Chefito’s Latin Cuisine — Restaurant in Waco

Let's talk about Chefito in Union Grove.

As a Latino, I was excited to try a new place like this in Waco, TX. When I learned they had Puerto Rican dishes, I got even more excited.

I'm from that beautiful island called Puerto Rico. Looking at the menu, I realized they had several dishes from my island on the menu.

The excitement and desire to visit this place led me to Chefito in Union Grove; but I didn't expect what I discovered.

Everyone knows the only place to get authentic Puerto Rican food is in Killeen.

But driving for almost an hour every time you crave something similar isn't an option.

When I arrived, I saw they had Mofongo, Rice and Peas, Yuca Frye, and Pastelillos.

And so, coincidentally, my order was large just as excitement, but the reality hit me fast.

It's not that it was bad, but the flavor of good Puerto Rican food wasn't found in any of the dishes. The mofongo had a good flavor, but we didn't mix the meat with the mofongo, so the meat didn't have the flavor we usually give to meat. They added too much water to the rice, so the rice wasn't cooked properly. Plus, it didn't have enough salt to give it the flavor that a good Puerto Rican rice has.

That's not even considering the spices or the "sazon" (seasoning) from my country.

The mayo ketchup, a sauce we used for some dishes in Puerto Rico, was a strange mix with a touch of mustard and some spices.

I also bought some cheese pupusas, which wasn't too bad.

The only thing I have to mention were the Ropa Vieja pastries; they were on another level.

Except for my experience at Chefito, would I give it another try? Yes.

I was left wanting a tripleta, a three-meat sub that, if they could pull it off right, would change the history of that place.

Although we have to understand that it's a place that combines Latin flavors in general, they don't specialize solely in Puerto Rican food.

So, if you want to try authentic Puerto Rican food, this is a place where you can just get an idea of what it looks like. But it doesn't truly taste like our food.

Now, something that I have to mention is that the amount of food served was insane. Service wasn't bad, although I never got contacted with anyone. Even the cashier didn't say a thing to me.

That's why the...

I was really looking forward to trying this place, but the food was a letdown. The rice was made with jasmine rice, which doesn’t make sense for Puerto Rican cooking. Traditional rice should be short or long grain, not fragrant jasmine. On top of that, the white rice was extremely mushy.

The yuca fries were dry and cold, like they had been sitting out long before we even ordered. The tostones tasted just like the frozen Goya ones you can buy at any Latin grocery store, definitely not fresh. The mofongo was bland and needed way more seasoning.

The only thing that was halfway decent was the bistec. It had an OK flavor, but not enough to make up for everything else.

We won't...

Absolutely incredible Puerto Rican food! The flavors were authentic, vibrant, and full of love in every bite. The mofongo with lechon was perfectly seasoned, tender, and rich with garlic and spices, while the arroz con gandules were bursting with flavor.

And the dessert—wow! The churros with ice cream were amazing. Every dish tasted homemade and brought that true island comfort to the table.

The service was just as amazing as the food,...