Pilar Cuban Eatery

I never leave reviews, but this one is warranted and is my first one, which says a lot.
My order came with hair in it. When I discovered it, I brought it to the attention of one of the waiters. He took away the plate, without apologizing or telling me what happens next. 20 min go by and yet another waiteress asks us if we want to order anything. We explain the situation to her; she gets us the food we had orginally order, still not apologizing for the unfortunate situation. While they took it off the bill, after all, without us even asking for that, the whole experience was very unpleasant. If I were to run a restaurant I would be sure to profusely apologize to the customer. The overall service was very slow as well.

Went in for happy hour. Had the ham croquette sliders, which were excellent. The beer selection was also very solid. Great ambiance; very open and breezy, with this great Latin music. Very friendly staff. And at that hour, the prices were more than fair. Highly recommended!

So after finding out my favorite neighborhood brunch spot closed I was looking for an awesome brunch spot to take all my money. Unfortunately I don’t think this is it. Let me start out by saying I like the décor and that you can eat outside and the food is just fantastic! The service is what got me. It wasn’t horrible, but it was still bad. Our waiter after taking our orders came back 3 times to confirm what it was again and still manages to get it wrong. Just write it down if you’re not going to remember. Then when we went to pay 2 of us were paying with cards and 1 with cash. So to make it as easy as possible I wrote the names of who was paying with cards and how much as well as the amount to pay in cash. Some how he managed to mess that up too. Please just pay attention to what you’re doing. That’s part of the job. If it was busier I’d understand but it wasn’t. From now on I’ll be ordering pickup from here because like I said before the food was great.

We came to try this restaurant out because of its positive ratings. The food itself is delicious and is worth trying but the service is horrible. The lady refused to split up our check (party of 6) and made a huge scene trying to split the total costs between 6 cards.

Ate here Saturday, May 28^th around 7:30 pm. Ordered a Paella and they were out, no Paella. Ordered a Marisco and they were out. Settled on another entrée
with Mahi. The sweet appetizers and meal all came with a few minutes of each other. The Mahi was Luke warm and the rice about the same. The experience was at best «cafeteria style». The price was well suited to a gentrified area with more money than culture. I travel 6 days out of 10 for business and eat in restaurants accordingly. I’m afraid I can’t recommend this place for anything more than sandwiches, which I seem to like cold.

Found myself chair dancing here on a Friday night for the fourth or fifth time. And the woman sitting next to me was dancing the same salsa-​like dance even though we weren’t at the same table.
My point is it’s too easy to forget stress and have a good time at cute, comfy, and kid-​friendly Pilar. It’s a true family style, sit-​down environment that stands out from the bounty of local bars and eateries on Bedford.
In addition to comfortable tables, attentive service, passion fruit mojitos and interaction with other cute kids for dinner, we usually come here for the decadent, rich and flavorful arroz con pollo served with perfectly cooked sweet plantains (that burnt and crispy edge is everything). I’m not an expert in Latin cuisine so I can’t speak to authenticity but Pilar’s version of this classic dish is impressive and satisfying. Home cooking at its best.
The last time we went we also had a shrimp appetizer (new on the menu?). It was like a tart with with shrimp and very flavorful but not too spicy for my LO tomato sauce, baked in a pastry shell. I’ll be looking for it the next time we go to Pilar, our home away from home.

I just got robbed. I payed 14 bucks for one piece of chicken and a salad. That was really bad. What is wrong with you Brooklyn white people

One of my favorite places! Food is delishhhhh! Service is great everyone is very friendly and helpful. Good for a date or for a group! Also outdoor seating 6 stars I say! The shrimp tostones are a must!

It really saddens me that I have to lower my review for this place, my husband & I have been coming to this restaurant since they were at the first location, a tiny little spot that made amazing Cuban food. We came yesterday (Saturday) and thankfully the place wasn’t that packed. We were seated by Fatima, after getting comfortable, we were asked to get because we were seated by mistake, which was rude! And uncalled for, if an employee makes a mistake like that, then deal with it. After the embarrassment my husband wanted to walk out, but I talked him into staying, since the gentleman that asked us to get up, stated that we will be seated in two minutes, which we were. Didn’t know why we had to get up, for someone else to sit down, just to sit on the other side of the restaurant. Maybe they should have apologized to the people waiting & had them sit where they put us. That left a bad taste in my mouth… also lets make this clear for a place that so Cuban, they don’t have one Cuban employee, they are marketing this place as a yuppie/​hipster restaurant, I guess not even thinking about the people who originated from this neighborhood. Gentrification is sad I will tell you that! So if you are a born & raised brooklyn person, you will feel like you just walked into Ohio!!!
Okay now on to the food… Fatima was our waitress, and she wasn’t that great!
White sangria tasted like it was made with champagne or sparkling wine, wasn’t that great at all. But I let that slide because i remember how good the food was.
We started off with the croquettes, and boy have they changed!!! Not delicious at all! Lacking major flavor! Guess they have to cater to the clientele they are trying to attract.
My husband ordered chorizo, and took one bite and spit it out! He said it was the worse thing he has ever eaten. I asked Fatima to please take it off the bill, and told her we didn’t want it anymore.
For entrée I ordered the usual, Pernil, white rice, black beans, the beans had zero flavor! How does CUBAN beans have no flavor is beyond me!
My husband ordered the shredded beef, which took fifteen minutes to come after I already had my entrée on the table. RUDE!
I kept asking Fatima where is my husbands food so I can eat, and my food not get cold, but she kept saying five more minutes.
At the end we didn’t enjoy anything! And left extremely disappointed, confirming how I am completely SICK of what brooklyn has become!
Last but not least, Fatima forgot to take the chorizo off the bill, so I had to remind her…
Basically if you aren’t a yuppie/​hipster and you like to eat food with zero flavor, but call it Cuban come here…

My son and I popped in for dinner expecting it to be busy during dinner rush. To our surprise the place was empty. We were seated immediately and got our orders taken right away. I ordered the Vaca Frita (my favorite Cuban dish) and my 10 yo son ordered the rotisserie chicken. We had the avocado salad to start. Everything was delicious from start to finish! The salad was refreshing and the avocado was generous. The Vaca Frita was moist yet a little crusty on the outer edges. Yum! My son loved his meal, especially the Cuban mashed potatoes! Soon after we ordered the place starting filling up, we got there just in time.
Great food and good service. I highly recommend this place.

Nothing will ever beat Miami Cuban food but this is the closest thing we’ve found in NYC. Even the way the (black) beans and (white not yellow) rice were served was just like the real deal Cuban restaurants with real Cuban cooks in Miami. The croquetas weren’t Miami prices but close enough, and delicious. So happy this place exists. Oh and there are no tacos on the menu! Hallelujah. Tacos are Mexican, people.

The first time I went here I ordered the breakfast sandwich and it was the best breakfast sandwich I’d ever had. Almost every time since it’s been what I’ve ordered (with all the extras like maduros). Solid, delicious, and amazing. Paired with a café con leche it’s a luxurious start to the day.
The last time I was here though was a part of a large group, and I finally got to taste some of the amazing other dishes! The vaca frita is great, as are the plantain chips. The sauce that goes along with them is sooo good.
Everything is wonderful — from the space to the staff to the delicious, delicious food. Will be back more and more and more.

Good atmosphere, not trying too hard, no need to be «overly cuban», everything is done and set up in good taste
Good service, attentive, and our food came out at the perfect time (we had appetizers and entrees)
The food: Delicious, not out of this world but definitely good, I appreciate the authentic Cuban flavors and ingredients fused with Pilar’s personal touches and changes
The Shrimp Tostones appetizer is a MUST, please dont even think twice about it
The pernil was tender and seasoned well, beans could have more flavor (Im Dominican so I know what I’m talking about) but overall good
The avocado/​pineapple/​onion salad that came with the Quimbombo (vegetarian okra entrée which was good) was another great one
The café con leche was huge and definitely hit the spot
**
Since my date and I shared two appetizers and two entrees I felt like the portion sizes were more than enough (we were stuffed), but I can see why others eating alone would be disappointed with what is given (especially in terms of meat/​fish portions) in relation to the price, so I hope Pilar takes that into consideration
This place is worth a shot and Im glad it’s in Bedstuy

Went here for lunch and drinks with my friend. Great atmosphere and the food was good, but not great. I expected more flavor, especially for a Cuban Spot. It is, however, unique to the area and I probably will return and give it another try for dinner.

I’ve been going to Pilar since they operated out of a tiny space on Classon known for their small batch, handmade empanadas and grilled cheese «crack» sandwiches. The chef and owners are a couple from Miami who lamented the lack of real Cuban food in Brooklyn so they quit their jobs to open their small shop.
Now that they’re in a gorgeously designed restaurant in a new location, the food still puts substance over style and is still my favorite Cuban in the five boroughs.
Dinner is filling (try the Pernil, Quimbombo, or the Vaca Frita), their homemade desserts are delicious (guava cream cheese pie!), and be sure to try their Spanish sidras (ciders) on tap.
My absolute favorite is still their breakfast sandwich — two pieces of Cuban bread stuffed with eggs, chorizo, plantains, avocado, and tomato — with a sweetened Café Cubano.

Came here a couple weeks back for a belated birthday dinner, was in the mood for some Vaca Frita — and was led here by Unilocal.Surprised that there was a Cuban place nearby that I hadn’t found before, so I was excited to try it. The food was decent, but just seemed to be missing something overall.
The black beans were somewhat bland to me, and the rice had the chewy texture it gets from sitting out and being heated all day. If you’re a Cuban place, your rice and beans should be on point at all times.
Place itself is nice, definitely gives you the feel of the gentrification of the neighborhood. Beer and Wine only, has some interesting ciders. Would have loved to have found a go to Cuban spot nearby, but I can’t say I’ll be rushing to go back.

Simply delicious. Would eat again. Try their breakfast sandwiches.

What an amazing meal. Everything was great. The food was some of the best I have had. And the drinks we are great also.

This is one of the best spot I have been in Brooklyn. The food is delicious, breakfast sandwich is famous and cubano is so yummy. But the best ate the plates: Vaca frita is memorable and the Pernil is amazing. Empanadas are made with incredible meet. The quality of the ingredients is excellent and most of the dishes are made from scratch. Delicious delicious.

Awesome! Best around. Add more rice though, increase the portions.
Everything is great. But the flan is slamming!

Wonderful neighborhood spot with nice options for omnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike. One of our go to brunch spots. And great for a low key dinner out with friends too. Love the vibe and the friendly service.

Love this place for brunch or dinner! Right now I’m enjoying a hot café con Leche with the veggies & eggs. All of it is fresh, flavorful, and filling.

Birthday dinner with a friend. It’s located in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn. Went at the last minute for a quick birthday meal.
The ambiance and lighting is really mellow and dimly lit. It wasn’t crowded on a Thursday night. The cuisine is Cuban and the prices are reasonable. I had the shredded skirt steak with rice and beans and sweet plantains. When I say that the steak was beautifully seasoned. Such it was. It was very savory and moist. Never had I had such flavorful steak in my history of eating steaks at restaurants.
The actual name of the meal was Vaca Frita and for $ 18 it includes shredded skirt steak seared with onions, garlic, lime juice served with rice, black beans, avocados, and maduros. Will I come here again? Yes indeed and this meal is highly recommended. Visit the business page for more meals and prices.

Had dinner with a friend from out of town on Friday. The service was good. Staff was very accommodating when my friend sent back his drink. The food was delicious. I had the pernil which was cooked to perfection and well seasoned. My friend had the rotisserie chicken. He cleaned his plate so I assume he loved it. We also ordered the flan which I didn’t care for. It was really heavy and have this odd metallic taste to it. I also enjoyed the cranberry mojito.

Starving and excited to try something new. I ordered the veggies and eggs for $ 14…two potato — leek croquettes served with two eggs, maduros, marinated butter beans and avocado, tomato salad.
I hated the texture of the croquettes. Why add the cheese, especially when it was not mentioned as an ingredient of the dish? Since it was a relatively light dish, I ordered the chicken empanada which came in pairs for $ 9 and a mild green sauce. For dessert, I wanted to live a little by venturing away from my usual love affair with chocolate. I ordered the passion fruit flan for $ 9. Unfortunately, the flavor of the fruit was very subtle. I later discovered that I am not a fan of flan either. Overall, I was disappointed with my meal and still can’t figure out why I ordered the lemon — lime drink for $ 5. It was clearly bitter and a faux-​pas on my part.
I wished the rotisserie chicken was available for ordering, but it wasn’t 4pm yet. When reviewing the menu, be mindful that some items may not be available during certain times.
Our server, Tierny, was attentive, nice, and provided helpful insight on the menu. Friendly staff.
The restaurant looks great inside-​out. It was a bit chilly though since the curtain was not fully drawn to keep the temperature outside from creeping in.

Super brunch menu. The cuban sandwich is so good. It come with the best sauce ever for the plantains. Such a beautiful restaurant. The mojito is great too. My friend had the Tinto De Verano– their version of sangria and the Vaca Frita. She loved it. We will be making this our regular hang out. I can’t wait to try their happy hour specials. I hear their plantain nachos are amazing.

Get the Pernil! It was soooo good. The nachos sauce is cilantro based so I was happy. Empandas were very filling. Wasn’t very busy great place.

Best Cuban in NYC. The décor and ambience of his place is spot on. The service staff was quite friendly. The food was yummy and well season. Before the Cuban we had the chicken and beef empanadas and they were both very yummy. Beef won though. If you like spicy check out their house made hot sauce too. Go here. Then go back.

Let me say that the restaurant is beautiful, however the food was undesirable. I went in to order some take out, as we can see that did not go well at ALL!!! I had Cuban food before and it did not taste like that! I order the Arroz con Pollo the stewed chicken was so tough it was ridiculous it was so hard and vas bland! The only thing that was good was my avocado salad and passionfruit flan.
They actually got my order wrong I also order the Vaca Frita but they gave me the Pollo a la Milanesa instead, silly me I should have check the order. BOYYYY that chicken was once again hard it was so hard to cut into. I was so disappointed I wanted to love this place besides all the low reviews I decided to give it a try.

The ambiance was great. The restaurant is beautiful. The host and wait staff were nice. The music they played was an appropriate volume. They dim the lights at about 8pm. It is a place cool people go to eat and hang out.
My problem was with the food. It was as though someone in the kitchen tripped and knocked over the container that is used to fill the salt shakers into the pots and pans that were used to cook everyone’s food at my table.
I ordered the pernil (pork, plantain, rice, beans, yuca) — the fried plantain and yuca were good. The beans were good (a little salty, but not ridiculous). The rice and the pork were *thee* saltiest rice and pork i’ve ever tasted in life. It could have been that some of the juices flowing from the pork got to the rice — but either way — wow.
In hindsight, the thing that killed me was how the (very nice) waitress asked if anyone needed salt and pepper after bringing our food.
I aim to eat healthily, but I will allow myself the occasional indulgence when going out. There was easily 4−5000mg of sodium on my plate — that is more than an indulgence. I don’t know if there is such a thing as a «salt high», but when i left, i felt like I was experiencing one.
My wife had the shrimp + garlic butter platter. She thought it was salty but ok. My friends had the arroz con pollo (too salty to eat more than a quarter of the portion) and the vegetable platter (salty, but manageable).
Here’s the list of people who need to eat a lower sodium diet: People with high blood pressure, the elderly and black people. The third one isn’t a joke — look it up. I won’t be returning to this restaurant to eat anytime soon. If someone wants to a grab a beer or something, I would consider it. Please use less salt in your food.

I am in love with this place. Visiting my bff in Brooklyn and this place is right down the street from her place. How cool is that??!
I have never had Cuban food before, maybe variations of it, but not quite authentic… UNTIL NOW. The food was so tasty and delicious. In fact, I went back there the next day and had brunch after I had just had dinner there.
Service was fast and friendly. Indoor seating, as well as some tables outside for days when the weather is perfect to be dining outdoors. It was a great introduction to Cuban food. I’m sure if I lived in Brooklyn, I’d be coming here quite often.
Will definitely be back here the next time I visit NY!
Enjoy!

Really great ambiance and food. I had the grilled cheese with plantain and steak sandwich.
Both were really good, plus the bread was amazing. I hear Pilar has really good breakfast sandwiches.
Not the mention the coffee is great too!

A group of us went here for dinner. My boyfriend had the special beef empanadas and ham croquettes, my friend had the pernil, and I had the skirt steak.
If I am paying 18 $ for a plate of meat, rice, and beans, I am expecting a relatively substantial amount of meat. Or at least more than 3 ounces. 3 measly ounces of steak. I am not expecting to have to fill up on rice and beans. If it was 10 $? Fine. But 18 $ for such tiny amount of meat? Ridiculous.
The food itself… the ham croquettes were very good. The empanadas were alright. I liked the pernil the best. The steak really wasn’t good, it was tough and dry.

The chef/​owner is amazing! I’ve been a long time customer, frequently visiting their first location, this weekend was the first time at the new place, and it’s so much bigger, and very beautifully decorated. I was very impressed. I was reading about pricing going up and portions going down, well the prices definitely went up, but the portion size is still the same to me, it’s the right amount of food for you to leave very satisfied. We started off with the empanadas chicken/​beef both were very good, and I loved the green sauce they came with, I can actually dip everything in it! We also had the croquettes, which has always been my absolute favorite Cuban thing to eat, and they make them perfect here. For dinner we both had the Pernil, which comes with white rice, black beans, yuca, and manduros, absolutely delicious! Reminded me of their old small spot where the food tasted so homemade.
We couldn’t leave without some Cuban coffee, so we ordered the coffee con leche and passion fruit flan, the coffee was delicious, I expected more from the flan, maybe a regular plain flan would be better.
Service was great… no complaints at all
We also ordered drinks, what they consider to be a white sangria… small portion on that! $ 10 a glass, not strong at all, three big sips, and it was basically done.
Overall love this place, will be back!!!

You can tell they’re still working out the kinks of a new restaurant. During our brunch they forgot to bring out the appetizer we ordered, the people sitting on the right of me were given the wrong information about the menu (which the waitress owned up to and apologized), and the people on left were waiting 5 minutes for a menu. Even though it wasn’t a crazy crowd, the waitstaff seemed rushed and off their game.
But, the reason you go to a restaurant is because of the food, right? That reason alone will bring me back. Although we weren’t able to try the empanadas, we didn’t need them with our super filling torrejas (french toast) and Cuban sandwich. They were so flavorful and unique. Don’t let the service throw you off, the food is delicious!