Cubita
Cuban restaurant · Mission
2516 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Highlights
Rooftop Cuban bar with skyline views, rum drinks, and shareable plates
Rooftop Cuban bar with skyline views, rum drinks, and shareable plates
"El Techo in the Mission has been replaced by Cubita, a Cuban rooftop bar with the same skyline views. On top of punch bowls and cocktails—including a clarified piña colada—they have dishes like lechón, empanadas, and a whole-fried rock cod." - julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Cubita is a Cuban spot in the old El Techo space—so fans of the former Mission rooftop bar can once again get their fill of skyline views and fruity cocktails. The new spot is injected with fresh energy thanks to the photo booth, checkered dance floor, and shareable Cuban dishes like charred mango habanero wings and fritangas. The whole bar is basically a 360-degree photo op, so come with a dressed-up group to admire the cityscape and feed your camera roll before bar-hopping your way down Mission Street." - julia chen 1, patrick wong, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
"The rooftop bar formerly known as El Techo is now Cubita. Ride the elevator to the penthouse and you’re greeted with skyline views and decor that’s a not-so-subtle nod to Cuba—we’re talking a clothesline of fedoras and a mural of a gorilla smoking a cigar. Despite the kitsch, this place is still a good time with a dance floor, photo booth, and Selena pumping through the speakers. video credit: Taylor Gomez video credit: Taylor Gomez Pause Unmute The menu of Cuban dishes gets the job done, but is largely unmemorable. And since this is a rooftop bar with prices to match the altitude, we’d recommend coming for drinks and a snack with a small group before or after heading to dinner nearby. Prioritize the ropa vieja empanadas and black bean-smeared tostones to go along with a fruity cocktail while inevitably commenting on how clear the skies are. If you end up here for a meal, go for the lechon asado and skip the underwhelming cubano. Food Rundown Fritanga A nice way to start things off and try some of Cubita’s best small plates, complete with yuca rellena, tostones, black bean, and a salad that’s a tad sweet. Do you like fried things? Then you’ll like this. photo credit: Julia Chen Alitas De Pollo These wings have a good char on them, but heavily rely on the mango habanero sauce for flavor. photo credit: Michelle Min Empanadas De Ropavieja Great empanadas, filled with a saucy ropavieja that we’d eat as an entree on its own. PlayMute video credit: Taylor Gomez Lechon Asado The best main on the menu. The pork has caramelized edges that melt on contact with your tongue, and each piece pulls apart with ease. PlayMute video credit: Taylor Gomez Cubano Underwhelming. Feel free to skip—the sandwich loses its structure pretty quickly, and is overwhelmed by the bread. PlayMute video credit: Taylor Gomez Cocktails The cocktail menu here features a lot of rum and crowd-pleasing tropical fruit. If it’s that kind of night, they also do $65 punch bowls that serve four to five people. photo credit: Michelle Min" - Julia Chen
"The rooftop bar formerly known as El Techo is now Cubita. The Cuban restaurant and bar in the Mission has the same skyline views, and new decor that very obviously screams “Cuba”—we’re talking a clothesline of fedoras and a mural of a gorilla smoking a cigar. But despite the kitsch, this place is still a good time with a dance floor, photo booth, and Selena pumping through the speakers. Come for fruity cocktails and snacky share plates, like the saucy ropa vieja empanadas or the charred wings with mango habanero sauce, before heading out to dinner in the area." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"The storied patio of El Techo de Lolinda has returned from a brief closure this year, kicking off June under a new name and menu: Cubita. The food menu is now decidedly Cuban, touting platano maduro and lechon asado, but the view of Mission is still spectacular and beloved as before. We love a carajillo, but there are daiquiris and punch bowls to help you rediscover this old-new bar." - Dianne de Guzman
