OMG!!!! The food, quality, and service was just amazing!!!! Must try! The food service was efficient and the staff were very friendly!

BEST FOOD IN NEW JERSEY! PERIOD. If you like Cuban food, then this is the last restaurant you will ever drive to. 10 Stars ! First, they have dozens of very fresh and tasty things to choose from. Second, the owner is almost always there making sure you have a great time. He is constantly sending over free coffee. He is generous not cheap. You get a BIG full plate of food that you can barely carry. All of it is seasoned properly not over seasoned. The prices are very fair maybe a little low, for all you get, to be honest. The staff is always smiling and happy to serve you. You can run into celebrities, politico's, and college students all eating steaming hot food. Great food, great people, great place. Nothing else to say.

A favorite restaurant of mine during undergrad. My personal favorite items are the pastelon, arroz con gandules, and platanos. I'm a creature of habit, so I haven't tried many other items on the menu, however the empanadas are top tier. They are fresh, and the beef empanada, on top of being large enough to be a meal in itself, is very juicy and delicious. The line moves quickly. If you aren't familiar with Cuban food, it can be overwhelming ordering, however if you don't have allergies, you have nothing to lose if you choose a food that looks good but you have no idea what it is. You'll find that anything you try at La Cocina is delicious.

In search of a little something delicious to eat on a gorgeous Friday afternoon and La Cocina did not disappoint. There were many options - three types of rice, stews, veggies, grilled chicken, etc. They prepared a generous and affordable plate of ribs and tostones (made to order!) in about five minutes. You can't tell from the sidewalk, but there's a cute patio out back. I sat on the second floor of the outdoor dining area, which seats about 20 people. I picked a table without an umbrella so that I could enjoy the sunshine and soft, soulful music playing on the speakers.

La Cocina is the classic Newark spot for Cuban eats! For lunch, you pick your choice of rice, vegetables, and protein -- and on a recent visit, I had arroz con gandules, steamed broccoli, and beef stew. All delicious, albeit a little salty to my taste. La Cocina is a popular catering spot for Rutgers events, so I have been fortunate to try a wide variety of offerings such as pastelon, pernil, and chicken stew -- and you can't really go wrong with any of them. The empanadas are also a must (make sure to ask for hot sauce), and while difficult, try to save room for dessert! Flan and tres leches are soooo good. Lunch time gets really busy, so you can avoid the rush by coming a little later. However, the staff is good about moving everyone along, so you won't be waiting forever. Definitely give La Cocina a try!

Ordered a wonderful Cuban sandwich from here for lunch. I must admit it was packed with all the goodness of pork, spicy mustard, great pickles and that garlic took it over the top. Perfectly toasted and was satisfied with half for lunch, the other half for dinner. Just AWESOMENESS!!!!!

Tried this food at a stand at SHI stadium and it was the best choice. The stew on a cold day was just what I needed. The stew sauce soaked into the rice perfectly. The rice was a nice texture, flavorful and not too soft. The meat fell apart and was not too chewy. I wish I had gotten more carrots and potatoes. The empanadas were stamped with the name of the restaurant which was a nice touch. They pressed each as they were ordered to keep them hot. My friend got the chicken and liked those as well. Service was quick.

My go to for authentic Cuban food in Newark. The food is absolutely delicious! I always recommend their pernil, pollo a la plancha, pastelon, ropa vieja, and oxtails. I always get the arroz moro with a side of plantains. Their chicken and beef empanadas are just as delicious as the entrees. You won't be disappointed with their food.

Delicious and authentic Cuban eats and a seamless catering order. La Cocina, I am a fan! I ordered a few catered trays for a work event and La Cocina was a big hit. Leading up to the event communication was seamless. Josh was very helpful and provided me with suggestions on what and how much to order. On the day of the event delivery was prompt and I was set up with everything that I needed - utensils, plates, napkins, etc. The food was delicious and everyone was really pleased. Cuban sandwiches were definitely a highlight - stuffed with lots of tasty meat and served on fresh crispy bread. Empanadas were HUGE and filled to the brim with tasty meat. I also ordered a tray of maduros and chickpea salad, both delicious. This was a great option for catering and I'd definitely consider again for future large events.

We stopped by La Cocina for Monday lunch. It's a small store in the busy downtown area of Newark, parking is really really hard to get. There 5-6 tables inside the store too dine-in, it's self served, not so fancy esthetic wise. The line starts right at the door, luckily no one was in front of us. They served it chipotle style, you get to pick the items for your plate. The have white, brown, bean rice, vegetables, chicken/beef stew, baked chicken, salmon and few other items. The have ready made empanadas too. The price so reasonable, between $9-$12 for a decently large portion. We tried the chicken stew, baked chicken and salmon. Everything tasted like freshly homemade. Both brown and white rice were excellent quality. The stew chicken almost melted before even I bite it. Salmon was cooked to perfection, and baked chicken has this lovely brown skin with beautiful cooked inside. This is a hidden in Newark, and for sure will be a regular spot for our lunch.