La Bodega

It was like eating at my moms, if my moms was here in Washington! I'm super picky about my pernil (slow roasted pork) it cant be under roasted... which is possible. And this pork was PHENOMENAL! I was not that hungry and I ate the Whole thing! The service was Fast! And they were so friendly. I went with my boss, and she had the mojo chicken <3 and I have the pork plate. The tostones were on point!! We went a bit after 11 and no one was there yet... I will be going back again!

Good food. Sounds like the vast majority is made in house from the hand shaped yucca empandas to the hand flattened tostones. The staff were ebullient and friendly. The sitting area is brightly lit and the brightly painted interior makes it feel warm on the grayest Seattle day. It was a little difficult to spot coming from the north, just go past the bus shelter and turn directly to the east, yeah that's it, in the corner. Yes I know I looks dark from the outside, it's bright inside, go in.

BEST PLACE EVER! POC owned. Every dish is fantastic! Never disappointed. Affordable food in downtown. They have a few seasonal dishes, look at the black board behind the cashier for what they are. I wish they had happy hour or open past 3pm. Also this place is small and can get packed come 12pm, even the patio, especially on a nice sunny or cloudy day.

Walking into Manu's you're greeted with a smell so pleasant and enticing that it's almost impossible to describe accurately. I got the puerco asado sandwich and a chorizo empanada. Both were absolutely fantastic. The sandwich was a bit messy, but I consider that a mark of exactly how good it is. The only thing I think could use improvement was the empanada. The filling could use just a dash of salt, all the spices were there, but a bit more salt would have brought the whole thing together.

LOVE this place. I wouldn't be able to eat it daily because many of the items are meat-heavy, but weekly, absolutely. We found it when my husband worked blocks from here in Pioneer Square. Well, he changed jobs and the sad part was no longer having an excuse all the time to eat at La Bodega. The owner takes pride in his Dominican heritage and shares it and his versions of authentic recipes with the community. The regulars who live on the block or nearby blocks are a testament to the value of this delicious food. We get to go back tonight for the first time in months and I can't wait.