The best empanadas around! Try the shakes, chocolate made with chocolate ice cream not syrup! Ok

Had this once before had to admit the steak cubanito had me intimidated so I opted out to try the ham and cheese with egg. I finally tried the steak with potato strings and it's been my favorite ever since. I was never a fan of empanadas, gave plenty places tons of tries and it never hit home until I tried them from here. This place genuinely cares about cooking authentic and you can tell with all the love they out into this food. I swear they have the best cafe con leche/cafe latte. I wish I had the chance to try their rice and beans but since every thing else is such a staple on their menu I'm wondering WHY it wasn't up. I love this place. I live 45 min outside the city and one week I went every single day for coffee and breakfast. Super killin it in the top Chicago restaurants. Hands down read more

El Cubanito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great casual spot for cheap eats. Menu is pretty condensed (sandwiches and empanadas), but nothing is more than $7 after tax. The Cuban and the Ropa Viejo sandwiches are the best. All of the empanadas are worth trying as well. The pastry is buttery and a bit flaky. The interior is really nice. The seats are really plush. You kind of sink into them, and it feels sort of like you're sitting at a medieval table (but in a good way?) They used to have a great soup as well, but they've gotten rid of it in the past year. Please bring it back! read more

Will be honest. The first time my husband offered to come here I was a little doubtful. Was in the mood for something different but wasn't sure what to expect. When I had the first bite tho, wow! The sandwich was phenomenal. & the empanadas? We had chicken & shrimp. Highly recommend the shrimp ones. Highly recommend this place! Great staff too. Nice educated young men. Don't double think, today this is what you eat! read more

El Cubanito - Empanadas greatest made by, - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super good ‍‍‍i love the food they alwasy satisfy my cravings when I go get food really nice people

Best sandwiches ever my boyfriend put me on with them and now I love them! Really nice guys in the front, really nice place from the inside. Will be coming back here! read more

This place is so good. I always get the steak sandwich and it's always perfect. Friendly and quick service

Always excellent customer service from the young lady to the gentlemen! Food is never disappointing & the cafe con Leche the best!

I'm used to a Cuban steak sandwich with bigger pieces of steak and this is chopped smaller pieces but , the flavor is really good. the coffee is strong and flavorful and the menu is simple. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. read more

It's been YEARS since I was last here, YEARS. The little shed was the spot back in the day. I love what they've done with the place and the food is the same amazing food as back in the day. I brought my bf for breakfast. He ordered the Cubanito steak, ropa vieja empanada, and a ham and cheese empanada. He enjoyed every single bite (his words). I had a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. I ordered a guava with cheese empanada. Delicious. I ordered a Cubanito steak to go (I couldn't resist). And omg, the cafe con leche was perfect. read more

I absolutely love the chicken empanadas here! They put a lot of meat in them and have the perfect amount of seasoning. They are never dry and the breading is cooked perfectly! read more

Great ham and cheese empanada! Good Cuban sandwiches at a decent price. A great local place for a quick bite.

Love this place food is great staff is great. Will come back to this place. Best Cuban food.

Amazing place!!! Best Cuban sandwiches I have ever had. Will definitely be coming back again. If your ever in town, this place is a must to visit. I absolutely recommend El Cubanito read more

Sooooo good. I had the Cubano and it had a lot of meat on it and was delicious. Also had the steak and the ham and cheese empanadas. Both were huge and tasted amazing. read more

Best cuban restaurant in Chicago. Their empanadas are to die for! Their sandwiches are so original and tasty (like no other). And their Caffè con leche is mouth watering delicious! And if you want somethint sweet, the owner makes the best flan de coco I have tried. It's creamy and sweet with a hint of coconut. So good! And not to mention their guava&cheese empanada. Another sweet decadent treat. They just opened up their new restaurant right next door and it is gorgeous, family friendly, and very inviting. The service is excellent and fast! Boom! In and out.. This place is a definite must. read more

I love El Cubanito! Affordable prices, great food and chill atmosphere. It can get packed on the weekends so that goes to show you how good everything is! My fave is the steak sandwich. Always on point with the taste and texture of the steak.. the sauce they put on this sandwich is to die for. Thank God it's close to home. :) read more

El Cubanito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They have the best sandwiches in the city! Their empanadas de gauva and cheese were DELICIOUS. Highly recommended.

Have passed it a thousand times always saying I will stop there. Well today I did! Seeing a bunch of City vehicles outside means two things in Chicago, really good or really big. El Cubanito is both! I ordered the steak sandwich and even after finishing the sandwich had enough fall off for three fork fills of steak. Check out my pictures. The old store front is a beautiful mural and the new restaurant right next door has great seating and awesome ordering counter! Open kitchen too so you know what's cooking is fresh! I will now stop short of the North Ave Burrito and end up at El Cubanito! read more

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Go to place for my family and I to get Cuban food. Empanadas are amazing! Sandwiches are great! Good music, clean environment, friendly staff, and food that's always fresh! read more

The Cubanito sandwich and the steak empanadas are delicious! Great service and location. read more

El Cubanito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Some months back I had a South American taste exploration down in Florida coming across a few true diamonds in the rough. Had a couple truly good Cubano sandwiches that stuck in memory. So when I was driving up the street to a local Windows & Doors store, I caught the sign for this spot and jumped at the idea of another great sandwich? Lunch was needed for the work group, so I made this our lunch pickup stop. Alas.. after sampling from three different sandwiches, I found it disappointing. Pricing vs offer is a great value and I wish I had more to say. But in comparison to those recent FL Cubano sandwiches, this was on par with something prepared at home by your roommate that saw a great sandwich video on Youtube. We doctored up the sandwich with additional condiments for enjoyment. Beyond their sandwiches I enjoyed the empanadas. This area isn't quite Northside but for being North of the South side. They had some tasty empanadas. (On SSide, look for Chilango!) Texture, stuffing and taste were good. Just wish they offered a decent salsa or local hot sauce to compliment their hard work. For these kinds of foods I feel as though a good condiment should be provided. El Tapatio hot sauce, Franks, actually anything with a gross amount of vinegar ain't gonna do it. I wished they offered Coop sauce. (Located in Rogers Park and sold at Mariano's and Whole Foods) Those cats are local and make tasty hot sauces that compliment Latin fare. Would I go back? Probably.. I'd share a sandwich and a couple empanadas with someone. For a weekday lunch, its an option. read more

The items are very tasting and they are good portions. Fans of the steak sandwich and all empanadas.

The food is phenomenal, the empanadas are delicious. My favorite is the guava with cheese it's the perfect yummy crispy dessert.

I ordered a steak Cubanito, steak was flavorful and the portions were huge (big plus for me), bread was toasted to perfection nice and crisp. Empanadas, forget about it. Steak, chicken and shrimp were all on point. The staff is very lively and helpful. I had the honor of working with the guy with the long curly hair.. Favian I think it was? Great guy. Brought the food up to me and checked on me frequently making sure everything was to my satisfaction. All in all El Cubanito has a good location, great staff and even better food. Would recommend 10/10 read more

El Cubanito has the best empanadas in the city of Chicago. Yeah I said it. The customer service is amazing. The steak empanada, the cubano sandwich, and the fries (yes the fries) are must haves. I'm there almost every Sunday afternoon. I've been to a lot of places that have empanadas on their menu in Chicago...NOBODY comes close to El Cubanito....don't @ me. read more

El cubanito has the BEST steak empanadas, chicken empanadas (that resemble a REALLY good homemade pizza puff pastry) steak sandwich, but the BEST is the ARABE COFFEE (made with cinnamon cardomom and other delicious spices! No need to add ANYTHING!) great for call ahead carry out as I often do (empanadas are the perfect car food! Lol) but dining room is big and casual for lunch too!! read more

OH SNAP!! I'd been walkin' 'round town, tellin' everybody that if they want good Cuban food they have to go to 90 Miles. Don't get me wrong, 90 Miles is still good. But, El Cubanito is REAL good. This is the kind of place you go without pretense. If you want to get down with the dirty dirty, check out a nice taste of Miami/Little Cuba, come here. To begin with, this is a small place. This isn't a joint that's about artifice or pomp. You come here to eat real good food. How do I know? On the outside of the building is a spray paint/graffiti picture of a woman behind out and suggestively eating a sandwich. That's right: an air-brushed @ss is your welcome to El Cubanito. Who needs a hostess? Walk in and look up. The menu isn't extensive and there's not a lot of room to roam. Take a second, breathe in some smells and go for what you know. I ordered a chicken empanada and Cubano sandwich. It took a second for me to get my order on, as the owner addressed me in Spanish. I knew she spoke English because she spoke it with the customer before me. With some hesitation, I told her my Spanish wasn't so good... ("whaa??") and that I wasn't Latino ("Oh. Okay. lol I was about to give you trouble!"). [Note to self: I gotta learn Spanish.] I ordered my food, watched a Spanish version of Judge Judy, laughed, looked at the wall of business cards, contemplated leaving mine, got my grub ($7, including tax), and was told that I was "coming back tomorrow." She might be right. The food? Slammin'. WOW! The empanada was tender, just the right bit of chewy, packed with chicken, and seasoned to perfection. It was also very large. Topped with some hot sauce, you know I was in a good mood. I could have stopped there but I had a Cubano to eat. First off, the Cubano is large. They do not skimp on portions here. The bread was pressed and crispy. The pickles and mustard were delightfully tart. The cheese was melted and all over the sandwich. The ham was thinly sliced and copiously added and the pork was loaded and sopping with juice. So was I. At that moment, I understood what booty-woman trying to tell me before I came in. I was going to leave my regular (Cuban place) and creep with her. Yes. Yes, I was. If 90 Miles is Andy Garcia, El Cubanito is Pit Bull. Sometimes you gotta get dirty. *puts on El Mariel...* read more

One morning, my husband was walking my dogs and decided to walk to this place for some coffee and sandwiches. I have a Shih Tzu and a Cocker Spaniel. My husband tied up the dogs outside, he goes inside, the owner of the place greets, he places his order and suddenly she starts asking him if he was a "maricón?" (In Spanish, it is a derogatory term for Gay) Who does this??? The thing is, she didn't stop - she kept harassing him about it. My husband was annoyed with this and tells her that this isn't something you should ask anyone in that manner. The next day, my husband and I walk the dogs again in the morning and we head over to the place (it was one block away from my home). We were going to give her a second shot, maybe she was just having an off day or he misunderstood. As soon as I walk in with him (without saying a word), and in her most obnoxious voice, she says, "Oh, you brought your little girlfriend to prove you are not a maricón?" I was blown away with this response, we did NOTHING to this woman and she was being so insolent to us for no reason. Please don't support this place! There are PLENTY of other Cuban places (Marianao, 90 Miles, Senor Pan, TropiCuba) that serve sandwiches and coffee and they don't treat you like crap for no reason. I guess she also has a problem with homosexuals. read more

I had made a cubano sandwich at home a few times and they had always turned out really well, but it was time to try one made by someone who knew what they were doing. So, off to El Cubanito I went. I ordered a cubano and waited....I was slightly shocked by how long it took, but then I looked in the back and realized they were making them all fresh, which when I thought about it I was obviously happy about. The sandwich was very good. I wish there had been a bit less meat on it, but otherwise it was really amazing. I would definitely go back to try some of the other sandwiches. read more

Best chicken sandwich ever so full of meat and well seasoned. And the cafe con leche is the best just everything is so good this is my go to spot and the prices are the read more

Small in size, small in price... BIG on flavor! Let me break this down into two reviews: 1st review: Treat yourself to an empanada and a coffee. You'll thank me next time you see me. I really like the ropa vieja con queso. I've never had one like that until I came here and wow is it good. Really, this place gets 5-stars for this little combo of deliciousness, on its own. 2nd review: This place is small, but it does have a little bar with stools for 2-3 people to share. I ate a Cubano with fries here and the atmosphere was worth the price of the sandwich, alone. I really enjoyed my sandwich, and listening to the workers banter with all the customers was hilarious. They could get rich teaching workers at other food places to enjoy (or at least look like they enjoy) what they're doing. Maybe you have to keep an up-beat, energized attitude when working in such a small space... or maybe they know they rock at their job. P.S. The mural painted on the the front is hilarious. read more

I absolutely love this place. The owner Laritza, is a real darling; there's not a more infectiously sweet women working in a restaurant anywhere! Her energy fills the tiny room where these magical sandwiches are made. A visit here to have her whip up an absolutely perfect cafe con leche is reward enough for making the trip! But oh, the real treat is in the sandwiches being constructed by Laritza's husband Alberto! Several Cuban sandwich varieties are available on the small menu. "The Cuban" of course is a standard worth trying (pork, ham, pickles, mustard, mayo, cheese, etc.) If you want a bigger meal, the steak sandwich is loaded with finely chopped beef (think philly steak) that's seasoned and moist and hard to resist... you'll smell it from their little parking lot next door. All sandwiches share the most important ingredient of any sandwich in my opinion- El Cubanito's perfect, crispy, fresh bread! Bravo for serious sandwich places like this that get bread right! For desert I order an extra sandwich- the Timba! It has many of the expected desert qualities; thick slices of magically sweet guava paired with buttery, flaky, crispy bread... makes perfect sense. In sandwich form, with melted creamy cheese this thing is stunning! This place reminds me of why I choose to deal with the negatives of city living, it's an absolute gem! read more

Ay Papi, this place rocks the best sandwich per square inch of customer space in the world. The building is meager in a meager area of town, but the service and sandwiches can not be beat. In my experiences, Cuban joints aren't customarily what I would consider speedy. This was no exception, but the one thing that was different was that the workers talked to the customers the whole time. The same lady called me, "Papi" and "Nino" in the same conversation. I finished my cafe con leche before the sandwiches came, but I didn't feel slighted in the least. We picked a Cuban and Pan con Timba (cheese and guava). Both were awesome. They were smashed thin with the fillings appropriately gooey and rich. The Cuban features all of the standard fixings, but the mustard and pickles gave it an amazing acidic quality to balance the cheese and pork. The Pan Con Timba was a fascinating mix of the sweet, but not oversweet guava and a smattering of the cheese. It was a great lunch dessert. The star of the show is most assuredly the bread. They take their time and crush it on the plancha. Perfect. Next time, I might call ahead, but having a coffee with the crowd has a charm that I can't explain. read more

OH MY GOD. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Sometimes I shake uncontrollably. Then I remember the sweetness that is El Cubanitos Steak sandwich. It comes with a fork.....go ahead ask me why? So much delicious meat just falling out of the sandwich. The flavor just sticks with you. And the owner is a sweet heart... "see you tomorrow" as she says when you leave... I wish! read more

One of the things Yelp has done for me is expand my horizons as far as grub is concerned. Without Yelp, bless its cotton socks, I would have never experienced El Cubanito, 90 Miles, Mexican street food in general, cupcake(s) and countless other things. After being bowled over by 90 Miles, Cuban grub is now on my radar and has a handful of my bookmarks. El Cubanito seemed to rank very high (4 1/2 stars), so I made the jaunt out there one day to taste it for myself. The drive out to El Cubanito is long and gritty. El Cubanito itself is a gritty hole in the wall. I almost wanted to turn right around as soon as I broke the plane of its portal. It's a little scary on its face. I clenched my jaw and ordered a Cuban and a 24-ounce American Coke. While I sat on one of the two or three stools to wait, an older guy threw a couple or ten DVDs on the counter in front of me. "Da Town. You seen that one, mang?" He was a hard sell kind of guy. I just don't buy DVDs, especially pirated DVDs. "Check it out, HD, mang." No, thanks. I took my grub to go. The Cuban sandwich is huge. You'll have to be very hungry to finish it in one sitting. It was very good and probably bigger than 90 Miles' version, but I think I have to give the nod to 90 Miles relative to El Cubanito. It could have been the ambiance or company that put 90 Miles top for me. Still, El Cubanito is right on 90 Miles' heels as far as taste goes. It's just a bit too far out of the way to be a destination and lacks any ambiance or warmth to stick around. The Cuban sandwich is 4 1/2 stars. Since grub is paramount, I'll give El Cubanito four stars. read more

I didn't even know this place was here! It's literally 2 blocks from my house - i'll have to stay away or i'll be 3000 pounds. Anyways, found it from some reviews on here and sent the hubby to pickup lunch in the pouring rain. Oops. We both had the steak and it was really good! The bread was excellent - and it did kind of taste like a philly or something similar. I got a ham and cheese for our little one and she had about 5 whole bites. It was jam packed with about 3 layers each of ham and cheese. I also had the cafe con leche which was tasty but kind of sweet. I'm assuming it's supposed to be. Great little spot to grab a quick bite for lunch or whatever. Hubby said it was very small with a small parking area as well. Oh and they take debit which is good too because we hardly ever have cash. read more

I am gonna go ahead and agree with Maya C's review, with one minor clarification. Describing this place as a "hole in the wall" is an insult to things that could've been covered with toothpaste the day before you moved out of the dorms. I ordered 2 sandwiches, a cuban and a ropa vieja, one of which I had for lunch once i got it home, the other, I had for dinner about 20 minutes ago. They were both delicious, even reheated. The highlight of the trip, for me was the Cafe con leche, which rocked my whole world. read more

VIVIR MI VIDA CON GUSTO... This joint has expanded into a new space next door to where they used to be. Now you and your friends (or family) can actually sit inside and enjoy your food. The vibe is cool and so is the music, but the real star here is the exceptional quality in their Cuban sandwiches. Estoy viviendo mi vida con mucho gusto. Hey, if you landed here at Yelp, keep reading. You don't have to fly 1,715 miles to Cuba to have authentic Cuban comida y café Cubano con leche. This is an affordable joint offering a cozy and contemporary environment with an excellent price-point. The menu is small. Nothing is made ahead of time, which means freshness and quality. This should be on your must try "Hit it Up" bucket list of restaurants. You can read my review from 2-27-2015 for more details on this joint. (Note to Self: Wear my work out Yoga pant next time around). I don't usually give 5-star ratings on Yelp, but this place definitely deserves a 5-star rating. I was born in Florida, and have had my share of Cuban coffee, Cuban dulces, Cuban pastries, Cuban sandwiches (different kinds), so I know Cuban food. This joint is as authentic as it gets in terms of el Sabor. The Owners are wonderful and make you feel at home from the moment you walk into this place. It's a family-owned business and they take great pride in making sure that every customer is well taken care of and satisfied with their meal. I like that I can actually speak Spanish here. I speak several foreign languages, but don't get to use them very often. However, they speak fluent English here, but I like speaking Spanish (it is like practice for me) with the Owner or the Owner's adult sons. I have several suggestions/recommendations for the Owners of El Cubanito to improve and streamline their system. Here they are: (1) Streamline the way food is delivered to tables (your customers). Install an inexpensive PA system or (2) Utilize the TV above the "Pick Up" window to FLASH Numbers when orders are ready (for example, numbers "118, 119 and 120") instead of shouting or screaming each number. (Right now the TV above the Pick-Up window shows the Chicago weather temperatures). (3) Please include cups of water on the receipt and put a "Zero" next to the cups of water. This way, the drinks will not be forgotten when our food is delivered to our table. We will not have to walk up to an employee to ask for our water. I know they are still working out the kinks in their new space, but the above three suggestions are an easy fix. Finally, another person who posted a review here (dated 3-15-2015) made a racist remark about the cooks being Mexican.....well, the people who cook here are Cuban, so get your facts straight. WTF (with eye rolling and attitude) should it matter what nationality people are any way? If it bothers you that much just don't fooken come back here again. Now, don't let the door hit you on your way out (oh snap)! read more

I found myself craving a steak sandwich big time, so I decided to hit this spot up. And I am glad that I did! This place makes an awesome steak sandwich! It's loaded with chopped meat, and is very flavorful. Best sandwich they make, in my opinion. I usually go to Mariano's to fill my steak sandwich needs, but this place has gained the top spot in my book. They are more friendly than Mariano's, also. Be careful exiting the parking lot/alley to Pulaski during rush hour. The traffic can zoom by very fast and with no parking on the street during this time, the cars can zoom by VERY close! And the regulars that drive here will enter the parking lot/alley fast, too. I've had a few close calls... read more