Restaurante La Libertad
“Directly across the street from the Hispanic Society of America in Washington Heights.”
“I was deliriously happy with my pupusas and he was happy with his big plate of tasty rice and beans.”
“Since they don't have their liquor license yet, I asked if we could bring our own bottle of wine, and I was told that it would be fine to BYOB.”
Restaurante La Libertad
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Delicious food, decent waitstaff and totally affordable – that is Restaurante La Libertad in a nutshell.
My friend and I came here for my last meal in NYC before I moved out of state. It was within walking distance of my apartment in Hamilton Heights. We ordered drinks (rose for me, beer for her) and got a smattering of dishes: yuca fries, sweet corn and sour cream tamales, chicharron and cheese pupusas, roasted kale and a chipotle burger.
Everything was on point. The yuca fries were a little stiffer than ones I've had in the past, more like blocky, fat french fries, but still yummy. The pupusas were cheesy and flavorful, and the roasted kale was garlicky and just wilted enough to still have substance. The tamales were creamy and sweet, as promised.
Service was friendly and knowledgeable about the food, although we did have to wait a little bit after being seated to order. Other than that, great place to eat!
I discovered this place because they had a groupon. I bought the 2 person meal for $40 and it included a side, 2 entrees, and 2 sangrias. The restaurant was located really close to the 1 train 157th exit. The ambiance was calm and nice. We tried the crab dip yucca chip appetizer and it was delicious. Then we had the hanger steak which was a surprise. The steak was juicy and tender and the red bean rice and pico de gallo blended well together. If I had another groupon I would definitely go back.
I am so happy to have tried this place out and plan on being a regular!
The food is FRESH and unique, a nice change of pace from the predominantly Dominican restaurants all around. The salmon with cauliflower was so filling and perfectly cooked and seasoned. My dinner-mates got a variety of seafood and meat dishes and everyone was happy (and stuffed, as the portions are quite generous!) We drank the red wine sangria, which went down easy but packed a real punch.
The decor is also very nice, with lots of wood and some hammocks hanging above the bar. Finally, our waiter was incredibly attentive and friendly. Overall, a truly great dining experience and a restaurant I highly recommend!
Libertad is a pretty solid place in Harlem – right between the two Columbia campuses. They make both Salvadorian food and some American – also offering a good bottomless brunch during the weekends.
Overall, the place is good but has nothing on its Queens counterparts. The salmon with salsa verde is my usual. The burgers are okay but not as good as some of the other joints in the area. The fried chicken can get a little salty and the pupusa is just so-so. Their brunch is nice – especially for the area.We went once and were given a "bottomless" pitcher of our choice drink to start with. We barely made it passed the pitcher so kudos.
Delivery is fast, and dining in is a great experience – staff is friendly and attentive. Ambience is relaxing and rustic (a lot of wood and exposed brick).
I ordered delivery from this place on a Sunday. I got two entrees because… YOLO? (My alternate theory is PMS). I am torn between a 3 star and 4 star review, but decided to round up because I'm assuming that most of my complaints are due to the fact that I ordered food (i.e., burger and fries) that doesn't really keep its texture during the delivery process.
-The Chipotle burger, ordered medium rare, with fries: The burger and fries combo is famously difficult get right in a delivery order. It always comes with a soggy bun and uncrispy fries, and yet I never learn. This time the burger was actually really good (more like a medium than medium rare though) but the fries were not that crispy. I think I would have loved this if I ordered it piping hot in the restaurant. Note that the Chipotle burger doesn't come with lettuce and tomatoes.
-The Volcan (skirt steak with rice, beans, and pico de gallo-like salad): The steak was a bit on the tough side (overcooked), but flavorful. The rice and beans were AMAZING and same with the salad. If you order this, be sure to order the steak medium rare or rare because the cook seems to cook everything one or two degrees more done than it should be. This dish was substantial in portion size.
Conclusion: I'll be open to giving this place a try again, especially as dine-in.
I have been here for Brunch, lunch and dinner and I have to say that the consistency in quality of the food is superb. This is truely a hidden gem in the washington heights section of Broadway.
Sandwiched on a pretty hood block this place has a lot of class, ad could compete with some fine dining establishments in other prominent areas.
The staff is non intrusive and attentive and keep their cool in extreme situations. They are accommodating and fun.
The food is AMAZING. I like the salmon and always substitute my side for the kale ( trust me do it!) This is one of those places that you dont get a side eye for asking to subsstitute sides.
I am also a fan of the peppers as an appetizer and platanos to start the stomach going.
I love the brunch and the fact that they are always healthy with the portion and the pour.
My favorite hostess/waitress/zen master is Nataly she is sweet and demure but able to keep situations that others may find uncomfortable, easy and breezy.
Came on a Saturday night with two friends and a hearty appetite.
We split the crab dip and yuca chips to start. The dip was decent enough, served hot and had a fair amount of crab in it, though it's not the best crab I've had. The chips are incredible and we quickly polished those off.
I had the chipotle burger as my entree and could barely eat half. It was huge, juicy and covered in delicious grilled onions and peppers. It also came with french fries, which were fine, but next time I would sub with yuca fries (I tried my friend's – they're amazing). Anyway, it's a great value and my burger made for delicious leftovers the next day!
The only thing is that our waitress was kind of flaky. She was pretty attentive at the beginning of the meal, then would disappear for 20 minute intervals (we waited almost a half hour for the check once we were done and weren't asked about dessert). The other waiter (busboy?), however, was very efficient and friendly.
Weird waitress aside, this place is great!