Boriken Restaurant & Bar

I had to come on here and write a review because this place completely exceeded my expectations. I actually ended up coming here twice in the same week once with a small group, and then again today (3/7/2026) for a birthday dinner with a reservation for eight people. Both experiences were incredible. First off, the service was outstanding. We had a reservation for 8:00 PM and they seated our entire party right at 8:00 with no wait, which I really appreciated since we were celebrating a birthday. The staff was so attentive, friendly, and made the whole night feel special. Now the food… absolutely amazing. Every single person in my party was raving about their meal. There wasn’t a single dish that disappointed. Everything was flavorful, perfectly cooked, and clearly made with care. As

The food was good and the drinks were good too! We got sat right at the entrance which was cute for date night. Service could have been better, it took about 10 mins to get the menu and some water which is kind of insane since it was literally just two tables in that area and our waitress was only handling our area. I guess they noticed we were getting annoyed so the gave us complimentary soup. We ordered and got the food fairly quickly so no complaints from that. The drinks were good but when it was time to pay, again, had to wait like 15 mins for our waitress to notice we needed the check. She was too busy on the phone (literally on her phone sitting down at a table across the bar not even looking up at her one table at this point). The bartender noticed again we were getting annoyed an

Ok, why 5 stars?. The food and drinks were phenomenal. The Staff! Amazing! I’m Puerto Rican , grew up with my grandmother and I barely like going to “Spanish” restaurants because you expect the food to be the same way you grew up eating. This place is it! I felt like I was home with my grandmother again , listening to Salsa and enjoying the ambiance. Thank you for letting me re-live my childhood memories.

I wanted to love this place but it’s mediocre. The drink I had was great - the Old San Juan . But unfortunately that was the one highlight. In short, the food was cold. Apps: Beef Alcapurria - lack seasoning Bacalaitos - too greasy. As someone who is 100% Puerto Rican, and visit multiple times a year, I can 100% confirm these are too greasy. Mains: Bistec encebollado with arroz con gandules and maduros - the maduros were good and hot, everything else was barely room temp Mofongo with Garlic Shrimp - again barely room temp Salmon Al coco - the rice was hard and again the food was barely room temp

Absolutely delicious and authentic Puerto Rican food! From the start, they serve a comforting sopa de platano that tastes like it came straight from your abuela’s kitchen, instantly transporting you to La Casita Blanca in San Juan. The alcapurrias were perfectly made—crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful inside. The mofongo and arroz con gandules were seasoned beautifully, but the standout was the pulpo a la parrilla—easily one of the best you’ll find in NYC. Don’t miss their homemade pique for an extra kick! Beyond the food, the warm decor and lively salsa music set the perfect vibe. Finally, a true Puerto Rican destination in Staten Island—I’ll definitely be back!