Buena Vista

We had a good time eating on Labor Day. The place is nice and well decorated. The booths are nice. The food was great. The place was busy. The service was slow due to short staffing. The menu has variety and can cater to all appetites. We had good food and the plates were good size. We hope to visit again and try a few more plates.

It was a total experience! Loved the ambiance and the staff. Very welcoming, the food and drinks were delicious. The cigar roller was so informative and the cigars were very nice. The live band was amazing! Beautiful restaurant too. Can’t wait to go back and enjoy more good food and drinks.

Exactly one week ago I was at this restaurant, unfortunately I had to leave a one star rating because of the service, I always give everything a second chance so I decided to go back a week later, I have to say that the service was great, each of the dishes left the consumer wanting more food even when they were full, the quantity of food is quite large, as well as the quality is unbeatable. The atmosphere in the place is spectacular, the decoration, the music, the CEO. Honestly, I am looking forward to going back to the place soon.

Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Everyone greets me with a smile every time I come and make me feel like home. I’m born and raised in Cuba, and I can say that here I’ve always tasted the authentic Cuban flavor in every plate and the innovative Caribbean taste in every drink (not to talk about the new drinks I’ve never tried anywhere) And if food and drinks weren’t enough, you can also get a Cuban cigar rolled by the best of the bests.

My wife and I, along with some friends, had a delightful dinner at Buena Vista Cuban Cafe yesterday. The location is fantastic, and the service was pretty decent overall. There was a bit of a wait when we were ready to check out, which was a minor inconvenience. The drinks are definitely a highlight here, with a lot of delicious hand-crafted options to choose from. The food was also quite good, with standout dishes like the empanadas and paella. However, I’d recommend skipping the ceviche – the seafood wasn’t as tasty as we've had in the past. One thing I wish they would offer is parking validation. Overall, it was an amazing visit, and we will definitely be back. **Pro tip:** Bring cash for photos as you can get them printed and framed onsite. Also, come after 8 PM from Thursday to Saturday for live music and fresh cigars.

Houston needs more Cuba, the jewel of the Caribbean. Buena Vista is wonderful! Great service and better food. The empanada sampler is beyond good. Love it! See you again. Johnny

The food was prepared nicely. Appetizing to the eyes and palate. There was a live band playing inside. However, we opted to sit on the patio to enjoy the nice evening weather. We received fantastic service on the patio. Overall, it was a nice experience that we would recommend if you've been considering trying it out.

Cute place for a date night! Their drinks are very good, specially their caipirinhas.Food could be a little more flavorful. Nice atmosphere with live music on the weekends and a pretty bar in the middle.

I came here on a weekend right after the lunch rush and was seated promptly. I had not heard of this restaurant but as I was driving by, the decor really caught my attention so I decided to give it a try. There is a paid parking lot behind the restaurant so you do not have to deal with street parking. I ordered the Ceviche Mixto which was one of the best I have had in Houston along with a Presidente beer. Service could have been better since the server seemed to forget about my table and it took a while to get water. I would definitely come back and try their other food items!

This cute spot resides on a very busy Washington Ave next to a Toasted Yolk and across from the Burger Bodega. Came here for a birthday dinner on a Saturday night at 7 and we had two tables seated as soon as you come in, right next to the band. Initially sitting in the seat next to the band I moved one table up because it was loud and started giving a headache. I was fine afterwards. We were a party of atleast 20 and shared quite a few appetizers. We had 4 orders of empanadas. I only eat chicken and seafood so the chicken empanada I tried was very flavorful. I was told the ham and ground beef wad good as well. We had an order of the crab cake and for $22 you get 1. The piece I tried was flavorful as well. But $22 for 1? it was big enough to cut for four bites. I checked the menu days before we came and decided on the Pan con Pollo only to be told sandwiches are only sold during brunch with the exception of the pechuga de pollo that was marinated in citrus. But I didn't want that. Nowhere on the menu online or in restaurant says that sandwiches are only sold during brunch. Now that I'm looking at the menu again the Pan con pollo is not even on the brunch menu‍ The entrance to the bathrooms is so beautiful with all the artwork and the band was beautiful and sounded great. The lights stsrt dimming around 8:30-9ish and its a really beautiful vibe. There was one couple dancing and our table was probably in the way but they made it work. If you like cigars, there was a cigar roller on the patio which is surrounded by plants and gives you nice views of Washington and Fowler. The mojito with sugar was too sweet and without it was strong and the lemon drop with Kettle one Vodka was too perfect if you want to be drunk. Get two. I would come back for happy hour for the ambiance alone. It is a really nice place and worth the visit.

Gotta love Houston Restaurant Weeks and the opportunity to try new places and sample their menu. Three of my trusted companions and I descended on Buena Vista for lunch and truly enjoyed the experience. First in an area of Washington where parking can often be scanty, Buena Vista offers paid parking garage access, making the in and out simple. The restaurant itself offers both patio seating and indoor dining which was a must when the heat index is in triple digits. Our waiter was both quick to seat us and walk us through the HRW menu. The only disappointment was the red snapper dish on the menu was not available as they had sold out for the week. Appetizers were amazing with choices within choices. We opted for croquetas and tostones. The croquetas were delicious, at least the ground beef version. Little logs filled with beef and coated in a crunch. The tostones featured fried plantain cups, I tasted the pork version and it was spectacular. For mains our party split between the pollo and cubano. Chicken was moist but not overdone. The cubano was all it should be. Desserts were impressive and accompanied by several coffee options. We will be back.

The restaurant was bright and colorful. They had many plants outside to give the "island" vibe. The service was good. The workers were friendly. They also validate parking if you use the garage nearby. The food was good, not magnificent, but good. That is why I am giving 4 stars instead of 5. The rice definitely lacked flavor.

I came here craving ropa vieja but this restaurant's version is not authentic. They use a sweet sauce, with somewhat of a barbecue sauce flavor rather than the traditional creole sauce that goes on that dish. The rice tastes like uncle Ben's which is also not traditional. The service is very good, although for lunch it's a bit pushy that someone asks to take your photograph and then for $20 asks you to buy the print in a frame, and the print is a pretty pixelated and bad quality printout. What I did like is the ambiance. Peaceful, pretty decoration, and a live pianist playing lovely music.

I'm so glad to have found this place. I always pass it but the burger place across the way had me in a chokehold The portions are so large and the food was amazing. I really enjoyed this dish be prepared in a skillet. My server, Laura provided great recommendations. I can't wait to return to enjoy the live music.

Overall, very good. The octopus app is great. The empanadas were really good. I wasn't crazy about the croquettas. They crust (?) was difficult to eat and hard and the filling wasn't the best. The cocktails were fabulous. The service was excellent. The patio was very nice and the inside decor was cool. Full bar and tvs if that's your thing. Overall, I'd come back and try more dishes.

Stopped in on a Friday evening (5:30). Didn't know what to expect but expectations were not exceeded. The empanadas weren't as flaky and the pastry could've been a bit thicker. The chicken was okay. Very tender and fell off the bone. Rice tasted hard and stale (day old rice). The mojito was good and very refreshing. Will return for drinks and appetizers

The food was great fresh and full of flavor she had a drink a mojito which was great . The prices eh are a little more than average drinks expensive everywhere, total was about $86 which to me is way over priced since I expected a little more . The shared plate was good but I think maybe the single portions is cheaper and maybe a little more food. The service quick there was no people so ambiance was calm music selection terrible respectfully felt like I was at a techno club . Would I try again maybe not but worth checking out once .

Buena Vista is an amazing Cuban restaurant with 100% authentic flavors to everything they make. This is maybe my fourth time coming and it's one of my favorite Caribbean style restaurants in Houston. We came in a Saturday night so there was a live singer and band who were awesome. Everyone was up and dancing, it was very cute and wholesome. I got the Ropa Vieja which is a 10/10 every time. One thing I will say though is out of the 4 times I've been here, my food has only been hot twice. This was not one of those times. I just wish they were a bit more consistent. But besides that, incredible nonetheless. My friend got the Arroz con pollo. It was good, but way less seasoned than it usually is. Again, consistency would go a long way! For drink this time I got the coconut daiquiri and that's only because they were out of my usual, the Pina Colada; which I must add is the BEST Pina Colada I have ever had. Overall love it so so much here. Consistency on temperature and seasoning would be great, but it's still one of my faves.

Stop Searching! This food is Amazing! Try the coconut mojito. Came here to prepare for my Menendez Brother themed book club party! The food is truly some of the best food I've ever tried. We had the " steak and eggs" and the "Ropa Vieja"! They also have Live Music on certain evenings!

Delicious cuban food catered at Allen Center for Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Catering team mentioned new location to come to downtown on Capitol.

Food was great. Drinks were spectacular!! Great ambiance. Our server, Maria was very attentive. Our first time here, but it won't be our last!

I have to come back here and try more things! Came for eat drink HTX. The servers here are really nice and helpful. The plantain chips weee crispy and came with a few delicious sauces to choose from. My main was also very flavorful, I can't remember the name exactly but the meat was well seasoned and even the beans were tasty! They have live music on some days so that would be really fun to come back for.

This is my honest opinion! I consider myself a good critic on restaurants, You can ask family and friends. Sorry, the food is just ok, I didn't taste the freshness, was more like from 2-3 days ago/microwave and go! They have a menu but 2-3 things are not available. By the way, they didn't have Cuban Sandwiches! Drinks are ok but don't ask for Ice Tea they don't have it or Jugo de caña. Stay away from deserts (Bread Pudding) cute girl but service was poor. 2 Adult one child $100+ Remember, clean restrooms clean kitchen!

The atmosphere in this restaurant was amazing, I loved the decor and the live music. The empanadas were OUTSTANDING! Whatever that green sauce was that went with the empanada was perfection. However, I give this place 4 stars because we got the mojitos and they were either too sweet or tasted like seltzer water and they used way too much mint. We ordered the Cuban sandwich and it was okay. Not the greatest. I felt the bread could've been toasted more and they should've melted the cheese more. One of our friends got the breakfast sandwich and they used way too much eggs. Our waiter was an angel as he managed a group of over 10 people.

Ambiance is amazing! Really great for a girls night, date night or a nice dinner with your family! Went on a Saturday night with a reservation and was seated promptly. Reservations are recommended as the place is not huge. The tables are a bit close to one another but it's whatever. The mojitos were strong and delicious. Had the Cuban board as an appetizer since we wanted to try a bunch of them it's a great choice. Entrees consisted of the shrimp enchilados and paella. Both were really good. The band starts playing around 8pm. Very easy on the ears. Great location on Washington Ave where there are a lot of other things happening nearby. Will definitely be back!

A great latin restaurant! The decor is very fun, the food is tasty, drinks are strong and they have live music as well! The patio area is cozy and perfect for a date night or a girls night out!

FOOD: great quality, low value. Pricey for the portion size. Good authentic flavors (I'm a Miami native!) and menu has a well rounded selection. BEST DISH: tostones. SERVICE: On a weekday in the early evening -- good! Server was attentive, polite and knowledgeable. Order-to-table 15 mins, too long for a 10% fill capacity. AMBIANCE: ample indoor and outdoor sitting. Live Cuban music, comfortable lighting and temperature. Difficult parking!

Reservation for set for 4 at 7:15 i asked for a nice table as it was a business celebration of sorts for 4 of us. They proceeded to sit us in front of the stage which was ok until the band started and there went any semblance of a convo we could have had. The apps were on point. My paella was soso. The coffee is legit and sonare the cocktails. The cigar roller was a nice touch. Id go back have apps and cocktails only and push for a booth.

Ok... amazing! Live music nights on the inside... a little more quiet on the outside. We ran into an issue with a leak since it had been raining and the staff was so accommodating and were able to move us. We had the tostones rellenos which come in a set of 3 little cups full of flavor! And then for entree's we had the ropa vieja and gaucho with Cuban rice and vegetables. All super delicious we left very full and happy! Will be back for their valentines special!

Great food and ambiance. They have a live band on some days in the evening which were also vibes. Service was also good!

We went later on a Friday, after 9pm. When we arrived we found out reservations are recommended. It is a smaller place but elegant. There was live music. We were seated quickly. Bartender was attentive while we waited. Waiter took our order. They were out of meatballs (Albondigas) so we got the chorizo instead which was recommended. Hubby didn't care for it. The red wine made it slightly sweet. The plantain chips were perfect. We also ordered the Cuban platter which is an appetizer with a little bit of everything. Service was slow. We waited for refills on our drinks for a bit. We'll give it another try

First time coming here and we had a great experience. We opted to sit on the patio which was nicely decorated for Christmas and quieter than inside since there was live music indoors. We had the croquetas and mariquitas to start with and really enjoyed both. We had one pork, chicken and beef croqueta drizzled with cilantro aioli and the mariquitas were large plantain chips with cilantro aioli dipping sauce. For our mains we had the pan con lechón and the Afro Cuban pork. Both dishes were great and the pork juicy but I really liked the sandwich. The service was a bit slow but our waiter was so nice and offered us complimentary Cuban coffee after dinner which was rich and amazing. The inside decor is really nice and the whole place has a great vibe and atmosphere. We will definitely be going back.

We went on a Friday night and somehow got in without a reservation. They had a great band from South America that played Spanish and Brazilian music. They interacted with the diners and made it fun. The food was good and the service was very friendly The crowd was young, hip and international. The decor is lively and elegant. We look to going back.

The atmosphere is amazing and it's also family friendly. Cute for a first date (you can dance to live music) or even the perfect for a Graduation or Engagement. Service is quick and attentive. The food is authentic Cuban food. Chiefs kiss.

Really great beef empanadas, I do not have a lot of experience eating them, but these were delicious. Hubs had the Cuban sandwich, he said was good, the side of fries were normal/tasty (note: sandwich comes à la carte, it's an up-charge to add a side). Pretty interior, cute chandeliers, comfy big booths. Wish our waiter had refilled our waters at least once, but was overlooked the whole meal, we finally had to ask for some at the end. He was polite and nice, but not super attentive. Tip: They validate 2hrs of parking for the garage next door. Would definitely go again for the empanadas.

Food was very tasty and the atmosphere was well received. Had great full bar to choose from but was week night so did not drink. Had empanada sampler to start and the cilantro sauce was nice touch. Had grilled chicken with onion as entree and it was spot on. Had many sides to choose from but I chose the traditional black beans and rice. Only flub was service with the team. Had to ask for things multiple times and only handful of diners present. Hopefully they get the service polished up will be back on my next trip to Houston.

Eight of us enjoyed a nice birthday dinner on the patio. The Cuban sandwich, empanadas and the Cuban Board were enjoyable. The staff was very attentive. And on a Saturday night, we enjoyed watching diners dancing to the live music. Our night ended in a conga line! The scenes of Cuba project it along the outer wall with a nice touch. I felt like I was in Cuba for a few hours.

I have been waiting for this restaurant to open on the corner of Washington Ave and Fowler Street. All of the previous restaurants that have been in this location had extremely short tenure. This corner demands something extraordinary in order to draw patrons, so I was especially excited about an authentic Cuban restaurant trying its hand at this infamously "fail" corner spot. I'm going to save an in-depth review for after Bueno Vista has been opened for at least 30 days. In the meantime, I recommend for everyone who enjoys Traditional Cuban cuisine to stop by Buena Vista. The cocktails are quite tasty and you won't be disappointed with the authentic Cuban cuisine!

The ambiance is beautiful but more importantly the cafecito, the food and the desserts were UHhhh-mazing!!! Pedro was our awesome waiter.

Love the atmosphere of this place. The portions are big, good for sharing. Our server was very attentive. We'll be back again.

We liked it a lot. The food was really good. We had a mixed appetizer that was fun to eat, and shredded beef that was amazing and black rice, a little crunchy. The only thing was the white Terrace and waitresses. All of them, and with a snobby response, admitted they were Cuban. It was interesting how they all put off this vibe like there's a chip on the shoulder thing. I don't know.

One of the most authentic Cuban restaurants in town if not the best. They have live band music and the food is crazy amazing!!! I had the Caribbean fish dish that was fire!!! Service was incredible and on point. The waiter Bryan was the best. He knew the menu front to back and had great recommendations!! I would come here every week to dance and enjoy great food and drinks.

This place is fun! The live music was so loud, but we didn't care, we talked in between sets. The waitress was attentive and lovely. The ropa vieja was just right, but a tiny bit salty. Nevertheless you add the plátanos maduros and it's just a perfect pairing. The plantain chips, mariquitas, with sauce were home-made crispy and delicious. Pro/con- There's a big patio with seating on the side street so not so loud, sounds great right? Well...there are people outside smoking puros, and of course the smoke gets everywhere. I guess if you're looking for a place to smoke cigars, it's heaven. But if you're sensitive to smoke it's yu-ky. The smoke does waft a bit into the restaurant but not enough to ruin the meal and great party atmosphere.

We absolutely loved this place, we celebrated a birthday here and they were super accommodating. They made the night so special, the band even sang happy birthday personally to our table. We definitely recommend this place for a fun relaxing night out, it's the perfect combination of going out and having a chill night. The place is small so be sure to make a reservation, also be aware that there is live music and it may be too loud for some. Good was pretty good, a little pricey for Cuban food but definitely delicious. We will recommend this place to everyone!

For starters the the vibe inside the restaurant is very nice especially on the weekends at night. They have live music and arrangement is nice for the size. We ended up getting the afro cuban pork, the ropa vieja (shredded beef) and side of plantains everything was was good just would have liked a little more seasoning on the beef other then that the taste was good. We also had mojitos, but they were out of a few flavors so options were a little limited then the menu had to offer. Service was great and would recommend going on a nice little date or meeting spot for dinner or lunch.

Amazing service, food and music. Coming from my Cuban spots in Miami this was a home away from home. Definitely a must try

I had a terrible experience at this restaurant. First, the pastry I ordered was so hard it felt like I was biting into a rock. On top of that, they didn't even have milk available, which is basic for a café! It took an incredibly long time for the food to come out, and when it finally did, it tasted like it had been sitting out for days--stale and super old. Definitely not worth the wait or the money. I won't be coming back.

We had a delightful takeout dinner from Beuno Vista Cuban Cafe! We loved the ropa vieja--super tender, tasty beef with some vegetables. And each entree comes with a side, and you definitely need to get the moros, which are basically rice and beans, so good! I also really liked the tostones, particularly the cilantro aioli served with it. Great meal!

The only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of one is because the food was actually really good along with the music. I walked in with two other people around 115. The lady asks if we have a reservation with multiple empty tables inside, yet proceeds to tell us to wait at the bar. We waited as she sat groups of 2 or more at a time. After we made a reservation at 120 for a table at 130, we approached the lady in passing and asked her if there was a table ready. She said "oh, yeah" and put us in a booth with 2 menus and a brunch one as if there wasn't 3 of us needing a menu. It took 15 minutes to even order a beverage and 25 minutes after to get our food. By this time it's 2:07 before we received the food. The food was super good in our collective opinion, however we got attended to for ordering and only once after when we noticed I was missing half my meal. We had to find our waitress as she was busy tending to larger tables repeatedly. I guess stay where the larger tip is right? Well I asked the lady about my side and was told "let me check". She came back out with fried plantains when I was supposed to get potatoes. She set the on the table and said "our chef gave these because we don't have potatoes" and walked away to her other larger table. It's now 2:28 and have finished our food 20 minutes ago. Still haven't got the check or a leven a water refill. When I asked for the manager, the lady said "the manager is not here" I told her I wasn't paying until I talked to him and she said "maybe he'll be here in a few minutes." I guess that's why there was no structure in place. I think if you got time to waste for a good meal, have to find your waitress if you have a need or issue, and don't mind not being tended to but once every 20-30 minutes without getting up, this is the place to be!

I stopped here for a quick lunch and I absolutely loved it! The place is very chick! Loved the music, decor, food & friendly staff. This is really a great place for business lunches, for drinks with friends & for small celebration gatherings. I will certainly be back. I was told there is a cigar roller from Thursday-Sunday.

The food was delicious but the serving size is very small. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful inside. I want to go for my birthday on a night when they have live music. The service was friendly.

Starting off, this place is GORGEOUS. I love the atmosphere and it was clean and the decorations were so nice. We had a party of 6 and it was quick to get a table. We order the cuban board and it was delicous! Although, the plantains were kinda bland. I ordered the pechuga de pollo (grilled chicken) and it was pretty good. Sauted vegetables were good, and the chicken was juicy but needed a bit more seasoning. I also ordered the moros (rice cooked with black beans) and it was dry, hard, and not good at all. I tasted like it was left out for a while and microwaved. The rest of my party had ordered sandwiches and they all complained about the meat being dry.

Cute charming vibe. Love music playing in the background while enjoying a drink at the bar. I decided not to eat here. Probably is great food, but was only here for a quick drink. Come check it out. Smells wonderful in here. $17.50 including 2 tip them a shocking 2.50 to park... $22, doesn't work for me for one drink during Happy Hour... hmmmmm

Great food and good ambiance, will be back. The waitress was very helpful with food selection and overall service was great.

I was excited to go there on a Sunday and try their brunch and live music. First we got the regular menu instead of the brunch menu which I found strange so I had to ask the brunch menu. There was no DJ or live music the time I was there. They advertised this from noon to 4 and I left at 1:30. The food was average. I ordered a Cuban sandwich the lettuce in my sandwich was old. Service wasn't great, we kept chasing our server every time we needed to order something. Needless to say I wouldn't recommend this place and I can think of many much better places in Houston to spend $230 at.

We've come to expect a top-notch experience from any restaurant wanting to survive and thrive in Houston, so we were surprised and disappointed by how mediocre Buena Vista was. The restaurant is very bright with a big one-room dining area and not a ton of personality. We ordered a mojito and a daiquiri at the bar before we sat for our reservation -- the bartending staff was not personable and the drinks were supremely average. I expect a mojito to be on point at a Cuban bar. I think they use a sour mix in it??? The croquetas and the ropa vieja were the highlight of our visit. The croquetas were unique; the ropa vieja well seasoned. But the presentation was very average, as was the service. We just kept saying everything was "fine" and I don't think you can get away with just "fine" if you want to thrive in the Houston food scene.

I was there Sunday afternoon, April 14 at 2 PM, I sat at the bar and ordered a Cuban Sandwich, the price of $14 was a little steep, considering it did not even come with a side dish. The quality was good, not great, not exceptional. The ambience of the restaurant did not really typify the Cuban restaurant. It was just a bunch of little Cuban flags and that was about it. The bartender never checked if I was enjoying my sandwich or even thanked me for the tip and the music was loud rock followed by Mark Anthony, certainly not Cuban music. I am Cuban and was certainly disappointed. I was there Sunday afternoon, April 14 at 2 PM, I sat at the bar and ordered a Cuban Sandwich, the price of $14 was a little steep, considering it did not even come with a side dish. The quality was good, not great, not exceptional. The ambience of the restaurant did not really typify the Cuban restaurant. It was just a bunch of little Cuban flags and that was about it. The bartender never checked if I was enjoying my sandwich or even thanked me for the tip and the music was loud rock followed by Mark Anthony, certainly not Cuban music. I am Cuban and was certainly disappointed.