How is this place getting more than 2 stars? I'll tell you- because most people voting have ZERO reference of what Cuban Food is supposed to look like and taste like. They think what this place serves is how it's supposed to be, and just get used to a horrible insult of cuban food. I'm Cuban American born and raised in Miami- 'nuff said as for my judgment of Cuban Food. I ordered to-go, 2 entrees, (Bistec Empanizado) breaded steak, with plantains and yuca. Also ordered a steak sandwich. The breaded steak smelled, looked, and tasted like they threw it in the pin when the heat and oil wasn't up to where it needed to be, and the blood and juices must've soaked and bubbled and got absorbed into the breading, before the oil got hot enough to where it should be and was able to fry it. Not only that- it was soggy and the steak under the breading was a blueish-grey- almost white looking. Disgusting. The rice that came with that plate- either undercooked or cooked the day before because it was hard and grainy. When I opened the container, it was almost all one brick solidified. Not fresh. The plantains- come on! They are the easiest to do- get a fresh plantain banana, wait for it to ripen, cut slices freshly and put them straight to the frying pan. These tasted like they came out of a Goya box from the store. I don't pay for Cuban food to get food that I can buy just like them at Walmart from the frozen section, and be charged 5 times more!!! They were slimy and almost gelatin like on the outside and cold in the middle. Frozen food! As if that wasn't enough, I wanted to introduce a friend to their first taste of cuban food, and got the Steak Sandwich with plantains and yuca. That steak was rubbery and smelled like they bombarded it with seasoning to hide something bad- the smell and quality. Salty, chewy, but most disappointing, the cuban bread, a staple of this cuisine, was supposed to be toasted and it was soggy and chewy. You had to rip off the pieces hard with each bite- like when you use your teeth to open a ketchup packet. Horrible! This sandwich takes potato stick fries in it also- which makes it a super crunchy sandwich- and that's one of the joys of eating it- the cuban bread crunching and flaking, the potato sticks cracking and making each bite a mix of fresh tastes with that rustic baked texture. This was NOTHING like any of this. Where are your STANDARDS!? I paid $50 for just these 2 dishes, and instead of getting authentic cuban food, I got authentic trips to the bathroom to S**T this out with stomach aches that lasted until the next day! Their food IS NOT FRESH- and if they say it is, they are lying. No way that rice was fresh. The steaks, old and rotten almost, probably from sitting in freezers that dont' work correctly. The "cuban bread" old- chewy, soggy- fresh cuban bread stays crunchy after it is toasted almost 24 hours. I'll pay good money for great food, but this was literally flushing money down the drain. The plantains, 4 little individual ones, were $3.50. An entire box of the same quality Goya from the market cost $2.00!! And I will cook them way better than this place, trust me. 50.00 for food, that if I were to take that to Miami or Cuba, and show it to the poorest, most beat down, sketchy, and smallest of cuban food places, *they* would say a dog doesn't even deserve to eat this. The after taste left in my mouth is horrendous, and smell. Pure garlic and onions- like if I ate both those like an apple. For the record this is my 2nd time eating here. First time, not impressed either, but thought it was just a bad day. I ordered 2 sides of plantains on the side with cuban sandwich and skirt steak. Sandwich soggy, just like I mentioned above. Skirt steak was the only thing cooked sort of tasty, but got a medium well when I ordered medium rare. Still smelled over seasoned and a light under-smell on the meat that was not very pleasant. The plantains, the first time were not as soggy and had a nice dry outside with chewy gooey inside- but still clearly out of a box and frozen. It's robbery that they charge people over $3 just for 4 of them. So their standards CLEARLY aren't the best, but what's a concern is that they are not consistent and way low standards. I ordered this on a SATURDAY! Date food for a couple to enjoy, ruined with embarrassment and making excuses to my date why everything looks terrible, smells bad, and tastes even worse. A Saturday night!!!!! Come on. Close it down and don't open until you have an inspector, and a real restaurateur, and executive chef expert with cuban food show you how to do it! I CRINGE just thinking of what their fridge and prep food must look like. All you people giving them 4 and 5 stars, go to 3 or 4 other cuban places and get an average of the tastes and quality of Cuban dishes and cuisine. Maybe you can develop a palette to be able to make a fair comparison and review. read more

Very good food, price is not too bad either as entrees come with three sides. Love everything I have ordered there.

Great mom and pop restaurant. Very attentive staff and great food. delicious Cuban Cuisine right next to the dollar general?? I'm amazed.. make sure to try the el Cubano and finish your dine with some cafe cubano and flan for the genuine and authentic experience. I just visited Miami(famous for Cuban cuisine) and this place nails that authentic Cuban dining experience!! read more

For any Florida transplants now living in the metro Atlanta area needing some way to satisfy a Cuban food craving, you absolutely should give Cuban Diner a visit. Furthermore, if you're a UGA grad and miss the Cuban food from Cali n Tito's, Cuban Diner is your place. Located in a strip mall not too far from the KSU Marietta campus, Marietta is so lucky to have such a great place for tasty Cuban food. Paid this place a visit on a Friday evening for dinner and it was a little bit busy, but we were able to get a table right away. It's not the largest or most elegant of dining areas, but it gets the job done. There are a variety of options on the menu, but we decided to go with the Mojito Chicken and the Lechon Asado. Each came with three sides and for 11 bucks and change for each, you're definitely a great a deal on food here. The Mojito Chicken can be fried or roasted, and decided to go with fried for Southern reasons. Decided to go with the yuca fries, moros (Cuban rice and beans), and maduros (fried sweet plantains). For the lechon asado, decided to go with the Cuban Diner style that has peppers and onions with it. For the sides, went with the tostones (fried green plantains), moros, and yuca con mojo (cassava with onions and mojo sauce). Don't sleep on the yuca con mojo, definitely one of the best sides you'll ever eat. Anyway, the food overall was absolutely delicious and I left just incredibly stuffed. The service here was very friendly and they made sure everything about our dinner was a great experience. After dinner, don't forget to get your Cuban coffee as well. If ever you're in need of good Cuban food, please do yourself a favor and come here. read more

Cuban Diner - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

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After almost 2 years of living in Georgia & trying every Cuban restaurant we've come across, Cuban Diner is still our fave!!! Growing up in south Florida we know what authentic Cuban food is & this place is the real deal! Their dishes are delicious and the portions are perfect! Guess what?? There are no tacos or spicy dishes on the menu....that's how you know it's legit lol!! The owners are SO friendly & we love that no matter how much time has gone by they recognize us each time we come in - makes you feel like home! I took off one star because the place isn't the most attractive looking but I promise, if you look beyond that, you're in for one delicious meal!! We have also now catered 2 Christmas dinners from them too & if we're in Georgia this Christmas, chances are, we'll place a large dinner order yet again! read more

Traditionally I am not the biggest fan of Cuban food. This place opened my eyes to how good it actually was though. I had the fried half chicken with plantains, fries and rice. Absolutely delicious, and a great value. read more

Very friendly attentive environment. The Beer was served with a frozen mug, which is always fun. Food: Empanadas one chicken and one beef: the beef was better. Both were 5 star quality, probably the best emps I have tasted. Crispy outside flavorful meaty inside. Mojioto chicken: overcooked and covered in garlic. It is served with a pleasant garlic, oil, citrus sauce, however go easy with the sauce: 2.5 stars(my breath could kill most small animals, 3 hours post meal) Maduros(Sweet Plantains): 5 stars, perfectly prepared best I have had Moros: 3 stars, pretty average rice and bean mixture Fried yuca: 5 stars, really delicious. same garlic bomb sauce, it's especially good with the crispy fried yuca sticks Trece leches: 1.5 stars, couldn't finish it, I got this part of the meal to go and ate it 45 minutes to an hour after leaving. Skip this part In summary some of the food was the best cuban cuisine I have tasted, some was average at best. Great staff, relaxed environment. I'd go back for empanadas, fried yuca and maduros. read more

Cuban Diner - Empanadas! - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

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We came here today for the first time, and oh my the food is awesome!!!!!! The "Maduros" are so good, and the mojitos are the best I have ever had.... read more

Cuban Diner - The Maduros are awesome... - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

Came here because of the high rating. Was initially pretty happy with the service until I had to wait 34 minutes until my food came out. I actually only ordered two small things, and I was rushing to get to class but never made it. I ordered a beef empanada and yuca fries. The only reason why I am keeping the rating at three is because at the very end another waiter who is much nicer than my first one tried to reach out and take care of me. He was also very distracted because it was quite busy and spilled my sauce (for yuca fries), though. The food was decent and the price was good so I can't really complain about that~ I can definitely see why people would come but I do not recommend this place for people who are in a rush or eating by themselves because they tried to help out the bigger groups first. read more

Cuban Diner - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

The food here is good. It's almost like what I'm a custom to. Im Cuban and from Miami so I know Cuban food. I had the pork chunks with black beans and rice. It was good. My wife had the palomilla with rice and maduros. We had the flan and some cafecito. I felt like I was in Miami again. read more

Don't know what's happened but the food is now mediocre at best! Tostones are fried in old oil and served greasy. The chicken is tasteless served with halfway cooked grilled onions. So gross! Black beans were super salty and the only thing that was halfway decent was the white rice! Very disappointed. This place must be under new ownership. read more

Food here is soooooo good! Authentic Cuban food! And the virgin guava mojito I ordered was absolutely delicious! We always go to this spot when I visit from Jersey xoxo read more

I've been looking for a GREAT Cuban place since I moved to Atlanta in 2000. So bummed I hadn't tried the Cuban diner earlier! AMAZING food, friendly and fast service and will NOT kill your wallet. We came home with enough leftovers for two days! You MUST GO!!!! read more

The food will literally make you say "oh my god" every bite. So delicious. Great drinks, amazing service what more could I ask for.

It had been awhile since we visited The Cuban Diner, but it was like we hadn't missed a day. Always great food and great service.

I came across this restaurant on Yelp after searching for Cuban food. First off, it's a hidden gem. The service is fast and everyone is super friendly! I ordered the following: Coconut Mojito- it was good but hardly taste any alcohol Relleno de papa- it was tasty Traditional lechón with black beans, yellow rice, and sweet plantains- the rice was bland but the lechón made up for that. Well seasoned and had plenty of garlic and cooked onions on it, just how I like it. The food prices are quite reasonable! Overall I had a pleasant experience. I appreciated the prompt service and friendly atmosphere. Will visit again. read more

Cuban Diner - Lechón tradicional with yellow rice, black beans, and sweet plantains - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

I love this place. The Mojito Chicken is excellent. If you have a Mojito with your order you won't be disappointed.

Wonderful food! I could drink the mojo sause for the Mojito chicken. Good stuff Great food family atmosphere. read more

One of the most authentic tasting Cuban food in the Acworth-Kennesaw-Marietta area. The yuca fries aren't anything like in Miami, the Mecca of Cuban food, but they are even better. Definitely recommend this little spot to anyone who's missing real Cuban food. read more

It was my first time here and brought friends and was literally the best decision EVER! The menu is amazingly priced and the mojo is something you have never tried before. Joel our server was extremely friendly and the music was perfect for the atmosphere. Definitely my new favorite spot!! I have tagged myself a future regular! Also the mojitos are fresh and tasteful! read more

Cuban Diner - Great Mojito Chicken with mojo sauce, moros, yucas, and maduros with a skinny Mojito. - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

My daughter, her friends who've only eaten my Cuban food are in HEAVEN! The food is delicious, service is super friendly and pleasant, and the decor is simple and clean. I'm so happy to find this place so close to the highway when I travel back and forth to Florida from Chattanooga. read more

Cuban Diner - My daughter is so happy with her palomilla steak, yuca con mojo and frijoles. Cuban diner is great! - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

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Haven't eaten here in months, but the good is delicious and authentic! Recommend it!!

I have been here several times and love their food. Great service and yummy food this place is a gem for those looking for something a little different than your traditional pizza or burger joint. Make sure you try several of their sides to learn more about the Caribbean's various tastes. After all my visits over the years, I have not had any poor experiences. read more

I love this place! I don't know why it's never very busy. Having dinner at 5:30 and we're the only people here. Excellent food and friendly service. read more

The Cuban Diner fulfills all my Miami cravings right here in Atlanta. The food is as authentic as it gets, as the owner himself and his wife are from Cuba. You will not be disappointed by this place. Black beans are out of this world good, kinda like grandma made them! Mojitos are amazing and authentic as well. End your meal with the flan, you will not regret it. read more

Food is actually quite good but the food is only part of the meal experience. I used to come here routinely with my work colleagues - at least once per week. Then one day we got the "rude treatment". All we wanted for our group of four was to sit in a more spacious table ... and all but 2 of the other tables were empty. No problem, right? But apparently it was a problem. We have not been back since .... read more

As far as Cuban food goes, metro Atlanta just can't hold a candle to Miami. 'Tis a fact of life, which I accept. Cuban Diner is my favorite joint for food from the "Pearl of the Antilles." I have been going for quite some time, when it was owned by another (older) Cuban couple. Now there is a young marriage couple, with the husband having moved to the States just a few years ago. I have eaten a ton of the things on the menu, including empanadas, croquetas, papas rellenas, white rice with black beans, moros (which is really moros y cristianos and also known as arroz congrí--white rice cooked with black beans and its dark sauce to give it its dark color), tostones (green plantains), maduros (ripe, sweet plantains), yuca con mojo, yuca fries, picadillo, ropa vieja, vaca frita, arroz imperial, and a couple of sandwiches. The Cuban bread used for the sandwiches is great. Better than expected. All of the items I mentioned are authentic, with the croquetas, ropa vieja, and yuca con mojo being my favorites. The prices here are fantastic for the high-quality food and the service can't be beat. I have a great time talking to the owners and felt the same way with the previous proprietors. AT has mentioned Cuban Diner a few times in the last few months, which I think is a sign that we need to go back soon. Lo que hace falta es jama... [#Yelp365: 26/365] read more

Tried Cuban Diner for the first time today and what a gem it is. Hidden in a small plaza on Roswell Rd, its easy to miss but if you like authentic Cuban food, this is the place. Food is absolutely fantastic and delicious. Service is great with fast seating and smiles. Can't wait to go back. read more

Times are tough for small business. This place doesn't want or need your support. Canceling delivery orders over an hour before they close is just not the kind of business I want to support. read more

This little place is absolutely wonderful. It's located in a simple strip mall and isn't somewhere I would've stopped at to try the food without the suggestion of a friend and the great Yelp reviews. But, I'm SUPER happy that we did stop here for lunch. The food is so, so flavorful. And I was sooo happy to find a place that serves Yuca. I love it. I loved all of the food I got actually. And another good thing is that my daughter loved her food as well. read more

Cuban Diner - Traditional pork, yuca fries and plantains. - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

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This is the Cuban spot you want to eat at!!! Real authentic taste and amazing service every time we've been. Try the yuca con mojo as a side especially! read more

We have been there now almost a dozen times and each visit is as good as the last. The food is simple fare but delicious. If you have never been there start with the sampler platter to get a fun taste treat. I always get the Maduros as a side but also like the Cuban Fries, Black Beans, and Yucca Con Mojo. In terms of dinners I have tried all types of dishes, chicken, pork, beef and fish and have never had a bad meal. On the last visit I tried the Pan Con Lechon sandwich and it was fabulous. read more

The Mojito chicken was delicious the Cuban sandwich reminds me of the ones I got in Florida

Ate lunch, picked up to go, had cubano sandwich w fries, ropaveja, beef empanada. First, my empanada was ok. The ropaveja was super greesy, so over cooked it was nearly jelly. I liked the green olives, but not in everything. The cubano was simple cold cut deli style meats on a decent pressed cuban bread. The rice and beans were very dry. Plantains were not great but good. Overall, I believe they need better kitchen equipment so they can be more than just a 'street vendor'. Fresh is a key factor when I eat at new places. The basics are there, but not restaurant quality I expected. Keep working on your craft, build a business, we need more cuban places. Ill come back to try your food again. read more

How do you tell a great little restaurant, by the number of cars out front and people inside. The Cuban Diner is one of those little gems, tucked in a small strip center. Visiting from Detroit, I checked Yelp for a Cuban restaurant and this was the closest option, so I checked the menu before heading out and knew I had to try it out. The Cuba Libre was perfectly mixed. The sampler platter was excellent, save for the empanadas that could have had just a little more meat. I had the vaca frita with yucca al mojo, tostones and vegetables, all were fantastic! Finished off with a cafe con leche and a piece of dulce tres leches, capping off a wonderful meal. If you're ever in the Marietta are, i suggest you stopping in! read more

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Their portions are so tiny. It would be nice if the size of the portions would be reflected on the prices. It feels like you ordered from the kid's menu. I'm sure rice and beans aren't that expensive to buy and not that difficult to cook, unless the beans come from a can. read more

Stop reading this. Put on some clothes. Go. Now. Really. Have I had friendlier service at a restaurant? No. Have I had better Cuban food? No. No, not even Papi's back in the day. Are the potions gigantic? No, but they are big enough for me and I'm fat and tall and always hungry. Long story short, if you are in Marietta and you are hungry, you will not be disappointed if you stop in and have dinner at Cuban Diner. Ps try the yucca fries, Alexa G might not be a fan, but I sure am. read more

Exceptional Cuban classics with amazing service and family style ambiance. The staff here are so genuine, helpful, and friendly while the dining experience offers significant portions at inexpensive prices. The Cuban Diner lives in an older strip mall just East of Harry's Farmers Market Marietta and beside the 120 Tavern off Roswell Road. Parking lot is an older 3 tiered style reminiscent of 80s Post Offices. But the restaurant is smack dab in the middle of the complex. For our first visit, we decided to opt for the classics to get a good gauge of what these guys were about. * Sampler Platter (empanadas, croquetas, tostones, maduros) * Ropa Vieja * Arroz Imperial * Moros (Cuban Rice with Black Beans) * Black Beans * Yuca Fries * Yuca con Mojo (boiled yuca with sauteed onion rings and mojo sauce) * Key Lime pie For starters, the empanadas were wonderfully light and flaky with perfectly seasoned chicken and beef (ours had one of each) that had a wonderful little kick of spice in the meat. The croquetas were divine and perfectly fried similar to a hush puppy. Soft, minced ham inside with a crispy crunch outside. The tostones were beautifully tender and carmelized on the outside giving them a delicious mix of texture and sweetness. As for the maduros, the only item of the night we found a little overcooked and dry. The ropa vieja was perfectly tenderized and coated, not drowning, in tomato sauce. It pairs so well with the cuban rice and black beans. Spot on! The Arroz Imperial was delicious as well. A yellow rice casserole with pulled chicken in sofrito sauce topped with mayo and melted swiss. It was a massive dish and super light considering the ingredients. The Yuca here is amazing and I cannot recommend the Yuca con Mojo enough. Comes out with the boiled cassava covered in sauteed onion and drizzled in that delicious Mojo sauce. They do it with oil, vinegar, and garlic here and it is addictive! For dessert, it just felt like a key lime pie kind of night. Knew we were in for the real deal when the pie came out that perfectly pale lime green. It was tart, sweet, cold, and creamy. The perfect end to our meal. Other items to note, that have a MASSIVE Mojito list that is worth exploring and a full bar that runs from cuban coffee to alcohol. Prices here are super affordable compared to other Cuban restaurants OTP. All the dinner mains hover around $11-$13 and come with 2-3 sides each. Impressive value to match their stellar service and quality. Absolutely enjoyed our experience and will certainly be back! read more

As someone who is part Cuban and from Miami I know and love Cuban food. I have to confess that when my husband and I were first talking about moving to the Atlanta area one of the first things I did was look up Cuban restaurants. What can I say? Cuban food makes my heart sing! ((Blushes)) The Cuban Diner is in a small strip center but don't let the exterior put you off. The inside of the restaurant is very clean and the service is very friendly. They have many traditional entrees like Ropa Vieja, Bistec Empanizado, Vaca Frita, and Lechon Asado. I always order the Bistec Empanizado when trying out a new Cuban restaurant and kind of use it as my benchmark dish. Even though it seems like a basic entree, breaded steak, there are some nuances in preparing it that can quickly separate the good from the bad. I am happy to report that Cuban Diner delivered. The steak was a good cut, pounded thin and lightly breaded. It was fried without being overdone and thus the steak was tender and not chewy. My only surprise was that it did not come with Mojo sauce on top, which is how it is traditionally served. I went ahead and asked for some Mojo sauce and the sauce I received was more oily than I am used to having it, but the basics were there - garlic (lots of it!), onion, oregano, and citrus juice. I ordered it with yellow rice and maduros. The maduros were some of the best I ever had - really ripe, soft, and sweet. My Mom ordered the Lechon Asado and it was also great - the pork was tender and flavored really well. She ordered boiled Yuca as a side and WOW!!! it was soooooo good - I will definitely be getting an order next time I stop in. The owner personally came by to check on us while we were eating and also thanked us when we were leaving. Even though we stopped in for lunch the entree sizes were really generous and I had enough left over for another full lunch the following day. The lunch prices are reasonable $7.50 - $9.99 for a large entree with two sides or $5.75 - $6.99 for sandwiches. I can't wait to go back and sample some more of the delicious food. Highly recommend! P.S. If you are planning on doing any public speaking or having a make out session in the near future you might want to avoid the Mojo sauce unless you have a box of Altoids on hand - it packs a punch! Of course, you can always do what I do and just make sure your dining companions have some as well! XXXX read more

Cuban Diner - Slap Yo Mama Yuca Leftovers Warning! - Cuban Near Me - Marietta, Georgia

At first glance, this little place looks a little sketch. It's located off of Roswell Road in a sunken stip-mall next to the likes of an Asian video rental store and Ace Hardware. It's an odd place for a restaurant, but inside it's a real authentic jewel. I had lunch here with my family one Sunday afternoon. My initial impression, once inside, was one of skepticism. But once I had a chance to settle in, I found the place to be quite adorable. There is lovely Cuban apparel adorning the walls and the music sounds ethnic. The food and the service is what caught me off guard. Besides the fact that we were the only ones in the restaurant, the service was excellent. It felt as though we had arrived at our fictitious Cuban Uncle's house and his butler was tending to our every need! The food was no less admirable and deliscious as the warm orange-ish paint color on the walls. They had things from classic Cuban rice and beans, to hot sandwiches that you can taste the love the cook put into it with each bite! I'm not sure of everything they had, but all of us enjoyed what we ordered. I really hope some more people will try this restaurant out, it's very relaxed and nice, in contrast to the area that it is in. read more