Eat · Gazcue
Colmado and chimi corner, GazcueColmado y chimi de la esquina
A neighbourhood colmado (corner shop and bar) with a chimi stand next door: an early-evening cold Presidente and a chimichurri burger, sitting on the pavement with locals.
Key facts
- Per person
- DOP 400–900
- Dominican
- Hours
- unknown
- see note below
- Walk in
- 17:00–21:00
- easiest window
- Seating
- mixed
- Card
- no
- carry cash
- Getting there
- Walk from the Palacio Nacional, Gazcue
- 5 min walk
Go now?
Open?
Desk estimate: colmados run long hours; the chimi stand usually opens from late afternoon
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
17:00–21:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Cash only
Per person
DOP 400–9002026 estimate · check
- Local street burger
- Cold beer and plastic chairs
- Under RD$900 a meal
- Order: Chimichurri burger and a cold Presidente
- Walk-in window: 17:00–21:00
- Queue risk: 12:00–16:00
- Cash only
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 10Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…Zona Colonial streets are narrow, cobbled and often block…
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- Santo Domingo area ↗After dark, take an app or hotel car door to door, including inside the Zona Colonial's outer streets.
- Santo Domingo ↗Zona Colonial streets are narrow, cobbled and often blocked by parked cars: large suitcases go from the car to the hotel door, never on a walk.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
When you can walk in, what to order, how to pay
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
When to go, hour by hour
Quietest listed hour: 16:00 (quiet).
- 16:00quietlittle or no wait
- 17:00lightlittle or no wait
- 18:00busya short wait is possibleAfter-work crowd
- 19:00heavyexpect a lineMusic from the corner shop
- 20:00heavyexpect a line
- 21:00busya short wait is possible
- 22:00lightlittle or no wait
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Order at the counter or hatch, then take a plastic chair if one is free.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Without pork, please | Sin cerdo, por favor | seen SER-doh por fah-VOR |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor | lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| How much is this? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Hello / good morning | Hola / Buenos días | OH-lah / BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs |
| Thank you | Gracias | GRAH-see-ahs |
Portions and sharing
- Large Presidente beer: Sold in a large bottle; share it.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Say what you want first ("un chimi con todo") and the sauce follows.
- Music or table charge: Rare at colmados, common at bars nearby — Confirm there is no minimum spend before you sit.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Pay when the food arrives or when you leave; keep small notes for change.
- Ask the price of the beer before you open it; colmado prices vary by shop.
- Cash pesos; small notes. Card machines are rare at street counters.
- Tipping: 10% service is often on the bill; add a little more in cash.
- Ask whether the 10% service charge is already on the bill.
- Cash is the fallback at comedores and colmados; cards are common in restaurants.
At the table
- Eat where you see a queue of locals at lunch.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- RD$400–900 per person for a burger, a side and a beer (2026 estimate)
Paying
The only method at most stands.
Rare; do not rely on it.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianno
The main item is meat; sides only.
Show: Sin carne, por favor.
- Veganno
Ask for fried plantain or cassava, but the fryer is shared.
- Halalno
No certified stalls known (check).
Show: Sin cerdo, por favor.
- Gluten-freeask
Fried plantain and cassava are naturally gluten-free; the bun is not.
- Nut allergyask
Uncommon; show a card.
- Allergyask
Show a written card; shared fryers are the norm.
Show: Tengo alergia a ___.
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- No booking; walk up.
- How far ahead
- Not needed
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- Casual.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Week Thursday–Friday | check before you go | Many colmados close or sell no alcohol on some days. |
| Election days and national holidays | check before you go | Alcohol sales can be restricted; confirm locally. |
On the ground
Hygiene and comfort
- Air
- Open-air: hot at midday, wet in rain
- Seating
- Tables and stools
- Kids
- stroller: poor · Fine early; loud and crowded later
- Access
- step-free: no · Pavement seating; kerbs and uneven ground
Hygiene
- Choose a stand where the grill is busy and the meat is cooked to order.
- Avoid ice you cannot confirm is filtered; bottled beer is the safe drink.
- Sanitiser before eating; hand-washing points are rare.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in; no booking needed.
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest
- Getting there
- Walk from the Palacio Nacional, Gazcue · ~5 min walk
Cons
- Plastic chairs, street noise and motorbike traffic.
- Pork and beef default; few vegetarian options.
- After dark, take a car home; some Gazcue streets are dim.
Ordering helpDish glossary · Price check
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Colmado | A corner shop that sells drinks, snacks and often runs a bar area. | Ask for the cold beer fridge: "una Presidente bien fría". |
| Chimi | Short for chimichurri; a Dominican street burger, not the Argentine herb sauce. | Say "un chimi con todo" for the full topping. |
| Tostones | Twice-fried green plantain slices. | Order "tostones" as a side; salt is added on top. |
| Yuca frita | Fried cassava sticks. | A lighter side than plantain. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A chimi is about RD$150–300 and a large Presidente about RD$120–200 at a colmado (2026 estimate).
- tourist price
- Near Zona Colonial bars a beer can be RD$250–350.
- rule
- Ask the price of the beer before you open it; colmado prices vary by shop.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Music or table charge | Rare at colmados, common at bars nearby | Confirm there is no minimum spend before you sit. |
Deep dive
Questions, nearby food and sources
Questions and answers
Is it clean enough for visitors?
Choose a busy stand with fresh oil and hot food; skip anything sitting out.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Do they have English menus?
No; pointing and a few Spanish words are enough.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
What is a colmado?
A corner shop selling drinks, snacks and basics; many have chairs and music for an evening beer.
Is it safe to sit outside in the evening?
Yes in the early evening with a small group; keep phones off the table and use a car to go home.
What should I order?
A chimichurri burger, tostones and a cold Presidente.
Can I pay by card?
Assume no; bring small pesos.
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h3 mph.
All places to eat in Santo Domingo, with filters →
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
Used as a seated rest node in Santo Domingo in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Santo Domingo (Eat)