"The tres leche cake, there aren't words."
(in 7 reviews)
"My must order there is empanadas and fried plantains."
(in 11 reviews)
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Kuba Kuba
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
77 reviews for Kuba Kuba
Review Highlights
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This restaurant lends an aura of Cuban authenticity in a pleasant corner of the Fan.
Stick with the Cuban fare as the fideuá, a Spanish paella dish that uses noodles instead of rice, is rather tasteless and bland and unworthy of the name.
The fried plantain side dish that accompanies most orders is delicious.
The tres leches cake is very good despite being a bit drier than I am accustomed to.
This place fully embodies the taste and spirit of a real local joint.
Thank heavens for the mom and pops making great food and making our real neighborhoods a better place.
kuba kuba is my only experience with cuban food, and if it's always like this....sweet, i'm a fan. the cuban sandwiches are all amazing, the bread is so crispy and delicious. the tres leches cake is an experience of it's own, you HAVE to try it. the wait staff SUCKS. always slow and rude, but the food definitely makes up for it.
try to the limeade. it's incredibly refreshing. and they serve huevos all day, a great brunch spot!
i was in richmond for the weekend and some bartender recommended kuba kuba to me on a friday afternoon. ended up eating there on sunday as well because we had to grab some huevos to cure our hangover.
on friday i had a black bean soup and sunday i had huevos with avocado and toast. everything was awesome.
the ambiance is super cute and the staff is friendly.
i was psyched that there was a large bottle of sriracha on every table.
i would eat here on a regular basis if i lived nearby.
I heart Kuba Kuba. It is one of my favorite places to go when I'm back in Richmond. I love the fact that it is family owned and the market items inside the store remind me of my childhood and brings my mom back to Cuba. My must order there is empanadas and fried plantains.
This is one of the ten best meals I have had in my life--no kidding.
We came in off-hours (Saturday afternoon at 4 something) and had the Latin antipasto (Extremes) which is made up of Chorizo, queso blanco, scallop ceviche, Tasso ham, marintated olives, roasted garlic, asparagus, vegetables, greens, Kuban toast--and Empanadillas, pastries stuffed with spinach and ricotta and picadillo.
Hard to call what makes something so simple and seemingly inconsequential as a meal so memorable--an inspired chef, perfect ingredients, the ideal afternoon--I don't know. But this the reason searching out new experiences in life can be such a great joy--on very rare occasions you have an experience such as this.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
After reading reviews here, we decided to give it a try. The last good Cuban restaurant was in Puerto Rico, many years ago. So was preying the wait was over, alas we'll need to await another move. Before getting to point taking, I will mention the highlights. It is located on a street corner in the fan. You walk into a place that looks in many respects looks and feels like a coffee shop. It has a counter, with what appears to be a small kitchen up front and a larger kitchen in the back. I liked the feel of the place. From our order, we received the Tostones first. Wasn't sure what to expect, as in m experience, Tostones are non-ripened fried plantains. What was delivered was ripe fried plantains, further sweetened with sugar. While not the best I've had, these were very high on the list. Also good was the Limeaid. The star reducers were pretty much everything else. The Cuban sandwich (pressed pork, ham, cheese and pickles), which should be a mainstay in any Cuban restaurant and should have distinct if muted flavors, had no flavor beyond the pork. My wife had the Arroz con Pollo, something we make often at home. The rice and underlying flavors was more towards that found in a paella as opposed to this dish. Another surprising, and in this case undesired, element to the flavor was that it was somewhat picante, hot/spicy. This mix of flavors just didn't work. My son had the Chicken Pinapple sandwich. The chicken was without flavor. The wait staff was agreeable, but slow. If the bill of 40 was based on quantity, it would come close to being ok. If the bill was based on the quality of the food, we paid too much. We might go back there again in the future, but it will be because we are in the neighborhood and hungry.
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Cafe Con Leche, Cuban Sandwich, Fried Plantains and Tres Leches Cake is a damn fine lunch. I'm a big fan of Cuban food and Kuba Kuba does a great job, I'm yet to have anything that I didn't dig, but I must say that about 75% of the time, I order the same thing!
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Sober or Hungover.....Kuba Kuba will do a little dance on your tongue that will make you feel better than when you first walked in. I have yet to try their dinner menu, but am quite content with their lunch selection of sandwiches and omelets. Regardless of what you order, be sure to add the fried plantains as an app....(unless it comes with your sandwich). Dip that in a lil Sirachi sauce, and you will be grinning while staring at your plate like you just smoked a fatty......
People thought this was:
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Paella had very good flavor, but it was a bit soggy. The fried plantains are very light tasting...not too sweet. Flan was excellent!
Well, I ate here finally for the first time tonight, after passing by it for years walking my dog or something. Well, its not bad. I think the Cuban sandwich is really good and I like the fried potatoes I think you get on the side. The vibe is nice. It reminds me a bit of some kind of Cuban Art Musuem.
The service, however, isn't very Richmond. The waitress was good- She said "You Guys" a bit too much. Oh, and they don't have sweet tea...
Someone said this restaurant reflects Richmond culture very well. I couldn't disagree more. You can find the real Richmond at Julep's or Strawberry St Cafe..
Other than that- its okay. I still don't see what the fuss is about, though. I mean if a place doesn't even have sweet tea, how good can it truly be?
I really like Kuba Kuba for some reason. I'm never blown away by the food but I enjoy the atmosphere even with the not-super friendly wait staff. Always end up eating at the bar because I hate to wait. Still haven't tried the brunch yet, but I look forward to it. I like taking friends here because it's a little different.
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After living blocks from Kuba Kuba for six years and then moving two hours away, I curse life. I have had pretty much every entree, destert and drink off this menu. I have loved them all. Start your lunch with the pesto/jack melt wash it down with a lime-aid. Then come for dinner and have the steak, or the pasta moving later to an expresso with the tres leches cake. The music is fun the wait staff is on their toes and you will leave full and smelling like food.
Kuba Kuba is a quirky little place. There are times when the combination of southern comfort and Cuban is exactly what I want, and I'd give the place five stars in a heartbeat, and there are others when my reaction has been more along the lines of 'meh'. It's very popular with the college crowd, so I wind up going with my friends pretty often, but I've never felt any need to go there of my own volition.
Kuba Kuba is plunked down in the middle of a residential neighborhood, making parking a chore, but it's well lit and marked, so there's no trouble finding it. The furnishings are folk-art inspired, with an assortment of murals, vases, and Barbie doll wall lamps, which have to be seen to be believed.
The food is consistently filling, and tastes very good, but I wouldn't use superlatives under any situation. The portions are large, and the atmosphere is homey. I've had very good luck with the sandwiches, although I may have been spoiled from years in Florida. It's consistent, inexpensive, and pretty unique for the Richmond area, so Kuba Kuba is easily worth a try.
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California Huevos Rancheros = my last meal on earth. There are very few places that I will endure I-95 traffic for, and this is one of them.
Love:
Handwritten specials on the board
How out of place Kuba Kuba is in this residential neighborhood
Reading the newspaper at the counter
Cafe con leche
Waiting outside for a table in the Summer
Don't Love:
Nothing
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Great neighborhood spot! I started with empanadas and the crust was flaky and filling full of flavor. It came with some spicy but tasty salsa. The arroz con pollo was amazing!!! Very authentic and the portions are huge!
i had lunch here today! i adore this place. the vegetarian paella is to die for, and they give you enough of it for three or four separate meals. the tostadas are delicious, the coffee is great, and the staff are friendly and helpful.
there's a lot of cool murals on the walls, and also some authentic cuban and hispanic foods for sale, bodega style. a must-visit for anyone visiting richmond, and a must-frequent for people that live here.
I don't really know what Cuban food is supposed to taste like but I know this place is AWESOME!
Wish they could transport this place to San Diego. It's been years since I was in RVA and I'm still missing the rice! :'(
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You know I feel as if I love the sammies, starters, salads and desserts but I have found that some of the traditional entree dishes lacked a little something for me.
Obviously James G. doesn't know that there aren't too many Cuban places around here, and that this is definitely the best you are gonna get here in Richmond. Considering we aren't too close to Cuba (or Florida for that matter), this is pretty good Cuban food, and even if every single ingredient isn't entirely authentic they certainly do try. One star? Really? Mexicali, Cuban, who gives a F if it's good. PS these prices are cheap when compared to big cities. I wanna give big ups to being consistent and trying to do something different.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/3/2008
The ambiance is really laid back and relaxing. The music creates a real Cuban feel. Kuba Kuba is… Read more »
Very fun place with lots of personality! Great Cuban food, and interesting wall decor (I specifically remember part of a doll sticking out)!! Huge servings... I'm a big eater and I could barely make a dent in my rice dish.
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Pretty good. Not the best cuban that I have had, but decent. The coffee here was excellent, but the food was just ok. Hard to find a place to park, and not a ton of seating. I could see this place getting very crowded and people waiting a long time for a seat.
IF YOU WANT CUBAN THIS ISNT IT!!
Went for breakfast, seemed more Mexicali than Cuban, I never had anything this bad, in any Bodega in Tampa, Miami, or anywhere else. The bill was screwy too, we were charged an extra .50 for milk, for a cafe con leche, excuse me if my Spanish is rough but doesn't that mean coffee with milk? Eggs were overcooked and they used red beans that were so tough that they had to have been cooked in salt (shame on whoever the prep cook was) The flavors were Mexican, Cuban food is spiced more sublime, subtle, and savory. I have never seen salsa like that used in anything associated with cuban, no Roast pork, or savory ham, No mention of Manchego Cheese, nor a Media Noche. They couldn't even get the bread right, no small air pockets, seemed like the cheap Italian bread from Sysco provides.
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Kuba Kuba is solid Richmond restaurant. You walk in and you feel like you've stepped out of the fan and into Cuba. It's a tiny place and the tables are crammed together, but everyone loves it and you never feel overcrowded.
I love the breakfast food. It's a great selection, though I usually just go with eggs, avocado and toast. I mainly eat lunch there. The Cuban pressed sandwiches hit the spot. They are big and lately I usually share them. I've really only been to dinner a few times in all my years here. The dinner menu doesn't really excite me, and the portions are friggin huge. And I don't like huge portions, but that's just me.
Some total favorites on the menu - cafe con leche, cafe con leche, cafe con leche. Try it hot, try it iced, try it to go (it's twice as big) - and get it sweetened! The fresh lime-ade hits the spot, oh so good. The tres leche cake looks like an average white cake, but it is so moist! Be sure to bug them about the frozen chocolate mousse that they stopped serving.
When tropical storm Gaston hit and we were out of power, I heard Kuba was brewing up coffee with their gas heat and giving it free to the neighbors. How great is that! Plus, they almost got run out of the fan. I'm glad to see this place is still shining. Dinner isn't my favorite, but how can I not give this slammin place 5 stars?
...one last tip - you will smell like Kuba Kuba when you leave!
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Kuba Kuba is a great local hideout but I only prefer it for breakfast. I've eaten lunch here about 5 times and never been thrilled. Nothing is bad, but nothing wows me. Breakfast is amazing though. The California Huevos and a Cafe con Leche sweetened are amazing. Breakfast portions are huge, I've never finished it in one sitting.
The staff is generally friendly but not usually out of their way for your. Get there early, it gets packed pretty quickly, especially on the weekends.
Kuba Kuba is one of the best brunch places in Richmond as per a vote of my acquaintances. This is obvious as every time we get together, they insist on going to Kuba Kuba for brunch on Sunday. However, I don't mind.
This restaurant is great because they really incorporate the Cuban tastes into all of their food. Even their omelets are not just plain run-of-the-mill omelets but are a bit spicy and have a punch of the Cuban flair. Yum Yum.
The only reason they are missing a star is because there is ALWAYS a wait. I know that is a sign of a good restaurant but the place is so small that you see the people waiting and although the waiters don't make you feel pressured to leave, the people staring at you do make you want to vacate.
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So I have to agree this place has awesome cuban food. The tostones, cuban sandwich, and plaintains were yummy! And the paella was deliciously HUGE (and heard the veggie paella is the best!)
HOWEVER, the waiter was horrible. After we got seated in a booth (6 of us) it took almost 2 hours to get our food. There was some mixup w/ our orders so.....good thing the waiter gave us free wine, beer, & tres leches (which EACH of us brought home!!!)
Despite that lil' boo boo...I give this wellknown spot 4 stars!
I believe if I come back to Richmond, this will be another dinner or brunch spot!!!!
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oh man. what the hell do they put in the rice and beans? it's my crack.
oh the cuban style latte, with condensed cream in it, (insert drooling noise here) the avocados are always perfectly ripe.
also the paella is large enough to feed me for 3 days.
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It's a little cramped, but damn if you don't get rice bowls as big as a your head.
Seriously, you'll have enough leftover for TWO extra meals, at the least.
The atmosphere in this place is very laid back. The place is relatively small but they seem to move people really fast.
The paella is more than enough to split. Good stuff.
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for brunch, kuba kuba is amaaazing. i'm a sucker for good huevos rancheros and they step it up a notch with the california huevos by adding avocado to the mix. the tostones are also yummy!
although the brunch was good, my dinner there was underwhelming. i ordered the chicken-pineapple sandwich and it did not have much flavor. also, it only came with about three tostones which was disappointing. a friend ordered the cuban sandwich and seemed to enjoy it. the saving grace of my meal were the bites of scallop ceviche that i was able to sneak away from my friend's plate.
all in all, go for brunch and if you go for dinner don't get the chicken-pineapple sandwich!
ps. they also have this awesome sign on the wall that has a rooster and says "huevos" that i really want to take home with me...
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Great place for brunch! Although an Americanized version of Cuban food most of the dishes are still great. Fun atmosphere and you must try the Tres Leches Cake...delicious!
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My husband and I went here for our anniversary because we wanted a nice walk through the neighborhood and a smaller place to eat.
We were really impressed with the whole look of the place, the staff and the food. From the moment we walked in, the staff was welcoming and helpful. I ordered one of the specials and was really surprised by how much I liked it. We both had to take food home with us because the portions were huge! (it warms up again really well, though) Their coffee was also pretty good.
After hearing rave reviews, I was extremely excited to try Kuba Kuba. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't great either.
We started with gazpacho soup, which was fine (in my opinion, hard to screw up.) We got a Cuban and another sandwich, neither of which were tasty. The paella was OK, but once again not spiced like I would have expected. I really liked the appetizer platter that I got (cheese, sausage, roasted garlic, peppers, bread, salad, and other small things. It came with scallop ceviche, which I love!! Unfortunately, the first bite I took tasted like ammonia. My brother told me that the scallops had been in citrus too long.
All in all the food was fine, but the scallop ceviche was a huge disappointment. Would go if I was in the neighborhood, but not make a special trip. I loved the quirky, functional decor that gave it a neighborhood feel. Our waitress was lovely (I guess you can say people are friendlier in the South). She gave us a delicious dessert (free!!), which was the best part of the meal.
Kuba Kuba is not at all what I expected to find in Richmond, Virginia. This lively, Cuban-inspired restaurant in The Fan serves up serious portions at very fair prices. It's the sort of neighborhood restaurant I wish I had nearby. Were that the case, I'd be in there three times a week. At least.
The picadillo stuffed empanadillas are not to be missed. The pastries arrive in a pair topped with sour cream and diced onions. Entrees are large enough to share (and you should so that you won't be too full to sample dessert!) We had the Kuban Roast Pork which came with rice, beans and tostones. The chalk board lists the available specials, which by my observation are worth considering as looking at them caused me more than a little food envy. Still, our roast pork was tender in a way only slow-roasting can impart. The tres leches cake was a perfect end to the meal.
The best part? Our meal, plus a beer and a coffee was under $40, tax and tip included!
Do not go to Richmond without stopping for a meal at Kuba Kuba.
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Kuba Kuba is a Fan favorite.
Kuba Kuba is a great place to grab some grub...if you're into grubbing!
Food at Kuba Kuba straight-forward Cuban food always satisfies.
Cuban Sandwiches, Handmade Limeade, Tostinos! (Fried Plantains), Torte Tres Leches, and Cafe con Leche top the list of my favorites. The egg dishes look good too!
I love the Tostinos with some hot red sauce! They're soooo good.
Hasta siempre!
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I've only been there once. Ordered the paella and it wasn't a real paella. The rice wasn't cooked together with the rest of the ingredients. It was cooked separately and put back together so the flavor didn't marry together at all.
Oh and there was a piece of hair (looks like beard) cooked into my plantain.
Awesome! One of my favorite brunch places. I recommend the California Rancheros, yummy goodness (especially for a hangover)!
Basically anything on the menu is great: Cuban pannini, all the brunch items and the fried plantains. Don't forget the Cuban Coffee, sweet & delicious. this is a small place, good for 2 or 4 people; if there are 5 or 6 in your party be sure everyone is there at the same time or the staff will not seat you.
I've never been there for dinner but i'm sure it's just a wonderful. The waitstaff is awesome too!
Came to Richmond for work and pickings for a place to eat was slim. Hopped on Yelp and found this little gem. Never had Cuban food before but this being my first experience, I really enjoyed the food. I had one of there Paella dishes. Large serving, perfect after a hard days work :)
So amazingly delicious.
Lots of vegetarian and vegan entrees. The vegetarian Paella is amazing and the portion is so huge that I usually split it with my husband (we both get the fabulous avocado salad or soup) and we still have a enough for both of us to each lunch the next day.
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I don't really have much more to add to other reviews for Kuba Kuba, they are dead on with my experience.
I took my girlfriend there for dinner for our anniversary. We love that area of Richmond, it's so nice to see things getting renovated and it has a nice, comfortable feel to it. I do wish there was more parking, but areas like that are not known for having parking lots, etc.
The atmosphere is terrific! It really did feel as if we were having dinner in Havana. We were the lucky ones that got the church pew booth, but that was ok, the place was packed! Our server was wonderful, she helped us decide what to eat since this was all so new to the both of us.
We had Empanadillas for starters which were amazing! Usually Janine and I are very sharing but we found ourselves fighting over the last bites. For our entrees, she selected the roast pork and I had the chicken and rice bowl. To say they were generous amounts of great food would be a big understatement!
We then finished the evening off with their Kuban coffee and their Kafe con Leche which was rich but not overwhelming cake. We had the white, but agreed to the try the chocolate the next time we go.
Which will be soon. Highly recommended!
Although I have since moved to Los Angeles, I still salivate when I think of their delicious Cuban sandwich. Perfectly salty pork and ham with cheese, pickles, and spicy mustard. And I don't even tend to like pork!
Although I like their fried plantains, they don't really hold a candle to what you get in Latin America, but that's okay. I can forgive if you bring me some limeade and mouth orgasmic tres leche cake!
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