Jalao

4.4

401 Reviews

$31 to $50

Caribbean

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 16, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 18 times today

Good for groups
Neighborhood gem
Great for brunch

Welcome to Jalao! Escape from the streets of New York City to the brightly colored paradise of the Dominican Republic while dining at Jalao. Enjoy authentic Dominican food and vibrant cultural surroundings right in the heart of NYC’s Washington Heights Neighborhood.

Eat surrounded by the vibrant ambiance of Taíno, African, and Spanish influences that blend together in a flavorful splash of Dominican culture. In a courtyard built for live music and dancing, experience the timeless atmosphere of the historic Ciudad Colonial of Santo Domingo.

Located in the brand new Radio Hotel, join Manhattan’s Little Dominican Republic community as they experience a taste of home. Handcrafted Dominican furniture adorns the dining area, while the walls are splashed with brightly colored murals and authentic Carnival masks.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Caribbean
Hours of operation
Breakfast Wed–Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Happy Hour Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–7:00 pm Wed, Thu 10:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(929) 688-4684
Website
https://jalaonyc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Wilmer Chuquillanqui

Location
2420 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10033-7327
Neighborhood
Washington Heights
Cross street
Amsterdam Ave & 181st St
Parking details
None
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

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Guacamole Jalao$17.00
pico de gallo / caribbean chips / pomegranate / jalapeno
Chicharrón y Tostones$16.00
marinated crispy pork / tostones / sweet plantains / chimichurri
Chicharrón de pollo$21.00
Cripsy fried chicken, tostones, poblano aioli
Montadito de Steak$21.00
Grilled marinated skirt steak / guacamole / tostones / pico de gallo
Taquitos de Chivo$19.00
Braised Goat Meat / flour tortilla / guava coleslaw

Starters - Bocaditos

Chicharrón de Mar$19.00
crispy calamari and shrimp / cilantro-basil aioli
Beef Empanadas$13.00
braised ground beef / chimichurri / mayo-ketchup
Bombones de Yuca$14.00
cheddar cheese / yuca croquettes / criolla sauce
Croquetas de Chivo**$14.00
braised goat croquettes / cilantro-basil aioli

Caribbean - Style Ceviches

Ceviche Morir Sonando$22.00
Shrimp / red onion / peppers / milk / aji amarillo
Ahi Tuna*$21.00
passion fruit / aji amarillo / pomegranate / lime

Caldos & Salads

Enhance Your Salad: Chicken +$7, Salmon +$9, Shrimp S +$9, Steak* +$11

Sancocho$12.00
"ya tu sabe" traditional dominican stew / chicken / beef / pork / root vegetable / corn / white rice / avocado
Asopao de Mariscos$35.00
rice stew / mussels / clams / saffron-fish broth
Fabulous Salad$18.00
lettuce and kale / feta cheese / candied almonds / strawberries / balsamic dressing
Jalao Salad$16.00
romaine lettuce / creamy dominican oregano dressing / parmesan cheese / croutons

Main Dishes

Costillas Ñoñas*$25.00
pork ribs / passion fruit bbq sauce / crispy yuca grilled corn
Roasted Chicken$25.00
roasted vegetables / mashed potato
Paila Jalao$30.00
skirt onion-steak / crispy pork belly / avocado / white rice / red bean stew / sausage
Jalao Pasta$25.00
choice of pomodoro sauce / white sauce / vodka sauce
Rabo Encendío$35.00
spicy red wine stewed oxtail / rice and peas
Coconut Fish Fillet$33.00
coconut sauce / rice and peas / tostones
Sea Food Mofongo$42.00
pork belly / smash fried plantain / sautéed mussels & clams / calamari / shrimp in ajillo sauce
Chivo con Moro$29.00
goat stew / rice and peas / fried sweet plantain
Pecao Frito$45.00
fried snapper for 2, rice and peas, tostones, & yaniqueque
- Serves 2 People$45.00
Pechuga De Pollo Rellena$28.00
stuffed chicken breast with ham & white cheddar / maduros white cheese sauce / tostones

Grilled

Pechuga de Pollo$25.00
Grilled chicken breast / rice & beans / salad
Salmon*$32.00
(choice of side)
12oz Churrasco*$45.00
Grilled skirt steak (choice of side)
Jalao Burger$21.00
2 Four ounce patties / mayo-ketchup / cheddar cheese / bacon / fries
Dominican Parrillada*$70.00
churrasco / costillas / sausage / grilled ghicken / crispy pork / grilled corn / yuca fries

Sides

Tostones$9.00
crispy plantain / mojo
Yuca Frita$9.00
crispy yuca / mojo
Truffle Fries$10.00
parmesan cheese / truffle oil
Arroz y Habichuela$9.00
rice / red beans
Moro de Guandules$9.00
rice / green pigeons peas
Grilled Vegetables$9.00
Green Salad$9.00
small side of our Jalao salad
Mashed Potatoes$9.00
Medio Aguacate$7.00
half an avocado
French Fries$9.00

What 401 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4Service
4.5Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Manhattan
Kid-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Jalao delights with its "amazing place" and "fantastic service," offering a blend of delicious drinks and flavorful food. The Latin Kitchen influence shines brightly, making it a culinary gem in New York City. Friendly staff and a lively ambiance enhance dining experiences, ideal for celebrations and casual gatherings alike.

401 Reviews

F
Franchell
Hawaii
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
They said I didn’t have a reservation but we got seated through their host. They didn’t have enough food.
Is this helpful?
K
Kelvin
New York City
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
The food was amazing. The big problem is the service. The server just disappears and doesn’t come back after 20min or more to ask us if we are good or want anything. My gf and i had to tell another waiter that we want to order food.
Is this helpful?
R
Rei
New York City
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The waiters didn’t stop by enough towards the end- I had to get up to ask for the check. The food was okay, my fish needed to be more fried for sure and the sauce should have been on the side. It was too loud in there, they need to either lower the music or work on moving the speakers further away from the tables or higher up towards the sealing. We had the cinco leche dessert and it was not worth the money, 2/5 for sure.
Is this helpful?
O
Ohilda
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place, food, service, and ambience. Been here twice and look forward to going back again soon.
Is this helpful?
R
Robert
New York City
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 24, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Chivo smelled odd. Not rancid, it tasted as if they made it in the morning and mixed it with a new batch through the day. Didn’t taste right
Is this helpful?
S
Sandrini
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and service exceeded expectations. Ideal for travelers relying on public transportation. Highly recommended.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
I thought this restaurant would be a bit different from other uptown restaurants based on the reviews, but here’s another establishment that lacks customer service despite going on a weekday and where it wasn’t busy at all. The waiter was not very attentive. The place is cute but the seats by the wall are sunken in making it very uncomfortable to eat. The food is mediocre to be a Dominican cuisine, specifically the chicharron and fried fish. The drinks and the churrasco were good. Finally the restroom is very inconvenient for older folks and the disable making it inconvenient to get to (you have to go to the hotel side and down to the basement).
Is this helpful?
A
Aurora
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was excellent, our Italian friends liked everything we ordered. Our waiter Maria was friendly, attentive and on top of anything we asked for.
Is this helpful?
C
Carlos
New York City
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on January 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We celebrated my son’s birthday. We had a fantastic time. Thank you to the staff. Awesome service.
Is this helpful?
M
Marlene
New York City
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I went to celebrate my birthday with family and close friends. I had such a great time at Jalao. The food was great. The staff were so friendly and kind.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Jalao offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (929) 688-4684.

Jalao is rated 4.4 stars by 401 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 16, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 18 times today

Order delivery or takeout

2420 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10033-7327

Additional information

Cross street
Amsterdam Ave & 181st St
Neighborhood
Washington Heights
Hours of operation
Breakfast Wed–Sun 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Happy Hour Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–7:00 pm Wed, Thu 10:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Caribbean
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Wilmer Chuquillanqui
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://jalaonyc.com/
Phone number
(929) 688-4684

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 16 go-to NYC restaurants from our local expert

Jalao

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Editor’s choice: 16 go-to NYC restaurants from our local expert

To Share

Guacamole Jalao$17.00

Chicharrón y Tostones$16.00

Chicharrón de pollo$21.00

Montadito de Steak$21.00

Taquitos de Chivo$19.00

Starters - Bocaditos

Chicharrón de Mar$19.00

Beef Empanadas$13.00

Bombones de Yuca$14.00

Croquetas de Chivo**$14.00

Caribbean - Style Ceviches

Ceviche Morir Sonando$22.00

Ahi Tuna*$21.00

Caldos & Salads

Sancocho$12.00

Asopao de Mariscos$35.00

Fabulous Salad$18.00

Jalao Salad$16.00

Main Dishes

Costillas Ñoñas*$25.00

Roasted Chicken$25.00

Paila Jalao$30.00

Jalao Pasta$25.00

Rabo Encendío$35.00

Coconut Fish Fillet$33.00

Sea Food Mofongo$42.00

Chivo con Moro$29.00

Pecao Frito$45.00

Pechuga De Pollo Rellena$28.00

Grilled

Pechuga de Pollo$25.00

Salmon*$32.00

12oz Churrasco*$45.00

Jalao Burger$21.00

Dominican Parrillada*$70.00

Sides

Tostones$9.00

Yuca Frita$9.00

Truffle Fries$10.00

Arroz y Habichuela$9.00

Moro de Guandules$9.00

Grilled Vegetables$9.00

Green Salad$9.00

Mashed Potatoes$9.00

Medio Aguacate$7.00

French Fries$9.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Jalao offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Jalao restaurant rated?

Is Jalao currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

Editor’s choice: 16 go-to NYC restaurants from our local expert