Sofrito Mama’s
Sarasota Commons Plz,935 N Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL, 34232
Sofrito Mama’s Menu
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Address :
Sarasota Commons Plz,935 N Beneva Rd
Sarasota, FL, 34232 - Phone (941) 554-8786
- Website https://www.sofritomamas.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Mike R.
I'm always looking for the next authentic experience in food, and 4 out of 5 times places fall dreadfully short. Either the place is dirty and the food dirtier, or the portion sizes are too small, or most common the food is inconsistent. But I think I've found a gem here in Sofrito Mamas, how did it take me so long to find this place? Puerto Rican food, done just like in Puerto Rico. Very authentic, the flavors of the food perfect like home cooking. I'm usually pretty tough on places because I'm sick of the bar being set low, but this place is worth a visit. The staff is friendly, and are more than happy to guide you through the menu. Can't wait to return. Thank you!!!
(5)Gary R.
Visited Sofrito Mama's for the first time. Good place for take-out Puerto Rican cuisine in Sarasota or perhaps anywhere. No seating inside but seating/tables outside weather permitting. We had Mofongo with pork, rice, and black beans,excellent. Very accommodating owner with excellent recommendations. For tourists like us in an unfamiliar area the location is in a medium size mall with lots of folks around. Thanks Jason, we will return.
(4)Jen I.
Love Sofrito Mama's authentic cuisine and wonderful staff!! Highly recommend! Outdoor seating is nice!! Food is amazing!
(5)Mike M.
The food was unreal. We tried a little bit of everything. I started with the Cuban sandwich. It was pulled pork and everything was fresh. The sandwich was second to none. I also had all 3 of the empanadas. They were fantastic. The guy behind the counter was super friendly and explained all the food with pictures. Great food.
(5)Elise L.
Had carry out from here last week. Their empanadas were small, but flavorful and definitely fulfilled my craving. Rice and beans were excellent. My husband had the shredded pork and it looked moist and tender. I will definitely go back and would recommend it to others. For some Puerto Rican soul food, this is the spot.
(4)Sean G.
The roasted pork, rice, plantains and beef empanada are on point. This white boy loved it all.
(5)David K.
We found this gem on Yelp. Worth the drive from Siesta, Longboat, or Lido Keys and a much better value than all, even the Columbia (really). Our family with some picky eaters was won over by the plantains, cafe con leche, beans & rice, and beef stew. The large portions satisfied: the pork sandwich was larger than a Chipotle burrito. At first glance the menu seems simple, but you can tell the chef takes the time required to make each dish with fresh ingredients. The simple list of "pork/beef/etc." is deceiving: each of the meats were cooked for hours to become tender and full of flavor. Your order will be made right in front of you without compromise. Worth the wait. Better yet, call ahead. Our GPS pushed us in the wrong direction. Don't miss it: it is in the "elbow" of the big strip mall / shopping center. Our only regret is that we found this on our last afternoon in SRQ and couldn't return. Thank you for taking the time to craft such great food and answer our questions.
(5)Roberto G.
Authentic Puertorrican food!!! Great food and friendly owners!
(5)Suzanne B.
I'm always looking for great authentic ethnic food. But by far even better than just good ethnic is the story behind the restaurant. My favorite stories are the ones that mirror one of the most powerful positive narratives about the U.S.; of those that have invested everything they have into a dream to succeed. In addition fresh, clean authentic Puerto Rican food, at Sofrito's you'll find that story of couple trying to achieve their dreams. The alcapurias were great, the gazpacho was reclaimed as a beautifully seasoned salad cod, avocados, slivered onions, and tomatoes. I am a fan and will return as often as I can!
(5)Roving F.
This is the place with such stinkin good food I could hardly believe it.. I got the fried pork chops and even with my advanced appetite it made for two meals. The pork was succulent and I enjoyed the yellow rice accompaniment. My only wish was that the place had some sitdown inside. It got quite warmish eating outside. We live to far away to take home which I am sure is what most of the locals do.
(5)Peter S.
Amazing! They explain all their options and are super friendly. The empenadas are literally to die for! Super service plus exceptional food makes this a can't miss stop in Sarasota. Did I mention that the prices are ridiculously low for the quality of food you are given? I might have to go back later today to give them a hug (and get some more chicken empenadas! )
(5)Shari B.
Not what the rave is. I wasn't impressed. Fried pork was jerky and chicken wasn't great. Rice was crunchy. Sorry
(2)Milly V.
Like Mami's cooking! Visiting Sarasota and was looking for some good Latin food (NOT Taco Bell) and hit on this via Yelp where it got good reviews. I had to go check it out. Great music playing, greeted as soon as I walked in and they hooked me up! $9 for the pernil platter cannot be beat (see picture). Just wished I had found it on day 1 of my trip. They also sell homemade sofrito, frozen pasteles, pastellios, tostones, pernil sandwiches. They sell coquito from thanksgiving to new years. every saturday they serve pasteles and sancocho. 10% off entire order everyday for military, police, fire fighters. 10% senior citizen discount Wednesdays. Their website has menu. This is enough reason to come back to sarasota for another conference!! Fantastic!!
(5)Shelley J.
MSG Alert! Loved the food, but had to chose dishes with no MSG. Most have it in there, so if you are allergic, make sure you let them know. It is the only reason I didn't give 5 stars. They just don't need to be using it. What can I say? This little dive of a place has the best Puerto Rican food I have had in years! We tried a LOT of food - empanadas, fried sweet plantain, fried chicken, fried pork chops, avocado and tomato salad and roast pork. OMG! ALL of it was deliciousos! I don't think you can go wrong with anything they make. This is definitely on the top of this foody's list of places to eat! A word of warning, though. Most people take out because they don't have any inside seating and outdoor seating is limited to three tables. We eat there because we are 45 minutes away, but well worth the drive.
(4)Zach P.
Awesome food and awesome people! The owners are extremely friendly, and their food is some of the best in Sarasota. We went to Sarasota in 2012 and 2013 and ate there both times. Planning a trip to Sarasota in 2014 and can't wait to go by my favorite restaurant in Sarasota! Definitely a must try... it is take out only but they do have some tables right outside where you can sit down and enjoy your food immediately. Don't forget to go back for desert...their tres leches is to die for! Don't miss out on this place... you will regret not going!
(5)Kyle D.
Excellent comfort food! The owner mans the counter and is friendly and engaging. The fried banana fritters are great! We also got the fried beef steak and the chicken stew. The food is delicious and serving sizes are generous. You should be prepared to order to go. There are some chairs outside but no other seating is available.
(5)Omar C.
Best Puerto Rican food I've had since I left Puerto Rico s a kid. Great empanadas, alcapurias, and bacaloitos.
(4)Denise K.
First of all if you want to eat inside your not there is no seating inside And in Florida when it's 100° and you're having sancoho is not a lot of fun. But if you want to pick up and take home it's not that bad.
(2)Amya S.
This place makes me happy. Everything I ordered here was utterly delicious. Picking my favorite dish isn't possible at the moment. The staff here is helpful and kind. This is what I've ordered here, and I recommend all of it: Empanadas - Pastelillos: Both the chicken and the spinach & cheese. Fried Sweet Plantains: Plantanos Maduros: Perfectly caramelized. Corn Bean Salad: The sweetness of the beets and corn pair so well together. Rice with Black Beans - Arroz Congri: A stellar rice to bean ratio, and the seasoning is spot on. Fried Chicken - Pollo Frito: Crispy skin, moist meat and the blend they use to flavor this dish is utterly fantastic. Really, this place is a gem.
(5)Jared B.
Being from St. Louis I always want some good Puerto Rican food whenever I get the chance. Thankfully Yelp came through again. First off this place has a great name and they even sell freshly made sofrito ready for you to drop in a dish or freeze in those ice cube trays. When it has been awhile, my crave is pretty basic. Bistec encebollado and a beef pastellio with some cola champagne to wash it down. Everything was made fresh to order with little wait so no soggy empanadas sitting under a heat lamp. The pastellio was STUFFED with plenty of meat seasoned to perfection. I chose the arroz con gandules with my bistec and was by no means disappointed. Perfectly seasoned and the rice still moist and delicious at 7:00 at night. I pretty much stuffed half of the food down my face on the way back to my hotel but was still able to enjoy the rest of the tender bistec. Plenty of onions well seasoned and nice and tender. Another plus is the meat is not overly dredged in oil and vinegar. Have to mention the friendly staff as I am extremely picky on bad customer service. Just go there if you are in the area. I am sure you will become a regular!
(5)Jason B.
My wife and I were driving through Sarasota on a trip. We whipped out the Yelp app to search for dinner, and Sofrito Mama's came up (with some other restaurants.) Seeing Puerto Rican food, we decided to give it a try. We weren't quite sure what to make of it, at first, because it is a take out place in a shopping center. We were pleasantly surprised. The guy behind the counter (the chef's husband) was very friendly and helpful. We chose the pernil (roast pork) platter, with fried plantain, along with a chicken empanada. The empanada was was very tasty and not greasy. The pork was tender and flavorful. We enjoyed taking a bite of it with the plantain and the "hot" (vinegar based) and "mild" (actually, somewhat spicy) sauces that were provided. The pineapple soda was a terrific complement to the meal. Even though we only ordered a single platter, it was more than enough for the both of us. Truly an enjoyable meal!
(5)Anthony C.
This place is more like a take-out express food place. Food is full of flavor and a nice staff
(3)Holly K.
Do yourself a favor when you're in Sarasota and check out Sofrito Mama's. The entire menu, without exception, is AMAZING. So fresh, so delicious! Whatever you pick, your food will be made-to-order from *real deal* Puerto Rican recipes....and you can taste the love. I'm a big fan of the Roast Pork. It is moist, succulent, and seasoned with a sure hand. Order it with some plantains and you got the good thing. I also love the Emapanadas, always crisp and never greasy. There are so many choices, including daily specials like Mofongo and Gaspacho, which are in addition to their regular menu. Owners Jason & Alicia are friendly & welcoming. You'll be treated like a favored guest and they are more than happy to make suggestions if you're unsure which delicious item to choose. You really can't go wrong here--From soup to flan, everything is made with a lot of pride and care.
(5)Fred S.
I am always leery of Puerto Rican restaurants who promise authentic food "just like mom used to make", since they usually don't live up to the hype. Since this was a new venture started by a couple I happen to know with a wealth of experience in the catering business, I decided to give the place a try. I ordered the Roast Pork and Fried Plantains. In all candor I was stunned by the portions and more importantly the explosion of flavor that flooded my palette. The pork was so moist and tender it literally melted in my mouth. The plantains were some of the best I have ever tasted (other than my departed moms). The dipping sauce that accompanied them was marvelously tinged with a slight kick...awesome. My wife had the yellow rice with pigeon peas and commented that it was "seasoned to perfection". If you are a fan of Puerto Rican/Latin fare you will be hard pressed to find better. Congratulations to Sofrito Mama's on bringing true Latin comfort food to the west coast of Florida.
(5)Doreen D.
I was lucky enough to be surrounded by Puerto Rican cuisine when I was growing up. I remember fondly the "family" picnics and parties with over 100 of the "closest" relatives. The food and music couldn't be matched ... until now!! I wandered into Sofrito Mama's and WOW !!! First, I arrived 3 minutes before they were closing but that didn't matter. Jason was SO accommodating and friendly!! I would have been cursing .. haha! I walked out with my childhood favorite ... pastelillo and thought .. no way could they taste like Grandma's but .. I was pleasantly surprised!! Went back on Tuesday to try the Arroz con Pollo with the beans and OMG!!!! Fantastic!!! Huge portions, authentic taste!! Talk about Latin comfort food!!!!!! I have NEVER found a restaurant that has come close to bringing me back to my childhood but that can no longer be said!! THANK YOU Jason and the rest of the staff at Sofrito Mama's!! I can not wait to go back and try all the other delicious sounding menu items!!!
(5)George T.
Authentic food at a good price. I'm from PR and was visiting the area and was pleasantly surprised to find this place since there aren't many.like it. Owners were friendly and helpful. We had the yellow rice and.chicken and the pastelon. Both were delicious. If I lived nearby I would eat there every week.
(5)Mark M.
Amazing, authentic, affordable, and huge portions. The owners are wonderfully warm and welcoming and make you feel like family.
(5)Matteo R.
It might be small, but it is fantastic. When I went to this place the first time I hadn't eaten Puerto Rican food before, but I've now come back about 6 or 7 times and the the food is outstanding every time. my favorite dishes are the Pernil (roast pork) and the fried pork chunks. The tostones and platanos maduros are great as well. The two people who run the restaurant are very nice and they're always happy to answer any food questions you may have. Overall, one of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota, and I highly recommend eating at Sofrito Mama's.
(5)Pei L.
We come every year from NYC. Puerto Rican is a weekly staple in my house since we live by Spanish Harlem. We ordered a Cuban sandwich because we were not too hungry, and a pernil platter. My husband did his residence in Miami and he said it was as good as calle ocho! The platter came with rice and beans and maduros. The bag was so heavy, the owners very friendly and prompt. As soon as we got in the car, I knew by the luscious smells that we were going to be VERY happy. The pernil was huge! Tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. The rice and beans very nice as well. The maduros sweet and well done just like I like it. I'll let you know how the flan is..... Really, one of the best casual meals I've had in Sarasota.
(5)Justine F.
Vacationing in Sarasota with the boyfriend and wanted to stop here based on all the glowing reviews. It's a small place in a shopping center with limited seating. The owners greeted us and explained the menu. I can't stress enough how nice it is to be warmly welcomed into a restaurant and see first hand the love they put into their business and food. Boyfriend ordered the roasted pork with black beans. I had the Friday special of stewed codfish. Both dishes were excellent and there was so much food we ended up saving it for dinner. While the cuisines are not exactly the same, Sofrito Mama's was 100 x better than our experience at the Columbia Restaurant. There was limited seating outside, and it appears to be a carry out type place. Love this place and will definitely return on our next visit!
(5)Mark M.
The situation: two NYC city peeps visiting Sarasota and hankering for some good, homestyle Puerto Rican/Dominican/Cuban food. Don't let the fact that Sofrito Mama's is in a strip mall and only has a few outdoor tables keep you away. The food here is great, and the husband/wife team running it were super nice, took pride in their cooking, and clearly cared that we had a good experience. Would highly recommend to those looking for delicious homestyle food. The pernil in particular was excellent! But we enjoyed it all, rice and peas, tostones, plantains, and, yep, even coconut soda.
(4)Peter A.
I've had take out a couple times from Sofrito Mama's but decided to have them cater my Christmas dinner. In a word, fabulouso! For 15 of us it worked out to about $20/person and we had a ton of food with plenty of leftovers. Sweet plantains, roasted yucca in garlic, black beans and rice (some of the best I've had outside of Luquillo, PR) roasted chicken/roasted pork and tres leche cake for dessert. The owners are really nice folks and they take incredible pride in what they do. Their restaurant is take out only although there is some seating outside of the store. The small kitchen is well suited for turning out all things Puerto Rican - mofongo, empanadas, etc and the place is immaculate. Consumate professionals. I highly recommend this spot!
(5)Rodger B.
At this point we have pretty much worked through the menu. The Bacalaitos are crisp and the Tostones drip with garlic. The Arroz con Gandules are done right with green olives. The Carne Frita, I prefer the chunks to the platter, are seasoned just right. The Thursday special Mofongo with pork is my favorite. My wife likes Saturday with the Sancocho and Pasteles. I can also recommend the Chuleta Frita and the Asopao de Camarones. I had wanted to love the Budin de Pan but a long time aficionado of La Bombonera in Old San Juan has spoiled me for pastry. If you are a fan of good solid Puerto Rican cooking, this is your place. This is a small two-person operation so you might have to wait a bit, call ahead if impatient, as everything is done to order. I just wish they made morcilla.
(5)Mel P.
This is a great Puerto Rican restaurant. We found it online and were excited to try it because the 3 sites we checked out gave it a five star rating. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. My husband even said it was better than his grandma's. Everything we had was amazing. The Carne Fritas is a must-have. Super nice an helpful owners as well, worth the drive.
(5)Alexander F.
Well, I must say this place is a nice little gem. I do a lot of traveling doing IT work and saw positive reviews of this place. Yes, this place is small, it is a proverbial "hole in the wall", however, you will not be let down. The owners of the place were polite and offered suggestions on what to eat. I went ahead and ordered the bistec empanizado (breaded steak), rice and beans, and tostones (fried green plantains). Everything was great (including the service). The steak was thin and instead of one huge steak, it was cut up into smaller pieces (which I prefer). The tostones were cooked to the point where it's not overcooked where it cuts the roof of your mouth and not mushy, a great balance. I also got a beef empanada and it's just as good as something I'd make at home. One nice thing was I could see them prepping my food, nothing prepared here. And I must reiterate, service was fantastic as well, and don't forget meal portions are big enough for two people. I hope they continue to do well and hopefully they get a bigger place for more patrons.
(4)Deborah C.
Funny thing about this place, it's right next to the post office I frequently visit and it took a year for me to notice. It is a very good take-out place. Cuban was tasty, right combination of ingredients, not overly stuffed, fresh and hot off the grill. Plantains as good as the get and portion will feed two people. But my favorite Tres Leche cake, the best I have found, outside of California, better than Whole Foods (WF have the best brownies.)
(4)Carlos S.
So good. Reminds me of the authentic Spanish food I grew up with in North Jersey.
(5)Ernesto C.
Awesome food and very flavorful. The position is more than enough for one person. I had Arroz con Gandules and pernil. Also, I tried the beef empanada with their home made hot sauce. All I can say that this place has amazing food and very reasonably priced.
(5)Andrew H.
Took the whole family here and really enjoyed our food and experience. Prepare to eat outside (no inside seating) and prepare to taste modern interpretations of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. Just do it. And get the empanadas. Okay? Okay.
(5)Mirtle P.
Oh, boy. This is the epitome of a hole-in-the-wall, but the food here is SO GOOD. We were in the area and were some latin food. The portions are big (and delicious) and we were able to feed a family of five for a really good price. We had some of the stewed chicken (pollo guisado), yellow rice and peas (arroz con guandules), sweet plantains (maduros), steak, some salads, and an empanada. We were all VERY satisfied with our meals. Good to note that it is not a "sit and eat" kind of place, as there aren't really any tables and chairs inside, but they have a few chairs and tables outside where you can sit an eat. Will definitely be coming back here next time I am in town and getting my grub on!
(5)Rachel M.
This place rocked it. Authentic to the max Puerto Rican food right here. If you are looking for that local place that is so tiny you blinked your eye, and it is gone, it's here. You will not be able to sit inside. If you can suck it up if you are a true Floridian who hates the heat, but lives here, you will take it home, eat it in your car, or sit outside at their tables. Those are three options. I'll give you a fourth one, eat it at the beach, and risk seagulls jumping on your head and stealing your empanada. You will be pissed. I would. Saturday is pasteles day - chicken or pork. Check out my pic! It's a biggie deal. You better believe it. We also had Fried chicken, rice with peas and green olives, sweet plaintains, and salads. Yes they r all amazing with flavor. Love love love Puerto Rican rice!!!! Sofrito Mama can cook!!!!! We first found this place through trip advisor. Sancocho soup caught my eye, but they ran out of it at the time I called in the winter months. Finally made it out here, & it did not disappoint.
(4)Aurelio A.
Great authentic PR food and super friendly staff (Co-owner is from Philly). Grabbed take out lunch (pork, rice and beans, and plantains) for around $10 and it was delicious. Also, great portion size...couldn't even finish my meal and was full for the rest of the day. The food is home cooking at its best and they have a bright future. No seating in the inside. Make sure to get there home made hot sauce.
(4)Selmy B.
Fresh food made daily. Authentic Latin food. So good and the taste are so tantalizing!!! This is a carry-out only place. There are some tables with umbrellas on the walkway. Totally great to grab and go. The pernil, that's the roast pork is juicy, flavorful and generous. The Cuban sandwich is hands down the best in Sarasota.
(5)Rassan G.
It's places like this that you just love to discover. 100% the best food I've had in Sarasota. Bar none. Such wonderful owners and just a fabulous menu.
(5)Kim K.
What a great experience! First off, this is a carry-out only establishment; however, they do have outdoor seating for your carry out! The guy at the counter was so helpful and friendly. He was so patient while I tried to make my selection. He even helped me pick out a special soda. I ordered pulled pork, rice and even macaroni salad. I left about 75% of the plate behind because there was so much food. I even got a spinach empanada with my Yelp check it. I ate it several hours later in the airport and it was delicious. I would go back here in a hearteat and feed a family of three for $10! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Peter L.
This is it folks. The "real-deal" "hole-in-the-wall" "mom and pop" shop run by a very likable man with a great sense of humor and wit and his wife. An absolute treasure hidden amongst the snowbirds and tourists, serving the die-hard locals who know where to get the best food and the best service. How do I know? Because while I was standing in line waiting to order, three different patrons gave me unsolicited input on the menu items as I was contemplating what to order. People were raving. * Welcome Experience - Outstanding Well because of the owner. You just wanna know the guy. He's likable and CARES about what he's doing. While bagging up one patron's to-go order, he opens the lid to show another patron so she can see the splendor of the dish. He's proud of it because he cares about what he's doing. He knows he's not only in the restaurant business he's in the people business. * Establishment - Unique Sophrito Mama's is a TO-GO only establishment. You can't eat there if you wanted to. There are tables and chairs outside provided for convenience. That's where we ate at the tables outside. As I stood waiting for the other patrons to collect their orders and get happy, I couldn't help but notice how clean and organized the visible cooking and prep space was. Extraordinary! Cuban music (I think?) added to the ambiance and made my experience more enjoyable. * Service - Extraordinary! Like I stated above, you just wanna know this guy. He's super cool and witty and kinda sarcastic but in a kind way and CARES about what you're having and how it's prepared. We talked for a minute and I told him I am a bit of a foodie and he said, "No foodie would order a diet coke when there are unique authentic traditional Cuban sodas in the cooler." He was right! I switched to his recommendation and it was perfect with the meal. It's stuff like that that makes experiences like this enjoyable and memorable. * Food Quantity / Quality / Presentation - Outstanding I had the pulled pork and rice plate, empanadas, tostones and the cod fritter which I'm forgetting the name of right now. For dessert I had tres leches cake and flan. The breakdown: Pulled pork & Rice: Moist. Tender. WELL SEASONED! Perfect hot sauce on the side to pour over it. Perfect with the rice that has big chunky olives and peas in it! That plate was so good! Empanadas: Made with LOVE. My favorite was the spinach and cheese. Very "espinaca con queso" flavor to it, perfect to use to scoop up some of that pork and rice for an incredible bite! Tostones: Perfect. Fresh, crispy, delicious dipping sauce. Omg yum. Cod fritter: Crispy, hot, chewy and delicious. I'm not a big "fish" guy but this thing was very tasty. I'd order it again! Tres leches: Perfect. Not overly sweet, milky, creamy, FRESH and delicious. Flan: This was just ok. I'd skip this next time and try the bread pudding. There was a bit of separation and the custard was rough around the edges. I like a super silky flan! * What I'll remember This great experience compliments of the extraordinary owners. The first thing I said to my cousin when I started eating was, "We need to come back here again before I fly home in two days. Please rearrange the schedule so we can do that." We are headed back tomorrow. Can't wait!
(5)Alice M.
We found this one on a trip adviser search and on a day trip to Sarasota made it our first stop. It truly is a hole in the wall. You cannot eat there and there no bathroom, but they are friendly with their neighbors and restrooms are available next door and the barber next door seems friendly! With a yelp check in, we got a free empanadas. Their empanadas are delicious--flaky pastry, flavorful meat. Yum! We also tried their plantain football shaped appetizers. They were a little more doughy than I expected, but tasty. For our main entree, we ordered a Cuban sandwich that came with plantain chips. The Cuban was OUT OF THIS WORLD tasty. Best Cuban I've had. My husband ordered the fried pork with the traditional rice (rice with peas). He enjoyed it, too. The mojo sauce was different than he had expected since it didn't seem to have any citrus ingredients, but still tasty! The owner was great and so friendly. Would definitely come back for another Cuban sandwich!
(4)Kerry S.
Loved everything! ! Guisado, carne frita, Cuban sandwich, plátanos maduros, empanada, and Guaraná to drink....We shared among 5 of us and still took food home! I wish we didn't live out of state, or we would pick up food here very often. Can only eat outside or take it to go.
(5)Minnesota M.
Wow wow wow! The empanadas are ridiculous! Tostones have the best sweet or salty for either palate. The chicken stew platter is out of this world, authentic and will set your taste buds off. do not forget the tres leches cake!!! mmm... husband and wife team will not let you down!
(5)Meredith V.
Had to my call a friend to decide where to start. She got very made because I was making her hungry and reminding her of home. The stuffed green plantains came highly recommended (alcapurria) ahhhh so good. Perlin as a platter was perfect the pork, beans and rice and fried sweet plantains were so good. Stop here you will post a thanks to me.
(5)Luis L.
Nice beautiful day to eat outside, ordered the CubaRican also known as the CubaRiqueno the sandwich was out of this world! Would definitely recommend it, this was my first experience in eating Puerto Rican food.
(5)Karry H.
Authentic Puerto Rican,delicious food. Made you feel like family when you walked in and appreciates the business.
(4)Nathan W.
Fantastic flavors. One of the Best hole in the wall joints for unique Hispanic food.
(4)Mike R.
I was not happy after getting my order of Puerto Rican style pork chop here. After waiting until the family came back from their vacation I was so excited to get some authentic Puerto Rican food like I'm used to getting in the Upper West side of Manhattan. When I got my food I was upset to find that they only serve food in styrofoam and have plastic utensils. The food was sub par and quite on the salty side. Not recommended. I'd recommend Mi Tierra. By the way there's no good seeing so you better hope it doesn't rain.
(2)Jules B.
DON'T PASS THIS GEM UP! We were in the mood for Cuban food but my hubby convinced me to try something new and I am so glad I agreed. We arrived an hour before closing (7pm) on Saturday and they were hoping. All the seating is outdoors under cover and the store is small, but OMG do they pack a lot of love into that space. We both ordered the roast pork with black beans and rice. FIRST, the pork was like butter! It practically melted in the mouth...really! SECOND, and most important, it was badass good! LASTLY, Jason and Alisha (those are the names I got from another review so I hope they are right) not o my have a magic touch on the food, but they know how to make you feel special. We waited longer for our order than he said it would take but we weren't in a hurry, nonetheless, Jason brought our food out and had made it special (meaning, we had a lot of food) and offered us two free drinks. He really didn't need to. Afterwards, we gave him our praises and then we talked about the Thursday special, Mofoto, and when would be the best time to get some before it ran out. So we now have a lunch date scheduled for Thursday. If we lived down here, we would have to walk from Bradenton to Sofrito's.
(5)Frank R.
Very good food always tasty very friendly n helpful, real Puerto Rican menu the best we ve had in town bar none . Just wish they had more inside tables since most of dinning is outside menu always has a good special
(4)Lawrence C.
Selection is small, but quality is good, and prices/value is very good!!! There are some vegetarian and non-meat options for those who eat chicken, etc. I'd recommend trying an assortment, and the plates are a very good value. Desserts look better than they taste, though latin food isn't known for their sweets!
(4)Todd S.
OK, so they don't serve beer, wine or liquor, but you can get all that next door and bring it to your outdoor table. All the tables are outside with umbrellas and shade cloth. The food is FANTASTIC! This is the best Puerto Rican food I've ever eaten!
(4)Katelin S.
Yum! My boyfriend and I were in search of some authentic Puerto Rican food. This place did not disappoint. My boyfriend is Puerto Rican and said that this food reminded him of his mother and grandmother's cooking. We both got the arroz con pollo platter (rice and chicken) for $9. It came with a side salad too. We also got two chicken empanadas. It was all so good!! You could taste that this food is fresh and full of love. The beans were so delicious and you could taste the fresh Sofrito in them. The price isn't bad and the helpings are generous, we both had leftovers. This place is small so you really have to look out for it. There isn't seating outdoors but there are plenty of outdoor seats. We will definitely be coming back here next time we are in the area. We've had a hard time finding good Puerto Rican food, so we were relieved we found this. And they play salsa, so it gives the whole atmosphere a total Latin feel. The employees were all happy and polite, all around a great little place.
(5)Matthew T.
A true hole in the wall gem. Three tables out side and a basically an place to order inside. But full of friendly people and great food. Stopped by for lunch not knowing there is no inside sit down, but with a slight breeze and not much sun outside was fine, but during the summer I would go with take out. While waiting for a DC to show, I ordered a bacalaito. Crispy, large, yummy, some bites had a nice salty bit, could use a little more cod to give it a more pronounced salted cod flavor but really good. Put some of the hot sauce on and you are in business. Be sure to ask for the special hot sauce under the counter. After hearing about the daily special I had to have the Pasteles. Tender, rich and delicious and filled with yummy stewed pork. At least the version I got. Comes with rice or plantains and either a side salad or tomato and avocado. I would go with the tomato and avocado myself, olive oil and salt and pepper. Supper yummy and great on a hot day. The DC had the roast pork, which looked really good. But with food this good, I wonder if they won't get a bigger place at some point and have places to sit inside. Although, by staying with this place they keep costs down and you get a great deal. Must be a mad house in the winter.
(4)Jerry m.
I've eaten here three times over the last few months and everything tastes amazing. The fried pork chunks are ridiculously good. The pulled pork is awesome, especially if you have it with some of their fried plantains, which are nice and soft and rich. The beans and rice and empanadas and everything else i've tried were excellent. I haven't had a bad bite yet. Take this food to go and enjoy some awesome food. The owner is a pretty friendly guy too. I would give this place 6 stars if I could.
(5)Julie V.
I went to Sofrito Mama's with a large group of college students and the service was very accommodating despite the location's small size and our not calling ahead. The food was inexpensive and servings were large. I had no experience with Puerto Rican food but some members of my party were familiar and said that Sofrito Mama's is authentic. Towards the end of our lunch, the man at the counter (his name is escaping me at the moment) came out and had a nice conversation with us. Truly a great, family-owned restaurant!
(5)Mike G.
Had a very good lunch at Sofrito today. Really enjoyed the fried pork - good spice, nice a crispy. ***Note: There is no in-door seating. There are tables outside however.
(4)Joy S.
You have to eat here!!! All the empanadas are amazing and we have tried them all. Seriously!! We have eaten here so many times and will continue to come back again and again. I wish they had a bigger place with inside seating but oh well. We even stop here for a quick snack while running errands.
(5)Elaine V.
We're vegetarians passing through on our way to Ft Myers. Owner recommended lots of wonderful dishes. And they were truly. Had the salt codfish stew delish! Red beans and rice. Pretty basic but I could have eaten just that alone. Tried a few appetizers as well. Can't say one negative thing about this place only I wish it was in Ft Myers
(5)Tracy S.
Oh, man. I don't even know where to begin. We found this place as being highly rated and decided on a whim to go. We are SO glad that we did! The location is very, very small. They have some seating outside, but we opted to just take our items to-go. The couple who run the restaurant were exceptionally nice and friendly! I ordered the carnes fritas and my fiance got the bistec encebolla. We both got platanos maduros and he got the arroz con gandules, while I went with the rice and red beans. We also got a sampler of their empanadas--one chicken, one beef, and one spinach and cheese for $7 for all three. The pork was incredible! Juicy and crispy and absolutely perfect. The red beans and rice almost made me want to cry--I hadn't had red beans like that in I don't know how long! And the platanos maduros were so sweet and perfectly fried. His beef was incredibly juicy and flavorful with deliciously soft onions. The yellow rice was perfectly spiced and wonderfully just a little salty from the addition of olives. The empanadas were beautifully made--really big and super stuffed with filling. They were all really different in the construction of the fillings and the way they were spiced, which really made us happy. They were all incredibly delicious--my favorites were the chicken and the spinach and cheese, but the beef empanada was super juicy and nicely flavored. The prices were great! We got a mountain of food for less than $30 and all of it was superb. I hope that this place sticks around--the owners are going to go far, if they can keep this kind of quality!
(5)Jonathan K.
Everything we got was superb! I got a Cuban sandwich which was made the right way, no lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo here --- thank you!!! The empanada was great as well. Other in my party got Pastelon with white rice and beans, and was made just like Abuelita would make it. Pernil with rice and gandules was loaded with flavor. To top it off, dessert of bread pudding and flan was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. The location was easy to find and the owners were great people to converse with offering some nice tips for us just traveling through. I strongly urge anyone in the Sarasota area or just passing through and looking for an authentic Puerto Rico meal to do yourself a favor and stop here!!!
(5)Casey C.
Puerto Ricans are fickle about other peoples Puerto Rican food...if it doesn't taste like "abuelas" then it's not worth going. It's very difficult to find a place that will give you that warmth of home. Well...now we have found that place! DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS! It's as good as abuelas. Although this is a "take out only" restaurant, I suggest you order some food, sit at your table and enjoy it as if it were cooked right there in your kitchen because thats what it feels like. The food is cooked with genuine love as if they cooked it specifically for you with your taste buds in mind and you can taste the love in every bite! If you are looking for THE BEST latino food this side of the gulf coast, search NO MORE. You will NOT regret it.
(5)Gaby G.
Had the Sancocho and chacho' good enough to revive the dead. As a matter of fact it did, my barber Pat next door. ... Come bless this place it will definitely have you coming back.
(5)Deborah C.
Funny thing about this place, it's right next to the post office I frequently visit and it took a year for me to notice. It is a very good take-out place. Cuban was tasty, right combination of ingredients, not overly stuffed, fresh and hot off the grill. Plantains as good as the get and portion will feed two people. But my favorite Tres Leche cake, the best I have found, outside of California, better than Whole Foods (WF have the best brownies.)
(4)Suzanne B.
I'm always looking for great authentic ethnic food. But by far even better than just good ethnic is the story behind the restaurant. My favorite stories are the ones that mirror one of the most powerful positive narratives about the U.S.; of those that have invested everything they have into a dream to succeed. In addition fresh, clean authentic Puerto Rican food, at Sofrito's you'll find that story of couple trying to achieve their dreams. The alcapurias were great, the gazpacho was reclaimed as a beautifully seasoned salad cod, avocados, slivered onions, and tomatoes. I am a fan and will return as often as I can!
(5)Rodger B.
At this point we have pretty much worked through the menu. The Bacalaitos are crisp and the Tostones drip with garlic. The Arroz con Gandules are done right with green olives. The Carne Frita, I prefer the chunks to the platter, are seasoned just right. The Thursday special Mofongo with pork is my favorite. My wife likes Saturday with the Sancocho and Pasteles. I can also recommend the Chuleta Frita and the Asopao de Camarones. I had wanted to love the Budin de Pan but a long time aficionado of La Bombonera in Old San Juan has spoiled me for pastry. If you are a fan of good solid Puerto Rican cooking, this is your place. This is a small two-person operation so you might have to wait a bit, call ahead if impatient, as everything is done to order. I just wish they made morcilla.
(5)Mel P.
This is a great Puerto Rican restaurant. We found it online and were excited to try it because the 3 sites we checked out gave it a five star rating. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. My husband even said it was better than his grandma's. Everything we had was amazing. The Carne Fritas is a must-have. Super nice an helpful owners as well, worth the drive.
(5)Casey C.
Puerto Ricans are fickle about other peoples Puerto Rican food...if it doesn't taste like "abuelas" then it's not worth going. It's very difficult to find a place that will give you that warmth of home. Well...now we have found that place! DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS! It's as good as abuelas. Although this is a "take out only" restaurant, I suggest you order some food, sit at your table and enjoy it as if it were cooked right there in your kitchen because thats what it feels like. The food is cooked with genuine love as if they cooked it specifically for you with your taste buds in mind and you can taste the love in every bite! If you are looking for THE BEST latino food this side of the gulf coast, search NO MORE. You will NOT regret it.
(5)Gaby G.
Had the Sancocho and chacho' good enough to revive the dead. As a matter of fact it did, my barber Pat next door. ... Come bless this place it will definitely have you coming back.
(5)George T.
Authentic food at a good price. I'm from PR and was visiting the area and was pleasantly surprised to find this place since there aren't many.like it. Owners were friendly and helpful. We had the yellow rice and.chicken and the pastelon. Both were delicious. If I lived nearby I would eat there every week.
(5)Mark M.
Amazing, authentic, affordable, and huge portions. The owners are wonderfully warm and welcoming and make you feel like family.
(5)Mike R.
I was not happy after getting my order of Puerto Rican style pork chop here. After waiting until the family came back from their vacation I was so excited to get some authentic Puerto Rican food like I'm used to getting in the Upper West side of Manhattan. When I got my food I was upset to find that they only serve food in styrofoam and have plastic utensils. The food was sub par and quite on the salty side. Not recommended. I'd recommend Mi Tierra. By the way there's no good seeing so you better hope it doesn't rain.
(2)Katelin S.
Yum! My boyfriend and I were in search of some authentic Puerto Rican food. This place did not disappoint. My boyfriend is Puerto Rican and said that this food reminded him of his mother and grandmother's cooking. We both got the arroz con pollo platter (rice and chicken) for $9. It came with a side salad too. We also got two chicken empanadas. It was all so good!! You could taste that this food is fresh and full of love. The beans were so delicious and you could taste the fresh Sofrito in them. The price isn't bad and the helpings are generous, we both had leftovers. This place is small so you really have to look out for it. There isn't seating outdoors but there are plenty of outdoor seats. We will definitely be coming back here next time we are in the area. We've had a hard time finding good Puerto Rican food, so we were relieved we found this. And they play salsa, so it gives the whole atmosphere a total Latin feel. The employees were all happy and polite, all around a great little place.
(5)Amya S.
This place makes me happy. Everything I ordered here was utterly delicious. Picking my favorite dish isn't possible at the moment. The staff here is helpful and kind. This is what I've ordered here, and I recommend all of it: Empanadas - Pastelillos: Both the chicken and the spinach & cheese. Fried Sweet Plantains: Plantanos Maduros: Perfectly caramelized. Corn Bean Salad: The sweetness of the beets and corn pair so well together. Rice with Black Beans - Arroz Congri: A stellar rice to bean ratio, and the seasoning is spot on. Fried Chicken - Pollo Frito: Crispy skin, moist meat and the blend they use to flavor this dish is utterly fantastic. Really, this place is a gem.
(5)Jen I.
Love Sofrito Mama's authentic cuisine and wonderful staff!! Highly recommend! Outdoor seating is nice!! Food is amazing!
(5)Matthew T.
A true hole in the wall gem. Three tables out side and a basically an place to order inside. But full of friendly people and great food. Stopped by for lunch not knowing there is no inside sit down, but with a slight breeze and not much sun outside was fine, but during the summer I would go with take out. While waiting for a DC to show, I ordered a bacalaito. Crispy, large, yummy, some bites had a nice salty bit, could use a little more cod to give it a more pronounced salted cod flavor but really good. Put some of the hot sauce on and you are in business. Be sure to ask for the special hot sauce under the counter. After hearing about the daily special I had to have the Pasteles. Tender, rich and delicious and filled with yummy stewed pork. At least the version I got. Comes with rice or plantains and either a side salad or tomato and avocado. I would go with the tomato and avocado myself, olive oil and salt and pepper. Supper yummy and great on a hot day. The DC had the roast pork, which looked really good. But with food this good, I wonder if they won't get a bigger place at some point and have places to sit inside. Although, by staying with this place they keep costs down and you get a great deal. Must be a mad house in the winter.
(4)Jerry m.
I've eaten here three times over the last few months and everything tastes amazing. The fried pork chunks are ridiculously good. The pulled pork is awesome, especially if you have it with some of their fried plantains, which are nice and soft and rich. The beans and rice and empanadas and everything else i've tried were excellent. I haven't had a bad bite yet. Take this food to go and enjoy some awesome food. The owner is a pretty friendly guy too. I would give this place 6 stars if I could.
(5)Julie V.
I went to Sofrito Mama's with a large group of college students and the service was very accommodating despite the location's small size and our not calling ahead. The food was inexpensive and servings were large. I had no experience with Puerto Rican food but some members of my party were familiar and said that Sofrito Mama's is authentic. Towards the end of our lunch, the man at the counter (his name is escaping me at the moment) came out and had a nice conversation with us. Truly a great, family-owned restaurant!
(5)Mike G.
Had a very good lunch at Sofrito today. Really enjoyed the fried pork - good spice, nice a crispy. ***Note: There is no in-door seating. There are tables outside however.
(4)Carlos S.
So good. Reminds me of the authentic Spanish food I grew up with in North Jersey.
(5)Joy S.
You have to eat here!!! All the empanadas are amazing and we have tried them all. Seriously!! We have eaten here so many times and will continue to come back again and again. I wish they had a bigger place with inside seating but oh well. We even stop here for a quick snack while running errands.
(5)Elaine V.
We're vegetarians passing through on our way to Ft Myers. Owner recommended lots of wonderful dishes. And they were truly. Had the salt codfish stew delish! Red beans and rice. Pretty basic but I could have eaten just that alone. Tried a few appetizers as well. Can't say one negative thing about this place only I wish it was in Ft Myers
(5)Milly V.
Like Mami's cooking! Visiting Sarasota and was looking for some good Latin food (NOT Taco Bell) and hit on this via Yelp where it got good reviews. I had to go check it out. Great music playing, greeted as soon as I walked in and they hooked me up! $9 for the pernil platter cannot be beat (see picture). Just wished I had found it on day 1 of my trip. They also sell homemade sofrito, frozen pasteles, pastellios, tostones, pernil sandwiches. They sell coquito from thanksgiving to new years. every saturday they serve pasteles and sancocho. 10% off entire order everyday for military, police, fire fighters. 10% senior citizen discount Wednesdays. Their website has menu. This is enough reason to come back to sarasota for another conference!! Fantastic!!
(5)Shelley J.
MSG Alert! Loved the food, but had to chose dishes with no MSG. Most have it in there, so if you are allergic, make sure you let them know. It is the only reason I didn't give 5 stars. They just don't need to be using it. What can I say? This little dive of a place has the best Puerto Rican food I have had in years! We tried a LOT of food - empanadas, fried sweet plantain, fried chicken, fried pork chops, avocado and tomato salad and roast pork. OMG! ALL of it was deliciousos! I don't think you can go wrong with anything they make. This is definitely on the top of this foody's list of places to eat! A word of warning, though. Most people take out because they don't have any inside seating and outdoor seating is limited to three tables. We eat there because we are 45 minutes away, but well worth the drive.
(4)Ernesto C.
Awesome food and very flavorful. The position is more than enough for one person. I had Arroz con Gandules and pernil. Also, I tried the beef empanada with their home made hot sauce. All I can say that this place has amazing food and very reasonably priced.
(5)Andrew H.
Took the whole family here and really enjoyed our food and experience. Prepare to eat outside (no inside seating) and prepare to taste modern interpretations of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. Just do it. And get the empanadas. Okay? Okay.
(5)Mirtle P.
Oh, boy. This is the epitome of a hole-in-the-wall, but the food here is SO GOOD. We were in the area and were some latin food. The portions are big (and delicious) and we were able to feed a family of five for a really good price. We had some of the stewed chicken (pollo guisado), yellow rice and peas (arroz con guandules), sweet plantains (maduros), steak, some salads, and an empanada. We were all VERY satisfied with our meals. Good to note that it is not a "sit and eat" kind of place, as there aren't really any tables and chairs inside, but they have a few chairs and tables outside where you can sit an eat. Will definitely be coming back here next time I am in town and getting my grub on!
(5)Rachel M.
This place rocked it. Authentic to the max Puerto Rican food right here. If you are looking for that local place that is so tiny you blinked your eye, and it is gone, it's here. You will not be able to sit inside. If you can suck it up if you are a true Floridian who hates the heat, but lives here, you will take it home, eat it in your car, or sit outside at their tables. Those are three options. I'll give you a fourth one, eat it at the beach, and risk seagulls jumping on your head and stealing your empanada. You will be pissed. I would. Saturday is pasteles day - chicken or pork. Check out my pic! It's a biggie deal. You better believe it. We also had Fried chicken, rice with peas and green olives, sweet plaintains, and salads. Yes they r all amazing with flavor. Love love love Puerto Rican rice!!!! Sofrito Mama can cook!!!!! We first found this place through trip advisor. Sancocho soup caught my eye, but they ran out of it at the time I called in the winter months. Finally made it out here, & it did not disappoint.
(4)Aurelio A.
Great authentic PR food and super friendly staff (Co-owner is from Philly). Grabbed take out lunch (pork, rice and beans, and plantains) for around $10 and it was delicious. Also, great portion size...couldn't even finish my meal and was full for the rest of the day. The food is home cooking at its best and they have a bright future. No seating in the inside. Make sure to get there home made hot sauce.
(4)Selmy B.
Fresh food made daily. Authentic Latin food. So good and the taste are so tantalizing!!! This is a carry-out only place. There are some tables with umbrellas on the walkway. Totally great to grab and go. The pernil, that's the roast pork is juicy, flavorful and generous. The Cuban sandwich is hands down the best in Sarasota.
(5)Rassan G.
It's places like this that you just love to discover. 100% the best food I've had in Sarasota. Bar none. Such wonderful owners and just a fabulous menu.
(5)Kim K.
What a great experience! First off, this is a carry-out only establishment; however, they do have outdoor seating for your carry out! The guy at the counter was so helpful and friendly. He was so patient while I tried to make my selection. He even helped me pick out a special soda. I ordered pulled pork, rice and even macaroni salad. I left about 75% of the plate behind because there was so much food. I even got a spinach empanada with my Yelp check it. I ate it several hours later in the airport and it was delicious. I would go back here in a hearteat and feed a family of three for $10! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Alice M.
We found this one on a trip adviser search and on a day trip to Sarasota made it our first stop. It truly is a hole in the wall. You cannot eat there and there no bathroom, but they are friendly with their neighbors and restrooms are available next door and the barber next door seems friendly! With a yelp check in, we got a free empanadas. Their empanadas are delicious--flaky pastry, flavorful meat. Yum! We also tried their plantain football shaped appetizers. They were a little more doughy than I expected, but tasty. For our main entree, we ordered a Cuban sandwich that came with plantain chips. The Cuban was OUT OF THIS WORLD tasty. Best Cuban I've had. My husband ordered the fried pork with the traditional rice (rice with peas). He enjoyed it, too. The mojo sauce was different than he had expected since it didn't seem to have any citrus ingredients, but still tasty! The owner was great and so friendly. Would definitely come back for another Cuban sandwich!
(4)Kerry S.
Loved everything! ! Guisado, carne frita, Cuban sandwich, plátanos maduros, empanada, and Guaraná to drink....We shared among 5 of us and still took food home! I wish we didn't live out of state, or we would pick up food here very often. Can only eat outside or take it to go.
(5)Minnesota M.
Wow wow wow! The empanadas are ridiculous! Tostones have the best sweet or salty for either palate. The chicken stew platter is out of this world, authentic and will set your taste buds off. do not forget the tres leches cake!!! mmm... husband and wife team will not let you down!
(5)Meredith V.
Had to my call a friend to decide where to start. She got very made because I was making her hungry and reminding her of home. The stuffed green plantains came highly recommended (alcapurria) ahhhh so good. Perlin as a platter was perfect the pork, beans and rice and fried sweet plantains were so good. Stop here you will post a thanks to me.
(5)Nathan W.
Fantastic flavors. One of the Best hole in the wall joints for unique Hispanic food.
(4)Peter L.
This is it folks. The "real-deal" "hole-in-the-wall" "mom and pop" shop run by a very likable man with a great sense of humor and wit and his wife. An absolute treasure hidden amongst the snowbirds and tourists, serving the die-hard locals who know where to get the best food and the best service. How do I know? Because while I was standing in line waiting to order, three different patrons gave me unsolicited input on the menu items as I was contemplating what to order. People were raving. * Welcome Experience - Outstanding Well because of the owner. You just wanna know the guy. He's likable and CARES about what he's doing. While bagging up one patron's to-go order, he opens the lid to show another patron so she can see the splendor of the dish. He's proud of it because he cares about what he's doing. He knows he's not only in the restaurant business he's in the people business. * Establishment - Unique Sophrito Mama's is a TO-GO only establishment. You can't eat there if you wanted to. There are tables and chairs outside provided for convenience. That's where we ate at the tables outside. As I stood waiting for the other patrons to collect their orders and get happy, I couldn't help but notice how clean and organized the visible cooking and prep space was. Extraordinary! Cuban music (I think?) added to the ambiance and made my experience more enjoyable. * Service - Extraordinary! Like I stated above, you just wanna know this guy. He's super cool and witty and kinda sarcastic but in a kind way and CARES about what you're having and how it's prepared. We talked for a minute and I told him I am a bit of a foodie and he said, "No foodie would order a diet coke when there are unique authentic traditional Cuban sodas in the cooler." He was right! I switched to his recommendation and it was perfect with the meal. It's stuff like that that makes experiences like this enjoyable and memorable. * Food Quantity / Quality / Presentation - Outstanding I had the pulled pork and rice plate, empanadas, tostones and the cod fritter which I'm forgetting the name of right now. For dessert I had tres leches cake and flan. The breakdown: Pulled pork & Rice: Moist. Tender. WELL SEASONED! Perfect hot sauce on the side to pour over it. Perfect with the rice that has big chunky olives and peas in it! That plate was so good! Empanadas: Made with LOVE. My favorite was the spinach and cheese. Very "espinaca con queso" flavor to it, perfect to use to scoop up some of that pork and rice for an incredible bite! Tostones: Perfect. Fresh, crispy, delicious dipping sauce. Omg yum. Cod fritter: Crispy, hot, chewy and delicious. I'm not a big "fish" guy but this thing was very tasty. I'd order it again! Tres leches: Perfect. Not overly sweet, milky, creamy, FRESH and delicious. Flan: This was just ok. I'd skip this next time and try the bread pudding. There was a bit of separation and the custard was rough around the edges. I like a super silky flan! * What I'll remember This great experience compliments of the extraordinary owners. The first thing I said to my cousin when I started eating was, "We need to come back here again before I fly home in two days. Please rearrange the schedule so we can do that." We are headed back tomorrow. Can't wait!
(5)Luis L.
Nice beautiful day to eat outside, ordered the CubaRican also known as the CubaRiqueno the sandwich was out of this world! Would definitely recommend it, this was my first experience in eating Puerto Rican food.
(5)Karry H.
Authentic Puerto Rican,delicious food. Made you feel like family when you walked in and appreciates the business.
(4)Jules B.
DON'T PASS THIS GEM UP! We were in the mood for Cuban food but my hubby convinced me to try something new and I am so glad I agreed. We arrived an hour before closing (7pm) on Saturday and they were hoping. All the seating is outdoors under cover and the store is small, but OMG do they pack a lot of love into that space. We both ordered the roast pork with black beans and rice. FIRST, the pork was like butter! It practically melted in the mouth...really! SECOND, and most important, it was badass good! LASTLY, Jason and Alisha (those are the names I got from another review so I hope they are right) not o my have a magic touch on the food, but they know how to make you feel special. We waited longer for our order than he said it would take but we weren't in a hurry, nonetheless, Jason brought our food out and had made it special (meaning, we had a lot of food) and offered us two free drinks. He really didn't need to. Afterwards, we gave him our praises and then we talked about the Thursday special, Mofoto, and when would be the best time to get some before it ran out. So we now have a lunch date scheduled for Thursday. If we lived down here, we would have to walk from Bradenton to Sofrito's.
(5)Frank R.
Very good food always tasty very friendly n helpful, real Puerto Rican menu the best we ve had in town bar none . Just wish they had more inside tables since most of dinning is outside menu always has a good special
(4)Lawrence C.
Selection is small, but quality is good, and prices/value is very good!!! There are some vegetarian and non-meat options for those who eat chicken, etc. I'd recommend trying an assortment, and the plates are a very good value. Desserts look better than they taste, though latin food isn't known for their sweets!
(4)Todd S.
OK, so they don't serve beer, wine or liquor, but you can get all that next door and bring it to your outdoor table. All the tables are outside with umbrellas and shade cloth. The food is FANTASTIC! This is the best Puerto Rican food I've ever eaten!
(4)Peter S.
Amazing! They explain all their options and are super friendly. The empenadas are literally to die for! Super service plus exceptional food makes this a can't miss stop in Sarasota. Did I mention that the prices are ridiculously low for the quality of food you are given? I might have to go back later today to give them a hug (and get some more chicken empenadas! )
(5)Shari B.
Not what the rave is. I wasn't impressed. Fried pork was jerky and chicken wasn't great. Rice was crunchy. Sorry
(2)Pei L.
We come every year from NYC. Puerto Rican is a weekly staple in my house since we live by Spanish Harlem. We ordered a Cuban sandwich because we were not too hungry, and a pernil platter. My husband did his residence in Miami and he said it was as good as calle ocho! The platter came with rice and beans and maduros. The bag was so heavy, the owners very friendly and prompt. As soon as we got in the car, I knew by the luscious smells that we were going to be VERY happy. The pernil was huge! Tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. The rice and beans very nice as well. The maduros sweet and well done just like I like it. I'll let you know how the flan is..... Really, one of the best casual meals I've had in Sarasota.
(5)Justine F.
Vacationing in Sarasota with the boyfriend and wanted to stop here based on all the glowing reviews. It's a small place in a shopping center with limited seating. The owners greeted us and explained the menu. I can't stress enough how nice it is to be warmly welcomed into a restaurant and see first hand the love they put into their business and food. Boyfriend ordered the roasted pork with black beans. I had the Friday special of stewed codfish. Both dishes were excellent and there was so much food we ended up saving it for dinner. While the cuisines are not exactly the same, Sofrito Mama's was 100 x better than our experience at the Columbia Restaurant. There was limited seating outside, and it appears to be a carry out type place. Love this place and will definitely return on our next visit!
(5)Mark M.
The situation: two NYC city peeps visiting Sarasota and hankering for some good, homestyle Puerto Rican/Dominican/Cuban food. Don't let the fact that Sofrito Mama's is in a strip mall and only has a few outdoor tables keep you away. The food here is great, and the husband/wife team running it were super nice, took pride in their cooking, and clearly cared that we had a good experience. Would highly recommend to those looking for delicious homestyle food. The pernil in particular was excellent! But we enjoyed it all, rice and peas, tostones, plantains, and, yep, even coconut soda.
(4)Peter A.
I've had take out a couple times from Sofrito Mama's but decided to have them cater my Christmas dinner. In a word, fabulouso! For 15 of us it worked out to about $20/person and we had a ton of food with plenty of leftovers. Sweet plantains, roasted yucca in garlic, black beans and rice (some of the best I've had outside of Luquillo, PR) roasted chicken/roasted pork and tres leche cake for dessert. The owners are really nice folks and they take incredible pride in what they do. Their restaurant is take out only although there is some seating outside of the store. The small kitchen is well suited for turning out all things Puerto Rican - mofongo, empanadas, etc and the place is immaculate. Consumate professionals. I highly recommend this spot!
(5)Mike R.
I'm always looking for the next authentic experience in food, and 4 out of 5 times places fall dreadfully short. Either the place is dirty and the food dirtier, or the portion sizes are too small, or most common the food is inconsistent. But I think I've found a gem here in Sofrito Mamas, how did it take me so long to find this place? Puerto Rican food, done just like in Puerto Rico. Very authentic, the flavors of the food perfect like home cooking. I'm usually pretty tough on places because I'm sick of the bar being set low, but this place is worth a visit. The staff is friendly, and are more than happy to guide you through the menu. Can't wait to return. Thank you!!!
(5)Gary R.
Visited Sofrito Mama's for the first time. Good place for take-out Puerto Rican cuisine in Sarasota or perhaps anywhere. No seating inside but seating/tables outside weather permitting. We had Mofongo with pork, rice, and black beans,excellent. Very accommodating owner with excellent recommendations. For tourists like us in an unfamiliar area the location is in a medium size mall with lots of folks around. Thanks Jason, we will return.
(4)Doreen D.
I was lucky enough to be surrounded by Puerto Rican cuisine when I was growing up. I remember fondly the "family" picnics and parties with over 100 of the "closest" relatives. The food and music couldn't be matched ... until now!! I wandered into Sofrito Mama's and WOW !!! First, I arrived 3 minutes before they were closing but that didn't matter. Jason was SO accommodating and friendly!! I would have been cursing .. haha! I walked out with my childhood favorite ... pastelillo and thought .. no way could they taste like Grandma's but .. I was pleasantly surprised!! Went back on Tuesday to try the Arroz con Pollo with the beans and OMG!!!! Fantastic!!! Huge portions, authentic taste!! Talk about Latin comfort food!!!!!! I have NEVER found a restaurant that has come close to bringing me back to my childhood but that can no longer be said!! THANK YOU Jason and the rest of the staff at Sofrito Mama's!! I can not wait to go back and try all the other delicious sounding menu items!!!
(5)Alexander F.
Well, I must say this place is a nice little gem. I do a lot of traveling doing IT work and saw positive reviews of this place. Yes, this place is small, it is a proverbial "hole in the wall", however, you will not be let down. The owners of the place were polite and offered suggestions on what to eat. I went ahead and ordered the bistec empanizado (breaded steak), rice and beans, and tostones (fried green plantains). Everything was great (including the service). The steak was thin and instead of one huge steak, it was cut up into smaller pieces (which I prefer). The tostones were cooked to the point where it's not overcooked where it cuts the roof of your mouth and not mushy, a great balance. I also got a beef empanada and it's just as good as something I'd make at home. One nice thing was I could see them prepping my food, nothing prepared here. And I must reiterate, service was fantastic as well, and don't forget meal portions are big enough for two people. I hope they continue to do well and hopefully they get a bigger place for more patrons.
(4)Jonathan K.
Everything we got was superb! I got a Cuban sandwich which was made the right way, no lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo here --- thank you!!! The empanada was great as well. Other in my party got Pastelon with white rice and beans, and was made just like Abuelita would make it. Pernil with rice and gandules was loaded with flavor. To top it off, dessert of bread pudding and flan was the perfect ending to a perfect meal. The location was easy to find and the owners were great people to converse with offering some nice tips for us just traveling through. I strongly urge anyone in the Sarasota area or just passing through and looking for an authentic Puerto Rico meal to do yourself a favor and stop here!!!
(5)Holly K.
Do yourself a favor when you're in Sarasota and check out Sofrito Mama's. The entire menu, without exception, is AMAZING. So fresh, so delicious! Whatever you pick, your food will be made-to-order from *real deal* Puerto Rican recipes....and you can taste the love. I'm a big fan of the Roast Pork. It is moist, succulent, and seasoned with a sure hand. Order it with some plantains and you got the good thing. I also love the Emapanadas, always crisp and never greasy. There are so many choices, including daily specials like Mofongo and Gaspacho, which are in addition to their regular menu. Owners Jason & Alicia are friendly & welcoming. You'll be treated like a favored guest and they are more than happy to make suggestions if you're unsure which delicious item to choose. You really can't go wrong here--From soup to flan, everything is made with a lot of pride and care.
(5)Fred S.
I am always leery of Puerto Rican restaurants who promise authentic food "just like mom used to make", since they usually don't live up to the hype. Since this was a new venture started by a couple I happen to know with a wealth of experience in the catering business, I decided to give the place a try. I ordered the Roast Pork and Fried Plantains. In all candor I was stunned by the portions and more importantly the explosion of flavor that flooded my palette. The pork was so moist and tender it literally melted in my mouth. The plantains were some of the best I have ever tasted (other than my departed moms). The dipping sauce that accompanied them was marvelously tinged with a slight kick...awesome. My wife had the yellow rice with pigeon peas and commented that it was "seasoned to perfection". If you are a fan of Puerto Rican/Latin fare you will be hard pressed to find better. Congratulations to Sofrito Mama's on bringing true Latin comfort food to the west coast of Florida.
(5)Zach P.
Awesome food and awesome people! The owners are extremely friendly, and their food is some of the best in Sarasota. We went to Sarasota in 2012 and 2013 and ate there both times. Planning a trip to Sarasota in 2014 and can't wait to go by my favorite restaurant in Sarasota! Definitely a must try... it is take out only but they do have some tables right outside where you can sit down and enjoy your food immediately. Don't forget to go back for desert...their tres leches is to die for! Don't miss out on this place... you will regret not going!
(5)Kyle D.
Excellent comfort food! The owner mans the counter and is friendly and engaging. The fried banana fritters are great! We also got the fried beef steak and the chicken stew. The food is delicious and serving sizes are generous. You should be prepared to order to go. There are some chairs outside but no other seating is available.
(5)Omar C.
Best Puerto Rican food I've had since I left Puerto Rico s a kid. Great empanadas, alcapurias, and bacaloitos.
(4)Denise K.
First of all if you want to eat inside your not there is no seating inside And in Florida when it's 100° and you're having sancoho is not a lot of fun. But if you want to pick up and take home it's not that bad.
(2)Matteo R.
It might be small, but it is fantastic. When I went to this place the first time I hadn't eaten Puerto Rican food before, but I've now come back about 6 or 7 times and the the food is outstanding every time. my favorite dishes are the Pernil (roast pork) and the fried pork chunks. The tostones and platanos maduros are great as well. The two people who run the restaurant are very nice and they're always happy to answer any food questions you may have. Overall, one of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota, and I highly recommend eating at Sofrito Mama's.
(5)Mike M.
The food was unreal. We tried a little bit of everything. I started with the Cuban sandwich. It was pulled pork and everything was fresh. The sandwich was second to none. I also had all 3 of the empanadas. They were fantastic. The guy behind the counter was super friendly and explained all the food with pictures. Great food.
(5)Elise L.
Had carry out from here last week. Their empanadas were small, but flavorful and definitely fulfilled my craving. Rice and beans were excellent. My husband had the shredded pork and it looked moist and tender. I will definitely go back and would recommend it to others. For some Puerto Rican soul food, this is the spot.
(4)Sean G.
The roasted pork, rice, plantains and beef empanada are on point. This white boy loved it all.
(5)David K.
We found this gem on Yelp. Worth the drive from Siesta, Longboat, or Lido Keys and a much better value than all, even the Columbia (really). Our family with some picky eaters was won over by the plantains, cafe con leche, beans & rice, and beef stew. The large portions satisfied: the pork sandwich was larger than a Chipotle burrito. At first glance the menu seems simple, but you can tell the chef takes the time required to make each dish with fresh ingredients. The simple list of "pork/beef/etc." is deceiving: each of the meats were cooked for hours to become tender and full of flavor. Your order will be made right in front of you without compromise. Worth the wait. Better yet, call ahead. Our GPS pushed us in the wrong direction. Don't miss it: it is in the "elbow" of the big strip mall / shopping center. Our only regret is that we found this on our last afternoon in SRQ and couldn't return. Thank you for taking the time to craft such great food and answer our questions.
(5)Roberto G.
Authentic Puertorrican food!!! Great food and friendly owners!
(5)Jared B.
Being from St. Louis I always want some good Puerto Rican food whenever I get the chance. Thankfully Yelp came through again. First off this place has a great name and they even sell freshly made sofrito ready for you to drop in a dish or freeze in those ice cube trays. When it has been awhile, my crave is pretty basic. Bistec encebollado and a beef pastellio with some cola champagne to wash it down. Everything was made fresh to order with little wait so no soggy empanadas sitting under a heat lamp. The pastellio was STUFFED with plenty of meat seasoned to perfection. I chose the arroz con gandules with my bistec and was by no means disappointed. Perfectly seasoned and the rice still moist and delicious at 7:00 at night. I pretty much stuffed half of the food down my face on the way back to my hotel but was still able to enjoy the rest of the tender bistec. Plenty of onions well seasoned and nice and tender. Another plus is the meat is not overly dredged in oil and vinegar. Have to mention the friendly staff as I am extremely picky on bad customer service. Just go there if you are in the area. I am sure you will become a regular!
(5)Jason B.
My wife and I were driving through Sarasota on a trip. We whipped out the Yelp app to search for dinner, and Sofrito Mama's came up (with some other restaurants.) Seeing Puerto Rican food, we decided to give it a try. We weren't quite sure what to make of it, at first, because it is a take out place in a shopping center. We were pleasantly surprised. The guy behind the counter (the chef's husband) was very friendly and helpful. We chose the pernil (roast pork) platter, with fried plantain, along with a chicken empanada. The empanada was was very tasty and not greasy. The pork was tender and flavorful. We enjoyed taking a bite of it with the plantain and the "hot" (vinegar based) and "mild" (actually, somewhat spicy) sauces that were provided. The pineapple soda was a terrific complement to the meal. Even though we only ordered a single platter, it was more than enough for the both of us. Truly an enjoyable meal!
(5)Anthony C.
This place is more like a take-out express food place. Food is full of flavor and a nice staff
(3)Roving F.
This is the place with such stinkin good food I could hardly believe it.. I got the fried pork chops and even with my advanced appetite it made for two meals. The pork was succulent and I enjoyed the yellow rice accompaniment. My only wish was that the place had some sitdown inside. It got quite warmish eating outside. We live to far away to take home which I am sure is what most of the locals do.
(5)Tracy S.
Oh, man. I don't even know where to begin. We found this place as being highly rated and decided on a whim to go. We are SO glad that we did! The location is very, very small. They have some seating outside, but we opted to just take our items to-go. The couple who run the restaurant were exceptionally nice and friendly! I ordered the carnes fritas and my fiance got the bistec encebolla. We both got platanos maduros and he got the arroz con gandules, while I went with the rice and red beans. We also got a sampler of their empanadas--one chicken, one beef, and one spinach and cheese for $7 for all three. The pork was incredible! Juicy and crispy and absolutely perfect. The red beans and rice almost made me want to cry--I hadn't had red beans like that in I don't know how long! And the platanos maduros were so sweet and perfectly fried. His beef was incredibly juicy and flavorful with deliciously soft onions. The yellow rice was perfectly spiced and wonderfully just a little salty from the addition of olives. The empanadas were beautifully made--really big and super stuffed with filling. They were all really different in the construction of the fillings and the way they were spiced, which really made us happy. They were all incredibly delicious--my favorites were the chicken and the spinach and cheese, but the beef empanada was super juicy and nicely flavored. The prices were great! We got a mountain of food for less than $30 and all of it was superb. I hope that this place sticks around--the owners are going to go far, if they can keep this kind of quality!
(5)Ernesto C.
Awesome food and very flavorful. The position is more than enough for one person. I had Arroz con Gandules and pernil. Also, I tried the beef empanada with their home made hot sauce. All I can say that this place has amazing food and very reasonably priced.
(5)Andrew H.
Took the whole family here and really enjoyed our food and experience. Prepare to eat outside (no inside seating) and prepare to taste modern interpretations of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. Just do it. And get the empanadas. Okay? Okay.
(5)Luis L.
Nice beautiful day to eat outside, ordered the CubaRican also known as the CubaRiqueno the sandwich was out of this world! Would definitely recommend it, this was my first experience in eating Puerto Rican food.
(5)Karry H.
Authentic Puerto Rican,delicious food. Made you feel like family when you walked in and appreciates the business.
(4)Aurelio A.
Great authentic PR food and super friendly staff (Co-owner is from Philly). Grabbed take out lunch (pork, rice and beans, and plantains) for around $10 and it was delicious. Also, great portion size...couldn't even finish my meal and was full for the rest of the day. The food is home cooking at its best and they have a bright future. No seating in the inside. Make sure to get there home made hot sauce.
(4)Peter L.
This is it folks. The "real-deal" "hole-in-the-wall" "mom and pop" shop run by a very likable man with a great sense of humor and wit and his wife. An absolute treasure hidden amongst the snowbirds and tourists, serving the die-hard locals who know where to get the best food and the best service. How do I know? Because while I was standing in line waiting to order, three different patrons gave me unsolicited input on the menu items as I was contemplating what to order. People were raving. * Welcome Experience - Outstanding Well because of the owner. You just wanna know the guy. He's likable and CARES about what he's doing. While bagging up one patron's to-go order, he opens the lid to show another patron so she can see the splendor of the dish. He's proud of it because he cares about what he's doing. He knows he's not only in the restaurant business he's in the people business. * Establishment - Unique Sophrito Mama's is a TO-GO only establishment. You can't eat there if you wanted to. There are tables and chairs outside provided for convenience. That's where we ate at the tables outside. As I stood waiting for the other patrons to collect their orders and get happy, I couldn't help but notice how clean and organized the visible cooking and prep space was. Extraordinary! Cuban music (I think?) added to the ambiance and made my experience more enjoyable. * Service - Extraordinary! Like I stated above, you just wanna know this guy. He's super cool and witty and kinda sarcastic but in a kind way and CARES about what you're having and how it's prepared. We talked for a minute and I told him I am a bit of a foodie and he said, "No foodie would order a diet coke when there are unique authentic traditional Cuban sodas in the cooler." He was right! I switched to his recommendation and it was perfect with the meal. It's stuff like that that makes experiences like this enjoyable and memorable. * Food Quantity / Quality / Presentation - Outstanding I had the pulled pork and rice plate, empanadas, tostones and the cod fritter which I'm forgetting the name of right now. For dessert I had tres leches cake and flan. The breakdown: Pulled pork & Rice: Moist. Tender. WELL SEASONED! Perfect hot sauce on the side to pour over it. Perfect with the rice that has big chunky olives and peas in it! That plate was so good! Empanadas: Made with LOVE. My favorite was the spinach and cheese. Very "espinaca con queso" flavor to it, perfect to use to scoop up some of that pork and rice for an incredible bite! Tostones: Perfect. Fresh, crispy, delicious dipping sauce. Omg yum. Cod fritter: Crispy, hot, chewy and delicious. I'm not a big "fish" guy but this thing was very tasty. I'd order it again! Tres leches: Perfect. Not overly sweet, milky, creamy, FRESH and delicious. Flan: This was just ok. I'd skip this next time and try the bread pudding. There was a bit of separation and the custard was rough around the edges. I like a super silky flan! * What I'll remember This great experience compliments of the extraordinary owners. The first thing I said to my cousin when I started eating was, "We need to come back here again before I fly home in two days. Please rearrange the schedule so we can do that." We are headed back tomorrow. Can't wait!
(5)Meredith V.
Had to my call a friend to decide where to start. She got very made because I was making her hungry and reminding her of home. The stuffed green plantains came highly recommended (alcapurria) ahhhh so good. Perlin as a platter was perfect the pork, beans and rice and fried sweet plantains were so good. Stop here you will post a thanks to me.
(5)Katelin S.
Yum! My boyfriend and I were in search of some authentic Puerto Rican food. This place did not disappoint. My boyfriend is Puerto Rican and said that this food reminded him of his mother and grandmother's cooking. We both got the arroz con pollo platter (rice and chicken) for $9. It came with a side salad too. We also got two chicken empanadas. It was all so good!! You could taste that this food is fresh and full of love. The beans were so delicious and you could taste the fresh Sofrito in them. The price isn't bad and the helpings are generous, we both had leftovers. This place is small so you really have to look out for it. There isn't seating outdoors but there are plenty of outdoor seats. We will definitely be coming back here next time we are in the area. We've had a hard time finding good Puerto Rican food, so we were relieved we found this. And they play salsa, so it gives the whole atmosphere a total Latin feel. The employees were all happy and polite, all around a great little place.
(5)Pei L.
We come every year from NYC. Puerto Rican is a weekly staple in my house since we live by Spanish Harlem. We ordered a Cuban sandwich because we were not too hungry, and a pernil platter. My husband did his residence in Miami and he said it was as good as calle ocho! The platter came with rice and beans and maduros. The bag was so heavy, the owners very friendly and prompt. As soon as we got in the car, I knew by the luscious smells that we were going to be VERY happy. The pernil was huge! Tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. The rice and beans very nice as well. The maduros sweet and well done just like I like it. I'll let you know how the flan is..... Really, one of the best casual meals I've had in Sarasota.
(5)Justine F.
Vacationing in Sarasota with the boyfriend and wanted to stop here based on all the glowing reviews. It's a small place in a shopping center with limited seating. The owners greeted us and explained the menu. I can't stress enough how nice it is to be warmly welcomed into a restaurant and see first hand the love they put into their business and food. Boyfriend ordered the roasted pork with black beans. I had the Friday special of stewed codfish. Both dishes were excellent and there was so much food we ended up saving it for dinner. While the cuisines are not exactly the same, Sofrito Mama's was 100 x better than our experience at the Columbia Restaurant. There was limited seating outside, and it appears to be a carry out type place. Love this place and will definitely return on our next visit!
(5)Mark M.
The situation: two NYC city peeps visiting Sarasota and hankering for some good, homestyle Puerto Rican/Dominican/Cuban food. Don't let the fact that Sofrito Mama's is in a strip mall and only has a few outdoor tables keep you away. The food here is great, and the husband/wife team running it were super nice, took pride in their cooking, and clearly cared that we had a good experience. Would highly recommend to those looking for delicious homestyle food. The pernil in particular was excellent! But we enjoyed it all, rice and peas, tostones, plantains, and, yep, even coconut soda.
(4)Matthew T.
A true hole in the wall gem. Three tables out side and a basically an place to order inside. But full of friendly people and great food. Stopped by for lunch not knowing there is no inside sit down, but with a slight breeze and not much sun outside was fine, but during the summer I would go with take out. While waiting for a DC to show, I ordered a bacalaito. Crispy, large, yummy, some bites had a nice salty bit, could use a little more cod to give it a more pronounced salted cod flavor but really good. Put some of the hot sauce on and you are in business. Be sure to ask for the special hot sauce under the counter. After hearing about the daily special I had to have the Pasteles. Tender, rich and delicious and filled with yummy stewed pork. At least the version I got. Comes with rice or plantains and either a side salad or tomato and avocado. I would go with the tomato and avocado myself, olive oil and salt and pepper. Supper yummy and great on a hot day. The DC had the roast pork, which looked really good. But with food this good, I wonder if they won't get a bigger place at some point and have places to sit inside. Although, by staying with this place they keep costs down and you get a great deal. Must be a mad house in the winter.
(4)Jerry m.
I've eaten here three times over the last few months and everything tastes amazing. The fried pork chunks are ridiculously good. The pulled pork is awesome, especially if you have it with some of their fried plantains, which are nice and soft and rich. The beans and rice and empanadas and everything else i've tried were excellent. I haven't had a bad bite yet. Take this food to go and enjoy some awesome food. The owner is a pretty friendly guy too. I would give this place 6 stars if I could.
(5)Nathan W.
Fantastic flavors. One of the Best hole in the wall joints for unique Hispanic food.
(4)Jules B.
DON'T PASS THIS GEM UP! We were in the mood for Cuban food but my hubby convinced me to try something new and I am so glad I agreed. We arrived an hour before closing (7pm) on Saturday and they were hoping. All the seating is outdoors under cover and the store is small, but OMG do they pack a lot of love into that space. We both ordered the roast pork with black beans and rice. FIRST, the pork was like butter! It practically melted in the mouth...really! SECOND, and most important, it was badass good! LASTLY, Jason and Alisha (those are the names I got from another review so I hope they are right) not o my have a magic touch on the food, but they know how to make you feel special. We waited longer for our order than he said it would take but we weren't in a hurry, nonetheless, Jason brought our food out and had made it special (meaning, we had a lot of food) and offered us two free drinks. He really didn't need to. Afterwards, we gave him our praises and then we talked about the Thursday special, Mofoto, and when would be the best time to get some before it ran out. So we now have a lunch date scheduled for Thursday. If we lived down here, we would have to walk from Bradenton to Sofrito's.
(5)Frank R.
Very good food always tasty very friendly n helpful, real Puerto Rican menu the best we ve had in town bar none . Just wish they had more inside tables since most of dinning is outside menu always has a good special
(4)Lawrence C.
Selection is small, but quality is good, and prices/value is very good!!! There are some vegetarian and non-meat options for those who eat chicken, etc. I'd recommend trying an assortment, and the plates are a very good value. Desserts look better than they taste, though latin food isn't known for their sweets!
(4)Todd S.
OK, so they don't serve beer, wine or liquor, but you can get all that next door and bring it to your outdoor table. All the tables are outside with umbrellas and shade cloth. The food is FANTASTIC! This is the best Puerto Rican food I've ever eaten!
(4)Joy S.
You have to eat here!!! All the empanadas are amazing and we have tried them all. Seriously!! We have eaten here so many times and will continue to come back again and again. I wish they had a bigger place with inside seating but oh well. We even stop here for a quick snack while running errands.
(5)Kyle D.
Excellent comfort food! The owner mans the counter and is friendly and engaging. The fried banana fritters are great! We also got the fried beef steak and the chicken stew. The food is delicious and serving sizes are generous. You should be prepared to order to go. There are some chairs outside but no other seating is available.
(5)Omar C.
Best Puerto Rican food I've had since I left Puerto Rico s a kid. Great empanadas, alcapurias, and bacaloitos.
(4)Denise K.
First of all if you want to eat inside your not there is no seating inside And in Florida when it's 100° and you're having sancoho is not a lot of fun. But if you want to pick up and take home it's not that bad.
(2)Amya S.
This place makes me happy. Everything I ordered here was utterly delicious. Picking my favorite dish isn't possible at the moment. The staff here is helpful and kind. This is what I've ordered here, and I recommend all of it: Empanadas - Pastelillos: Both the chicken and the spinach & cheese. Fried Sweet Plantains: Plantanos Maduros: Perfectly caramelized. Corn Bean Salad: The sweetness of the beets and corn pair so well together. Rice with Black Beans - Arroz Congri: A stellar rice to bean ratio, and the seasoning is spot on. Fried Chicken - Pollo Frito: Crispy skin, moist meat and the blend they use to flavor this dish is utterly fantastic. Really, this place is a gem.
(5)Mike M.
The food was unreal. We tried a little bit of everything. I started with the Cuban sandwich. It was pulled pork and everything was fresh. The sandwich was second to none. I also had all 3 of the empanadas. They were fantastic. The guy behind the counter was super friendly and explained all the food with pictures. Great food.
(5)Elise L.
Had carry out from here last week. Their empanadas were small, but flavorful and definitely fulfilled my craving. Rice and beans were excellent. My husband had the shredded pork and it looked moist and tender. I will definitely go back and would recommend it to others. For some Puerto Rican soul food, this is the spot.
(4)Sean G.
The roasted pork, rice, plantains and beef empanada are on point. This white boy loved it all.
(5)David K.
We found this gem on Yelp. Worth the drive from Siesta, Longboat, or Lido Keys and a much better value than all, even the Columbia (really). Our family with some picky eaters was won over by the plantains, cafe con leche, beans & rice, and beef stew. The large portions satisfied: the pork sandwich was larger than a Chipotle burrito. At first glance the menu seems simple, but you can tell the chef takes the time required to make each dish with fresh ingredients. The simple list of "pork/beef/etc." is deceiving: each of the meats were cooked for hours to become tender and full of flavor. Your order will be made right in front of you without compromise. Worth the wait. Better yet, call ahead. Our GPS pushed us in the wrong direction. Don't miss it: it is in the "elbow" of the big strip mall / shopping center. Our only regret is that we found this on our last afternoon in SRQ and couldn't return. Thank you for taking the time to craft such great food and answer our questions.
(5)Roberto G.
Authentic Puertorrican food!!! Great food and friendly owners!
(5)Jared B.
Being from St. Louis I always want some good Puerto Rican food whenever I get the chance. Thankfully Yelp came through again. First off this place has a great name and they even sell freshly made sofrito ready for you to drop in a dish or freeze in those ice cube trays. When it has been awhile, my crave is pretty basic. Bistec encebollado and a beef pastellio with some cola champagne to wash it down. Everything was made fresh to order with little wait so no soggy empanadas sitting under a heat lamp. The pastellio was STUFFED with plenty of meat seasoned to perfection. I chose the arroz con gandules with my bistec and was by no means disappointed. Perfectly seasoned and the rice still moist and delicious at 7:00 at night. I pretty much stuffed half of the food down my face on the way back to my hotel but was still able to enjoy the rest of the tender bistec. Plenty of onions well seasoned and nice and tender. Another plus is the meat is not overly dredged in oil and vinegar. Have to mention the friendly staff as I am extremely picky on bad customer service. Just go there if you are in the area. I am sure you will become a regular!
(5)Fred S.
I am always leery of Puerto Rican restaurants who promise authentic food "just like mom used to make", since they usually don't live up to the hype. Since this was a new venture started by a couple I happen to know with a wealth of experience in the catering business, I decided to give the place a try. I ordered the Roast Pork and Fried Plantains. In all candor I was stunned by the portions and more importantly the explosion of flavor that flooded my palette. The pork was so moist and tender it literally melted in my mouth. The plantains were some of the best I have ever tasted (other than my departed moms). The dipping sauce that accompanied them was marvelously tinged with a slight kick...awesome. My wife had the yellow rice with pigeon peas and commented that it was "seasoned to perfection". If you are a fan of Puerto Rican/Latin fare you will be hard pressed to find better. Congratulations to Sofrito Mama's on bringing true Latin comfort food to the west coast of Florida.
(5)Jason B.
My wife and I were driving through Sarasota on a trip. We whipped out the Yelp app to search for dinner, and Sofrito Mama's came up (with some other restaurants.) Seeing Puerto Rican food, we decided to give it a try. We weren't quite sure what to make of it, at first, because it is a take out place in a shopping center. We were pleasantly surprised. The guy behind the counter (the chef's husband) was very friendly and helpful. We chose the pernil (roast pork) platter, with fried plantain, along with a chicken empanada. The empanada was was very tasty and not greasy. The pork was tender and flavorful. We enjoyed taking a bite of it with the plantain and the "hot" (vinegar based) and "mild" (actually, somewhat spicy) sauces that were provided. The pineapple soda was a terrific complement to the meal. Even though we only ordered a single platter, it was more than enough for the both of us. Truly an enjoyable meal!
(5)Tracy S.
Oh, man. I don't even know where to begin. We found this place as being highly rated and decided on a whim to go. We are SO glad that we did! The location is very, very small. They have some seating outside, but we opted to just take our items to-go. The couple who run the restaurant were exceptionally nice and friendly! I ordered the carnes fritas and my fiance got the bistec encebolla. We both got platanos maduros and he got the arroz con gandules, while I went with the rice and red beans. We also got a sampler of their empanadas--one chicken, one beef, and one spinach and cheese for $7 for all three. The pork was incredible! Juicy and crispy and absolutely perfect. The red beans and rice almost made me want to cry--I hadn't had red beans like that in I don't know how long! And the platanos maduros were so sweet and perfectly fried. His beef was incredibly juicy and flavorful with deliciously soft onions. The yellow rice was perfectly spiced and wonderfully just a little salty from the addition of olives. The empanadas were beautifully made--really big and super stuffed with filling. They were all really different in the construction of the fillings and the way they were spiced, which really made us happy. They were all incredibly delicious--my favorites were the chicken and the spinach and cheese, but the beef empanada was super juicy and nicely flavored. The prices were great! We got a mountain of food for less than $30 and all of it was superb. I hope that this place sticks around--the owners are going to go far, if they can keep this kind of quality!
(5)Doreen D.
I was lucky enough to be surrounded by Puerto Rican cuisine when I was growing up. I remember fondly the "family" picnics and parties with over 100 of the "closest" relatives. The food and music couldn't be matched ... until now!! I wandered into Sofrito Mama's and WOW !!! First, I arrived 3 minutes before they were closing but that didn't matter. Jason was SO accommodating and friendly!! I would have been cursing .. haha! I walked out with my childhood favorite ... pastelillo and thought .. no way could they taste like Grandma's but .. I was pleasantly surprised!! Went back on Tuesday to try the Arroz con Pollo with the beans and OMG!!!! Fantastic!!! Huge portions, authentic taste!! Talk about Latin comfort food!!!!!! I have NEVER found a restaurant that has come close to bringing me back to my childhood but that can no longer be said!! THANK YOU Jason and the rest of the staff at Sofrito Mama's!! I can not wait to go back and try all the other delicious sounding menu items!!!
(5)Alexander F.
Well, I must say this place is a nice little gem. I do a lot of traveling doing IT work and saw positive reviews of this place. Yes, this place is small, it is a proverbial "hole in the wall", however, you will not be let down. The owners of the place were polite and offered suggestions on what to eat. I went ahead and ordered the bistec empanizado (breaded steak), rice and beans, and tostones (fried green plantains). Everything was great (including the service). The steak was thin and instead of one huge steak, it was cut up into smaller pieces (which I prefer). The tostones were cooked to the point where it's not overcooked where it cuts the roof of your mouth and not mushy, a great balance. I also got a beef empanada and it's just as good as something I'd make at home. One nice thing was I could see them prepping my food, nothing prepared here. And I must reiterate, service was fantastic as well, and don't forget meal portions are big enough for two people. I hope they continue to do well and hopefully they get a bigger place for more patrons.
(4)Mirtle P.
Oh, boy. This is the epitome of a hole-in-the-wall, but the food here is SO GOOD. We were in the area and were some latin food. The portions are big (and delicious) and we were able to feed a family of five for a really good price. We had some of the stewed chicken (pollo guisado), yellow rice and peas (arroz con guandules), sweet plantains (maduros), steak, some salads, and an empanada. We were all VERY satisfied with our meals. Good to note that it is not a "sit and eat" kind of place, as there aren't really any tables and chairs inside, but they have a few chairs and tables outside where you can sit an eat. Will definitely be coming back here next time I am in town and getting my grub on!
(5)Rachel M.
This place rocked it. Authentic to the max Puerto Rican food right here. If you are looking for that local place that is so tiny you blinked your eye, and it is gone, it's here. You will not be able to sit inside. If you can suck it up if you are a true Floridian who hates the heat, but lives here, you will take it home, eat it in your car, or sit outside at their tables. Those are three options. I'll give you a fourth one, eat it at the beach, and risk seagulls jumping on your head and stealing your empanada. You will be pissed. I would. Saturday is pasteles day - chicken or pork. Check out my pic! It's a biggie deal. You better believe it. We also had Fried chicken, rice with peas and green olives, sweet plaintains, and salads. Yes they r all amazing with flavor. Love love love Puerto Rican rice!!!! Sofrito Mama can cook!!!!! We first found this place through trip advisor. Sancocho soup caught my eye, but they ran out of it at the time I called in the winter months. Finally made it out here, & it did not disappoint.
(4)Selmy B.
Fresh food made daily. Authentic Latin food. So good and the taste are so tantalizing!!! This is a carry-out only place. There are some tables with umbrellas on the walkway. Totally great to grab and go. The pernil, that's the roast pork is juicy, flavorful and generous. The Cuban sandwich is hands down the best in Sarasota.
(5)Rassan G.
It's places like this that you just love to discover. 100% the best food I've had in Sarasota. Bar none. Such wonderful owners and just a fabulous menu.
(5)Kim K.
What a great experience! First off, this is a carry-out only establishment; however, they do have outdoor seating for your carry out! The guy at the counter was so helpful and friendly. He was so patient while I tried to make my selection. He even helped me pick out a special soda. I ordered pulled pork, rice and even macaroni salad. I left about 75% of the plate behind because there was so much food. I even got a spinach empanada with my Yelp check it. I ate it several hours later in the airport and it was delicious. I would go back here in a hearteat and feed a family of three for $10! You won't be disappointed.
(5)Alice M.
We found this one on a trip adviser search and on a day trip to Sarasota made it our first stop. It truly is a hole in the wall. You cannot eat there and there no bathroom, but they are friendly with their neighbors and restrooms are available next door and the barber next door seems friendly! With a yelp check in, we got a free empanadas. Their empanadas are delicious--flaky pastry, flavorful meat. Yum! We also tried their plantain football shaped appetizers. They were a little more doughy than I expected, but tasty. For our main entree, we ordered a Cuban sandwich that came with plantain chips. The Cuban was OUT OF THIS WORLD tasty. Best Cuban I've had. My husband ordered the fried pork with the traditional rice (rice with peas). He enjoyed it, too. The mojo sauce was different than he had expected since it didn't seem to have any citrus ingredients, but still tasty! The owner was great and so friendly. Would definitely come back for another Cuban sandwich!
(4)Kerry S.
Loved everything! ! Guisado, carne frita, Cuban sandwich, plátanos maduros, empanada, and Guaraná to drink....We shared among 5 of us and still took food home! I wish we didn't live out of state, or we would pick up food here very often. Can only eat outside or take it to go.
(5)Minnesota M.
Wow wow wow! The empanadas are ridiculous! Tostones have the best sweet or salty for either palate. The chicken stew platter is out of this world, authentic and will set your taste buds off. do not forget the tres leches cake!!! mmm... husband and wife team will not let you down!
(5)Rodger B.
At this point we have pretty much worked through the menu. The Bacalaitos are crisp and the Tostones drip with garlic. The Arroz con Gandules are done right with green olives. The Carne Frita, I prefer the chunks to the platter, are seasoned just right. The Thursday special Mofongo with pork is my favorite. My wife likes Saturday with the Sancocho and Pasteles. I can also recommend the Chuleta Frita and the Asopao de Camarones. I had wanted to love the Budin de Pan but a long time aficionado of La Bombonera in Old San Juan has spoiled me for pastry. If you are a fan of good solid Puerto Rican cooking, this is your place. This is a small two-person operation so you might have to wait a bit, call ahead if impatient, as everything is done to order. I just wish they made morcilla.
(5)Mel P.
This is a great Puerto Rican restaurant. We found it online and were excited to try it because the 3 sites we checked out gave it a five star rating. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. My husband even said it was better than his grandma's. Everything we had was amazing. The Carne Fritas is a must-have. Super nice an helpful owners as well, worth the drive.
(5)Casey C.
Puerto Ricans are fickle about other peoples Puerto Rican food...if it doesn't taste like "abuelas" then it's not worth going. It's very difficult to find a place that will give you that warmth of home. Well...now we have found that place! DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS! It's as good as abuelas. Although this is a "take out only" restaurant, I suggest you order some food, sit at your table and enjoy it as if it were cooked right there in your kitchen because thats what it feels like. The food is cooked with genuine love as if they cooked it specifically for you with your taste buds in mind and you can taste the love in every bite! If you are looking for THE BEST latino food this side of the gulf coast, search NO MORE. You will NOT regret it.
(5)Gaby G.
Had the Sancocho and chacho' good enough to revive the dead. As a matter of fact it did, my barber Pat next door. ... Come bless this place it will definitely have you coming back.
(5)George T.
Authentic food at a good price. I'm from PR and was visiting the area and was pleasantly surprised to find this place since there aren't many.like it. Owners were friendly and helpful. We had the yellow rice and.chicken and the pastelon. Both were delicious. If I lived nearby I would eat there every week.
(5)Mark M.
Amazing, authentic, affordable, and huge portions. The owners are wonderfully warm and welcoming and make you feel like family.
(5)Deborah C.
Funny thing about this place, it's right next to the post office I frequently visit and it took a year for me to notice. It is a very good take-out place. Cuban was tasty, right combination of ingredients, not overly stuffed, fresh and hot off the grill. Plantains as good as the get and portion will feed two people. But my favorite Tres Leche cake, the best I have found, outside of California, better than Whole Foods (WF have the best brownies.)
(4)Matteo R.
It might be small, but it is fantastic. When I went to this place the first time I hadn't eaten Puerto Rican food before, but I've now come back about 6 or 7 times and the the food is outstanding every time. my favorite dishes are the Pernil (roast pork) and the fried pork chunks. The tostones and platanos maduros are great as well. The two people who run the restaurant are very nice and they're always happy to answer any food questions you may have. Overall, one of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota, and I highly recommend eating at Sofrito Mama's.
(5)