Here is the most updated list of Puerto Rican / Caribbean restaurants in California. Unfortunately we have seen many great Puerto Rican restaurants come and go in the past 10 years, so please bookmark these restaurants and check them out if you are in the area!

If you see a Puerto Rican restaurant (or a place that serves Puerto Rican food) that is not on this list, please email me and let me know, thank you!

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

ALAMEDA COUNTY

MARIN COUNTY

SACRAMENTO COUNTY

Sol Cubano

Restaurant

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY

Parada 22

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

ORANGE COUNTY

Senor Big Ed

Restaurant

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

San Juan BBQ

Restaurant

🗨️ San Juan BBQ Info and Reviews

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

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52 comments

  • Rose m nieves

    Que lindo , This is great that you put together, this site for all of your Ricans . I have live in califorina, for 27 years and now I live in los vegas. I dont recall a puerto  Rican  restaurant in that area. Can you tell me if you know of a good one in vegas. Thank s and again keep up the good work.  RNieves

    February 16, 2010 at 3:07 pm Reply

  • admin

    Hi Rose and thank you!

    There use to be a Puerto Rican Restaurant in Las Vegas called “El Coqui Caribbean Restaurant” but unfortunately they closed! 🙁

    I will keep a look out for you for any Las Vegas or Nevada Puerto Rican Restaurants.

    Also if any of you know of any Puerto Rican Restaurants please let me know! You can post it here as a comment and I will add it to the page!

    February 16, 2010 at 6:51 pm Reply

  • Charlie

    I have been looking to do something like this but you beat me to it.  Thats great, because there are so many of us Boriquas in Cali.  From the High Desert, Victorville, Ca.

    February 16, 2010 at 7:21 pm Reply

  • Charlie

    In Las Vegas there is a Floridas Cafe (Cuban), its’ the closest you will get to Puerto Rican Food.

    February 16, 2010 at 7:22 pm Reply

  • admin

    Hey Charlie! Thank you for the suggestion. Glad you could join us! We’re just getting started and I’m sure you can contribute a lot. Have a great week!

    March 3, 2010 at 11:17 pm Reply

  • Carlos Guerra

    I am so glad that we have this site because what has me baffled is our lack of restaurants but I think I know know why. My family frequented a restaurant in South Gate named “My Old San Juan” that had a fabulous cook.
     
     
    My wife and I frequented their establishment 2 to 3 times per week spending good money and would always leave their waitress a generous tip. One day I spoke with the cook who would often sit with her Patrons and hold friendly conversations. I suggested that she should add “Mondongo” to their menu. She was at first extremely resistant to my suggestion because she stated that she has owned restaurants for the majority of her life and as a cooks knows what sells.
     
     
    I told her that I was a successful business man and knew that “Mexicans” love “Menudo” in California and that our Puerto Rican “Mondongo” was a lot better then their Menudo which by the way offended my Mexican wife, until she tried our Menudo and agreed!
     
     
    I called the restaurant several times until they finally placed it on their Menu & painted it on their windows and guess what?
     
     
    They kept selling out of Mondongo and could not keep enough of it in stock how about that!!!  I know because I came and ordered some Mondogo and was told that they sold out, go figure. I know they will not give me credit for this but this is a true story. But they eventually close their doors because I was told the partners Allegedly could not get along?
     
     
    The moral of this story is Mexicans will love Mondogo in California, so sell it! Stop trying to sell them just Pasteles!

    March 7, 2010 at 1:02 pm Reply

  • Gina Bet

    Hello. I would really love to try Puerto Rican food. But I live in Los Angeles, do you know if there’s one around downtown L.A. or near because N.H. is a little bit far for me… Thanks

    May 10, 2010 at 8:55 pm Reply

  • chico castillo

    Viva Puerto Rico!!!! All the way from Marina Del Rey

    May 24, 2010 at 3:21 pm Reply

  • Charles Batista

    Hey Gina, North Hollywood is only 15 minutes from downtown.  Go try El Mofongo on Lankershim.  You’ll enjoy it.

    Hey Carlos Guerra, que romance tienes tu con el Mondongo.   :-)   I’m glad you got to enjoy it if only for a brief time.

    June 1, 2010 at 1:59 pm Reply

  • Juan Ramon

    @Carlos Guerra – that is usually the case.  No se porque but we end up peleando por estupideces.  It’s too bad the restaurant closed.  Yo se they would’ve been sucesivo so tuvieron peleando or ser celoso.  I used to live in Oakland, CA and there as a puerto rican restaurant.  They only lasted tres (o cuarto) anos.  I don’t know why they shut down, but el unico restaurant puertorriqueno is in san rafael.  I know cause yo voy a dia de los muertos and then go out to eat with my friends.  Que lastima que no podemos a tener algo que dures.

    June 27, 2010 at 4:13 pm Reply

  • Mellowymala

    Hello,

    I went to CT, Bridgeport to be exact with my ex….I fell in love with this empanada looking dish. It had ground beef and cheese I believe. He took me to a littke whole in the wall that was like a takeout deli-ish place….Just wondering if anyone knew the name of this particular food. It was delish

    August 8, 2010 at 11:48 am Reply

  • Carlos Guerra

    To Charles Batista and Juan Ramon : Charles, my family has to try Monfongos that you have recommended because it sounds really good!  In fact I will have to try some of the local restaurants mentioned on the CaliRicans.Com website.
     
    And Juan you are correct because our restaurants seem to start doing well and then close down for petty reasons and that is truly sad. We all know that our Mexican brothers love their Menudo and when the Mexican waitress of my favorite PR restaurant convinced the owners to put Mondongo on the menu they could not keep enough in stock but their response was that they could not sell their other products. Well raise the price of your Mondogo and make money that way! Oye mi gente what is going on!!!
     
    But like Charles Batista stated we have to support their restaurants but they also should listen to their clientele as well. Charles listed several positive suggestions on my blog on this website which if owners read their restaurant businesses would do better in my humble opinion.

    August 9, 2010 at 12:11 pm Reply

  • carlos

    I visited Sol Food in San Rafael…..very far from where i live (sacramento) but the food was off the hook….should definately take the drive

    November 30, 2010 at 11:08 pm Reply

  • Angel Rivera

    Hola a todo mi Gente. I live in Buena Park, Califas And I just want to say that  “Senor Big Eds Puerto- Rican Reasturant in Cypress CA  is the greatest place to eat your favorite Boricua comida. Soy Boriqueno 100% and single and is looking for that one special Foxy Rican who knows how to cook in and out of the kichen.  My intentions are very sincere so I’am respectfully using this avenue to try and touch someones heart. Ckeck out my My Space or Facebook page and send me a message. Only serious ladys please apply. Ofcoure I am only praying for one. Happy New Year 2011, Lets start this new year and become Grand Parents together. 
                                                       Con carino y mucho mas.

    January 2, 2011 at 5:32 pm Reply

  • M. Vasquez

    I’m going to try Big Ed’s in Cypress tomorrow! I’m JapRican and since my grandmother in New York has been too ill to make pasteles I’ve had no recourse living in Orange County, for anything close to her pasteles. There’s plenty of sushi here but not enough Puerto Rican cuisine! Thanks for the lead.

    January 13, 2011 at 4:07 pm Reply

  • melinda

    Hola Angel

      lei tu comentario, interesante se te oye sincero, yo tambien soy boricua 100% , no he ido a el festival de San Dimas pero fui al de long beach hace un tiempo, pero estuvo chevere…
    no vivimos tan lejos de uno al otro…
    HAPPY VALENTINES TO ALL THE BORICUAS :) 

    February 8, 2011 at 1:35 pm Reply

  • Virginia Rivera Holdinski

    Happy Valentines Day to all our beautiful people.

    Virginia at the beach

    February 11, 2011 at 2:54 pm Reply

  • Rafael Garcia Carrion

    Hello Borinqueno’s
    I live in the Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles and I make traditional Puerto Rican Pasteles.  Pasteles in Spanish literally means pastry or cake.  However, in the dialect of Puerto Rican, un Pastel is a Puerto Rican Tamale, so to speak,  One has to have an acquired taste for this delicacy.  The dough is made up with a mixture of plantains, potatoes and poi/tarrot root or as we say in Puerto Rico, to the best of my spelling ability, yautia.   At home, my mother always made her pasteles with beef.  I was in my thirties when I learned that most people eat pasteles with pork.   So, I make my traditional beef pasteles and I will also make them with pork.  My wife recently suggested I try shrimp.  Guess what, it turned out pretty good.  So I will make more shrimp pasteles.  A co-worker is a vegetarian and so I am going to try pasteles with diffenet cheeses to see which cheese will blend well with the unique flavor and texture of los pasteles.  My mother was from Yuquiyu (Luquillo) Carrion Mercado and my father was from Vieques, Garcia Rivera.  They came to N.Y. in the early thirties and I was born in the Bronx.   I’m a Vietnam Vet. My brother Greg is a Korean War vet.  My brother Joe was on board a destroyer during the Cuban Missile crisis and my Tio Benigno was in WW II.  I was looking up the Borinquen Post of the American Legion in Cali when I ran into this site. God Bless – California Ralph

    April 2, 2011 at 7:44 pm Reply

  • Jose Luis

    There any website that i can buy souvenirs from Puerto rico?

    April 20, 2011 at 4:53 pm Reply

  • admin

    Jose Luis, there is a great site I have purchased souvenirs from: Souveniles de Puerto Rico http://souveniles.com Enjoy 🙂

    April 26, 2011 at 9:02 pm Reply

  • Natie

    My family had a Puerto Rican/Mexican Restaurant in Pasadena, CA.  It has since closed.  I know there was a Cuban restaurant on Sierra Madre Blvd. cross street Michilinda.  Same shopping center as Albertsons.  However, I have not been there in a while since I moved away from the area.  I also remember there was a great Cuban/Puerto Rican restaurant in Glendale.  I can’t remember the name now.  If anyone knows about it, let us know.  I am in the process of checking with some friends that advised me of Puerto Rican restaurants in LA county. When I know I will definitely pass the word.  Thank you for doing this.  I am sure it is a lot of work.  I know I appreciate the effort you put into updating this website!  I am sure I am not the only Rican around here that appreciates it!!  Huepa!!!!  Thanks again!!

    April 27, 2011 at 1:59 am Reply

  • Empanatie's :)-

    Ah Driante!!  I forgot to mention, I make killer Empanadas!!  I make them fresh to order.  I live in the San Gabriel Valley and deliver (in the San Gabriel Valley).  I make them with beef, pork, or chicken.  I also make veggie ones for our vegetarian friends.  If you want to order some, post a message here and I will check into it for you.  If you do not live in the area, I can ship them to you!!  I have shipped them to Chicago, New York, Maine, Oregon, Texas, and of course all over California.  For information, post a message to “Empanatie’s” :)~  I will follow up with you.  Que viva Puerto Rico!!

    April 27, 2011 at 2:13 am Reply

  • Cafetera

    The Cuban restaurant in Glendale is called Portos and it’s on Brand Avenue. It’s delicious and it’s very affordable

    June 8, 2011 at 12:42 pm Reply

  • Cafetera

    Here’s all the info, Porto’s actually has three locations, one in Downey, Burbank and the original in Glendale

    Porto’s BakeryPorto’s Bakery, 315 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91203-2303
    (818) 956-5996  http://www.portosbakery.com/bakery/all

    Also, there is a Cuban Restaurant (as close to Puertorican food as you’ll get) in Pomona: CocoPalm, 1600 Fairplex Dr.,  Pomona, CA 91768-1237, Phone (909) 469-1965, http://www.cocopalmrestaurant.com

    Good food, and they have live salsa on Friday’s w/free salsa lessons.

    June 8, 2011 at 12:51 pm Reply

  • Mike

    Does anyone knows were we can get puertorican goodies (galletas, dulces, viandas, etc…) in LA? Una “tiendita” … Email me. Mike4j@Gmail.com. Gracias a lot! =]

    June 16, 2011 at 12:27 am Reply

  • Carlos Guerra


    Oye mi Gente, don’t forget to sign up for http://www.BoricuaConnect.Com which is linked to this website and links Boricuas all over the world!

     Just sharing the information.  Btw, I am still in search of great Mondongo!  WEPA!!!

    June 30, 2011 at 1:43 pm Reply

  • Quito

    Tengo ya cuatro a?os viviendo en la ciudad de Orange, aqui en el county de Orange y solamente e conocido 3 personas de Puerto Rico, ya me estoy queriendo ir a otro estado por que la soledad me mata. Quiero conoser gente de Puerto Rico escribanme fequito1@gmail.com

    October 19, 2011 at 5:41 pm Reply

  • Andrei

    There’s another delicioso restaurante Borinqueño in Los Angeles North Hollywood area ((Mofongos)) check them out . Website and address http://www.mofongosrestaurant.com 5757 Lankershim Blvd. NoHo, CA 91601 Enjoy some Authentic Puertorican cuisine.

    July 30, 2015 at 11:04 pm Reply

  • Angel Molina

    I wish the was a Rican restaurant in Fresno or Bakersfield. 🙁

    March 1, 2016 at 11:02 pm Reply

  • Lala

    Anything in Calexico?? Or a place where I can find viandas or puertorican products?

    June 13, 2016 at 3:10 pm Reply

  • Wanda Ramos

    I live in Merced, Ca. is there a Puerto Rican restaurant about a 1 or 2 hr. radius?

    June 13, 2016 at 9:13 pm Reply

  • Bets Montage

    Senior Big Ed.
    Cypress/ Buena Park CA
    Been eating here for years.
    Really good pasteles.
    Excellent prices.

    September 23, 2017 at 12:18 pm Reply

  • Missing PRfood

    Algún restaurant boricua en Bakersfield, CA?

    December 29, 2017 at 2:52 pm Reply

  • Tony Del Valle

    Sofrito Rico Authentic Puerto Rican Cuisine
    5201 W Charleston Blvd Ste 110 (702) 822-6220, this is the restaurant in Vegas incase anyone is looking..

    March 10, 2018 at 6:52 pm Reply

  • George William Gockel

    I wanted to eat at Madre’s in Pasadena ,CA. I never went to Madre’s. I’ll eat Mofongo’s in North Hollywood,CA. and I hope sometime this year.

    April 1, 2018 at 7:43 pm Reply

  • julio zamora

    looking to buy puerto rican food—( pasteles en hoja and rice & beans) or find a store or rest. puerto rican store etc. at or in los banos, merced ca, modesto ca, stockton ca. etc., thank you if you can help 2098291787 leave message.

    July 7, 2018 at 4:28 pm Reply

  • quepasa@att.net

    looking to buy pasteles at a Puerto Rican STORE at MODESTO CALIFORNIA or STOCKTON CALIFORNIA can not find a Putero Rican store, CAN ANYONE HELP , if you can please send info to zamora-julio@att.net, THANK YOU ZAMORA.

    July 7, 2018 at 4:35 pm Reply

  • RAFY VILA

    Los pasteles de Mr. Eds, si no hay mas na estan bien. Mofongos me cobro $25 por un mofongo de camarones una alcapurria y una botella de aGUA. I DON’T THINK SO. eN ISLA VERDE hAY UN RESTAURANT BRUTAL QUE HACEN UN MOFONGO DELICIOSO DE CAMARON CON 2 ALCAPURRIAS Y UNA COCA COLA POR s17.99
    De ahi sales y te das la vuelta del Jibaro, Viejo San Juan, te paras alfrente del morro y te comes un piragua de frambuesa y tamarindo por $1.50…Que mas?
    Aqui en el Inland Empire disfrutanfdo del calorcito. El Viernes 6 De Julio, 123 grados papa!!
    Donde estan Los Boricuas? Donde estan Los Harlistas Boricuas? Cono!!

    July 10, 2018 at 2:48 pm Reply

  • Liz Cedeño

    Saludos a todos;

    Acabo de llegar a Merced, Ca. Ya nos estamos re estableciendo para pronto poder promocionar nuestro sofrito, pasteles de masa y de yuca. Son de cerdo y pollo. Además, hacemos coquito Puertorriqueño y de otros sabores. El único inconveniente que tenemos es que no conocemos Puertorriqueños donde vivimos en Merced, Turlock, Modesto, Stockton, Lodi, Ceres y Los Baños. Para más información puede comunicarse al email liz.cedeno.lc@gmail.com

    October 13, 2018 at 9:30 am Reply

  • julio zamora

    can not buy puerto rican pasteles or hawaiian pasteles south of CA, like modesto,merced, stockton,los banos,,,CA—-IF YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN BUY PASTELES, E-MAIL ME AT quepasa2quepasa@att.net—-INFO ON THE INTERNET NO HELP !!!!

    December 10, 2018 at 3:01 pm Reply

  • Yolanda Cora

    I recently went to Caribbean Corner in Palmade! Delicious, authentic & personable. They opened November 2018. On 03/09 they are hosting Cafe & Domino event as a fundraiser for Puerto Ricans In Action.

    March 9, 2019 at 12:41 am Reply

  • epi caba

    Chachis Empanadas food cart coming soon to the coachella valley. We specialize in Frituras, but mainly pastellillos. Currently we are selling pastelles in the valley. see our facebook.

    https://www.facebook.com/comidaboriquainthedesert/

    November 12, 2019 at 4:05 pm Reply

  • nancy avila and family

    we love the food of san juan bbq in riverside ca

    January 18, 2020 at 3:50 pm Reply

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  • Nermín Ortega

    Any PR restaurant in Bakersfield?
    Gracias!

    December 2, 2021 at 11:27 pm Reply