Cocina Candela

Reviews

• Heather C.

  star star star star star 15 October 2026

  Excellent Brunch!
  We went for Brunch on Father's Day. Going out on a holiday is usually iffy but we were not disappointed. We had a reservation which we arrived right on time for and we were seated right away.
  The wait staff was very good and attentive even though it was busy. The place is small but we were comfortable. It was nice outside so the doors and windows were open so there was a really nice breeze.
  We had corn fritters and empanadas as appetizers. Very good!
  For brunch we chose Puerto Rican Benedict, a Cuban Sandwich, Lobster Omelette and Chirrasco con Huevos. All were very good!
  We enjoyed our meal and the atmosphere. We will definitely be back! And now that I know it's BYOB, I'll bring champagne for Mimosas next time!!

• Eric S.

  star star star star star 14 October 2026

  Just had the most amazing meal and experience here. The food was so fresh and made to order that you can taste it. All the meals coming out looked just like they do on their Instagram. How often does that happen? Service was awesome! Value was great! Got a sneak peek of the kitchen and it's immaculate. Can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu.
  
  Eric S.

• Valeria N.

  star star star star_border star_border 6 October 2026

  I really wanted to love this cute place.
  
  The ambiance was perfect.
  The waitress was nice and helpful, while still not overwhelming.
  
  But the food was just bleh for the price.
  Nothing wowed us besides the price being asked for mediocre dishes. We could've paid half of the price for better and more authentic food.

• Jennifer T.

  star star star star star 5 October 2026

  This is a very nice byob restaurant in Montclair serving authentic Puerto Rican food with a twist!  They also serve brunch, but I have only been here for dinner.  They make an excellent empanada!  It doesn't even taste like it's fried at all!  It's not greasy, and the dough is perfect!  So far my favorites are the chipotle chicken and the buffalo shrimp empanadas.  Those ones had the most flavor.  I loved the three cheese one, but that one needed to be stuffed with more cheese.  I also love the 3 dipping sauces on the side they give you with the empanadas too.  On my first visit I had the Pastelon which is Puerto Rican lasagna.  It was delicious, but the portion was too small.  It looked more like a lunch portion than a dinner.  I had loved the food, but I was skeptical about coming back because of that reason.  I'm really glad I came back again tonight for dinner!  I had an excellent experience this time around.  This time I had a fantastic waitress who helped me with deciding what to get on the menu.  Tonight's portions were very generous too which will keep me coming back.  Delicious food and good portions is how to keep regulars.  They started me with a piece of bread with two different flavored butters which was so good!  I ordered 3 different empanadas like I did the first time around as an appetizer which I really enjoyed!  For my entree I had the skirt steak with rice and beans with a side of plantains which was excellent!  The skirt steak was cooked to perfection!  The rice and beans and the plantains were DELICIOUS!  For dessert I had the flan which was on the small side, but EXCELLENT!  The next time around I'm looking forward to trying the pappardelle with braised oxtail with Manchego cheese!  I highly recommend dining here for  a delicious Puerto Rican meal in a nice atmosphere!

• Miguel R.

  star star star star star_border 2 October 2026

  I STRONGLY recommend the surullitos and the bacalaitos! This visit, we went for appetizers and the flan (not recommended) for dessert. Maggie was an incredible waitress and did a great job describing unfamiliar dishes and making suggestions. This place didn't get a 5 because the portions are a bit small and the quality of the mofongo wasn't the best. I also feel like the decor is classy but on a budget.