Cuba De Ayer Restaurant

If you are looking for good food with flavor and good service look no further. The portions of the food are nice. The oxtail is amazing and I’m not a fan of plantains but they have a fried crispy version that is AMAZING! The drinks are mixed very well and the environment of the restaurant is very chill. Also tried their marinated steak and onions with the rice & beans… every bite was GOOD!

This Has Become Our Weekly Spots To Dine In . The Service Is Impeccable, The Food Never Disappoints ! The Guava & Cheese Empanadas Are Our Go - To ! Their House Havanero Hot Sauce Is 🤤. Definitely Pay Them A Visit , This Is Not Any Other Chain Restaurant But Actually Deserves Your Time & Money . They Are The Best ! Great People & Incredible Food . So Happy That We Found This Place .

Tasty mojitos and delicious empanadas! Went for happy hour, a bit pricey but the quality of the food was worth it. Service was okay. The bar area is a bit small, but the crowd (other patrons) was cool. The parking lot is shared so parking can be a bit difficult. Overall, pleasant experience and I’d definitely visit again!

Ok, so I was in the mood for something delicious ethnic, so I went to my saved IG reels and decided to select this restaurant to try. The husband, the kid and I drove 40 mins from Upper Marlboro to check it out. Our server was Nico and he was a great host! I asked for recommendations and he easily gave a good 5 dishes to choose from. I got the Churassco Cubano with postpones and red beans, the husband got the oxtail dish w/black beans and maduros, and the kid got the Bistec Salteado (thinly sliced steak w/peppers and onions) w/black beans and maduros. Our drinks of choice were a spicy margarita and whiskey mojito (so freaking delicious)! This place is a 10 out of 10! The pictures on the website does not do it justice. The flavors hit and you can tell the food is freshly made. This is now one of our favorite new spots and we will definitely be back to try more items.

While traveling from out of town, I stopped here for dinner with friends and thought it was pretty good. I had the avocado salmon which was a fillet, dressed with a creamy chipotle sauce topped with pico of avocado and cilantro. It was absolutely delicious and I would get the same meal again if I were to come back to this area. It was a little noisy inside as they had a live singer, but the service was excellent, and we received our food in a very timely manner.

This is our 6 time here it’s been a least a year or more since last visit because of far from home, but now we are back and food is as good or better than before! A slice of Cuban food 🥘!

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted and seated right away. Service was great and the food was tasty. It's our first time but our waitress was very helpful and knowledgeable. Overall experience was wonderfull.

I've been a customer for many years, and every time I visit, they've maintained their excellent taste and quality. Highly recommended. The best Cuban restaurant in the DMV.

I had the pleasure of dining at Cuba de Ayer today, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The food was absolutely outstanding--authentic, flavorful, and clearly prepared with care. Every dish we tried was rich with traditional Cuban flavor, and it felt like a true taste of the island right in the heart of Burtonsville. We started with a couple of drinks: the Batido de Mamey and Batido de Mango. Both were superb--refreshing and not overly sweet, which I really appreciated. You could actually taste the fruit, not just sugar or ice. They were smooth, vibrant, and balanced--easily some of the best batidos I've had. For appetizers, we shared three empanadas: Guava with Cream Cheese, Chicken, and Beef. While I'm not usually thrilled to see fried empanadas, these really worked. The seasoning on the chicken and beef was excellent--savory and well-balanced. I would've liked a bit more filling to dough ratio, but the flavors were solid. The guava and cream cheese empanada leaned more toward dessert, but it was delightful--sweet, creamy, and satisfying without being cloying. For our main entrees, we tried two standout dishes. The Rabo Encendido was a fine combination of Creole spices that stewed the oxtail into a rich, fall-off-the-bone masterpiece. As a Peruvian who's proud of his own roots, this dish reminded me of a well-made seco--a hearty, comforting stew that brings you home with every bite. I'm sure others will enjoy Rabo Encendido. We also ordered the Lechón Asado, which had been recommended to us--and it did not disappoint. I was expecting a slice of pork loin, but what arrived was beautifully tender pulled pork, marinated in mojo criollo, a citrusy blend of Cuban spices that was bold, bright, and deeply satisfying. Not greasy at all--just well-cooked, well-seasoned pork that spoke for itself. You can't go wrong with the simplicity of this dish. Lastly, a special shoutout to their house-made hot sauce, Havanero. It was a perfect twist of heat and Cuban spice--unlike most other Hispanic hot sauces I've tried. It was delightfully pleasant, adding a kick without overpowering the food. You can tell it was crafted to complement, not compete. We will be coming for more soon.

(4.15) ~ Very good overall food & service DRINKS: ** Double Cafecito Cubano = (4.15) Very good ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) FOOD: ** Camarones En Aguacate (see photo) = (4.25) Very good ** Hot Sauce = (4.25) Very tasty ** Flan (see photo) = (4.25) very good ** Sopa De Res = (4) very filling

This WAS the best Cuban food in the MD, DC, VA area. Their food was authentic Cuban and delicious. I loved their food! I've been enjoying their cuisine since before they renovated and expanded. Their beef Empanadas are the best tasting I've had from anywhere, probably because it's deep fried. It's delicious with their homemade habanero sauce. I don't think I've ever had anything that I did not enjoy from their menu, UNTIL TODAY. I know that we have inflation these days. Restaurants have had to raise prices and reduce portions. It is evident in the size reduction of all take out containers. But this today makes me very sad. I picked out all the seafood that was in the Arroz con Mariscos. There was literally only 3 medium size, dry, overcooked shrimp and a few small pieces of scallops. There were still some small crumbles of salmon in the rice. For $28.99, you could at least put enough seafood in for customers to have a satisfying meal. Today I decided to order Flan for takeout. Very disappointed in the way they packed the flan. Since flan has syrup, it should have been put inside a container that is liquid tight. They placed it inside a container meant for dry foods. The result is in the picture below, one big sticky mess for the customer to clean up. This shows that the employees simply don't care about their customers! The side order of extra Maduros are burnt. The rice was wet soft and clumpy. (How can Cubans not know how to cook rice properly?). The Masitas de Puerco tastes good but it was enough for appetizers, not for an Entree portion. All in all, I drove 30 minutes each way, paid almost $70 ,to be sad and had to clean up a big sticky mess...

My favorite Cuban restaurant in the area (then again there aren't too many around here) Everytime that I've come here I have a great experience! The drinks are good/decent and the food alone is very flavorful and keep you coming back! My favorite entree is the ropa vieja which is seasoned perfectly and is never dry! I've had different drinks here and they've all have been worth the order. The service provided is always with a smile and very accommodating to my table. The parking lot is VERY small, so be mindful when/if you come here with bigger parties. This place is definitely good for special occasions or a nice date night! I just wish I lived closer!

The food was amazing here. I had the Rabo Encendido which is braised oxtails in a tomato based sauce. It was soooo freaking delicious. The service was cool my waitress was attentive. The ambiance was nice. They have a cute neon sign at its entrance. They have authentic Cuban food.

The food and service are good. The guava and cheese empanadas are amazing and you must give them a try. My wife had the spinach and avocado salad with the optional salmon and loved it. The churrasco Cubano is good but I wasn't a fan of the parsley and garlic seasoning. One party was very loud and that was unpleasant but once they left we were able to enjoy the rest of our meal.

Wow! What a great experience across the board. Food, service and ambiance! I stopped in for lunch and had the most amazing meal. My server, Daisha was on it. Couldn't ask for better service. The food was the star of the show. I ordered the Lechon Asado which is a Cuban marinated pork. It comes with rice, beans, and plantains. I asked for a side of the avocado pico (extra $1.29) which was out of this world. I'd recommend getting this with any dish you order. It's so fresh and full of flavors. The restaurant is beautiful with plenty of seating. The bar area is a bit small, so I'd be curious to see what it's like during HH or when they get busy. I most definitely will be back for more!!!!

This was our first time eating here, and it was really good. It was late afternoon on a Sunday, and the place had a decent number of people there. Even though we didn't have a reservation, we were seated right away. The server was prompt and polite, and I felt that we were well attended to. We started with the combination appetizer, which was good. I had the Churrasco Cubano, and my wife had the Picadillo. She enjoyed her meal but mentioned that it had just a little too much salt. Additionally, I ordered a Cuban sandwich to go, which tasted really good even though I ate it later. The presentation of the food was also impressive. I definitely plan on coming back, even though it's kind of far from where I live. I would recommend this restaurant.

Want a hearty meal? Visit Cuba de Ayer, great food, great service, great music. This place is a vibe, we ordered the arroz con pollo, the oxtail and honestly if I could tried everything on the menu, I would have because it's just too hard to decide with so many great options available! Want authentic Cuban food? Go to this place, you won't be disappointed. And be prepared for a massive serving portion, so make sure to save your appetite before going.

Ambiance and music was wonderful. But the food was absolutely amazing. The cafe con Leche and the rum cake was so good I forgot to take pictures. Our waitress was attentive and forthcoming with suggestions. I will return I need to try out the other drinks.

What I know about this place is that they are disparaging a brand new restaurant in Columbia. Staff from this restaurant has visited the new restaurant in Columbia and have consistently complained about the food and treated the wait staff badly. No restaurant should insult or treat the staff of another restaurant badly. Also, dining THREE times? Maybe you like the food, but aren't capable of admitting you actually it. No excuse.

This is my favorite Cuban restaurant in the entire DMV! Everything I've had here across multiple visits has been delicious, though my standouts have been the ropa vieja, the white rice with black beans, their guava/cheese empanada, their yuca with garlic sauce, and their pernil (I told y'all I like practically their whole menu!) service has been excellent, whether it's just my wife and I, or if we're here with a larger group. Highly recommend!

This neighborhood gem located in Burtonsville is serving up authentic Cuban cuisine that makes you feel like you've been transported to Cuba. For cocktails the mojito and espresso martini was and well perfectly made and so delicious. The empanadas and shrimp avocado dish were the perfect stat to our meal For mains, the steak with the homemade chimichurri was bursting with flavor the pollo salteado was delicious but for me the star of the show was the oxtail which was so tender and succulent and marinated in their creole sauce. The service was so phenomenal that we entered as customers and left feeling like family. We ended with the tres leeches and rum cake paired with the cuban coffee and left feeling satisfied. Cocktails: Espresso Martini Classic Mojito Whiskey Mojito Appetizers: Empanadas: Beef, Chicken, Guava and Cheese Camarones en Aguacate (Shrimp and Avocado) Mains: Churrasco Cubano- Marinated steak with chimichurri Pollo Salteado- slices of chicken breast cooked with sautéed vegetables Rabo Encendido- oxtail cooked in tomato base creole sauce Desserts: Tres leches Rum cake Cafecito (Cuban coffee)

Another great spot in the neighborhood! Food was excellent and so was the service. Our waiter was attentive and on point! I will be back.

This was my first time having Cuban food! It was a delight to try the beef empanadas reminded me of Jamaican meet pies...they were delicious!!!! Next up was the bistec salteado (Cuban sliced steak), which was very tasty with the sautéed veggies and that Cuban brown rice! Let's move to the ropa vieja (shredded pork in sauce), it was tasty with the rice but the plantains was the ultimate compliment with sweetness to the rice and pork..... Our servers were very helpful because we never had Cuban before and she took her time and explained the menu and helped us decide!!! The rest of the staff was super friendly too!!! I will be going back for seconds to see if it was as good as the first time...that's just me! If you want Cuban food this is the spot...give it a try!

This place checks all the boxes you could want for an authentic Cuban food experience. My fiancé introduced me to this place last night as it is highly regarded among the family and actually one of her mom's favorite restaurants. This being my first time I went in with an empty stomach and open mind. I will try to recall the experience from the moment I entered to the moment we left. Atmosphere: the atmosphere is very inviting and you can tell they put a lot of thought and effort into the renovations of this place. It has been updated completely and you can tell by the little touches. You will be greeted with an enclosure that has a flame in a tube that allows you to see and feel the heat right before you enter. Then you will see a couch section with a lighted neon sign. Once you fully into the restaurant you will be greeted by the hostess that will seat you promptly. Reservations are recommended as this place can get busy. I noticed they decorated for Christmas and we actually ran into one of the staff that did the beautiful Christmas tree. They had decorations all around even down to the tiny details like a reef around the candle at the tables and little Christmas trees. The seating looks comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to match the black and white decor with cool chandeliers and ceiling fans. They also have really nice wallpaper that embodies the spirit of the restaurant. They even have a really cool hat wall with different types of hats that are commonly worn in the culture. Food: The food and drink here is without a doubt excellent! I loved how much flavor was in the different types of dishes we got. We got empanadas, shredded beef with rice and sweet plantains, steak with smashed savory plantains and everything was bursting with flavor. I got a classic mojito for my drink and it featured a piece of sugarcane and it was deliciously done. We ended the night with tres leches and even that was stellar. It was not soaking wet but still moist and flavorful. Service: Our server Karen was awesome! She was extremely knowledgeable about all of the offerings and even went above and beyond when she found out it was my first time to offer her feedback/recommendations for first-timers like myself. This did not go unnoticed and was greatly appreciated. She even went the extra step to get us a picture menu that shows the pictures for each of the dishes that are available. This was a valuable resource that helped me to be even more secure in my decision making when choosing a dish, this can be a pain point at times, especially when trying a new restaurant. She also checked on us throughout the night to ensure that our food was to our liking and followed up once we were done with to-go boxes. She helped to elevate this experience from just another visit to a restaurant to a true dining experience, she even told us some of her personal recommendations/ favorites. I definitely cannot wait to return as this earned a five out of five from me! Overall, this place is truly a hidden gem that I hope only gets better with age like a fine wine. 5/5 - SupaFlyITGuy approved!

The most authentic delicious Cuban cuisine ever family-owned for 17 years. Our favorite Service is excellent and music is fun! Trout-Trucha is fresh and deliciou!

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Cuba de Ayer. I have been here many times and I have always had a great experience. I always order the Cuban classics like Ropa vieja, Vaca frita, and Cuban sandwich. Friday night and Saturday night are always packed of people having a good time. If you come on these days, you will have to wait to be seated.

Delicious food!.. This a great place if you want eat Cuban food. I love their Ropa vieja, and empanadas. I would definitely recommend it to anyone:)

First time here and at the suggestion of my good friend Lynne S. several of us gathered for a lunch outing. The restaurant is what one would describe as "in the cut", but clearly lots of people know about Cuba de Ayer. That was a good sign. The food is really delicious. I think we all enjoyed our choices with the exception of the crispy plantains I chose for one of my sides. Not much flavor in those at all so I will be sure to always stick to the regular plantains. Checking in on Yelp gets you a free empanada BUT there were two yelpers at the the table and only one of us could redeem. We found that a little off-putting. Other than that I would definitely return!

I decided to get takeout for dinner. I usually get the ropa vieja but I wanted to try the oxtails. This is the best oxtails I've had in a long time. They were so tender, flavorful and juicy. I was extremely impressed. All of the meals come with white and beans and plantains. I got the rice and beans separate so they're not pictured here. And I got the crispy plantains (tostones). This will most likely be my new go yo order now. The food didn't take long at all to make after I placed my order.

Great Cuban spot. Food is always good and portions are usually pretty filling. Even the ceviche, which looked small, was decent. That said, it could have had more fish. Fried yuca is always incredible. Service was fine this time, but nothing special.

A lovely find between Baltimore and DC. We met friends from DC for lunch. Between us we had ropa vieja, epanadas, and a Cuban sandwich. Our server was very helpful when we had choices to make in selections. Everything was excellent, and the restaurant was a very pleasant setting to sit and catch up.

Ya'll know what this is! 4.5 stars Sooooo this was our second choice for today. Our fist one failed us miserably. So thankful because bay-bee! The food was awesome and so was our server. Shout out to Astrid! I'm not gonna say I was transported to Cuba because I've not been. Maybe one day. However, the restaurant is a total vibe from the music to the decor. We ordered yuca fries as the appetizer. Okay, so I now know that like yuca. As for the garlic dipping oil, it doesn't cling to the yuca as an emulsified dipping sauce such as a mayo or aioli would. You run the risk of oil dripping from the yuca on to your clothes. Fair warning, this food isn't cheap. You do get plenty. If you are looking for a quick $15 meal after taxes this ain't it. Well maybe if you just get a sandwich or a kid's meal. Maybe. Expect to spend a little and sit a while to enjoy every single bite. Yo ordered the Caribbean Salmon. Like me she opted for the fried plantains Her beans and rice are separate. I didn't taste her dish. I mean I don't eat salmon. Hush! It just isn't my thing. She had zero complaints about her meal. I ordered the pollo salteado with my rice and beans mixed. This emails looks simple as in can "I can make this at home". Be ye not fooled. This dish has a lot of flavor and well seasoned. The only teeny tiny thing I wanted was something to dip the fried plantain in. Now it is crispy, crispy ie dry but tasty. I'm truly showing my American south roots by wanting to dip everything served to me. Take some time to check out the photos. Gorgeous plating. You eat with your eyes first. I forgot what martini I ordered. Mango? I don't know but it too was beautiful. Not strong enough for me though. Perfectly chilled and balanced.

We're baaaaacccckkk! Came in after a hour drive knowing they would take great care of me. We ordered the beef empanadas, Rabo Encendido (oxtails), and the Bistec Salteado(marinated steak). There was sweet tea, Coke, and white sangria I was ready to dive in! Everything was delicious and flavorful!!! Sangria was on point but don't expect a full glass . It is a regular serving. Great job as always!!

The portions are generous. Food is excellent! Definitely a must try! If we are in the area, will definitely come back.

The ambiance is great. The food tasted good. The customer service lagged because of the wait and the waiter was not consistent with check-ins.

Everything was delicious. Our favorites were the chicken empanadas and boliche (that's what we got for my toddler and wish we'd gotten a full meal of it)! I got bistec palomilla and my husband got churrasco cubano, and both were good but the boliche was soooooo much better.

I've been there a few times now. The beef empanadas are always great. In general appetizers are better than main courses, which can be a bit stodgy. On my last visit I got the breaded snapper and it tasted like it had been sitting under a heat lamp, with a tough breading you had to work at to cut with a knife, and the rice and beans were luke warm. Service is good and the ambience is fine.

This is a great spot for authentic food. The restaurant was clean and had very nice touches throughout with great natural lighting. The service was wonderful and the server was attentive and kind. But the most important thing was the food. The food was phenomenal and now I'm obsessed. The plantain chips and guac salsa were great, the arroz con marisco was plentiful and mouth watering. And the flan! The best I've ever had. The only thing that was meh was the margaritas. Flavor wise there delicious, but tequila content was minimal in my opinion.

Came here with friends and had a wonderful time. The drinks, the food, the service, the atmosphere was great! Definitely coming back for more.

Omg this place was beyond my expectations. our waitress keren was amazing. very attentive, knowledgeable about the menu and just all around beautiful experience. The food was the best. The shrimp avocado app and the empanadas were beyond perfect. the guava cheese one stood out the most for me.

5 - Star food 5 - Star service 5 - Star Ambiance Absolutely outstanding in every category! I met a good friend here to celebrate their birthday and am so glad I remembered how yummy this place has been forEVER! We were seated in the main dining area in a nice and spacious booth. Started off with the shrimp and avocado appetizer (SO FLAVORFUL!!) with a side of bread to sop up the sauce !!! Sooooooo good! We both ordered the same entree! Can't remember the name but it's the only seafood that's served with yellow rice. SOOOOO flavorful with salmon, shrimp and scallops -and sweet plantains! We could have shared it! Leftovers for days! We then had the rum cake for dessert that was so rich and melted in our mouths ! This is my new FAV in this area! Oh and the Mango bomb was the bomb!!!!

Cuba de Ayer is a great place to get your Cuban cuisine fix. I had visited years ago and had not been impressed, but figured I'd give it another try, and I'm so glad I did. It was the perfect place to reminisce about Havana trips with an amazing friend. We made reservations and I'm glad we did because it is popular. Service was attentive and friendly. The hosts were also nice. Cuba de Ayer is very colorful and vibrant. We each had three guava mojitos, which were not too sweet but perfectly strong. We shared yuca frita, empanadas, aguacate de camarones, and lechon asado with tostones, rice, and beans. Everything was delicious. Yuca was perfectly fried and the mojo was great. Empanadas were crisp and well-filled with a tasty dipping sauce. We shared the beef, cheese, and chicken ones and the chicken ended up being my favorite. Shrimp with avocado was light and refreshing and was somewhat of a palate cleanser between the fried appetizers and the main course. Beans were divine and the pork and tostones were great. I wished we'd had room for dessert but I'll just have to try that on a return visit. I adore Cuban cuisine and cannot wait to return to Cuba de Ayer.

First time visiting. Was in the area and decided to come here. The inside waiting area was decorated nicely and is a great place for a photo op. Staff was friendly and helpful. Started with a pina colada. Didn't like it much as it wasn't as creamy as I like. Ice could've been crushed/blended better but flavor was good. Had the pan on bistec, basically a cheesesteak on a baguette. Really enjoyed this. Juicy sandwich with crispy bread. The empanadas were great. Tried beef, chicken & guava and cheese. The chicken was my favorite of the three. Sauce that accompanied them worked well with the flavors. Rice and beans was good.

WOW!!! So, my brother suggested that we should check this place out and I was definitely game! Especially with Cuban food being so delicious! We were greeted by upbeat and welcoming customer service and seated promptly. The ambiance of this establishment is very classy, yet relaxed and upbeat both at time same time! We ordered Camarones Tostones Rellenos as our appetizer and this was super delicious! The fresh lime juice sprinkled over the shrimp, coupled with the crunch of the tostones made for an experience that would make anyone's eyes light up with joy! It was not long after that our entrees came out. My brother ordered the Churrasco Cubano steak, and I ordered the Avocado salmon. Both entrees came with rice and beans! I asked for sweet plantains, and my brother requested fried plantains. The avocado salmon was beyond tasty! The avocado and pico medley was bursting with flavor!!! I could taste hints of sweet and sour with each and every bite! The beans were seasoned well, and I let them melt into my mouth with each bite and spoonful of rice. The plantains were indeed sweet and extra yummy! My brother offered me some of his steak, but I wanted to let him enjoy his entire entree. According to him, it was out of this world on a scale of deliciousness! The chimichurri sauce also helped jazz it up!!! This is a great place! You are in for a treat if you choose to dine here. Cheers to good eats!

Came here today based on the reviews with a friend and it was great! I love Cuban food, so I was very happy to see the menu that had everything I love on it. I went with ropa vieja and my friend got pollo salteado; we both loved our food. The service was just as amazing as the food and out waitress as well as the rest of the staff was very attentive with checking in as well as handling the outdoor fans for us. I'll definitely be back and will enjoy the outdoor area again. If you don't want to sit outside or at the bar, definitely make a reservation!

Rabo Encendido 8/10 - oxtail was EXTREMELY tender and fell right off the bone, so good! - slight spice to the dish, well seasoned - lots of sauce - personally didn't really like the tostones or the side salad Mango Juice 5/10 - wasn't as sweet as I thought - lacked mango flavor, very subtle Very friendly, casual restaurant. The service was great as well!

First time visiting this restaurant, we have a great experience. The food was amazing, did not miss with flavor. most definitely coming back, highly recommend!

12.30.22 This has been on my list of restaurants to try and my husband and I finally made it out. The restaurant has a cool vibe. Upon entering, there is a nice, plush loveseat with flower wallpaper and a pink sign of their name. We went to the hostess and informed her that we had a reservation. We were seated and Joshlyn was our server. She was nice, but seemed inattentive and unknowledgeable as I asked her a few questions and she had to ask the kitchen. Also, she asked my husband two or three times if he wanted to order another beer after he had said no. Additionally, she confirmed our order several times. Our drink and my complimentary beef empanada (check in on the app) came out immediately, but it took 45 minutes before our entrees came out. I have to rave about the empanada. The flavor and texture was on point. For our entrees, I ordered the Ropa Vieja and my husband ordered the Masitas de Puerco Fritas. Both entrees came with rice and beans and plantains. Both of us aren't fans of plantains so asked if we could substitute with fries. Initially Joshlyn said that we could, but returned and said that we couldn't. Fortunately, we actually enjoyed them. Typically when I've had it in the past, it was prepared differently. The Ropa Vieja is one of their most popular dishes. While it was good, I'm not sure that I would have it again without trying other menu items first. I tried two pieces of my husband's pork. The first piece he gave me was fat and juicy so I loved it. The second piece was dry so it was hit or miss. I was full after eating only half my dinner, so took the other half home. For dessert, I ordered the flan and my husband ordered the tres leches, his favorite. We sampled both. I preferred my flan. It was creamy and simply perfection. My husband's tres leches was moist and had the perfect level of sweetness. We generally have tres leches everywhere we go if it's on the menu and he rated this among one of the top. Food was good, however, the delivery of food was slow and our server could have been more attentive and knowledgeable.

Service (I believe server was Luis*) was awesome. Very knowledgeable and fun to speak with. Atmosphere was comfortable. Empanadas were delicious. Snapper dish was not memorable, or maybe it was because it wasn't good. I was thinking a crispy filet fresh from a whole snapper. Unfortunately, texture and flavor resembles pre frozen fish. I get this method May cut food costs but definitely cuts the fresh fish experience.

In a little shopping center, this medium sized restaurant sits in between a few stores serving Cuban food! Simple yet unique interior - with a cool toned theme. Service was great - our waiter was very accommodating and patient with our party of 8! Started off with the Mango Juice - I usually love subtle flavors but this one tasted super watered down . However, the Chicken Empanada was really tasty! Piping hot, crunchy crust, and tender chicken insides. Ordered the Vaca Frita - a shredded flank steak dish... extremely dry and salty. Definitely should have ordered the more meaty and juicy Oxtail meal. The rice flavoring was good and chose the crispy plantains - they were crunchy and definitely needed some sauce. Side salad was simple and loved it with their dressing. Overall, would recommend a 6.5/10. I would be down to try again - just something else on their menu! **P.S. check in to receive a complimentary empanada to try **

I've been here multiple times now and every time the food was solid. I'm not sure if it's 100% authentic Cuban food but man it's good. The crispy plantain is amazing, and the meat is always tender & juicy despite the look. Empanadas is also very good, crispy and flakey on the outside and juicy on the inside. I'd definitely comeback again & would recommend my friends to come as well!

I love Cuba de Ayer... When they're on point. I've been there 5 times, and each time has been a different experience with the food. Very hit or miss. Prices can be on the higher side, but decent for the portions and quality. My go to dishes would be the arroz con pollo, piccadillo or the pernil. The pernil is the one I have issues with - sometimes it's moist and tender, sometimes it's super dry. I recommend anything from the appetizers list, depending on what the party is in the mood for. And desserts are a must. Tres leches or the Guava and Cheese shells. It is usually busy, even on a weeknight, so I recommend making a reservation. Parking is a little rough, but you can find space in the lot.

This place is amazing. Their food never disappoints. Make sure to save room for dessert and café. I finally tried something new and went with shrimp. The flavor was amazing. I ate just about my entire plate. The guava mojitos are like nothing I've had befote...best spot for mojitos. Luis was an amazing server and not only made sure we were taken care of but had an amazing personality and had us laughing all night.

You can tell that Cuba de Ayer is a neighborhood favorite. The food was great and the in-house hot sauce is my new favorite. The menu is extensive so I will definitely be coming back to try more. For food we ordered: Tostones- 5/5 Ropa Vieja with a side of sweet plantains- 4/5 Pollo Salteado- 4/5 Tres leches- 3/5 Hot sauce- 5/5 !! The real star of our meal was the service we received from Luis. He made our dining experience fun and is absolutely wonderful.

Wanted to check out this spot in Maryland since I heard a lot of great things about it and always wanted to try Cuban food! The atmosphere of the restaurant was great for a date night. I liked the decor, string lights, and it was very cozy inside. They offer outdoor seating as well. The service was exceptional - the waiter was soft-spoken and checked up on us a lot. I ordered a dish of empanadas as an appetizer. You are able to do a combination so I got the 2x guava and cheese and 1x beef. The guava and cheese was more delicious than the beef, in my opinion. I got the Pernil as the main entree. It was a bit salty for me but very flavorful. The pork had some crispy bits to it, which I enjoyed. To accompany the dish, you can choose between soft or crispy plantains and rice and beans (separate or cooked together). After the entree, I got the rum cake. You can really taste the rum in it. Not dry at all. I'd love to try their tres leche cake and fruit shakes as well. Overall, it was a great experience.

Great food! We are always well treated and the ambient is very pleasant! Beautiful place.

My family loved the food! We were hungry and in the area visiting a friend and with so many options in the area we opted for Cuban, something different for us, but we love black beans and rice and it was a hit! The atmosphere and customer service 10/10 . The rice and beans and lechón and plantains all separate were a 10/10 on taste. My Cuba de Ayer salad adding breaded chicken, was also great one of the best salads I've had recently. The mojito was pretty but didn't taste the alcohol at all and I wouldn't go there for a drink again but the food was very good. My son loved his breaded chicken as well the portion of chicken was very small but he helped his dad finish the pork and rice as it was so tasty! My kudos to the restaurant for so many qualities but my only complaint besides the drink would be also too little rice. Men like a good amount of rice. We had to order an extra side of rice just so he could feel full and use up the last bit of all the other deliciousness on his plate. All things said, I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area!!