La Taza De Oro
Category: Latin American [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Chelsea96 8th Avenue
(between 14th St & 15th St)
New York, NY 10011 (212) 243-9946
- Nearest Transit:
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
14th St-7th Aves (1, 2, 3, F, V, L)
14th Street (PATH)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
21 Reviews for La Taza De Oro
This place is great for catching lunch on a busy day. The service is quick and the food is authentic. Not really a group restaurant, come here alone. My friend says it's akin to an American diner.
I am still amazed by how different Spanish is in different countries. Next time I come I'll remember to ask for "habichuelas" not "frijoles"!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I live with a Puerto Rican and he is the only one who can make better beans. I always liked the Mofongo (plantains that are sliced and fried, then mashed with garlic, molded and cooked in a beef broth) and Mondongo (tripe stew with carribean vegetables).
Cafe con leche is great. I am saddened though that the little place called Sucelt on 14th street closed. It was run by a charming woman from Argentina and closed after decades of service to the community.
To add to another yelper's post here, you should be aware that Malta is very very sweet. It was used in Puerto Rico to make skinny kids heavier. Remember that before you give up your Diet Pepsi for this more authentic drink.
Flan and coconut custard- both delish and only 2 bucks! Friendly waitstaff and Spanish music give it and authentic homey vibe. A little nostalgia for Texas kicked in, and I felt warmer immediately.
I miss you so much.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
03/05/2008
I love rubbing elbows and hobnobbing with the locals.
It's obvious from the first step inside this… Read more »
very old school diner style place with different menu items every day of the week. their ox-tail was decent. i've had better at las vegas california hotel if you know where that is... but, one of the only ox-tail places that i know in the area. their fried chicken is tasty. my bf ate everything on his plate. our friend had the cod salad. only get this if you don't like meat! matter of fact, don't come here is you are a vegetarian. their vegetarian food was not that great.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I'm always trying to show my son new dining experiences even if he won't remember them when he's older. So really, I just like to have new dining experiences, but I use him as an excuse. Kids are great for that. If I don't feel like going out at night, I blame the kids. Arrived at your party late? I blame the kids. If I left the seat up, I blame the kids. You should get yourself some kids and see how much easier they make your life.
I must have passed this restaurant a thousand times, every time cursing their Spanish-language signs. "Speak English!" I'd say to myself, "USA! USA! USA! Freedom!"
But eventually I saw their Spanish signage not as an affront to America, but rather an indication that I lived in a gigantic, lovely, melting pot - as opposed to Poland, which has one black person who was immediately put in a soap opera. I realized that Spanish people speaking Spanish was not the end of the world. I immediately stopped patrolling the border, resigned my membership in the Minutemen, and refused to return Pat Buchanan's calls.
One of the best indications of an ethnic restaurant being good is if it's filled up with expatriates. Much like hearing Mandarin makes me feel good about Joe's Shanghai, hearing Spanish makes me feel good at La Taza. If they like it, it must be authentic. And if it's authentic, it's probably good. Unless they eat goat eyes.
But, they don't eat goat eyes, I'm happy to say. The daily specials are posted in both English and Spanish - bilingual signs being as American as apple pie. And flan.
We had the beef noodle soup - delicious. Rice and beans were excellent. The roast pork was delightful and filled me with enough sodium to start my own ocean. As if to pretend I can eat healthy, I had a salad with avocado slices.
Had I seen the coffee reviews here, I'd have tried the coffee. As it was, I ordered the mango soda for my son. He took two sips and opted for water after that. Another attempt to teach my son about soda from other cultures was shattered.
We'll definitely be back, even if I have to skip work - in which case I will obviously blame my son.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (1)
With all the development that's going on in the area, I hope this cafe stays afloat because it's great for the daily specials which are under $10. I love that I can be in and out of here well fed in 15 mins or less.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This place is really close to where I work and sometimes I stop in for a cup of cafe con leche. It's only a buck.
You can order a larger one but they serve it in a soup bowl, which feels a bit odd, so my rec is to just get a small cup for one dollar. You really can't beat that, it's nice and strong.
I've heard the food here is good, but I've only had the coffee. There are specials listed by the day on the board.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This place is right near where I work so when I'm not too busy I try to go pretty regularly. A friend turned me on to them about 4 years ago and I've never had even an average meal. My favorite is the Ropa Vieja -- delicious shredded beef in sauce with some veggies. Pour this over the yellow rice, mix with the beans, mop it up with the bread and you're in business.
And even though they're slammin' busy -- the staff always makes an effort to serve you quickly ... and with a smile. For take out, order at the counter towards the back. Don't worry, the people eating at the counter you're crowding are too excited about the food to notice you or be bothered.
Oh, and as the other yelp'er said -- the coffee is great.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Great Rican food. This is down home Latin food - try the carne guisado, pasteles, tostones, rice and beans - all to die for. Unlike other reviewers, I love the old feel of this place - the carved paintings, old tables, and the smell of sofrito. Reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen when I was a little.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I love this place. My cousin intro'd this place to me.
Great food, cheap prices.
Service is basic, the waiters are not there to charm you, just to serve you your meal. But never rude.
Good variety of items on the menu.
They have daily specials.
Baked pork chops & chicken with rice and beans are good.
Cafe con leche (Coffee with milk) is also very good.
Parking could be a hassle but never a pain.
Cash only.
Small place, I wouldn't recommend exceeding a party of 4.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The thing about NYC is that the coffee sucks. Basically dirty brown water that despite lacking in favor carries a big nasty bitter after taste. There's a reason when why Ny-ers order a regular coffee (pronounced "coffee regular") it comes with milk and sugar. That Starbucks has taken over Manhattan changes little, the coffee in Starbucks is just as bad, usually burned and twice the price. But! What NY does have --- the secret to every good morning in the city is cafe con leche (Spanish coffee)
This is my favorite Coffee shop in NYC --- primarily because I walk by it from the subway to my studio, buts it's also really good. And the food is really good as well.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
Simple, healthy, fast food -- and ambience up the wazoo! This place is bustling midday with a diverse lunch crowd, but if you go alone, you should be able to grab a seat at the counter.
I tried the beef stew because today is cool and rainy, and it was perfect comfort food. Four pieces of juicy beef and about half a potato comes along with a plate of yellow rice and black beans. Delicious!
There's a bit of a system you need to figure out. The menu is posted outside and above the counter, so please save folks some time and effort by not asking for a menu. The menu changes daily! That means you can go several times a week and still mix it up. If you're ordering takeout, walk all the way to the back to place your order. They'll give it to you, and you pay on the way out -- just like the people who eat in.
And try the cafe con leche! I didn't today, and I'm kicking myself. What I wouldn't give for a cafe con leche.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (4)
I've never had real authentic PR food before. My friend who is PR took me there and was happy to have found a place that reminds him of home. He likes the food there, and likes the staff there. They are friendly and talk to you about various things. If they notice you haven't been there in a while they'll welcome you back. Very friendly atmosphere.
They display art from local artists on the walls each week, which is pretty cool, you get good food and art.
They make a damn good chueltas fritas aka fried pork chops. They have some mojito to go with it which just makes it better. That's garlic. The rice and beans go great with the chuletas. The steak and onions are also good. But bring a mint if you want to talk or kiss anyone afterwards. Their soups are hearty and home made.
If you go there enough, they even give you a free dessert, jello or flan.
One time my friend got too excited and when he tried to cut his pork chop it knocked the other one off the plate and onto the floor. The staff then got him another one! What's not to like about this place?
Only gripe, they are closed sundays...booo.....turkey is only on saturday so know the schedule and be ready to eat!
i stop here whenever i'm in the neighborhood, good quick attentive service and delicious food...
My Puerto Rican friend brought me here one night for dinner because I've never had PR food. I totally loved it, and I don't understand why there aren't more Puerto Rican restaurants.
We usually go there at night. Its crowded, but we can always find a table. Even though the people who work there are all Mexican, they really do Puerto Rican food justice, or so my friend says. The service is minimal, but quite good. The food gets out very soon.
Here's how my friend & I usually order: We each get rice & beans and share a meat, avacado, and something else. Then we just eat everything all together. Oh, and they also have Goya juices, so you have to get one of those if you don't want coffee. I've never tried the cafe con leche, but I'm sure its delicious.
Our bill came out to be a little over $16, which was a great deal considering how full we were.
Oh, and I know that a dance floor would totally throw off the diner style feel of the place, but the music is so great that I always want to start salsa-ing around La Taza De Oro
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (3)
Supremely excellent Chicharrones. I really liked this Puerto Rican Taxi driver hangout when I used to work near by. Unfortunately I only discovered it in my last week there and now I work in midtown (booooo!). Good cheap eats, perfect ambience for what it is.
I tried La Taza de Oro out for dinner recently off the recommendation of my Spanish friend, and despite the extremely affordable cost and BYOB option, I can't give it more than 1 star.
It's a simple Puerto-Rican diner-type restaurant, with formica tables along the side wall and a long counter on the other. The menu changes daily, and when I went on Monday we ordered the salad ($3.50), baked pork chops ($7.50), and beef stew ($6.75). My unfortunate baked pork chops came out looking and tasting like pork jerky; it was a huge portion, but they were grossly overcooked. The beef stew my boyfriend ordered came out in a TINY bowl and tasted like it came out of a Campbell's beef stew can. The only things that were good were the rice and beans and the coffee.
Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but until I go back (if I ever do) this rating stays.
La Taza De Oro, or the Cup of Gold, is just that. AMAZING cafe con leche, great breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a friendly Puerto Rican staff. Their prices seem out of place in South Chelsea/West Village...you get so much for so little! After I stumbled upon this find one morning, I made the ostentatious claim that I was going to eat here every single morning. While I haven't kept my word literally, La Taza De Oro is worth any visit, be it on a regular basis or just once in awhile.
A diner by another name, with extremely authentic, extremely affordable and extremely simple Puerto Rican fare - done right. Menu changes daily and if you ask nicely they're good about substitutions of sides, etc
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Great, super-cheap Puerto Rican food. Plus, ridiculously strong Puerto Rican-style cafe con leche.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Chefs el Mundo
I've started to believe that everyone south of… -
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
Chelsea, What I See
I just started a new job in a new neighborhood.…
Hot and New
- Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca
187 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Greenwich Village
- 124 Old Rabbit Club
16 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Greenwich Village
- Angel's Share
139 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village
- Clinton St. Baking Company
149 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Lower East Side
- The Jakewalk
13 reviews
Neighborhood: Brooklyn/Gowanus