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Categories: Latin American, Cuban [Edit]
San Pedro SquareMon. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 3:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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I am not that familiar with cuban cuisine but what little I have had, I enjoy. The food here is a solid "good." The staff is attentive and friendly.
If I could give decimal points, I would say 3.75 stars. I found the food filling and tasty and the atmosphere: outside seating was very pleasing. However, although tasty it did not "wow" me. aspects seemed a little bland.
Decent cuban food. Been here five times over the last 3 months.
My best friend is cuban and we have eaten cuban food many times.
The lechon was kinda dry and the black beans were ok.
Their tostones were very good.
I have had the chicken here too, it is moist but not super flavorful.
There are bettter choices. I see that someone erased my 3 star review of this place; well, now I can write how I really feel: after eating here five times, I would rate this place as really 2 stars.
Last time I came here two months ago, I asked the waiter for some mojo sauce and sliced onions, he looked puzzled.
my absolute favorite place for cuban! everytime i've been here, los cubanos has remained consistent in quality and service. i like the fact that it's a rather relaxed atmosphere and that it's located conveniently located downtown.
i've tried a variety of portions on my menu but my favorite would still have to be the beef stew! just thinking about it makes my mouth water. it's perfect consistency- not overly thick or watery. i really like how it comes with olives as well, which adds a kick to the taste. the roast pork skin starts as a delightful appetizer. super crunchy! and to balance it out, a nice glass of sangria!
in addition to your entree, sides are included as well. i love the chicken soup which is from scratch! and the plantains top it off nicely. i'm not a huge bean eater so i usually have them hold that. what's great is you'll always have enough for lunch the next day since they give you so much food!
the service is great. they are attentive and honestly suggestive. on several accounts they ran out of enough ingredients to prepare a full order of a dish we requested, so they made a small order which was on the house! they are also very detailed in a sense of take out orders and togos, making sure everything is tightly sealed so no leak or drippage occurs.
they are a bit on the pricier side compared to other venues of the same menu. however, it's worth every penny!
My 3rd visit here, and each time I've loved it. The waiters are fantastic and friendly, and the food - even better.
I ordered:
-Guanabana juice - a guava and milk like Brazilian/Cuban juice that's unique (try if you'll either love or hate it)
-They ran out of the Brazilian caffeine guava soda and gave us a free cocounut juice drink
-Don't get the salad, always get the chicken soup, it has a huge piece of chicken in that goes perfectly with the corn, potatoes, and carrots mmm.
-Appetizor: yuca frita (sort of like french fries, except much thicker and with a different texture), I like it.. comes with garlic sauce and a home-made Cuban hot sauce
Entrees:
-lechon asada - tender roast pork with a crispy pork skin shell marinated in it's own juices.. this is hit or miss, it was good, but I should have tried something more rare and different
-carne ripiada - shredded beef in a tomato onion bell pepper sauce that's delicious. the sauce is what makes it amazing. it was too similar to the lechon though.
All the dishes come with plantains (marinated fried, bananas) that are amazing, and black beans and white rice. I've been here 2 other times and highly recommend everyone try out Cuban food, just diversify and get a bunch of different items and you'll be satisfied.
People thought this was:
Los Cubanos has indoor and outdoor seating on their patio. I thought the restaurant was really cute and it had a nice casual yet semi-hip feel to it.
The weather was warm, so we decided to sit outside. We started off with sangria and a mojito. The sangria was not good --it was extremely sweet and it tasted like it was poured out of a bottle. You can tell that it was not made fresh with fruits as it should have been. The mojito was a positive and tasted really good with good hints of mint. I am not a mojito fan at all and even I liked it.
We ordered the the Cheese Tamale, Oxtail Dish, Fried Plaintains with Rice and Black Beans. The sides we had were Chicken Soup and a Salad.
The Cheese Tamale was good but not great. I'm glad I had it but it's not something that I would order again.
The Oxtail was extremely tasty. I'm not huge on Oxtail but the sauce was really good and it was marinated and braised perfectly. It had a lot of flavor and the rice, beans and plantains made it even better.
As a side order option, I highly recommend getting the Chicken Soup over the salad. The Chicken Soup had a good size portion of chicken as well as corn and other veggies within the broth. The soup itself was good and flavorful.
I do not recommend getting the side salad at all because it was basically a small patch of lettuce (the ones that come in a ready pack at the grocery store) and some dressing. It was not worth it at all.
Overall, I did enjoy my time here, I enjoyed the service, and I enjoyed the environment as a whole. I would definitely recommend going here --I do plan on coming back and ordering the rest of them items on the menu. They have quite the large selection here.
Prices were reasonable. They also validate parking in certain lots (I'm not sure which parking lot). There is also 2 hour metered parking right outside the street. There are tons of places to park at so it's not a big issue.
PS. They had an outside Palm Tree Heater to keep you warm on chilly nights while dining in their outside patio. That was pretty nifty!
People thought this was:
My all-time favorite Cuban restaurant in the South Bay. Family owned, and I always get the enchilado de pescado, no black beans, but extra plantains. When I go for dinner, I always get their famous chicken soup as a starter. Absolutely delightful, especially the outdoor seating. A great place for lunch or dinner. The BEST.
Want more of me? http://www.tastytwosom... and http://www.starryeyedf...
People thought this was:
Devirginized my Cuban taste buds here.
Ate here 2 weeks ago. I guess I forgot to review this place after we ate here. Met up with a friend here around 2PM or so on a Wednesday for lunch. Place wasn't that crowded and had seats on the inside and on the outside patio area to sit at. They serve lunch specials until 2:30PM and then they close up for a couple hours until dinner time. I got the Grilled Chicken plate and my friend got the Roast Pork plate. The plates are served with rice, black beans, sweet fried bananas (these are fire mixed in with everything else), and your choice of meat with grilled onions. They also serve a bowl of hot sauce to you too to add some flavor to the meat.
Both our plates were pretty damn bomb. Fills you up for sure. My friend couldn't finish all his Pork so they gave him a tin pie pan and a top cover for it as his doggy bag which is different from your typical Styrofoam or paper box that every other restaurant tends to give out.
Meal cost us around $25 with tip. Pretty good and not-so-expensive at all place to try out if you've never had Cuban food before like me before trying out this place. They got some desserts here too if you save up enough room in your tummy after your meal.
Place is located right next to the San Pedro Square Bistro & Wine Bar, which both places are pretty much right in between The Brit and Sabor on Almaden Ave.
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People thought this was:
Sangria, check.
Patio, check.
They had me right there. Los Cubanos is a small family owned restaurant and they make you feel right at home. After we were a pitcher of sangria deep, the waiters were like old friends. I have no smack to speak! Food was delicious, and hands down their sangria is one of the best I've had even though it was a bit on the sweeter side. Shout out to Kayla and her cousin (sorry I forgot his name) who were taking care of my friends and I during out visit! I can't wait to return!
People thought this was:
Ok this is it in a nutshell.
1. Be hungry. Nobody finishes.
2. Bring a few extra bucks, it ain't exactly cheap.
3. Be casual. It ain't no great shakes.
Good food. Ample portions. Friendly casual service. Semi cheesy ambiance.
People thought this was:
Los Cubanos is probably my favorite restaurant in downtown SJ. I came here for lunch 2x in my first week of work... my officemates are big fans, and so am I.
Their lunch specials are AWESOME, and they give you so much food for $9 or $10. Dinner is essentially the same portions, but almost 50% more money, so come here for lunch. Their pork stew is yummy, and the plantains are heaven.
Oh, and sangria is very sweet and very good. Service is usually good too, although they love to sweep away your plate before you're finished. Don't fall prey!
People thought this was:
The chicken corn soup is amazing, a must have. If it was closer, I would come here just for the soup. Was dissappointed with the appetizer sampler, they didn't offer an item that was listed. Got the beef and tasted like pot roast, nothing phenomenal. I got the pollo arroz, was really heavy, good for winter time. I love the plaintains. This is heavy food, good for winter time, not so for the hot summer.
People thought this was:
Rocked my world!
Okay, okay - so maybe all I had was a Cubano, but good lawd, what a Cubano it was!
I'm new to the Cuban food scene, but I know when something tastes good. This sandwich tasted good. No. No. This sandwich rocked. (My previous Cubano experience paled in comparison.)
My Los Cubanos Cubano sandwich was masterfully built on a nice, toasty, yet soft-biting roll. Ample amount of cheese. Perfectly grilled slices of ham. Topped with thinly sliced pork loin that didn't cause jaw fatigue from trying to chew. Additionally, the sandwich contained wonderful, crispy, yet moist pieces of intensely flavorful shredded pork. I would equate this shredded pork as being the Cuban version of Carnitas. Oh man, was that shredded pork good! (Just give me an entire sandwich of that stuff!) My whole sandwich was good! If I had but one complaint, it would be that there was not enough pickles on my sandwich. My sandwich came with the traditional plantains. I'm new to plantains, so I'm taking them slowly. These at Los Cubanos were sweet. I kept feeling they were too sweet, but yet kept finding myself wanting another one. Weird on my part.
DH and friend both got Lechon Asado. Roast pork, served swimming in pork oil. Okay - sounds bad, but apparently, that oil is essential. The Lechon Asado was good, but by the time I tasted DH's, I was already swooning in my sandwich and probably couldn't appreciate how good it was. Both got their lunch with rice and black beans. eh. Not a fan of either.
Oh yeah, my sandwich came with a choice of either soup or salad. I opted for the soup. OMG! That soup was good! A rich chicken broth, studded with chicken, potatoes and a pinwheel of corn on the cob. That corn in the soup added an incredible flavor. (I MUST learn how to make this soup!)
We finished our meal by sharing a flan. I love flan, but I'm picky about flan. I like Filipino style flan which is dense. This flan was dense and the custard incredibly flavorful. However, the caramelized sugar was just a tad too caramelized, so what should have been a wonderful sopping up sauce had to be avoided because of a burnt flavor. I will persevere with flan again tho. I love flan.
I cannot wait to return to Los Cubanos. This place is rich in history. It is family owned and this family has a history of Cuban restaurants in the San Jose area. Their most noted location was in an old brothel in Japantown. That building was condemned and they set up shop at this location.
Parking can be dicey, but they validate parking at the San Pedro Square Garage, which is just a short walk through the pay parking lots:)
The place is small with a small indoor dining area and a cozy, yet quaint outdoor dining area. Outdoor tables are packed closely together, so it's easy to get to know or overhear the table next to you.
A definite 'return to' venue for me!
People thought this was:
This place is delicious! The portions are huge, and the chicken soup is so comforting. The chicken is so tender and the corn adds yummy sweetness to the broth. After watching food shows like Andrew Zimmern eat the crispy suckling pig on one of his episodes, I've been a search to try something similar. I found it at Los Cubanos. The dish came with rice and beans, and the piece of pork. The pork meat was tender and flavorful and the skin was very crispy. My only complaint is that it was veryoily. I ate it anyways....and don't regret it. :)
If you are a sucker for outside patios ambiance, then you'll like Los Cubanos a lot. I loved their setting outside, and the décor inside... lots of things that depict Cuba. From a map up against the wall, to the Cuban flag and several paintings. For a half Cuban like me, it got a few extra points in my book :)
Now, let's get down to business... the food and the service. Casual setting and friendly waitresses make it a great place to have a casual but nice dinner.
We had croquetas, and yuca frita for appetizers and Camarones al ajillo and Ropa Vieja with rice, beans and platanos maduros for entrees. Loved their Camarones al ajillo and the platanos maduros! Beign half Cuban makes me more critical of Cuban restaurants but overall I was satisfied with their food.
They do serve a lot so make sure to get their hungry, or else you'll leave with plenty of left overs.
Would I go there again? Absolutely!
Having been recently to Miami, World Capital for Cuban Cuisine, (Sorry Mr. Castro! For good Cuban food, you have go to visit your arch-enemies in Miami!), I had a yen for Cuban food, so had dinner here last Saturday.
Ordered the "Ropa Vieja" ("Old Clothes" but is really a shredded beef stew) served with rice, black bean soup, (which you dunk over your rice), and plantains (a bit charred). A good value for $15.95, generous portions and comes with your choice of soup or salad. The service was efficient, not warm or friendly, but that was fine with me.
For dessert, had The "Tres Leches" which was disappointing. It's supposed to be this milk-soaked cake, but was served in a glass cup, as some kind of yellowy tasteless mousse, with a layer of cake frosting on top and two small cookies. Not at all what a ":Tres Leches" should be!
In general, I would advise diners anywhere to avoid ordering Sangria, as it's made from cheap red wine, masquerading behind fruit and sugar. If you want to drink, order a bottle of real wine or even a "Mojito."
I didn't see a Cuban Sandwich (a Roast Pork, Ham & Cheese w. pickle Panini) anywhere on the dinner menu.
The ambiance is nice, with lots of maps, paintings, and old currency in frames from Cuba on the walls. Strangely enough, no background music.
Overall, I think it's better than "Havana" on Race Street, and more authentic than the Yuppidized "Bodeguita del Medio" on California St. Palo Alto.
Sure, I would certainly return when in the area, but as somebody else mentioned, I'll make it a point to come here for lunch, a better value in these recessionary times. .
This is a great place. Went there about three weeks ago and still have my mouth watering thinking about the chicken soup and the Carne Ripiada (shredded beef)...and my wife and her friend Rose shared Paella Valenciana.
There's not much stuff for vegetarians (no-meat), but the food is so delicious. And I like the ladies coming over and talking abou t their food..they have so much warmth and love...umm.. I must go again soon.
Ok, so I decided to go to SJ to a car show and make a day trip and visit a reviewed Cuban Restaurant. To start I moved here from Miami Beach, so when it comes to The Real Cuba Food, my expectations were not to high. However I wanted some comfort food.
The place, pretty nicely decorated, outside seating available, traditional cuban memorabilia, and pictures. Cool
The Menu was pretty much the food that you would typically see and a outside of Miami menu. Ropa Vieja, lechon, chicharron, Pescado, but not pollo a la milanesa, or Bistec a la palomilla.
We ordered Pork pieces fried. Yuummyy... Tender a good portion, btw, it is an appetizer, tostones that were amazing, and a full serving of roast pork that was good. We even tried the Arroz con gandulez a traditional Puerto Rican dish and on that one I have to say, Not even close.
We had a glass of wine and a cuba libre.
The bill came out to $63.00. We were ordering stuff a la carte.
If I am in town again, I will definitely stop by to get my comfort food on...
Keep up the good work Los Cubanos Restaurant.
We went here at around 6pm on a Sunday and it was completely empty. I know this is a big drawback to a lot of people, but for people with a 1 year old it's a good thing, so we weren't dissuaded in the least. They earn points right off the bat for having appetizer bread, something which another Cuban restaurant in the area doesn't have... Weird... Anyway, the bread was very good. The wine list is kind of small, but still features some great South and Latin American wines.
My pork dish was a little bit dry, but it was still flavorful, and the rice, black beans and sweet plantains were excellent sides. The side salad was okay- very, very small, and my husband got the side of chicken vegetable soup which looked beautiful. I realize soup isn't usually described as 'beautiful' but this had a big chunk of on-ear corn, a giant carrot, and a thick potato slice right on top and looked like something right out of a gourmet food magazine.
For dessert my husband had the coconut with cream cheese, which I took a few bites of and loved. It's kind of like eating an almond joy bar without the chocolate or almond. Okay, so like a mounds bar without the chocolate, and with a stick of cream cheese. I'm not sure who first came up with the idea to put a stick of Philly in their coconut, but it was a pretty good idea!
The service was excellent- the waitstaff was very attentive and worked as a team, and took care of everything we needed. Granted by the time we left there were only two other tables, but I'd like to think their service would have been just as good in a full house,
Well, I am certainly not a connoisseur to Cuban food but we just did not have a great experience there. We were there earlier today for lunch, which is my first mistake, as they don't offer a lunch menu on weekends. We ordered Arroz con Cameron, Carne ripiada and off the children's menu - Grilled chicken. The grilled chicken was way too dry. My son had a hard time swallowing pieces of the breast meat. The Carne was salty and you'd have to eat it with rice. My Arroz's portion was not worth its price. It also has a couple of threads of pickled red bell pepper and some pickled olives, which made my dish overly sour.
Overall, we spend $54 including tip. It was not worth the trip.
Came here for a friend's graduation lunch. This place was nearly impossible for us to find, we circled around trying to find it until calling a friend for help. (Is the address accurate? I swear the place isn't on N Almaden.)
Their paella was really good since I'm a big fan of seafood. Their fried plantains were also good, but you can only eat so much of that. I ordered the special of the day (chicken with rice), and it was a little dry. Some of my friends ordered sandwiches (which came with a bowl of chicken soup), and the sandwiches looked pretty good.
Next time I go I'll order a sandwich!
just returned from my birthday dinner at Los Cubanos. I'll make this review short and sweet.
First of all, this place has complete potential to be an insane San Jose hot spot. I had the Bistec Empanizado and split it with my boyfriend, and even so, it was a generous amount of food. The quality of the food and the flavor is SPOT ON. Well seasoned, authentic, and the servings are reasonable for the price. The food is MUCH better Than Cha Cha Cha's (of which I am a frequent visitor!)
My only complaints: I wish the sangria was stronger (though it was delicious and sweet) and I wish my food had been piping hot. That's being a little picky though.
The 4 instead of 5 star really comes from the decor- like I said, this place has SUCH potential to be a San Jose hot spot. The only thing holding it back is the decor! It is family oriented and low-key, which means plastic flowers, plastic chairs, plastic plates, chips in the walls, none of which affects the food, but certainly does limit the experience a little....If only they had half a mil to renovate!
Anyway, give this place a chance and overlook the decor and enjoy. Best cuban food around, hands down!
The sangria is really good here! It's not a "drink to get drunk" kind of sangria, so if you're looking for that, you'll be disappointed. Instead, it's a nice blend of fruits with just the right touch of sweetness balanced with a slight alcohol kick.
My fiance, his parents, and I shared a fried pork chunks appetizer (forget what it's called). It came with a sweet and sour sauce and a garlic sauce. The chunks were tender crispy with flavorful fat on it. Delish! My fiance had the Rabo Encendido (oxtail). I had a few bites. This dish was so good!!! The flavors were very rich. You have to like fatty meats if you're going to order this. I had the Lechon Asado (roast pork). The meat was a little too dry for me, although it was very tender.
The portions are pretty big. Both our dishes came with rice, black beans, and fried plantains as well as soup or salad. His salad was a regular salad. My soup was the chicken vegetable. The broth was really good, but fatty so if you're not into that, get the salad. We're coming back in the near future to try other things.
On my second trip to Los Cubanos Restaurant, I decided to go with the second soulful Cuban classic on my list - Roba Vieja. Translated, this dish means "old clothes". It's like your favorite old pair of jeans you always seem to grab before you head out on the weekend. Now think of the early Spanish voyages to the Americas. Well, legend has it that these early explorers would stop off at the Canary Islands for this dish before making the long journey across the Atlantic, and another stop upon their return.
Growing up in Florida, this dish made a regular appearance at the dinner table. My mom learned to make this dish many years ago from an old Cuban lady. Thanks to that old lady, and my mom's great cooking ability, I was lucky to have this wonderful dish on a regular basis. Unfortunately for Los Cubanos, and all other Cuban restaurants, I am extremely critical when it comes to judging this classic.
That history aside, the Los Cubanos version was very well done with respect to taste and flavor. I did like it. Unfortunately, they cut corners on the presentation of the flank steak, some ingredients, and the rice.
Similar to old clothes the tenderized flank steak is supposed to be shredded very thin, not served as short pieces of flank steak that I still had to pull apart to create the desired effect. The rice is another critical element that was disappointing. It should be yellow rice, served with Spanish olives, capers, and raisins. They should just use the same rice and ingredients they served with Arroz con Pollo. The dish was very tasty, but they should improve to serve at the approx. $15 price.
Would I make their version of Roba Vieja my last meal before a long journey? Probably not...but it's certainly worth the long drive down from SF for this great restaurant.
People thought this was:
It amazing what you can do with Yelp reviews, a Garmin GPS, and a little bit of faith in both. You… Read more »
Generous portions of delicious food, plenty of outdoor seating, attentive waiters, and fast service, what more can you ask for?
Came today with a party of 7 for lunch and we were seated right away on the patio. Service was friendly, and everyone loved the food. We all ordered the hits listed in other reviews - the Cuban Sandwich, the Lechon Asado (roast pork), the grilled chicken, and the Steak Sandwich. In addition to our main dishes, my boyfriend and I also ordered the Cuban Tamale with pork, and the amazing chicken soup. It really is probably the best chicken soup I've ever had! Also, the tamale was delicious - well seasoned and tender pork (so tender it was falling apart). These tamales are not like the kind you expect, where everything is mashed together; here, the meat is served separate, along with peas and grilled peppers. Interesting huh?
The roast pork was SO good, and the sides of rice, black beans, and sweet fried plantains were very complementary. I don't even like fried plantains and I ate almost all of mine. The steak sandwich was delicious with the grilled onions.
I love that I've found a new weekend spot!
People thought this was:
First off wow.
we at at this place due to the recommendation from my buddy tommy and man did he ever "as he always does" hit the nail on the head with this one. For starters the service is awesome they had this hott cuban woman as our waiter and that was a plus
I am a chef by trade and feel like i have a pretty good understanding of food and authentic food at that and i must say this is the best cuban food i have EVERY tasted ever this place gets four out of five due to the taste of their drinks i was really let down by their mojito's. Both of us ordered a mojito and they both tasted way off "were kind of mojito snobs and we were kinda let down with the flavor but the food out of this world hence the four out of five
First of all I have to say this place is DELICIOUS!!!!!! MMMMMMMMM I did enjoy this place.
We had a very last minute lets get some dinner and since we were in downtown San Jose we figured there would be some places near the old Spaghetti Factory. We ended up parking right in front of los cubanos but decided to walk around the block to see what was around. At first we thought this was just another taqueria because I confess we did not even read the sign we parked. After a brisk walked we said lets just go to the mexican place and then realized it was actually a Cuban restraunt and I was excited, last time I had cuban food I was in heaven. This time was no different.
The service here is top notch and very friendly. The family owned and operated establishment puts that comforting feal of happy fun loving lets sit around and enjoy our selves ith some delicious food.
The stories of the owner and his wife which have been cooking food for something like 60 years, the Grandpa cooking up the delicious meals with the grandma serving up delicious desserts and homemade dressings.
I ended up getting the fried steak I believe which was soo good. I was very happy later that evening since I had decided to take a small portion with me. The meal comes with rice, beans a soup or salad which the waiter let me have a bit of both since I was torn between the "best chicken soup" ever as I was told (this was not far from the truth) and grandma's homemade salad dressings.
Also you can not go to a Cuban place and not try their HOMEMADE sangria which was very tasty. I would like to come back with a group of friends and enjoy a more of this tasty beverage!!!
There was not thing I did not like about this place. I was satisfied and with every bit. Will be back here again soon and will bring more of my friends to enjoy.
The one funny portion of this evening was my friends comment of I wonder what Yelp says about this place. I pulled out my phone and looked up Los Cubanos on yelp and read off some reviews then handed it to my friend who had asked me to look this up, which was with his GF. Once I had him the phone he is like is this a joke???? I had been reading his X-GF's review of Los Cubanos. Better yet his X had ordered the exact same meal as he did. You would have had to been there it was funny.
Anyway to this place if you want to sit and enjoy an authentic Cuban Meal. I would recommend really coming here and staying for awhile and enjoy the food and drinks.
The family that owns and runs Los Cubanos has been running Cuban restaurants throughout the Bay Area for many years and their food is just as great now as it has been all along. I grew up eating their food and it will always be the gold standard for Cuban as far as I'm concerned.
The Bistec de Lomo, with rice and black beans, is my absolute favorite. My family also loves the plantains ( I don't like plantains in general so I can't comment on them).
The only real problem is parking, which is a problem throughout downtown San Jose. In order to get validated parking, you need to park in the structure, not in the lot next door.
Excellent cuban food!
I'm still lovin' their Cuban Sandwich, soups and dog-friendly patio!
It's so nice to have a restaurant where you can take your 'best-friend', have some good eats, and enjoy the day, friendly service and Latin music.
See ya there!
My friends and I walked by here after browsing the Downtown Farmer's Market today and I was lured in… Read more »
I came here with 2 friends before going to a birthday party and I am in love with their chicken soup.
Just like all the other yelpers say, order the soup rather than their salad. Their soup is a soup for the soul. I would definitely classify that soup as comfort food like mom makes it (or how they should make it).
I ordered the Arroz con Pollo and this was also comfort food. The rice was so flavorful I couldn't stop eating, even after I was beyond full. I wish I could eat some right now.
Every dish also comes with fried plantains. They look unappetizing but are pretty good. I hate bananas, but these are good. They taste more like sweet potato if anything.
We also ordered their fruit sangria which was pretty good.
Decent pricing and delicious food. The perfect combination. Try this place!
People thought this was:
3.5-4ish
I am torn. I have limited experience with Cuban food, and don't know where this lies on the Richter Scale.
My first experience with Cuban food came at the very popular Habana Cuba on Race in SJ. I was just discovering my hate relationship with Pork, and realized that black beans and plantains still excite me.
Fast forward to present day. I had another double date and referred to my trusty bookmarks on yelp. The mom & pop feel, food, and price were my main attractions.
I shared a pitcher of sangria. It was $26 or so bucks and okay.
I also shared an appetizer combo plate. It was $16 and a great mix of food. Tostones, Croquetes, Yuca Frita, and some chicken. I avoided the pork, but the yuca was my favorite.
I ordered Paella Valenciana-$28 and a combination of Spanish saffron rice, lobster, sea bass, prawns, crab, clam, and chicken. It was served with soup or salad, white rice, and fried sweet plantain. I had been craving Paella since Costa Rica. This was a little more soggy than I expected. Either way, the dish came out hot and it was LARGE! I couldn't finish it. Packed it up and took it to mom's. Not sure if I would order it again.
The feel of this joint is very much like Abuelita's house: the tablecloths, the pictures, the colors, all contribute to the relaxed vibe. Service was on point, and the staff was very attentive.
Great option in SJ, and I gotta say it...
*******SUPPORT THE LOCAL MOM & POP JOINTS!!!!!
People thought this was:
After travels, back to local eats. Ok Cuban food in a no frills atmosphere. I think I'm spoiled by other incredible Cuban meals out complete with Cuban hosts.
Cost to worth it ratio: 2.8
Eve award: best chicken soup
Highlights:
- Menu: had the typical Cuban entrees along with a few more (ex. paella)
- Portions: Extremely large--you could share an entrée with 2-3 people. We all got one each and had leftovers.
- Chicken soup: my favorite item if the night. Comes with any entrée (unless you opt for salad) and is delicious! Just like a mom version that comforts you when you're sick: pure but tasty with a huge hunk of chicken.
- Vaca frita: the hub's fave and was fried and salty and meaty and a bit greasy as it should be
- Warm rolls: very welcome and comforting on a cold day
- Good amount of inexpensive wines by the bottle
- Lady who came around to check on us: very friendly and motherly
Midlights:
- Was pretty empty on a Friday night, so not a lively vibe. I always think of a Cuban dining experience as warm, boisterous and very alive.
Lowlights:
- Garlic shrimp: not sure exactly what it was, but they didn't taste too fresh to me and a cooked a bit past my liking. They weren't bad, but I love shrimp and usually gobble them up and here I was only encouraged to have 2 of the plateful.
- Croquettas: the ones I'm used to are more potato based and pack in more flavor--these were quite bland
- Sangria: too sweet and vinegary for my taste. I've liked other sangrias I've had a lot better.
The company on double date #2 was fantastic as usual, but the meal itself left me underwhelmed so not sure I'll be back unless it's for a big bowl of chicken soup. In the area, Habana Cuba still has my vote, as we are always super happy leaving there.
People thought this was:
We came here with a pretty big party. Our table ordered Lechon Asado (2), Rabo Encendido, Vaca Frita (2), and a pitcher of Sangria.
All of our dishes came with chicken soup, rice, black beans, and plantains. The chicken soup was the best chicken soup that I've had.
The dishes are HUGE. I think we would've been okay ordering 3 dishes instead of 5. When our plates came out, it looked like a la carte sizes! My dish was the Vaca Frita, but I tried a little bit of each dish. The Vaca Frita is so flavorful, it's shredded beef with grilled onions. The sweetness from the onions and plantains blend so well with the savory meat and beans. My favorite dish is the Rabo Encendido, I would order this next time. I love oxtail when it's cooked right, this dish did not disappoint!! I was $20.
The sangria was also good. It tasted like fruit punch and might as well been. I had several glasses and didn't get even a little buzz.
The customer service was excellent!
I would definitely come back!!
People thought this was:
I used to come here a lot more when I worked in the area. They have plenty of delicious and attractively priced lunch specials. Unfortunately, I am not the biggest fan of Cuban food so I never crave this place. But I must admit, when I do come here, I like it.
If you are into Cuban food, this place was well priced (for lunch) and has a great location, which is near mostly everything in downtown San Jose (that matters).
People thought this was:
This place provides a solid offering of food that is tasty and comes in huge portions. I loved the chicken soup that comes with an order of entree. It tasted very rich and like homemade chicken noodle soup! The sangria was also delicious, nice and refreshing! For the main course, I had to try the lechon asado. Get ready for a heart attack on a plate! I wasn't expecting the meat to be swimming in melted pork fat, but it definitely was sitting in its own fatty goodness. Of course, the pork skin and crackling and delicious. The meat had good flavor, albeit on the dry side. Maybe I'm used to typical Filipino lechon and the sarsa (dipping sauce) that comes with it, but in this situation, I would've actually liked some sauce to avoid the monotony of eating a ton of salty, dry meat with melted fat dripping from it. The fried plantains were also delicious, but the black beans weren't to my liking (not a black bean fan to begin with).
The service was very attentive and friendly, so that made up for the average food.
Overall, it's a good restaurant for Cuban food. The food was delicious, but I didn't come out of it being impressed.
People thought this was:
The arroz con pollo is one of my favorite dishes at this place. Not to mention the outstanding Chicken Soup. The Lechon (roasted pig) is a little too dry and salty for my taste but that is all over shadowed by the customer service. This family run business is a great place to take family and friends. The family is welcoming and loving and are always there to take of you. They are willing to explain to you how the food in cooked and are very proud of their executive chef/owner/grandfather who will turn 80 next month.
Los Cubanos is a little piece of home cooking.
Yum!
What a great little find near the Shark Tank!
This is small family owned restaurant with great food and they take reservations.
Everything I tried was delicious - I had the fried pork thingy appetizer and the chicken stew-type dish (sorry I cant remember the names!). So much flavor! I loved that they had various amount of sangria to choose from: glass, liter, pitcher, carafe - and they put fruit in your empty glass then pour it over - yum!
All the main entrees come with a big plate of rice and fried plantains, as well as small bowl of beans- ie, you do not NEED appetizers and will have leftovers off one $15 meal. Dishes range from $13 to $30 depending on what type of main - lamb, fish, chicken, etc.
They have a homemade soup that I recommend over the salad. I can't wait to come back and take my time eating - I had a game to get to!
People thought this was:
Just had dinner here last night with the lovely boyfriend. On Yelp their Sunday hours state that they're open til 8:30pm, but when we *finally* found the place (TomTom misguided us), it was about 7:50pm and it looked like they were already cleaning up for the night. Their posted store hours stated they closed at 8pm on Sundays. I asked if they were still taking customers, and they were... but let us know that some of the menu items would not be available because they were in the process of closing down the kitchen. I think they had just finished cleaning the grill so we made sure not to order any grilled items.
Since I love me my fried pork (hey-- I'm filipino lol), I ordered the Lechon Asado and Boyfriend ordered the Rabo Encendido (oxtail dish). Both dishes came with plantains, black beans and rice. We both got the Chicken Soup (as per Yelp recommendation) and we're glad we did. It was HELLA GOOD. It had 2 huge chunks of juicy chicken, 3 chunks of potatoes, mini carrots, and a mini corn-on-the-cob, and a flavorful broth. If I added some white rice in that, I could've made that into a meal on its own... it was so hearty. Definitely a good soup to have on a cold winter day... rich and buttery goodness!!! *droool*
As for the rest of the food, the plantains were a bit disappointing cuz they tasted old. I guess that's what we get for coming in at the end of the shift. The beans were overly salty for our taste, another disappointment. I think we must've gotten what was leftover from the night, because everything came out quickly, and the food wasn't piping hot. The lechon asado wasn't 'fork tender' as advertised, and the crispy skin tasted burnt and really oily. I tried some of his oxtail dish and it was incredibly tender (a bit gamey, tho) and you could totally taste the Spanish wine they used to cook it with.
The fact that they took us in when they were almost closing gives them 5 stars for the service. It's definitely a family-owned and operated business, as I heard our server refer to the chef as his grandpa. However, for the price I thought that the food was a little overpriced as it reminded me of my own mom's home-cooking. Which is why I'm only giving the food 3 1/2 stars.
Would I come back? Yes, but definitely during their lunch hours... the food is cheaper! And they have weekday specials...
People thought this was:
These guys are so awesome! My co-workers & I eat here all the time and they're always so generous and sweet to us. The food is absolutely spectacular. They always make us feel right at home.
If you haven't discovered Los Cubanos in downtown San Jose yet, you really need to check this place out! Excellent food & outstanding service!!
**Suggestion update**
For those of you who actually read each other's reviews, I thought of something that Los Cubano's could add to their dessert menu. They should top a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some of their sweet plantains and add a drizzle of some hot caramel sauce. CRAZY!
This is a spectacaular place for authentic Cuban food! I'm from Miami, so I've been pretty… Read more »
I came here awhile ago for the first time and I've been wanting to go back ever since. This family owned restaurant has grandma cooking like the best food. Super friendly staff, no complaints whatsoever. It has the best chicken soup I've ever had. I had the Arroz con Pollo
(Pieces of chicken cooked in moist saffron, rice, capers, onions, and green olives. Served with sweet plantains). Also for dessert try the flan with coconut, its mmmazing.
San Jose, CA
Category: Cuban
San Jose, CA
Category: Latin American
San Jose, CA
Category: Mexican
San Jose, CA
Category: Moroccan
San Jose, CA
Category: Spanish
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