I've driven past Cuya Cafe more times than I can count, and now I'm wondering why it took me so long to go inside. The vibe? 10/10. The drinks? 10/10. The food? Unlike anything I've had before. And somehow they managed to be stylish, delicious, AND fast. The only thing that took some time was us deciding what to order because there were so many amazing things on the menu! Raleigh, add this one to your list immediately & honestly...this may be the best fried chicken in Raleigh! CUYA Cafe read more

Cuya - Mango Matcha - Latin American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This place was absolutely amazing. All I can say is, we made a lot of happy noises while eating, and there were plenty of "oh my God" moments at the table. From the staff to the manager to the food, everything was on point. The food truly speaks for itself. They serve small plates, which we love because it gives you the chance to try different things and experience a variety of flavors. We started with the fried pork belly on tostones. It was perfectly seasoned, topped with avocado, and every bite just melted in your mouth. Next, we had the tamarind sticky ribs with a tamarind mango barbecue sauce. This was a perfect example of how simplicity can create complex flavors. The ribs were cooked just right -- not completely falling off the bone, but tender enough that when you bit into them, the meat pulled apart so easily. They were juicy, full of flavor, and had just the right touch of spice from the chili flakes. Then we moved on to the mini arepas, and oh my God. They had slow-cooked pork, guava barbecue sauce, and fried papas on top. The arepa itself was crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. The savory pork paired with the sweetness of the guava barbecue sauce was incredible, and the crunch from the fried papas took it to another level. Now, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but my wife does not. I wanted dessert, and we were leaning toward the tres leches, but our waitress highly recommended the bread pudding. I am not usually a fan of bread pudding at all, but her recommendations had been on point all night, so I decided to trust her. I am so glad we did. They take a Mexican bolillo, soak it overnight in tres leches, then pan-sear it to create this crispy caramelized outside while keeping the inside warm, soft, and sweet. It is topped with crema and toasted coconut, then they pour warm guava syrup over it and serve it with a scoop of coconut sorbet. The layers of flavor in that dessert were unreal. Honestly, it may have been the best dessert we have ever had. And remember, my wife is not big on sweets -- she usually only takes one bite of dessert, but this time she tried to eat over half of it. Lol. I highly recommend this place. The food, the service, the drinks, and the atmosphere were all amazing. And after dinner, you can even head upstairs to work off the food with salsa lessons and a dance club. This is definitely a spot worth checking out! Este lugar fue absolutamente increíble. Lo único que puedo decir es que hicimos muchos sonidos de felicidad mientras comíamos, y hubo muchos momentos de "¡Dios mío!" en la mesa. Desde el personal, hasta el gerente, hasta la comida, todo estuvo excelente. La comida realmente habla por sí sola. Sirven platos pequeños, algo que nos encanta porque te da la oportunidad de probar diferentes cosas y experimentar una variedad de sabores. Comenzamos con el pork belly frito sobre tostones. Estaba perfectamente sazonado, cubierto con aguacate, y cada bocado simplemente se derretía en la boca. Después probamos las costillitas pegajosas de tamarindo con una salsa barbecue de tamarindo y mango. Este plato fue un ejemplo perfecto de cómo la simplicidad puede crear sabores complejos. Las costillas estaban cocinadas en su punto: no se caían completamente del hueso, pero estaban tan tiernas que al morderlas, la carne se desprendía fácilmente. Estaban jugosas, llenas de sabor y con el toque perfecto de picante gracias a las hojuelas de chile. Luego pasamos a las mini arepas, y ¡Dios mío! Tenían cerdo cocinado lentamente, salsa barbecue de guayaba y papitas fritas encima. La arepa estaba crujiente por fuera, calientita y esponjosa por dentro. El sabor salado del cerdo combinado con la dulzura de la salsa barbecue de guayaba fue increíble, y el crujiente de las papitas fritas lo llevó a otro nivel. Ahora, a mí me gustan mucho los dulces, pero a mi esposa no tanto. Yo quería pedir postre, y estábamos pensando en el tres leches, pero nuestra mesera nos recomendó mucho el budín de pan. Normalmente no soy fanático del budín de pan, pero sus recomendaciones habían sido excelentes toda la noche, así que decidí confiar en ella. Me alegra muchísimo haberlo hecho. Toman un bolillo mexicano, lo remojan durante la noche en tres leches y luego lo sellan en sartén para crear una capa exterior crujiente y caramelizada, mientras que el interior se mantiene calientito, suave y dulce. Lo sirven con crema y coco tostado, luego le vierten encima un jarabe tibio de guayaba y lo acompañan con una bola de sorbete de coco. Las capas de sabor en ese postre fueron irreales. Honestamente, puede que haya sido el mejor postre que hemos probado en nuestra vida. Y recuerden, mi esposa no es muy amante de los dulces; normalmente solo prueba un bocado del postre, pero esta vez intentó comerse más de la mitad. Jajaja. read more

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This was my first time coming here since they rebranded and reopened. I already enjoyed the previous concept and was anxious to see what was different. The essence of it still feels similar with a few differences in ambiance and menu. They still over an oyster option, but we didn't try it. The octopus was good - cooked nicely. I enjoyed the ceviche. It's not the best I ever had, but a solid choice and the portion was excellent. The cocktail was well balanced and tasted good. The skirt steak was nice, but I was full so didn't eat all of it. There are black beans under the skirt steak that were AMAZING. It was just a small option of the dish - not the size of a side portion but almost like a "sauce" under the steak. It was perfect. This place remains a solid choice. I would come here again on a date or with a girl friend. read more

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I just stopped in for a drink and app. The bartender was AMAZING!! He made me a drink, "Dealers Choice" I had no preference on the alcohol (all are fine with me) and I wanted it a little sweet. "PERFECTO" He prepared a beautiful cocktail that was absolutely delicious. Sweet, but not too sweet. I also ordered the Grilled Shrimp Brocheta. I'm from Louisiana and we don't mind eating seafood with our hands and sucking heads. The sauce with this bad boy was absolutely amazing. It's a whole shrimp and the sauce is so good, you will be sucking the HEADS. The only thing missing was so fresh and buttery crusty bread to sop up all that DELICIOUSNESS!!! I will be back and with a big appetite to try more things on the menu. A must stop!!! I forgot to mention it is a beautiful restaurant and perfect for an intimate night out or with your girls!!! read more

Cuya - Grilled Shrimp Brocheta!!! - Latin American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Although, Google says they are closed for a few hours in between brunch and dinner, sometimes they stay open to accommodate guests and that's exactly what happened this past Sunday! I've been upstairs to their lounge area before but this was my first time at the restaurant and it did not disappoint. First and foremost the atmosphere is a complete reflection of my personality. You're surrounded by powerful Latinos and throwback reggaeton, salsa, merengue and bachata. The space is colorful, a mix of modern Mexican and Spanish art, just great! The food was equally great. Shared the corn ribs, empanadas and queso. Everything came out fresh and well seasoned. read more

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We returned to Cuya last night with friends and again, our meal was spectacular. Standouts: the Charred Cabbage (again), the Arepas (10 stars), and, well, everything we ordered was excellent. Our friends, who'd lived in Puerto Rico and Spain, were bowled over by the experience. One other thing well worth mentioning: visiting Cuya with friends has got to be one of the top 3 restaurant values in the Triangle. We had 6 plates and 3 cocktails, and our bill (split 50/50) was $68 per couple, which is absurdly low, given the quality of the food we enjoyed. If you love food and haven't been to Cuya, you owe it to yourself to check it out. A+++ read more

The chicken with potatoes was so good. The service was swift and the ambience was nice.

This was an amazing meal. All of the food and the cocktails were fantastic. Me and my wife got a bunch of the small plates and they did not disappoint. The corn ribs are a must! The inside had a cool vibe and they are working on a patio which will be a nice addition to will go back again! read more

Ambiance is wonderful Spanish music playing in the background, food was delicious. Great for a birthday celebration, date night or girls night. read more

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My third time back!! Again, the service and food are consistently good! The prices are steep so be prepared for that but it's always worth it:) read more

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Lucky I found this spot walking around. Very good vibes. They have a outside patio with a bar as well as a second floor lounge bar. My bartender was pleasant and prompt. The food was delicious and I also had the elite corn ribs but I didn't get to take a picture before digging in! read more

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The quality and level of service at Cuya is incredible. The owner was nice and made us feel very welcomed. The restaurant ambience and decoration was absolutely stunning and very beautiful, but the highlight was obviously the food. Everything was so tasty and felt very fresh and delicious. Highly recommend this spot, 1000/10. We will be back!!! read more

Cuya - Tostones Benedict - Latin American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Food was a little overcooked, and they seemed annoyed when I asked for something different. The ambiance was beautiful though..

The food is lacking flavor. Between all 8 of us we had a variety of food. Non of it was memorable. Almost all of us ordered the ExpressYoSelf martini. It tasted like a watered down espresso martini. Absolutely disgusting. read more

We had a amazing experience at Cuya. I went for my birthday brunch with some friends. We had a great a time and ordered half the menu. Great vibes and the staff is amazing. Highly recommend! read more

He ido a Cuya por la juerga y la comida, y ¡ambas experiencias fueron increíbles! La vibra y la decoración del restaurante son preciosas. ¡El personal es súper chévere y generoso con las bebidas, que eso nos encanta! La comida estuvo deliciosa, bien sazonada y con buenas porciones. Lamentablemente, cuando mi grupo y yo fuimos, estábamos famélicos, ¡comimos antes de que la cámara nos grabara! En cuanto a la juerga, es un ambiente más pequeño, pero la música está brutal, ¡y la pasé de maravilla! read more

We went to dinner at Cuya today and it was truly unexpectedly delightful albeit pricey. As a family of Boricuas, can be tough critics, but we decided to check our bias at the door and stay open to possibility. Cuya is not cocina criollo. It is an exploration of la cocina through a western idea of elevated cuisine. The vibe was great. Maria was great. The portions were what I would expect from fine dining. We had the empanadas birria (interesting fusion-worth a try), croquettes de yuca (a definite must), chicharróne (a nice safe bite for the less adventurous), pork belly tostones (yes and yes again), and the chuleta can can (shareable, rich, and wonderfully done). The sangria is very nice as well. We added an extra rice (tasty) and beans (not a fave--dare I say elevated when it should have stayed grounded and true to traditional black bean recipe). Bottom line, a solid experience that I would gladly have again. read more

The food is not traditional, so don't get your hopes high. On the Puerto Rican palette side it's not como mamma cocina . However for the American palette, "fantastic! read more

Cuya is the newest bar and lounge in Glenwood South! Located right above Cortez Seafood is a mod bar and lounge with island vibes and sleek decor. Take the stairs to the left of the building and walk up into a multi-hued paradise. The focus is on fruit-forward cocktails and in particular, passionfruit. The space is fun, the music is fun which means I think you'll have a fun time when you visit. I'm guessing that the vibe changes a bit as you get late night, maybe a DJ and some dancing after 10pm? I'm not sure if I'll stay up that late to find out but I think you'll like Cuya if you enjoy a good cocktail in a lush and beautiful space, nuff said. read more

Cuya - Latin American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

A few of us decided to check out this cocktail bar that is located on Glenwood Ave above the Cortez. I was able to try the Rosamaria, Jalisco Boi, Bebesota and Thicc Mami. The drinks were all good. We visited earlier in the evening so it was not busy but it definitely seems like it becomes more club like later in the night. So the time that you visit will depend on the vibe that you are looking for. read more

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Good price. The pork ribs with tamarind are awesome . The blue tortillas with cheese is a must . The service is excellent and it has a good ambiance . read more

I was excited to check out the new cocktail bar upstairs from Cortez for a birthday cocktail. They have a small menu you can order from and we were informed it would expand. I was initially told by one of the bartenders that I would have to walk down and get my fries from Cortez but when I went down, I asked if that would be customary and was informed that they have runners so my sisters food was brought to her.. Since Cuya is a cocktail bar I'll rate the drinks. I love the added touches and attention to detail. Our drinks were tasty and definitely different. The atmosphere is really chic..Loved the furniture, wallpaper and art.. oh and the bathroom mirror lol you can touch it and the light dims. When we got there they had only been open for like an hour so it wasn't crowded at all. Even when people came in, it was a nice flow.. All and all the vibe was nice and I'll check it out again... read more

Cuya - Checking out the Vibe at Cuya... Cortez sister cocktail bar... - Latin American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Incredibly good food and service was wonderful! Everyone was very welcoming and had great recommendations as we were first time customers. Relaxing and fun vibe. Must try's: Ceviche, shrimp and coconut empanada, queso fundido, peril con arepas, and pastelon. Drinks were perfect...Margarita and Hemingway Special...not too sweet, not weak, and delicious! Can't wait to go back and try more! read more

phenomenal meal with a phenomenal server, maria was so kind and gave top tier service. the bartender made me a mezcal drink i can't remember the name of but it was delicious. would recommend this place over and over again read more

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This is a nice place to visit they have pretty good music and good drinks, i think drinks are overpriced a little bit (again my personal opinion) but it is a good place to be with some friends. I don't have pics to post. read more

New cocktail bar that is located on Glenwood right above Cortez! I visited on a Thursday evening and their cocktails are amazing! You'll have to walk up stairs right above the Cortez and walk in to a vibey aesthetic cocktail bar. The lighting is dim and they played some chill music that fit the mood of the place. I like how low-key the vibe is and the drinks are very unique. They also have some classic cocktails as well and a list of beer and wine. I really enjoyed the Jalisco Boi cocktail that had a little bit of spice. The Cruz Control was also delicious with a smokey taste and subtle raspberry flavor from the raspberry violet syrup. I really enjoyed these drinks and will definitely be visiting again! read more

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Love the space, music and few crafted cocktails. My only suggestion is if you want to stand out from the rest of the basic bars on Glenwood you must serve your drinks in glasses. No brainier. Music is great and the crowd is classier then anywhere else. read more

Super cool ambiance. Great service and cocktails. Can order food from the restaurant below.