I recently went to Orlando for a conference, and while we spent the majority of our time in a large resort and convention center, the leadership of the organization hosting the conference hosted a special dinner in one of the reservable ballrooms at the Cuba Libre Restaurant. I believe it may have been the Havana Ballroom. There was plenty of food, drinks, and mingling. The Cuba Libre Restaurant staff were great, and the venue was well laid out and worked for this event very well. When we arrived around 6:30 PM on a Saturday evening for our event, we first mingled around the tables and near the cash bar. There were a bunch of large tables that we began to fill out. As our program began and announces made and awards given out, appetizers were passed out. We were offered Guacamole Cubano, Mama Amelia's Empanadas, and Shrimp Cocktail which we passed around to the entire table. Personally, I skipped the guacamole and shrimp dishes but absolutely loved the empanadas. Yum! Then, an individual Cuban House Salad was passed out with red wine vinaigrette. This was also quite tasty. Next came the entrees including a choice of Salmon Paradiso, Ropa Vieja, Citrus Chicken, or Paella Vegetariana. I was trying to decide between the Ropa Vieja (beef brisket) and the Citrus Chicken. While the Citrus Chicken sounded perfect, I asked the serving staff their advice, and they recommended the Ropa Vieja for a true taste of Cuba. I was happy that I did even though it may have been more heavy and with a kick than I was expecting. I'm still glad I ordered it though. It was wonderfully prepared! And then, everyone received Cuban Flan for dessert. The Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar celebrates Cuban heritage and explores Cuban flavors, music, art, and traditions. The mission of the restaurant is to provide an "escape" to Havana through exciting food and beverages and entertainment experiences to celebrate the Cuban people and their culture. Orlando hosts one of several of this restaurant around the United States. This restaurant is in the midst of the Pointe Orlando. You can find details on their website: https://cubalibrerestaurant.com/en/orlando. You can find menus, entertainment, blogs, make reservations, specials, and more. The Cuba Libre Restaurant is open for brunch on weekends from 12 PM to 4 PM, for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 PM to 10 PM, Friday from 5 PM to 10:30 PM, Saturday from 4 PM to 10:30 PM, and Sunday from 4 PM to 10 PM. Happy Hour is at the bar and bar tables on weekdays from 5 PM to 6 PM and weekends from 4 PM to 6 PM. They have a special Chef's Tasting menu during dinner. They also host weekend nightlife and shows on Fridays with a live band from 7:30 PM to 12:15 AM and a DJ and dancing from 10 PM to 2 AM on both Fridays and Saturdays. It was certainly a great event and a fun place to be! read more

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(4) ~ very good overall food & service DRINKS: ** Cafe Cuba Libre = (4.5) Very Tasty! ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) * Signature Cuba Libre (cocktail) = (3.85) Strong FOOD: ** Beef Empanadas = (4.35) Very tasty ** Trio of Dips = (4) very good ** Cuban Bread w. Mango Butter = (4) very good ** Cuban Flan = (4) very good * Cuban Sandwich Combo = (3.5) good, but needed more yellow mustard & pickles read more

I wanted to take a moment to tell you about the fantastic experience I had at your establishment last Friday. My husband and I found ourselves our on an impromptu date night on Friday and originally set of to try out Taffers Tavern but decided after a drink and app to pop in to a few different places for happy hour. Though we originally intended on having a meal at your neighbor The Pub the lack of service from the staff there made us change our mind and head over to you. Once we were seated Jessamine (I hope I spelled it right) was absolutely the breath of fresh air we needed. She provided insight on any questions we had and checked on us often and while we had a drink and an appetizer (not much) we were absolutely blown away by the service. I work at a localish hotel and will be recommending you to anyone looking for a great experience! We will be back for the soccer games this summer and cannot wait to try more of your offerings. The hospitality industry needs more Jessamines. read more

The best place we ate in Orlando. Don't let the setting of the mall food you, this was legit Cuban food. Our server was fantastic, friendly, and full of recommendations. We loved chatting with him about the food and we ordered several of his suggestions. Sadly, I didn't get pictures, but it's because I couldn't be bothered to wait that long. I high recommend the appetizer platter where you can try small bites of a lot of the menu items like croquettes and black bean hummus a guacamole with shrimp. My wife got the cuban sandwich was very good. While the atmosphere outside wasn't much to speak of, the inside was big and cool and decadently decorated. This place is worth the drive away from the parks. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - inside the restaurant - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This was my first time visiting Cuba Libre, but it will not be the last! First off the atmosphere is PERFECT! Just a stunning place to enjoy a cocktail and some apps. I can only imagine in the evenings this place gets even better as the music and dancing really fires up. We stopped in for Happy Hour and it was phenomenal. Jessamine was our waitress and she crushed it the whole time. She was full of personality and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. I grabbed a Cuba Libre and we split the Dragon Street Meatballs. The cocktail was no frills and perfect, rum forward with just enough lime and cola flavor to really make it pop more than a rum and coke. The meatballs had such a fun zing to them and the sauce was awesome. We also grabbed a pair of the "Shot of Hope" charity shots because for $5 you get to support a great cause AND enjoy a delicious tasting shot. Seriously I can't say enough wonderful things about the quality of the service, the amazing design, and the great food we had. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Fresh pressed Cuban bread and mango butter - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Lively atmosphere, tasty food and drinks, and attentive service! My fiancé's family and I went to Cuba Libre while checking out the downtown area of Orlando. I was immediately drawn in by the music and the LED lights. We started off with a round of sangria, which is always a great way to kick off. We also got a basket of bread and mango butter, which was both unique and really good. The table shared a Plato Cha Cha Cha. I couldn't tell what was what, but I remember the croquetas being super delicious! Definitely worth it on a hungry stomach. I ordered the Ropa Vieja for my entree. It was very good (especially the plantains/maduros), but I was already very full and probably should have ordered something lighter in hindsight. The highlight of the night was definitely dessert. It was my aunt's birthday, and they greeted her with a huge bowl of ice cream and a show. I won't spoil it, but if you have a birthday, Cuba Libre will definitely make you feel celebrated. Highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in Orlando who would like to try out Cuban food. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Made reservations for my son's birthday. Had a fabulous time. Loved the live salsa band on Friday night. I had the best seat right in front. We had the hugest ice cream for my son's bday. Food was delicious. Promptly sat with reservation read more

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Cuba Libro located right across of our hotel. So we went in for dinner. I had Paella, Brian had Ropa Veija. Both were super. It looked like you are having dinner in a Plaza in the evening. Everything looked so pretty old but like in a play. Service was fast and friendly. Food was excellent! Recommend to anyone! read more

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My partner and I were very excited to try this place since it was our first time in town and we really wanted to try local Cuban food. It looked like a really fun and cool ambiance but the service was terrible. We waited about 15 mins without any acknowledgment or even water brought to us. Multiple waiters walked past us and not even a "we will be with you shortly" or anything. Maybe we didn't fit their "normal crowd" that comes here but we didn't feel welcomed at all. We decided to leave and go next door so I recommend you do the same and take your service elsewhere. The Pub next door was amazing, super friendly hospitable. Best fish and chips read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

El amor entra por la cocina! Wow wow wow , my heart exploded once we entered this amazing restaurant filled with beautiful music and decor as if I was in Cuba. Cuba has always stolen my heart, the people , the culture, the music and the food ! This was a perfect date night for me as I enjoyed this with the love of my life. We have visited the location in Philly and it was tray nice to finally enjoy this one in our backyard! With no reservation, we were seated immediately upstairs overlooking the dance floor. As beautiful music played we enjoyed our meal. For starters we had the Cuban bread with mango butter ( listen I could have eaten this in large quantities as anything mango has me in a choke hold ) I then ordered the LECHON ASADO (Shredded slow-roasted citrus-marinated pork shoulder, onion-caper mojo, pork belly chicharron, white rice, black beans, maduros) with a cold presidente cervesa . For dessert I ordered the DESSERT + COFFEE COMBO: your choice of any classic dessert and on-alcoholic specialty coffee. I got the flan and cafe con leche and let me tell you ..... El café es mi lenguaje de amor!! From dinner to dessert then dancing to the sounds of beautiful Cuban music, you can dine and then enjoy the dance floor as the restaurant becomes a night club after hours. I will be back for sure. Viva La Noche !!!! read more

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I came straight from the airport to here, roller bag in tow. I didn't want to miss out on a chance at good Cuban food at my conference. Cuba Libre did not disappoint! Staff was very friendly and I knew what I wanted so we didn't mess around. This was some of the best Vacas Fritas I have ever had, swimming with crispy outsides in a garlic broth. I died, I think. Rice and black beans and plantains. Not giant portions, but there was definitely plenty there. Fun bar scene, live music, but I was all about the food. Super nice wait staff. read more

We celebrated hubby's birthday and this is our second visit. We started with our beverages and had the Cha Cha Cha platter. It had 2 types of croquettes (ham and chicken) a deep fried pork, a BBQ chicken , pineapple guacamole. All delicious. When You make a reservation they offer an option of a banana split birthday experience. It was great and huge! They play music and everything. Great night and excellent experience read more

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Cuba Libre located at LIVE! At the Point Orlando on the first level has been a staple throughout the entertainment center's transition and it's understandable why. The vibe is leveled up with live music on some nights but they tend to have a musician or great music in some capacity to entertain their guests. They have indoor (two story), and outdoor seating. The service was great, from the greeting to our server(s). The cocktails were delicious very flavorful. The food was absolutely tasty. Definitely a place for date nights, office parties and family gatherings. read more

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Great service great food. I got the lump crab omelette with shallots and asparagus with fried potato's and salad. It was a very filling meal and very tasty. Good atmosphere I wish a caught it with live music playing but something to come back for. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Lump crab omelette with greens and potatoes - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Honestly, very disappointed. The place looks great inside, and the food looked amazing based on the Yelp reviews. I even made a reservation in advance to make sure we'd be seated right away. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready, but they eventually got it set up and seated us. After that, we waited about 15 minutes without anyone acknowledging us no water, no greeting, no service at all. The restaurant seemed busy with a large birthday party, and servers were running around, but it felt like we were completely overlooked. After waiting so long with no service, we decided to leave. I mentioned the situation to the hostess, who went to get the manager. It took a bit for him to come over, and while he apologized and offered a few complimentary appetizers, the experience had already gotten off to such a poor start that we no longer felt comfortable staying. read more

I went here for happy hour with my SIL and it was soooo worth it. We got filthy martinis which was an up-charge but delicious. Our bar attendant was so nice and very friendly. We went pretty early so it was not too busy and they were getting ready for a fun night. It's so nice in there and beautiful decor and fun vibes all around. read more

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Amazing experience all around! Vibes, food, service all incredible! They were incredible with the kids too! Well done, cant wait to come back!!! read more

This is definitely an amazing Cuban restaurant in the Orlando pointe area. We thought we needed reservation since we got there on a Saturday afternoon but we didn't have to wait at all. We got seated fast and the server was very friendly. The food was amazing ! I got the Ropa vieja , and it came with a side of beans and rice . The meat was tender and saucy! Will be definitely come back here again ! Cute location , great for date night or night out with the girls ! read more

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I been meaning to post this review for a while now. I tried out Cuba Libre with a group of friends for dinner. I had been there many years ago for the nightclub but never for dinner. Overall this place is really nice and the food awesome! My wife and I got the appetizer of tropical chips and dips along with a pitcher of mango margarita. The margarita was on point. I wish it didn't have so much ice but nevertheless it was still good. I got the deep fried snapper and rice for my meal and it was absolutely scrumptious! The only downside star from 4 to 5 was just that the service while really nice it was extremely slow. It is also a tad pricey but that's kind of expected because it's at Pointe Orlando. read more

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The food was really good but the service was horrible. They messed up my drink twice before getting it right. It took forever to get our entrees. Definitely recommend the fried red snapper! read more

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Came here for Magical dining. Ambiance looks very Cuban Inspired. The server we had was very sweet, such a nice girl. Live music starts around 7 or 7:30pm and then there is dancing later in the evening around 10pm from what i hear. I went on a Friday night. The food was delicious and very flavorful. I had the picadilllo Empanada and my friend had the garlic shrimp. Both were really good. The table gets bread and it was like a buttery lightly toasted Texas Toast feeling. It was really good with the special butter it comes with. My chicken was very flavorful with the mango sauce and my friend enjoyed her beef dish. I was stuffed by the time dessert came and the churros were not good as left overs. I would recommend eating them fresh. My friend enjoyed her Flan. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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I dined in at Cuba Libre last night for their Magical Dining menu and our server Armani was very sweet and attentive. We sat on the patio, which we quickly regretted because a nearby business was testing their very loud sound system, blasting dubstep music, making us very overstimulated, especially since Cuba Libre had their own music playing. I want to point out that this is definitely not Cuba Libre's fault, but we were definitely stressed and overwhelmed by the noise while we ate our appetizers and wish we would have chosen to sit inside. Overall, the magical dining options were great! I decided on the croquetas, the vegetarian paella, and the churros. I wanted some extra protein, so I added a side of shrimp with the paella. The ham croquetas were my favorite. The chicken was good, but a little on the dry side. The paella was flavorful, but I'd definitely try their regular seafood paella next time. As for cocktails, I tried the passionfruit mojito and it was very delicious. It wasn't too sweet and it wasn't too strong on the alcohol. read more

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Everything was fresh, hot and delicious. The ambiance was wonderful for a good date night. The service was very attentive. Will definitely try again. read more

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My galentine dinner was a success thanks to the great service at the restaurant all of my guests were super impressed with the food! The happy hour drinks were delicious and all the food was great specially the GLP1 menu read more

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The main entree was incredible. We never had Cuban food prior to this, somehow. If this is what it's all like, sign me up... The classy, but colorful atmosphere was neat. We went in full tourist style after Kennedy Space Center. I felt slightly under dressed going into it, but for 6pm it was fine. I suggest at least wearing a collar or dress. I rarely give five stars, but this was great. read more

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This restaurant is BEAUTIFUL, hence the 4 stars. The fifth star lacks because I wasn't impressed with the food and the service was slow despite the place being empty. I do recommend it because it has a nice ambience and you can take nice photos and it has outside seating. read more

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Came here for a work event and was in a private room. The bartender and server were fantastic! Great experience all around. The appetizers they picked out for us, as well as the salad were all so tasty and varied in flavors! They were excellent. The chocolate banana bread pudding was also to die for. The entrees were good, but were all the basic dishes since this was a work event. Not super flavorful, the salmon was dry, but the potatoes were amazing. Wish we could have tried some of their more authentic dishes. read more

As you walk in you can feel the Havana vibe. The decor is fairly standard for a Cuban restaurant. We had reservations and were seated very quickly. Our waiter was very helpful and attentive. We got our drinks quickly and then got our entree orders in. We had a variety of entrees I got the churrusco steak, it was a tad wet and the potatoes were soupy. Overall great taste. Another of our party got the Cuban platter and enjoyed it. Another got the snapper and agreed it was very tasty too. Overall it was a good experience. read more

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FABULOUS Went here last night with work colleagues for dinner. Can't say enough about the experience. The food was fantastic (our table shared both the Crab Guacomole and the Cha Cha Cha - both yummy; I had the Vaca Frita which was succulent which with the rice and beans were just divine). The drinks were great too, as our table shared passionfruit mojitos. Ambiance was perfect - our corner table was the perfect place for us to catch up and have our own space in this vivrant restaurant. Our server Jason was super cool and accomidating, making sure we were good without imposing, and was able to roll with our rowdy group. For those looking for good Cuban food in a nice space, look no further than Cuba Libre. read more

Fun for a special occasion. Half the menu is Cuban food, the rest is Mexican food or something else. The ropa vieja (old clothes) is good. It's all good. Croquettes were really good, clever shapes, one was round. Guacamole was tasty. Bread with mango butter is good. It's ALL delicious, so good that they might've run out, but it's all priced too high. I feel it's too touristy now & way overpriced. The band was really good, but sitting on the second floor it isn't heard as well. Service was really great. Ambiance is great, beautiful walls. The banana split for a birthday celebration comes with shooting sparklers. They did a great presentation singing & clapping. Buy online to save $10, but only if you're positive you're going. Cancellation penalties within a certain timeframe. Not enough Dulce de leche on the ice cream. Fun but overpriced. read more

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We came to Cuba Libre for lunch with a large group of 13. We had reservations prior, but the restaurant looked slow enough that they could have accommodated us without the reservation. Per other reviews, THEY WILL CHARGE YOU $25/person IF YOU NO SHOW. When we got to the table, one end of the table was very close to another party where the two people at the edge at each table would easily bump into one another. While the other end of the table had plenty of space and no other tables in that direction. We asked staff if we can move a smidge over and they looked really annoyed at us. Sorry if I don't want to bump into your other customers. And whoever set up the table to begin with lacked common sense. They had these really great bottomless drink brunch deals, but it required every single person at the table to get it. That's awful cause that means the group has no DD. Even though we weren't driving we didn't want to peer pressure the entire group to get smashed in the middle of the day, so we all just ordered our own drinks. There were 4 of us who sat together to form a subgroup for ease of payment and splitting the bill. Between our group, my friends had an Espresso Rumtini ($14) and 2 Buena Vista Spritzers ($12/each) and I had a Bloody Mary ($10). If service was more attentive I probably would have had a few more bloody marys. Alsoooo they accidentally put our friend'a Paloma ($14.75) on our tab even though we established up front where the split should be... but it was so hectic at the end we just paid for it to avoid waiting around any further. Complimentary bread and mango butter provided. Bread was thick and not toasty. Butter was okay but did not detect the mango taste they mention. I didn't care to eat too much of this cause I knew it would ruin my appetite. For our meal, the four of us actually decided to share a highly recommended Smoked Cubano Pork Belly ($15) and this Plato Gaucho Mixed Grill ($89.75) that said it was meant for 2 people but it easily fed the four of us. This gaucho plate was a sizzling platter with skirt steak, lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, chicken breast, chorizo sausage, chimichurri sauce, salsa, white rice, black beans and maduros. We swapped the maduros with yuca fries. We were very democratic. We split everything into equal 4s and shared. The gaucho gave really good variety to the group and we enjoyed everything. The Cubano pork belly they raved about was more disappointing as it was kind of soft and rubbery. I would prefer crispier exterior for such a fatty cut of meat. I would have been okay with just the gaucho plate. We also had a Celebration Extravaganza Dessert ($29.50) that comes with a huge marquee sign, sparklers and all the works. The sundae was pretty simple, but all of the *extra* stuff is what you're paying for. It was a sweet treat for my friend we were out celebrating. The only annoying thing is that this was paid for before we even arrived, and yet they were really slow in preparing it even after we asked for it. They made us barely enjoy the dessert and rush out to the our next plans cause we had massages booked. 20% gratuity automatically charged for parties of 6 or more. Easy money for their slow grumpy staff. Even with the 20% charge, if you didn't notice it on the check you might be tricked to tip more more more on top of it because the device was still asking me for more tip when I checked out. For that service? Nope. Food and drinks were mostly good and I appreciate the flair with dessert, but staff being grumpy when there was poor table set up, mischarging my check, and being slowwwww and inattentive doesn't really motivate me to come back. read more

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We were a group of 10 people. The sangria roja in a pitcher was great with lots of fruit, and we ordered appetizers, mango butter and Cuban bread and croqetas. I saw two beers that I had not seen before, the MAGNA PREMIUM LAGER (from Puerto Rico) and CERVEZA HATUEY (Cuban style beer from the makers of Bacardi) both great taste. My dish PINCHOS DE CAMARONES was awesome with Rum-pineapple glazed shrimp skewers. The Chino-Cubano fried rice was a bit more vinegary that I liked. There was a nice mix of green onions, sesame seeds, napa kimchi salad. We adventured with dessert. The Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding was amazing. It's size means you have to share it with at least 3 people. Service was excellent. Priced to the ambience, this is a upscale restaurant. read more

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Went in between it switching over from restaurant to club but was still able to get quick and awesome service from the bartender. music was bumping and it wasn't overcrowded. had some shots to start the nigh. would go back to have some food. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Came to celebrate my birthday and jessamine was amazing; the drink, the food was fantastic

Delicious paella marinera. Had a mojito to drink and they kept me full and entertained as we watched a world cup game. The vibe was great, Kyle at the outside bar made sure we were taken care of all afternoon. read more

I still remember my experience as I walked through the doors of Cuba Libra. Albeit, there was a lot going on. The music playing on the inside was nice, but at times it seemed a bit too loud. I remember ordering a couple of drinks for my friends and I, but they tasted quite watered down but we didn't want to make a bigger deal than that. We had also ordered some food, but we weren't told how long it would take so they pushed more drinks on us, which we politely declined. The croquetas they served were delicious. If I recall, we had ordered one of their house specials which was the pulled pork (lechon) which was savory and hit the spot. Mind you, we flew in from Los Angeles and were checking out the vibes and things to do in Orlando while attending a conference. read more

Such a great atmosphere and the food is delicious! Our server, Leila, was so kind and gave great recommendations on the menu. We started with the mango butter bread and that was so good. My entree was the garlic shrimp and arroz frito, as I wasn't that hungry, but the flavor is there and I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

Love authentic Cuban ! Had empanadas for the app which were great! The Ropa Vieja for dinner which was also excellent, wife had the vaca frita which was also devine! The pineapple mojito was my favorite ! I wished they had a flight of Mojitos to try a sample of all ! Service was also great! Just shy of 5 stars as after we got our app , it was another almost 30 min for the food, however it was just that good to still give it 4 stars.. with drinks expect to spend $40-50 per person .. read more

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Line to get in took a while and it was hot and very humid out. The music playing outside is not the same music the DJ was playing inside. There's no way to know. Cuba Libre charges a cover. It is $12 for women and $20 for men then they add tax to it. So for me and one guy, it was $34.08. Guess how much change from $100, I got back? $65. They kept 92 cents. I think charging a cover for any of the places in the plaza is too much. We stayed probably less than 20 min. It was way too loud. You can attract a bigger crowd by not making it so hard to enjoy. (Also, a woman with block heels stepped on my heel! But that is not the venue's fault.) I would like to like this place but tonight was not it for me. read more

What a fun atmosphere to dine in! All of the staff were super fun and it felt like being at a party! This place was walking distance from my hotel where I was attending a work conference in Orlando. Coming from the west coast, I loved being able to try a few Cuban dishes. read more

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar - 10/10 recommend... super fun! - Cuban Near Me - Orlando, Florida