Castillo de Yaque — Restaurant in New York

I was torn between giving 3 or giving 4 stars, to this place. It's important, that I explain. I've been going to this restaurant, since it opened. When it first opened, up until, the new employee (the female), who are operating it now, this place, was always packed with people, phone ringing off the hook, with orders. The service, was always great and the employees, were welcoming and friendly. It was a 5 ⭐'s. Fast forward, to when I last went there, a few weeks ago. I went in, with a friend and he ordered. The female there, was totally ignoring him. I figured that she didn't hear him but after a while, I realized that, yes, she purposely, ignored me. My friend turns around, looks at me and tells me, "she doesn't like me". I tell him, "this is no way, to run a business. Why would she be playing, with the owners business (her pay as well) just because, she doesn't like someone. I told my friend, "we're leaving, If she doesn't like you, then she doesn't like me" and it was obvious because, she saw that I was with him and she wouldn't even look at us or acknowledge that we were there, along with her face, displaying an attitude. The male on the other hand, welcomed us and smiled, genuinely. The reason my friend went to the female, is because the male was very busy. I have been around that neighborhood for 50 years and I have never, encountered a person, with such a nasty attitude. I don't get, why some people, get jobs, where, they have to interact with people but they're not a people person or have any manners or respect, with people, who are essentially, paying their wage. SMH. Other than that, the male is a respectable gentleman and the food...

Ok so just moved to the area from Harlem where I used to frequent the uptown Dominican restaurants in Washington heights. Ordered from this expecting something of the same quality. Unfortunately the food was lackluster at best.

I ordered two lunch specials one with pernil (roast pork) and another with chicken. Not only did it take them just over an hour to do the delivery but then I’m charged for a different amount that I was quoted over the phone for.

Now I could of forgiven all of that if the food has been at least as good as the reviews led one to believe but unless you have never had Dominican or even Spanish food you would be hard pressed to consider the food anything but mediocre. The Maduros weren’t even MADURO! (Aka ripe ). The pernil was dry and bland and of course they didn’t supply ya with any sauce or even the customary salt and pepper. Our lemonade came in a bloody plastic container similar to what soups come in. The rice and beans were ok. The chicken my friend got was good though we ended up splitting it cause I could barely finish my pernil and I have never had such bad maduros except when I tried cooking them and learned that one has to wait until the plantain is ripe if one wants...

Had my in-laws from Santo Domingo that I drove from Albany NY to NYC so mother in law visit sister. They all say food is outstanding and I think so too. Bought Pollo, ensalada, flan, arroz with gandules, yucca. Staff is humble. Wish we had restaurant like this upstate. Although we have couple Dominican restaurants, the food is nothing in comparison to Awesome Castillo de Yaque. When I bring my wife and kids down soon to visit relatives, we will be sure to get our food here. My family has very high standards in food and this place meets our expectation. I almost forgot they have traditional Spanish coffee, I watched it made in Expresso machine. One of the best tasting coffees on earth, made to perfection. I wish I knew the brand, I would make...