I don't often try restaurants in Queens but recently I went to El Viejo Yayo for some Spanish food.This is one of those restaurants that you can't really tell what you're getting yourself into until you experience it. It looks like a bar from the outside, with a big light-up OPEN sign in the window. But inside are white table-clothed tables with a bottle of wine on each. But, there's also two televisions and refrigerator where they keep their desserts and bottled beer. Management is very confused if it wants a casual bar or fancy Spanish cuisine restaurant.
The service was terrible. There were two waiters to wait on four tables but service was still slow. I couldn't find a waiter to ask for more water or for the check. Both had difficulty understanding English and couldn't answer any questions. I was even asked to move once I had sat down and started eating.
The only slightly redeeming part of this experience was the food. El Viejo Yayo has a very extensive menu, leaving little room for someone to not find something they like on the menu. Most main dishes come with a side, which was my favorite part of the meal. The rice and beans and maduros (sweet fried plantains) were delicious. My entree, chicken with a mushroom sauce, was decent at best decent. The sauce overpowered everything else on the plate and tasted like oil as the food began to cool. For dessert, I got a slice of tres leches cake, which, even though it came from a plastic box from that very visible dessert and beer refrigerator, was really good. It wasn't too sweet or dry. Paired with a cup of coffee, it was a great ending to the meal.
Would I recommend going to this restaurant? Probably not. You can always find a much better Spanish restaurant in NYC. The decent food didn't come close to making up for the terrible service and confusing environment.
