Authentic puerto rican food, loved the mofongo (so garlicy, yum), and crispy chicken wings. Would avoid any salad here as the time I came the cucumber/​lettuce/​tomatos were all stale unless that was a fluke day.
Also, you should know this place is pretty far into alphabet city and not much else to do around here… Cash only. Mostly spanish spoken here, but tried to get by with what I know. Also, I spotted Adela!

Authentic Puerto Rican food at a great price in an environment that feels like home. Most defiantly a YES!

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and this is hands down the most authentic puertorican restaurant you can find in the states.
You cant go wrong with anything in the menu. My usual order is Arroz Blanco with Red beans and the mouthwatering lechon asado. It tastes as good as the one my grandmother makes back in Puerto Rico and that is the highest possible standard.
Also, you have to order the mofongo to start, its fantastic and crispy.
I would probably have to leave NY if this restaurant ever closed. I love youuuu Adela!!!