Pacifico’s Fine Foods

VERY disappointed. I wanted SO badly to like this place. $ 8 for a glass of Jameson on the rocks … Are you kidding?
$ 20 for a Porgy fish … I can buy a whole porgy at the fish market in this same neighbourhood for $ 3 !!! Who is pricing these items?!
The prices DO NOT match the quality or quantity of food. My husband and I were extremely disappointed that we had to pay a bunch of money for food we didn’t like.
The waitress was rude and did not ask us if our food was okay …
I hope this place closes down … its just not good. If you’re white and don’t know what real hispanic food is supposed to taste like, you’d think this place was great …
What a joke … a big joke to hispanic people and food. Huge disappointment. We will not be coming back.

Great service, great vibe, food is creative. I had the biscuit and fried chicken — good sauce on the fried chicken I do wish I asked for hot sauce (next time!). My husband had steak and eggs– great flavor but steak was a little over cooked but it’s our fault for not asking for medium rare. Defiantly will be coming back

As I drive down the «new and improved» Franklin Avenue, I can’t help but notice all these hidden gems that have popped up and are waiting for me to try!
As an avid Instagram follower, the Pacifico’s posts make me that much more intrigued as I salivate over them. My husband and I have each created a date night restaurant list and it was my pick this time. With baby in tow, off to Pacifico’s we went.
The décor is simple and beautiful. My son was fascinated by the ceiling fans and the wait staff even offered him a picture to color (kid friendly, check!), but I figured he would probably eat the crayon. Our waiter was excellent, offering descriptions for their best sellers and also his recommendations. We started off sharing the coconut shrimp… TO.DIE.FOR. I ordered the Brazilian Comfort (choice of oxtail, roasted chicken leg or pork tips) accompanied with lemongrass rice black beans and garlicky watercress. Loved it! Hubby ordered the lamb ribs… TO.DIE.FOR. For dessert it was a one man show, no sharing! I ordered the chocolate pot de crème with mango and a walnut cashew crumble. Pot de crème is usually not served with a textural component but it was a lovely change to your everyday mousse. I loved everything about this place, even down to their homemade apple cider served warm or cold. I want to have brunch here now.

I think that Pacifico’s Fine Foods would be better characterized as «New American» but regardless, everything that I sampled yesterday was delicious!
From a well-​crafted menu with a good variety of options, I chose the toast with avocado and soft-​boiled egg. At first I was hesitant to order it, as it sounded simpler than it tasted, but as soon as I took my first bite, I was instantly glad that I had selected it! The toast, super-​crispy, was topped with chopped avocado and seasoned with pan-​fried shallots?, and of course two soft boiled eggs, and was delectable. After eating half of it, along with a couple of slices of my friend’s bacon, I shared the other half with her, and sampled her pumpkin pancakes. Moist, with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor, and not too sweet, these were also as good as it gets!
To drink, I had a Bloody Mary, which was both strong and tasty. It took me the duration of the meal to finish it, and in spite of all of the food that I had eaten, I was nonetheless buzzed upon leaving! Furthermore, the service was somehow pleasantly genuine, and the set-​up was super-​cool!
I’d definitely go back.
Oh, and by the way, you can pay through Cover!

This place surprises me every time I come in. I’m surprised by how unpretentious it is, how uncrowded it is, and how delicious it is!
Previously, this spot was previously a Mediterranean place called Fez which existed for about 6 months before closing their doors and papered their windows. When the paper came down, Pacifico’s was there! I wasn’t sure at first — I didn’t want to fall in love with a place only to have it go away 6 months later…
Having eaten here a few times now, I REALLY hope it doesn’t go away! The food here is both beautiful and delicious. The little snacks like the chicken heart skewers and pork nuggets are like little savory Pop-​Rocks of flavor in your mouth! POW! The cevice is pretty amazing and always different depending on what’s fresh at the market that day. Also, if they’re available, get the Fried Surf Clam special — they’re insanely good with the dipping sauce.
From the entrees, the Supper Club special on Tuesdays & Wednesdays is a good way to get a ton of food (and a beer) for cheap — chef’s choice. I really liked the Pork Shoulder dish — a pork chop with nice tart peaches on top to cut the fat and some nice creamy corn on the bottom. Also a bunch of specials have been really good — including Pork Belly Chicharonnes!
I like a savory cocktail. Actually, «like» may be a bit mild in regards to my feelings about this category of beverage. The Pickled Gibson is… awesome! Homemade pickle juice with fresh ground pepper on top. Save yourself a hangover and keep drinking these all night long*!
So Pacifico’s, please don’t break my heart and stick around for a year or ten.
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* I am not a medical doctor so this advice may not be accurate.

I was really excited when I read about Pacifico’s and their opening on Franklin Avenue. I was looking forward to this Brazilian menu, but I would definitely categorize this restaurant as a bit more New American. The setup is cool. It’d say no more than 30 people can probably be seated at a time, so if you are going on a crowded night you may want to be prepared to wait. I went on a Wednesday I believe and it was pretty empty. The service was very good and the waiter was both patient and attentive.
Down to the food: I ordered the lamb and was pretty disappointed since I found the meat to be rather tough and difficult to chew. My date had the steak and fully enjoyed it. We also enjoyed selections from their cocktail menu.
I’ll certainly visit again, but I will try a different entrée. I’m looking forward to updating my review once that happens.

Awesome new (ish) spot in crown heights has become my favorite in the whole area. Finally a nice place to grab a drink with real humans!
We normally go for the late night happy hour but whenever we go the service is the best. They never care that we sit there and just drink or order before the kitchen is closing (that accidentally happened once but don’t be that ass that does that.) the environment and the staff make this place great. Super friendly and down to earth.
Everything I have eaten is delicious. Get the chicharonnes de pollo. The spicy slaw it come with is great.

Cute, intimate ambiance, however, for me, the food didn’t match. Very mediocre food, customer service was on point, the waitress was extremely nice, pleasant and knowledgeable of the menu. I wouldn’t say I would go again cause it just didn’t fancy my tastebuds but I would recommend it if you are interested in Brazilian cuisine.

This is a 3.5 star review, but I am giving Pacifico’s the benefit of the doubt because of the really generous service we received. Our waitress was excellent, but when she was serving us water she accidentally spilled on me. It was no big deal — just water –but she was appropriately apologetic. For me, it ended there and I was smiling throughout the slip-​up — not angry or anything. Yet when she brought us our cocktails, she told us they were on the house, and when we received the bill, we found that they had taken off the dessert my girlfriend and I shared as well, so essentially we got a 40% discount on our meal. This was neither requested nor really necessary, but we sincerely appreciated the gesture, and particularly for a restaurant that opened less than a year ago, it ensured we will come back and recommend it to others. Great business practice.
As for the actual meal, it was very good, although not flawless. We each ordered a cocktail called the Pickled Gibson, and it was truly excellent. Very tasty and distinctive — the kind of drink you don’t mind paying $ 10 (an appropriate price for the neighborhood) for, because it’s something you’ve never had and are unlikely to make at home.
We started with a variation of a pumpkin soup that was delicious. And I ordered duck, which was also very good, although the rosti potatoes were a little salty. My girlfriend ordered the steak, however, and that was also over-​salted, which I’ve noticed has been a repeated note in reviews. The chocolate dessert we shared was excellent.
So overall we had a very good experience — service was excellent, and while our food was good overall, I hope they take note of the saltiness issue. And thanks again for the comped drinks and dessert — very classy and appreciated. We’ll be back.

Alright so I’d been excited to come to this place for a while now. So many great reviews, it seemed legit.
Last night I went with a few friends.
The special sounded great (Brazilian steak tips, rice and beans, tomatoes, and it comes with a beer or cocktail.) First let me say that our servers were excellent, very nice, warm, and welcoming.
The meal on the other hand… The rice and beans tasted excellent great flavor. However there was maybe a little more than a cup of rice and maybe a tablespoon of black beans. Should’ve been called rice with like 8 beans.
The steak tips were ok, had a very mild flavor. I know this place is supposed to be Brazilian inspired and I’m not sure mild flavors are synonyms with Brazilian food. And again it was a very small amount for 20 bucks. With all the Caribbean and Latin American restaurants on Franklin Avenue alone (let alone crown heights) that can offer a generous amount of authentic Caribbean, Mexican, Peruvian, Italian, Indian, and Panamanian fare for half the price, this was a big let down.
Lastly as a general statement… The Portions. Tiny cocktails for 10 bucks. Small amounts of food on really big plates (yall not foolin anybody) for 20 bucks.
Im willing to check it out again, maybe it was an off night. And I did get the special, perhaps the standard menu items are better. Unimpressed on my first visit. Franklin is pretty much restaurant row at this point. Do better Pacificos.

:How come this place is listed on Unilocal as a Brazilian restaurant? Brazil is facing the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific:
This is what I thought before discovering that Pacifico’s Fine Foods is the restaurant of Shanna Pacifico, who worked as chef with farm-​fresh, seasonal food guru Peter Hoffman at Back Forty. Instead of creating yet another farm-​to-​table restaurant[1] Pacifico, gives her restaurant a Brazilian flair, creating American-​Brazilian dishes that are simple, tasty, innovative, and just plain fun.
Excellent value too, since most main courses are in $ 15 – 20 range, and you could certainly make a meal just out of the many small bites offerings.
American influences are seen in dishes like grilled heritage pork shoulder w. cream corn, pickled jalapeño and ruhbarb, ranch ($ 21). The delicious grilled chicken hearts with chipotle mayo ($ 5), is a very Brazilian dish, just like the yucca-​pork fritters ($ 5).
There is ample use of pickles, not only in food, but in drinks as well. In fact, some pickles are prepared exclusively for cocktails like in the Pickled Gibson, or the Mezcal Shake.
Of the dishes I tried, the seafood ones were all great. These include a fantastic local surf clam special where the clam is chopped up into small pieces and then fried; or crab meat filled tomato over homemade biscuit. There is a different ceviche every day, and the dayboat scallop ceviche I had w. a side of quinoa salad with string beans and bacon was excellent. The pan seared Spanish mackerel w. banana, sweet potatoes, and cabbage ($ 22) was as tasty a dish as it was fun; and the Montawk squid a la plancha w. cocoa brown butter & pickled red onions ($ 11) was one of the most interesting dishes I’ve had this year. Beautiful plate presentation too!
The vegetarian summer squash «pappardelle» w. ricotta squash blossom dish ($ 9) was also excellent, with the squash cut in thin, wide ribbons that mimic the texture and consistency of pappardelle. The grilled romaine salad w. white Spanish anchovies, parmesan, and roasted tomato vinaigrette ($ 11) suffered from parmesan overload: just substitute the grated parmesan with shaved one, and the this will be lighter and tastier.
The fried meat dishes, even though sounded interesting, fared less well with me. A pork chicharrones special ($ 13) and the chicarrones de pollo w. spicy summer slaw ($ 17) were both a bit too heavy for me.
The coconut panna cotta ($ 7) is a nice way to end the meal, if you have room left.
This is a great addition to the neighborhood; a place where you can have tasty dishes reasonably priced in a cozy (the place is small), welcoming place. Or just stop by for cocktails and one or two of the small bites to catch up with a friend, or for a first date.
PS: Starters are $ 1 each ALL DAY on Cheap Ass Mondays.
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[1] In the end, just a few blocks away in the same neighborhood we have the excellent Mayfield:

Overall the menu is innovative and all the dishes have strong potential, but everything was a bit overdone — over dressed, over salted — which made for an underwhelming meal. The space is gorgeous — nice rustic wood tables and arty wallpaper — and the waiters are real pros. I think the chef is still experimenting (the place is new), and has yet to figure out the exact recipes for success. A few thoughts on the specifics:
1 — Basil cocktail (made with a new type of liquor, described by the waiter as a cross between tequila and vodka). The liquor was overpowering.
2– Melon salad — a plate of cucumber and melon sticks — heavily dressed in a really spicy vinaigrette. I liked the concept the salad, but over done.
3– Quinoa with bacon side — Excellent. The best thing I tasted.
4– Steak with piripiri sauce — Steak and accompanying kale was loaded in salt, distracting from the good quality, perfectly cooked meat.
5 — Porgy — Described as cooked in a coconut broth, but lacked the flavor. Also, a bit fishy, but haven’t had much porgy, so perhaps just the fish, rather than the chef.

Arrived here for brunch. It was a really hot day but sitting by the window was really breezy & cool. it made me feel as if i was on vacation in texas or something vs. a block away from eastern parkway and the w. indies day parade set up.
i didn’t realize the chef was from back forty west, but makes sense.
the food has the same vibe. simple, well made. nothing to write home about but satisfyingly good.
for brunch, i had an interesting take on eggs benedict with crab. the egg was a bit more cooked than poached but it was ok. made the dish less messy

Good, not great, and expected better after reading the reviews on here.
Pork Nuggets: Very good, but a very small portion (even for a starter), so get two orders if you’re with company.
Fresh Fava Dip: Sounds awesome, right? Was shocked by how flavorless this was.
Grilled (or maybe roasted?) Salad: Was just kind of weird. Didn’t taste terrible, but was soaking in dressing and came in huge chunks that you had to cut yourself. Would have been nice without all the dressing and a little more preparation.
Pork Shoulder: Fantastic, but beware if you don’t like your pork on the rarer-​side of medium.
Peach/​Berry Pie thing with ice cream: Delicious.
Service was great. Drink menu is great.
Overall, it’s slightly better than average for the money. I’ll be back to give it another shot, just not sure when.

+++
— Yuca fritters are the definition of appetizer, our small bites for five bucks… enough for two people to whet their tastebuds
++
— Quaint and cute ambiance
— Wife got anchovy salad (which I think was the special) which he absolutely enjoyed
— Chicarrones de pollo; very good and very filling
+
— Panna cotta was light enough dessert to not to leave you feeling engorged, the fruit was fresh and delicious

Really fun spot with a nice interpretation of the modern ‘upscale/​casual, food-​to-​table’ milieu that is permeating basically all of modern dining. A subtle Brazilian flair brushes a handful of dishes with the Yuca-​pork fritters and pork nuggets highlighting the starters. The chicharonnes are not what you’d get in a Mexican restaurant — which is good, because this isn’t Mexican — as they are lusty, thick fingers of chicken that are complemented by the spicy slaw. The grilled romaine dish was a standout — especially for a vegetable, and the lamb ribs were tasty and surprisingly generously portioned.
The service is notable in its friendly, helpful and patient approach — and I especially noticed that the servers all work as a team; this is a highly underrated & underappreciated aspect of a restaurant.
Really good dinner, really great service, reasonable prices = five stars, hands down.

I went here as a birthday dinner — and when they picked it as their choice, I really thought I’d be disappointed and annoyed by pretense. I was completely wrong.
The staff is wonderful, the food was fantastic and the cocktails are AMAZING. We all had a bunch of starters as opposed to one big meal each. Everyone of them was delicious.
Its a great little place and I am really glad to recommend it —

This place is fantastic! Came here with my husband, my sister, and my brother-​in-​law for Sunday brunch.
We had the pork fritters and a biscuit to start. Not sure why everyone is so excited about these pork fritters. We did not live for them. The biscuit, on the other hand, was off the charts delicious.
I ordered the Wisco Bloody Mary which was fantastic. Has loads of yummy garnish like bacon, shrimp, and bleu cheese. Comes with a mini beer back. Perfect. The Hibiscus Iced Tea was really good too.
My sister and I both ordered the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit which was fresh and delicious. My husband had the chicken chicharrones and biscuit which he loved. My brother-​in-​law had the French toast with fresh fruit which he enjoyed.
Everything was fresh and delicious and the waitstaff were friendly and attentive. Price is right and the décor is lovely. This place will do well. Great addition to the nabe!

The service here is fantastic, they are very attentive and friendly.
But the food. The small bites are delicious, a great blend of light, simple dishes packed with flavors and heartier fried options. Do not skip the ceviche.
The atmosphere is great, intimate and warm. There are nice touches that blend the Brooklyn aesthetic with South American sensitivities. Subtle and homie.
No matter how full you are, order dessert. The Rhubarb Strawberry Hand Pie is one of the best desserts I’ve ever sample. The crust is perfect, sweet and flaky with a satisfying light crunch. The filling is a wonderful blend of tart and sweet. It makes you wonder why more restaurants haven’t incorporated Rhubarb into their dessert options.
All of it at reasonable prices surrounded by friendly staff. You can’t go wrong here.

Best meal I’ve had in a long time. Everything we tried was great. Pork fritters, chicken, pork chop, and the rhubarb pie.
Friendly service and nice atmosphere. I would highly recommend.