Joao Bruno Trindade
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
El Criollo Cocina & Bar is truly a hidden gem. I ordered the mofongo with shrimp, and it was outstanding—rich flavors, perfectly cooked shrimp, and beautifully presented with authentic Boricua flavor.
I’m personally committed to eating healthy and choosing quality ingredients, so I really appreciated when Chef Rafael Guzman highlighted that they prepare their own sauces and seasonings in-house. You can truly taste the freshness and authenticity in every bite.
I also had the pleasure of eating and speaking with Chef Rafael, who was very welcoming and clearly passionate about his craft. If you’re looking for authentic Boricua cuisine made with care and real ingredients, this place is definitely worth visiting. Highly recommended!
… moreMarleneJ Tax
The most scrumptious Puerto Rican food you can enjoy! Food is always fresh & the drinks are amazing! They are a work of art.
… moreDeb B.
We gave this restaurant a try based on positive reviews. It is a small restaurant in a strip mall with limited seating and parking and slightly loud. The wait staff and bartender were very nice. We ordered chicken and seafood paella. We had to wait an hour for food. Most everyone else in the restaurant was already eating. I think they have limited cooking capacity. I would not recommend the seafood paella as it only contained 2 shrimp and 6 mussels that were overcooked and it was extremely salty. The chicken was overcooked as well. Maybe because it is served in a cast iron pan and continues to cook. It was overpriced for the portion size. I would have sent it back if we weren’t so hungry and already waited an hour. I feel they value presentation over quality. All the food coming out of the kitchen was fancy looking…meat and fish hanging from hooks and drinks with sugar leaves. Not sure if we would give it another try as I was so disappointed. Maybe some of the other dishes are better.
… moreMariana Ruiz Gallego
AMAZING!!! This is my second time coming to this incredible place, and everything is amazing, the food, the service, the vibes, and the margarita was perfect balance. If you have the opportunity to go here, please take it.
… moreSandra Freitas
We ordered food for takeout and the food was very good. We had the mofongo with steak, paella valenciana, tostones, ribeye steak, and acapurria. All the food was great. Fresh and tasty. High quality food. Would definitely recommend. I can’t comment on the restaurant’s atmosphere because we don’t dine in. But we want to eat in next time. The staff is very friendly.
… moreKarina Kagramanov
AMAZING find. My wife and I visited on a weekend trip to the area and we could not be happier with finding this hole in the wall, so much so that we visited twice this weekend. Food is AMAZING. Drinks are AMAZING – like delicious, strong, beautiful presentation, and at a fair price. I’m really picky with restaurants and this is the first time I can say honestly that the bill I paid was worth every penny. Highly recommend their steak mofongo and the mojitos. We also made sure to tip well and noticed that the service was noticeably more attentive on our second visit (although it wasn’t by any means bad the first time). This is definitely a new favorite spot for us 🙂
… moreCarlos AircraftMechxnic
I seriously love just about everything about this place! The food? Absolutely delicious. The drinks? Spot on every time. I’m so glad we’ve got a gem like this right here in the Dracut/Lowell area.
Now, real talk—on my first visit, one of the waitresses wasn’t exactly throwing out the warm vibes. But no worries! Since then, I’ve made the bar my go-to spot, and the owner always takes great care of me.
If you’re anywhere nearby, do yourself a favor and stop in. It’s a must-visit—you won’t regret it!
… moreAlex Merrifield
Best restaurant in the area with flavorful food and good service! The place was very clean with upbeat music and a full bar and some bar seating. Went for a casual meal but would be back with friends and can see it being a great date spot as well!
The food was cooked and seasoned well, presented nicely and in big portions. Bonus… it turned out to also be one of the best cups of coffee in the area too!
This hidden gem is among several small places in an unassuming strip mall. Went on the early side, parking was easy with a small lot in front.
… moreYvonne Smith
Puerto Rican restaurant.
Our lunch was so so good, fresh, tasty and beautiful presented.
We had mofongo and fried fish, both were really good.
Service was excellent.!
… moreChapu Torres
This place was freezing. Seems there’s no heat. The lady that attended us was very helpful but the food wasn’t good. Presentation was very nice but for Puerto Rican food the food had no flavor. Then to top it off this place is very expensive for not so good food. Also they take they tip off the balance which is fine but they also have for you to tip on top of that
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