Cafe Piquet Cuban Cuisine

Had a great dinner here tonight! The building is very clean and well maintained. The atmosphere and music are good with lots of interesting decor. Service was fast and accurate with orders, drink refills, etc. Our server was fast and attentive, but not necessarily friendly nor talkative, but that's fine as she was great in all the other areas. The food was good. I had wanted two steak dishes that they were apparently out of. Instead I ordered basically the same dish but with chicken. It was cooked well and delicious, but the steak option was what my heart was set on, so it was a little disappointing. Overall good experience and would recommend!

What a lovely family restaurant! Very clean with good atmosphere and delicious food. I had the fried Red Snapper and it was awesome. Really enjoyed that dinner and service from the staff. They were all friendly, quick service and very attentive. Will definitely visit again.

I don't remember the bartender's name but she made us some good no they were GREAT Mojitos!!! Coconut 🥥 Watermelon 🍉 Regular Mojito (We took food to go) (It was good too)

Wow! This place is such a hidden gem. Located just outside of Bellaire (Houston) area. The food, service, and atmosphere were absolutely amazing. 💯

Im from France and My cuban parents have been asking me to try cuban food for they first time. While scrolling on Google maps searching for cuban restaurant I found this restaurant, and let me tell You that this was the Best option. We really appreciate Estella's service. I had a bistec de cerdo and it was amazing. I highly recomend Martin's mojitos. The atmosphere was great so was the service and the food. The staff was really Nice. I recommend this place 100% I am surely coming back to this awsome place. Oh and just as a recommendation You should order ropa vieja.

This has been one of my favourite places since they were in a tiny, blue building years ago. The place is gorgeous and inviting (wish I had photos to share). The service is outstanding. Servers are friendly and knowledgeable. The food is amazing every time, it is fresh, delicious and the portions are more than enough. I regularly take my team here as they can always accommodate us. We typically lunch and then finish with Cuban coffee - delish! I highly recommend the croquetas - my personal fave is the chicken but the ham is delicious as well. This time I tried La Rumba and it was very good. Typically I have the Palomilla or Ropa Vieja. My friend had the Pargo Entero Frito and it was perfect! If you have not tried them, go as soon as possible, you will love it!

Even though I have lived within a mile of this place for over a decade today was my first time visiting. It did not disappoint. The food was absolutely amazing. Our server Richard was too notch and everything was perfect. It was priced very well with my Family of five eating for about $80 including an appetizer. It will definitely become one of my regular spots.

We tried Cuban food at this cafe and really enjoyed it. The foods were very interesting and good, especially the grill fish dish and the flan. Richard was a nice and helpful server. We had a little chit chat with Rogelio, the manager. What a friendly host. He spent time to answer all of our questions from the foods to the decoration on the walls. I recommend this place for small families or small group of friends.

The best steak and onions you will ever have! The palomilla. Everything else we've tried is great too. Especially anything with the garlic sauce. The kids love it. Also great drinks!

Every restaurant needs a Gordon Ramsay type of figure that's actively watching the quality that exits the kitchen. In the absence of anyone looking for food quality, many poorly prepared meals make it to the table for unsuspecting diners to eat. Our family is longtime patrons of the business probably 30+ years. My last review was 15 years ago. However, this place is consistently showing up as mediocre. I have not visited in over 4 years, and yesterday was my first day to dine in, in person. This applies to fried foods like: Fried plantains, sweet plantains or fried yucca. - Dark golden brown on the outside - Raw on the inside To me it says, frying oil is too hot. They are going by exterior color and not how well the interior is cooked. Their sweet plantains are cut too thick which means again -- raw on the inside and brown on the outside. Their mojo is a burnt brown color. They try to blame bad garlic on "seasonal" changes. When it's just garlic 101. Brown garlic is bitter garlic. The only redeeming dish on the menu is the Cuban sandwich -- however, in the rush to get the sandwich out, they cut corners and they don't reheat it properly-- When a warm sandwich turns up with cold pork, unmelted cheese, cold bread, no toasted bread is the recipe for an unsatisfying sandwich experience. It's suppose to be warm --not fresh from the fridge. Reheating a sandwich is so basic, yet they mess that up also. I don't know if their cook is tired, under paid, or what but the amount of culinary sabotage coming out of that kitchen would put other restaurants out of business. TLDR: They mess up cooking basics here! It's a shame. I can't recommend this place. Better off learning to cook Cuban food at home than pay for mediocre meals. I

Cuban cuisine! Sure sounds delicious food is Inconsistent. Basically comes at room temperature, To go u are taking big chance . I have been there many times In desperation, hit Ñ miss.

We were a group of eight. Mabel was a great waitress and gave us separate checks. It was pouring when I arrived. Rogelio, the manager, brought me a plastic bag to put my umbrella. Two of the eight in the group are regulars there. Everyone liked their food. I had a passion fruit juice which was refreshing and delicious. My black beans were also really good. And they're vegetarian. There's yuca with garlic sauce, both fried and boiled. I had the boiled one. It's delicious. A friend ordered a coconut flan to share with us. It's quite possibly the most delicious one I've ever had. It's dense. They have happy hour through 6. They didn't have a menu for that. I wish they did.

Cute ambiance. Great for dinner. I came for lunch with my coworkers. I'm docking one star because the service could have been better. The waiters seemed overwhelmed so we waited a bit for basic things like refilling drinks and checks. I also wish they had a lunch menu because it is a little on the higher price for what you get. Either way it's good solid Cuban food.

I had been craving Cuban food and a friend recommended this place. It was pretty empty on a Saturday during brunch time. A waiter came over immediately after we sat down and took our drink order and told us the daily specials. To drink I ordered a spicy mango margarita. It was so strong I couldnt taste the mango :( it did the job though LOL. For my entree I ordered picadillo with congri rice and a salad. The picadillo was amazing! So much flavor!! It is exactly what I had been craving. The congri rice was also soooo good. It was the perfect combination. I am Puertorican and it is so hard to find authentic Caribbean food here but this place really delivered. I will be back for sure!

Overall, Cafe Piquet is a decent neighborhood destination for some classic Cuban flavors in Houston. My favorites included the garlic shrimp and rice (full of flavor and aroma) as well as the delicious apps like the fried cheese with guava sauce and the tostones rellenos stuffed eith ropa vieja. The cubano sandwich was a solid option as well for those classic flavors.

I was excited for cuban food but didn't quite get what I had in florida. The cuban coffee was good. The yuca in mojo was good, but everything else was just ok. The service did remind me of that in florida. Texas has way better service standards for sure. The waiters seemed very busy all the time, and we had to order with a different staff member than who had originally introduced themselves. The food came quickly, and the place was like an old school homely restaurant. I bet things get livelier when they have music playing with a band, as I've heard. They don't have cuban pastries for dessert, which was one of the reasons I looked for a cuban restaurant.

Delicious food and you'll leave feeling very full and satisfied. I had an amazing waiter that night who was extremely friendly and I regret not asking for his name, but he seemed very patient and willing to explain items on the menu and give recommendations. I wanted a "mamey" shake and he recommended it with milk and that was delicious. I got the pernil and my boyfriend got the ropa vieja. Let me tell you the plates come jam packed, so halfway through I was already feeling very full. Our waiter came back and was like yeah we usually stuff our plates. Both dishes were very tasty. I also got the fried yuca as my side and it was very crispy. It was even more yummy with the garlic they topped it off with.

Great food. Decent service. We hadn't been here in many years because we live so faraway. We found ourselves in the area and decided to come by. It got busy while we were there and we had a hard time getting the check towards the end. Since we had to be at the theater for an event, we were looking to bolt out of there. Not the fastest check out but we were happy with our dishes: the pollo de ajo and empanada trio. The congri and yuca were very satisfying. The restaurant was definitely starting to fill up for dinner when we left here on a Sunday afternoon.

Monday, November 7th, 2022, I was supposed to go to the Astros' victory party. I parked my car at Hermann Park, then tried t catch the Metro. But the Metro was so crowded that I was kicked out. I decided to organize my bubble head parade!. I need some food. I was thinking about Cuban food. I visited Cafe Piquet in order to buy a Cuban sandwich. I like Yuli Gurriel and Yodan Alvarez from Cuba. They like the sandwich, I guessed. I bout the sandwich and tamales. Both of them were great! I really enjoyed y bubblehead parade! Thank you!

It's been a while since I've been back, and was craving some breaded beef and plantains. Bistec Empanizado - huge and delicious! Beef was pretty tender, perfectly breaded and with a good crunchiness to it. I ordered with black beans and fried plantains. Multiple ways to mix it up, all of which will hit the spot! Mariquitas - overflowing basket, and comes with garlic dip. Flavor is spot on. Service is great, and place has ample parking. Highly recommended!

Made the hour drive to meet our son & dil for lunch. Decided to sit inside. We were seated near the tv. Not sure why. It was on extremely loud, I guess because the World Cup was on. Server promptly took our orders. Ordered the fried yuca al mojo for appetizer. Perfectly fried. We all decided on sandwiches. The kiddos shared a media noche and French fries. Hubby & I shared the media noche and the Cubano. I got a cappuccino to go along with my sandwiches. I grew up drinking them with my Cubanos. The sandwiches were good. I wish the cappuccino(not pictured) would have been a little bigger. Service was good. We will always come back.

Service was excellent! Food was tasty and correct temperature. Nice inside, very pleasant decor. May want to consider staying open a little longer on Sundays.

Great ropa vieja - really; it is awesome! That's the best thing and only thing we like. The ripe plantains aren't fresh; frozen Goya stuff that's not great. Black beans are tasty and service is ok.

This was my second time frequenting here. The staff is super nice, and the food is affordable. Every time that I go here, I get the ropa vieja. My two suggestions is 1. for the black beans to have a little more flavor, and 2. The plantains to have a crust kind of around the edges. (They're super soft)

If you love delicious authentic Cuban food, Cafe Piquet is the place for you. Perfect every time I visit!

Yo se cocinar ya desde hace 14 años y tengo experiencia más de 5 años en restaurantes Siempre quise probar la comida Cubana pero realmente me lleve una experiencia desagradable con el personal y la atención, pude notar ya que si te ven que no eres cubano les dará igual y el servicio será malo, pero si pude fijarme cómo trataron a los demás, al ambiente se siento discriminatorio,pesado, hipócrita y malo en general, fuera mentiroso si dijera que la comida no estaba bien pero si estaba buena un 9/10 igual con las bebidas alcohólicas, pero por la atención y lo dicho arriba es una de los restaurantes que no volveré a visitar en mi vida

I grew up eating my mothers' great Cuban food - this is like going home! Great authentic Cuban dishes that make me so happy!

Fuimos a celebrar el cumple de un amigo, eramos una mesa de 8 personas, nada mayor, la mesera fue de lo mas ruda, una cubana recien llegada que no tiene idea de los buenos modales, nos abandono y no regresaba a checar, teniamos que pararnos he ir a la barra a pedir las cosas, cuando se lo mencionamos al manager no le dio importancia pero eso si, cobraron miuy bien la ppropina que no se merecia, es una lastima porque hemos sido clientes de mas de que el lugar abrio, es triste como no tienen respeto y le arruinan el momento a las personas que solo queriamos pasar un buen rato y disfrurat la comida, todos estamos en desacuerdo de porque contratar personal que no tiene idea del buen servicio al cliente. Una muy mala experiencia.

This is my favorite Cuban spot for over 20 years! The food is INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS. I had them cater my birthday party last year. My favorites are mariquitas (thin plantain chips w/ minced garlic on top), the beef empanadas are the best I've ever had, the Ropa Vieja is out of this world- it comes with black beans and rice w/ sweet plantains. Finish it up with delicious flan and a yummy homemade juice. I will keep coming back!

Authentic Cuban food. Check. 5 star service. Check. Amazing drink. Check. This small family owned restaurant has hands down some of the best Cuban food you'll find in all of Houston. We brought our friend who's from Cuba, and she couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was. She was like a kid in a candy shop. I suggest ordering a small sampler if you are feeding 4 people. Then I would share family style and order 2 entrees. Disclaimer: this is only a suggestion. If you have to pick an entree, you MUST go with the vaca frita followed closely by the picadillo. The charred pieces of beef mixed with grilled onions, combined with rice and beans = a party in your mouth. My wife and I frequent this place at least once a quarter if not more.

I've been a regular for almost a year now thanks to their empanadas! The service is quick and amazing, their sangria is so refreshing and the restaurant is always neat. Will forever be a loyal customer.

Came back to Cafe Piquet on a solo trip to Houston four years after moving away. I have to say, everything feels exactly the same! I ordered mariquitas with extra garlic sauce, ropa vieja, and finished with a Cuban coffee. Everything was absolutely delicious as always and the coffee was the perfect ending to the meal. If you're looking for the best Cuban food in Houston, you HAVE to try Cafe Piquet.

Been here many times now. It is our "go to place" when we want Cuban Cuisine. Food has always been fantastic, service for the most part is above average, and atmosphere is always upbeat and energetic. We always order the "Sampler" for an appetizer, eat extra bread, and ask for the habanero sauce to put on almost all of our food. Yep, it is that good! Ropa Viejo for me on this visit.

Let me clear and upfront, I am a Miami native and the first in my family born in the states, from Cuba. Cuban food is my comfort food, and what I grew up with, and sadly, I have to say this is not it. I recently moved to Houston and was missing home, so I though Cuban food I didn't have to make at home might do it. First let me say, the staff was friendly, polite and attentive. Service was relatively quick and the place looked clean and well maintained. That is the reason for the two stars. If I could rare those things seperately I would. No complaints on either service or environment. We ordered the small "sampler" platter as an appetizer. A sandwich, and I ordered Fufu de plátanos. At the end of my meal, I asked for a "cortadito". The sampler comes with 2 croquetas de jamón, un tamal, 2 empanadas, and a papa rellena. First, the empanadas and the papa rellena, are made with the same picadillo, which is typical, what is not was the flavor profile and the peas in the picadillo. Also, it was too moist for the papa rellena and the empanadas to retain their physical integrity and look. They tasted ok, but for my palette it was not right. The tamal was semi bland but the consistency was right although it's served out of its leaf enclosure, which may have affected the moisture, unsure how long they are out of their "pouches". The croquetas were mishapen, and were not seasoned correctly for my taste. Also, two sauces were served with the platter, neither of which could be considered authentic, one seemed like a parsley/garlic aoili, and the other a spicy pepper jam. The sandwich I did not try, but it was very large and looked fresh. The Pechugona was the one ordered, and it looked good but I can't comment on it further. The Fufu, which I was very excited for, was a disappointment. First off, traditional Fufu is boiled sweet plantains, which chicharrón, and typically a mojo is prepared for the top and serving in most households. This had to be fried sweet plantains or "maduros", which either masitas de puerco or pernil, both pork dishes, mashed in with it. The garlic on top, looked like it was scooped out of one of those jars you get at the grocery store. It left alot to be desired. In the end, I got un cortadito. This is supposed to be a Cuban espresso, known to us as cafécito at any "window" with a little milk, to cut the espresso. Hence it's name. What I was served was weak and awful espresso, with the wrong consistency, and no milk to be seen if any. Two sugar packets on the side. It was awful. If you aren't Cuban, it may seem fine to you. If you are Cuban though, I'm gonna have to suggest you avoid coming here. The most authentic thing about the restaurant was the Cuban flag at half mast outside.

We used to live in the Bellaire/Gulfton area and have eaten often at Cafe Piquet. We recently ate at Versailles, one of the top Cuban restaurants in Miami, and Cafe Piquet is on par, if not better! Moist rice and tender meats, warm ambiance.. yeah, we think this place serves better food than one of the best Cuban restaurants in Florida and that is saying a lot!! Their garlic sauce (mojo) is Very Garlicky so you're gonna love it and then have heartburn. Enjoy!

Great food and service! Would definitely visit again. My husband has the red snapper and I had a vegetable plate. Both were delicious.

I love coming here for special occasions because I get to share this amazing gem with my family and friends. The food is amazing, the staff always treats you like family and the ambiance is chill.

Yum! That's all. Lol. Seriously some delicious Cuban food. Authentic. Friendly. Tasty. This establishment can be considered a staple of Htown. Having patronized this eatery pre-Yelp, the food is consistent having people return years later to find the same flavor is still very much present. Located in the City of Bellaire (a pocket in Houston) having ample parking off Bissonnet St. get there early to avoid crowds. A true gem. ¡Buen provecho!

Love the yucca, but I usually go here for flan and Cuban coffee. Both of these together are the key to life, I swear!

Great Cuban food, no matter what you get. Great customer service and Great drinks. Great parking

After more than a decade, we continue going to Cafe Piquet when we want to enjoy Cuban food. We ordered 5 different dishes and everyone was completely happy with their choice. From the moment we arrived, the hostess made us feel welcome , he even checked on us while we were eating to make sure we were satisfied with the service. Maybe he was the manager . The place has an extensive parking lot. The dining room was organized and clean. It was also noticeable how the restroom didn't have those strong chemicals some restaurants use to hide the unpleasant odors. It was just clean. Sometimes you can tell a lot about the cleanliness of a place by checking their restroom, I think.

Cafe Piquet is a pretty sizable restaurant located in the Bellaire area. It's got its own dedicated parking lot with plenty of parking so you'll never have to worry about not finding a spot. The restaurant itself has both an outdoor patio and indoor seating area. The outdoor patio is only 5 or so tables and doesn't overlook much (just the adjacent street) but is partly covered and has a nice care-free cafe type ambiance. Indoors is much, much larger and features a bar. It's easier to get service indoors since waiters are more likely to see you - the outdoor patio is out the front door and there aren't really windows through which you could flag down a waiter. Service is friendly and they like to ask if you've been there before/are new to cuban food and can give recommendations if you're confused. Pernil This is my go-to. It's a very simple pork with garlic recipe served with white rice, beans and your choice of side. This is a considerable amount of food for under $15 with lots of variety. The simple garlic sauce on the pork is really flavorful and pairs really well with the rice. I typically get the platanos maduros (sweet fried plantains) as a nice dessert-type side but they have multiple other options like yuca fries as well. Emapandas You get 2 for $5 and they have an option of beef or ham and cheese. They're quite large in size, at least 3-4 inches in length and really fill you up. These are also a steal for how well they're made! The outside is crispy and the inside is very flavorful. Definitely would recommend this local gem. They've also got a nice happy hour.

We ordered take out for dinner. The restaurant vibe was great and will definitely be back for dine in the next time we stop in Houston. Everything we tried was delish. My personal favorite was the fabada.

I'm originally from the Miami area so I'm always craving Cuban food. This place has never missed. Great people and amazing food/service. The croquettes, empanadas, and palomilla every time and I'm so happy. Nothing but positive things to say about this place.

Perhaps the best Cuban restaurant in Houston. Excellent food, rapid and good service. Will always go back when craving Cuban. Their pork with garlic seasoned yuca (casava) is tops!!

I tried the sampler platter again and it was good but most of the meats were a little chewier than before. Our last visit we were offered a basket of bread....didn't happen this time....not that we needed the carbs, but.....my wife loved her chicken soup as always.

Wow!! We ordered our cocktails first, I was a little hesitant as many establishments use a lot of gimlet in their mojitos and not fresh lime, but the bartenders nailed the portions and ingredients of the drinks! Perfect muddling of mint, not too sweet and not too tangy with a good pour of Bacardi! The pina colada was great too! Then came the appetizers! The Croquetas de Jamón were melt in your mouth. For our entrees, the plantains were cooked to perfection, sweet and tender. The congri was fantastic! And if you separated out the rice and beans you will notice the perfect consistency of rice as well. Large portions, which we are always wins in our book! My only critique would be that the meat was a bit dry. We also had dessert with fried guava and ice cream! We will 100% be back!! The service was great! Our water glasses were never empty. All of our requests were filled with joy! They remembered the birthday request we had! Top notch! Also, a little tip, they have a great happy hour! Mojitos are $5 and carajillo's $4!! Definitely will be back for a happy hour.

The food here is always great! We no longer live in Houston. But when we have time, we come to eat here. We had a wonderful waitress. I don't recall her name but I would remember her face. Very nice and helpful. We will be back!

We absolutely love this place. Authentic Cuban food. Always consistent. Went with my wife and son over the weekend. The combo platter. (A bit of everything) is my favorite. No fabada this time around but colorados was really good. Picadillo, vaca frita, platanitos...,I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. We were lucky - the bartender served us. Made amazing mojitos with tons of mint which is the way I like it. Can't wait to go again. You truly need to go to this place. Best Cuban food around. And the staff is really nice and friendly.

Stopped by Cafe Piquet since I had not been here in years since I was in HS . The place has always been quaint and nice to relax. The cuban cuisine is delicious, sweet and full of oil and butter. Just like all other Latinos lol. My family and I grabbed Mariquitas to start. They are plantain chips with garlic butter. They put a lot, enough for 3 people to share. So make sure you order adequately. Next up I grabbed the cuban dish with a littled bit of everything. comes with congri (moros, gallo pinto, casamiento, arroz con abichuelas, each country calls this dish differently) Maduros, masitas de cerdo, yuca herbida The food was super delicious. I felt like i gained 5 pounds though because the plate was enough to feed 2 people. The services on the restaurant was not that good this last visit , or perhaps the waiter was just absent minded. I had to flag other waiters down so they could refill my mom's drink . Overall though great restaurant

Its a cute little place. Service was great. I went about 530 on a Friday and not very many people. Besides a Cuban sandwich , some of the bakeries I love in Miami and the oxtails and avocado salad I get from a cuban place elsewhere I dont know a whole lot about cuban food. BUT the places ive gone in those other states are so packed with flavors that I can never forget them. This was my first dish here by recommendation pf the waiter. I am giving it a 3 because it wasn't bad, but didn't blow me away at all. The rice and beans were a little on the cold side. Plantains were okay and as expected I guess. The beef was somewhat tender, and the dish is something I could've made at home with much more favor (so Im a little bias that way). When i eat out, i want something I cant make. So it works for people who really want or has a taste for cuban, like I did. You may or may not be totally satisfied. Signed, Meh

Me gusta venir a este restaurante porque me siento en casa.Me gusta agarrar arroz blanco con muslo de puerco con frijoles al lado

I decided to go here since it is a popular Cuban restaurant to go to. This was also my first time having Cuban food, and the pictures looked like the food would be tasty to an extent. I tried the ropa vieja knowing that the sides are simple. The meat was some of the leanest beef I've had in my life, almost tough. Flavor profile extends to the slight tanginess of the tomato and wine sauces it is cooked in. But the texture of the rice and beans against the toughness of the meat did not mix well. The price was just too much for what is really is. If I were to make this at home, let's say I'd be in the kitchen a little longer.

I used to like coming here until they served me sold white rice that was not reheated equally. Very disappointing when a restaurant can't give you fresh white rice.

Came with a party of two. Got the empanada, potato croquette, the banana chips and got the Cuban sampler and ropa vieja for mains. Loved the empanada and ropa vieja the most. ask for extra garlic sauce, theirs is very potent and tasty.

I recently visited this Cuban themed restaurant for lunch on a Sunday. As I walked in, I immediately liked the interior decor. It gave me an good vibe with its Latin/Cuban structure, art and colors. After being seated, I chose the traditional Ropa Viejas ($13.99) and soon thereafter a nice bread basket with butter arrived to start. Within 15 minutes my entree arrived along with my chosen sides plantains and Congri. Congri is a mixture of white rice, black beans with a little bit of ham thrown in. The Ropa Viejas was, of course, shredded beef slow cooked in a tomato and wine sauce. It was delicious. I liked the full bodied flavor that the tomato and wine sauce brought to the dish that made it a delight to eat. I thought the plantains were also very good with their soft texture and taste. While the Congri looked good on the plate, I thought it was too dry for my tastes. Had it been more moist, I would order it again however if I return will probably try one of their other sides. Table service was good. All in all, I had a pleasant meal here and would be happy to return for my Cuban fix.

Stumbled upon this place looking for a Cuban restaurant to try. Order the Ropa Veja and it was amazing. Love love loved this dish. Was very flavorful and well seasoned. Definitely recommend.

Can't go wrong if you are craving some Caribbean food! Strongly recommend! One of my favorite's