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    Matanzas Cuban Cafe

    4.7 (74 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

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    MATANZAS CUBAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Cheese empanada
    Keyla S.

    This place is truly special! If you're Cuban, you'll feel like you've been transported straight back to your abuelita Mima's kitchen. We happily drive an hour just to enjoy these authentic dishes. The croquetas are perfection, and the vaca frita fries are my ultimate savory guilty pleasure. JJ's pan con bistec hits the spot every time with its perfectly seasoned, thinly sliced steak. The empanadas and pastelitos? Easily the best I've ever had. Beyond the food, the service is just as memorable--warm, welcoming, and filled with genuine care. You can taste and feel the love Annarella pours into every dish and every guest's experience. ¡Dale!

    Tostones
    Louise F.

    I may not be Cuban, but after spending years around Cuban families (thanks to a couple of Cuban boyfriends ), I know authentic Cuban food when I taste it--and this is the real deal! Estaba buenísimo! A cozy café with window stools along wide countertop to dine inside. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, charging station for your cell phone and help yourself to refreshing lemon water. The owner is super friendly, and there's convenient municipal parking right across the street. Can't wait to return! Tostones con Mojo/Fried Green Pantains with Garlic Sauce. (The garlic sauce is a family recipe - absolutely delicious.) I poured the sauce on my sandwich it was that good. Media NochePernil, ham, swiss, pickles and mustard all pressed on sweet Cuban egg bread. (everything I wanted from a Cuban sandwich, but with a softer sweeter bread.) Papi's Pan con Lechon Roasted mojo pork and grilled onions on toasted Cuban bread.(awesome according to my daughter) Cortadito Bon Bon Espresso with equal part condensed milk Jupina - cuban pineapple soda (so good. I had to take a can home.) They're closed on Sunday and Monday . I would recommend calling ahead to place an order if you're going to take out.

    Inside
    Jennifer B.

    I've been dying to try this place since I stumbled upon it on Instagram. I finally got a chance today to stop by during lunch. The spot is quaint and very clean on the inside. They offer take out or you can sit at the bar top on a stool. I ordered the media noche sandwich and OMG it was so delicious. I devoured it immediately. The bread was fresh and had the right amount of texture and size to fit the following on the inside. It had pernil (pork), ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard all on the most flavorful pressed Cuban bread (are you salivating yet?). I also had a side of yuca which had great flavor. The menu includes other sandwiches, daily specials that include stewed oxtail, Ropa vieja (shredded flank steak with onions and peppers slowly simmered) and fried pork chunks to name a few. They also have mango, guava and papaya shakes! Sweet and savory pastries as well. Of course they also sell Cuban coffee! Please note that there is metered parking only and I was able to find a spot within minutes of arriving. I will definitely go back and try other menu items because the pastries looked amazing but I was stuffed from lunch.

    I Don't Know About You- But It's The Bag That Does It For Me
    Mercedes C.

    This is big-ticket eating at bus-ticket prices, on Hartsdale Ave closer to Central Ave. I'm thanking the heavens that a real Cuban restaurant set up shop here. There's one so-called 'Cuban' restaurant over in Tarrytown making food with south of the border seasonings (no offense) and the last time hubs and I visited, that was enough to turn us off. But behold Matanzas Cuban Café! The husband+wife team are making a tsunami of an impression in this little space with their authentic Cuban flavors after taking over the previous Chinese take-out space. Matanzas is mainly to-go eating- but you can have a bite to eat here. It sits 4 at most- squeeze in a 5th at the street window counter. We haven't ordered main plates yet, but so far, the few items I've picked up have all tasted wonderful with authentic Cuban flair. The pastelitos de guyaba (with/without queso) are made from scratch and taken to the next level with a puff pastry that has the perfect rise and flakiness- but you won't have a gazillion flakes on your plate. The guayaba, is pure tropical goodness of chunky-almost-purée filling. My husband loves the ropa vieja empanadas and according to him, they're filled with the right ratio of onion-to-beef and love. Hubs also loves their sanguche Cubano (Cuban sandwich)- that's packed with all that Cuban action and placed on la plancha for a nice crunch exterior on the bread. I don't eat pork- but I will note Matanzas' Cuban sandwich has a nice look to it. The Guanabana (soursop) shake has a wonderful consistency- but it needs more Guanabana to make it really pop. This is a tiny but mighty Cuban place. If you talk to the owner, she's all about family and that's what you see, hear, smell and taste here. Annarella runs her place in perfect working order. Service is both personal and friendly and prices are just right.

    All the happiness we bought home.
    Will P.

    Okay!!! Where to I start?! Let me start by saying that the owner is a sweetheart! Very welcoming and a great smile. We originally went for a cuban sandwich. Thats quickly turned into 2 cuban sandwich, Croquetas, and one of each of their empanadas along with an order of black beans, arroz con leche and a cafecito cortado bonbon i believe was the cafe i had. The cafesito was on point!!!! 10/10 The cuban sandwich was MIND BLOWING. THE PORK WAS JUICY THE BREAD WAS TOASTY. HOLY COW. 10/10 Every single empanada was on point. 10/10 The croquetas were also delicious 10/10 There is nothing negative to say about this establishment. We WILL be returning. Let also add this. Lol after devouring the food. I was met with a sense of happiness bought to me by this experience. I use the word experience because that's exactly what we had. Also i really didnt take many pictures because we sat down and got BUSY!!!!

    Pan con bistec

    This is the best Cuban food I've had outside of Miami. Whatever you decide to try, you won't be disappointed. I love the pan con bistec and the Cubano sandwich. Their ropa vieja is great and their arroz con pollo (only on Fridays) is another one of my favorites. They have amazing guava pastries (plain guava and guava and cheese). It's a small spot with a few stools and a counter. Service is excellent! One of the best things about Matanzas is that the food and service are consistently great.

    Papi's Pan Con Lechon
    Gregory J.

    Small little cafe with a few lunch counter style seats. Great brightly light interior with Cuban/Latin accoutrements. A very friendly and attentive staff. The owner herself attended to us. I initially wanted the El Cubano but I saw the Papi's Pan Con Lechon and I need that mojo pork right away. It was delicious with the caramelized onions and buttered bread. We also had the ropa Vieja that was tender and flavorful. This place gets two thumbs up!

    Cubano; café con leche ( iced )
    Cindy R.

    I am a city girl who loves Cuban food and travels far and wide for it - now living in Westchester I felt that I had super limited options for comida criolla . I've been eyeing Matanzas for some time and once they were featured in "Westchester best " this year ; figured it was a sign . I came in on a Saturday afternoon with my husband and infant. The staff is super friendly and as a new mom, I still don't know how to fully navigate eating out and the staff was so accommodating in getting us a high chair and helping us get comfortable . As folks mention, it is a small seating space but you/they make it work . My husband had the cubano, and I had the pernil with rice and beans . Because we grew up in the city , we associate $14-16 entrees to maybe not be meal sizes to split . Welp- we were wrong . The portions are pretty generous and we ended up packing food to go ( travels and reheats well). The food was quick to arrive , flavorful , but you can tell made with a lot of love . We will def be back and so happy to see an authentic Cuban restaurant in such proximity to our home ( we can stop traveling to Miami lol).

    Empanada
    Heather C.

    I finally got to check this place out and it was worth it! It was smaller than I expected and has a few stools to sit if you wanted to eat in. We were greeted warmly upon entering and provided menus. I love that they have an open kitchen in the back and can see the hard work and love being put into the food. I ordered a cuban sandwich, ropa vieja empanada, papa rellenas, pernil platter and the guava bread pudding. I was offered a sample of the bread pudding and able to secure the last piece they had. It only took a decent amount of time to put my order together to take home but worth it. The cuban was one of the best Ive ever had. The ropa vieja empanada was sooo good and soo flavorful. The papa rellenas perfectly seasoned and crispy. The pernil was also delicious and included white rice and black beans. The guava bread pudding was outstanding. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu. They have different specials every day which I will also have to try.

    Cafe con leche was so good on a really cold day!

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    4 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Really delicious food. The shakes weren't overly sweet either. The plantain chips were a nice complement.

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    2 years ago

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    3 months ago

    Matanzas is very good and has a nice atmosphere! Food tastes really good and the pudding is good.

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    5 months ago

    Great juicy sandwiches . Cuban, roast beef. Short rib and chicken all great . Very savory and delicious

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    10 months ago

    Second time I went to this place and they were closed. No internet notice, no phone message, ZERO. Done here

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Matanzas Cuban Cafe

    The Cube Inn

    The Cube Inn

    4.1
    (203 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    A really good Cuban restaurant in Tarrytown. Started off with spicy guava wings which set the tone…read morefor the dinner. We had the Ropa vieja and paella which were really good and authentic tasting. The portions were good. Got burgers with fries for the kids which were really good and big. They have other popular menu items recommended by staff and a big drinks menu also. Drinks: Kudos to this spot for having the best IPA in the world (Yonkers Not Upstate Hazy formerly known as Rays IPA). Had one to start off. Also tried the Cuban Capirinha, Coco belle and spicy guava margarita. All excellent drinks.b Staff was very friendly and very attentive. Chill vibes inside and decor. Overall great experience and will be coming back soon. Happy hour specials Tues-Thur 3-6pm. Brunch Sat & Sun til 4pm.

    I've wanted to try the Cube Inn since moving to Tarrytown. With my son's weird bedtime and then…read moregetting into a groove with other places, never got to go. Recently my wife went into the city for a party, so me and my son hit the toy store and then I finally got to go. Place isn't huge but there's a decent amount of tales. Very cool vibe and great service. Menu is huge with all of the Cuban classics you'd expect. Good mix of different folks too, typical of Tarrytown. I got the mezcal old fashioned for reasons I don't really understand. It just popped into my head and is otherwise something I normally wouldn't order. That said, it was really good with the mezcal being a unique replacement for bourbon. Didn't realize how strong it was until I stood up. I got the shrimp al ajillo for an entree. Shrimp were on the smaller side however they were cooked perfectly and there was a decent number of them. Pretty good al ajillo sauce however it was a little salty and there wasn't enough of it. The tostones were just ok and could've used the sauce. Rice and beans also a bit forgettable although portion size was solid. Key lime pie and Cuban coffee were superb though; love that the keep the desserts cheap with a smaller portion, and while I don't normally like sugar in coffee the espresso here was strong enough to hold up to it. Cube Inn was greater than the sum of its parts to me. Next time will get the ropa vieja which is my normal go-to with Cuban places. My son enjoyed his french fries so that's the most important vote anyway.

    Photos
    Inside small seating area
    Inside small seating area
    Salmon sandwich
    Salmon sandwich
    Flamingo Mojito- so flavorful and refreshing...great Bartender!

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    Flamingo Mojito- so flavorful and refreshing...great Bartender!
    The Cuban

    The Cuban

    3.4
    (887 reviews)
    22.2 mi
    $$$

    No matter what type of day this place is a VIBE and has been a staple since my husband was just a…read moreboyfriend lol. Now we have kids and visit regularly- with or without them. Love that it's family friendly- the staff ALWAYS includes us in fun conversations , and the food is consistently wonderful AND authentic. We try something new every single time we're here, and the staff is always happy to bring some plantain strips for my kids when we come in! Love and will remain regulars!

    t was a cold, rainy day and I was craving Cuban food, so I decided to give The Cuban in Garden City…read morea try. From the outside, the place looks pretty cool and inviting, with several classic cars parked out front that immediately catch your attention. We were greeted by friendly staff, and the atmosphere inside was very lively. We sat down and ordered our food along with some cocktails. The coconut shrimp was just okay--it tasted like it had been fried a bit too long. The chicken with garlic rice and beans was unfortunately very salty, almost to the point of being hard to eat. Our second dish, the ropa vieja, was again just okay and had a noticeable sweetness to it--possibly from the peppers. The drinks were decent, and the place features a dance floor, giving it more of a nightlife vibe than a traditional sit-down restaurant. While I'm not sure I'd return specifically for the food, I would recommend it if you're looking for Latin flavors, drinks, and a fun nightlife atmosphere.

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    The Cuban
    The gummy cold meat.
    The gummy cold meat.
    Sangria

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    Sangria
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe

    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe

    4.5
    (416 reviews)
    35.0 mi
    $$

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

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

    Photos
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
    Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
    Outside

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    Outside
    La Cocina Cubana

    La Cocina Cubana

    4.6
    (14 reviews)
    79.7 mi

    The food is great, mouth watering, Steven is awesome, very accomodating. I get the feeling from him…read morethat his mission is to provide good food, he has a great vibe

    This is the second time I have bought something from this truck. Where I live has food trucks come…read moresome nights and the first time I tried this place, the wait was a long time. They were supposed to be here from 4-8 and I didn't time how long it was taking but I went up there twice and they claimed that they were waiting for the rice to finish. I probably was one of the first customers so I figured they might not have been ready and they had given me a free soda and a free dessert and extra pork so I wasn't too irritated about the situation. Plus the people who work the truck are very nice. Today, I was incredibly annoyed because I should have just cooked like I planned to. My food would have gotten done faster than they boxed up the food I bought. I paid almost 60 dollars including a tip to wait almost an hour for two pork bowls and rice. I wasn't given a wait time when I ordered the food so I just went to sit in my car outside my building since I figured it wouldn't take that long. After half an hour I decided to go see why the thing they gave me hadn't buzzed yet. When I went over, they were chatting up other customers having a great time. I asked about my order and they claimed it had been called already, so I figured it was just a mistake, but then someone else said they were still waiting on one more pork bowl. So I went inside, put away my groceries, washed my dishes, took out the trash and finally when I returned the food was done. If they ever come back here, I won't be spending my money with them, as nice as they are, they have held up my time twice and the food isn't worth my time. Oh and all I got for all that wait was a "God bless you" so I hope the Lord blesses them with better time management and that we never meet again.

    Photos
    La Cocina Cubana
    Cuban sandwich
    Cuban sandwich
    Special's Menu

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    Special's Menu
    Rumba Cubana

    Rumba Cubana

    4.3
    (247 reviews)
    16.7 mi
    $$

    Returned to Rumba Cubana to enjoy their Sunday brunch menu…read more The restaurant was full of happy patrons and I always appreciate the nostalgic music adding to everyone's enjoyment. We started with a Bloody Mary and one of my favorites, Coconut Mojito. Rumba's Bartenders always create amazing libations and these two followed suit. The entrees were: Picadillo Jinetero (Cuban-style ground beef hash, served "a caballo" (on horseback) with two fried eggs and ripe plantains. It is a savory-sweet dish made with seasoned ground beef, sofrito, tomatoes, olives, capers, raisins, and Moro Rice). I enjoyed this dish, VERY MUCH. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned, I prefer the delectable dry Moro Rice, and those sweet plantains are divine. The other selection was the Tostones Montaditos (Fried green pressed plantains topped with Churrasco-Skirt Steak). Even though this is an appetizer, it is large enough to be a meal. Try it. I appreciated the attentive and cordial service from our Server, Eduardo. I placed a to-go order and not only was it securely packed, but Rumba also included another free appetizer coupon to the bag.

    Rum in my cup, rumba in my step~…read more I'm no stranger to Rumba Cubana... It's my favorite Cuban restaurant group in New Jersey. I've visited multiple locations over the past few years and I've never been disappointed! They don't miss! No matter which spot I go to, the quality of the food, the warm service, and the lively ambiance are consistently amazing. We visited the Rochelle Park location on a Saturday night. It's right on Rt17 with a large parking lot, but it was packed when we arrived. There was a line of cars backed into the highway waiting for valet service. It's complimentary, so tip as you please. I honestly don't like to valet my car...... especially when I could easily park it myself right there LOL. But we didn't have a choice. *shrug* As always, Rumba's vibrant atmosphere didn't disappoint. You can feel the energy as soon as you walk in! The upbeat Latin music will have you swaying, I promise ;) The interior beautifully captures the culture and history of Cuba with colorful artwork, tropical plants, rattan pendant lamps, and large murals of Havana. It has a touch of elegance without feeling too upscale, so this restaurant is perfect for casual dining and special occasions like celebrations or date nights. We didn't have reservations and had to wait around 15 minutes for a table for two. No biggie - we sipped at the bar until our table was ready! The menu offers traditional Cuban dishes like ropa vieja, vaca frita, and bistec de palomilla along with a variety of tapas, mofongos, sandwiches, and sides. I ordered: *Taino Cocktail [El Jimador Reposado Cristalino, Ancho Reyes Verde, Tamarindo Pure, Agave Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice] ($14.95) - Oooo this was a sweet & spicy mix with a strong tequila finish! It's like a spicy margarita with a tropical twist. *Caribbean Punch Cocktail [Tanduay White Rum, Tanduay Gold Rum, Plantation Overproof Rum, Lime Juice, Guava, Orange, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine] ($13.95) - This drink was screaming my name! It's fruity, refreshing, and makes you feel like you're on an island. I just wish it had a liiiiiiitle more rum for a stronger punch, and that the glass wasn't filled with so much ice. *Ropa Vieja [shredded beef stewed in a sauce made with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, olives, and sherry wine] ($15.95) - Cuba's national dish! The tomato-based sauce was perfectly seasoned and the beef was sooo tender... melt-in-your-mouth type of tender! My tummy was happy, but I wish the portion size was bigger! I paired it with a side order of tostones (fried plantains) and arroz blanco (white rice) with frijoles negros (black beans). The fluffy rice soaked up the rich sauces of the black beans & ropa vieja, so every bite was savory heaven~ The tostones were sliced, deep fried, and smashed to perfection. Crispy tostones + garlic mojo sauce = a perfect pairing. I could eat these all day! The only thing that's really missing here is...Can you guess? A DANCE FLOOR. Once they make room for that, y'all know where to find me. I'll be at the bar for drinks first and then dancing later! Need to satisfy your Cuban cravings? Look no further. Put some rumba in your step and head over here!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
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    Cocktails: Taino & Caribbean Punch

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    Cocktails: Taino & Caribbean Punch

    Matanzas Cuban Cafe - cuban - Updated June 2026

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