Caribe Spanish Restaurant & Sports Bar — Restaurant in City of Schenectady

Introduction

Coming to Carribe in Schenectady was a refreshing experience—it felt like a slice of the Bronx, New York, right up here in the Capital Region. Not only was the food great, but it also gave me a nostalgic reminder of home. I arrived with some hesitation, having been disappointed by similar spots when searching for that authentic New York taste. However, Carribe delivered the reassurance I needed: great flavors and a warm, familiar atmosphere.

What I Ordered

Oxtail (with White Rice & Sweet Plantains)

Dominican Sampler

Macaroni & Cheese

El Caribe (Cocktail)

Macaroni Salad

Breakfast Meal

Highlights:

The Oxtail was savory and perfectly cooked, accompanied by fluffy white rice and sweet plantains that balanced the meal.

The Dominican Sampler offered a variety of flavors, showcasing the restaurant’s versatility.

The Macaroni & Cheese was creamy and comforting—ideal for cheese lovers.

The El Caribe cocktail was refreshing and well-made, perfect for starting the night or a casual pre-game. Atmosphere & Seating

Caribe is a sports bar restaurant with somewhat compact seating. This can mean limited privacy during busier times, but the staff consciously tries to seat guests with space in mind. I appreciated their awareness of customers’ comfort, as they were careful not to seat parties too close to each other when possible. On a Saturday afternoon (which was relatively quiet), I still found it cozy and inviting. Service

The staff was wonderful—friendly, attentive, and ready with helpful recommendations. Their genuine care for patrons’ satisfaction stood out from the moment I walked in. They take pride in their food and create a positive experience for everyone who visits. Pricing & Portions

From photos online, I initially assumed the portions might be small—particularly for the Oxtail. However, in person, I found them quite satisfying. The meals may seem a bit pricey, but considering the food quality and the authentic flavors, I felt it was worth the cost. Remember that the bill can add up quickly if you order multiple entrées and cocktails. Recommendations

For First-Time Visitors or Dates: Stick to one meal and one drink to avoid sticker shock. The food and beverages are tempting enough that you might want more, but the final bill can sneak up on you.

Group Size: Given the limited seating, a party of 2–4 people is ideal. Larger groups may find maneuvering inconvenient if someone needs to get up frequently.

Favorite Dishes: The Oxtail and the Dominican Sampler are must-tries for an authentic taste of Carribe’s specialties.

Final Thoughts

Caribe provides a comforting hometown feel with robust Caribbean flavors, friendly service, and a lively sports bar vibe. If you’re looking for an authentic taste reminiscent of the Bronx, this spot in Schenectady is worth a visit—plan your ordering strategy so you’re prepared for the final bill. Enjoy the cocktails and savor the flavors that remind...

We have been to this new neighborhood restaurant 3 times in the past 3 weeks, and have been in love with every dish we’ve tried. The menu is inspired by homemade Spanish/Caribbean/Dominican food from what our server explained.

On our first visit we tried the To Go menu. The restaurant has a To Go menu as well as a dine In menu. The To Go food is on display in a hot plate setting and the staff was very excited to explain each dish that was available. It was so nice to be able to see all of the different food and many dishes we were not familiar with. We ordered the Jerk Chicken and Fried Chicken both with rice and beans. The jerk chicken was a good portion and was flavorful and delicious. The Fried Chicken was well cooked, and with some hot sauce it was amazing. The Rice and Beans are so well seasoned, they really brought the dish together.

Our second visit we sat in the restaurant. I appreciate the well lit restaurant, the booths were very comfortable and everything is clean and new. We started our meal with the vegetarian sampler, which included fried Plantains, Sweet Plantains and the STAR Of the dish FRIED CHEESE, can I just say, the cheese was so flipping good, I already couldn’t wait to go back for more. My husband ordered Ox Tails and I had the Garlic shrimp. Neither one of us had ever tried ox tails, and they were tender, had amazing seasoning and the Au Jus was delicious, we both decided it would have been awesome with some crusty bread to soak up, but since there was no bread, my husband put his rice in the dish, that was the best decision we didn’t want to waste all of that goodness. My garlic shrimp were probably some of the best seasoned shrimp I’ve had from a restaurant. If you love garlic and shrimp, you will love this Dish. I also added my Rice to the garlic sauce, perfect combo.

Our third visit (kicking myself for not getting pictures) we sat at the bar. The stools were comfortable, the music is catchy but a little loud. The bartender was very nice, and explained some of the specialty drinks. We ordered the Dominican Sampler and Cheesy Potato Sticks. The sampler included Tostones, sweet plantains, boneless fried chicken, chicharron (fried pork belly), fried salami, and fried cheese. Everything was delicious especially the fried pork belly, which the bartender let us know you can order on its own, which we will definitely be doing to get a larger portion. The cheesy potato sticks were so crispy on the outside and creamy potato cheese goodness on the inside. Both came with a simple sauce. For dinner my husband had the grilling marinade chicken that he was throughly impressed with. I had the Roasted Pork, it was so tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned.

We are excited to try more things on the menu.

They have a parking lot behind the building if there isn’t any parking available...

I bought one mofongo for me and a friend to share. She had a water and I had a soda. When we were done I asked the young tall male waiter if I can use my card for the tip because I had no cash. What he failed to tell me is that the tip would be taken out automatically, but instead he told me I can give a tip when I get to the counter. I was in a rush & I didn't look at the receipt. That was my fault not to look at it, but I was charged for the tip when I sat to eat- in. I only had one mofongo & a soda. We sat at a table which the young guy should have told me the tip gets taken out automatically, but he did not. I kind of wonder if he does this to other people to get double tipped. Anyway I was charged $49. When I seen my receipt I automatically called them back & guess who answered the phone? The young waiter. Do you know he finally tells me that the tip was taken out automatically when he should have told me that instead of telling me I have to do it at the register. Instead of offering me a free meal all he did was explain what happened and why I was charged so much, when I already knew that & that's why I was calling. He definitely didn't want to refund me the double tip he took. I didn't even get a sorry for the misunderstanding. Anyway I guess it was my fault for not looking at my receipt. But I want others to beware when you sit to eat here. I know I'm not the first. He probably does this on a daily basis. That was the most expensive mofongo I ever had. $49? 🤦🏻‍♀️ You live...