Las Isla Cuchifritos

Amazing and cheap food! The empanadas and the alcapurrias are definitely the highlight of this place!

This place has been here since I was a kid and the food still tastes the same. If you are in the mood for some fattening comforting food then this is the place with the chicharrones, bolas de papa and morcillas!

Really cheap, quick Spanish fast food. I was pretty sure this place was going to be gross and dirty, and the food was going to taste like old oil. I was so so wrong, and my taste buds have never been so happy. We got two Yuca Rellenos (balls of yucca filled with seasoned beef), two Relleno de papa (deep fried potato with meat), two empanadas, and a huge cup of pineapple juice for 13 bucks.
That is crazy right, all that food? The Yuc Rellenos, is seasoned to perfection, without being salty. It was amazing a chewy and that best thing I’ve ever eaten in Bushwich. Yes Bushwich, not East Williamsburg, that’s not a real place Sooo good, and always packed with locals. Also this place is very clean, the windows are always steamy from the constant cooking. And its always so busy, i just assumed dirty. Not the case at all. This place is worth and try, you will love it!

love it love it love the alcapurrias is awesome food is great the people are always busy packed in their getting food. love it love it love it love it

Once you understand what this place is all about, you appreciate its awesomeness.
Let me explain. It’s dirt cheap. It’s not there to pamper you. If you don’t speak Spanish and they don’t recognize you, then a regular might get served before you; don’t be offended, a regular is getting hooked-​up. Some items are very unexceptional (I’m looking at you, rice & beans and fried chicken)!
But the good things are so good!
Best Bets: Roast pork, tacos (more like a taquito or flauta to you blancos), rotisserie chicken, empanadas, and ribs are your best bets.
Add rice & beans for under $ 2 to fill-​up, not to get a flavor bomb. Tip the guys a few bucks on take-​out; they appreciate it; they remember; it’s the right thing to do.

Small spot in Brooklyn. On vacation and wanted to PR food. Bunch of food for less than $ 15. Empanadas are good. I think the hours of operation are wrong on here… Call to confirm that they’re open

Horrible food. Alll of their fried food is drenched in oil. I took a bite of my cuchifrito and nothing but oil came out. In addition, the majority is just flour and small amount of meat. I have never experienced this with any other restaurant. In fact, as soon as you come in you can smell heavy oil. I would not come here again. The cook went to the back with gloves and came out cooking again. Just horrible. Might as well buy an empanada from the carts parked outside.

You can fill up for next to no money here. We got ourselves some potato/​meat balls, and a bistec torta. All really great and filling. Most of the food in the window is so greasy and fatty and it may kill you, but there’s no reason to live without fatty and greasy foods, so quid pro quo, or carpe diem, or whatever.

Come here if you want a heart attack.
Real cheap Spanish Caribbean soul food in the heart of bushwick. They are nice, serve excellent fried empanadas that are huge.
I hope this place never goes out of business, as this is true to the neighborhood.
For all the haters that are new to the neighborhood, eat some more soul food nearby and you will quickly realize that this place is the real deal. Go back to your place in middle america if you can’t appreciate Brooklyn’s local digs.

Ok it was good, not as good as my old spot in Manhattan off of the Willy B, on Clinton Street. But when you’re hankering for that alcapurria and all that good stuff. this place is good enough.

This was the joint when I first came to Brooklyn. I haven’t been here in years and was driving by and decided to stop by. I stood there with money visibly in my hand and the dudes just kept walkin by me and servicing other GUYS. I don’t know if it was cuz I was a chick or whatnot but that shit was madd rude. I won’t be back.

I live a few blocks up Graham Avenue, so occasionally pass by this place on the way to the J train. It’s constantly full of residents of nearby public housing projects, retail workers on their breaks and patients, doctors and security workers from the nearby hospital. These crowds continue well into the night.
After years of passing by, I waited for a stool to clear up on a recent Sunday afternoon. I fought for a menu (this is typically the kind of place where things are ordered directly, preferably in Spanish), and went with a couple of small plates.
I really don’t get the fuss. I’m not the right audiences as in general I find cuchifritos to be heavy and low on flavor — but these seemed particularly naff. Why take a perfectly good plantain, fry it and then stuff some dry meat inside? How does anyone eat this without copious amounts of hot sauce?
I know this is the traditional method, but there’s nothing appealing about some little fried thing that’s been under a heat lamp for 14 hours. I’m glad some people find this place satisfying, but it’s a hard pass for me.

Super cheap authentic Mexican food. The staff barely speaks English if at all but that’s fine by me. No shame in my the pointing game. Only place to eat is at the bar so it’s in and out. Not really meet to hang out and chill in. You want that go across the street to George’s it’s more a restaurant. But this place is great and the prices are a steal. Just brush up on your Spanish before you go and u should be ok.

Real busy so I know the food is moving… check.
The girls that are behind the counter are fast and give generous portions… check.
The empanadas are big… check. And greasy.
The oxtail soup is flavorful… check. And greasy.
Not a fan for greasy food these days but I gave it the old college try.

Perfect for cuchifritos. Has a wonderful walk up window like I love and has a cute sit down bar. This is more meant for grab and go or order to take out.
All I can say is alcapurrias, pasteles, pernil, etc. Puerto Rican food at its absolute prime at this place. Must go and I’ll definitely stop here again on my next visit to NYC.

Not many places can you walk in, sit at the counter, and get a full meal with mere pocket change. I work at the hospital across the street and LOVE this place when I’m craving some greasy pastillos, boiled yucca or a hearty soup.
It’s as if I’m puerto rican and I’ve walked into my mom’s kitchen. Except I’m a little white girl who sheepishly asks for what she wants in plain English. I speak a little Spanish but this isn’t the place to practice it — I’m not fooling anyone.
Is it fancy? hell no. you get whatever they happen to be making that day. Is it fast and cheap? hell yeah. And the radio in the background blaring god knows what just adds to the charm. This place is awesome.

Average cuchifirtio grease spot. As a Spanish person I know I’m supposed to get more excited about these spots, but to be honest, its not really my thing. Small spot, not tables, just counter seating. They serve lots of different Spanish dishes, chicken in the oven, steak, pernil, yellow and white rice, beans, chicken soup, beef soup and all types of «frituras» like empanadas, and rellenos (fried treats stuffed with meat or potatoes). Portions are big, price is cheap. They are normally busy and you have to wait to be attended.
Great quick spot kind of place. Cash only!

I have walked past this place a million time without going in. I finally went in a few weeks ago since there was nothing else open. I have since fallen in love.
I usually get the yellow rice and beans with either chicken or pork and I can’t get enough. It is just soooooo good. The portion side is pretty big so I usually take my left overs to work the next day. I have also had the chicken soup and beef soup which are amazing.
Tip: This place is cash only so make sure you have your cash ready.
I have never been greeted and usually have to wait around 5 minutes before someone acknowledges my presence. Other than that the food is good for take out.
They are also open ²⁴⁄₇ which is awesome!

This is the kind of place you don’t go to if you don’t know what to order. There are two menus in the whole place.
After having procured one of them, I ordered pepper steak. Apparently nobody orders pepper steak, bc it took them a half hour to make it. I shouldve ordered the chicken, it looked delicious and ready to go.
Anyways, you get a lot of food for $ 7 (I got three lunches out of it), but my pepper steak tasted pretty bland
TIP: know Spanish when you come

Cuchifritos? I said to my friend, What the hell is cuchifritos? Well as it turns out cuchifritos is both a type of restaurant (Puerto Rican and/​or Dominican mostly) and it also refers to a type of food (cuchi being derived from the Spanish word for pig and fritos for fried). In this case it’s also the name of the restaurant. It’s a small place, mostly just a long counter with stools and a walk-​up window. They serve traditional latin food like mofongo, stews, chicken, ribs, and a few other read more «things, all at low prices. The main draw to a cuchifritos place I think is the fried stuff being kept warm in the front window and the array of fruit juices. Don’t expect them to speak a word of English (that’s not on the translated menu) so keep the questions mostly to yourself. The first time I was there I was patiently standing waiting for help and more than one person pushed by me to get helped first, there’s no doubt that this was discrimination against the only white guy there but it was mostly the people there not the workers so I can’t count that against them too much.
Aside from the more unusual items like fried pigs ears I’ve tried most of the stuff in the window and can tell you that in my opinion the best two items are the meat stuff plantains and the «taco», a fried roll resembling a big spring roll that’s been stuffed with shredded and seasoned meat.
Other options include a puffy fried dough stuffed with meat, a beef/​chicken/​or cheese patties that are mostly crispy/​greasy fried dough, and a battered and fried sweet plantain. Each item is $ 1.35 so you can get your belly full of fried stuff for dirt cheap.
Last time I went I opted for the special of the day, chicken stew. Once I took all the meat off the bones and corn off the cob and got down to eating this hearty dish of chicken, potatoes, a little broth, and a few other ingredients it turned out to be one the best chicken dishes I’ve ever had. The chicken was impossibly tender and the flavor was great. For less than $ 6 it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.