No-Name Dominican Food Stand

This tiny restaurant located in a freight elevator space is one of my favorite places to get lunch. They serve hearty, delicious Dominican dishes like stewed chicken and pernil (roast pork) with white/​yellow rice and beans for $ 5-​$ 6, as well as sides like plantains. The food doesn’t taste greasy, and the chicken is always stewed to the right point of tenderness. I’ve had pernil at other places that was hard and too dry as well, but here it’s never overcooked.
While they pack each tin platter full with food, I can finish the entire thing in one sitting because it’s so good. The workers are also extremely friendly despite the fact that I probably don’t fit the demographics of their usual clientele.
Cash only!

This is such a great little hidden gem in the midtown west area. Tucked away in a freight elevator entrance, this place is easy to miss. Despite changing names a few times, from an unknown name to Aeris Café, to now Aquario, the food is essentially unchanged.
For $ 5 you can get rice and beans with a choice of protein (beef, goat, pork, chicken, fish). The rice is tasty on it’s own but the lady is usually nice enough to put on extra sauce that the meat was cooking in on top of the rice which makes it the Bomb Dot Com.
They have specials everyday, sometimes it’s fish, sometimes it’s shrimp and I think fridays’ is usually oxtail. They’re all worth trying, so be sure to ask what’s good that day.
Soups can come in choices of Beef, Chicken, Sancocho, or the Mix Meat Broth and they are usualy $ 4.
For drinks, not only do they serve the usual sodas and water but they also have amazing fresh squeezed fruit juices in styrofoam cups. It tastes really fresh and sweet. It’s a perfect way to wash down such a hearty meal.
I’m a little sad that with all the changes, some of their dishes have increased in price but still under $ 8 and no change to how delicious the food taste. They also do delivery now apparently. please keep in mind, this place is cash only.
In a desert of food joints that are usually in the $ 8 and up range, Aquario is quite an oasis. I highly recommended to anyone who’s around in the area.

Food is fine, prices are fine, people are nice. The best part about it is the location, which is why I came here…

Food is good line could get long they only take cash and it’s in service entrance of a building not much seat area either.

The reviews for this place say it’s hard to find, but I located it quickly from the line out the door. For $ 6 I got beef, rice, and beans in such huge portions that I couldn’t even finish it. The people working there were super sweet and efficient. I will definitely be returning to try out some of their other options.

The owner, Rodolfo (Raffi?) greeted us with a warm handshake and welcome as we entered his place. One of my friends didn’t have any cash (it’s cash only) and he said «Don’t worry, you can pay next time» having no idea if we were tourists or locals. What a friendly guy.
On to the food. For $ 5 you get a heaping pile of rice, beans and your choice of meat. I had the stewed chicken, which was amazing. I couldn’t come close to finishing all the food. I can’t wait to go back!

Fast, cheap, filling, healthy, and good.
This place has no sign and is very hard to find. It’s just a hole in the wall in a service corridor of a building. Doors will be closed in the winter, so you gotta open it yourself. You can peek in the crack between the doors if you’re not sure you’re in the right place. You should be able to see a line of people getting food (during lunch time). I think this place is only open during lunch time.
The basic idea is this: meat, rice, and beans.
There is a good variety of meat here. My favorites (in order) are: stewed chicken, beef (pepper steak), goat. The pork is a bit too fatty for me, and it comes with a lot of skin. I don’t eat fat nor skin so it’s not worth it for me. They also have fried chicken and fried fish, which I have not fried and probably won’t try due to health reasons. Sometimes they have oxtail, which I heard is awesome.
Definitely get the beans! The bean juice that it comes with makes the rice taste amazing just like that.
You can get spaghetti as an alternative to rice, but i don’t recommend it. It’s a bit salty and kind of takes away from the meat, rice & beans experience.
They also have salad which they may put in your container or in a separate container if there is no room. I’ve also seen macaroni salad. Not sure what’s that all about, though.
You should also get the plantains (platanos maduros) if they have it. They may give you a little less meat, but I think it’s still worth it considering it’s pretty much a whole plantain.
Note: it’s probably cash only

This is definitely a hole in the wall. It is located in the service entrance of the building. I never would have found it if it wasn’t for a couple of reviews here on Unilocal.When I went inside there was a line of about 7 people waiting to get food. Once you get up to the counter you will see trays full of rice, beans, beef stew, chicken stew, Dominican spaghetti (YUMM), pork chops, salad, and fish. I got the beef stew with white rice, red beans, and salad. It was a very big portion for only $ 6. There is no beating that. The food itself was very good and I look forward to trying out there other menu items.

Excellent hole in the wall!!! It’s as divy as you can get.
Love the goat with white rice and beans. Last time I was there was almost 10 years ago and it hasn’t changed much. Appears to still be under same ownership. I think the yellow and brown stripes are a new addition to the hallway.
Price is right for the food. If that isn’t enough, there’s even the local bootleg dvd dealer passin by to hawk the latest movies…

Decent food for the price.
Seriously lacks ambiance. Best used for take-​out.

Walk down the south side of West 37^th Street and follow your nose to this Dominican food stand. It’s located in the service corridor next to the Mi Ju Sewing Co. Yes, you read that right. In the corridor.
If you want good, fresh food, you have to show up between noon and 2pm. This is when you’ll find trays of beef stew, chicken stew, Dominican spiced spaghetti, pork chops, pasteles, salad, moro, beans and assorted other goodies. The menu changes daily, though it seems like the beef stew and spaghetti are permanent items. Hidden in the freezer, which doubles as the counter where you pay, are various fresh made juices.
The food is delicious, just like your momma made it — if you were Dominican. (I’m not Dominican, but my co-​worker is and this is what she tells me. I’ll take her word for it.)
There may be set prices for the food, but it seems like everything you order is $ 6. I got the moro rice with beef stew and a pasteles and it was $ 6. My co-​worker got the white rice with beef stew and beans and a pork chop and it was $ 6. My other co-​worker got chicken stew with salad, plaintain and a tamarind juice and it was $ 6. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
There is a counter with stools where you can enjoy your food, but it’s more of a take-​out place. It is located in a service corridor, after all. Though I will say it’s cleaner than a number of restaurants I’ve seen…
Here’s the only catch: You should either speak Spanish or bring your bilingual best friend with you. The lady who works the counter doesn’t speak the best English and the guy who does speak English isn’t always guaranteed to be there. Luckily, my Dominican co-​worker does all the ordering for us and we just have to say «Gracias!»