I would give Cha Cha in Kenilworth 2 stars…read more This was my first visit, and while the service was friendly and welcoming, the food itself was very disappointing. I appreciated the complimentary yuca fritters with special sauce, which was a kind gesture. However, the overall quality, freshness, and authenticity of the main dishes did not meet expectations. Parking is very limited street parking. The Cuban breaded steak was the biggest disappointment. A proper Cuban-style breaded steak should be thin, tender, savory, garlicky, slightly citrusy, well-seasoned, evenly breaded, and pan-fried until crisp and golden. The version I received tasted oddly sweet, the breading separated from the meat, and the steak had a gummy texture with an old-looking color. It did not have the freshness or clean savory flavor expected from this classic dish. The red beans were very concerning. They tasted strongly like vinegar, and I had to spit them out. When I looked closer, there appeared to be a white, murky-looking substance in them. Beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless something is wrong. Cuban-style red beans should be creamy, savory, aromatic, and well-seasoned with garlic, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The white rice was also not acceptable. It was hard, did not taste fresh, and had a vinegar-like smell and flavor. It appeared as if older rice may have been mixed with newer rice. Proper Cuban white rice should be fluffy, clean-tasting, separated, and neutral in flavor. The moro with black beans and rice was better than the white rice, but still lacked depth. It needed more bay leaf flavor and stronger Cuban seasoning. A good moro should have a rich, savory base from sofrito, garlic, peppers, onions, beans, broth, herbs, and slow cooking so the rice absorbs the flavor. The oxtail was tender and okay, but it did not fully deliver the deep, rich Cuban-style flavor I expected. Traditional Cuban oxtail should be slow-braised with garlic, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and spices until the sauce becomes rich and the meat is deeply seasoned. This oxtail tasted acceptable, but it seemed as though it may have been prepared a day or two before and reheated. I understand that many restaurants legally prepare certain foods a day ahead, especially dishes like beans, stews, and oxtail. However, food should still taste fresh and be stored, cooled, reheated, and handled according to food safety standards. Sour or vinegar-like flavors in rice or beans can sometimes indicate fermentation, spoilage, or improper storage, and that should never reach the customer. The best part of the meal was the dessert. The vanilla flan was very good, and the coconut flan was excellent. The coconut flan was rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor, with shredded coconut pieces that added texture and made it stand out. That dessert showed real potential. The prices were reasonable, but reasonable pricing does not make up for poor freshness and low food quality. It did look like they may do better with sandwiches and empanadas, which I did not try and perhaps should have ordered first. I cook Cuban food, Puerto Rican food, and other traditional dishes myself, and I lived in Miami for over nine years. I also learned from Cuban friends who cook authentic Cuban food at home. Because of that, I know how these dishes should taste. In my opinion, the dishes I tried did not represent Cuban cuisine with the freshness, authenticity, seasoning, or care it deserves. The restaurant may have people who know how to cook, but based on this visit, it seems the kitchen has lost some of the authenticity and discipline needed to serve fresh, properly prepared Cuban food. Food that tastes sour, vinegary, old, or questionable should never be served to customers. The service and desserts were the highlights, but the main dishes need serious improvement in freshness, food handling, seasoning, and respect for authentic Cuban cuisine. There are several areas that need improvement. Freshness and food safety should be the main priority. Rice and beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless intentionally prepared that way, and food that seems old or questionable should not be served. The breaded steak should be freshly breaded, crispy outside, tender inside, and properly seasoned with authentic Cuban flavors like garlic, citrus, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The rice should be fluffy, the beans creamy, and the oxtail deeply seasoned and fresh-tasting. I believe the restaurant may have cooks who understand Cuban cuisine, but the kitchen needs to reconnect with freshness, consistency, authenticity, and stronger food handling standards. Cuban food is rich in flavor, comfort, and cultural pride, and with improvement this restaurant could better reflect that tradition.

This is my second time coming here. It was a yelp event that brought us here first and it was…read moreamazing. I will say parking is street parking or side streets and can get a little crazy on weekends. Service is always great and you feel like you are a part of the family here. Food is always fresh and amazing. Anytime I am near here we stop regardless of being hungry or not. I absolutely am obsessed with their vaca frita and black beans. It's a huge portion so leftovers are always good. My boyfriend always orders their cubano as he said it is the best one he has ever had. Their Maduros are also sweet and crisp and never greasy. We also tried their choripan sandwich and it was awesome. We've never had thinly sliced chorizo which eliminates the usual oil and messiness. Always an amazing meal. We also tried their pineapple Cuban smoothie and ended the meal with their delicious flan.

Food is made with love clearly, the seasoning is amazing. The ambiance reminds you of old Cuba…read morewhich is amazing and the point they are trying to get across. Lastly the servers and even owner come out regularly to check on you and provide great customer experiences.

Service was great! Very attentive and answered all questions. The food was so good. Would…read moredefinitely come here again. The sangria, delicious

The graffiti outside screamed "quirky and cute." Inside? Nearly empty, with a hot food stand that…read morelooked suspiciously like a supermarket deli's last cry for help. We ordered fish & chips and a Cuban sandwich. Bold moves, apparently. The fish was so tasteless, I think I offended it by taking a bite. Honestly, frozen supermarket fish would've put up more of a fight. The fries? Also running for the "most bland" award. And the Cuban sandwich--ham, cheese, and shredded pork so thin I had to squint to find the protein. A whisper of meat. A ghost of flavor. But wait, it gets better. A Snapple? $4.00. For that price, I expected someone to at least open it for me. Instead, zero service--and yet, the screen still flipped around asking for a tip. The audacity? Inspiring. Just not in the way they think

I was attending a friend's mother's wake. Arriving at 4:30 and staying for about an hour, I headed…read moreto my truck. By luck the Cuban Breeze was right next to the funeral home. This is a clean casual eating restaurant with a colorful upbeat vibe, Spanish wall art and music. They have cafeteria style steam trays and some tables. I think they do a lot of take-out. Not having a lot of Cuban food experience, I did recognize the empanadas ($3,95), fried pork, red and black beans and yellow rice before settling on a Cuban sandwich ($12.95).The sandwich was just what I needed at the time. Hot, flavorful and the ham and pork was hot, well seasoned and juicy. The bread had a crispy cover but soft on the inside. I understand that the Abuela still does some of the cooking. I usually eat around 3pm so at 5:30 I was starving. I'll be eating more Cuban food in the future!

So I found this place by accident. It was late one night and my parents and I came in after driving…read morefor so long for something to eat. We left COMPLETELY FULL AND SATISFIED!!!! Tonight was our 4th time going. Christian, our waiter, was extremely attentive and patient; all the waiters and staff seemed very focused on all the guests. Great food and ambience!!! FYI, try the guava cheesecake and flan .

I came to Rumba Cubana at 235 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City on June 26 with my friend Luis. Again, we…read moreloved the tasty food, drinks, and the stellar service. Servers Christian and Alex were the best. I always loved Rumba's delicious meals and their desserts. The atmosphere is lively and patrons seem to enjoy the experience. I highly recommend Rumba Cubana to all comers.

First time here and was immediately pleased with the friendly welcome and engagement of every…read moresingle employee. It's like entering someone's home. This offers a wonderful variety of Latin American cuisines and dishes that taste very close to your parents and grandparents cooking. We enjoyed an Al fresco lunch starting with delicious empanadas and fruit juices. We ordered "country specific" trays and found the food to be very tasty and fresh. The service is very attentive and the place is comfortable and clean. The indoor dining area is small and well ventilated. We saw a lot of people getting takeout. I would return here. My couple of suggestions are for them not to always drop off plastic straws (ask if folks need straws) and offer bottled hot sauces rather than small servings served in plastic containers. Just be more conscious of the use of one time use of plastic.

It's understandable that these are decent prices for the area. But glad that there is a Colombian…read morerestaurant in the area. So it does hit the spot when I'm in the area.

The Grand Cubano in Englewood, NJ is serving some delicious Cuban dishes! From the classics like…read moreRopa Vieja to the innovative dishes like the Cuban nachos-everything was amazing! Come taste the excellence of The Grand Cubano! The service and atmosphere is amazing! Ceviche Grand-a mixture of fish, shrimp, mango, onions, peppers, and cilantro in citrus juices. Topped with avocado. Served with plantain chips. Cuban Nachos- Plantain chips topped with slow roasted mojo pork, swiss cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado cream. Pulpo A la Parilla- Char grilled Spanish octopus in a lemon paprika vinaigrette topped with our homemade chimichurri. Ensalada de la Casa- Arugula, palm hearts, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, avocado. Tossed in our homemade chimichurri Ropa Vieja- A Cuban classic. braised shredded beef simmered with tomatoes, bell peppers and Spanish olives. Churrasco- Char grilled marinated skirt steak topped with our homemade chimichurri and pickled red onions.

My visit here was excellent. I came on a Friday night and it was a lot of fun. It is byob but they…read moreseem to have a pitchers of sangria and bottles of wine to purchase. For dinner I had the red snapper and it was delicious! I would order again. I also had a side of Yuka fries that were great and a side salad. They had live music that was really fun. Service was great.

Great service especially for Mother's Day old school people Nice waiters major D is right on pointread more

Yummy! Authentic Spanish food and hospitality. Went for lunch one day just by happenstance. Wanted…read moreto try some authentic dishes-- not paella, since so many places offer that. Got the soupy rice dish (forget the name) with shrimp. SO satisfying! They offer complimentary soup ahead of your entree, along with bread. It was hard not to overeat! Huge portions too, btw. Very generous. Sat at the bar. Bartender was hard working, serving all the customers who were sitting at the bar as well as keeping up with bar needs. Very friendly. Looks like the place can get busy for dinner so probably best to make reservations.

A glorious fever dream! Tapas galore! No full bar? Who cares? Four flavors of Sangria (red, white,…read moreblue w/Curaçao, passionfruit- naturally delicious!) and wine. With a google same day reservation, I rolled in with my little family of four and my mother-in-law. Gabriella, the chef's wife, treated us like family and every dish tasted like a hug. Highlights were the zesty Peruvian Ceviche (save bread for the sauce), tasty Steak Yucca Fries, and Berenjena con Miel - eggplant drizzled with honey and goat cheese. The Calamari was crispy and delicious even without the tentacles. Dessert was a victory lap with a smooth and creamy Flan, perfectly crunchy Churros, and Lemon Sorbet that looked like Olaf doing hot yoga. Then came free homemade limoncello to end the meal. It was bright, balanced, and dangerously good! We waddled out with joy! NOTES/TIPS: **Great solo, dates, friends, family. **Huge menu w/several vegetarian options and kids menu. **Wine and sangria available. **Gendered restrooms. Wheelchair-accessible. Indoor/outdoor seating. Warm modern vibes. **For 3 adults and 2 kids with their spaghetti and meatballs, 7 small plates left us very full. **Street parking if you're lucky, parking decks nearby. **Reservations recommended.

An Italian and Argentine tapas restaurant, small shop that had first-come, first-serve seating…read morealong with some Opentable stuff online that you could reserve at. Service was top-notch, folks came back to help us pack up extras and also check on us multiple times. Stopped in on a hot day, tried a bunch: Pitcher of white sangria was a lovely cool sip, just about right for four of us per pitcher. Tapas/apps: - Special baked oyster fondue was only ok (reminded me of Oyster Rockefeller but not as flavorful and the cheese was mostly on the plate, not on the oyster); they had 3 on the plate and they noticed and had them make up a 4th for the 4th person at the table. Great service for that notice and sending a fourth one out - good touch. - Papas bravos was a good fingerling potato in a creme - Grilled octopus was ok - Peruvian ceviche was a touch too sour for me, but others liked it - had another potato dish but wasn't sure what it was called; just ok Mains, also shared: - Short ribs rigatoni was good, but not as good as the one at Ferraro's that I had earlier in the month - Seafood paella - not sure if this is a regional difference, but I'm used to having the crispy rice along the outside of the pan, crunch and savory -- the inside rice and shrimp, sausage and clams were ok, but missing the texture expected of a hot pan of paella rice, so left feeling like I missed out of something Dessert - churros were solid, with dulce de leche - lava cake was ok, not much melting (more like a little chocolate melted in the center but not enough to ooze out), but the chocolate cake was good, and the vanilla ice cream to the top always a good touch - they had a special fruit mix in a pastry shell - good fruit mix and the ice cream below was good - pastry was just ok, maybe needed something more like a napoleon's layers instead of being like a fried skin which ended up being a bit stuck in the teeth Overall great service, a mix of dishes that sometimes hit the mark and others missed, but will come here to try some other dishes that people at the table next to us ordered - the steak looked good, as did the fish!