Babalu's Cuban Café

Babulu's is the most amazing place we have eaten for Latin American cuisine, including trying places in the Miami area. We will never go anywhere else. We tried out of curiosity- it was a mistake & it will never happen again. This family restaurant serves their amazing food with pride. **Every meal** we have eaten has been excellent (we come here almost every weekend). We have tried almost everything on the menu and have NEVER been disappointed. Our favorite are the Chicharrones (pork rinds appetizer), but truly nothing (not even their Asian dish) has been anything short of amazing. You can safely order anything from here and will be very happy with what you receive. They use fresh ingredients, and even their food presentation is on point. I have attached just some photos of our our food from prior visits. The family is sweet and attentive, and ALWAYS gets our order right. They are also great at refilling drinks and attending to your needs, even with a bustling restaurant. Babalu's, thank you for being amazing!! We will be back again and again!!!

Awesome place for Cuban food, a little pricey but is worth it. Loved the food and the service. This is a family owned restaurant. You can tell the passion this couple put into it. The cod fritters were my favorite 🤩

If you’re looking for authentic Cuban cuisine in the Jensen Beach area, look no further than Babalu’s Cuban Cuisine in Port St. Lucie. My wife and I were here on vacation, craving Cuban food but not wanting to make the trip all the way down to Miami. A quick Google search led me to Babalu’s—and it did not disappoint. We started with bolitas de yuca con queso, tostones rellenos, and croquetas de jamón. All three appetizers were bursting with flavor and perfectly prepared. For our mains, we went with two Cuban classics: masitas de cerdo and ropa vieja. The mojo sauce on the masitas was spot-on, the pork was seasoned beautifully, and the ropa vieja was tender and packed with rich, savory flavor. If you’re in Jensen Beach or the surrounding area, Babalu’s should absolutely be on your list of restaurants to try.

Oh my LORDT! We will be back! We ordered out through DoorDash. Just in the area to go crabbing and fishing. Now, we wanna go back to dine inside of the restaurant or outside on the patio.

Cool spot. He sat outside and ordered a sampler advertiser and a Cuban. Thought the appetizer was a little overdone but the Cuban sandwich was one of the best I ever had. Definitely will be back. A suggestion would be is to park near the restaurant and walk the St Lucie Riverwalk right next door to go work up an appetite. Great way to burn a couple of hours by getting a little exercise and stopping by for some Cuban cuisine.

Fabulous food and service! You won't go hungry here because the portions are plentiful. The staff are always so welcoming and accommodating. They make sure your meal is as you expected. I love it when the chef comes out to the tables and converses with the patrons. The desserts here, specifically the cheesecakes, are the best I ever had anywhere in my travels.

This place was amazing! This was our first Cuban food experience and it was a wonderful experience! 🥘 We found tables to sit pretty fast and the waitress was very friendly We tried some Milanese Steak and some Ropa Vieja! The size of the food was so BIG!!! We took some takeouts with us and it was very delicious. We had food for the next day as well!

First time coming and it left much to be desired. The food portions were small for the price. We were very patient at first then it was just such a long wait that I took the time until I received the food. The guy with glasses didn't explain the kids' "chicken" tenders would look like battered thin fries(what they serve). We there long before 7:32p-7:57 was when I took the pic of my plate. The waiter never brought water that I asked for, nor did he come around to check how it was going. There was a waitress with glasses that was attentive for refills-only time anyone came to check on us. Again it took a long time for my son's food-second time.This time it was breaded chicken with ham and cheese melted on top. The waiter didn't clarify knowing we were asking for just breaded chicken. I explained this to the waitress and she got argumentative. I peeled the cheese/ham cover of the chicken then my son began to eat. At this point a woman came to the table and said she was the chef. In attempting to explain what was brought out she was quickly offended and cut me off. She said in Spanish "sometimes the customer is right but to a point." She called me "mi amor " after already saying ma'am(that was fine)which to me was like saying "sweetheart" I calmly said please don't call me that and attempted to continue telling her about the "thin" chicken tenders. She cut me off and I said please let me eat and then she said "you should leave my place." My husband asked about the bill and she said she was going to cover it. We got up and left. We can easily cook at home but were hoping for a stellar experience which was far from what happened. Customer service was very lacking. Very disappointed with the bland shredded beef. I hold customer service in much higher regard than the food. Of course we won't be coming back.

TERRIBLE STAFF! Sadly, the worst part is that it was the owner's daughter. She assigned us to a small table in a hallway, and when we asked if we could sit at a more comfortable booth for our family, she refused. The booth seated six people, and we are a family of four. We tend to order a lot of food and like to have our space -- especially since I'm pregnant, and tight spaces are uncomfortable for me. She simply shrugged her shoulders, showing no concern for our comfort, and told us to either move to a smaller booth or go back to the small table because she "didn't know" if the place would get busy -- mind you, the restaurant was completely EMPTY! There was only one other table occupied by a couple. It was a very bad first experience. I'll just take my business back to my original spot, El Cubanito, where the staff is friendly, the customer service is outstanding, and the food is very good.

Great experience! Service was friendly by everyone who we were met by! The place was comfortable and warm. But we came for the food...and we were not disappointed! Very large portions that were very reasonably priced. We had 2-Steak Milanese and 1-Cuban Steak Sandwich. DELICIOUS DELICIOUS DELICIOUSNESS!! See pix! I look forward to going back and trying other items. EVERY PART of the plate was delicious! I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic Cuban food!

Previous to today's visit I had come here and order from the window as well as having sat down once in the past but this time was different. Honestly, the food was great and the chef choice menu didn't disappoint. My son had the yuca cream since they didn't have the malanga one and it tasted great! My wife had the ox tail and I had the Babalu's friend rice and I can say we were both very pleased with our choices. They have the authentic Cuban touch. The ham croquetas were alright, nothing out of this world and so was the cafe con leche. We shared a tres leches for dessert and it was very tasty!! Overall a great place to go. They have Cuban nostalgia decor throughout the place with Cuban slang and Celia Cruz drawing. Gives you that Cuban feel. Will probably come back again in the near future.

I have heard so much good things about this restaurant that I finally tried it. The staff is warm and friendly. The restaurant is big inside with a private room. The menu is rather extensive with a large selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and main courses. We check the Lunch menu and the choices are varied. The different foods that we ordered were very good. The Split Pea Soup is very tasty. The Black Beans are a little watery but quite good. The sandwiches are all delicious. The Fish is exotically presented and is very tasty and crunchy. We enjoyed the food tremendously.

Staff was excellent and friendly. The place was clean decor was amazing and great music. Food was excellent out of this world! New favorite place!

My parents are Cuban. I was born and grew up in Miami. Over 50 years ago. This food is mediocre at best. The service was not very good either. I had to ask for water, cutlery and napkins. I never got around to ambiance, but judging from what seemed like a regular or at relative that sat near me outside while I waited...not very pleasant. Again, I did not go during a busy time. Last but not least...the ridiculous price this meal. I suggest going during lunch special hours. I recommend heading further south. This area seems to be more Mexican oriented when it comes to Latin culture and food. It's hard to mess up a taco.

FINALLY made it to Babalu's. We were anticipating authentic Cuban cuisine set in a comfortable tropical ambiance. We expected the experience so many other Yelpers yelped about; friendly service, fresh quality ingredients, a varied menu and large portions. Babalu's did not disappoint and, again, checked all of those boxes. It's hard to resist the plate of Cuban bread sliced thin, lightly buttered, toasted and finished with just enough garlic salt to tease "just one more". We enjoyed the pork chunks and roasted pork loin for dinner entrees. Delicious, each one. Onions slices were cooked al dente in light oil and spices and served with the meat in small individually sized Dutch ovens. White rice and traditional black beans humbled each dish. Plantains, the sweet counter to the meat and spices, made their point. Next visit we will be sure to try the desserts. But we couldn't leave without an exclamation point to the meal; a Cuban cafe. The sweet heat of Havana. At Babalu's they do what they do best.

Some things are a must when visiting family in other parts of the country. Especially when it's food and as good as Babalu's! Now if you live within an hour of this place and you've never been well then I must know what is better near you and if you have no response what a sad state to be that you have not experienced the delicious flavors in this hidden gem. The people are great the ambiance I guess could be more humid and tabaco smelling of you wanted a true Cuban feel but this is still hands down one of the best spots in all of America.

The service was fast and the staff was very nice and helpful. The food was amazing. Highly recommend the vaca frita as well as the red beans. They're so good. The ambience was nice with music playing at just the right volume. Will definitely be back.

Update visited again. Everything was great. The food was great and so was the service. We highly recommend this place

the most authentic Cuban cuisine!!! On point with flavor and overall ambiance plus excellent service. I know cuz I'm Cuban,

Service was ok. We went on a Friday at 7:00 pm, and they were busy with several other tables. We waited over an hour for our food. The ambiance was nice with Cuban music playing. However, the food was lacking. The fillings of croquetas and empanadas were good, but there was too much dough and breading. The Cuban sandwich was NOT authentic. First of all, Cuban sandwiches don't have mayonnaise or bacon. The bread wasn't pressed, and there was no pickles or mustard. As a Cuban, I was surprised with the food, and not in a good way.

Great Cuban food. Possibly the best in the PSL area. Great croquettes. Forget about calories, eat the Cuban bread and/or sandwich. The restaurant is cute. Service is spot on. Babalu's is a family favorite.

Very good food . They use flour for their breaded steaks while my wife's family used Italian breadcrumbs. Otherwise, it was great. The flan is to die for!

We saw Babalu's on Guy Fieri's "Best Bite in Town" and it looked good, so we had to give it a try. We are so glad we did, it was a wonderful experience. Nice decor, friendly staff and the owners were on top of everything. I had El Cubano Especial, a large Cuban Sandwich, it was very good, could have had more mustard and more pickles, otherwise was very large and had plenty of meat. My wife had Babalu's Way, a very hefty sandwich with a lot of meat and just the right amount of toppings. She loved it ! We will definitely go back, as everything coming out of the kitchen looked delicious and we want to try Babalu's Churrasco and the Oxtail Stew. I highly recommend Babalu's and I almost forgot, the Peach Sangria was great Bravo to the owners, keep up the good work.

I was just not feeling this place, it was clean and everyone was friendly but the food was just not for me, right down to the beans and rice, I really wasn't enjoying anything else and when I got to them I said well, these must be good but they weren't, not for me anyway, the place was packed and there was a line to get in so many people like it bit again, not for me?

Beef Empanada - The filling had great flavor. Too much dough though and you only get (1). Ham Croquette - Nothing to write home about. Very bland. Nothing to dip it in. Roasted Pork was not shredded as expected. Instead they were very thin small pork chops that were taken off the bone. Rice & Beans were...OK, not great. Chicken Sandwich - Very Bland. Over all I thought all the food here was very Bland. I will stick to my usual Cuban spot. Service - They forgot my vegetables with this to go order. Ambiance - Looks good from photos but I had food delivered.

Just a fun little place with a family restaurant vibe. Excellent food and service. Easy parking.

Lovely bar and restaurant. Quiet atmosphere. Since my mother was Cuban I felt as if I was at home. Service is great. Everyone very friendly and assisted with menu and served with pride. My husband ordered an entree of grilled chicken and black beans and rice. There was absolutely nothing left on the plate when I wasn't looking he might have licked the plate clean. My son had tostons and chicken and black beans and rice we all agreed the food was fantastic! I ordered the vaca frita and veggies it was awesome I couldn't finish it all but not to fret I took home all that was left. My son ate the plantains from my plate! All in all one of the few Cuban restaurants we have ever eaten at that was close to being in Cuba as we have ever been!

THE REAL DEAL!! If you're looking for an authentic Cuban dish you must try this place. Not only is the staff super friendly, but the service is outstanding! Dinner was delicious and their seasoning was exactly how my father used to cooked! Prepared exquisitely Cuban style! I tried another Cuban place in St Lucie and I'll never go again! El Cubanito has heated food and soooo bland! I actually had to stand up to request service, since all waitresses were on their phone behind the cash register. If you're looking for good service, calming atmosphere and authentic Cuban food, BABALU is the place to try!

If I could give 20 stars I would. First let me say what a professional and great establishment. I called 2 days before praying that they would be able to cater for me for a party of 40. The Chef personally called me back to assure me that they would have everything ready and delivered to the hotel we were all staying at for my son's wedding. The food was the best Cuban food I have eaten and I am Cuban. The portions are generous and everything was fresh. They delivered a few minutes earlier and set everything up for us. Everyone in my family including the hotel staff enjoyed all the food that was provided. I highly recommend the Imperial rice. Amazing staff and amazing Chef!!!! Thank you, Anne S. (Guest from the Courtyard Marriot Tradition)

Babalu's is our go-to for the best Cuban food in Port St Lucie! We discovered them before they were in the location they are in now, and have been loyal customers since then. Even though we've moved away, we still make a point to go there every time we are in town, and we have introduced our friends to them, who are also now loyal patrons! The ambiance is perfect, the family is warm and welcoming, and the food is top notch. Highly recommend!

Awesome real deal Cuban higher end cuisine. I lived in Miami for many years and frequented all the best Cuban restaurants there. This place is definitely in their league.

Great food. I had Babalu's way sandwich. I also had coffee con leche, best I have had in a long time.

Service Was Good And The Food Wasn't To My Liking. Restaurant Was Too Noisy.I Do Not Recommend Going There.

We went to lunch here and really enjoyed it. The food was excellent. The staff was very friendly. Service was a little slow, but we definitely plan to return. I had the blackened mahi-mahi, and it was outstanding, as were the sweet plantains and rice. The red beans had pork in them, so I wasn't able to eat those, but we took it home and my husband had it later and said it was delicious. My husband had the Babalu's Way sandwich, and it was massive. In fact, all the portions were extremely large, and we had enough leftovers for a light dinner that evening. He liked it but wished he had just gone with the regular Cuban sandwich, as it was just a little too much. Before our entrees, we tried 3 appetizers: shrimp tostones; cod fritters; and papa rellenas. We both were not thrilled with the tostones, just the flavor wasn't to our liking, kind of bland. I liked the fritters a lot, my husband not so much. They were very crispy on the outside, but he said he couldn't really taste anything inside. I have to agree the filling is a little sparse on these, but I still liked them. The rellenas were good IMO. Again, my husband was so-so on them. There is no salt or pepper on the table. Looking back, a little salt would have been nice to add to some of the appetizers. I recommend this place. Just be prepared for a leisurely experience.

Cuban sandwich was good, Service 4 stars. Ambiance 4 stars Will have to try more of the food available

One word FANTASTIC. The food was delicious! The moros were out of this world and the plantains to die for. Super sweet and melted in your mouth as they should. You go to other cuban restaurants and the plantains are hard and not even edible. But not here....they were spectacular! I had the Babalu chicken and it was probably cooked and seasoned topped with cheese, mushrooms and peppers. To top of the evening i had arroz con leche which was creamy and not overly sweet. It was perfect! I highly recommend the food here. I'm from Miami and was invited to dinner at this restaurant and I can't wait to go back.

My first and last visit here. My sister and I went for lunch and were disappointed. The restaurant is decorated very cute and was freezing cold (which would have been great if it wasn't cold outside). We both had the vaca frita and the portion was extremely small. There was 10x more onions than meat. Our waitress had no personality and only showed up to take our order. I had to go find her to get our check. Which was $40 for 2 people drinking water and no dessert.

Food service and ambiance were all great! This restaurant was highly recommended by my Father who lives in the area. One of the best in PSL. Definitely a must try. The flavor is very good.

We just moved to PSL from Miami where Cuban restaurants are on every corner. I was concerned that I wouldn't get my fix here. Lucky for us, we scored on the first try. We went in this past Sunday afternoon. Not busy at all, but it gradually filled up. Small restaurant which is nicely decorated and felt super clean. Seriously, Cuban clean. IYKYK! I didn't get our server's name, but he was very friendly, attentive & efficient. My husband ordered the Pork Chunks and I got the Vaca Frita. We usually share and appetizer & an entree these days, because after chemo he's not eating as much as before. (Thankfully in remission) Plus I've always had the appetite of a five year old. But we craved different things this time. Next time, we will definitely share. I had leftover Vaca Frita for 2 days. Having some for lunch right now as I type! But I digress, the food was absolutely delicious! No lie, I have not had a Vaca Frita that I have thoroughly enjoyed in a long time. My husband really enjoyed his pork and had some for lunch the next day as well. Sadly, my pancita could not handle dessert. I know, sacrilege! Especially for me! But everything sounded delish! Next time for sure! Needless to say, I believe that we have found our go-to place in PSL! Until next time! SYOY

If that's real Cuban food, then I don't like Cuban food. The original Cuban sandwich had processed ham and maybe 2-3 pickles. I think American cheese and some mustard. I had such high hopes. Someone else had the rice and beans, plantains, and chicken. Not real good.

Yummy! Anything you order will be homemade, plentiful & delish .. Our server was very attentive and helpful. To start, we had a Sangria & Chardonnay & Cuban Toast, followed by Croquetas de Jamon - croquettes with ham For our entrees we had .. The Lomo de Cerdo Asada a Roasted Pork - black beans & yellow rice, with two slices of pork loin & onions & mono sauce. Wonderful! Bistec de Pollo a la Milanese - thin cut boneless chicken with Cuban spiced, breaded & fried with cheese, ham, marinara sauce. Really Tasty! We both took lots of leftovers home & managed to share a fabulous piece of yummmmmy Tres Leche Please, please come to Virginia and open another Babalu!!

Port St. Lucie - Recently tried this restaurant for dinner. Located at one end of a non descript strip mall, we were immediately greeted and seated. Low Latin background music and decorative Cuban posters on the walls added to a nice, friendly, casual atmosphere. Being from Miami I was disappointed in not seeing the standard roast pork and yuca with mojo on the somewhat limited entree menu. So we went with the palomilla and vaca frita entrees. Both were very good, well presented, accompanied by white rice, nicely seasoned black beans and ripe plantain (maduros). Prices for most apps, some entrees and desserts are on the high side compared to similar Miami Cuban restaurants. And there is a hefty substitution charge. Website does not include prices but Yelpers have included some menu photos. Service was excellent.

Great Cuban dishes at great prices Lots to take home Nice owners and servers Try it you will love it too

We came here after my buddy wanted to try Cuban food. We walked in and we're greeted by the employees who had smiles on their face. We sat down and we're given a sample of their off the menu soup like thing. It was delicious. We ordered the Cuban special sandwich. We got our order. Everything was delicious. The bread was just crisp and the meat was good. Sandwich was very good overall. My buddy got fries which were good as well. My other friend got a flan for dessert. It looked amazing and was delicious. We would come back again.

Good food and ambiance, expect to wait depending on the size of your party. Loved the Cuban sandwich.

The food was fresh and hot, and it was seasoned perfectly. Just like abuela used to make. If you haven't been, you are missing out on authentic, great tasting cuban cuisine.

Love the empanadas here! They are well seasoned and generous with the portions. The staff is friendly and provide great service. The place is clean and the ambiance is lively ;)

Great food and great service. I had the Pork Chunks and it tasted wonderful. The atmosphere was nice.

Was here today for my first time and all I have to say is that food was delish. Service was very nice. Waitress was very cordial and gave us enough space for us to enjoy our time there. Food was so delish, but the portions of rice need to be a little bit more. I was fine with the portion but for a guy to eat, more rice needs to be added. I had the Moro with the Palomilla steak. My hubby had the white rice, red beans (they were so good) and the pedacitos de pork. Pork was so good and tender. This will be my next dish to try when I go back. It's a bit pricey but hey everything is pricey these days. Looking for delish authentic Cuban food, then this is the place to be. Place is very clean, family oriented and relax atmosphere.

Awesome food and great service. Churrasco steak and empanadas were amazing. Will definitely be back!

Sunday afternoon late lunch ... The restaurant has an understated exterior at the end of a strip mall. Don't be mistaken, these people are SERIOUS ABOUT GOOD FOOD. The inside is comfortable with classy tables and chairs -- wine glasses and towel-rolled silverware in front of each chair. I ordered cassava soup, chicharron, tostones with chicken and a chicken empanada. I also ordered a side of rice with three sauces ... Garlic sauce, chimichurri, and creamy green sauce. Everything was amazing. ALWAYS treat your servers kindly.

I want to Thank Babalu's Cuban Café for hosting my dad's birthday party. Their hospitality was a 10/10 !! They truly went above and beyond to make his day so special. The food also exquisite! I definitely recommend this restaurant for any family events!

First time there today. Food was really good. Excellent service. Will definitely go there more often!

I absolutely loved this place! It was very clean (restrooms too) and the Halloween themed decorations were a nice touch. The owner was very present and came over to check on us/ensure everything was good. I had the plantains and a Cuban sandwich (one of my favorites) but this was my first time having it at an actual Cuban restaurant. It was a bit different than what I was used to but I liked it overall. I ended up adding extra mustard...well, I actually dipped the entire sandwich in the mustard lol. The other guest had the oxtails. They looked and tasted amazing. We also tried the Cuban Espresso. It was delicious and I've never had anything like it! This is definitely a restaurant worth visiting again!

We went today for lunch, 1st timers. We enjoy their daily updates on Instagram. It's a cute place. My husb family makes the red beans, most Cuban restaurants just have black beans which we like too, just not our fave. Today we had the pollo a la plancha, rice, red beans and plantains. The pan grilled bread was yummy. The marinated chicken was nicely cooked the grilled onions were a hit, the rice was real dry. The red beans were...interesting...the sausage or chorizo in it just threw us both a major curve; the beans looked good but I couldn't get beyond the sausage. The plantains, we love them carmalized, these had a burnt flavor. Everything was served nice. The server we had did a good job.

Would give this 10 stars if we could!! Hands down the best cuban food. Beats Versailles in Little Havana in Miami all day long. My churassco was a perfect cut and the flavors in the marinade were spot on. Order the cilantro sauce because it's insanely good. And the chimichurri... so fresh! Don't forget a Cuban coffee either.

Picture it, it's a Saturday night, you are craving Cuban food. The only place that pops into mind is Babalou's Cuban Cafe. The vids was very casual, host met us at the door with a large smile. The place is very welcoming. With Latin music playing (speaker, not live) and the low roar of the patrons taking over dinner, we took our seats. Really enjoy the vibe here, feels inviting. Within a few moments, our server was taking our order: Peach Sangria $10.95 Modelo (draft) x 2 $11.98 Plantain Chips (app) $8.99 Babalu's Way Sandwich $15.95 Roasted Pork Loin $20.99 Cafe Con Leche x 2 $9.98 Coconut Flan $9.99 Total: $88.83 Tax: $6.22 Tip: $19.95 Total Bill: $115.00 The drinks, on point of course. The Plantain Chips were ok, needed to be cooked more, wanted crispy. The Sandwich was large enough for 2 meals, will be getting that again. The Roasted Pork Loin has a wonderful flavor, this could be a go to on the next trip here again. We love Babalu's Cafe, so glad it's here and hope they are here to stay. Thanks for checking out my review, please let us know your experience here and what is your favorite dish.