We were in the mood for Latin food so we decided to try Guava Tree. I ordered the Cubano and hubby ordered the Pelotero. The cubano was decent a little too much mustard for my taste which made the whole sandwich too tangy for me. The Pelotero was much better with deeper flavors in the meat, beans and rice. Honestly I ended up switching plates with my hubs because his food was way better. The place is small and cute and you do have to order your food at the counter and then they bring it out to your table. The bathroom is super tiny but clean. Prices are a little bit higher than I expected for the amount of food we received. Overall a nice find read more

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This place was unsuspecting and incredible. I was in shock. I'm so glad I deviated from my usual lunch time routine at sawmill to grab a Cuban sandwich here. The pastelito and cafe con leche were also incredible! I'll definitely be back! read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Cubano and pastelito IG: @_badassfoodie - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great service and vibe. The food was incredible. I could have just ate a bowl of beans and rice and been satisfied! The best yucca fries I've ever had!! read more

I was craving a Cuban Sandwich and saw the menu for Guava. It was authentic and beyond delicious. I could have cried from how good our sandwich and arepa were. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Cuban sandwich and Arepa Pabellon - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Great vibe & even better food! Love the family business. Fresh flavors and ingredients made every bite worth every calorie. Shared the 3 Amigos tostone, plantain & yuca basket. 3 entrees at the table- a Cubano, Arepa (AMAZING), and a chicken sandwich. Homemade hot sauce -holyschmoly.... Tasty and SPICY! Highly recommend. read more

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Delicious. Hearty , full of flavor. It's in an older adobe structure. No music, quiet with great posters. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - The special. Ropa vieja with yuca fries and fried bananas , avocado , rice, beans and salad. $16.50. - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

We were on way home from a weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico and needed a meal for the plane. After searching the internet and yelp, we were intrigued by reviews of Guava Tree Cafe with two locations. It needed to be a quick stop and not a messy meal for the quick plane ride home to Phoenix. We chose the Tin Can alley location as it was closer to our route. The Latin American and Caribbean sandwiches looked too good to pass up. Our order consisted of the Cubano and the Pernil on a crispy and compressed sandwich baguette. A good Cubano has always been a favorite and this did not disappoint. The slow roasted pork was covered in ham, melted Swiss cheese, light coating of yellow mustard and pickles on a pressed roll. It was "perfect" and the flavor was bold. Nicely done! The Pernil was a spiced rubbed and slow roasted Caribbean pork covered in Swiss cheese, carmelized onions and a garlic sauce. It was also pressed. The seasoning was spot on and enough sauce without being sloppy. We encountered a small issue on the plane, other passengers wanted to know where we got the sandwiches at the airpirt and would we sell them? To Guava Tree Cafe, you do a very nice job with these two sandwiches and don't stop being inventive. We will be back to sample more of your delights. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Pernil split sandwich with Caribbean spice runbed pork and nicely sauced. Great sandwich! - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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I honestly don't know why people enjoy this place, I regret coming here! We only decided on this joint because the Thai place was closed next door. Walking into the restaurant, you can already smell and see how bad it will be. The restaurant looks unkept and looks extremely old and extremely dirty. We decided to sit outside and I ordered the Guava Pollito. I should've looked at the photos on Yelp, because it came out looking very unappetizing and not edible. I tried to finish the sandwich but ended up throwing it away (I've attached my photo). I would not come back here again. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Do not recommend. - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This place wasn't to bad. Got a Cuban sandwich and got to try a couple drinks. They were closing and said we can order to go. The sandwich by itself is on the pricey side but it is good. I will go again next time I'm in town read more

Not my kind of food but Pablo was keen to try. We had the veggie Arepa, stuffed with plantain, veggies and beans. It was delicious and enough to split between two of us. The coffee was excellent. Indoor and al fresco dining. A cut e place to work, relax or meet up with friends and not expensive. Service was A-OK. read more

LOVE this place and all the sandwiches. The yucca fries and Cubano are a 10/10 for me. The sandwiches are cut horizontally giving a thinner slice which is so good. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Cubano - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

When visiting Albuquerque I always stop here for lunch. My favorite is the Guava Pollito sandwich. Shredded Chicken Breast, Swiss Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, Greens and Tomatoes, with our signature garlic sauce on wheat. Very flavorful! Friend staff and fast service. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Guava Pollito with Yuca fries. - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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LOVED this place! The food is amazing and so flavorful. The staff is so sweet and helpful. We loved it here! read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

After our flight in from CA, we caught a ride to this cute, homey cafe with limited outdoor seating. Service was friendly. Ambience was a little dark inside but in a fun adobe-style building with a few 4-seater tables in the front and a couple taller 2-seaters on the side next to the parking spots. Cuban sandwich with fried plantains was good, though had slightly drier bread and meat than some others I have eaten. Fried plantains were delicious and sweet--just the way I like them. My friend and I got the sparkling lemonade with spices (including cinamon and clove), which reminded me of Christmas a little and was refreshing. My friend got the arepa: she found the meat to be a bit dry, could have used more cheese, but overall solid. An overall enjoyable lunch spot: good food, more mom-n-pop ambience, unique lemonade. Probably would not go out of my way to come back, but I'm a little spoiled when it comes to this type of food. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Arepa, cuban sandwich, unique sparkling lemonade (with cinnamon and clove spices) - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

So yum! Quaint little shop with the best Cubanos. The space had an old house feel to it, lots of rooms to sit in. Good cafe con leches.

I love love love Guava Tree cafe! I have never had a disappointing experience at their original location in Nob Hill! Their cafecitos are so authentic and good!! I could have 8 of them. The service is always friendly and the ambiance reminds me of my grandmas house, super cozy! The sandwiches are also so good. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Turkey sandwich and cafecito - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

my Cuban sandwich was the best I've ever had in my life it took a little time to make it, but it came out so fresh. It was worth the wait five star. read more

This is a solid Latin American restaurant. It's building is a fun old house feel with different rooms and a really nice cozy unique ambience. I have had the vegetarian arepa sandwich, which is very big and tasty and full of cooked veggies. Good stuff! I was really impressed one time when they went above and beyond to accommodate a big group of people i was with, moving tables and chairs around and trying to squeeze everyone in. read more

Interesting place. Street parking plus a small side parking lot that is free are available. Quaint little building that I drove by first time and had to come back around. We walked in side entrance on ground floor. It's a walk up to the counter and order type place and then they bring your food out. Definitely a locals favorite by judging those there. My son had the Cubana and I had three lunch special. Let me say the sandwich met the description and was delicious. The lunch special was huge. I had no idea. It was delicious though. Amazing how the flavors all melded together and the lemonade was spectacular. This is a more hipster type place but no one fussed about an ole fella coming in. Sorry I forgot to grab pix. Overwhelmed by it all. read more

When I say Guava Tree Cafe is good, I mean it's goooooooooood! I often find myself craving their plantains and yucca fries because they are truly so tasty and simple. No matter what you get, the flavor is super good. My favorites include the lunch special, the cubano, or an arepa pabellon. I don't think you can wrong though, whatever you decide to order. Everything is just so filled with flavor. The beautifully spiced meats along with the sweetness of the plantains is almost too good to be true. The only gripe I ever had was they had more limited hours but now that they have that second location, those cravings can be satisfied more frequently. I love their Tin Can Alley location, honestly so happy for them to have that second location. Especially if you want to grab a drink and enjoy a basket of yucca fries from the top patio at Tin Can Alley! read more

A hidden gem just steps away from UNM.....the food and vibe and love are as amazing now as they were when I shared my first review several years ago. The main feature of this review, the Pelotero, offered just the right amount of wonderfully tender and artfully seasoned ropa viejo, slightly crispy sweet plantains, yucca fries and a small house salad; and that heavenly creamy garlic sauce continues to rock my world! This excellent "lunch special" plate is accompanied by a large glass of Guava Tree's unusual and delicious lemonade....brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon make this a unique and refreshing treat! Speaking of that special sauce, my friend's Pernil was topped of with a generous drizzle of that special garlicky wonderfulness. The bite that I enjoyed would have been quite excellent with just the juicy roasted pork and the delectable caramelized onions.....that sauce really took it up a notch! Thanks for continuing to share delicious food prepared with love, Guava Tree! Yelp on! read more

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Oh #guavatreerestaurant ... how special a treat we had today! We were at the market picking up some medicine and some rice when I hit the google button... scrolling down I saw "Latin food" and clicked on Guava Tree's website. I saw plantains and couldn't resist. This place is a compete gem off the Main Street in Nob Hill. The dining room felt like a beachfront cabana. The food was a beautiful experience of blended flavors that worked beautifully together! I'd never thought to put pickles and mustard together but .. the combination worked on the Cubano sandwich (most popular seller!) and the flavors of plantains, avocado, pork and queso in the corn bread were delightfully complementary! The mango juice was just what I needed after a long day of exercise! I'm going to have to agree with @guyfieri on this place.... Definitely 5/5 ;-) #gourmetrecovery #abqrestaurantreview read more

Since I arrived in ABQ 9 months ago, I have wanted to try the Guava Tree - since Cuban food is one of my favorite top three ethnic cuisines (the other two being Thai and Cajun). I know Cuban food, I really do since my ex-almost-mother-in-law fed me her Cuban foods for several years while I dated her son. She passed her recipes down to me and many say, that I make authentic Cuban food as well as she did. So after 1 long-awaited visit to the Guava Tree, it has my overall thumbs-up approval, and I can't wait to taste some more foods. On this first visit, the kitchen did not have a fryer for yucca fries and tostones (which are an unsweetened type of plantain). My plan was to get a basket of yucca fries, sweet plantains, and tostones along with rice and beans, but since two items were deep fried that did not happen. I went with their signature plate called El Peletero - which includes a bit of salad greens, rice, black beans, beef in red sauce (ropa vieja), a slice of avocado, sweet plantains, and sides of dressing. The sweet plantains were cooked to perfection, the ropa vieja was tasty, the black beans were canned (a travesty) and the white rice was cooked well but was bland. I hoped for a bit more flavor, and why not RED BEANS? Authenticity is key when it comes to ethnic flavors and black beans are not the true authentic Cuban bean type. I am certainly one who expects a lot when it comes to true authentic ethnic cuisine and as such, I am often disappointed. On another note, my dinner came with a drink - a lemonade that was exceptional. It was made with raw sugar, lemon, cinnamon and I am not sure what else - but it was pretty epic. Loved it. See, I am not a morose soul - I truly try to find the best in every business and every person that I meet. read more

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My son has recommended Guava Tree many times and since I was in the neighborhood I decided to give it a try. The restaurant is in Nob Hill nestled on the side street Richmond north of Central. A sandwich is a sandwich right? For me, it takes a lot to impress me with an easy meal you can create at home, and yet this tiny restaurant delivered a big punch of delicious Caribbean style sandwiches. Yes, Guava had me at the first bite. I ordered the guava pollito sandwich. My sandwich consisted of shredded chicken, mushrooms, onions, swiss cheese, and soaked in an incredible garlic sauce pressed between two triangular slices of freshly baked bread. FYI it is quite messy, but definitely worth the mess. My son ordered the Caribe turkey sandwich and when he offered a bite I couldn't resist. This perfectly roasted in house turkey breast, is accompanied by fresh avocado slices, provolone cheese and topped with a delicious chimichurri sauce. Both sandwiches were of generous portions, that I ate half for lunch and saved the other half for dinner. The yucccaaa fries!! You have to try these fresh off the fryer flavorful fries and dip them in the garlic sauce. Trust me you won't be disappointed. read more

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It was Pretty sleepy during lunch on a Tuesday. No queue. Quick order and takeout sandwich was ready in about 5 minutes. Plan on $13-15 for food only lunch or $20 if you want t drink. No decaf coffee drink options, and non coffee based drinks seemed to be sweet focused. The sando was large but not huge. It eats like a softer panini of sorts with mostly lean pork and lots of onions, I liked how it wasn't super heavy on cheese, too. Good, not great. I might have dipped or used more sauce given the option. read more

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I'm a really big fan of Cuban sandwiches so after seeing these pics on Yelp I had to give this place a try. The Cuban definitely did not disappoint. The bread was crispy, good ratio of meats and cheese to bread as well. The pork wasn't as flavorful as I would have hoped for, but overall I'm sure this is the best Cuban you will get in ABQ. read more

I saw this place on triple D a few days ago and wanted to try it. It reminds me of the places I've eaten in Mexico that are basically a house kitchen with table and chairs. You go up to the counter and order, then they give you a number. It seemed to be only 2 people working despite it being crowded. I ordered the pork arepa with yuca fries and a mango juice. It only took about ten minuets and they were very busy. The arepa was fresh and you can taste the cheese and avocado second only to the tender pork. The Yuca fries had a good taste but were cold. The sauces that came with it were diverse in flavor and spice, but I only tried them and felt they took away from the natural flavors. I would eat there again, but likely will try something else next time. Also be careful if parking at the Nob hill locations as the metered parking is watched. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - This is where you order. - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

My favorite food is Caribbean and Cuban food, and unfortunately I don't get a lot of it after moving to the West Coast from NYC. I spent every summer in Florida, and I lived for our trips to Key West to visit Blue Heaven. So when my husband and I were looking up lunch places to eat near the Albuquerque airport before heading to Santa Fe, I was surprised to see a 5-star Cuban food diner on the list. But we're so glad we took the leap of faith to try it. It was one of the most amazing meals I've ever eaten. We shared the Arepa Pabellón with beef, black beans and sweet plantains. It was the perfect combo of rich, sweet and savory. We also got the Arepa Patrón, which is new and not featured on the online menu yet. It was like a Cuban sandwich in an Arepa with slow roasted pork, perfect velvety slices of avocado, and topped with the most amazing garlic sauce. It was hard to decide which one we liked better, they were both so amazing!! Both arepas came with a salty, crisp tostone that we wanted to only eat half of. But couldn't. We're planning on going back on the way to the Albuquerque airport to grab a Cuban sammie for the plane ride home to San Diego. If I could franchise this place at home, I would. Seriously so amazing! read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Arepas and plane hair don't care - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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so yummy !!! i love their food and its such a cute place to chill out and chill back alone or with friends!!! so nice and it's good if ur dining in because they do take a while to make the food but it comes out delicious!!!! absolutely perfect and they're so nice ! love it here read more

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Guava Tree Cafe has interesting Caribbean sandwiches and tropical fruit juice blends ideal for a quick bite in hot Albuquerque. Located a few minutes from Interstate 40 and the University of New Mexico, you know you'll find interesting food if you look near a large college! Split with my Son: - Guava Tree Salad, wilted greens with caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, roasted peppers, olives, queso fresco drenched a light vinaigrette (enough for two) - Pernil Sandwich, a panini-like Sandwich of slow-roasted pork, caramelized onions, melted cheese, and house-made garlic sauce (you can taste the Caribbean rub on the pork, crunchy exterior with gooey interior filling, EXCELLENTE!) - Guava Juice, frothy juice blended with water (milk option available) and ice (refreshing for 95 degree weather) Other Tidbits: Metered Street parking, Order & pay at the counter, Food brought to your table, Two Uni-Sex restrooms, Indoor/Outdoor seating, Other Shops, Restaurants and Bars within walking distance, Relaxed Vibe. read more

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One of the best sandwiches I've had happened today! It was a pork sandwich with caramelized onions, cheese, and garlic sauce on toasted bread (panini-style). The meat was tender, the sandwich was warm, and the onions/cheese/sauce all combined to make every bite delectable. I was able to order fried plantain which had a wonderful crisp to it! I didn't have breakfast; eating the whole sandwich and plantains filled me for the rest of the day in a great way. Satisfying! I've been to Nob Hill and have missed seeing this place since it sets a little hidden if you are on Central and look north on Richmond. But I'm so glad to know about it! Clean restaurant. Good smells as good was prepared. I usually just get water, and it was from a reservoir with citrus in it. Was perfect. I'm ready to go back! read more

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My husband and I try Cuban food everywhere we go! I'm Cuban and I am always hoping to find an authentic place to eat. It really drives me crazy when we go to a Cuban place only to find all of the food is Latin American fusion (both are great, but I like authentic Cuban). This place is delicious AND authentic Cuban food! My husband got the classic Cubano sandwich. The pork was flavorful and juicy and the mustard/pickle/ham/pork/swiss ratio was perfect! I got the plate of the day called El Pelotero (meaning baseball player). It came with ropa vieja (direct translation: old clothing, which is a yummy braised shredded beef seasoned with peppers and onions), frijoles negros (black beans), rice with a delicious cooked tomato and avocado garnish, fried yuca and maduros (sweet plantains). All super delicious! We split an Ironbeer (Cuban soda that is reminiscent of coca cola but with sweeter undertones), house-made lemonade with cane sugar, and a pastelito de guayaba y queso (guava & cream cheese pastry). The house-made lemonade was very refreshing! The guava pastry was just perfect - reminded me of something you would get out of a Cuban bakery in Miami. Even better - they toasted it in the oven for us so the guava was nice & melty. Bottom line - HIGHLY RECOMMEND! (Also, many thanks to the restaurant for allowing a service dog in training to be trained during the busy lunch hour.) read more

This place takes me always back to my college days. I visited this place quite often more back then than I do now. The food is properly seasoned and can be a little too much at times. The staff is very friendly and respectful. I always feel welcomed and feel a positive vibe in the establishment. Lots of selections in the menu. read more

Delicious! I love being able to have some of the food I grew up eating from back home. The sweet plantains are sooo yummy! Love the arepas! read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I was trying out any new food today at lunch and randomly selected Cuban. Wow, not a clue as to authenticity, but the meal was superb. Salad was light with cumbersome. Pork delicious. Tried fired plantations, not bad. One of the best meals in town. Thanks for an excellent food adventure. read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Lunch Special - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Talk about night and day. I have been to Guava Tree at Tin Can Alley and thought the food was great. The flavors were rich and the people that worked there were so nice and helpful. Decided to try the one at Nob Hill today for lunch. What a let down! The food was so bland, the pork looked like it was boiled. There were no spices in anything I ate. My friend said the Cubano was like eating cardboard. Even the staff acted like we were bothering them when we placed our order. Very disappointing. I even tipped good anticipating a good meal. So sad. read more

We have been in the New Mexico area now for a week and I can honestly say this was the best meal we had. The passion fruit during the Cuban sandwiches the yucca fries so very very good read more

Absolutely delicious! My friend and I shared an arepa combo basket. We asked them to put the toppings from the Lucianos sandwich into an arepa. Roasted veggies, provolone, and avocado - YUM! The combo comes with a tostone and yucca fries. YOU HAVE TO GET THE YUCCA FRIES THEY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! read more

Guava Tree Cafe - Arepa combo - Latin American Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Food was great. The service was excellent. The server was very kind and patient even when I wasn't sure what I was ordering. The restaurant Itself was small and very homely. But it was clean and had a very welcoming vibe. read more

So this is my first review in my new town. Found this spot on yet and it had good reviews so decided to give it a try. It is a home grown spot with a special feel to it. There is seating inside and out but you seat yourself and have to walk to the counter to place your order. Once you place your order you are given a number and they bring your food (ala Panera Bread) Placed order and it took roughly 20mins for food to get to the table. So I was a little disappointed until I tasted the food. Worth the wait. Best yucca I have ever had. Sauce that came with it was so-so. Sandwich was awesome. They also have a little self serve water station that they do an infusion with different fruits. Kinda cool. Anyway a solid place I give a 4. Didn't try their guava drinks which because it's in their name I assume is their specialty. Will have to try next time. read more

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