Insider Pages Reviews for Cuba De Ayer

4 Stars: Cuban food at it's best (by John O.)

John O. — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:30:00 GMT

I was extremely surprised when I visited this small tucked away restaurant which was referred to me by some friends a while back but it wasn't till I read a nice article about it the Washingtonian that I decided to visit, and boy was everyone correct. This little "gem" had great food, great mojitos, and a great ambiance. I thought the servings were a bit much, but why would anyone complain about that. I would surely recommend this small restaurant to anyone that needs some excitement added to their taste buds.

5 Stars: Close to Miami quality! (by George L.)

George L. — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:42:00 GMT

Take it from a Miami-born Cuban: this place is as close as you're going to get to Miami Cuban food (one of the best cuisines on earth) without buying plane fare to South Florida. And it's surprisingly close -- most of the dishes are not too far behind the best versions in Miami, and at least one (the ropa vieja) is the best I've ever had anywhere. So for anyone who's not used to Miami standards, you're in for a real treat if you go here. And if you are a Miami exile, you'll be very happy as well that DC finally has a great representative of the cuisine (the handful of other Cuban joints in the metro area are either so-so in quality or closed down). In fact, if this place was closer to where I lived and a tad cheaper, I'd probably eat there every other day:-). Not that price is a big con here -- given the quality of the food, the prices are fine; it's just that Miami folk are used to getting the very best Cuban food at fast-food prices, lucky jerks:-). The decor is perfect, nice but still very casual (though it's a small place, so it fills up very quickly at peak times). Everything I've had on the menu (and I've had a lot of it) is either good or great, and most of the classic dishes, sandwiches, and appetizers are represented. Speaking of the sandwiches: they're definitely good, but if the menu has a weaker point, they're it (largely due to the bread and the method of preparation). But again, that's a comparison to the very best stuff in Miami, not a knock on Cuba de Ayer. Long story short: you will be delighted if you try this place, no matter what your background with Cuban food is!

5 Stars: Cuba De Ayer. Slowly but surely great restaurants in the area! (by lola f.)

lola f. — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 16:01:00 GMT

My husband and I finally found a night to try out the much talked about Cuba De Ayer. It definitely lived up to its reputation. A small but lovely restaurant with very appealing decor. The staff was very nice, very helpful in choosing dishes and gave great service. I had the picadillo... a very mild but well seasoned dish served with white rice and amazing black beans. My husband had a sauteed shrimp dish with white rice and a salad. Also very well prepared with great seasoning. Cuba De Ayere is somewhat easy to miss... watch out for Ritas Ice cream, right next door. Definitely a must in the Burtonsville/Laurel area.

2 Stars: Not for me. (by L S.)

L S. — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:12:00 GMT

The place looked nice inside, the food was fast and the service friendly. However, as a mostly non-meat eater, the menu was missing a lot for me. I had the chicken soup which was very hearty but was turned off by the skin on the chicken laying in my soup bowl.

5 Stars: Cuba de Ayer - A jewel in Burtonsville (by jerry f.)

jerry f. — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 15:09:00 GMT

The food is excellent, truly authentic cuban style food. The lechon asado, masistas de puerco, pargo frito and the boliche are great. The menu is not too extensive, so we'll be trying more things. Food is full of flavor and the ambiance is excellent The prices are very reasonable when compared to other cuban food places. The one complaint is that is hard to find. If you are not careful, you can easily miss it. The best way to find it is to look for the beer and wine store off RT 198, across from the freestate gas station..

PROS: Great food, excellent service and good ambiance
CONS: The location is hard ot find.

4 Stars: Finally there is a classy sit down Cuban restaurant in Central Maryland. (by Sam W.)

Sam W. — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 22:04:00 GMT

My colleague David and I were to meet to discuss prospects in the real estate business. I requested that we have our meeting over lunch and also requested that we go somewhere different. David said that he would look around. What David found was this little, out of the way, Cuban restaurant. The plaza is sort of tucked away a bit west of route 29 on route 198 in Burtonsville, Maryland. When David first mentioned the place I was a bit hesitant to venture to this newly opened (May 26, 2005) restaurant. However, when I entered Cuba De Ayer, my trepidation was quickly dashed. Cuba De Ayer has a very soothing atmosphere. The cranberry colored walls and the sculpted light fixtures give the restaurant a Miami feel. Oh, the food... I had the Papa Rellena, a stuffed potato with beef, lightly breaded. WOW!!! I have never imagined a dish like this. The texture was crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The beef was a nice seasoned helping of ground beef. It was a real surprise. My entree was the Bistec Palomilla, or marinated Cuban top sirloin steak with fried onions. The meal came with a mixture of black beans and rice and fried bananas. I was in heaven. There were not very many condiments available, however there was hot sauce and tobasco. I look forward to an immediate return visit.

PROS: Great food.
CONS: none