You must be logged in to access this page

El Cocotero

212-206-8930

228 W 18th St New York, NY 10011

www.cocotero-restaurant.com

Write A Review
view the menu

Insiders:

Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo
V-nycny-55076237_id223369_guide_inclusion
41150505p1
Kid-Friendly: yes? 0 no? 0
Bookmark and Share See hours

Mon- Sat 11am-11pm Sun 11am-9pm

Message from El Cocotero

Merchant_icon

El Cocotero, serves delicious and authentic Venezuelan cuisine. Come join us for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner in our warm, casual cafe. Our friendly service, warm decor and authentic specialties such as arepas, pabellon and many others will transport you back to Venezuela. El Cocotero is also available for Delivery. We look forward to serving you.

Editorial by Citysearch

In Short
Blue walls, green palms, terra cotta floors, and languid ceiling fans conjure the leisurely cafes of Caracas while the menu's specialties pay homage to Venezuela's unique culinary legacy. Everyone here is eating the arepas, savory corn cakes stuffed with everything from flank steak to panella cheese and anise seed. Other homespun specialties include hearty pabellon, a plate of stewed meat, rice, beans, plantains; yucca fries with sour cream; and tequenones, savory cheese pastry sticks.

Key Points

  • Venezuelan-Latin-Spanish-Tapas
  • Breakfast-Lunch-Brunch-Dinner
  • Delivery Available

The Inside Scoop

  1. The Extras - Try the hallacas, Venezuela's traditional tamale-like Christmas dish, during the holiday season.
  2. What to Drink - In addition to fresh juices like tamarind, passionfruit and papaya, beer and wine is on offer.

Editorial and merchant content by Citysearch

Have experience with El Cocotero? Write a review!

Click a star and select a rating:

Minimum required characters left: 100 (max 5000)

Title:

 cancel

Latest reviews from Citysearch.

Ratings_icons Awful service.

hallaca

Terrible food, too expensive and the worst of all they charge us to our credit card more than we originally bought.When we called them back they were nasty and so unfriendly.Our bank said that the charge was made from the restaurant and they very freshy saying they weren't.Of,course the bank only charged us the amount this pathetic restaurant sent to the bank after sendind the correct amount.If we haven't called the bank, what would they have charged us???The owner seems to be he doesn't care about its clients.We will never, ever come back.

Pros: Nil.

Cons: Not worth to even drink a coffee.

Posted 12/06/09

Ratings_icons What a Dissapointment....

InThe Road

Our friend was visiting us from Chicago and she wanted to try the Venezuelan food and Me and my Partner choose El Cocotero to take our friend to dine out; but what a Mistake!!!..We arrived and noticed that the place is not cozy (too many tables for the capacity of the Restaurant); the chairs are too close from each other that you are eating and you?re shoulder-shoulder with the next person? not good lighting ( we had to use the light of our cell phones to see the menu..which is fine printed )?A waiter approached to our table and, started a ?non sense conversation? and then he walked away?we looked at our faces like? what happened to that guy?..another waiter came and took our order...I ordered as an appetizer ?arepitas con nata? and my friend an ?empanada? as a meal I ordered ?Pabellon? and my partner and my friend ordered the ?Hallacas?...well the ?empandada? arrived but my ?arepa con nata? took so long to be served; I had to call the ?waiter? who took our order and he said that it was a mistake and then finally it came 15 minutes later?The ?Pabellon and the Hallacas? took forever to be served?( I for sure can say 30 minutes) ?We called again and he said that it?s coming?10 minutes later the food arrived..The Hallacas was OK but the Pabellon ( specially the shredded beef) was salty and spicy that I couldn?t eat it. After we finished we had to wave the waiter who was like in La-La Land talking with the owner and the other ?Non sense waiter? was too entertained talking with another costumer about hair and nails????... Finally they came and picked up the dishes and then we ordered as desert ?Tres Leches? and ?Quesillo?And again, it took forever I think that they were too busy chatting and gossiping among them that they don?t realize that they are working in a restaurant and people need be to be attended..I had to call again and reminded them about the deserts; at this point my discomfort was obviously on my face that one of the waiter noticed it and gave to my friend a free drink ?to go?..I wanted to leave that place!!!..It?s was so embarrassing for us to take our friend to that restaurant and Honestly I won?t recommend this place to anyone?Poor service..Bad Condition of the place?Too Hazard?

Pros: Location

Cons: Not Cozy Place - Poor Service - Bad Lighting -

Posted 10/21/09

Ratings_icons Best Arepas in NYC

Moni112

We walked by this place one late night, saw the menu and finally went a few weeks later. We were upset that we hadn't gone sooner because it was GREAT. the arepas and entrees are delicious. The staff is so friendly that it feels like you've known them for years. The environment is fun yet chilled. The owner has been there the 2 times we've been in the last 3 weeks; and the 2nd time- he was our server! We decided it's a favorite restauarnt of ours and a place we'll take our out of town visitors. Try the mango juice w/milk; the Miss Venezuela arepa, el pepito, tres leches dessert, and the shrimp entree. That's what I've had so far and all was sooooo goooood

Pros: friendly staff (like family); delicious food; easy on the $$

Cons: None!

Posted 06/16/09

Ratings_icons Good food, super-friendly service, terrific coffee

eat_club

This Venezuelan food was BETTER than I had in Venezuela. The Arepas were more like latkas!
And friendly??? The staff was so nice, we felt like kissing them good-bye when we left the place.
You should start with an arepas appetizer, then go to the steak... thin sliced mildly spiced. I had the mechada (chewed? mechanized?) beef and it was delicious. Polar beer is served bien calliente. After get the coffee. Try coffee Negro and enjoy the great black stuff for it's own taste. And the staff?? Kiss 'em for me when you go! --Eat Club is a roving group of NYC gluttons

Pros: super-friendly staff, good food, terrific coffee

Cons: don't expect spicey! That ain't Venezuelan

Posted 10/19/08

Ratings_icons El Cocotero is El Cocotero

eva_cuarse

El Cocotero is what it is people. Yes, its a people's place, chill, relax, not uptight, good authentic Venezuelan food, fresh! Yes you have to wait sometimes, yes sometimes its understaffed. Who cares? You get excellent food for what you pay. Go there if you are not in a hurry or in a bad/diva mood. One of the few restaurants left in the city with the "european attitude" where they DO NOT rush you out or stuff your bill down your throat right after the dessert.

El Cocotero serves excellent tasty and authentic Venezuelan food at very good prices. Dont expect "Le Cirque" or by any chance "Cirque du Soleil." Sit there, order, chat with your waiter, wait for your food, eat it slowly, chew it, ask for the bill and pay whenever you want. I like it!

Pros: Great AUTHENTIC Venezuelan food. Fresh!

Cons: A bit slow in service (this is not a fast food rest). Understaffed sometimes.

Posted 09/14/08

Ratings_icons Rude staff. Whats all the commotion about?

hpena

Went there for dinner. The waiter took forever to take our order. Did not ask us if wanted water - we had to ask after sitting there for nearly a half hour. I finished my Corona and waited, and waited to ask for another one, but the waiter was too busy talking to some folks at another table. By the way, the owner was there entertaining some people. Now can you imagine what the service would be like if the owner wasnt there? Dont recommend Cocotero. HORRIBLE service and ok food. I've had better.

Posted 08/18/08

Ratings_icons Tasty Latin Food Served in a Relaxing, Nicely Appointed Environment

nycinephile

Five members of the Thrifty Gourmets Meetup Group and I field-tested this restaurant on Tuesday, July 8th, at 7:45 PM. There was no host on duty, but the one waiter who was busily working the floor greeted me in a friendly manner and with a warm smile. Our reservation for 8 PM had been held and our table was available about 10 minutes beforehand. The waiter, although a bit harried, was courteous and professional as he took our order. All but two of our dishes were delivered promptly and correctly. I ordered the cheese stick as an appetizer. It was thick, soft and chewy, with a light crust and a subtle, herby flavor. I also ordered the arepa with stewed flank steak as my entree. Its filling was moist, hearty and richly flavorful. I also enjoyed a potent drink made with dark rum and passionfruit and mango juices. I was still somewhat hungry after finishing my initial order. Had one of my fellow diners not shared her entree with me, I would have selected another arepa. I commend El Cocotero?s managers on the attention that they pay to the restaurant?s interior design. Unlike those found in many smaller, inexpensive restaurants, the bathroom here was clean and decorated in a style consistent with the restaurant's Latin theme. An exposed standpipe was thoughtfully enclosed in a glass box and decorated with greenery and photographs.

Pros: Friendly, efficient service; attractive design; relaxing atmosphere

Cons: Limited staff

Posted 07/11/08

Ratings_icons Love Cocotero!

Franklinfth

I've walked by El Cocotero with friends numerous times but had never gone in, until recently. Unlike the last reviewer, we found the service to be excellent. More importantly, the food was delicious. I had never eaten Venezuelan cuisine before but now I'm a fan. We'll be back

Pros: Food, Service

Posted 04/23/08

Ratings_icons Horrible Service; Bland Food

cinnamonxgirl

My co-workers and I decided to try this place out for lunch?what a mistake! The place was nearly empty, but it still took over 10 minutes for the waitress to even come over to our table. We asked for water and did not receive it until our food arrived. The waitress was flat-out rude and seemed to think it was funny that I actually asked a question about the arepa filling. She was completely inappropriate, seemed resentful, and her behavior was the epitome of poor service. The food itself was bland and unimpressive. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Don't even bother putting up with the attitude...the food isn't worth it!

Pros: none

Cons: Rude waitress, bland food

Posted 03/27/08

Ratings_icons the best food..............

lololife

I thins this place is a wonderful. .it is a best service good food too . I would like to try again I like it.
yo estuve en ese lugar: me trataron muy bien. el menu esta muy espesifico, la musica es muy tradicional.
es reucido el lugar pero pienso que para comer me unas aprepas buenas no nesecito tanto espacio!
vale la pena esperar por lo bueno...

Posted 02/29/08

Ratings_icons Delicious Venezuelan Food

fryuj145

I'd highly recommend El Cocotero for the delicious Venezuealn food that I recently enjoyed there. The food was served hot, with fresh ingredients and served by a waitstaff that was friendly and attentive. My only complaint is that it's not closer to where I live.

Pros: Food, Service

Posted 02/18/08

Ratings_icons Abysmal Service, Hostile atmosphere

cerulean14

This restaurant had the worst service I've ever experienced. The place itself had a dark, depressive aspect (quite different from the photo above) and was only about half full. We were ignored until we solicited the "waitress" who told us we could sit anywhere. We proceeded to wait about ten minutes to get menus and fifteen minutes until anyone approached our table to take our order. We never got water. When the "waitress" finally arrived, she gave no apologies or excuses for the delay, and basically seemed to resent our presence. My companion ordered a cafe con leche that never came. His chicken soup was exceedingly difficult to eat, consisting of a chicken breast still on the bone and corn on the cob simply thrown whole into the broth. My arepa was honestly tasty, but we didn't want to order anything else from these people. When we went up to the register to pay, we saw that we were charged for the forgotten cafe con leche. We objected and they re-printed the receipt, but the credit card statement only shows the original charge. This place could not care less about its customers.

Cons: Service

Posted 02/15/08

Ratings_icons nothing special

naturalbeauty

I went with 3 friends to El Cocotero for brunch on Saturday. When we arrived the place was practically empty. We were disappointed to find ONLY ONE brunch item on the menu. Since we weren't familiar with Venezuelan dishes, we ordered an appetizer sampler to help us decide what entrees to order. The Yukka and tostones were okay, but the arrepas (THEIR SPECIALTY) were dry and tasteless. Our entrees weren't much better. And the service, or should I say: what service??? Keeping in mind that it was not crowded - we waited over 10 minutes to get water (which was then spilled by the waitress on one of my friends). Then we waited another 15 - 20 minutes to get our order and the food was served luke warm. The entire dining experience at El Cocotero was disappointing and borderline disastrous. It is a nice casual spot that has a lot of potential... they just need to get it together - QUICKLY!

Pros: good location, cozy

Cons: food, service

Posted 11/06/07

Ratings_icons Great find!

kfarrin

Stopped in for a late afternoon lunch with my sister and a friend after seeing the place on citysearch. We all had arepas - the pabellon (shredded beef with black beans and plantains - my favorite), pernil (roasted pork with pepper salsa) and one with cheese, avocado, and tomato. Everything was delicious. What made the whole experience, however, was the staff. I was incredibly impressed with the friendliness of the waiters and the owner, who came by to see how our food was - you can tell it is a family-run business where the food is authentic and the people take pride in their service. The decor was also very charming and added to the whole meal. Only thing I can think of that wasn't perfect was the sangria - it was good (better after it sat for a while), but not excellent. Overall a great time and I can't wait to go back.

Pros: arepas, service, atmosphere

Posted 09/09/07

Ratings_icons Que horible!

thornbrooke

After reading all the positive reviews, the decision to eat here one Saturday was simple. A friend and I were one of two sets of patrons, yet we received abysmal service: the waitress just couldn't be bothered. The calamari salad I ordered was not up to par, the dressing was tasty, but the calamari were few in number and burnt. My friend's dish was average and miniscule portion wise. There are a number of good venezuelan restaurants in the NYC area...please patronize them!

Pros: good dressing on salad

Cons: everything else

Posted 08/25/07

Ratings_icons amazing arepas!

nishnish2000

went here for lunch and had the chicken avocado arepa, it was amazing. my friend had the shredded beef arepa and that was amazing as well. the passionfruit juice here was sooooooooooo good! so fresh! we also had an order or the maduros, which were okay, kinda soft. other than that, i highly recommend this place. it is a hidden gem in the city, very cute and cozy.
love it!

Pros: food, value.

Cons: a little small, not sure if it gets packed at night.

Posted 07/14/07

Ratings_icons Great customer service, good food and a homey environment

abbylovesny

The place is small but that adds to the homey feel of the place. The staff is very kind and will answer any questions you have. Get there a little before the evening rush even during the weeknights because they do get busy quickly. I tried the pernil plate and was pleased. The meat was tender and not dry. I also tried the sangria which was not the best I've had but good nonetheless. I would definitely go again and do reccommend it.

Pros: good food and great service

Cons: sometimes it gets too tight

Posted 04/13/07

Ratings_icons la mejor comida venezolana fuera de mi tierra querida

missriochicos

Que gran experiencia!! me lleno de orgullo como Venezolano que soy...el poder degustar de una seleccion de exquisitos platos ( eramos 6 y yo el unico venezolano, y nos permitimos probar de todo lo que ordenamos) me permiti ordenar para mis amigos,,El pabellon uhmm buena carne mechada y los frijoles de un bueno...bisteck encebollado , la hallaca, el pollo al horno y las arepas calientitas con los rellenos exquisitos, pedimos unos pasapalos para entrar, tequenos y arepas chips!! la verdad de ahora en adelante me sentire en mi casa en este lugar...sin dejar afuera la gran hospitalidad y buen servicio pedimos una jarra de guarapita..y una mas..... felicitaciones al dueno y su equipo

Pros: rapido y bueno

Posted 03/25/07

Ratings_icons From a Cocotero Regular

mt0816

It's surprising to read some of the reviews here. First of all, one of the first things that you can feel when you step into this restaurant is the warmth, of it's employees, the owner, the ambience. You don't feel like you are in chelsea. Is intimate, inexpensive and the food is delicious. Even the music they play is amazing. You have more options than you can handle in one meal, and because of the importance of making your dinning experience as amazing as possible they will change or offer you choices that suit your taste. I've never eaten anything cold and food is always on point. IS ALWAYS PACKED...so i believe there must be something really good happenning in the heart of Chelsea...

Posted 03/15/07

Ratings_icons Disappointing Meal-Review by a Venezuelan

foodieknowsbest

I was craving some Venezuelan food and there are very few places in the city that serve it.
I wanted to try El Cocotero because they serve Pabellon Criollo, which is Venezuela's traditional dish.
First off, I asked the waitress if she could put a fried egg on it (which they do in Venezuela). She said they don't do that and that's not how its eaten in Venezuela. I told her I'm Venezuelan and that's how I've always had it and she disputed me. It's really not a big deal but just her attitude about it got to me.

But being a foodie, I value the taste/quality of food over service.
But I was really disappointed. Our food was cold and if you're eating meat and beans that just kills it.
The meat and beans were not well seasoned and the rice tasted like Instant Rice.
I also tasted the empanadas (which were also cold) and they were so doughy with little filling on the inside. The arepitas were also teeny-tiny (they could be used a corn version of communion wafers).

Right there my meal consisted of Venezuela's MOST traditional dishes (which are easy to cook!) and they managed to screw it all up. I was so disappointed! And the pricing didn't match the quality. I felt jipped.

Next time I'll just go to my mom's for a meal like this! At least her's is tasty, made with love...and FREE!!!

Pros: None

Cons: Not real Venezuelan Food!

Posted 03/12/07

Ratings_icons Great food!

cchan19

I had an arepa, plantain sandwich, one of the appetizers (I forgot what it was called), and the tres leche cake. All of them were super delicious! It was my first time eating here and I was very satisfied! I recommend trying the arepas, plantain sandwiches, and most definitely the dessert, tres leche cake!

Pros: Arepas, plantain sandwich, tres leche cake

Posted 02/15/07

Ratings_icons really good food, but service is lacking!

citystarlet

the food at el cocotero is sooo good.

but the service is sorely lacking.

seems that spanish speakers get better and more prompt service, and you often have to ask over and over again for water, the bill...and your food!

as much as i love it, the bad service is a huge turnoff and makes me rethink going there every time.

Pros: great food, cozy place to eat

Cons: spotty service, waitresses don't speak english very well

Posted 02/09/07

Ratings_icons great service, great food, great price

nychead

This restaurant is tucked away on a pretty lonely street and the ambience isn't much to write home about BUT the food is amazing. A group of 8 of us went and we all ordered different dishes, and none of us had complaints. The price was very reasonable and the tres leche is to die for.

Pros: every item on the menu

Cons: ambience

Posted 11/17/06

Ratings_icons A bit of Caracas in Chelsea

sp96apple

I stumbled upon El Cocotero during one of strolls in Chelsea and decided to try it for lunch. The arepas de pollo mechado are delicious and my father thought the cuban sandwich was the best he'd ever had. We enjoyed hte food so much we took the res tof the family back for dinner on a later date. The dinner portions were right in line with the moderate prices and the flavor was great. The staff was incredibly freiendly. I'd definte the service as unobtrusive, no one is rushing you out the door. The restaurant is one a quiet side street so it's easy to forget your in the city.

Posted 11/03/06

Ratings_icons Terrible service!

envymeny

Not only is the service TERRIBLE here, the food is NOT even that good. Had the venezuelan stewed beef, and the chicken empanadas. Nothing to rave about. Rude, unprofessional service will NOT bring me back even if the food is decent, but it isn't, so there really is no reason to go back.

Pros: NONE.

Cons: Service, food, atmosphere

Posted 10/28/06

Ratings_icons Good Food, Great Service, Cheap Prices

Chapaev

What else can you ask for? For those complaining about the decour..it's a bodega-style cafe, not Daniel. The surroundings are simple, unobtrusive but still very pleasant. The emphasis here is on the home-style, flavourful food. With Latin music, helpful and thankfully not rushed service..it almost feels like you're on vacation. Arepas with steak were terrific. Great place for a casual date.

Pros: food, service, prices

Cons: small alcohol list

Posted 10/19/06

Ratings_icons What a Great place!

carlitosgirl

Was at El Cocotero on Saturday with some friends. Everything about this place is great, the atmosphere, the music, the service, the prices, and of course the food, from the drinks to the appetizers to the dinners and then the coffee and desserts, especially the tres leches cake! We all loved it. The waitress was very helpful with her recommendations and the owner was also helpful and very friendly. The best part of all was that even though it was very crowded, we were not rushed. If that is what Latin time is all about then more restaurants should be on Latin time. I can't wait to go back!!

Pros: Ambience, Service, Food

Cons: None

Posted 10/16/06

Ratings_icons Slow service, decent food

superiortaste

Do not visit this restaurant unless you have a lot of time; this place is on Latin time. The ambiance is not particularly inviting. The decor seemed to be a mish-mosh of the cheapest stuff the owner could get his/her hands on. The kitchen is in plain view - luckily we sat by the open window on a breezy night so my clothes didn't reek of grease afterward. The waiter tried his best to push drinks on us, and my friend ordered a delicious guarapito. She ordered a pernil sandwich which was delish and I ordered the Pollo al Horno, which was very average with almost no mojo flavor - and it was the thigh and the leg of the chicken! The fried yuca got cold as it sat around waiting to be served. The waiter was superfluous with insisting on calling me baby, and lindo, so I thought I was in a Chelsea meat market for a while. It took forever to get the bill but we had time. I'd go back to order a sandwich for takeout, but as for a satisfying dining experience, eh.

Pros: cheap eats, interesting sandwiches

Cons: pressure to buy drinks, slow service, average entrees

Posted 09/23/06

Ratings_icons Small, personal, fresh

brownboy

This is one of those rare gems where the owner of the restaurant is the heart and soul of the experience. My fiancee and I make it a point to dine there once every few weeks just to enjoy the food and service. The best Arepas in the city!

Pros: Food, Owner, Intimate Environment

Cons: A bit tight when busy. No reservations

Posted 08/20/06

Ratings_icons AMAZING!!

manzanino

The food here is fantastic! They make a sandwich with the meat between pressed plantain! Incredible! It had the most delicious shredded steak ever! Great juice drinks too. Simply incredible.

Pros: Amazing food and drinks, great price

Cons: Only average service

Posted 08/15/06

Ratings_icons OH MY GOODNESS!!!!....

ane_sol

Need I say more?! I went last Saturday, for the first time, and fell in love with the food...I'm definetely going back for more. I never had Venezuelan food before...but I'm a lover now! If you've never had Venezuelan food before...be sure to ask the waitress for suggestions...so you can maximize your experience!

Pros: Intimate, Romantic, Great Food

Cons: Um...can't think of any.

Posted 08/01/06

Ratings_icons Delicious Venezuelan

b00pi3flak3s

This Venezolano establishment is probably one of the best in the city and certainly one of the best in the city. The place is crowded and the seating is very limited (with extremely little elbow room). The waitress is so cute, she probably gets over 100 flirty patrons on any given day.

Pros: Arepas, Service, Neighborhood

Cons: Portions, Crowded, Slightly Cramped

Posted 07/11/06

Ratings_icons Succulent food & warmest hot spot in Chelsea!

moijill

I love the arepas - chicken or pork sandwich with Plaintain bread. They serve wine and beer. I also am a huge an of the roasted chicken with yuca and salad. The rice and beans with beef or chicken or pork is outstanding.
The atmosphere is spotless, but not sterile. It reminds me of the traditional places one would find in Miami, but this one is CLEAN. The food is CLEAN, not greasy. I love the music and the family friendly atmosphere. Its a real neighborhood restaurant

Pros: The best prices for a sitdown meal

Cons: None

Posted 06/17/06

Ratings_icons Great Venezuelan Food!!

sweetjuly

Awesome arepas -- exactly how you would find them in Venezuelan (just a tad more pricey :-) Nevertheless, great food. The only bad thing about this place is the service--its so slow and the glasses they use for water are too small.

Posted 05/19/06

Ratings_icons BEST VENEZUELAN FOOD EVER!!!!!!

cabimas69

Eating at el Cocotero was a marvelous experience.It feels at first transported to a tropical island: the ambince,music & friendly smiles makes you feel rigt in.Startig our meal with a few tropical drinks : a refreshing limeade call papelon, watermelon juice,mango and a banana shakes. Our waitress sugested a Degustacion(a taste) since we never had arepas before.It came in a beautiful assorted set of small colorful dishes with four or five different toppings so we could made our own interpretation of those spongy & crispy delicius corn cakes.That was fantastic! Then we moved to our main and generous portion size main dishes; our best favorites were the tamal, wrapped in banana leaf & sauted shrimp in a cilantro vinagrette sauce.Don't forget to ask for the tres leches cake & the uniques cafe con leche(love those cups!) !

Posted 04/24/06

Ratings_icons BRAVO!!

lapicosa75

Coming to El Cocotero feels just like home. There's more than just an arepa menu in here. I was delighted to ask for prosciutto to the lovely waitress Miriam and she replied "I don't think so" but I can accommodate that ;) in the very own refreshing venezuelan humor... Ten minutes later BINGO!! I was indulged by the hot, spongy, and crusty with thinly sliced prosciutto melting in my mouth arepa. To wash it down Miriam suggested a PASSIONMOSA (a concoction of passion fruit juice an sparkling wine) DELICCIOUS!! I had been to other venezuelan places downtown, but I definitely stay in Chelsea where the great food and atmosphere really touches my belly and heart.

Posted 04/23/06

Ratings_icons Good food and cozy ambience

lamora

It's a delicious experience. You should try "tequenos", also the "patacones", they are very good. It's a great place to share.

Posted 12/05/05

Ratings_icons Great food, rude server

zeebo_mockingbird

The food was great! Highly recommended. The server's attitude ruined our dinner. First, our table was not cleaned before we were seated. I put the old scraps on another uncleaned table. The server saw it, and sarcastically said, "Thank you." As if we were being rude? Later, we told her we had some questions about the menu. After answering one of our questions, she ran off and didn't come back for several minutes. I wish we had had Lucho or one of the other servers people liked in the other reviews!

Pros: Food, Coziness

Cons: Rude server

Posted 10/14/05

Ratings_icons Our favorite restaurant!

locky

Tucked away on 18th St., El Cocotero is my wife's and my favorite restaurant. The food is always fresh & delicious and the staff is friendly and welcoming. If you've never had Venezuelan food before, it may not be what ou expect. It's lightly spiced and refreshing. We always go away feeling full but not like we grew a third buttock. Try the coffee. It's a must! There is no liquor here, but with the small setting, we find this to be a plus. The beverages they do have, mostly juices and juice mixtures, are wonderful!

Pros: Inexpensive, Great ambience, Intimate setting

Cons: Can get crowded

Posted 05/31/05

Ratings_icons THE BEST VENEZUELAN CUISINE AROUND...EL COCOTERO!

michelermorrisslf

The food was exceptional! It overtakes your taste buds as soon as you take that first bite - youve never tasted anything this wonderful in your life! Everything is exceptional at El Cocotero! The prices are affordable; the restaurant is immaculate and has a great atmosphere you could take anyone to. It is a very family place and they treat you like family! The service couldn't be any more efficient and the owners, chefs, and waiters/waitresses couldn't be better. I highly recommend this great restaurant! It's all about harmony!

Pros: Exceptional, Affordable, Delicious!

Cons: NONE, NONE, NONE

Posted 05/15/05

Ratings_icons A quick trip to South America

yogie63

I have never been to Venezuela but after experiencing the amazing cuisine at El Cocotero I feel like I have traveled to Caracas or perhaps a little village nearby. The place is homey and friendly and warm and the food is hearty and delicious. It was a lot of fun to try entrees I had never heard of and to be pleasantly surprised by everything I tried. And usually I am pretty fussy!

Posted 05/15/05

Ratings_icons El Cocotero is good for what ails you.

metropet2000

For a joyous hit of satisfaction and some taste bud satisfying Venezuelan specialties, not to mention the satisfying homey hospitality of cook/host/co-owner Lucho, get yourself to El Cocotero now. And if you're lucky, you'll run into the smiles of the other co-owners, Arturo and Grayson, all eager to add to the charm and delight.

Pros: Cozy, Affordable, Delicious

Cons: No reservations

Posted 05/12/05

Ratings_icons satisfied customer

nycronh

Had the roast pork with rice and beans with sweet plantain. The pork was dressed with a clean tasting onion/pepper relish, the beans tasty. My friend had roast chicken with yucca fries and salad.
Not the cheapest latin food, nor the most expensive; but the clean flavors and pleasant decor made it an experience to be repeated.
Went there round 5:30 so can't say how it is in peak times.

Posted 10/28/04

Ratings_icons Delicious

wandalu

Happened upon El Cocotero while strolling through the neighborhood. We never tried Venezuelan food before & we were happily surprised. The food was served fresh and in a timely manner. The ambiance was nice as well. I'd recommend it.

Posted 09/09/04

Ratings_icons Not Cheap Eats

cokebabies

I dont know what some reviewers consider cheap. Personally when I think cheap, I think of getting stuffed with good food for $10 or less.

Dinner for two at El Cocotero came out to $40 including tip. I would not consider $20 a head to be "cheap". The food was good (but not great) and considering the price, I would only eat here if I was in the area and in the mood for some Venezuelan food.

Pros: Good Food, Nice Owners

Cons: , Not alot of seating

Posted 08/25/04

Ratings_icons Good

nyc411

When you come here, you forget that you're in the middle of New York.

The food is very tasty, you will not be dissappointed by the portions sizes, try the areapas, very good.

Still not as good as Flor's Kitchen but the amibience is excellent in Cocotero.

Pros: Ambience, Inexpensive, portion size

Posted 07/22/04

Ratings_icons DON'T MISS EL COCOTERO

adumb

We have eaten at El Cocotero four times recently with different guests and each time has been excellent. Great food, ambiance and friendly service. Do not miss it!

Posted 06/19/04

Ratings_icons Luvly Bunch of Coconuts

madmad

First, the good news -
In an ambience of south of the border, Lucho, the chef, generously dishes up his Venezuelan tasty morsels like a mother hen feeding her brood. Small, intimate and friendly, dipping the yuca fries with friends is worth the trip to Chelsea.
Second, the bad news -
I live in Los Angeles and dream of a return trip.

Pros: Inexpensive, Casual, Chef/Owner

Posted 05/19/04

Most reviewed businesses

Agave - Mexican Fusion

4 stars
307 reviews

"I have been going to Agave for years. The food is always ..."

Dos Caminos

4 stars
167 reviews

"Went there for Brunch and the waiter had terrible energy and ruined ..."