El Sabroso

Ordered pernil to go, started eating and ¹⁄₃ was just plain pig skin and fat. Rice was tasteless and on a mushy side. Tio Pio West makes much better pernil, also meat portions are much bigger. Sad, had high hopes for this place.

Great food at a crazy low price! You will walk right in art this place if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

This place is a hole-​in-​the-​wall. You have to keep your eyes peeled, because it is easy to walk past it. It is located in the service entrance of a building, and is by the freight elevator. There are a few small tables, and then some stools by the counter. Most people get take-​out.
The food is very basic: meat, rice, beans, & some lettuce. While the food is simple, they do it very well. I’d recommend the roast chicken or pernil (roasted pork). At $ 6 for a lunch special, it’s a pretty good deal. They also have a homemade hot sauce that gives the meat and rice a great kick. Their empanadas are also pretty good. One day I may get some courage and try the ox-​tail stew.
The service is efficient and friendly. While eating there, I noticed that the woman at the counter had a great rapport with the regulars who came in. I liked that.
No, it’s not fancy, and I’d never go here on a first date or to impress a client. However, if you want some great Latino food that tastes like your abuelita made it, this is the place to go!

Delicious food! I love coming here for lunch and ordering the Chicken Stew. I’d also recommend getting the Roasted Chicken and the Pernil (Roasted Pork) for $ 6. They have a home made spicy sauce that I use every time. Location is a bit hard to find but you get used to it.

Diamond in the rough! Food is delicious and fresh. Roast pork is so good and you actually get meat and not all the fat! Rice and beans are yummy. Try the empanada with white cheese inside. You’ll be hooked! You definitely get your money’s worth. Owner is sweet and portions are generous. After eating this food you’ll need a cot! I only wish they would have sweet plantains, but that’s just me being greedy.

In short, the pernil was overcooked and too hard, and the empanadas were dry and flavorless. What a shame, because the man running this place was friendly. I came midday on a Saturday so it was empty, but I have seen this place bustling during the lunchtime on weekdays. Aquario Café on 37^th between 8^th and 9^th (also in a freight elevator) is probably El Sabroso’s biggest competitor and makes pernil better, in my opinion.

Randomly came across this on Unilocal so i thought I’d give it a try since it’s a 5 mins walk from my job… I’ve never walked so slow in fear of missing the red menu sign lol because there are a few freight entrances along the avenue, so keep an eye out for it.
I arrived a little past 1 and the chef only had 3 items left; the customer ahead of me got the last of the baked chicken so I ended up getting stewed chicken. The chicken was very tender, moist, and FLAVORFUL… falls off the bone like other reviewers said. The beans were pretty good too; I didn’t care for the salad and the rice needed more flavor. He gave me three big pieces of chicken and a good portion of rice and beans but I can see how its not enough for other people. Seating is limited so either get there early or get your food to go. CASH ONLY.
I’ll definitely be back for the peril and the breakfast specials!!!

Delicious food in an extremely strange location! This is a service elevator entrance with a menu and an «A» health grade. Small bar, few seats at the bar, and one table for lager group.
The chicken stew was delicious and the saw was extremely spicy. I want more of that sauce!
Get the cheese empanadas as it’s amazing!
Cheap prices, fast, and delicious… What else can you ask for? Oh, I guess a real restaurant setting.

This place is is hidden in the shipping dock of the building but there is signage outside. I’ve only had the stewed chicken on rice and beans and it was good and only $ 6. The hot sauce is really good. It’s an easy lunch and a very good value.

Latin food in a shipping dock. You’ve read all the other reviews & they’re right. There’s no secret here, good old school cooking with REALLY good NYC prices. $ 6 for most plates with rice & beans. Say yes to the hot sauce that they will dump over the entire plate.
Their pernil is spot on and delicious, especially if you love the fatty parts of pork. Roast chicken is as good as any Spanish joint I’ve had it at. Fried pork chops are even tastier and will leave you in a food coma. Sure, it’s not the healthiest lunch in NYC, but it’s sure one of the best bang for your buck.

First time trying this place today. Totally a fan! (An Ecuadorian fan at that) The pollo guisado was delicious– chicken came right off the bone and seasoned perfectly.
The place is a perfect hole in the wall but you won’t miss it. There’s a big sign outside.
Cook and cashier were super nice and we chatted a bit about our Ecuadorian roots. Plus, they have Tropical, one of my favorite Ecuadorian sodas. Lady said they also have empanadas for breakfast. Will be trying them too.

I almost feel guilty passing the word along about this place, but after hearing coworkers talk about this «secret» spot and using Unilocal myself to find the exact location, I must pay it forward. El Sabroso is really located in a former loading dock, and people almost always refer to it as «Loading Dock.» It’s easy to pass by on the street if you don’t notice the unassuming menu on the wall and the couple of construction workers sitting at the table. Cool setting aside, the food is the main attraction. If you ever get tired of eating Halal for a cheap lunch, this place is a great alternative. The Chicken Stew and Beef Stew are both terrific options. Served with rice, beans, and lettuce, and at $ 6 a pop, it’s a simple yet delicious meal. The meat is fall-​off-​the-​bone. Add the hot sauce too!

If you are around herald sq and looking for something hearty and cheap: look no further. Please brave the dark narrow alley-​ish corridor that leads to this counter-​top Spanish «diner» and get some warm grub in your belly. Do not fear if you only see male patrons. I went in as a girl on the hunt post-​spa facial. I wanted something filling and healthy (but not salad, sorry vegetarians) that wouldn’t ruin the magic of a beautified complexion.
Once inside, I asked the server (owner?) Tony to recommend what’s good. In my case, he suggested the chicken stew. I got it to go– and the dish was still warm and chicken was falling off the bones when I reached my destination 10mins later. It really hit the spot and isn’t greasy/​heavy. I’m going back to try other dishes! I’d say this is more of a place to go solo or with a friend, if you guys want to eat at the counter and watch a game. Yes, there’s a flat screen in there! Do takeout if there’s a few of you– in which case, I suggest eating at herald sq’s outdoor seating– around 37^rd and broadway!

It’s in a service entrance to a building. A bit odd for sure. However, I do not know of any other nearby Spanish food of this quality near my job. Service was a little slow around 2 in the afternoon, but the pernil was delicious. Compared to places in Corona or Jackson Heights, they are a big stingy with serving size for the price, but, for the location, I do not knock them a star for that.
If you work within 5 blocks and you have the time to get here, definitely worth the jog for the food.

El Sabroso is a great alternative from the usual (mostly non-​exciting) lunch choices in Midtown west, which normally consist of soups, salads or sandwiches. El Sabroso is located in a loading dock on West 37^th (near 8^th ave) and can very easily be missed; however, they do have a sign hanging above the door that made finding it much easier than I expected.
When you first walk in, you feel a little unsure, but are then greeted by the friendly staff; we talked to both the chef and the lady working the counter. Don’t bother looking at the menus hanging on the wall, as the chef only prepares a few options for the day. When I went, they had fried fish, chicken stew, grilled chicken, and pork chops available. I ended up getting the baked chicken, which came with yellow rice, beans, a small salad and was topped with delicious orange hot sauce (I wish I would have asked for more). The quantity and quality of the food were great and only cost $ 6! While it reminded me of the usual halal food sold by the street vendors, I thought the quality was much better and much healthier. They have very little seating inside, including a few tables and some seats at the counter. We would have stayed to eat but had to get back to the office for a meeting.
I will definitely be back for lunch again; this is a great hole in the wall in midtown west.
Tip: Cash only!

This place is hidden in plain sight. Passing by it you would never think that it would serve food let alone such incredible food.
The décor is not what’s important since there is none. What’s important is the food. Most of the meals cost around 6 dollars and include a ton of food (yellow rice, beans, salad). The food is genuinely authentic. This is not factory made Latin food, this stuff is what your South American grandmother would be making after having perfected her recipes over many generations. The food was delicious and the people who work there are very friendly.
I suggest adding a Colombiana as your drink to your meal since it’s very complementary to the kind of cuisine. First time here but it will def not be my last!

This hole-​in-​the-​wall spot is a treasure! It is hard to find because it is a counter between freight doors! I ALWAYS get the pernil (roast pork) with hot sauce (3 scoops). The Travel Channel will be there tomorrow, so now, it won’t be much of a secret. I liked it because it was a secret. Never got crowded! But after the show airs, I’m sure it will be packed!

I am so glad i tried this place.
get the pork. it was the best.
And, the empanadas. use the spicy sauce.
sit at the counter.
enjoy a few moments of bliss. this is the epitome of the hole in the wall.

You will definitely feel like you’re «in the know» when you arrive at El Sabroso. Tucked away in a loading dock, this is a dominican equivalent of a halal cart. «Stewed» meats with rice, beans, and lettuce come topped with hot sauce. Everything is about $ 6.
That said, I thought the food itself was just ok. It was good, higher quality than what you would expect from a loading dock, but it didn’t blow my mind. Just good solid comfort food.
I got the «stewed» chicken, which was basically just a quarter of a chicken. I’m not really sure how it’s cooked, but it was cooked really well. Not fried, not greasy, just very tender chicken.

El Sabroso is a unique type of dining experience. Not in the way that there’s white linen tablecloths, on point waiters, or the like. The experience is that you’ll be eating by the loading bay of a building, a hole-​in-​the-​wall dining experience. You come to eat here if you like it dirty. Getting all that out of the way, you’re coming here because you want to eat a satisfying meal that will definitely fill you up and for little money. If you don’t mind disposable tableware, you’ll be right at home here. I think it’s better for the restaurant because it’s tiny behind the counter so the last thing they need is a whole slew of dishes to clean.
I tried the beef stew which was very good, had a nice tomato base. The beef was very tender. I got this over white rice and it came with red beans. Another occasion I tried the chicken stew which was super soft chicken meat that fell right off the bone. It came with a drum and a thigh. Both times there was some shredded lettuce in the dish which added some greens. There’s hot sauce on the counter that’s tangy and not overly spicy, great for drizzling over the food. The plate of food cost me 6 dollars. You have to ask the chef for what’s served that day, sometimes goat is available or fish as well. Sodas and water are available here for beverages.
Seating is available at the counter for a few customers, but there’s also a long table that seats more people. There’s usually a good lunch crowd here from the times that I’ve been. El Sabroso is a great affordable lunch spot that serves authentic Latin food.