“Last night we tried this place out and I’ve been emotional ever since. My Grandmother/Mom’s side of family was Puerto Rican and Aubelita raised me while Mom worked. Aubelita was a Domican born Puertorriquena, my Tia married my Cuban uncle, and Caribbean Latino culture and food was my childhood. They’ve been gone for some years now and I miss everything about my childhood with the lively culture, the way every family gathering was a celebration, and I really miss the food. With all that being said, from the moment we walked in, I FELT a part of my youth for the first time in a long time. We were greeted with smiles and warm welcomes. The menu is extensive and offers more than I expected. I wanted everything but opted for mofonguitas, a chicken empanada, and rice with beans. My love ordered the chicken cheesesteak sandwich. We ordered to go and had a seat. The music played loudly, in true Latino fashion on a Friday night and at times, the entire establishment joined in singing their favorite parts with so much passion. Even though the music was at celebratory levels, it never felt like “bar” vibes, if that makes sense. They called out that our food was ready and as we left, it seemed like the whole staff had come to the front to thank us for coming in and ask us to come back! The friendliness is genuine. The good vibes are genuine. And the food, it was amazing. My boyfriend is already talking about our next visit and how delicious his sandwich was. I learned that they have pastelle! I haven’t had those since my early teenage years…my Uncle Ramon’s were always so good and comforting, and I have a feeling J&Z will fulfill my cravings with zero disappointment.
Thank you. Thank you for giving me a taste of my childhood. Not just with the food, but the atmosphere and that Caribbean Latino welcoming love that is so unique and beautiful. I’ll be back soon and encourage everyone to give this place a try.“
Recommended
“Last night we tried this place out and I’ve been emotional ever since. My Grandmother/Mom’s side of family was Puerto Rican and Aubelita raised me while Mom worked. Aubelita was a Domican born Puertorriquena, my Tia married my Cuban uncle, and Caribbean Latino culture and food was my childhood. They’ve been gone for some years now and I miss everything about my childhood with the lively culture, the way every family gathering was a celebration, and I really miss the food. With all that being said, from the moment we walked in, I FELT a part of my youth for the first time in a long time. We were greeted with smiles and warm welcomes. The menu is extensive and offers more than I expected. I wanted everything but opted for mofonguitas, a chicken empanada, and rice with beans. My love ordered the chicken cheesesteak sandwich. We ordered to go and had a seat. The music played loudly, in true Latino fashion on a Friday night and at times, the entire establishment joined in singing their favorite parts with so much passion. Even though the music was at celebratory levels, it never felt like “bar” vibes, if that makes sense. They called out that our food was ready and as we left, it seemed like the whole staff had come to the front to thank us for coming in and ask us to come back! The friendliness is genuine. The good vibes are genuine. And the food, it was amazing. My boyfriend is already talking about our next visit and how delicious his sandwich was. I learned that they have pastelle! I haven’t had those since my early teenage years…my Uncle Ramon’s were always so good and comforting, and I have a feeling J&Z will fulfill my cravings with zero disappointment. Thank you. Thank you for giving me a taste of my childhood. Not just with the food, but the atmosphere and that Caribbean Latino welcoming love that is so unique and beautiful. I’ll be back soon and encourage everyone to give this place a try.“