Insider Pages Reviews for Cuba

5 Stars: Nice place for dinner (by Yoooooooooooooooooo)

Yoooooooooooooooooo — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

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3 Stars: tteste (by mgililova)

mgililova — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

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5 Stars: Loved this place! (by tngreene)

tngreene — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Great food, I really thought that this restaurant was special. Really Special. Actually, I'm just testing functionality. Please ignore this review!

5 Stars: Great Cuban food! Fun Staff! (by uniblab)

uniblab — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Went on a spring afternoon for my wifes b-day. It was some of the best cuban I've had outside of Miami. The prices were reasonable and the portions were, well, you'll leave full. The food presentation was very original. In short, we both really liked this place.

My wife had a ceviche appetizer which she said rivaled her grandmas. I had a cuban tamale which was great. I had my favorite , ropa vieja, and it was was moist and flavorfle the way it should be. Futher it was served in a "bowl" made of fried plantains.

Oh, and the mojitos lived up to there award winning status.

We had my sister inlaws birthday there and we had 14 people. The put us in this small prvate room. Everyone was happy.

2 Stars: cuba (by bell231)

bell231 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

some people say cuba is one of the most ugly country in the world because of its conditional background... but seee this, restaurant of hope, if i say, some how it changed my perception...

4 Stars: very nice place (by cooldev)

cooldev — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

very nice atmosphere.

nice peoples around

i love it.
i love it. i love it. i love it. i love it. i love it. i love it.

4 Stars: very nice place (by cooldev)

cooldev — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

very nice atmosphere.

nice peoples around
nice peoples around
nice peoples around
nice peoples around nice peoples around
nice peoples around

i love it.

4 Stars: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet (by charlesb101)

charlesb101 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi.

5 Stars: Excellent place for real cuban food (by BEE)

BEE — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Had my birthday dinner here, this place is awesome great service. Food was on the money! Will be back!

3 Stars: Great place (by tinatester)

tinatester — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

This place was awesome definitely check it out--- worth a try. I really like the apps and the drinks are great.

5 Stars: Excellent Cuban Food (by omsandi)

omsandi — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

It's hard to find good quality, authentic Cuban food, and this place sure has it. There are other places that have "Cuban" food and if you're not from there, you'd never know that it's far from the real thing. Well Cuba has the real thing, great food, really great drinks too, nice atmosphere, and good service. Well, at least that was my experience.

5 Stars: I'm simply testing facebook connect. (by brienstelzer)

brienstelzer — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

testing facebook connect. testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.testing facebook connect.

4 Stars: Birthday/FAMILY REUNION! (by millie44)

millie44 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

I had recently moved to NY from Miami and was looking for a great place to throw my husbands BIG 40th
birthday.I was a little hesitant at first because my party was 20 plus from all over and my husbands parents and his 2 uncles from Cuba that hadn't seen eachother in 30 years so you can imagine how nervous i was. I was so impressed on how all of the old folks were dancing and singing to the cuban music and enjoyed the paella the steaks and the red snapper.That when I saw them all together my husband was the one that got emotional. All I can say is thank you Cuba for making my husbands Birthday/reunion with his family sooo special and thank you also to the musicians and the waiter that kept us all laughing with the stories and music ....gracias!

2 Stars: Disappointed!!! (by dgirl810)

dgirl810 — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

My friends and I meet about once a month and we try out different places. This month we were disappointed with our pick. Not everyone was happy with their food. The appetizers seem to be the only thing that everyone agreed on that was ?good?. The waiter was very nice and helpful with the menu. We ordered pitcher of Mojitos which was a mistake because they were ?WEAK? What annoyed us the most was that we had not even been offered the dessert menu when the we were confronted and told that we needed move, that we could move to the bar. It wasn?t until one of my friends mentioned that we weren?t even offered a shot for our troubles that we then we offered the shot. I doubt any of us will return.

1 Stars: DONT COME HERE THIS PLACE S#CKS!!! (by jack3245)

jack3245 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

I didnt expect this restaurant to be so disgusting because the reviews i read before going there seemed pretty good. Im totally disappointed!!
This is not a quality restaurant, The seafood tasted like it was from a can..... gone bad. We had to ask 4 times for bread and at the end was not fresh it was hard as a rock. The appetizers were overpriced and not of good quality. The Salmon was fishy. The bartender can't make a drink- the mojito was absolutely nasty. The staff was rude. What can i say a complete disaster.

5 Stars: Amazing (by Emo179)

Emo179 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Delicious food...we had an app of shrimp, steak and chicken. I had the hemingway salad for dinner and it was the best salad I have had in a long time. I never order salads at restaurants because I think it's a waste but it just sounded delicious so I tried it and loved it. My date had the Ropa Vieja which was also amazing. The drinks were STRONG, they had a small band in the corner...it was a great night!!

3 Stars: great mojitos (by cristianrome)

cristianrome — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Weekend are very crowded
Wednesdays are the best days to go there

great mojitos (classic ,coconut and mango's) . Food is good sometimes heavy

4 Stars: Our little CUBA!!! (by preciosa70)

preciosa70 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Was here for a dinner with some girlfriends. We waited at the bar for our table and really felt that we were in a warm festive enviroment. The restaurant seemed small when we realized that there was a downstairs bar so we then waited there for our table downstairs we decided to eat some delishhhh appetizers. shrimp salad WOW!!
Our table was then ready we enjoyed the Live music and this really good selection of specials that our
waitress recommended. The staff was very sweet and the Manager helped us out in selecting a place to go
salsa dancing afterwards which was very helpful to us. 4 out of 6 of us just decided we would give New Years @ Cuba a try can't wait!!!!!!

4 Stars: Great place we will return (by mambo1967)

mambo1967 — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Had a surprise birthday party for my husband last week.I was stressing out over details since my husband is Cuban and very particular but all i can say is that he had a smile from ear to ear.he loved the cigars the mojitos and his favorite dish his mother used to make ...vacca frita. I had a tres leche cake made especially for the party as the managers suggested and it was a amazing My husbands co workers all raved about this place and want to come back on their own. it is a bit crowded but we sat in a private room behind the bar.
We will return!

1 Stars: Disappointed (by emtoth1115)

emtoth1115 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A few friends and I visited Cuba last weekend for my birthday and I was extremely disappointed. We were first sat at a table on top of the band and when I requested a different table the host's response was "No, I can't move you. The band will take a break in 20 minutes." This did not sit well with me as I could not imagine us having an enjoyable time while not hearing one another.

The host then moved us downstairs, which I was hopeful that the evening could turn out nicely. We ate our dinners and were satisfied with the food, until my friend saw a critter come out of the wall. I was completely disgusted and when she showed it to the waiter, nothing was taken off of our bill but we were given complimentary deserts- when all I wanted to do was run to another establishment and not stay any longer. We probably could have argued with the waiter about cutting our bill, but it was a special occasion and I did not want to add negative emotions to it while it was definately deserved.

While the food was fine, I was disgusted all in all and could not wait to get out of there. I would not recommend this restaurant.

2 Stars: not as excellent as it should be considering the prices (by VirginiaHend)

VirginiaHend — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Just went here recently for the second time. The first time was a few months ago for a client dinner and I was super impressed, everything was delicious. This time went on a celebration and even though we had a reservation had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. At the end of the night, to be perffectly honest I was underwhelmed. Felt it was a bit pretentious and not as excellent as it should be considering the prices. I had the calamari which tasted good but was not superb. The vaca frita was my main course and it was ok but I think there are other places I would go before coming back here again.

5 Stars: best of the best (by BreannaGoodrow)

BreannaGoodrow — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba is my number 1 go to spot any night of the week. I was introduced to Cuba in July this year, and have been back 7 times since then! If i didnt work mostly night I would be there every week!! I would recommend the maji-maji, DEFINITELY the fried calamari, maduros, skirt steak, and empanadas, to name a few. and for drinks, for me its either a glass of sauvblanc or one of their fabulous mango mojitos. the mango ones are sweeter than the original ones, thats why i like them more. the reason i love this place the most though is the atmosphere: the music, the dimly lit dining, and the service you get. i havent been able to go on a weekend to catch the live music in a while, but that is definitely a treat! definitely make reservations to this place for a weekend dinner. you dont get a touristy crowd at all here, but the locals fill up the joint thurs-sat. such a great experience, i take all my friends here and never get let down, 5 stars without a doubt in my book

5 Stars: excellent place (by chefvanessa)

chefvanessa — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

i went there the first time for lunch. Winston the bartender was the one in charge and i can only describe his service as excellent. I went back again with a polish friend and she fell in love with this place. Food is great. Fast. Best ropa vieja ever.

4 Stars: Just like abuela used to make!!! (by 4everLatina)

4everLatina — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Taste just like my grandmama used to make from cuba.My fiance took me for a suprise birthday.I was soo happy to find out this little placed existed .The food so devine
Vaca frita with black beans and white rice is just the food we grew up with.The flan was tasty. I don't drink but my fiance said the mojitos were perfect.
All of my friends have been here at some time so we couldn't stop feeling nostalgic about the place. We will be back.Too bad you can't really dance but the live music was great .I tried to convince the management to give me the beautiful painting but they said they can't so I understood...

5 Stars: Authentic Cuban. . . (by CMejias222)

CMejias222 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend and I are always on the look out for great Cuban food. I am Cuban-American and I know how hard it can be to find great authentic Cuban food in NYC. Well, Im really glad we decided to check City Search before deciding where to eat. Not only was the food fabulous, but the place is so cool. The music, the food, the smells and the decor all came together in a very Real way for me. And the Cigar roller. . . what a cool guy and my boyfriend absolutely loved the idea of having a hand rolled cigar to finish his meal. I would absolutely recomment Cuba to anyone who loves good food and music. Ill be going back soon.

Try the Mahi Mahi!

1 Stars: BLAND... (by dufferones)

dufferones — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Well it was my girlfriends bday friday so I decided that cuba would be a nice place because she loves spanish food. What a disapointment! I read some reviews and looked at the pictures on the website,and it seemed to be a really nice place. We had a reservation for 9 people at 9;45. Everyone was there at about 9;30. We werent seated til almost 11;00. Now its not so much the wait,as every where you go in the city on a fri night chances are youll have to wait. With all the chattering and drinks by the time we ordered our food it was 11;15..what they didnt tell us was that they close the kitchen at 12!!!!! On top of all that the food was BLAND....now anyone who knows anything about spanish food...even BAD spanish food isnt bland!!!! The waiter was rushing us out the door at 5 to 12...we couldnt even order dessert or sing happy birthday...I was furious...The only good thing i can say is that they have good mojitos other than that all i can say is Stay the hell away!!...

5 Stars: Great food, Amazing atmosphere (by torpedo914)

torpedo914 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I just got a new job in the city 2 weeks ago and wanted to take my girlfriend out on a date to a nice restaurant to celebrate my new position. I am so glad I found Cuba because their food, service, music, and Mojito's are AMAZING!!!! If you like fine authentic Cuban food and enjoy a smooth Cigar after a long day at work I would highly recommend Cuba. Try their Mahi Mahi...one word AMAZING!!!

4 Stars: Great Churrasco Steak! (by nycunc1)

nycunc1 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Me and my boyfriend went to Cuba on Friday night, we had a reservation for 7:30pm. We were seated immediately. The service was good, although the waiter didn't write down my order and forgot my plantains when the meal came out but it was brought out within 2 minutes. I got the Churrasco with white rice and black beans, it was excellent. The fried sweet plantains were dry and not very good. My boyfriend got the grilled sirloin and it was excellent. We were too full for dessert. The live band was playing while we were there. The upstairs area is small but cozy, its a very nice atmosphere for romantic dinner or with friends. I will be going back to Cuba.

5 Stars: Great cuban food (by howdidigethere)

howdidigethere — Wed, 28 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I recently went there for dinner and it was great. Her family is Cuban and she rarely finds a Cuban restaurant in the city that she likes because it isn't like what she's "used to."
However, "Cuba" proved to be a great restaurant and I scored some points.
The only drawback was the seating..we had to sit downstairs in a small room that wouldn't have been horrible except there was a small party of 10 that were loud and it made it hard to hear ourselves talk. Luckily the food was so good we weren't talking too much anyway. In the future I would recommend making reservation for "upstairs" only. they had two guys playing guitar up there and it would have been that much better.
She had the Raspberry Mojito and I had the Coconut Mojito, they were both great, very well made.
We started off with the Tostones Rellenos as an appetizer. They had Shrimp stuffed in them and were great with the sweet banana paste.
I had the "El cochinito" which was some very well marinated pork served with dirty rice, and she had the "Camarones Enchilados." Hers tasted good but mine was better and she kept picking at my plate.

We really look forward to our next visit.

4 Stars: Cuba truly a gem for us!! (by babylove86)

babylove86 — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba restaurant a truly a gem. After strolling in the village with some freinds we happen to walk by we had no
reservations and needed a table for 4.The hostess and Mgr were suggesting the bar downstairs , as you can clearly see they were very busy ,at first we hesitated but then were sat in an area called Hemingways hideaway and a spanish bartender named eduardo made us feel at home and suggested some great dishes one was a vacca frita.We had the best time and watched him make a pitcher of mojito for us .He then told us to make sure we got some cigars.Overall as funny as it sounds the bar downstairs was actually great for us.
Next time we will make a reservation to be seated upstairs it looked like a fun place.We will be back.

4 Stars: Delicoso! (by festivanyc)

festivanyc — Sun, 25 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Cuba on Friday,for dinner with a group of friends from work and we had the best time.
Every table was taken but the greeting and service we received was outstanding. The waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. The mojitos were addictive and the food was very tasty, right on the money! We will definitely return for another night at Cuba!

1 Stars: Horrible with Birthday Reservations for a party 10 or more!!! (by vlucky)

vlucky — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My friend booked a reservation for 15 people, Friday May 23rd 2008 for 9:30. We were not seated until 10.30. When we were seated, our party had to be split into to because a couple was sitting at one of the tables that we needed. The snippy and rude waiter would not even take our order, About, 20 minutes later the Gerneral Manager sent over free appetizers of french fries, empanadas and croquettas. After another 20 minutes, we were allowed to order and our tables were slopily put together. The food was average, no one had anything outstanding or noteworthy in their meals. There is ibetter food to be had at Sofritos, Son Cubano, Havana, Havana Central, Agozar. After the meal, we recieved the bill, and what do you know, we were charged for the "ffee appetizers." The General Manager Angel, once again came over and rectified the situation, however, the waiter was very eager to collect the check and get his 42 dollar included tip. Maybe at different time, another day this place is great, but the food was still WEAK!!! It was not worth the money, and my friend had a horrible 25th birthday experience. I am extremely disappointed!!!!

5 Stars: Excellent Staff - Excellent Food (by cybrpunk5)

cybrpunk5 — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and we had an amazing time. I booked our reservation using Opentable, and put a note for the hostess asking that they do a "song and a dance" for him. When it came time for dessert, they gave him a huge sparkler on his cake, and some of the waitresses even danced with him. He was so surprised!

On top of all of this, the food and music were incredible. We ordered shrimp in garlic sauce and chorizo to start, and then split paella. Fantastic! I also reccomend the Mojitos. Overall a wonderful experience.

4 Stars: Delicious Cuban Food in NYC (by WelcomeToTheGoodLife)

WelcomeToTheGoodLife — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

A friend took me here for dinner on Friday night. We didn't have reservations and ended up sitting and eating at the bar, which ended up being fine (unless you're the type to HAVE to sit at a table). We ordered a pitcher of red sangria, which was really good. The bartender/our waiter Eduardo was really sweet and joined our conversation a few times. I ordered the Paella with lobster tail and my friend ordered the skirt steak. The Paella was delicious but it needed a dash of salt and pepper. The steak was cooked to perfection and was really succulent. The place itself is beautiful and reminiscent of old style Cuba. Very romantic if you were to bring a date there. Overall a great experience.

5 Stars: Everything is delicious (by callisto)

callisto — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:00:00 GMT

No matter what we ordered, it was delicious. We tried a few different items off the appetizer menu & they were all great. The skirt steak was tender & juicy. I've eaten here a few times & it has not disappointed me yet. I will be back for some more Cuban food!

5 Stars: Best Cuban food around (by roxy200069)

roxy200069 — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:00:00 GMT

i went here for my birthday and the food was amazing!!! The ceviche and empanadas were my favorites. The mojitos were a little strong but the bartender made up some fruity drinks that were so good!!!!!! The service was excellent.. Our waiter was very attentive. The music in the restaurant was fun and lively. The downstairs room is cozy and romantic. Definitely one of my all time favorite restaurants!!!!!

5 Stars: yummy, yummy, yummy!! (by dianaww98)

dianaww98 — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

My fiance and I went to Cuba last night and the experience was wonderful. Our reservation were for 7:30 and I can honestly say we were seated at 7:31! Our waiter Tony was phenomenal. Prompt service all the way around, starting with the excellent Mojito's(love the sugar cane stick), appetizers, dinner and dessert.
The restaurand is cozy and romantic, love the live Cuban music. My fiance said the costillas de matanzas were the best he ever had. I had the stuffed plantain with shrimp and the cazuela with congri. Every last bite was delicious. I would definately go back, especially for a celebration. Viva Cuba!!!!

1 Stars: Good Entertainment, bad food. (by worldgourmetexpert)

worldgourmetexpert — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Their pork dish MASITAS DE PUERCO "EL COCHINITO" was basically tasteless boiled meat and nothing like Cuban pork... Sophie's has the best. The PAELLA MARINERA came with half a rock lobster tail that was smaller than the shrimps... the rice had a metallic taste... sign of shellfish spoilage. The Mojito was not mashed well so the flavors are not there. Go for live music but not the food.

5 Stars: Excellent cuban Food (by pg3344)

pg3344 — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

For our fifth anniversary my wife wanted to have Cuban food, I couldn?t have picked a better place. The food was stupendous and the service was excellent. They have two floors, if you want to have a nice romantic dinner I suggest the lower seating, upstairs you have the live music but it?s a bit to noisy. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED BY THIS PLACE.

4 Stars: Great Taste of Cuba (by papasmirk)

papasmirk — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

The food and service were amazing. If you enjoy trying wines from South America this is the place for you. We went on a Friday night and there was a musicians playing music in one corner and someone in the opposite corner rolling cigars. I would recommend if you want a more quiet intimate evening to get a table downstairs. We were sat on the main floor and it was a little crowded and noisy. Seemed like everyone was having a birthday that night. Quickly saw the downstairs which has it own bar and intimate seatings. If you are coming to dance then the main floor is for you.

5 Stars: Great Food, Service, and Atmosphere! (by shannyd81)

shannyd81 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Choosing a restaurant for my mom's 50th birthday was a lofty task, especially sifting through the thousands of restaurants in NYC. She found a great review for CUBA, and decided that should be the place to spend her special night. It far exceeded expectations, as when we walked in we were instantly greeted and sat at a cozy table. A man sat in the corner hand-rolling cigars, and the wait staff treated us as if we were at a family dinner. The mojitos were remarkable--some of the best I have ever had. Normally, I am one to stay away from flavored mojitos (as mojitos in their original form are delicious enough) but my mom's raspberry mojito--fresh muddled raspberries along with a stick of sugarcane--was one of the best libations I have tasted. Our entrees were even better than our drinks! The food is fresh and delicious, well presented, and very reasonably priced. Halfway through dinner, a small Latin music ensemble gathered and brightened the atmosphere even further with their playing. At the end of dinner, our waiter surprised my mother (and father and I for that matter) with a delicious tres leches cake with a volcanic sparkler candle atop. It was definitely an experience we will remember for years to come.

5 Stars: Perfect place for a party! (by nbbw)

nbbw — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I planned a private party for about 30 people in their Hemingway Hideaway and it could not have been more perfect. The venue was ideal, the mojitos divinely deadly, the food delicious and the staff were dedicated to our cause. A truly great time was had by all, and it was all thanks to Cuba. I am definitely going back so I can sample the rest of the menu.

5 Stars: Exactly what we had hoped! (by mditmar)

mditmar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We were coming to NYC for a wedding, and we only had Friday evening to do anything that wasn't tied to the wedding. So we wanted to spend what little time we had at a great restaurant. We searched all over Citysearch, read plenty of reviews, and picked Cuba. We picked it because it seemed like a fun atmosphere, the food looked great, we love sangria and mojitos, the cigar roller, etc. We made reservations for 7pm becuase we had a 9pm cocktail party aftwerwards. So, the weekend arrives and our flight is quite delayed coming into JFK, and it took forever to get into the city. We called Cuba and they had no problem bumping our reservation back to 7:30. Turns out we were still late getting there, and didn't show up until 7:45. But, they didn't say a word and gave us a fantastic table right in the middle fo the first floor. We felt that we were well taken care of in that respect as they were telling walk-ins that there was a 2 hour wait! Once we sat down we placed drink orders immediately, red sangria and mojitos, which were excellent. We ordered just appetizers, the empanadas, chorizo and plantains, pinchas, garlic shrimp, and they were all great, especially the empanadas which we ordered twice. The place has a killer vibe, from the live cuban music coming from the band in the corner, to the cigar roller in the other corner, and nice buzz just from being quite busy and everyone having a great time. It's great if your looking for a romantic data spot, or you're out with another couple or two. When we finished I picked up a cigar and my wife and I strolled around the Village while I got to enjoy the cigar. Overall, the experience at Cuba was fantastic and my wife and I couldn't stop talking about it the entire weekend.

2 Stars: Not as good as it used to be (by jlee9999)

jlee9999 — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I have been a few times before, but this last time was really bad. The food came out a little too quick and was never hot. I get the impression many of the dishes are made ahead of time and then get reheated. They ruin a red snapper by frying it, the salmon tasted fishy and the calamari was cold.

The ambiance is cool and the service is good, but the food is mediocre at best.

5 Stars: Great Food and Ambiance!!! (by meldaking)

meldaking — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I went here last week with a friend and the place was great. It was intimate and quaint. It wasn't the usual mega restaurant scene that you find here in the city. It was cozy. The food was absolutely phenomenal. Try the appetizer with the shrimp chicken and steak...WOW! I sat downstairs and it felt like I was in a wine cellar in havanna. I HIGHLY recommend this spot for a date or with friends.

5 Stars: Real Cuban Cuisine and Music - warm, fun atmosphere. (by czarnowica)

czarnowica — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Just tried this place last night - and had a great dining experience. Food is authentically Cuban - delicious and a large menu - try the Lechon Asado with Maduros (roast sucking pig with a side order of fried sweet plantains) - don't miss the empanadas - no matter what the incarnation, whether with meat as an appetizer or dessert with guava, banana and cream cheese. Oh yeah, and get a pitcher of mojitos - have it done with gold rum - finish off with a hand rolled cigar (stop being so PC - you won't die from one cigar !). The music is live and alive! Fun atmosphere, noisy, but like one big rolling Cuban party. Make reservations, especially on weekends - this place it not very large and it fills up fast.

4 Stars: Excellent food and a great atmosphere (by eea)

eea — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba is a great place for a night out with friends. Very cool atmosphere with excellent food. Request a table upstairs if possible, unless you like feeling like you're in the depths of someone's cellar (downstairs). I highly recommend the chorizo, and the vaca frita was excellent! The white sangria and the mojitos are quite nice too. Angel was wonderful - a very hospitable host. I will definitely go back!

5 Stars: Amazing food! (by luvluv26)

luvluv26 — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:00:00 GMT

First time at Cuba and I was very impressed. The food was excellent and friendly waitress. She helped us out with the menu and gave great suggestions. Very hip and relaxed atmosphere. Can't wait to go again.

4 Stars: Small, crowded, but yummy (by jericsmall)

jericsmall — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba is pretty good. My friend took me and another person there during a recent trip. The place was WAY too crowded and it did take a bit of time to get seated (10 mins or so -- thankfully we had reservations), but the food redeemed itself. I had the Rope Vieja and it was out of this world good. We had the Empandas too as appetizers -- good, and I had the menu-standard chocolate & ice cream thingee for dessert -- great. Drinks weren't particularly memorable.

5 Stars: Best Cuban! (by alexstarr1)

alexstarr1 — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Went here on Saturday for my birthday. Everything from the ambience to the service to the food was amazing. We were seated downstairs, and while the initital descent was a bit confusing, it was great down there. Totally awesome decor and atmosphere. We sat right next to the bar and the bartender was personally tending to our table. Great drinks, btw! We were a large party and tried each of the appetizers. One was better than the other (my personal fave was the Chorizo). Entrees were perfect. Will definitely be coming back here!

5 Stars: Great private party experience! (by henry07)

henry07 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We celebrated my sister's birthday here and had a wonderful experience! We worked with Angel to plan the event and everything was just as expected. The atmosphere was lively and fun, the staff (Tony & Eduardo) were perfectly attentive and professional and the food was delicious and served beautifully. We had our event in the larger of the 3 private party spaces, complete with a bar. All of our guests had a fabulous time -- and many can't wait to return for dinner. After 10 years in the city, we can't believe I've never been to Cuba! We will most definitely be back soon -- especially for the sangria and mojitos. If you need a great space for a memorable event, go to Cuba!

5 Stars: Perfection (by sroscoe73)

sroscoe73 — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:00:00 GMT

i spent my birthday here and ended up having a bigger crowd than initially anticipated. the staff was extremely accomodating and made it a great experience. the mojitos are the REAL deal...they are not joking when they brag about "the best" and the food was amazing. i was totally impressed with the whole experience at cuba and cannot wait to come back.

5 Stars: Great place,great atmoshere! (by ellieslove)

ellieslove — Fri, 25 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

My third time here and now I know why I returned,tastes like my grandmas cooking back in Miami.
The food is soo delicious loved the lechon asado and the white sangria.My family and i celebrated my
parents 5oth wedding anniversary.And the staff and manager were very freindly and personable.WE listened to the band and then got some free hand rolled cigars very kool will be back Highly recommend going at least try you'll see

5 Stars: great good (by f8jbo)

f8jbo — Tue, 22 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

great food great service goood job guys. I really love this restaurant. the best in town we love it good job

4 Stars: Best Mojitos (by mimic47)

mimic47 — Tue, 22 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

We had a reservation but once seated had to wait about 40 mins for our food to arive, however, we did get our appetizer immediately. The empandas were delicious and the mago mojito was amazing. Hubby got the shortribs with black bean sauce and I loved it. The chicken and yellow rice was ok but not great. I'll come back for the mojitos and the short ribs or ropa vieja. The servers are far from friendly but they aren't rude either. Overall it was a good place but not somewhere I'd go for a special occasion.

5 Stars: Que Sabor!! (by jesuisfier)

jesuisfier — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

My wife is Cuban so we went here for Mother's Day for lunch. Everything about our experience at Cuba was awesome. The food, the music, the ambience, the drinks, the decor, and the location make this place A MUST GO!
My wife says (and me too) that Cuba is by far THE best Cuban food in NYC and even rivals some of the Cuban restaurants in Miami. We give this place our very best and highest recommendations. You will not be disappointed.

5 Stars: Kool Place,great vibes (by nycdario)

nycdario — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba is a place I truly enjoyed.My wife and freinds came across this place by reading the great reviews
so I had to place mine in as well. First of great feel of the place s not stale like other restaurants and then the staff was very vibrant and courteous.When our dishes came out ropa vieja.paella and sangria we were very happy .The bombon cubano deliciously sinful(warm chocolate cake mmmmmm)We will be back again:)I would recommend this place

2 Stars: Do not come here. Please!! (by mabascal7)

mabascal7 — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Do not come here please!!. The food is average, but the worst thing is that after we were done having dinner, and we were having drinks, the people there tried to "bribe" us to give up our table so that somebody else could come and have dinner there (it's all about the money guys!!). But that is not the worst, once we were forced to go to the bar for one "free" round of drinks "the bribe" (like if we were that cheap), the restaurant people duped the table next to us by offering ("bribing") the head of family (which was celebrating his 60th birthday and just got a rolex watch from his family there), a "free" cigar to free up the table (it's all about bringing more money, again!!). I was really offended by this behavior. I would think that as long as you are consuming and showing good behavior, no one would ask you to leave (I was so wrong!!) . Unfortunately that is not the case. My mother-in-law is Cuban and she was pretty offended when we told her the kind of treatment we got at Cuba. I honestly could not believe that a "Cuban" restaurant would treat customers so poorly. Save your time and your liver, there are better Cuban places in the city where you will get top quality treatment and you won't be kicked out just because of greediness and poor spirit. It's so sad to see something like this happening in here. It's really a shame.

4 Stars: fun spot! (by nyc81)

nyc81 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:00:00 GMT

definitely a fun spot for a date or dinner out with friends. small and cozy, but also loud and fun. authentic, too! the menu is pricey though...be prepared to spend about $40/person with drinks. their sangria is great!!

5 Stars: Highly Recommended (by socialite1)

socialite1 — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend never had cuban food so this was a great opportunity. The bathrooms were immaculate. The service was excellent. The appitizers, main course and mojitos were fantastic. The place was romantic and had a great vibe. We had such a great time we were the last to leave the place! The staff was extremely patient with us. I definately recommend this retaurant! Thank you CUBA you definately made our night one to remember!

2 Stars: Shockingly Disappointing (by manhattan25)

manhattan25 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I'm a little bit shocked to see this restaurant received a 8.9 rating. I had reservations there on a Tuesday night at 8pm. The place was pretty busy and I was happy we did actually make reservations. However, when we entered the restaurant the hostess ignored us and went to answer the phone. Instead of motioning, "Just one minute" to us, she continued to ignore us and stayed on the phone for five minutes. Then when she finally hung up, she didn't apologise for the wait but just took us to our table - which was literally 4 steps away from the table. It was also right next to another table (another couple). It looked as if we were one party. Unfortunately, there wasn't any other tables available. The restaurant is adorable but TINY. The musician and cigar maker is a nice touch. But for some reason or another (maybe b/c it's so small and/or the music is too loud) everyone in the restaurant was yelling and screaming. My boyfriend and I spent the whole dinner yelling at each other because we couldn't hear each other over the loud music and loud people. Our waiter was nice and competent. I ordered the pineapple salad which was a complete JOKE. It was a $9 salad served with ICE BERG lettuce. The red snapper with veggies was good but not worth $20 - esp. since the veggies were only zucchini and carrots. I was throughly disappointed and in complete shock with the low quality of the food. The restaurant could easily be the Olive Garden of Cuban food. There are so many other latin restaurants - The Yuca Bar in the E. Village - that surprasses the menu, service and money than this low grade establishment. I can not remember the last time I went to a more disappointing restaurant in NYC.

5 Stars: Luv ya CUBA once again:) (by miamizfinest)

miamizfinest — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Time and time again I return to Cuba and have recommended freinds and family.Their report
such as mine especially being a latino at Cuba has been with the utmost respect and fanfare.The food is amazing as so are the drinks.Lord knows I gain nothing for writing this but it just so happens is that i
witnessed the rude behavior not from the restaurant but from the customer who also forgot to mention was hammered and started singing Karaoke to all of us .In all fairness to cuba they handled it with style taste and class and that guy should be lucky he was offered a drink to him and his entourage. as he clearly should have been told to leave after sitting for what seemed to be was hours of loud behavior.So dude wake up it is a business!!!

5 Stars: Great food, great service (by wendyadrienne)

wendyadrienne — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I recently helped plan a surprise party for my boss at Cuba. The party was great. Everyone loved the food! I had the Roja Vieja for my entree which was really delicious. The place was very festive-the band playing Cuban music was a nice touch. There was even a Cuban man in the corner of the restaurant cutting cigars for the guests of the party. Angel, the manager was very helpful in planning the party and made sure that things ran smoothly. I highly recomment Cuba for both dinner and private parties. Wendy

3 Stars: make sure u get seated upstairs (by boogz)

boogz — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

The food was great...drinks was great and the price was right...even though I made prior reservations...I was seated downstairs where it was very loud and raucas.. I could barely here my date speak...I also went on a thurs to hear the live band but since I was put down stairs all I heard was an radio and drunk ppl screaming....

5 Stars: Great music & great atmosphere! (by Macy118)

Macy118 — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I just went to Cuba on Friday night for my birthday with a group of 4 other girls and had a blast. The staff was so attentive, especially Angel, the manager. He completely took care of us and made us feel welcome. Try the Coco Mojito, so good. The appetizers were delicious...and to top it all off the music was great! The band is wonderful...if you're looking for a fun place to eat, listen to good music and have a few drinks Cuba is the place.

4 Stars: CUBAN LOVE (by miamimarcg)

miamimarcg — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I was there last Friday and saw that the place had a great upbeat atmosphere.The food was sooo delicioso and the ultimate mojitos on point.The staff and Hostess were so accomodating to grant us a table without a reservation. The Manager came over and gave us a free dessert nice touch. Living in Miami we felt we found our Miami paradise in NEW YORK we will be back :)

5 Stars: Very good cuban food! (by jhoanna)

jhoanna — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Went here with a friend for the first time and it was surprisingly crowded, yet lively, and food was awesomely good!!! Those mojitos are a o.k. There was alot of pple and I thought we're gonna have to wait, but miraculously we were seated right away. I recommend making reservations.

4 Stars: Great place, rude host (by rachie26)

rachie26 — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Went here last Friday, the food was amazing. The staff was fun and polite. However, the host was rude and snobby. He instantly made my party feel uncomfortable and not welcome. Besides all of that I would go again in a heartbeat.

5 Stars: Mucho Grande (Please make prior reservations) (by mumbhai)

mumbhai — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

This place was recommended to me by a close friend. It was my first date with this lady so i wanted to get it right. Made reservations (that was such a good idea!). Landed there at appointed time and found the place to be packed. On a Wednesday night? Apart from that the service was par excellence. The guy waiting on our table was ultra nice and explained everything to us on the food/drink menu. The mohitos at Cuba are heavenly. Highly recommended Ultimate Mohitos. For entrees got the FILETILLO SALTEADO and she got the VACA FRITA and both were delicious and the serving portion was just right. It was quite crowded and everybody seemed to be having a blast with the Cuban music playing softly in the background. We ended up leaving the place cigar in hand which was rolled up fresh by this gent who sits in the corner of the room. Overall a fabulous experience!

5 Stars: Ammmmmmazing food (by eladio)

eladio — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I have done all of the well known Cuban restaurants thru-out the city Victors,Cuba cafe,Havana
Central even Son Cubano which I like. But Cuba in my opinion is special. Why you ask ?Because of the detail in service they remember you by name offer great dishes like the vacca frita ,ropa vieja etc.Trust me the last thing I want to do is sound like a commercial but those guys the staff and management team really care about people.Unlike some other places that don't.The Last 3 times I was there the music the vibe really was cool!
One small favor though get a bigger rest room the line can be long at times.Gracias

4 Stars: Good Cuban Food! (by envymeny)

envymeny — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I ALWAYS order the same dishes when I'm here. Their seafood/meat paella is so good! I've had their vegetarian paella as well but I wasn't too fond of it. Too much garlic. I love their fried cassava that comes with this very tasty sauce. Service is decent but sometimes hard to get the waiter's attention.

4 Stars: Average food with great locale (by mronaghi)

mronaghi — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I am a cuban food connosieur and this is definitely not Cuban food at its best. Nevertheless, the location is appetizing enough if you overlook the faults. Most of the staff was pleasant; our waiter left something to be desired & rec'd a mere 15% tip; waiters complain about tippers + never take into acct. Their performance. Mojitos were on the sweet side after the top note of rum dissipated; plenty of village/soho/e.village can make Mojitos that transport you to the island~just keep looking. Congri was pretty good; needed to be hotter. Sweet plantains were merely edible. Papa rellenas were good; however would benefit from stronger seasoning. My date had the Paella and it was pretty tasty; however, prepared Spain style; criolla seasonings were not present to categorize the dish as Cuban style. The word is not bland~seafood flavors took top note; whereas their should have been a marriage of seafood & criolla seasonings.

On to the good points: I liked the dim, candlelit feel of the place. Cramped never looked so good; yet, I did not feel uncomfortable. The lower floor was even romantic; although, my date was an old friend, I could not help but notice a lot of couples did frequent. The bill w/tip was $75; not bad, however, I did whince at my share the next day simply b-c I have had MUCH better Cuban food in NYC.

4 Stars: GREAT PLACE! LOVED THE VIBE! (by alexloveselba)

alexloveselba — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 02:00:00 GMT

LOVED THE VIBE AT THIS PLACE GREAT FOOD<LOVED THE MOJITOS SAT UPSTAIRS WITH MY FIANCEE AND HEARD AN AMAZING SALSA BAND>EVEN DANCED THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYONE STARTED DANCING! WE WILL BE BACK>>>

5 Stars: Good Food (by stajani)

stajani — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Overall good service, great restaurant, great experience - Definitely will be coming back to Cuba!

3 Stars: avoid for brunch (by weavale)

weavale — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Went there for brunch on a Sunday afternoon. Good music and sangria. Poor service. They were slow to take our order and only got 1 out of 4 of our orders right.

5 Stars: FABULOSO!!!!! (by nychic77)

nychic77 — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba has it all -- ambience, great food, great service, great location!!! From the second we stepped inside, this place was wonderful. We were warmly greeted at the door and seated promptly. The nostalgic feel and live music (even on a Monday!) has made this my new favorite spot! So, if you are hungry or simply feel like having a drink and want to feel like you are away from bustling city for a few hours, get to Cuba quick!

5 Stars: Great spot! (by nikalbo)

nikalbo — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Just had my bday dinner here - I had moved my party here after I couldn't reserve at some other restaurant due to the number of people I had (12). I had passed by Cuba on a number of occasions and remembered it so I took the risk and made a last minute reservation. What a good call!! Food was great - everybody had clean plates by the end of the night. Prices are reasonable for a "night out" kind of restaurant like this. It's my new favorite restaurant!

But what really makes this spot is the ambiance and vibe. Don't let the standard exterior fool you - go past the front area and you'll be surprised by the little cozy nooks the space has to offer. We were seated downstairs and it was even better - just have to see it for yourself. I would describe the vibe as cozy/romantic but also lively and loud. I went saturday and it was a busy night - I can see it being a good date spot but probably on weedays. My only complaint was that music at times was a tad too loud.

Overall good service, great restaurant, great experience - defintely coming back here again!!

5 Stars: Expensive but DELICIOUS!!! (by honestfoodluver)

honestfoodluver — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 02:00:00 GMT

My friend and I were roaming around for a good place to eat, and we walked by this restaurant. We haven't had cuban food in a while; so, we decided to try it out. It was a great dinner experience!!! The atmosphere was fabulous with the music, the lighting, everything! We chose to dine downstairs, only because we wanted to talk, and I thought it was the perfect area to have a relaxing dinner with a friend.

The food was simply AMAZING!!! However, I thought the dishes were pretty pricey, but I think it's worth every penny. If you go here, you HAVE to get a pitcher of their Sangria. It's the best I've EVER had!!!

I think this is definitely a place worth checking out!!

4 Stars: Hidden Gem on Thompson! (by angelinanyc)

angelinanyc — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Great ambience, live music on a Monday night! Service was a little slow, but they were attentive and friendly. Food is good and the Mojitos are great!

5 Stars: Delicious & Nostalgic (by bsoto728)

bsoto728 — Thu, 18 May 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Wonderful experience: The food, drinks, music and attention were simply excellent!!! I would highly recommend CUBA!!

5 Stars: User review by laurencia (by laurencia)

laurencia — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Fabulous food, great service. I can't say enough good things

5 Stars: AWESOME FOOD (by ana617)

ana617 — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I WAS THERE FOR A FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. FOOD WAS GREAT, STAFF WAS NICE AND PATIENT (CONSIDERING WE HAD ABOUT 30 PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP).

4 Stars: Yum (by sumptiousny)

sumptiousny — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

While strolling up Thompson St my boyfriend and I stumbled upon Cuba and decided to try it. The service was excellent from the get go. It's a small place and dimly lit with a nice romantic ambience. I had lamb and my friend had chicken, my lamb melted off the bone and was excellent (his dish was so-so) - both with cous-cous. I'd go again although I found prices to add up rather quickly with wine.

4 Stars: Great food service on thing too look out for (by rubicks13)

rubicks13 — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Had my brothers 30th B-day dinner there. All the food was great and the portions were very nice. (I am a big fan of BIG portions) Everything was great, had the downstairs room next to the bar. One thing to keep an eye out for. If you have a large party, they already include the tip in the bill. We almost paid the waiter a double tip. Look out!!

5 Stars: perfect for a fun evening with friends (by anon1)

anon1 — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 01:00:00 GMT

we took a friend from London to Cuba and had a wonderful evening. we were seated downstairs in a cosy setting. the staff were fantastic and kept the mojitos coming (very highly recommended). the food is average, but clearly the service, ambience and drinks make up for it.

5 Stars: Muy Buen! (by hotdocinjc)

hotdocinjc — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 01:00:00 GMT

After reading all of the poor reviews for the service at Cuba I was somewhat hesitant to dine here on Valentine's Day. We were seated as soon as we arrived at the restaurant. The live band was excellent. Red roses were given to all of the ladies. The food was excellent, as was the service. We even had a friend join us in the middle of our dinner and they accomodated our friend. This is a fun place. Thank you for a memorable Valentine's Day!

5 Stars: Hemingway's Hideaway (by bolabola)

bolabola — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 01:00:00 GMT

My associates @ the Law firm told me all about this place and seeing it from the outside you don't see much but once you go inside you realize its special purpose.The place was jammed with people so they sat us downstairs in this room they called Hemingways Hideaway. The MGR/Host ANGEL was most accomodating and attentive.We sat downstairs ate our meal.Vacca frita,paella,bocaditos,and some other tasty dishes.Then we came
back upstairs to enjoy the LIVE CUBAN MUSIC playing. To top it off a great cigar for my husband.Thanks for taking us during this crazy snow storm!!Thanks Angel ! Thanks Cuba

5 Stars: yum and fun (by wammy2525)

wammy2525 — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

this is a great find...food yummy, great drinks and kool atmosphere!

5 Stars: Cuba restaurant simply the best!! (by ellie64)

ellie64 — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

We returned to Cuba restaurant to find our lil gem in the west village as cozy as returning home.The food tastes amazing ropa vieja with some pinchos and emapanadas for starters.We grooved to its sultry latin music. Makes me feel proud to be in touch with my latino roots.Thanks Cuba Thanks Angel the Mgr for making us feel special

4 Stars: Eh Eh (by viju_perez)

viju_perez — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Well the ambiance, decor & cigar roller make up for the lack of service Cuba is able to provide. The Sangria & the live band helped to shorten the 2 hour wait we had for our 9 pm reservation. Mind you, a reservation that was made over 6 weeks prior, confirmed, & reconfirmed the same day. Staff apologies aside, the restaurant is best for small parties & off nights. The main dining room gets more crowded as Happy hour progresses. All in all: Good food, Great price, less than stellar service.

5 Stars: change is good! (by j_leyssene)

j_leyssene — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

what a great place! the ambience is fantastic; we were seated in the back room which was really cozy and well decorated... the mojito was the best i've ever had, and they have a good selection of Chilean and Argentinean wines too... the appetizer we shared [pototo "balls" stuffed w/ cheese] was delicious, albeit small... get one for each of you! great seafood selection; the red snapper on a bed of plantains was the best thing i've had in a long time! my friend loved her steak, and even though shes not a vegetable lover, they were the first thing off her plate! The portions are just perfect - you'll finish your plate AND you'll be satisfied.... especially if you try the desserts - the flan was delicious as was the chocolate souffle... the bill, for two came to 90 WITH tip... absolutely worth it for such a great night!

5 Stars: Thanks, we had a great time... (by highenergy)

highenergy — Sun, 11 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

This place is excellent. I had a great time. The inside is very cute, the pictures dont do it justice. Our server was polite and the service was fast, a rare combination in NYC. He greeted us with a smile and made us feel very comfortable. The mojitos here are AWESOME! This was my first time eating at Cuba but it will not be my last...I'll be back.

5 Stars: delicious and so much fun! (by ericaloveseric)

ericaloveseric — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 01:00:00 GMT

We went to Cuba with a party of seven on Saturday night. We were early for our reservation but they seated us right away. Our waiter Tony was the best, fast, courteous and made sure our pitchers of Mojito and Sangria were always filled. The food is outstanding from the appetizers to the desserts, we were all stuffed and happy with the savory Cuban flavors. The band rocked the house and sang Happy Bday to my friend and got everyone in the place involved. They even served her a Flan with flame shooting sparklers as her candle, it was so exciting. Hand rolled Cigars are given to all patrons and they were great. My husband smoked it that night and raved about it.
Truly an outstanding time!!! We will definitely be back!

5 Stars: Excellent Service, delicious food (by srisunee)

srisunee — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The host was very accomodating and our waiter was so friendly. We had a large party and was originally seated downstairs. However, we wanted to sit upstairs for the entertainment, so they moved us and we were seated promptly. This restaurant has great menu selection and extremely reasonable prices. I recommend the Suckling Pig and Paella Valenciana. Also, if you go there, try not to be seated too close to the musicians. We were seated right behind them and since the place is pretty small, we had to shout to hear each other.

4 Stars: amazing, I'll come back (by acousticgirl)

acousticgirl — Mon, 12 Sep 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I had a party of 15 this last saturday at the downstair room called Hemingway. The mojitos were terrific, the music out of this world, service cordial and friendly, something very unusuall in this days. The only problem was the manager who introduced himself, as Jorge, aproached our table in numerous time asking if everything was right, something that became kind of annoying, until I noticed alcohol breath coming from him. That explained everything, although, I'll absolutlly come back

5 Stars: Great (by acorderocons)

acorderocons — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The place is exellent as the food, it has a special atmosphere, It's the hot place in the Village, last friday I tried the Hallibut and it was exellent, It was one of the best fish that I have ever try. The staff was really great, everybody smile, and you can feel how happy everybody was. I will recomend this place to everyone

1 Stars: Rude Waiter, Good Food (by octagramt)

octagramt — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

If Cuba changed its wait staff's attitude, this place could be a really great restaurant. The waiter became visibly irritated when we didn't want to order any drinks at the start of the evening. I don't know, I guess he really likes serving drinks and us not ordering drinks just ruined his evening. My wife ordered Paella Valenciana but got Paella Marinera. I didn't want to make a big deal out of this so I just let it go. We ended up actually wanting a couple of glasses of wine later in the evening with our food but I figured if this place gets so hung up over drinks and they can't get the food right, better to save my money and spend it somewhere else. Oh, you should have seen the look on the waiter's face when we told him we didn't want any coffee after the meal.

1 Stars: DON'T GO HERE!!! (by morefoodgirl)

morefoodgirl — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The service was horrible and painfully slow. Our female server was RUDE, had ATTITUDE, and SARCASTIC! My mother is from Cuba, and my family came from LA to visit me, so we made the mistake of coming here...it really put a sour note on our experience.
There are many other great cuban restaurants in the city...try ANY other one!

5 Stars: FOOD, AMBIENCE, SERVICE, MOJITOS - ALL A+++ (by aleafinnyc)

aleafinnyc — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I had a farewell party on Friday night for 14 people, and was a little nervous simply because I'd never been there before. Although I made the reservation the same day Ricardo, the manager, accommodated us and gave us a special party room at the back. We all had an awesome time and all my friends loved it. We're definitely going back. Mojitos and the sangria were the best I ever had in the city. The food was delicious and our waiter was great - very friendly and fun. The music and the ambience made us feel like we were in Cuba - was a great experience overall. The hand-rolled cigars at the end was the final touch of excellence.

5 Stars: Real Cuban Food (by ddmontalvan)

ddmontalvan — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

As a Cuban , I really recomend this restaurant. The food and drinks are very good....... like in the real Havana !!!!!!!!. The live music and the cigars are a plus.....
And If you want to know about the real " Cuba" , talk to Sergio.

5 Stars: The best of Cuba!!! (by davidlindo123)

davidlindo123 — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

What a great place, just like Zagat 2006 mentioned it. "Caribbean authenticity comes to the Village via this new Cuban" Really the best Mojito's, Ropa Vieja, Live music & the hand-rolled cigars. I had great time with my friends. Thank you CUBA!!

5 Stars: best cuban in the city (by arias236)

arias236 — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

this has been the best cuban food,the live music,the best mojitos in town,the sangria rocks,,service is great,they make you feel part of family,go to cuba you wiil love it.....

5 Stars: Fantastico (by softchewy)

softchewy — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Went here for Valentine's day this year. Food was very good. Live music was excellent (purchased the CD). Romantic and lively at the same time. Hot and sexy.
We both had a really great time.. too bad we eventually ended up breaking up anyway, lol.
Resevations are recommended as they have become fairly popular.

3 Stars: Not impressed. (by mrsqueensfinest)

mrsqueensfinest — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Went here for a birthday party and felt like I was in a cave. Nothing is CUBAN about the rest. The food is average, "anywhere" spanish food. The tostones with mojo were probably the best thing. The Sangria is awesome. Cool that you can take your own cd's and play them yourself! not sure if this is the case on the weekends. Will come again, but not expencting extraordinary service.

1 Stars: AAHH, Just like Fidel likes it... (by xxstimpy)

xxstimpy — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 02:00:00 GMT

It's Saturday night, about 10:00, and my girlfriend and I are waiting for a table. Cuba is a small, crampt, cozy ;), place and when the hostess offered to seat us at the table next to the hostess stand/front door/manager I asked politely that if it weren't to much trouble I'd wait for the next table. She glared at me and said it would be a long wait. My outrageous request translated into her refusing to give me a table. When I left the manager gave me lip service. It must feel good to them to look down upon people.

5 Stars: The Real "Cuba" in NYC (by davidlindo122)

davidlindo122 — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 02:00:00 GMT

It was well worth the wait, the best Cuban food and Mojitos that I had in a very long time. (I had the Red Snapper). Most of the Cuban restaurants are the same, Cuba's food was very unique, out of this world!! I really recommend it.
The live music was enjoyable and the hand rolled cigars made the experience authentic.
I will go back this week

5 Stars: Exelent (by rafico99)

rafico99 — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I just wanted to send an email to say thanks so much for making my sat. night dinner wonderful! I was visiting a friend in NYC last week, and we decided to try out your restaurant with a few friends. Being from New Orleans, we have many great restaurants down here...but I loved Cuba!!! The music added an extra touch also!

Thanks for serving such a great mojito. It was absolutely the best I've ever had!

I was wondering if there was any way that I could get the recipe for the mojito?

Thanks again for a memorable dinner!

2 Stars: Not worth your time! (by teq)

teq — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Just to warn you, reservations dont mean anything. I had a reservation and ended up waiting over an hour to be seated! The place is so tiny, you couldn't wait anywhere but outside. And if you don't keep checking up on the hostess, then you will have to wait longer. Once seated in my very cramped area, I managed to enjoy an "ok" meal until I accidentally burnt my wrist. The waiter failed to mention that the plate was piping hot & didn't have anything for me to put on my burn. I wouldn't come back here again. Such a bad experience!

5 Stars: THIS PLACE IS KICKIN'!!! (by qture28)

qture28 — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I LOVE this place!!! The band is AMAZING and can really get the crowd going. The bartenders and servers are all great and super friendly. They all look like they are just having a good time and enjoying themselves, even though they are working. This effervescence transfers itself over to the customers who look like they are having an equally fun time. Just a warning that the sangria and mojito can knock you OUT! My only complaint is that the area is too small, so that you can't just get a drink or shake your booty a little. Definitely get a dinner reservation so that you have a seat to listen to the band.

5 Stars: Perfect Party (by aew1116)

aew1116 — Fri, 24 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

After seeing an ad in Gourmet about private parties, I booked one for a friend of mine in the downstairs private room. The food was great - and what a value! Perfect atmosphere for a party.

5 Stars: User review by deckel (by deckel)

deckel — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Best mojitos in the city!! Maybe even best mojitos north of Havana. Great live salsa music. A lot of fun and the food was excellent.

4 Stars: User review by trp9007 (by trp9007)

trp9007 — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Despite having a reservation, we waited for over an hour for a table. Lucky for them, the food made up for the wait. Great food at good prices. Would return, but probably wouldn't bother to make a reservation.

5 Stars: GREAT RESTAURANT (by walditin)

walditin — Sun, 12 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Cuba is a GREAT restaurant, in capital letters. I was there with my wife and son and I was promptly seated. I ordered Solomillo de Vaca and Paella Valenciana for my wife and wow were they delicious!!, no wonder the place was packed. The site was marvellous, the service, the music, the ambience, everything makes this place worth visiting many, many times. No wonder people keep telling that this restaurant is NUMERO UNO in New York!!

2 Stars: Some of the worst service ever experienced in NYC (by murk34)

murk34 — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The terrible service more than erased any positive impression I might have gotten from the food which was ok at best. I made a reservation weeks in advance for a party of 10 (which I confirmed about 3X with the manager). When we got there, the waitstaff ignored us and then gave us the runaround about who to speak to have our reservation honored. When we were finally seated, the waiters proceeded to stare us down so we could order quickly. Ironically, however, we had to flag people down to even get drink orders filled. When we were done, they tried to stare us down presumably to rush us out asap and started clearing the table before we even finished getting up from it. This is NYC and there are so many good restaurants to spend your hard-earned money at; this is not one of them.

4 Stars: Great food - long wait (by djpaul206)

djpaul206 — Sun, 22 May 2005 02:00:00 GMT

Although we waited for an hour past our reservations, I still enjoyed Cuba. There was a live band playing Cuban music and the drinks were great, if you can get the bartender's attention. The hostess was apologetic about the wait time. However, the food and sangria certainly made up for it.

4 Stars: ask for tony (by sabrine)

sabrine — Mon, 16 May 2005 02:00:00 GMT

we had a wonderful meal and a wonderful experience all thanks to our waiter tony.
i would definitely go back the food was wonderful and very reasonable.

4 Stars: Great food, awful service (by zzni16)

zzni16 — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I made a reservation for a Friday night at 9 pm. We didn't even get seated until well after 10 pm. Once we sat down, it took forever for the waiter to take our order. He never refilled our drink order and we had to go the bar and get drinks ourselves. The food was delicious, but the service was possibly the worst I've ever experienced in a restaurant that charges as much as it does. Don't go here unless there's no crowd. The food is good, but not worth the bad service.

5 Stars: Best Restaurant in Town (by marinadear)

marinadear — Wed, 13 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

One of the best places in NY to eat Cuban and Spanish food. The ambience and the people who serve are really great. You gotta try the Paella and the Solomillo de Vaca, great taste!!!. Mojitos are readily served, so you can't complain about service. For me, it's the best Cuban restaurant in town, go and see it for yourself!!!

5 Stars: Cuban Cigars (by clauzapa)

clauzapa — Mon, 11 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

After going for dinner at Cuba. I understand the fascination that New Yorkers have with the Cuban culture.This place has a really nice warm ambiance and the night I went with some friends the place was full of beautiful people.I wish that they had some of those cds for sale cause that music was really good.We were so happy with our food and man those mohitos were out of sight.In one word, this restaurant is THE BEST in town, you gotta go and see it for yourself.

2 Stars: Don't get sucked in (by leeefron)

leeefron — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

After making a reservation and then waiting by the bar for 40 minutes, we were then seated only by myself approaching the hostess to remind her we were there. Ordering at the bar, the bartender pretended to make a drink with contents I requested and turned the bottle around so I wouldn't see what he really put in the drink. I knew at this point we were heading for disaster. We were then seated in the highest traffic area, and the food was marginal at best if you eat a lot of Latin food. The greatest thing about Cuba is the live music which I can listen to cheaper on the other side of town.
I do not recommend getting sucked in to all the hype!

1 Stars: Worst Service in NYC (by roxxybfh)

roxxybfh — Sun, 03 Apr 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Unfortunately this cute little place has the rudest servers I have ever encountered in NYC. Our server was a rude older gentlement who didnt even think we deserved a simple HELLO. And dont even think that anyone else will want to help out if your server is chit-chatting with the bartender for 15 minutes or more. If you dont mind bad service this is your place, if not there are great other latin restaurants in NYC with great service!

5 Stars: Marvelous (by ancozava)

ancozava — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

I was in "Cuba" for a romantic dinner and everything was perfect. We tried the mojitos, and really are the best mojitos in town as everybody says. The food was exelent, the "Empanadas" with tomatillo sauce were great. we tried the "Paella Marinera" perfect.
The live music great very romantic. And the prices really afordables.
I reccomend this place

5 Stars: Great! (by jzmsantos)

jzmsantos — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

Real cuban food at very reasonbale prices. The atmosphere was electric w/ latin muisic playing..live and via DJ.

3 Stars: Food was Good, Service was Not (by eve12)

eve12 — Fri, 18 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

We were a goup of 10 people out celebrating a birthday. My friend made reservations and called to confirm twice. When we got there, they made us wait 40 minutes for our table. The hostess was rude and the manager was no help at all. In fact, I saw him get chewed out by another angry customer outside the restaurant. We were finally seated in an area that should probably only fit 6 people - everyone felt pretty crowded. On the plus side, the food was good (not very expensive, too) and our waiter was great.

2 Stars: They ignore reservations... (by tboss)

tboss — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

After making reservations two weeks before and confirming 3x by phone, we went to Cuba for a birthday dinner for ten; eight of us showed up five minutes before the reservation and stepped into CHAOS. We were told by a frenzied hostess to wait at the bar. Five minutes later, the remaining two of our party showed up. Forty minutes after THAT, we still hadn't been seated though we could see a lot of large tables available downstairs. We were told that those downstairs tables were "reserved" (!!!) by the MANAGER (!!!).

Overall, food was pretty good, our server was fun, and it was affordable. But we waited way longer than anyone with a reservation should have (with only attitude provided by management), and it was CRAMPED upstairs. I wouldn't go with a group ever again!

4 Stars: Great food (by vtc76)

vtc76 — Thu, 10 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

My friend and I ate here last night. The hostess seated us downstairs, which was great 'cause the main floor was chaotic. The food was absolutley wonderful and portions were just enough. Also, the drinks were awesome. My mojito was just right. My only gripe was the delayed service in taking our order.
Overall, good dining. I definitely plan to return.

5 Stars: not miami cuban, but worth it (by fabo)

fabo — Mon, 07 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

i'm cuban from miami and the food at this place has gotten the closest to tasting like back home....in true cuban fashion the portions could be a bit larger. i'm a tough critic, and yea i've been to the other places in the city. it's a good date place, has a good vibe, and the sangria was primo.

5 Stars: The best (by nicolitaza)

nicolitaza — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

I was thoroughly impressed by the service and the food at Cuba. I went last Saturday night for dinner with a group of girlfriends and we had a great time. Although a bit small, the live music, food and the bartender added to the great ambience of the restaurant. I recommend the restaurant to anyone who wants to have good Latin/Cuban cuisine and a great coconut mojito!!!

1 Stars: DON' WASTE YOUR TIME (by pasena)

pasena — Sun, 20 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

DON'T BOTHER MAKING A RESERVATION THEY DO NOT HONOR THEM. I MADE A RESERVATION FOR MY BIRTHDAY FOR 14 PEOPLE. WHEN I ARRIVED THE RUDE HOSTESS GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND FOR THE FIRST 15 MINUTES THEN SHE GOT COMPLETELY RUDE AND SIMPLY IGNORED ME. NOTHING WAS READY AND THE MANAGER WAS DIFFICULT TO GET A HOLD OF AND WAS NOT CONCERNED WITH MY COMPLAINT. THE SERVICE IS SLOW AND THE FOOD HAD NO TASTE. I EAT A LOT OF CUBAN CUISINE AND WAS UTTERLY DISSAPPOINTED AND RECOMMEND THAT YOU RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.

1 Stars: Extremely Rude Staff (by buddhachick)

buddhachick — Mon, 07 Feb 2005 01:00:00 GMT

After booking a birdthday party reservation we were ushered to our table, which turned out to be a mistake, were told we couldn't sit anywhere until our whole party arrived. After asking to speak to the manager (hostess was extremely rude) he continued to be rude and suggest that we were late so therefore they gave our tabke away. We were on time if not early..they had us waiting at the bar for 45 minutes and refused to olet us sit at an open table. Besides the waitstaff being rude the manager was even worse. We left the place without dinning there. Who would want to dine at place with such a rude staff? It was really un-called for and such a shame. We told all our friends about it and none of them will be dining there. If you want to have a bad time i suggeest Cuba!

5 Stars: Delicioso (by rafael castro)

rafael castro — Thu, 13 Jan 2005 01:00:00 GMT

I went to "Cuba"the last weekend and I have the mos wonderfull time in NY, the ambiance was great, the food was really good , It was the best cuban food that I ever tried in NYC. The appetizers were perfect, the mojito has a great taste. All the people smile all the time and really I enjoyed be there. I really recomend this place