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Don Coqui
Categories: Nightlife Dance Clubs Nightlife Bars Restaurants Latin American Dance Clubs, Bars, Latin American [Edit]
115 Cedar StNew Rochelle, NY 10801
(914) 637-3737
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5 pm - 12 am
Thu 5 pm - 1 am
Fri 5 pm - 2 am
Sat 3 pm - 2 am
Sun 3 pm - 11 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ages Allowed:
- All Ages
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Evelyn A. said: "What a wonderful little Peruvian/Latin cafe!! Maura's kitchen serves delicious dishes such as tallarin verde (green pesto spaghetti), ceviche, and pollo a la brasa, among others. I ordered the tallarin verde and it was absolutely…" read more »
58 reviews for Don Coqui
Review Highlights
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"...place; the food is the best Puerto Rican food I ever had." In 5 reviews -
"Among my favorites are the pernil wrapped in yuca,the..." In 10 reviews
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"...a large dining space with exposed brick walls, wood beam..." In 2 reviews
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Alicia B.
New York, NY
4/25/2012
Excellent food, good drinks but expensive. Bring plenty of money, soda at the bar is $6. No joke.
This is a great place for a birthday or get together with friends. It gets very crowded though so make those reservations or you won't have anywhere to sit. The entrees are delicious and you should have plenty of leftovers for the next day.
Great hospitality and a mature hispanic/caribbean crowd. Mostly popular latin music, salsa and merengue. Bring the friends that know how to MAKE a great time, not demand one. Go get your dance on! -
Review from Luz M.
Yonkers, NY
4/2/2012
Came here on Saturday night with my best friend and her husband. We waited an hour for the table, which sucked but it was 9pm on a Saturday and we didn't have a reservation so that was on us. The music is great here. I felt like I was at a family party, very comfortable. It gets VERY loud but I loved it, again like a family party, everyone's had a few drinks and likes to sing-a-long to the music. If you want an intimate date come here early and don't complain that it's too loud later on or that they play Spanish music (really?).
The bread they bring out for the table is yummy and the virgin Pina Colada I had was delicious! I had the grilled shrimp with yuca mash which was very satisfying, I admittedly always count the number of shrimp I get at any restaurant and they are very generous. My friend had the plantain red snapper which was flavorful also. Her husband had this gargantuan sized paella, I don't eat pork so I didn't try it but next time I will definitely order one sin chorizo.
For dessert we had the tres leches which was pretty awesome. Overall I think the place is reasonably priced for the portions you get, can't wait to try some of their white sangria, another couple said it was delicious. Her husband had two mixed drinks that were okay at $9 each.
My only complaint would be the bathroom. Two stalls for a ladies' room is a no-no. Especially since this place got packed as the night went on. Other than that, the staff were all very friendly and I can't wait to go back and try the paella! -
Review from Clayton A.
Manhattan, NY
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really hate the parking situation here, but that's one of the few bad things I can say about Don Coqui. I really love everything else.
The service is great. The waiters are attentive. The place has class (I mean, they scrape the crumbs of your tablecloth). Oh, and the food is outstanding and comes in heaping portions.
My favorite dish: the cazuela. This is a seafood stew that just blows my mind. It comes in a spicy sauce made creamy by sweet coconut milk and has just about every sea critter you can imagine. There's meaty lobster, calamari, shrimp, and clams. It's a smorgasbord of textures and tastes that blend so well with the sauce, to the point where I want to order the dish again mid-way through the meal.
As for the other dishes, the churrasco here is delicious and massive. The pernil, ditto.
The fried calamari is great and is enhanced by the great dipping sauce it comes with.
The empanadas are a bit expensive as an appetizer, but one taste and you'll quickly ignore the price.
Oh, and the sangria here is reliable, will get you nice, and flows freely here.
I've come to a few parties here, and the party platters they serve here are outstanding. On my most recent visit around Christmastime, I had the privilege of trying the fried, breaded clams (or were they oysters or mussels? I always get those three confused) and I'm pretty sure there was crack sprinkled on top because I couldn't stop eating them. They were ridonculous.
I will say that this place gets pretty wild later on in the evenings and the music can get loud, so the earlier you come the better if you're just seeking food.
The music selection is usually pretty good, a mix of old school r&b, hip-hop and different types of Latin music. -
Review from Jessica G.
Greenwich, CT
5/24/2012
Recently lived in New Rochelle. When the Don Coqui opened it was elegant and the food was amazing. The food has remained consistently good but the atmosphere has changed. It is too crowded and the place turns into complete club after 9:45. The night life can be a bit out if order. If you visit try to have an early dinner.
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Review from Samantha C.
Hartsdale, NY
5/18/2012
Food and atmosphere are good. Great place for a group of friends. The flavor of the food is excellent but the portions are large. I mean really large, and if you want to share with someone they charge you extra (the only really negative). The price are a little high but you get a lot of food for what you pay for. The music is great, they have live bands on certains nights and dancing on the weekends. Great place that is local to Westchester, so if you don't want to go to the city try Don Coqui.
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Review from Amanda G.
My family and I ate here last night while celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday. I always drove past this spot and wondered about trying it out and never did before last night. They have valet parking and coat check which is a plus. On the first floor, they have what looks like a test kitchen and separate dining area. I am not sure about this but I think they may offer interactive cooking parties. We walked in around 6:45 in the evening and were seated right away which was great because soon after, the place got packed! Our server was very accommodating and he also had multiple runners to assist him so we never really wanted for anything during our meal.
ON TO THE FOOD:
Ok....so, firstly, I would say that whatever is being offered that isn't on the menu, definitely ASK for the price before ordering. The server was explaining the day's specials to us and because we were a 6-top, he suggested that we get the family-style appetizer to share. I wish he would have been a bit more forthcoming about the details around this particular appetizer. It ended up being a full meal on its own, costing a whopping $90 which we found out after receiving the bill.
The first platter portion of the family app (yes, I said FIRST platter) was a combination of various Empanadas, Fried Calamari, Fried Chicken pieces and Fried Pork pieces. The second plate had Tostones with various toppings of pork, steak, cod fish and shrimp. These two plates were really good. I loved the cod fish-topped tostones and the shrimp empanadas the best. Yea, so I am not done explaining this giant appetizer platter....The third plate had these Breaded Baked Clams. Um, yea...not that great. They tasted uncooked, very fishy. I think they were trying to go for an oyster oreganata-type dish but missed the mark. The last plate had some Pork Sausages but I don't eat pork and am not sure how they tasted. They were almost done by the time we all finished the appetizer so they must have been good.
Now, on to the entrees. I ordered their signature Paella. I asked them not to put in chorizo or chicken and they complied with no hesitation. The dish was very good and a very large portion for $26. There were large shrimp, clams, mussels, calimari and even a half of a lobster in the shell. I just wish I still had room in my belly after that humongous appetizer to finish my entree. Both, hubby and son ordered the Churrasco which came with black bean rice and chimichurri sauce. I had a bite....AMAZING. They cooked the steaks to order and the temps were perfect. The others in our party had the Porterhouse Steak, Shrimp Scampi and Grilled Salmon entrees and everyone enjoyed their meals.
In my opinion, I would love try out Don Coqui again but I will be better informed when I return. One appetizer, if any, to share between two of us, and an entree per person, is plenty enough for a filling meal here. I enjoyed the food. For the most part, it tasted good but the price of the family-size app was outrageous and had we known about the cost and size of it, we would not have ordered it. -
Review from Diana Z.
Pleasantville, NY
1/4/2012
Don Coqui should be ashamed....
On this VERY cold NY day I was craving Sancocho.
Since I was in New Rochelle getting my nails done, I decided to place a to go order for some Sancocho.
I received my order which for the price and amount I received, was amazing. The flavor and quart size container for $7 was so reasonable I was floored and almost ordered two but I refrained.
It all went downhill when I decided to get a side order of white rice. I was FLOORED when they brought out a small chinese soup plastic container of white rice for $5. REALLY for white rice, this is insane. I could've gotten a pint of white rice from the Chinese restaurant for $2 or heck even waited the 20 minutes to make a pot of rice at home for $1.
The Sancocho is great but the disappointed in their prices for rice. I mean come on you make huge pans of rice for only dollars. Makes me sick. -
Review from Ruthy T.
Poughkeepsie, NY
3/18/2012
This venue is NOT closed. Why does it say that? The place was packed! But very organized and professional. Food came out promptly and it was amaaaaazing!!!! Highly recommend. Portions are huge!! Doggie bag for sure!
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Review from Alicia B.
White Plains, NY
1/1/2012
While at the club, the DJ announced that the kitchen would be open for another 15 minutes (closes at 2AM), so my friend and I rushed to the bar to order some appetizers. We ordered the beef and chicken empanadas and they were amazing. Its great that the kitchen stays open until 2AM on Fridays and Saturday nights.
As for the club, it gets very crowded and it becomes difficult to travel through the crowd to go back and forth to the bar. Every time I'm there, I feel like I am always being pushed and shoved. The crowd is pretty diverse and they play a great variety of music. Also, no cover charge. -
Review from Sue T.
Englewood, NJ
The food at this restaurant/nightclub was amazing. I had the mfongo and shrimp and it was so flavor filled I actually ate the whole thing. I could not control myself. While dinner was happening the nightclub was going strong on the other side of the room and the music was good a mix of Spanish and English music. As the night progressed they changed DJs and I lost that loving feeling for the place because he played only Spanish music and we got fed up and left. Also seating is an issue most patrons hogged the limited lounge chairs.
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Review from Juan T.
8/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Im have only been to the club part, not the restaurant.
The club is OK, Lacks AC in all areas, music is the same every week, A good mix of people from all races. Overall fun and its free. Parking is a problem but Valet is there and is the only choice.
Anyone can get in, no dress code since its a rest also.
DJ plays 1 hour of each type of music.. -
Review from S S.
Bronx, NY
10/29/2011
Heard about this place from a girlfriend who is a fellow foodie, so when Living Social rolled out a voucher for one of the cooking classes that usually goes for $65 and up, I jumped at the chance to go to there Tapas, Sangria & Mojito Party.
The group was interesting to say the least, but extremely fun. It was a fantastic evening had by all with free flowing drinks, great conversation and awesome tasting food made by us under the very watchful eye of the adorable Chef Jack D'Angelo. And if left overs and great company wasn't enough, we decided to go upstairs to have dinner and yet more drinks. The waiter staff was surprisingly attentive among a bustling atmosphere of music and lively dining area, and even though I didn't have a chance to taste my girlfriend's paella it looked and smelled heavenly and I must say I enjoyed the taste of my seafood salad of which I had leftovers to enjoy for a few more days.
Overall Don Coqui's is now on my list of fav restaurants that I look forward to frequenting over and over again. -
Review from Angelina A.
Pelham, NY
1/21/2012
This is a decent attempt to create an upscale puerto rican restaurant. Fun venue, easy location right off i95. Only thing I would warn new timers is after 9pm the place turns into a nightclub so it gets a bit rowdy. But if that doesn't bother you and if your ready to dance to latin beats then it's worth a try.
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Review from Dalilah S.
Bronx, NY
1/19/2012
I went here this past Saturday night with a group of 12 for a friends birthday. We had a customized pre fixed menu which was great. The food was very good and so were the portions. As appetizer we had mussels, calamari, empanadas, fried pork, etc all served family style. For dinner I chose the seafood stew with white rice, I was so stuffed by the appetizers I only ate the lobster and took the rest home. The prices weren't bad for the food but the drinks were ridiculous. We ordered a pitcher of mojito that was watered down. My friend ordered a "Sexy Island" which was rather large and strong but cost $30!!!! She didn't know this when she ordered it because the drink menu has no prices and really who expects a drink to cost $30? We stayed after dinner because by about 10pm a DJ gets there and as people finish their meals they take away tables to open up the floor for dancing. The DJ was AWESOME, she started out with old school and worked his way up, he even gave our friend Valerie a bday shout out when I asked him to. As much fun as I had dancing here are my issues:
1) Not enough space, as you're waiting for people to finish their meals it gets very tight.
2) Not enough ventilation. It got so stuffy we had to keep going out for air and when you mix heat with drinking the outcome is usually dangerous.
3) Only one bar. As packed as this place gets they NEED more then one bar. They should definitely add a bar to the other end.
4) Overpriced drinks.
5) The bathrooms are so small no more then 2 people can wait on line inside. People kept getting hit with the door.
All in all I had a nice time. I hope they make a few improvements and I may go back. -
Review from Wanda N.
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here on a Saturday night for a date. The place is decorated very SoBe chic. The service was really great and attentive and even the people in the neighboring tables were friendly engaging us in conversation (yes you are that close that people think they need to be your friend).
I didn't like that it looks as if you walk into a kitchen, honestly, I thought I had; but they have private cooking classes and one was going on at that moment. A little distracting and not good for ambiance. When you get upstairs there is just too much going on...are you a club/lounge or restaurant. It was a bit schizophrenic...make up your mind. I really don't want to yell at my date, not yet anyway!
Bistek encebollada was excellent. Mofongo was mediocre and fish dish and yuca mash just ok. I agree with other reviewer who likes Sofritos food better. I prefer Sazon. Sad, but choices for upscale Puerto Rican cuisine are limited in this town ( go figure we use to be the largest Latino minority), so I will be back to bring my mami for a special occasion.... I will try to convince her to have the steak! -
Review from Ely M.
Mahopac, NY
7/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
My girlfriends and I came on a Tuesday for a birthday dinner.....and Im soooooo glad we did.
I was the first to arrive (as usual -_-), so I took a seat at the bar, and looked at their drink menu... I wasnt sure what to get because the drinks looked so good, but the bartender recommended the Coquitini..OMG it was delicious!!!! It was like a really strong coquito drink...they add crispy coconut flakes, but I decided to not have them.
Forward 20 minutes: My friends finally arrive, and we are all starving, so we planned on having a hefty meal. We each ordered an appetizer: chicharron de pollo (fried chicken chunks), Shredded Roast Pork (Pernil) Wrapped in Crispy Thin Yuca, and the Green Plantains Topped with Steak. All of the were very good, except that the steak was a bit on the salty side (and I love salt, so it must have been really salty for me to notice). The portions were much bigger than we expected, and we decided to hold off on ordering entrees for a bit.
We got lucky as it was Karaoke Tuesday (as it usually is) and there were some pretty good regulars...They also have a competition, and the winner gets a gift card to use towards dinner.
After a few more coquitinis, and margharitas, and shots (oh boy) we were hungry again, but decided to share a churrasco with rice and beans....everything was really good, I would have eaten the entire thing by myself...and the beans (I love black beans) I could have eaten by themselves.....yummmm
The space is amazing, very open and fresh, clean white drapes, hardwood floor, natural light, I loved it.
Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely be returning... Shout out to Brenda the hot amazing bartender, and Jimmy & Joe, great guys! -
Review from Lee Lee M.
Bronx, NY
4/6/2012
I have been here for HV Restaurant week and for the Monday night $28 3 course special...service is attentive and food is well prepared and authentic (with regards to Puerto Rican seasoning and flavor) and the portions are HUGE not just big but HUGE!!!! This is definitely a go to spot for fancy pants PR food...and I hear that on Thurs-Sat it's quite a happening spot (though very crowded and loud) but we've never gone on those nights so I'm just hearing this from people who have gone on those nights, but it might be a fun time so the BF and I might check it out one night without my parents :-).
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Review from Keera F.
Stamford, CT
2/11/2012
I went to Don Coqui on 1/21/2012 it was a saturday night and I immediately loved the atmosphere. I ordered a sexy island, a sweet version of a long island iced tea which was good but I was disappointed that we orginally had a reservation for 8 and due to the snow ppl backed out on us. It was only 5 of us and they still charged the $40 per person pre fix which was expensive for only a few selections. The food was good, not great.
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Review from Anthony M.
Bronx, NY
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Took my wife to this spot a few weeks ago. I heard it had good puerto rican food and vibe. I'm not puerto rican but my wife is, so I thought it would be nice since her parents were babysitting. Easy access of highway, ballet parking. First time there we walked in and could not tell where we were suppose to go to eat or drink. The hostesses at the front must of noticed I looked lost but offered little assistance. After I asked I was given half hearted directions to go upstairs.
We made our way upstairs, found a pretty crowded dinning area, we were able to be seated quickly. We got the last two seats available, after a few minutes realized there was a leak over our table. Small leak so I didnt bother to report it. The party next to us was friendly enough to share their choice of drink with us. My wife and I not drinkers but we ordered drink which was suppose to be a fruity version of a Long Island Ice Tea. It was decent but pricey at $30.
We just had appetizers because we were looking to have a drink or two and enjoy what was suppose to be a lounge area. That opened a little latter but it was much of a lounge. It was a bar area where they began removing tables as people finished their meals.
DJ played old school music which I like, and then brought it up to the present. Enjoyed a few dances but then it got crowded and we got out of there.
Overall a decent place to have a decent meal and drinks, and then a little dancing with your mate. -
Review from Josh K.
New Rochelle, NY
2/25/2011
Warning! Do not go here if you are boring, cheap, impatient and/or have an overall disdain for Latin culture... I really can't understand some the negative reviews. Are drinks expensive? A little. Does it get crowded and noisy? Yes. Will you have to wait up to an hour for a table? Possibly. However, at least from my experience, the food is delicious, plentiful and served by a very friendly and attentive waitstaff. If you have to wait for a table hang at the bar and have a shot with a pack of sexy Spanish chicks or dressy businessman looking for a fun night out.
As far as the food goes, my wife is puerto rican so dc gets the authenticity stamp. Although a bit fancier than her families cooking, the portions are the same.. Huge! Although some reviewers have inexplicably complained about this, I welcome them as tomorrows leftovers. I've had everything from the flinstones style pernil, to the snapper, steak, and apps... All delish.
Overall, it's a great atmosphere, food is fantastic and service is good. It might not be for some people, but I personally look forward to my next visit. -
Review from Denise L.
Brooklyn, NY
Awesome crew!! Went there for a friends bday dinner. My party ended being 45 minutes late and I thought the staff was going to hate us but they were extremely accommodating and super patient. A friend and I waited by the bar and made great conversation with Rose the bartender, There was a prefixed menu but our waitstaff allowed us to order outside of the menu at the same price. I ordered the Pernil and it was GIGANTIC! Barely even touched it because I was intimidated by its size,the waiter seen my puzzled look due to the big chunk of meat that he helped me cut it. We had our own birthday cake and shared it with the staff and the table next to us who gave us complimentary drinks. I would definitely return back to this restaurant (this specific location) even though a new one opened up closer to me in queens.
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Review from Paul L.
New Rochelle, NY
4/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're into eating good Puerto Rican food in what I call a club setting, hence the guy who takes your photo upon sitting (very tacky), then this is the place for you!
At the end of the day, it is just rice, beans, steak and or seafood which doesn't warrant it's price of $80.00 for 1app and two entrees but I can not complain about the taste. I guess what I couldn't get over was that I could've easily taken a 15 min ride to my mothers and gotten the same meal for free. :)
Not worth returning but if I had to, I wouldn't complain.
P.s. The Sangria was good. -
Review from Randy S.
Manhattan, NY
3/8/2011
This place was good, the food was good, but not the mind-blowing Caribbean food you can get at some dive in the Bronx or Queens. I think you are just paying for the atmosphere which is great.
I think the drinks are nice and strong and the service was very good, our waiter was very helpful in guiding us through the menu.
Our favorite dishes were the clams and the paella. A little heavy handed on the salt, but that's ok, I love salt in my food! -
Review from NICOLLE H.
Westchester County, NY
7/28/2011
Pleasant experience- nice after work spot and a really nice ambiance.
Food was ok- Sofrito's is a lot better.
Rasberry Martini absolutely to die for. -
Review from Suga S.
Ardsley, NY
6/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
You walk into this place and you feel like you are in Southbeach. The place is beautiful and so are all the people who go there. I met up with a large group of people on a Saturday night for a late night dinner. Be prepared to wait for a table because this places is packed with patrons eating dinner. There is a large bar and lounge area to have some drinks while you are waiting for a table. Later in the night, the wait staff clear some tables near the bar and make room for a dance floor. Then the d.j. comes and plays a great mixture of music while you are eating or dancing. So just go to the bar area have a drink and dance a little while you are waiting for your table. I had a glass of white sangria. That glass was huge and tasty.
When we finally sit down at the large round table, the huge plates of food start coming out. A giant platter of mixed appetizers came out first. Fried empanadas are to die for, chicharron are crispy and delicious, shredded perinl on crostini was OMG good, fried calamari were crispy and not greasy and the baked clams with some kind of creamy sauce were tasty and tender.
Then the monster size main courses come out for everyone to eat family style. Pernil was garlicky and tender, paella with lobser was yummy, the grilled skirt steak with chimmichurri sauce was tender and delicious. There is meat, rice and beans everywhere. I've died and gone to Puerto Rican heaven.
Then at the end of the meal the tres leches cake was so amazing, I loved it and the coconut flan was decent. I just personally do not pieces of coconut in the smooth flan. Then my new friends have the waiter come with a birthday flan to me with a lit candle and a big happy birthday song. Such a sweet ending to a great night.
There is a ten dollar charge for parking your car, so be prepared to pay for parking.. -
Review from Tiwana E.
Staten Island, NY
9/25/2011
Visually the place is awesome. However it is extremely pricey and the food was not that great. Drinks were good but the food was definitely sub-par. I think Sazon has better food. For all that money, I was expecting at least a good meal. I was not impressed food wise. The dancing, dance floor, and waiters were awesome and accomodating.
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Review from Laura Z.
ASTORIA, NY
12/17/2010
Don Coqui is in an old ammunition factory so the space is pretty cool - two floors, one of which is used as a dining area, the other which is a big kitchen used for cooking classes. It's a great space and all through dinner we kept commenting it'd be a perfect place to rent out - whether for a bridal shower, anniversary party, etc.
We decided to have the chef pick our courses for us, and we found the food to be delicious. First up we had crispy plantains, one topped with shrimp and one with steak. The shrimp was in a creamy sauce and it was excellent, as was the beef. I'm not too adventurous when it comes to plantains, but it was definitely a different way of eating, as opposed to a piece of bread or a chip. I'll admit I didn't finish the entire plantain, but the shrimp and steak were great.
On to the next course - a watercress, avocado and tomato salad with queso blanco and a house vinaigrette, which was a vodka dressing. I enjoyed all the toppings on the salad, thought the vinaigrette was good, and liked the combination of it all together. Watercress can be difficult to eat though, so if you were going out on a first date or an office function, I'd maybe get an appetizer or something else instead.
The next dish was our favorite. Out came a plantain crusted broiled Alaskan king crab leg, and a plantain crusted broiled clam. It was perfect timing, considering my friend revealed he never had king crab legs before. Both were soaked in butter, the crab was so sweet and the plantains were a great alternative to bread crumbs.
As we made our way to the entrees, Chef Stephanie warned us that these were only a third of the size of the typical plates. She wasn't kidding. When we saw what "real" portions looked like, let's just say my friend commented that these could feed a family of five. If you are the kind of person who wants to bring home leftovers - for your entire family - this is the place for you. These portions were unlike anything I've seen before. For example, the roasted pork Don Coqui presents its diners with is the whole leg.
We were served the plantain crusted red snapper fillet with yuca mash. I enjoyed the fillet, but my friend wasn't as big of a fan. Again, thought the plantain crust was a nice alternative, and my fish was perfectly cooked. My friend and I both agreed though that we weren't loving the main side. Yuca is another root vegetable and it was yucky (I know, I'm a dork). It felt like eating glue. If you've never tried yuca before, I'd say skip it and get another side dish instead.
We then tried the roasted pork with plantains and pigeon pea rice, which is rice with black beans. I really enjoyed this dish, and thought it was great even the next day when I had it as leftovers for lunch. The pork was very tender, and we later found out it had been braised for close to 6 hours. The rice and black beans were my favorite side dish, so maybe this could be your Yuca replacement!
By this time, I already had to slowly slide my tights down a bit because I felt so incredibly full. However, dessert was on its way. We had a trio of desserts - coconut sorbet, tres leche cake and a cheese flan. I think cheese flan was my favorite - it felt like a very rich, thick vanilla pudding. The coconut sorbet was very refreshing as well and the tres leche cake was so moist, that I had a difficult time figuring out what my second favorite dessert was. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish either, so I'll need another trip to Don Coqui to crown a second-place winner.
Throughout the dinner, a mixologist kept bringing us drinks. We had El Encanto (a bellini type drink), pear mojitos, a pineapple mojito and a mango mojito. Honestly, I was so focused on the food I kept forgetting to drink (and the mixologist kept yelling at me to drink, bringing me back to my sorority days) but I liked the El Encanto a lot since I love anything with champagne and my friend loved the pear mojitos. The pineapple mojito was a tad too sweet for me.
As we left the restaurant, we stopped in and saw a cooking class. The food that was being prepared looked great, and unlike other cooking classes I've been to in the city, this was relatively affordable, with most classes around $85. Upcoming classes include sushi & sake, and cooking with champagne. There's also cooking classes for kids, if anyone is interested in taking a niece or nephew. -
Review from Vikiana E.
Orchard Beach, MD
8/29/2011
Love love love the size of their drinks and food. I must admit im a fatty I love to eat but hey don't we all love good food. Went here for a friends bday dinner and they even custom made a menu with my friends name on it how cool is that. Their sangria huge and awesome. I had the pernil and something and it was like a whole pernil just for me holy moly. The music didn't start picking up until like 2 and by then I was too full and sleepy to want to dance. Would def like to go back here again.
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Review from Gisselle P.
Brooklyn, NY
10/19/2010
I have my share of experiences going into restaurant/lounges...... and this one is simply a disgrace. I decided to go here with a group of friends to celebrate a bday and wow we were simply surprised....... but not a good surprised..... more of a dissapointment.....
I was expecting more from this place. First of all the hostess on the second floor (ghetto as can be) was so unprofessional...... from the way she spoke to the way she dressed :( Its amazing how such a nice looking place can present itself in such a negative way!!!!!!
Anyways the hostess told us we were going to be seated within 20 mins and it took them 2 hrs to seat us... once we got seated we waited for ever to recieve our menus and water......
We ordered a plate of mixed appetizers and it wasnt all that... alot of food but the flavor was no where near typical puerto rican seasoning. :(
overall, I am just disgusted and dissapointed by this place. I will never go there again!!!!!!!! -
Review from Leigh C.
12/5/2010
Went here with a friend on a Thursday night, before Halloween weekend. It was my first time having Puerto Rican food, so I can't really compare it to anything else, but as a dining experience in itself, this place was really good. We had the clams as an appetizer. They were amazing. I find myself craving them every now and again, but unfortunately I live across the country :(
The portions were absolutely HUGE and I'm not a skimpy eater either. I had the Churrasco for my main entree and ended up taking half of my plate home. I typically don't like red sangria, but theirs were very good - not too sweet and not too strong. The atmosphere was very nice as well, but it started to get pretty loud around 9:30. Can't really complain though, by then we were tipsy enough from the sangrias to enjoy watching everyone dance. The only negative thing I can even really say, is that the later it got into the evening, the more difficult it became to get our waiter to pay attention to us. -
Review from Taisha C.
Bronx, NY
9/1/2010
Nice atmosphere, nice decor, like the music. But for a place that has so much, including chuchi valet parking, the food should have been phenomenal, and it wasn't. The appetizers were better than the entrees. My bf even had to send his shrimp mofongo back to the kitchen, it tasted awful. The paella was more about spice than flavor, and the shrimp in it were tough and rubbery.
They totally hit us over the head with the appetizer sampler. $105, are you kidding? I don't think if you bought what the sampler had a la carte it would have cost that much, holy cow. Save your money and stay local, you can find much better Latin cuisine that's not nearly as expensive. Not worth the trip to New Rochelle.Listed in: Yum Yum, Eat 'Em UP
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Review from Jessica R.
Bronx, NY
10/27/2011
This is our #1 go to place for drinks and good food. The services is always great and the food doesn't disappoint. Try their white sangria.
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Review from R B.
Bronxville, NY
2/8/2012
I've attempted to get into this place on a couple occasions but for whatever reason, never made it. I was happy that I finally got to go on a Thursday evening for dinner. This isn't the place for a cheap meal, but the money will be well spent. The food is delicious and the portions are huge. The drinks are a bit pricey. The atmosphere was nice, trendy with dimmed lighting. It does get a little loud as people try to talk over the music. Valet parking was free which was nice. (Once I got as far as the parking lot and valet was asking for $20! Don't get jipped!)
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Review from Eric G.
Bronx, NY
6/15/2011
i love the place...the food...the drinks...the atmosphere...really a nice place.
salsa thursdays are really good...always with live band and great crowd.
fridays and saturdays are a little bit more hectic...at least 2.1/2 hr wait for food...and they text u, saying that your table is ready. with all the money that there getting they should invest in electronic buzzers that light up, like everything other restaurant...lol
overall the food and drinks are off the hook thou. -
Review from Donald D.
Yonkers, NY
3/18/2012
today was the first day of restaurant week .this gives us a chance to try restaurants for the first time and not cost us as much as a normal night.we heard that don coqui was a choice so we went.all i can say is that the food was excellent. service superior, the waiters were not only prompt but very knowledgable and friendly.portions were huge we took home more than what we ate.quality was tops i recommend going here especially during restaurant week. also,the mojitos are great.we will go back again.
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Review from Debrin S.
6/14/2011
Oh where to start?! This is an experience! Come here w friends and let your hair down & bring your appetite! Authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.
Very impressed from the start. This is quite the operation- there is a lot going on! Bar, dancing, loud music, families, private parties, open kitchen, staff everywhere.
Caribean feel with ALL white drapes, chairs, benches, linens, & exposed brick, high windows, ceiling fans, hard wood floors. Comfortable, sexy, loud & yet relaxed and very pleasant. Not an easy combination/achievement- transforming! Serious people watching too!
Rosie @ the bar serves strong flavorful cocktails & is very nice. We had Mai Tais & coconut mojitos, coconut martini - excellent!
Preferred the shrimp empanadas over the chicken w guava tomato dipping sauce which found too sweet.
The arugala salad was very, very good & huge so share w your table mates! The arugala is NOT the tender young type so it's a bit more peppery & cumbersome to eat but very good acidic dressing & ample ripe avocado.
Entree: seafood risotto - huge, full of flavor- not for the slight eater, skirt steak w mofungo & shrimp- husband was in heaven & said the steak was true medium rare, 1/2 roasted chicken w gondolas & rice- OMG this was simple in concept but so delicious- chicken was full of flavor & very moist. Tried the chimichuri sauce- too vinegary so I was a bit disappointed. Gargantuan double pork chop- friend really enjoyed it, great flavor cooked properly yet didn't even make a dent!
Tres leeches cake was good but rustic & I have to say I've had much better. The "cheese" flan was custard smooth sweet heaven! Excellent espresso.
Service over all is very good. These waiters take their profession seriously & are very respectful, knowledgable, and keep your table/ settings clean/rotated. We did have to ask a few times for things but they were never disgruntled but promptly returned w our request. The manager & owners daughter America came to our table to inquire about our meals/service- she is enthusiastic and consciencouse.
Valet parking.
Gets pricy but so worth it!
Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Daniel A.
White Plains, NY
1/22/2010
I ate at Don Coqui last night (a Thursday). It was my first time there. We were immediately offered salsa lessons upon entering, but our party was there to eat, not dance. Maybe some other time...
Anyway, for dinner we had a variety of dishes, most rice based with either a meat or fish.
A few notes... the prices at DC are fairly expensive. BUT, you get massive portions of food. Each main entree could easily feed three people... the Aroz con Pollo dish was served in a dish so large you could probably bathe in it.
My problem is that the dishes are like 90% rice, so $20+ for an entree that is a few pieces of protein and then almost all rice, it's a little pricey no matter how large the portions are.
Also, if you're with a party of 4 or more, they automatically add on a 20% tip. Which i like so i dont have to do any math... i'm just glad i noticed before i accidentally left a 40% tip
Another slight problem i had was our waiter, who appeared twice... once to take our drink order, and again for our meal order, then never came back until bringing us the bill (to which we had to wave him down, for as almost 30 mins of us sitting at an empty table had passed). When i finished my beer, a busboy took the empty bottle and glass, and no one ever came back to ask me if i wanted another. Just little things that annoy me at restaurants.
So i guess the food, though pricey, was delicious, and the service was half-assed at best for us. -
Review from Myra C.
Bronx, NY
7/10/2011
Heard that the food was good but never had a chance to try it out because the SERVICE WAS HORRIBLE.
Our group tries to go out to different restaurants to try different cultures and cuisines in order to share our diverse backgrounds. I was warned that there is a long wait even with a reservation.
Don Coqui was recommended for the food so we made a reservation 2 weeks ahead for a group of 15 people at 8:00pm and was told everything was set and that a coordinator would get back to me to iron out the details.
Played phone tag with he coordinator (JOLENE RODRIGUEZ) who confirmed the above and would send me an email to confirm the details. I also asked her if there would be a long wait because I had heard that there had been issues with long waits and reservations before and she told me that is NOT a problem at their establishment. (LIE #1 from all the reviews and comments from coworkers)
The email she sent me stated that they COULD NOT take our group for 15 at 8:00pm even though she had already verbally confirmed over the phone. She wrote that they could only take our group at 5:00pm. I already told her that our group was planning on dinner and then staying for salsa dancing afterwards. - (LIE #2)
The email also had a party menu attached for GROUPS OF 8 OR MORE. I called her back and was transferred to her voicemail. I left a message to ask what happened to our original agreement and if we could split into two groups to get closer to 8:00pm if there wasn't any other choice.
Instead of returning my phone call, MS. JOLENE RODRIGUEZ, sent me an email stating that they do not take groups larger than 8. She already sent me a menu that states it is for groups of 8 OR MORE. (LIE #3)
Finally, got in touch with her on the phone, had my fiance call instead, since she wasn't returning any of my phone calls. I also sent her an email to which she didn't reply or even offer an apology. She repeated the above and was extremely rude on the phone.
I have to assume that they are not professional enough to handle more than a small group, or MS. JOLENE RODRIGUEZ is not competent enough to handle large events or keep her details/lies straight.
I was planning on having a cooking party there but now I will never eat there even though I know the owner is a friend of a friend. -
Review from Krystal H.
West Haven, CT
1/1/2012
Very nice decor, love the white theme with leather seating, def great for group. They offer HUGE portionsbdishes (and I really mean HUGE). If you order the peril pork they will literally bring out the whole thign look-alike piece of pork that you prob end up taking most of it to go and eat for lunch in the next 3 days. Portions are big but quality is just so so. Maybe it's just so much food that i got full looking at it. Their paella is OK... A little bland to me. Come on Monday night for their prefix menu, lots of food, decent taste, nice place, you'll most likely will walk out smiling.
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Review from Shaylee R.
New York, NY
6/21/2010
I came here for my friend's birthday. we had sangria, a mix of cocktails, family style appetizers that were to die for. sooo much food and soooo good that by the time my soup came around i was starting to feel full. (not a bad thing considering that I am puerto rican) the paella as the main course could feed 4 easily but I took it home and was happy to eat it the next day. the flavors were authentic and delicious. family style dessert was fabulous!
I dont normally dine at latin restaurants because I can basically cook all these dishes myself and I am known to criticize so called spanish food BUT I Loved loved loved the food here. will be making reservations for my daughter's HS graduation this week! (saves me from slaving in the kitchen and cooking) added bonus is that I get to dance some of those calories away right in don coqui after dinner.
