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Jalao, New York, NY

Jalao

4.4
4.4
404 Reviews
$31 to $50
Caribbean

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
  • Good for groups
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
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.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Caribbean
  • Hours of Operation
    Breakfast Wed–Sun 07:00–11:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00–15:00 Happy Hour Wed–Fri 16:00–19:00 Dinner Wed–Sun 17:00–22:30
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Wilmer Chuquillanqui
  • Delivery & takeout

What 404 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
  • 4.4Food
  • 4Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • New York City

    Caribbean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Jalao offers a vibrant ambiance with "amazing food" and "wonderful service." The restaurant is beautifully decorated, capturing Dominican culture with authenticity. Guests love the "delicious drinks" and "live music," making it a perfect spot for celebrations. However, some reviews mention slow service and high prices. Overall, it's a delightful experience.

404 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was very good! So was the service. Definitely going back!

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  2. Aleeyah

    New York City8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    We visited Jalao before a concert for convenience and were pleasantly surprised with the ambience from the moment you walk in. Our food was great - flavorful, fresh, and unique twists on our favorite classics. We ordered beef empanadas, chicharron de pollo, and pescado frito. We were told after ordering it that the ceviche morir soñando was not available so we’ll have to try it another time. Beyond the food, the restaurant should strongly consider investing in training for their staff surrounding customer service and etiquette. We were serviced much like a 1 star restaurant. It felt as though our waitress thought she was doing us a favor by doing her job.

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  3. Franchell

    Hawaii2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    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.

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  4. Kelvin

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    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.

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  5. Rei

    New York City1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    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.

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  6. Adrianny

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 14 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Customer service was 10/10 and very fast, absolutely loved the ambiance and food!

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  7. Ohilda

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 2 February 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.

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  8. Robert

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on 24 January 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

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  9. Sandrini

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 12 January 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.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    New York City3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 9 January 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).

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FAQs

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

Jalao is rated 4.4 stars by 404 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
Google Map for Jalao

2420 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10033-7327

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Caribbean
  • Hours of Operation
    Breakfast Wed–Sun 07:00–11:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 12:00–15:00 Happy Hour Wed–Fri 16:00–19:00 Dinner Wed–Sun 17:00–22:30
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Wilmer Chuquillanqui
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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