I grew up in Florida, where I developed an affection for the Cuban sandwich. Now living in California, I need to feed that addiction whenever possible, so I was giddy to find this place while on vacation on the island. We sat at a small table for two just outside the restaurant, which afforded us an excellent opportunity to do a little people-watching while we were dining. The wife and I got here in time for happy hour, which means 2-for-1 drinks. What's better than a gin and tonic? TWO gin and tonics! As for the sandwich, it was absolutely delicious, and I would recommend it to anyone. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. read more

Restaurante Qubano - A very tasty Cubano and TWO gin & tonics? Color me contented. - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

We ate here based on the reviews from various platforms. They were right - Qubanos had the best steak tacos we've ever had. The steak was soft and tender. The tacos and quesadilla we ordered were packed with quality ingredients. We enjoyed sitting outside and people watching. The service was great and prices were very reasonable. We plan to return before we leave. PROS: Steak tacos Watermelon juice Prices Service read more

Restaurante Qubano - Steak tacos - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

This restaurant was on my list of places to try on the island, so when I randomly walked by it around late lunch time, I went in. The place has a nice and relaxing atmosphere. I didn't have much interaction with the staff as I ordered a Toston sandwich to go but they seemed nice from what I could see/tell. The sandwich was delicious! Instead of 2 slices of bread, it was 2 slices of fried plantains for gluten-free :) stuffed with chicken breast and topped with pickled onions. I definitely recommend this, wish I had more time to try more things here. Next time! read more

Restaurante Qubano - Toston sandwich, plantain slices for bread and stuffed with chicken - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

Loved this restaurant!! We had the tostones, pulled pork and a grilled fish and both were absolutely delicious.

Nice Cuban Mexican place on Hidalgo with a friendly owner and staff. Service was a bit slow, but they were super friendly. The food was good; we had a Cuban sandwich which was pretty good. The sandwich was cooked just right, but was a little short on the meat. read more

N I CE P L A C E With so many restaurants to choose from, this one gets the job done. We had the Cubano Sandwich here and was happy with it. Decent wine list too. It wasn't very crowded here, not sure why? Q U I C K & E A S Y read more

We first stumbled upon Qubano after a tiring afternoon on the beach; we stopped mainly for the laid back seating overlooking the cobblestone street. The owner greeted us with an offer of fresh watermelon juice, which was the perfect refresher after a day in the sun. After just one bite of the Elena Russ sandwich, we flagged down our picky friends to join us for a meal they couldn't stop raving over. For the next two years, we could not wait to return to the island just for this restaurant. The owner, Vivian, is always present to make recommendations and casually chat about the island for a very personable experience. We returned just last week and are still daydreaming about the flavors. You can't go wrong with anything on this menu! read more

If you're looking for something different, try Qubano! We both had the combo plate with four different sandwiches to try. Cuban, pulled pork,plantain and ham and cram cheese with jam along with house made chips. I could not decide which sandwich was my favorite as they were all excellent! Along with a cold beer, this was a satisfying supper! read more

I had this place bookmarked MONTHS before I went to Isla - and it did not disappoint. So much that while there for a week, we went twice. Vivian greeted us (the owner) on a HOT afternoon walking down Hidalgo (first full day there), I knew I wanted to go but we were with friends so I didn't want to stop to eat unless everyone was ready. I am gluten free so had the toston sandwich cuban style - which is a cuban sandwich and they use plantains instead of the bread! They are known for their watermelon water & mojitos - the water doesn't have alcohol and was quite refreshing. I'm not a huge mojito fan, but it was the FRESHEST mint I've ever tasted, so I'd say if you are a fan - definitely order it. We all ordered the toston sandwiches, and the 2nd time we went, we had Vivian's lasagne, which subs, you guessed it - plantains instead of lasagne noodles. Just pure heaven. If you are looking for AMAZING Cuban food. Stop in, you won't be disappointed! read more

We liked coming here and it was as good as the reviews made us expect. Vivian was born in Cuba and lived in Miami for many years. Her English is impeccable, and so is her menu. She knows what tourists like, and it would be impossible NOT to find something you like here. Best of all, she is open during hours when other great restaurants are closed. We arrived on the island at 3:30 pm and were famished. My first choice restaurant was not going to re-open until 6 pm. Thank you Vivian for being there for us. I recommend the "Cuban Pork", it is a lot like "carnitas". My wife had the fish tacos, and they were excellent. Price was around 500 pesos for two lunches and one beer and one soda. Nice location and easy to find on Isla Mujeres. read more

Qubano is located in the midst of all the restaurant within the alley of Miguel Hidalgo. Despite the restaurant not being directly on the beach, it is located the the epicenter of the Hidalgo alley. Although Yelp said it was closed today (Sunday), the restaurant was actually open. I noticed one of he workers that Yelp indicated that it was closed, but they didn't care. The first picture depicts the frozen margaritas (I know, why frozen and not on the rocks) which were on special for 3x1. The margaritas were standard and could have used more alcohol. However, we ordered the fish and lobster tacos which were fresh (also pictured). We had the option to eat the tacos on corn or maiz tortilla and we chose corn. Overall, Qubano is a good find within Isla Mujeres. I recommend eating here first then heading to the shore to grab drinks on the beach. read more

Restaurante Qubano - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

See all

My friends and I ended up here on a whim and are so glad we did! The humble story of the place makes it worth a visit but the food and Mojitos make it truly special. It's been owned by the same great lady, Vivian since she started it at the recommendation of friends many years ago. It's real cuban food from a real cuban chef. If you just have time for a drink, the Mojito is as authentic as they come and well worth the stop! Go there. You're welcome. read more

What a great little place. Our server, Angelica, was so sweet. Definitely try there habanero infused tequila with a margarita. Mucho caliente. Awesome place. read more

Restaurante Qubano - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

Delicious food! We had 3 little burgers each filled with a different kind of cheese (Gouda cheese, blue cheese and goat cheese) - it was perfect! Comes with little special fries with a twist. The home made turkey sandwich was also delicious but the burgers were very unique. Also had a mojito and a natural watermelon juice - very tasty. Great service, very welcoming. Recommended! read more

Restaurante Qubano - Cuban Near Me - Isla Mujeres, ROO

Nice place, good mojito, Cubano not bad, needs a better hot press. Nice owner. She left Cuba in the 60's as a child, grew up in Brooklyn, then moved here. The sampler is probably the best intro to what they offer. Fresh cantaloupe or watermelon water is offered - works well on a hot day. read more

See all

I have loved this restaurant since my first visit to the island. I had the traditional Cuban Sandwich and could not sing its praises enough. I also tried the Elena Russ and it was absolutely amazing. This is a place not to be missed between the wonderful environment and the owner's attentive approach to the food and her customers. I mention this place to friends every couple of months when I'm here in the states because nothing compares and I miss it so much. Absolutely divine. Go eat it now. read more

Our first stop when we get to the island and multiple times during our trip. The plantain nachos are amazing!!! We have been to this island 3 times and this will always be our favorite. read more

What a find! We rolled in as a family of 4 and were seated immediately without a reservation. We picked 3 entrees to share (pork Cubano, chicken sandwich, and fish tacos) and all were mind-blowingly awesome. Portions were good sized, enough to share for two small people. Pork was to die for. Restaurant was very clean and well-managed. Owner was present, and watching over the whole operation. Waitress spoke fluent English, but was pleased that we tried our poor Spanish. Watermelon water was delicious, along with the Caipirinhas! In the end, we felt we got a great value as the bill for the evening included tip and was only $50. read more

We ate dinner here and it was really good. It's conveniently located on the main drag of downtown and is great for people watching and having drinks. The service was excellent, I have noticed that some restaurants have a little slower service, like they are on island time and this place was not like that. My husband thought his Cuban sandwich was just good but not great, otherwise it would be 5 stars. read more

Best mojito ever and the only properly seasoned fries on Isla Mujeres! Also tried the cubano, plantain nachos, and Havana pork during our stay and not a single disappointment. read more

Very salty pulled pork, 4 small sandwiches were ok, but nothing to write home about. Won't be back. The buy 2 get one free mojito was good, but really wasn't planning on 3 drinks, so bought 2 and skipped the 3rd. There are better choices on the island read more

Great little Cuban spot on the main drag of the island. My foodie boyfriend and I went here to get a break from all the Mexican food and because we heard the Toston sandwich was "life changing." We weren't disappointed. The sandwich is essentially fried plantains (to replace the bread), grilled onions and juicy chicken. Simple yet flavorful. The sweet flavor of the plantains and the crunch of the deep fry was a nice compliment to the onions and chicken. Delicious sandwich. I definitely wouldn't come here looking for a fancy meal or a big menu selection. It's about as basic and casual as you can get. Probably honestly best suited for lunch - but unfortunately it's only open for dinner. Worth a go if you need a break from Mexican while on the island. read more

Amazing Cuban food! The flavor was excellent and everything was cooked to perfection. The owner is Cuban and was super friendly. Plus she has a really cute little dog! We had the tostones, La Ropa Vieja and of course The Cuban - we recommend all! A must when you are in Isla Mujeres! read more

Absolutely incredible food. My second favorite spot on the island. It's unreal. We got the tostones and I still dream about them. We also ordered two sample platters to share and fish tacos. Everything was so good the whole table was making "yum" noises over and over again. We had watermelon water their, the perfect drink on a 90 degree day. We tried one of their "famous" and "best" mojitos per the owner's recommendation. We were pretty skeptical on how a mojito could be made so differently it would taste better than all the others, but we ate our words. It was hands down the very best mojito I've ever had. The owner was a gem of a woman. She gave us recommendations for restaurants for the rest of our trip and made sure we received top notch service. Her little dog was the sweetest thing and gave me my puppy fix. Love love love this spot! read more

Best Cuban sandwiches I've ever had. Perfectly made mojitos. Not too sweet. Great friendly service and staff.

This is an amazing find. The owner is fantastic. She ordered us the best items on the menu and made us fantastic mojitos.

We were on a hunt for great ceviche and FINALLY, we found it here. They have 3 different kinds ~ lobster, shrimp and fish. We had the fish and it was spot on. The only slight complaint is that the chips it came with were dry. We've had better chips on the island. Otherwise, it's a win! read more

The mojo pork was amazing! i had it in a grilled burrito and can't recommend it enough. cocktails were also fantastic and service was great.

The atmosphere was good, and the food was 50% good... one order was good but the sandwich felt like it was canned chicken from Costco. The reason for the one star though is because when we tipped the waitress/owner in the end, she demanded for a bigger tip, and when my shocked girlfriend gave her more money she exchanged looks with the bartender rolling her eyes at us. Food was extremely overpriced to begin with, it is triple what we payed anywhere else on the island, and this is the first place we regret eating at on Isla Mujeres. I'd recommend going to another place where the staff deserve your money. read more

The more plain the dish looked the better it tasted! The Havana pork was sooo good and I typically don't go for meat dishes. Fish tacos were good, hamburgers were good. Pork was great though. read more

Best Cuban restaurant on Isla Mujeres! Tostones are so delicious and the tostones nachos super yummy. Mojitos were the best! Service excellent very friendly staff! Loved it read more

Other reviews already said it all. Great food and drinks, good service, friendly owner. One of my favs on the island. And there are not too many good ones. read more

Best food we had on the isla in 4 days visiting. Chat with Vivian for some local knowledge and a bit of sass.

Wonderful Cuban sandwich served on plantain for gluten free. Owner is very gracious and friendly. We will return!!!