I was crazy excited to find a dominican bakery for that authentic 'masa' so close to home especially since i hadn't had one in over ten years and it was my daughters first birthday back home. The presentation was fine. The service was friendly. The cake however was not anywhere near what i had hoped. Definitely not that granular sweet 'masa' that so distinguishes it from every other cake. And kinda bland? I will try them again one more time just in case they had an off day or kicked that baker to the curb. It could happen.
Not a bad bakery but nothing special to make a return visit.
I suppose this place specializes more in cakes because the options are limited on a Saturday afternoon. The cake is decent, moist with some cream in the middle and a delicious fluff like frosting. Everything else was just alright, not bad but nothing stood out as amazing. However, the pricing is SPOT on! 3 cookies, 2 pastries, a cannoli, and a slice of cake for $6! So if you are looking for something sweet to eat for cheap and you're nearby give it a try.
Good: Carmen Rosa never disappoints. We are a fan of the tres leches cake and order it often. For $9 the tres leches is a STEAL. We ordered a cake for a friend's birthday after reading good reviews and were not disappointed ($15.50 for the smallest size that serves 8). The yellow cake by itself was delicious and it has a very thin layer of guava filling. The icing was the right amount also, not too overwhelming. I cannot wait to try all the other cakes with different fillings
Have ordered flan for a party this week and excited to try it. Reviews to follow.
Bad: nothing bad to say. I think it is a women only run business and I am always happy to support such endeavors 🙂 Re: the birthday cake, the guava filling could be a bit more in proportion to the yellow cake.
Ugly: absolutely nothing!
Protip: Carmen Rosa does not make savory items. Just walk 10 steps towards 3rd street from Carmen Rosa to a place called Cochie's, a Dominican eatery, to get your savory snacks 😉
I drive an hour away to get cakes here I even got my wedding cake from here about 4 years ago… Since then , this bakery hasn't been the same I think they have a different baker same recipe but different baker… I still love this place I have tried at least 3 different bakeries and I still come back despite that it has been falling apart… The cakes are not inedible yet but I'm hoping they get their act together so I don't have to go elsewhere , despite the cakes not being the same it is still better than other bakeries I've been too.. I hope the owner reads my review and realizes that changes need to get made before clientele goes somewhere else… I'll keep buying their cakes for now but I don't know how much longer I will— if I find some other bakery I might just have to stop being a customer.
I found out about Carmen Rosa Bakery not by walking past it a hundred times or living in the neighborhood for 8 years, but by reading about it on Yelp!
I got two pastries and they were very good: sweet, light, authentic and simply delicious. This is a another gem in Jersey City.
I've not had the cakes, but I have had the other stuff and they did not disappoint. The turnovers are a dollar! And they are flaky and delicious. The rice pudding is a little more, maybe a $1.50? I don't eat the stuff, but Jeff said it was pretty damn good.
I got a cupcake once and although it was also very cheap (less than $2), it left a little bit to be desired as far as I'm concerned. The cake was bordering on corn bread-like and the frosting was very heavy. Don't get me wrong. I still ate it and licked my fingers afterward.
They sell cake by the slice, so I would definitely buy a piece before ordering a whole cake, unless you are okay with that super heavy type of frosting.
As for me, I'm sticking with the flaky, fruity turnovers. Mmmm I wish I had one right now.
Great Dominican bakery located near Grove Street Jersey City that offers traditional pastries and delicacies at amazing prices (a cupcake and a flan only cost me $3.00 – I've definitely paid more for a cupcake alone).
The woman behind the counter was incredibly sweet and helpful. I'll definitely be back to try some of the other stuff in the future. I'm really curious about the Dominican cakes that they make and the description the woman gave made my mouth water.
Not sure what all the hoopla is about, we ordered a cake, price was high, cake taste and decoration was meh.
I was crazy excited to find a dominican bakery for that authentic 'masa' so close to home especially since i hadn't had one in over ten years and it was my daughters first birthday back home.
The presentation was fine.
The service was friendly.
The cake however was not anywhere near what i had hoped.
Definitely not that granular sweet 'masa' that so distinguishes it from every other cake. And kinda bland?
I will try them again one more time just in case they had an off day or kicked that baker to the curb. It could happen.
Not a bad bakery but nothing special to make a return visit.
I suppose this place specializes more in cakes because the options are limited on a Saturday afternoon. The cake is decent, moist with some cream in the middle and a delicious fluff like frosting. Everything else was just alright, not bad but nothing stood out as amazing. However, the pricing is SPOT on! 3 cookies, 2 pastries, a cannoli, and a slice of cake for $6!
So if you are looking for something sweet to eat for cheap and you're nearby give it a try.
Good: Carmen Rosa never disappoints. We are a fan of the tres leches cake and order it often. For $9 the tres leches is a STEAL. We ordered a cake for a friend's birthday after reading good reviews and were not disappointed ($15.50 for the smallest size that serves 8). The yellow cake by itself was delicious and it has a very thin layer of guava filling. The icing was the right amount also, not too overwhelming. I cannot wait to try all the other cakes with different fillings
Have ordered flan for a party this week and excited to try it. Reviews to follow.
Bad: nothing bad to say. I think it is a women only run business and I am always happy to support such endeavors 🙂 Re: the birthday cake, the guava filling could be a bit more in proportion to the yellow cake.
Ugly: absolutely nothing!
Protip: Carmen Rosa does not make savory items. Just walk 10 steps towards 3rd street from Carmen Rosa to a place called Cochie's, a Dominican eatery, to get your savory snacks 😉
I drive an hour away to get cakes here I even got my wedding cake from here about 4 years ago… Since then , this bakery hasn't been the same I think they have a different baker same recipe but different baker… I still love this place I have tried at least 3 different bakeries and I still come back despite that it has been falling apart… The cakes are not inedible yet but I'm hoping they get their act together so I don't have to go elsewhere , despite the cakes not being the same it is still better than other bakeries I've been too.. I hope the owner reads my review and realizes that changes need to get made before clientele goes somewhere else… I'll keep buying their cakes for now but I don't know how much longer I will— if I find some other bakery I might just have to stop being a customer.
I found out about Carmen Rosa Bakery not by walking past it a hundred times or living in the neighborhood for 8 years, but by reading about it on Yelp!
I got two pastries and they were very good: sweet, light, authentic and simply delicious. This is a another gem in Jersey City.
Next I want to buy a cake!
I've not had the cakes, but I have had the other stuff and they did not disappoint. The turnovers are a dollar! And they are flaky and delicious. The rice pudding is a little more, maybe a $1.50? I don't eat the stuff, but Jeff said it was pretty damn good.
I got a cupcake once and although it was also very cheap (less than $2), it left a little bit to be desired as far as I'm concerned. The cake was bordering on corn bread-like and the frosting was very heavy. Don't get me wrong. I still ate it and licked my fingers afterward.
They sell cake by the slice, so I would definitely buy a piece before ordering a whole cake, unless you are okay with that super heavy type of frosting.
As for me, I'm sticking with the flaky, fruity turnovers. Mmmm I wish I had one right now.
Great Dominican bakery located near Grove Street Jersey City that offers traditional pastries and delicacies at amazing prices (a cupcake and a flan only cost me $3.00 – I've definitely paid more for a cupcake alone).
The woman behind the counter was incredibly sweet and helpful. I'll definitely be back to try some of the other stuff in the future. I'm really curious about the Dominican cakes that they make and the description the woman gave made my mouth water.