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El Cubanito
Categories: Restaurants Cuban Restaurants Sandwiches Cuban, Sandwiches [Edit]
2555 N Pulaski Rd(between Altgeld St & Wrightwood Ave)
Chicago, IL 60639
Neighborhood: Logan Square
(773) 235-2555
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 7 am - 5 pm
Sun 9 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
80 reviews for El Cubanito
Review Highlights
"This is a GREAT Cubano Sandwich."
(in 21 reviews)
"The best steak sandwich I have ever had."
(in 5 reviews)
"The crusty bread with cheese and guava."
(in 8 reviews)
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80 reviews in English
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Review from Pascal M.
Naperville, IL
1/11/2012
HEY! 90 miles,take out your note pad and take some notes. Cause THIS, is where it's @!
I cant say enough for places that have a dive like feel to them, yet deliver nothing but superb product. When my girl and I came here, it was crammed like a can of oil packed sardines. Best part, there was a guy selling bootleg movies and CD's at a little table on the inside. He barely spoke english and was blasting Brittaney Spears.
The empenadas will scream at you the moment you walk in. OH, make sure you dont almost knock someone over when you push the door open. We tried the grapefruit and cheese, which was devine. A bit sweet, so split it witha friend. They have shrimp if you ask for it, which seems to be a speciality.
Their cuban sandwich was good, but my girlfriend got their carne sandwich and it was DA BOMB! The guy on the flattop was cooking more eggs than I have ever seen one man handle, so perhaps this place has some good breakfast sandwichs or just ask for some egg on your sandwich.
This place is a hidden gem and a foodie must. El Cubanito gets my vote for best sandwich shop in the city. -
Review from Jose C.
Chicago, IL
1/25/2012
MMMM...que rico!!
A guy I used to work with ate here religiously. Not only that, but he ate here religiously - at 7:30 in the morning. A Cuban steak sandwich every morning. Walking into work groggy, irritable, and not in a mood conducive to smiling and saying good morning to everyone I pass, I'd invariably see my coworker scarfing one (or two) of these sandwiches every freakin' morning. Months turned to years and ultimately I made a connection - that Cuban steak sandwiches reminded me of those crappy mornings (looks like someones got a case of the Mondays!)
Well, I thought it was unfair for me to not try out a Cuban sandwich from this place based on my somewhat irrational reasoning. So, the other day a buddy from work (no, not Mr. Cuban Sandwich) stopped by El Cubanito for the first time. I ordered a steak. While we waited, the guy at the register gave us little cups of soup on the house, and told us it would help us "warm up", since it was really cold outside. Well, that's just delightful! So was the soup...I'll have to get a bigger cup of that stuff next time. The overall attitudes from the employees here was exceptionally upbeat and courteous, as if I was a regular customer or maybe even a relative.
So we took our food to go since it's damn near impossible to eat inside that shack of a dive. Unwrapping and exposing the steak sandwich was quite the event - two slices of French bread LOADED with steak. But not the kind of steak I've ever eaten. It's like shredded or pulled steak, with a unique flavor and texture. Top it with their special sauce, cheese, and lettuce and tomato, and I was all in. Very good stuff. When I finished the sammich, there was still another sandwich's worth of meat in my tray. This, I gave to another coworker, who really liked it.
These are definitely not your Mexican skirt steak sandwiches or anything similar to any steak sandwich I've had before, so I'm glad I've got an additional steak sandwich "dimension" to my arsenal. If you're into Cuban sandwiches, or maybe just indecent spray-painted advertising, it would behoove you to head to El Cubanito. -
Review from Dennis L.
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Don't let appearances deceive you. El Cubanito knows how to make a killer Cuban sandwich.
My wife and I visited this local dive, and we probably would have never done some with Yelp's guidance. We decided to order two sandwiches and split them: the Cuban and the Steak. Both were simply perfection and a great value. The flavors of the meat were wonderful, and the bread was grilled with precision.
I recommend taking food to-go and eating nearby or in your car (like we did). The store is very small inside and only has very small counter to eat at. -
Review from Sean S.
Chicago, IL
1/28/2012
This place has great service. The people there always make you feel loved and happy. I have always walked out of that place with a smile. The food is great there, empanadas are the best i have ever had. If you like very good sandwiches and want something very filling for lunch this place is where you want to go. The Cubano is very delicious and worth the wait. Their steak sandwiches are my personal favorite with a splash of their hot sauce. MMM Que Rico!!
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Review from Mark K.
Chicago, IL
9/30/2011 1 photo
The big booty mural adorning the front of El Cubanito is a hard act to follow. How could a sandwich possibly stack up to such a piece of art? Well, they come as close as humanly possible.
The menu isn't diverse and the service might be a tad slow but they make a mean sandwich. I'm torn between the traditional Cubano and the steak sandwich (with shoe string potato chips on top!). Both are muy delicioso crunchy meat bombs. They are good enough to paralyze me from trying the other sandwiches on the menu in fear of them not being nearly as great.
Empanadas are very solid for a restaurant that doesn't "specialize" in empanadas. The hidden gem was the ham croquette. A salty smooth ham injection I was administered straight into my veins.
El Cubanito is pretty small with only room for a couple of stools. It can get pretty packed when the orders aren't coming out as quickly as they are taken. But the staff & clientele interaction will keep you entertained while you shuffle around and wait.
NOM'd: Cubano Sandwich + Steak Sandwich + Ham Croquette + Empanada -
Review from Brian F.
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Man do I love yelp! There is no way I would have ever stopped at this place without the enthusiastic reviews and I am so glad I did!
The place is tiny and kind of dumpy but when I walked inside the smell was incredible! the chef was busy prepping some sliced beef on the griddle and it made my mouth water in anticipation.
I ordered the cuban sandwich as what I thought was their specialty but had to have some beef too so I chose the beef and cheese empenada. The empanada was the best I've ever had. It was just chuck FULL of beef and though I really couldn't detect much cheese, I just didn't care because it was so delicious. The cuban sandwich was also very good.
I can't wait to try some of their other dishes! -
Review from Ashley A.
Chicago, IL
9/19/2011
I learned about El Cubanito by a complete accident. I'm a south sider, but teach at an elementary school not far from where El Cubanito is. After a long, hot day of setting up my classroom, 2 friends and I were looking for somewhere to grab some food. Enter El Cubanito.
Not gonna lie: the main reason we stopped was because the guy friend I was with said "Let's go THERE," indicating the restaurant with a huge painting of a well endowed woman on it. I thought it was hilarious, so we stopped.
Let's just say this was the best accident I've ever had. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING. I mean...just amazing. I had the steak sandwich and a chicken and cheese empanada, and I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. I can't wait to go back and try other things on the menu.
As far as the menu, there are not many things on it. It's simple, and allows you to order what you want quickly. And the restaurant is tiny. Like two steps from the door to the counter tiny. There are a couple stools to sit on inside, but a bootleg DVD guy was sitting there, so I didn't sit. However, he was hilarious and we had a pretty funny conversation in Spanglish.
There is a parking lot, and I wish I would have known this before I drove around looking for street parking. All in all, El Cubanito is a great little place for Cuban sandwiches, and I highly recommend. -
Review from Jason N.
Updated - 7/19/2011
Decided to give these guys another shot as I was starving and conveniently driving down Pulaski one day. I tried the Cubano and i'll admit it was a pretty good sandwich. The ham, cheese, and pork on french bread pressed to perfection makes for a tasty sandwich. And I ordered a Beef Empanada and was given a Ropa Vieja one by mistake. While the Ropa Vieja was good, and the staff is down right pleasant and hospitable, I have to knock off a star based on my 2 visits due to the following:
1) The aforementioned wrong Empanada.
2) The first time I came, asked for a steak sandwich, was given steak and egg in error.
3) I requested no pickles on the Cubano, and my first bite into it, what do I get a mouthful of? Pickle!
So heres the breakdown:
Customer Service: 5 stars
Attention to detail: 1 star
Steak Sandwich: Disappointing
Cubano: 4 stars
Empanada de Ropa Vieja: 4 stars
Overall: 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 due to constant order taking errors.
Love the staff, but they need to work out the kinks when it comes to getting orders correct.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2010
I tried this place because of the raving reviews and I happened to be in the area. Maybe it was just… Read more »
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Review from Erika K.
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
After waiting for a table at Lula Cafe for 45 minutes for brunch, we decided to go over to El Cubanito for some cuban sandwiches and empanadas. The tiny standing room only restaurant was packed and everyone was speaking spanish, but the woman behind the counter quickly flipped over to English when she saw us. She was friendly and helped me decided what empanadas to try, a chicken and a beef.
We ate the empanadas while standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for our sandwiches. They were really great, flakey and flavorful, especially when covered in their hot sauce.
We all got cuban sandwiches after a short 10 minute wait and went back to the hotel to eat them. The bread was perfectly pressed, pork was moist and tasty. It was a seriously good cubano. It came with a side of hot sauce, which I didn't notice until I was done. :(
Really the only downside was the lack of seating. I am sure the cubanos would have been much tastier had it been devoured seconds after coming off the press, rather than 30 minutes later upon our arrival at the hotel. -
Review from Mike K.
Chicago, IL
4/18/2011
One of the things Yelp has done for me is expand my horizons as far as grub is concerned. Without Yelp, bless its cotton socks, I would have never experienced El Cubanito, 90 Miles, Mexican street food in general, cupcake(s) and countless other things.
After being bowled over by 90 Miles, Cuban grub is now on my radar and has a handful of my bookmarks. El Cubanito seemed to rank very high (4 1/2 stars), so I made the jaunt out there one day to taste it for myself.
The drive out to El Cubanito is long and gritty. El Cubanito itself is a gritty hole in the wall. I almost wanted to turn right around as soon as I broke the plane of its portal. It's a little scary on its face. I clenched my jaw and ordered a Cuban and a 24-ounce American Coke. While I sat on one of the two or three stools to wait, an older guy threw a couple or ten DVDs on the counter in front of me. "Da Town. You seen that one, mang?" He was a hard sell kind of guy. I just don't buy DVDs, especially pirated DVDs. "Check it out, HD, mang." No, thanks.
I took my grub to go. The Cuban sandwich is huge. You'll have to be very hungry to finish it in one sitting. It was very good and probably bigger than 90 Miles' version, but I think I have to give the nod to 90 Miles relative to El Cubanito. It could have been the ambiance or company that put 90 Miles top for me. Still, El Cubanito is right on 90 Miles' heels as far as taste goes. It's just a bit too far out of the way to be a destination and lacks any ambiance or warmth to stick around.
The Cuban sandwich is 4 1/2 stars. Since grub is paramount, I'll give El Cubanito four stars. -
Review from Vanessa D.
Chicago, IL
8/11/2011
Best Cuban Sandwiches in the city!!!!!
I've tried every sandwich in the menu and my favorite will always be the steak sandwich. It comes with a fork..... That's because the meat is falling out of the sandwich! The portions are huge and always with a lot of toppings so you will need that fork. The staff is so friendly and always gets my orders right. I hear there expending so I can't wait! :) -
Review from Janine T.
Chicago, IL
5/1/2011
Hmmm.... not much to say except that this place has THEE best Cubanos around period. And this comes after me eating today at Senor Pan and trying their weak version of a Cubano that absolutely cannot possibly ever compare to El Cubanito. So do you think I'm a fan? Well yes, yes I am, El Cubanito I love you.
Sincerely,
The fat woman dying to get out of my body -
Review from Santiago A.
Chicago, IL
10/21/2010
Small in size, small in price... BIG on flavor!
Let me break this down into two reviews:
1st review: Treat yourself to an empanada and a coffee. You'll thank me next time you see me. I really like the ropa vieja con queso. I've never had one like that until I came here and wow is it good. Really, this place gets 5-stars for this little combo of deliciousness, on its own.
2nd review: This place is small, but it does have a little bar with stools for 2-3 people to share. I ate a Cubano with fries here and the atmosphere was worth the price of the sandwich, alone. I really enjoyed my sandwich, and listening to the workers banter with all the customers was hilarious. They could get rich teaching workers at other food places to enjoy (or at least look like they enjoy) what they're doing. Maybe you have to keep an up-beat, energized attitude when working in such a small space... or maybe they know they rock at their job.
P.S. The mural painted on the the front is hilarious. -
Review from Yvette F.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2011
The best steak sandwich I have ever had. Don't foget to get a Cafe con leche. I also like the guava cheese sandwich for dessert. My husband is the one who goes and picks up food here, so I haven't actually been inside, but he says it is tiny.
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Review from Omar G.
Chicago, IL
7/27/2011
I'll make this review bite sized. There is nothing on the menu that misses. I get the Cafe con Leche whenever I can, best two bucks you can spend in the morning. Empanadas are amazing! The Tripleta satisfies the Meat tooth while the Guayaba y Queso satisfies the sweet tooth. Only negatives are the cramped ordering floor and they do run out of hot sauce once in a while. Best place to leave a Hamilton behind.
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Review from Julio V.
Chicago, IL
11/22/2010
I ordered a Cafe con leche, Steak sandwich, and Cuban sandwich.
Coffee- not worthy
Cuban-Pretty Good
Steak- Nope. This sandwich was cooked like mexican arrachera. Not the way it was supposed to be made.
Its an okay place, but would very unlikely go back. I'd prefer La Guardia's bistro location on Lawndale and Armitage -
Review from Q D.
Chicago, IL
7/10/2011 20 Check-ins Here
If you want the BEST, I mean the BEST steak sandwich in the city, this is the place to get it from.
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Review from colleen H.
Chicago, IL
8/5/2010
Oh, El Cubanito! How I love you!
Discovered this tiny gem about two years ago. Have been in love ever since. The steak sandwich is SO good. It is in my top three favorite sandwiches of all time. I am super picky about tough or fatty meat and this stuff is cooked and chopped perfectly. The sauce that is on it.. heaven! The little fried things.. Oh! Mmmm. I haven taken everyone from my boyfriend to his Mom to my best friend to my parents here and everyone has loved it.
The owner is as sweet as her cafe con leche (which is pretty much the best coffee in the city, by the way.) Always so happy to see whoever walks in that little door and never messes up my order. She makes this place shine.
I haven't had much else off of the menu because of my love for the steak but I have tried the Cuban and it is tasty. My sister is a vegetarian and gets the one with guava and it is verrrrry good! I also once had a pastry the owner suggested and it was little and flaky and a perfect breakfast treat with my coffee.
I only thing that scares me here is the parking lot. Pahaha. I am a horrible parker and this little lot could give me nightmares. The line has gotten so long when I have been here that on occasion I was unable to leave right away due to being completely surrounded by cars double parked behind the actual spots. Oh well! Part of the charm I guess? Nothing to worry about, just giving other bad parkers of the world a little heads up.Overall, I am just glad people love this place as much as I do. =D -
Review from Mark S.
Chicago, IL
4/1/2008
I absolutely love this place. The owner Laritza, is a real darling; there's not a more infectiously sweet women working in a restaurant anywhere! Her energy fills the tiny room where these magical sandwiches are made. A visit here to have her whip up an absolutely perfect cafe con leche is reward enough for making the trip!
But oh, the real treat is in the sandwiches being constructed by Laritza's husband Alberto! Several Cuban sandwich varieties are available on the small menu. "The Cuban" of course is a standard worth trying (pork, ham, pickles, mustard, mayo, cheese, etc.) If you want a bigger meal, the steak sandwich is loaded with finely chopped beef (think philly steak) that's seasoned and moist and hard to resist... you'll smell it from their little parking lot next door. All sandwiches share the most important ingredient of any sandwich in my opinion- El Cubanito's perfect, crispy, fresh bread! Bravo for serious sandwich places like this that get bread right!
For desert I order an extra sandwich- the Timba! It has many of the expected desert qualities; thick slices of magically sweet guava paired with buttery, flaky, crispy bread... makes perfect sense. In sandwich form, with melted creamy cheese this thing is stunning!
This place reminds me of why I choose to deal with the negatives of city living, it's an absolute gem!Listed in: Bread Based Creations
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Review from Rhobyne Y.
Mundelein, IL
4/13/2011 4 photos
This place gets 5 stars based on the awesome service and the "well worth the hour drive" food. I have to note that we only tried a few things though. I can only imagine the rest of the menu items are as good. I also must admit that I've never eaten this stuff before so I'm not comparing it to anything so much as judging how it tastes period.
The "we" I refer to is myself, my sister and her teenaged daughter. We ordered the steak sandwich and the cubano along with some empanadas including a sweet version with fruit (passion? guava?) and cream cheese. The steak was chopped fine and not a hint of fat or gristle. Bursting with flavor very similar to a cheesesteak I had in Philladelphia years back but with it's own personality. A delicious one that makes you fall in loooooove! We seriously could not get enough of that stuff even though these things are ginormous. To the extent that we were checking our calendars to see when we'd all be available to make a trip back before we were halfway through. The cubano was also tasty (and big) but more familiar like a really good grilled sammich should be. The empanadas were crispy and the fillings were excellent especially since one of them had the same steak as the sammy. The sweet version was better than we expected and I regret that we only ordered one and had to split it between us. (We had later plans to use a Groupon at a local bakery but we HAD to at least try one.)
Now the service. Friendly is not an adequate description. The smiliing lady who greeted us right after wishing the prior customer "a blessed day" was a warm as your gramma ever was only she couldn't have been more than 30. Or being so sweet and kind has kept her from aging. The CUSTOMERS were friendly and you could tell they were proud to be a part of this place. One guy gave the lady a wink and says "Hey why're you guys always so busy, huh?" You could tell by the smile that he knew and had been knowin' a good long while. This is the kind of place where people meet up and hang around in the lot or the street (but not in a seedy, scary way) even though there's nowhere to sit and I mean NOWHERE. The two little stools at the window are always taken. I know this because the people sitting on them were not eating and had papers and such spread out like a workspace.
Thanks fellow Yelpers! I never would've come across this place in a million years without you. -
Review from Liz S.
Overland Park, KS
5/13/2008
I had made a cubano sandwich at home a few times and they had always turned out really well, but it was time to try one made by someone who knew what they were doing. So, off to El Cubanito I went. I ordered a cubano and waited....I was slightly shocked by how long it took, but then I looked in the back and realized they were making them all fresh, which when I thought about it I was obviously happy about.
The sandwich was very good. I wish there had been a bit less meat on it, but otherwise it was really amazing. I would definitely go back to try some of the other sandwiches. -
Review from Slu S.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2008
Ay Papi, this place rocks the best sandwich per square inch of customer space in the world.
The building is meager in a meager area of town, but the service and sandwiches can not be beat. In my experiences, Cuban joints aren't customarily what I would consider speedy. This was no exception, but the one thing that was different was that the workers talked to the customers the whole time. The same lady called me, "Papi" and "Nino" in the same conversation. I finished my cafe con leche before the sandwiches came, but I didn't feel slighted in the least.
We picked a Cuban and Pan con Timba (cheese and guava). Both were awesome. They were smashed thin with the fillings appropriately gooey and rich. The Cuban features all of the standard fixings, but the mustard and pickles gave it an amazing acidic quality to balance the cheese and pork. The Pan Con Timba was a fascinating mix of the sweet, but not oversweet guava and a smattering of the cheese. It was a great lunch dessert.
The star of the show is most assuredly the bread. They take their time and crush it on the plancha. Perfect. Next time, I might call ahead, but having a coffee with the crowd has a charm that I can't explain. -
Review from David A.
Round Lake, IL
4/26/2011
The best Cuban sandwiches in this state. Don't blink or you will miss it. Its in the hood, but it worth dodging a couple of bullets.
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Review from Stella S.
Chicago, IL
6/8/2008
I didn't even know this place was here! It's literally 2 blocks from my house - i'll have to stay away or i'll be 3000 pounds.
Anyways, found it from some reviews on here and sent the hubby to pickup lunch in the pouring rain. Oops. We both had the steak and it was really good! The bread was excellent - and it did kind of taste like a philly or something similar. I got a ham and cheese for our little one and she had about 5 whole bites. It was jam packed with about 3 layers each of ham and cheese.
I also had the cafe con leche which was tasty but kind of sweet. I'm assuming it's supposed to be.
Great little spot to grab a quick bite for lunch or whatever. Hubby said it was very small with a small parking area as well. Oh and they take debit which is good too because we hardly ever have cash. -
Review from Doug G.
Chicago, IL
1/19/2008
I am gonna go ahead and agree with Maya C's review, with one minor clarification. Describing this place as a "hole in the wall" is an insult to things that could've been covered with toothpaste the day before you moved out of the dorms.
I ordered 2 sandwiches, a cuban and a ropa vieja, one of which I had for lunch once i got it home, the other, I had for dinner about 20 minutes ago. They were both delicious, even reheated. The highlight of the trip, for me was the Cafe con leche, which rocked my whole world. -
Review from Christina M.
Chicago, IL
10/1/2009 1 Check-in Here
OH MY GOD.
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat.
Sometimes I shake uncontrollably.
Then I remember the sweetness that is El Cubanitos Steak sandwich.
It comes with a fork.....go ahead ask me why?
So much delicious meat just falling out of the sandwich.
The flavor just sticks with you. And the owner is a sweet heart...
"see you tomorrow" as she says when you leave...
I wish! -
Review from Aurelio G.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2008 1 Check-in Here
I found myself craving a steak sandwich big time, so I decided to hit this spot up. And I am glad that I did!
This place makes an awesome steak sandwich! It's loaded with chopped meat, and is very flavorful. Best sandwich they make, in my opinion. I usually go to Mariano's to fill my steak sandwich needs, but this place has gained the top spot in my book. They are more friendly than Mariano's, also.
Be careful exiting the parking lot/alley to Pulaski during rush hour. The traffic can zoom by very fast and with no parking on the street during this time, the cars can zoom by VERY close! And the regulars that drive here will enter the parking lot/alley fast, too. I've had a few close calls... -
Review from Ted H.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2010
Very good. I really liked the steak and the fact that they put a lot of meat on it. The steak is a fine chopped meat like the texture of a philly.
It was really good, but 90 Mile is better. -
Review from Rick F.
4/9/2008
Read some of the reviews on Yelp!
Decided to go today for lunch and it did not disappoint! We loved it, very authentic steak sandwich perfectly flavored. The staff was very friendly and invited us to return. Don't blink when you drive by you'll miss it!
Family owned and operated and it shows!
RickListed in: Jefferson Park
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Review from Brenda H.
Chicago, IL
3/24/2009
I'm sorry to say that I did not love this place. We went after Mr. Brent W suggested it, I can't put it all on Brent though--I heard plenty of good things from people on the street. I don't even know how I begin conversations with street people but that's besides the point..
I've driven down Pulaski MANY of times! My uncle actually lives three blocks away. I said to my husband "I can't believe we've never seen this place" and then when we drove PAST it, I said "I think it was that shack next to that creepy restaurant/bar." So we came back around, pulled into the alley and parked in the empty lot next to the tiny shack.. I couldn't believe there was a place smaller than Marianao's!
I came here to try the steak sandwich, I don't like the cubano so I can't comment on that one. The best way I can describe the steak sandwich is: add mustard to a Great Steak and Potato steak sandwich BUT toast the french bread and remove the cheese. Even though this sandwich HAS cheese, I couldn't taste it. And to describe the egg and steak sandwich, add egg to the above! Yes.. that's what it tasted like. Dry-ish steak, mustard-y taste.. just not my thing, I guess. If I had to pick one over the other, I'd go with the egg and steak.
I think all cuban sandwiches have a sour flavor and tasty meat but this place just didn't deliver a good tasting steak sandwich. I know that's hard to believe, based on the MANY great reviews. My best advice is to take your taste buds down there and see for yourself. But for $6, you could spend a couple cents more and go to 90 Miles.. or save some of that money and head to Marianao's (that's what I'll be doing).
I will say this: the cashier was super friendly and the parking lot was convenient. Will I be back?? Sadly, no.
PS. The soda was a rip-off. Ok, I'm done. -
Review from Dan B.
Berwyn, IL
11/14/2007
I heard about this place on Chicagoist and had to check it out.
Location-wise, blink and you'll miss it. I went there on foot with a friend of mine and we walked right past it. And on the inside, this place is TINY. You're taking this to go.
So anyway, we ordered our sandwiches, and about 8-10 minutes later they were ready. I literally could have walked out of there without paying, because the cashier (owner?) never charged me! He handed me the sandwiches and this conversation ensues:
Me: "I never paid."
Him: "You didn't pay?"
Me: "No."
Him: "You want to pay now?"
Me: "Um...... yeah."
So that was weird. Anyway, the sandwich was a four out of five star Cuban -- the flavors are nicely balanced, and at $3.75, the price is right. It's within reasonable walking distance from my house, so if I'm in the mood for a Cuban again, I know where I'm going. -
Review from Maria H.
Hackensack, NJ
4/30/2011
Since the day this spot opened I have a been a fan. The couple who run this place, are absolutely a delight! But their steak sandwiches are NO JOKE! They just get it right.. they're over sized, over stuffed with juicy steak, crunchy string friends, cheese, lettuce and tmto.. After moving to NYC, I still make it a point to always visit them whenever I'm in town. Yes, their food speaks for itself, but its refreshing to be served by business owners who love what they do, are always friendly and willing to go above and beyond to make sure you're satisfied. Also- their empanadas are def worth trying as an appetizer! ;)
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Review from Weisun C.
6/10/2010 1 photo
From the erasures and newly written prices, I think there have been a few price adjustments before I got here. The first time I tried to grab lunch here a few weeks back, a new spray-painted sign was being applied on their south exterior wall. The tagger-turned-pro had parked his van so that no one else could park in the shack's little lot.
But the lot was relatively open today, after the noon rush. I ordered the steak sandwich and had none of the language problems others have mentioned. The hand-written menu board has less than 10 items anyway. Today was also the cook, Juan's birthday (this info was posted at their tip box.) My sandwich was served up in less than 5 minutes. It was well seasoned and had just the right touch of spiciness. The chopped steak was not at all fatty as some have said and cooked perfectly. The only surprise was that on the menu, it says shoe string fries are included. And they are, but right inside the sandwich!
The owner spotted me as a first-timer and invited me back ("tomorrow.") I'm not sure when, but I will be back for their Cubano. -
Review from jenise r.
Berwyn, IL
3/11/2008
Keep your eyes peeled or you'll miss this place.
They have amazing steak sandwiches. Don't expect a skirt steak, the steak is chopped and oh so flavorful. The Cubano s/w is ham, cheese, pork, mayo and maybe lettuce all pressed together panini style.
I need to try the Pan con Timba here and cafe con leche. -
Review from Grant S.
5/24/2010
Ever chased a perfect food? Back in Hawaii- there was a small little NY Deli that served a cuban sandwich. At first I had no idea how ham, pulled pork, pickles, swiss, and mustard go together, until I had one. And I had to have another.
So I had this craving, while in Chicago, luckily some MSN news feed crap covered the best cuban sandwich in america. guess where it was. right here.
So at first we find the block its supposed to be on. Drive right past it. So we turn around and drive down a side alley and park. We walk the block, oh the non descript door seems to be a good starting place.
We go inside, and its like one of those tv sitcom sets where it looks big on one camera, but its like a quarter of a regular room. yeah. thats this place. take a step inside, youre at the counter. holy crap. this place is tiny.
The woman at the register, spanish only. crap. japanese kid. cuban cashier. well i got a cuban and a steak sandwich. of course i ate the cuban there. Everything I hoped for. They delivered. on all accounts.
The steak sandwich, DELICIOUS. Even the pik nik stix. so good. crunchy, salty, savory, awesome.
ill go back. for sure. -
Review from Brent D.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2008
Fantastic sandwiches, great, friendly service, and dirt cheap.
The Cubano was a slight bit on the dry side, but fantastic flavors.
My wife had the Steak Con Todo and it was like a cuban version of a cheese steak w/ lettuce, tomatoes, and "fries" on top.
It's definitely worth the trip to Logan Square to check the place out. And, as others have mentioned, it's probably more of a to-go place as there is only a small counter w/ 4-5 stools. -
Review from Danny W.
Chicago, IL
8/6/2010
El Cubanito is everything a good sandwich spot should be: inexpensive and made in a garage.
I can't speak for the coffee (which I'm told is excellent), but their steak sandwiches are sublime (in addition to being huge). For $6, you get lunch and dinner. -
Review from Your M.
Chicago, IL
5/30/2011
Best damn $6 I've ever spent! Serving size is huge and bursting with flavor. Steak sandwich is freaking amazing. Love the little French fries on the sandwich.
-
Review from Yuly M.
Chicago, IL
5/19/2008
Yay for the steak sandwiches here! VERY good. I always drive by this place and have wanted to stop by forever and finally did twice in the last couple days. =) I think the lady who takes the orders is absolutely entertaining. I laughed the whole time there and everyone seems to be regulars here too.
It's nice to see they make the orders right then and there when you order and good to know you can call in and place an order so it's ready when you come in. I'll def b back. -
Review from Anne Marie J.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2009
Went here b/c my pregnant coworker travels 25 min South on a bus to get the egg and steak sandwich, then comes back North to go to work, which is near her home. I'm thinking if she has a craving that bad, it's gotta be good!
I haven't really found a Cuban sandwich that I've enjoyed b/c I always feel that they've been bland. The steak and egg sandwiches were topped with a flavorful house sauce which is like mayo mixed with light seasonings. Yummy. The crunchiness of the shoelace fries gave it great texture and the bread was still soft even after being toasted heated/toasted.
I'd come back but I'm going to forever stick with the steak sandwich :)
