Patacon Pisao — Restaurant in New York

dang, what happened to this place.. I live a block from here and I've had everything on their menu with my go-to's with the gringo tacucho, the chicken empanadas, and the reina arepa..

I can understand the increase in pricing with the world we live in now.. but it's a bit of a sharp increase where you might question it.. Considering the increase in price, you'd think the service and food have gotten better or at least stayed consistent but charging for extra sauce is crazy with the little cups they give you.. before they had a little station to take as much as you want which I loved cuz they had 3 different sauces.. I only really preferred 2 of em so I wasn't so greedy with it, but ordering a tacucho (like the size of a burrito) giving me one cup of sauce and charging me for more just gave me a sour taste in my mouth..

They raised the price of the empanadas too which again I understand, but to the point where it kinda didn't make sense, I never ordered them again cuz I can just go a couple blocks away for half the price for something that's just as good, as i said i lived a block away so it was really the convenience factor for me for good empanadas.. so taste is not the factor there, it's the price.. and again charging more for sauces..

The sauces are good so I'd use a whole cup on one empanada, but when I order a set of 3, I want 3 cups and charging more for something I feel is already a bit pricey just doesn't make me want to order it again...

Can't complain about the Reina since it's been consistently delicious and the price increase is understandable and didn't change by a lot so I guess I can recommend that..

Also, if you're gonna order the soup, don't order the rice and salad with it.. rice tastes like plastic which is weird and the salad is sad.. haven't ordered it in awhile but off the menu they'll decrease the price if you take it out.. well, when I ordered it anyway which was more than a year ago..

Also, this might be preference for some.. but they have a seasonal(?) watermelon juice.. it's literally just blended watermelon.. coulda used some sugar or something cuz I was disappointed I ordered something I could have made at home by just blending a literal...

Writing a review is a double edge sword. On one hand, the review aught to be about the deliciousness and savory food that can keep you going back for more.

In this review the food is the highlight. The cachapas, patatacons & the drinks are the star. It's what kept me going back.

However, the other side of the sword is what I need to highlight. Every establishment needs a polite, respectful & professional staff. Last night, this is what it did not have. A pretty face behind the counter shouldn't be the only factor behind a successful establishment.

No professional and or polite staff would see a customer infront of them and totally be indifferent. I was not acknowledge even after i stood by counter to finnish them gossip. I was the only customer at the time. One female stated that she thought i was "just standing" there for what it appeared to feel like minutes. That's how i was finally acknowledged!?. No one said hello. Instantly, I was baffled why would staff ask me that. Isn't standing by counter what a customer does before saying "hello, I'd like to order..." I finally place my order. I can easily savor the food in mind and was looking forward to the sauce on top of the deliciousness. So I decided to order extra sauce. I payed the extra $1.50. But , after arriving home and opening the bag I only found the additional sauce I ordered. Yes, I was shortened sauce. Not only did I order and expect sauce with it but, I payed extra and was shortened. Was it payback for standing by the counter and stating that I was just standing there!? (Mocking the staff?) How many customers have they treated as such?!

I will say that the food was ok & Meets standards. but on the other hand This experience was turn off and I probably won't go back. I AM ALSO NOT SURE WHAT THE BETTER BUSINES BEAURU WOULD SAY AND DO ABOUT THIS...

The paradise for Venezuelan food lovers! Arepas, cachapas, patacones, yoyos, tacuchos, pepitos…so many items I want to try—I need more trips to exhaust the menu! The classic patacón, a green plantain sandwich, is full of flavors! It has a huge amount of shredded chicken, golden crispy queso blanco, and crunchy veggies. You can take it to the next level by drizzling it with more sauces! La Gorda cachapa is my favorite! I love how you can taste the sweet corn in the golden yellow corn crepe. It’s stuffed with a generous amount of mozzarella and bacon, making it so comforting and hearty. Topped with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, it’s even more indulgent! The Cubana arepa is a mouthwatering combination of savory ham, well-seasoned pork, creamy fried cheese, and tangy, refreshing salsa verde. It’s a great choice for a balanced, satisfying meal. The cheese breadsticks, tequeños, are impressive. The outer bread shell is fried to be wonderfully crispy and airy, complementing the warm cheese perfectly. For drinks, we got passion fruit juice, sugarcane lemonade, and chicha. Chicha, a popular sweet rice milkshake in Venezuela, has a rich consistency and the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon powder. It feels like drinking...