Cuba De Ayer Restaurant

Wow! Amazing food! Our server was fantastic. She did a great job of explaining the menu and made some fantastic recommendations. I loved the guava and cheese empanadas. They could be a great dessert. The mojitos were delicious and packed with mint. I recommend the pernil but I enjoyed all the pork options. I’ll be back to continue sampling the menu!

A Hidden Gem Worth the Trip Cuba De Ayer Restaurant is a true diamond in the rough, easily capable of competing with top establishments in Washington, DC. The decor is beautiful and thoughtfully designed, with meticulous attention to detail evident throughout the space. The men’s bathroom was exceptionally clean and well-decorated, even featuring a baby changing station. The restaurant offers ample indoor and outdoor seating, and the menu strikes the perfect balance with just the right amount of dishes—neither overwhelming nor sparse. We started with the 3-empanada appetizer, which was deliciously tasty and served warm. I enjoyed the grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado, paired with perfectly cooked sweet plantains. My girlfriend had the Bistec Pallomilla, and the steak was marinated to perfection. The portions were generous enough that we had leftovers to take home. The staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly, especially our server, Daisha, who was energetic and highly knowledgeable about the menu. Although it was a bit out of the way for us, coming from northern Virginia, it was well worth the trip. We’ll definitely be returning. The total for two people, including one beer, one mocktail, an appetizer, two entrees, and two sides, came to just under $80 without tip. I rate Cuba De Ayer a 5/5 for its class of restaurant. Highly recommended!

overall, each dish had flavor came out hot. ratings for each dish below empanadas cheese: B+ empanada beef: A+ filled with flavor, they should make a steak and cheese one empanada chicken: C. too much season, the chicken too salty. someone had a heavy hand that day combinacion B. The fried Yuca is not for me. but came out hot. the roasted pork I didn't taste, but my friend said it was good. but the croquettes the waitress said was sweet potato or yam. I don't remember, but I do remember that they were fantastic. I could eat an entire dish. the right flavor texture just great churasco cubano. B+ . I never had steak in apple Cider, and I don't think I taste any apple flavoring, but this dish was seasoned well. the beef was a little tough, but the dish was hot and tasted good. I was happy. Pargo Frito. A++. the snapper season was well cooked perfectly. I took some from my friend ate half of it. the breaded was just right, didn't overtake the meat. this dish is a star. Rice and beans A plantains B, they were cooked two different ways, the one on the steak dish no flavor I didn't like. the one on the fish plate. Yeah, I could have eaten an entire plate of them Flan A. I never had flan before, not too sweet, the custard nice texture. Overall, it was a great experience at this restaurant. I wish they would put one in Virginia, but I would make the drive again.

This place is phenomenal! I had the fried Snapper/Prago Frito! Delicious and service was top notch. We live an hour away without traffic, but we will be back! Please open a spot in VA!

I loved it here. It was my first time trying a Cuban restaurant and I have no regrets whatsoever. Service was very fair and the atmosphere was nice too. At first it seemed small but I took a walk around and it’s so may tables. I’ll definitely go again.

First time dining here yesterday and I’m already planning the next time I’ll be coming back LOL. Great food, drinks, and service: what else could you ask for?! My partner’s churrasco and the rice and beans were the highlights. The drinks were great as well. I got the tropical margarita and my partner got the pineapple mojito which had a sugarcane stick that you could chew. SO FUN!

I used to live in Miami and found Cuba de Ayer to be quite authentic. The cafecito cubano with flan was on point and gave me nostalgia. The croquetas and fried plantains were also really good. I was not too impressed with the fried chicken that I had as the cutlet was a bit chewy, but everything else was really good. I had to call three times for a reservation because the hostess kept putting me on hold and hanging up. When she finally did accept my reservation, she got my name wrong. I consider these to be minor issues, but still worth noting. Overall the food was unique but a bit too expensive for the amount you get. I would recommend it if you want to try something new, but there are definitely better hispanic restaurants in the area.

Traveling again and come across this little place. Delicious food, great Cafe con Leche, great mojito. Great service.