Not sure what happened here. It has ben a more then a few months since we last ate here and boy has it when down hill. We were not thrilled with the service but the food was worst. We has Ropa vieja and the lecho asados both were bad but the pork was dry and tasteless. This used to be an excellent restaurant that serves really good Cuban cuisine, now it is just a mediocre place waiting to die like the rest of the mediocrity. Sadly will not be back. read more

Cuba 512 - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fresh, authentic you can't go wrong eating here. Glad that's it's still around and doing well. Love the Cuban coffee. Black bean soup to die for and fresh ceviche. We drive out of the way to eat here and always leave satisfied. read more

Can I love a restaurant more? No. I can't. Between my boyfriend and I and all the people I've introduced to this restaurant I've loved everything I have eaten there. Their cocktails are also on point. Get the mushrooms, get the Hemingway, get literally any entree cause they are all amazing Great staff. Just an awesome place. read more

We went to Cuba 512 for dinner tonight. In short, the food was great, the service wasn't. I'm sure they are struggling, like so many restaurants, with lost staff and the training of new staff, but the issues we ran into seem to be more than just that. We wanted to eat on the patio and all tables on the patio were pretty dirty. And looked like they'd been that way for a while. After ordering, we finally asked for a rag to wipe our table. After several minutes, our server returned and cleaned ours - but left the others as is. We ordered cocktails, appetizer, and main course. The food appeared, over time, in exactly the opposite order. Main course first, then appetizer, then cocktails, and a good five minutes later, water. Once the food was delivered, no one returned to the table until we were nearly ready to go look for our own bill. Again, the food was great. Five stars for that! But, restaurant management really needs to get their act together and get food out, to clean tables, more quickly and in the right order. read more

Food was decent. I guess going to Cuba and eating food in Miami has me spoiled but this place was ok. My son ordered his food 15 min before I ordered mine but yet mine came first and his after I complained about mine getting cold for waiting for his food. They were nice about it but the manager tried to justify, which I didn't like. They offered free dessert but there was nothing we wanted. The margaritas were delicious tho. I'd go back for happy hour or even drinks alone but not the food. Our waitress was very nice and understanding. My son has chicken wings that were cooked to perfection and marinated before frying in lemon seasoning. He was happy. I was not. They had a play area for children, which I thought was awesome for parents with young kids. Overall, 3 stars and a do-over for margaritas. read more

Cuba 512 - Carne con Papa - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The food here is excellent, and worthy of more stars. Service is the issue here. We first visited this place on a Friday around 6PM. The place was not busy when we arrived. We told our waiter it was our first visit. He was helpful in pointing out happy hour specials. However, he did not try to highlight any entrees on the menu. We sensed there is a lot on the menu worth highlighting but we were left to guess on our own. We ordered a mojito and the Hemingway's a las rocas, and the Black Bean hummus. 10-15 minutes went by. My wife noticed that the table behind us got same drinks (came in after us). Waiter came by and seemed surprised we did not have drinks. Shrugged shoulders and went to bar. Did not come back with explanation. A few minutes later I got my Hemingway. My wife did not get her mojito for another 5 minutes. Later, the bartender came and asked me if I had ordered a 2nd Hemingway. Nope. Clearly, communication between waiter and bar was not great. We ordered Cubano Sandwich and Lechon Asado. Both were very good. Portion size is quite large so we had leftovers for next day. With the great food, our moods significantly improved. I ordered a 512 Brewery IPA which was cold and tasty. At some point our waiter left without notice. He was replaced by bartender/server (we were seated near bar). He was very pleasant and the end of our dining was much improved over the beginning. We will go back because this food suggests this place is worth a second chance. read more

I ordered a Cuban sandwich and a Mariscada, which is like a paella that has rice and seafood. The Cuban sandwich was amazing I ate it while I waited for the mighty scala to be ready to go. As I got home and try tasted the Mariscada, it was too salty. I had explicitly requested no octopus on my food. It turns out it was salty and it had octopus. I could not eat it. I came back to the store restaurant and asked the general manager big tall guy with absolutely no personality or ability to listen to the client. He acted all insulted and asked me what I wanted him to do and explain that he made this dish himself. So what I was hoping for was better customer attention and may be replacing the dish with something else. What I got was an angry big guy who was insulted because his food didn't taste good somebody else. I'm definitely not coming back to this place! Boohoo! read more

2.5 is my actual rating. Service was quick but then again we were the only customers at 3:30pm on a Saturday. Started off with mariquitas, they almost looked like ones you get on the chip aisle but hey they were warm . The mojo sauce was basically just warmed garlic in some olive oil so that appetizer was not very appealing but we finished it so it wasn't bad. I think I ate a few of the flies that kept over our table as well so maybe that's what I enjoyed, who knows. We ordered the Cuban sandwich and the unico sandwich . They were both ok just ok. A little drier than what I'm used to but I am comparing from my own cooking and Miami restaurants so that might not be a fair comparison. If I'm ever in the area I don't think I will be back but if you are looking for something quick hot and slightly over priced this is your spot. read more

My fiance and I have frequented this restaurant many times before and have loved the food. My fiance is Cuban and from Florida so this definitely reminds him of home. We have unfortunately noticed that the service at this establishment is lacking. Our first visit was great, with the staff very attentive. Our subsequent visits have been lacking, and ultimately our last visit prompted me to make this review. We arrived and waited a bit at the hostess stand until a waiter came over and attended to us. He led us past many empty tables that had yet to be cleared. We sat down and saw more uncleared tables that were empty. We waited to get our drink order in, but after 15 minutes from initial sit down to us deciding to leave no one approached us to grab a drink or to simply bring a glass of water. I was so disappointed because the food here is fantastic! More organization, and a little more attention to detail and service could really help this place make the move from good to great. I hope they can improve on this because I would like to be able to enjoy a meal here soon. read more

Great ambience. Fantastic music. Bomb authentic Cuban entrees. The bar menu has amazing variety. I got to pick what kind of rum I wanted in their famous CUBA512 Mojito. Great amount of food for your money. Definitely coming back here just for the plantain chips alone. First timers recommend Ropa Vieja or Cuban Sandwich with their plantain chips read more

Cuba 512 - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

I really don't understand how this place gets such great reviews . The food was very bland - had to add hot sauce to my food. Between 2 people , got the wings , a beef empanada and cuban beef churrasco. The beef empanada was probably the best thing. It was a bit burnt and a lot of breading but the sauce it came with was good. The chicken wings were lemon pepper it was a bit oily but the flavor was different than your original buffalo which was unique. the churrasco was very bad - no flavor , the quality was awful , rubbery and overpriced $19. If i were to return I would try another dish but honestly not sure if I would return. they also are VERY understaffed - one poor waitress was taking care of the entire restaurant .she was the bartender and the server. read more

Total disappointment, greasy, overcooked croqueta, undercooked fries, the thinnest Cuban sandwich I ever ate. Now my stomach hurts.

Watched the movie chief . I had to have a Cuban sandwich . So I yelped it and here I am. The place is cute and the people are super nice. The sandwich was very good . The tamale was huge and very good and so was the Empanadas . Next time I am in Austin I will be back read more

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I really enjoyed my food here. It wasn't super busy so we were seated immediately. Restaurant appeared clean and the waitress was very attentive! The food came out nice and hot and the appetizers were so good we ordered a 2nd round ! I will definitely be back here. read more

Authentic style Cuban food. You cannot go wrong eating here. One of my favorite places in town.

When I go for Cuban food I know I'm either going to LOVE it or I'm not - there's no in-between. I spent a long time analyzing the reviews! I got the pollo fricase and yay! It was perfect! The sauce was excellent - the chicken was cooked perfectly, it was all salty and served at the perfect temperature. I got take-out because of COVID but luckily am staying right around the corner. When the server said it would only be 7 min I was nervous, but when I got home I shoved everything into my face because it was very good. The boiled yuca was also cooked to the correct texture, I hate when it's still tough and woody, so this has the correct amount of time applied to it, but more on the side of being bland (could be soaked in lime and onions when prepared) and the chopped garlic topping is in need of finesse. The rice could be oilier but I'm grateful when it's cooked right in the first place. The black beans are thin and a bit bitter. I got a guava and cheese empanada. I was expecting a big pastry but it's a deep fried empanada, when I opened it I said THIS was $3?! It was overcooked and burned. Aside from not being able to eat the edges the filling is yummy. Looking at other photos of their empanadas it looks like they're all on the harder golden side. The whole order came to $21. So like, it's all to say that for me Cuban food is either perfect or not, and the chicken with the sauce is so good that it carried the entire meal to highly recommend. Is it FIVE STARS no but omg. The pollo fricase yum. Based on how well it is done I will definitely return to try more dishes. read more

Cuba 512 - Pollo Fricase take-out (minus one bite.) The garlic on the yuca is rough but the chicken was cooked PERFECT. - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

First time eating Cuban food. Wow the food was amazing. I ordered chicken and rice. The best tasting food and service was excellent!! Will definitely go back again and will let friends know. read more

I was really looking forward to finally eating Cuban food in Austin but this restaurant was a disappointment. Growing up in Miami means I've eaten at more Cuban restaurants than I can count. I was expecting a similar experience at this restaurant but I didn't get it. First, they don't have pan con bistec or palomilla steak on the menu which are the two things I always order at Cuban restaurants in Miami and they're main staples there. I ended up ordering the churrasco as the next best alternative but it didn't taste very good. The chimichurri sauce it came with did not improve the flavor much either. Finally, my plantains were also a huge disappointment. The plantains were hard/dry and not sweet; it was clear that they weren't allowed to ripen enough before they were fried. Plantains need to be black on the outside to be sweet and soft when fried. The only thing that didn't taste bad was the rice and black beans. I had planned on ordering the flan but after such a disappointing entree, I decided to not risk it and I passed. I will not be going back. read more

A must try! Everything I've ordered has been delicious and rich in flavor. This is definitely a hidden gem.

Great food! I ordered there from online. My order was ready in a split second. When I came to pick it up people who worked there was so nice and friendly. read more

Server/bartender last night had a very sour attitude and was curt from the moment we arrived. Her demeanor has no place in a service environment - it would be better suited for the IRS. Food was good though. read more

We have been dying to try this place because we love Cuban food and tonight was the night. I'm sad to say we probably won't return. My husband ordered the Lechon and it was decent, but really fatty. That's excusable because although it was heavy and rich... fat is flavor in our book. However, the rice was so dry, there was a huge chunk of it he couldn't break apart with his fork. For 16 bucks? It was off-putting. I ordered El Unico, but they gave me a Cubano. It was good, but not what I ordered or wanted. I also ordered a side of maduros, and this is really what burned my biscuit... THREE little slices of plantain...for 3.50. You've got to be kidding me... that price for three maduros is almost offensive. I wish for the price of the sandwich they would at least include a small green salad. It would cost them cents to make and really help justify the cost. read more

Cuba 512 - Cubano and sad Maduros. - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

First time trying this spot. They are currently doing to-go orders only. No Dine-In. I tried the Cuban Sandwich. This was very good. I will be back to try other items on the menu. The Service was great. The food was so good and not soggy. The fries were perfectly cooked. read more

The food was quite good, but I initially was not going to leave a review at all because of the poor customer service (or so I thought). I ordered online and when I received my order, many items were missing and I was charged for the missing items. I was prepared to just let the losses go, but the owner personally reached out to me a few days later to apologize. She also refunded me for the missing items. It seems their online ordering system is faulty (the restaurant cannot cancel orders online, especially for items out of stock, and so you will be charged for the items). It may be best to just call the restaurant directly and order with a person via the phone. Anyways, I am glad I checked Cuba512 out because the food is good and I am glad the owners reached out to me personally to refund me for problems due to their online ordering system. read more

I'll start off by saying I LOVED the atmosphere! Great music, good lighting, it has a nice feel, but that's about it. We arrived before anyone else and ordered our food. They forgot our soups, which was no biggie, we just went without. The food was mediocre at best. I have had good Cuban food and this was not it. The rice was bland and the entree itself was dry and lacked flavor. I honestly felt like it was left overs that were heated up. My small plate was $14.50, It took 40 minutes after ordering for our food to come out, which would have been acceptable if the place was packed and the food was fresh...I don't recommend eating here, I wanted to love it, but it was definitely a disappointment. read more

This is my first Cuban place to try in TX and it did not disappoint. Completely changed my mind about Cuban food! My husband and I started out with the Tropical Ceviche with plantain chips as we were pretty impressed. I ordered the Arroz con Vegetales and he got the El Cubano. Both were so delicious and we can't wait till go back and try more options! They also have a large drink menu as well. Drinks were on point and the service was top notch! read more

Cuba 512 - Arroz con Vegetales. This was amazing! Did not disappoint! - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Tucked away in a strip mall (surround by construction, because Austin), Cuba 512 is such a hidden gem! We came here for a late lunch today and were so impressed by the fresh flavors of all our dishes! We started with the guacamole, tostones, and fried yuca (because we couldn't decide) and they were all delicious. The aioli that came with the yuca was amazing - we ended up using it on all our appetizers. (The mojo was pretty good, too .) Between the three of us, we got the Lechon Asado, Masas Fritas, and Mariscada Cubana. My friend described the Lechon as "possibly the best pork I've ever had." The Masas were so tender and perfectly seasoned, and the Mariscada was well worth the extra wait. Cuba 512 is now on our list of "must eat" whenever we're south of the river. We're pretty sure we're going for the Maduros on our next visit... read more

Fantastic food. We came here for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the great service and excellent quality of the food. We started with the empanadas, then ordered the slow roasted pulled pork and sides. My partner had the Cuban sandwich which was out of this world! I look forward to bringing friends back here for dinner. read more

Saturday lunch. We had the Cuban sandwich, chicken wings, and a side of black beans & rice. The Cuban was perfect. The bread was nicely pressed and crispy with the right amount of bread to filling ratio, and the pork was perfectly seasoned. The wings were well seasoned and meaty, and the sauce on the side is one you want to put on everything! The black beans and rice were kind of undercooked and overcooked at the same time. Wouldn't get those again. Service was quick and attentive. We tried a virgin version of the Champola frozen drink and I will happily get one of those with rum next time. Lightly sweet, fruity, creamy and limey. Very refreshing on a hot Texas day. read more

Cuba 512 - Delicious drink menu! - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great place for authentic Cuban food. Black beans and yellow rice have great flavor. Plantains are awesome and so was their pork. My favorite part was dessert you have to try the guava empanada. read more

512 Cuban is amazing... Very affordable and the most amazing exotic food you will ever eat. The wait staff is also very educated on Cuban dishes and the chef also switches up the menu quarterly. Parking is easy and it's centrally located in South Austin read more

The best food and ambiance. We were passing through headed back to Houston and will be back if we are ever in the area!!! read more

Cuba 512 - Caribbean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Recently discovered I love Cuban food, and finally tried this place out for dinner last night and it was better than I could have imagined! THE FOOD. The food was fantastic. I got the Lechon Asado, which is pulled pork marinated with Cuban spices (so mostly garlic) along with the yellow rice, black beans, and then some fries! I'm obsessed with the yellow rice and I want to buy it in bulk and shovel it in my mouth. The pork was so tender and amazing, and it came with a lime so I went with it and holy cow I wish I had done this sooner. And then I had a coke with rum and lime because how else to complete a Cuban dinner? Honestly can't wait to come back. My roommate got the Ropa Vieja, which is like my dish only with beef. And she decided to get the sweet potato fries which game with this garlic butter sauce, I can't explain it but I've never seen a garlic butter like this. Her beef was a bit more saucy than my pork because I think it's slow roasted in a tomato sauce, but it was extremely delicious, and she had a mojito which was perfect. We also started with some Maduros (this was also a side option but we ordered those before even looking at the rest of the menu) and they were perfect. I highly recommend getting some Maduros, that's a staple of Cuban cuisine. Fun fact they have a happy hour from 3-7 that has $5 mix drinks, including the drinks described above. And they don't shy away from the liquor. There's bar seating too! Our server was great, it was a slow night so she was actually doubling as the bartender but that really just worked out in our favor because again the drinks were great. The food came out far quicker than I was expecting, and she was super helpful when I was trying to decide what to order and knowledgeable about the menu/Cuban food. The ambiance was great, low lighting, the salt/pepper/sugar are held in a cigar box which I thought was a great touch, and there's a beautiful mural of what I believe was Havana on the wall. Overall a great experience, the prices were just right, the Cuban food was to die for, and this will be in regular rotation for me! read more

Mediocre food at high prices. Not much ambience either. It wasn't bad food, it just wasn't good. Every dish was bland. Service was ok. Went once and won't return. read more

As far as Cuban food outside of Cuba/Miami, this is pretty darn good. I had the ropa vieja, which came in a HUGE portion along with beans, rice, and maduros (my favorite - fried, sweet plantains). Very flavorful and not too salty. The croquetas were also delicious, with the ham being better than the chicken. Service was slow but that was probably an off night. Will be back to get my Cuban food fix, that's for sure. Plenty of parking, in a shopping center with a huge lot. read more

I've tried this place several times. I'm originally from South Florida and I was spoiled by Cuban food. Had really high hopes for this place, being in Austin, but was slightly disappointed. Giving 3 stars is generous. read more

What a great, out of the way restaurant! We had the chicken wings, El Cubano sandwich, Media Noche, Mariquitas, and margaritas. Everything was perfectly prepared and very tasty. Plus, Jasmin did a great job helping us and personally made our margaritas! I have had several El Cubanos in Miami and this one was almost as good! Plus, the margaritas were really well done! If you like Cuban food you have to try Cuba512! read more

Pretty good tasting Peruvian dishes for reasonable prices. Cafe con leche has a good kick of caffeine to start your day. The platanos maduros brings back memories to when grams used to make them and the dirty rice was exactly what I expected. The Pollo al Horno plate hits the spot for those looking for home comfort Cuban food. read more

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Sandwiches are amazing but very oily. Sides are not worth it. Papas fritas and Yucca con mojo were very bland and underseasoned. Do y'all have any salt back there? It's a bit dishonest to list the dessert as "empanadas" if you're only getting one per order for $5. It should just be listed as "empanada." Also it was obviously straight out of the fryer because our styrofoam container was melted. read more

I've been to many Cuban places in Houston and I must say this place is amazing. Although there was a little difference in the texture of the rice the food is AMAZING!!! The chicken is unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more