Cuba Cuba Cafe & Bar

We went to Cuba Cuba for date night tonight. We have been there a few times and the food is good — drinks are good — atmosphere is fun. However the ticket time to receive our entrees was ridiculous. A 45 minute ticket time for food is a little extreme. If the server had given us a «heads up» that the kitchen was slow I would have understood. Now, we are late to relieve out babysitter. Good thing the food quality is good! We will definitely go back… when we have more time to kill.

My wife Mary Martinez and I really enjoyed the great service and wonderful food. The atmosphere feels like you are in Cuba. The mojitos were off the charts, Great. The $ 2.00 Tecate beers during happy hour not bad either. I would recommend this to all my friends and business associates.

I love this place! Incredibly delicious and there’s always something on the menu for everyone.

–Awesome food, fantastic service, and overall great time. Definitely highly recommend.

Place is a plus. I love the look!!! Churrasco taste delicious. Services is always a plus plus at bar or tables. Food presentation is good. And restroom are clean. No pike of the kitchen.

Great food and great service! Have had consistent great meals and experiences here! The bar tenders are awesome as well, thank you Derek!

We loved Cuba Cuba! For drinks we had mojitos and caipirinhas and they were awesome. Kinda wish the caipirinha was made with cachaca but they were made with rum, although you could pay extra to have it made with cachaca… But it was still
Delicious. For apps we got fried plantains with sauces for dipping (garlic was my fav) and empanadas… So delicious!
My dinner was great– I had the Cuban salad with tostones and a side of black beans… All delicious… But I was so full from apps I barely got to eat any!
My friends got the Cubans sandwich (a+) and pulled flank steak– which she could not stop raving about and then proceeded to eat the leftovers in the car.
The atmosphere was warm and fun, and the wait staff was excellent.

I took a group here for dinner and it was beyond amazing! The food was insanely good — have the Paella, you won’t regret it. The service was great, too. We’ll be back!

Update: I came back here 3 days later because I was scared we wouldn’t have time before we head home to Wisconsin.
We arrived half an hour before happy hour was over, and ordered the red sangria, pineapple mojito, ginger mojito and the tecate, all for half price! The mojito and the sangria were absolutely amazing.
We ordered the Shrimp Ceviche, Paella and the Pan con Bistec. Now, I make shrimp ceviche often at home, so I was a little skeptical at first (We originally wanted the Tuna Tiradito, but they stopped serving this). The ceviche was served on top of flattened crispy plantains, and absolutely wonderful. Definitely brought a twist to the ceviche I’m used to making! (Side note: I abhor bananas, but these plantains were so good that I ate every last crumb!!).
The Paella portions were massive (I still cleared every last grain of it, it was delicious!), and full of chicken, chorizo, calamari, shrimp and mussel. The Pan con Bistec was really really good too (my boyfriend and I don’t actually like sandwiches, but we make exceptions if they’re not american sandwiches/​subs). In fact, the last time we were here we ordered the Sandwich Cubano, and it was such a tasty dish that we wanted to try another sandwich at Cuba Cuba! Mojo fries, like my last review, was amazing. They’re so addictive!
I honestly wished this meal wouldn’t end, and we finished every last bite of our dishes. I know that without a doubt, when I visit Denver again, this will be the first place I go!

Why haven’t I been here sooner? OMG it was good! Our friends took us here, it was about 7.30pm on Saturday night and only a 45 minute wait. They had told us that the last time they came that it was a huge wait, but now there’s more seating out the back. We could have sat on the grass out the front but we wanted a drink so we went through and found a spot in the corner out the back area.
The ambiance is amazing. The back area is gorgeous with the high wood ceiling and all the cool drop down lights. We sat on little stools and drank Mojito’s while we waited for our table. The service was great. Odd that we had to close out the bill from the bar before being seated but whatever.
I had the paella and it was delicious! Everyone else had stuff that looked and they all said tasted amazing. Can’t tell you what it is but the guys had chicken and my friend had shrimp. Afterwards the men had coffee and I had a little key lime tart. It was a touch too sweet but didn’t eat half of the meringue on top.
I feel like I want to say so much more but am lost for words! You just have to come and experience the Cuba goodness yourself.

3 words… Strawberry Coconut Mojito!!! OH MY… The most amazing drink I’ve ever had! The food is delicious too… those fries. ahhhh! CAMARONES AL COCO was my dinner choice and it was truly fantastic. I definitely recommend this place. Truly amazing food and MOJITOS!

Outstanding atmosphere. Great food as well as variety. Bring new I had to have things explained to me, which was handled very politely. House speciality for a drink was the best! Ask for it.
I had the pulled pork with rice and beans. Great portions!

Yeah, this place is good. It’s been a few months since I went so I don’t remember 100% what I had but it was on special and it was fish. It was just… so great. Of course, I had one of those infamous mojitos and it lived up to my expectations. One of my favorite parts was the plantains. Plantains are seriously the best, aren’t they? These did not disappoint.
The wait staff was also very accommodating, friendly, and helpful! I’d definitely check it out. Only downside is the price… but I’d gladly pay extra for high-​quality great tasting food.

We got plantain chips that did not seem exactly fresh, but were still crispy. They came with three sauces, one of which was basically a head of garlic pressed into oil. Wife got shredded pork, which was phenomenal. I got what should have been tuna tartare, but they didn’t have any tuna and subbed shrimp. It was basically ceviche camarones. Absolutely delicious mojitos, and the meat empanada is not to be missed.
Don’t wear spike heels; the floors are old and very soft.

The people who work here are straight up rude and mean. Went in to get some food but it was after 9 so I didn’t want to be rude and order to late. They literally made fun of me for the way I asked… As if asking if you are still serving food was the most RIDICULOUS thing they’ve ever heard. And when I walked out, they kept making fun of me like high school girls. My partner has eaten there earlier this week and said the food was cold and soggy… Maybe we avoided bad food too. Who knows… I would never go back anyway. Grow up.

This place was great! We had a totally unplanned visit and showed up when they had just unlocked the door. Good thing too because it filled quick!
Mojo fries were ok, would probably try empanadas next time. Can’t remember our dinner entrée but it involved shrimp and mashed potatoes and was delicious!
Drinks were good, service was good, atmosphere was cool. Will def go back!

I love this place. End.
But really. After a bit of a nature walk at the reservoir, we headed back to Denver with our sites on cocktail hour. Cue Cuba Cuba! They were supposed to have some pretty amazing Mojitos and happy hour specials.
The place is super cute, a set of two colorful houses on an otherwise dull street. The atmosphere was cozy, casual, and had some great music (I was dancing in my seat toward the end of my drank). My friend opted for a… berry? Mojito (it’s all a blur now) and I excitedly ordered a Caipirinha. The drinks were on point, and poured well. The bartender (I didn’t get his name) was an absolute delight and made sure we were taken care of. After coercing my friend, we got an order of the Mojo and plantains. Their Mojo sauce… mmmmm. We reeked of garlic for a full two days — but it was SO worth it.
When it was time for the check I wanted to tip the bartender an excessive amount. Hands down the best place I’ve been to in a while for cocktail hour. Go here. Dance in yo’ seat with a drank in yo’ hand.

Although I passed this place a number of times and it looked very inviting as it’s located in a house, it was one night on a whim that we popped in. Just as it is from the outside, the inside is very inviting and warm. We passed by the bar where the smell of mojitos nearly sucked us back in but we managed to follow the hostess to the dining room, which was mostly full of tables engaged in conversation.
Coming from the gym, we opted out of any drinks but water. It was the food we were curious about. We had the mushroom empanada, which is a bit different than the Argentina one I’m used to but I will say with complete confidence that if this wasn’t the best one I’ve had in Colorado, it was right there among the very best. We actually went ahead and ordered a second. So worth it!
We also went with the traditional dish — ropa vieja — which was also pretty fantastic. I’ve had my fair share throughout the years and this one also is up there with some of the best I’ve had. The seasoning, texture, juiciness, preparation were all done perfectly. I would highly recommend both dishes.
This is the type of place you can dress up or down (as we were that night) and a great spot for excellent Cuban cuisine to complement the social aspect that this place induces upon entering the establishment.

This place is great. It’s pretty well designed and on a cute quiet corner. It really warms you up from the winter too once inside.
Pretty sure they are affiliated with the other Cuba Cuba restaurants around town, but this place I think offers a more genuine and better prepared dining experience.
The prices are significantly higher. However, you get more food and it is fresh and pretty authentic for Cuban food. Great wine list, although not crazy big. Good enough though to compliment your meal, and that’s what matters.
Place was packed when we went in. Was able to grab a drink at the bar but not a seat. They said 10 – 15 minutes before our reserved table would be ready… It wasn’t even 5 before we were sat.
Service all around was great and I really enjoyed all of our food. This place is busy for good reason so you should probably make s reservation.

— Adorable and cozy setting (no reservations on weekends and it gets busy, plan accordingly)
— Reasonable prices
— Somehow both fulfills the urge to have comfort food while being fun and surprising
— Friendly and competent wait staff
— Set in an wonderful little house that can be easy to miss unless you’re really looking for it. Love what a determined woman from Miami can do with an condemned crack house to add to Denver’s food scene

I eat here every few months and have always enjoyed their food. However, ordered takeout yesterday and the service was horrible.
First, I called in my order and gave my name and number, so I was surprised when I came to pick it up that they were out of my order, yet failed to call and tell me. Plus, how a restaurant is out of chicken at 6pm on a Friday I’m not sure. So I placed my backup order and there still seemed to be a lot of confusion. When my order was ready they brought it out and checked to make sure it had all the included items… Sure enough, stuff was missing. Throughout all of this, the manager was indifferent.
Once I got the food home, my steak was over cooked, and my citrus slaw was all black pepper. For a place that usually has great food, this was a bad experience all around. I’ll give them another chance, but hopefully this isn’t the new normal for Cuba Cuba.

Most recently, I went here with a group of four for dinner. Luckily, we showed up early, so were seated right away. Loved the mojitos and caipirinhas. We shared the mushroom and ropa vieja empanadas, which were great, and came with an awesome sauce (some sort of avocado sauce). We ordered the vaca frita, ropa vieja, and the vegetarian entrée, and all were delicious. Dessert was the tres leches and a coconut crème brûlée, again, it was delicious. The only thing that keeps Cuba Cuba from being five stars is 1) the lack of vegetarian options, I know Cuban food is big on meat, but it would be nice for vegetarian diners to have more than one entrée option. 2) While our waitress was nice, she didn’t seem very friendly, somewhat aloof and not interested in whether or not we were enjoying our meal. Cuba Cuba is definitely worth checking out.

This place is great! Great atmosphere, food, & mojitos!!! The service was fast, drinks were great & the restaurant itself was really cute. I got the vegetable habanero. Get it spicy, it adds to the flavor without being overly spicy. My boyfriend got the empanadas & the cubano, both he said were wonderful! This is a must visit in Denver!

I really enjoy this place. I have been here a couple times, once with a friend and the second time with a group of 5 people. Both times I had amazing food and great service! I will say though that 5 people was pretty tight. I plan to stick with a smaller group the next time I go. This place would be perfect for a date night. They also have delicious mojitos! I recommend this place to a lot of my friends and family!

Maybe I’m a snob when it comes to Cuban food because I grew up in South Florida but I was not impressed with Cuba Cuba. I’ve heard about it for years and finally gave it a shot last night with a group of girlfriends. The atmosphere is really inviting and they have an adorable bar area once you walk in that definitely has a Cuban vibe with the music and colors. My friends had their drinks there, paid their tab and then we were sat. The hostess was… well…not very hospitable. There were five of us and she sat us at a four top with a chair on the end, in an already packed area. We asked if we could get a bigger table and she automatically said no and then we asked again, finally went to go check and the answer was still no. This led to a very packed table and one of my friends even caught her menu on fire from the candle on the table because everything was so tight! None of the staff saw anything wrong with this, our server was aloof and did the bare minimum with our table and experience. We split the fries with avocado mash and mojo sauce and plantains and that was the best part of our time there. If you’re gong to get anything, get that!
I was full from lunch so I ended up getting a cuban sandwich. It was ok but lacked any flavor and was barely warm. I was bummed not to see the ensalada Cubana with roasted pork like they have at their sandwicheria because I would have ordered that in a heartbeat. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible since the whole experience was a fail. Next time I want legit Cuban food, I will just book a flight to Miami or you know, Cuba.

My fiancé and I are fairly picky when we go out. It is not something that we do very often, but when we do we want to get something better than we can make at home (we love to cook). Cuba Cuba has never let us down. The Vaca Frita is consistently just right. Last night we took some friends there and think that we have created more fans. The service is always friendly and the atmosphere is inviting.
Mojitos are the best I have had!
If I have a complaint at all it would be that the patio can get a bit cold on a chilly night.

To-​die-​for are the three words to describe this Denver jewel. Some friends and I found this place while in town for a conference and decided to give it a try. The mojitos were just right; 2 did the job! I ordered the pork, rice/​beans, and plantain. The ambience and building not so ethnic cuban, but service was great! Overall the taste was very authentic and would recommend to anyone craving a taste for Cuban. This place gets a 5 for food and 4 for ambience and service!

Great cuban food!
I always get their plantain chips and their garlic dipping sauce is to die for (no i mean really, after eating it you could kill a vampire but in the best way).
I also always get the vaca frita — marinated flank steak with onions, and rice and beans. I can’t say I have tried any other main dish because I am literally in love with that one.
The drinks are also just as delicious as the food. They have a variety of flavored mojitos, my personal favorites are the coconut and blackberry, and I would recommend ordering a pitcher because you’re going to want one, trust me. The caipirinha is also just as delicious (unfortunately doesn’t come in a pitcher size).
But I have to say that one of my favorite things about this location of Cuba, Cuba is the restaurant itself. Tucked in Capitol Hill in what looks to be a small house, is a wonderfully delicious and vibrant restaurant. They recently updated their back patio which is also a great summer spot to dine at. I recently moved away from Denver and I have to say that this is one restaurant I will definitely miss.

BEST meal of my life. But seriously. So blown away by this meal. Never had Cuban food before and now it’s on my list of favorites.
First the restaurant is a little adorable house. The inside also has fun cute décor and is always busy. We got seated right away. Our waitress wasn’t too helpful in helping us decide between different choice that we had but simply said everything was good. Meh
Grapefruit mojito pitcher-​make the splurge and get the pitcher! Tangy and not sweet. Perfection
Camarones al coco-​damnnn shrimp with a sauce that reminds me slightly of Thai curry served over a potato mash. SO. GOOD. shrimp was perfection, mash was how every mash should be and we ended up licking every last bit of that sauce off the plate.
Side of maduros-​sweet plantains. So so soooo good.
VACA FRITA-​WOW this dish is one of the best things ive ever had. The flank steak melts in your mouth. The rice is so flavorful and the beans are amazing as well. Comes with more Maduros-​always a plus.
We ate our meal and as we were eating I kept repeating that I wanted to re order the VACA FRITA. We left, walked around the city… and came back!
Ordered:
VACA FRITA to go (seriously I looooooooved this dish)
Side of mash
Mojo fries-​WOW all fries should be cut this thin and the garlic sauce they come with is out of this world.
Want to come back and try churrasco con papitas and obviously re order the VACA FRITA

Just a happy hour review — they let us sit on the patio even though we just got drinks and an appetizer, so off to a good start. The mojitos are half off and strong! Lots of fresh mint and not too sweet. The mariquitas Cubans were sweet and crunchy, which offset the garlic sauce and salsa on the side. The food on other tables looked fabulous, so I’ll be back for a full meal!

Quaint. Amazing food. A bit of Cuba within the Golden Triangle.
If you’re looking for authentic Cuban food coupled with an intimate dining experience, look no further. The staff. So amaze. You’ll love the experience.

Let’s just start with how Cute this place is! It’s so unassuming from the outside but when you walk in, it’s just so charming. It’s a big space and the enclosed porch is breezy and comforting.
The mojito — really perfect. So minty and refreshing. I can’t imagine them being much better. I loved the red sangria as well. Fruity but really strong. Don’t drink too many ;)
I ordered the tuna which was good but maybe a little too rare for my taste. I know I know, you certainly don’t want to destroy a beautiful fish but I would have appreciated a slightly longer cook. It came with a watermelon salsa which was really nice to cut through the richness of the fish. I did appreciate that. The mashed potatoes that the fish sat on we’re awesome but they seemed a little random with this fish. Maybe it’s a Cuban style of plating which I may not understand. Individually, everything on the plate was good even if I didn’t get it together.
My husband ordered the skirt steak and it was beautifully cooked and perfectly tender. It came with the mojo fries which are just garlicky deliciousness. I could eat those forever.
Overall, I’m sure I’ll be back, though I may order something different.

So so so good! This is one of those places I could go again and again and not get sick of it! We went here with another couple and it was fabulous!
First and foremost, the vibe is awesome. We didn’t get to sit on the patio but that will definitely have to happen in the future. The place is an old house (or two) converted into a restaurant. It’s super bright and cozy which makes for a very fun environment. They have a big back patio that is covered and looks like it could be a ton of fun.
Second, the wait. We went here on a Friday night and it was going to be over an hour. We got super lucky and swooped a bar table. We started on drinks and appetizers and literally less than 20 minutes into our hour wait the hostess took us to a table. I know this probably isn’t the usual but it was rad!
The food — we ordered one of every appetizer. We weren’t sure what we wanted and everything looked really good! The favorites were definitely the empanadas (both types) and the ceviche! So yummy. The empanadas were stuffed with goodness and the crust was delicious. The ceviche is one of the best I’ve ever had! Our server recommended the ropa vieja and it was amazing. The beef was super tender and the mix of rice and beans was ideal. The only issue was we were so full from the apps that we weren’t hungry for dinner — oops!
This place was great and I can see why there was such long wait! Can’t wait to come back here again.

Dinner time is busy! It looks like two houses conjoined to make a restaurant and it was too easy to drive past it. We were seated promptly in the covered patio.
They’re famous for their mojitos so that’s what I got. I’m not a fan of mojitos. Quite frankly I think they taste like toothpaste but it was sweet and not too strong on the mint.
Got the mushroom empanadas and maduros (sweet plantains) and my bestie got their tropical salad and the plantain chips. Our food was delicious! The entrees were a bit spendy but I bet they’re finger lickin’ good.
Definitely recommend!

Where do I even start? We had a reservation for a group of colleagues in town for a conference. Unfortunately, half of our group didn’t show up on time (there was a miscommunication and they arrived over 30 minutes late), and we lost our reservation (100% of your party must be present to be seated!). However, the hostess was extremely courteous about it, and got us back on the list as walk-​in once our entire party arrived, and we were actually seated almost immediately!
While we were waiting for our group to arrive, a few of us sidled up to the bar and started ordered mojitos and sangria. I started with the ginger mojito (on happy hour for $ 5!) and enjoyed it more than any mojito I’ve had in my life! The bartender was quick, friendly, and efficient, and never seemed overwhelmed by the mass of people collecting by the bar.
Once we were seated for dinner, I shared a couple of dishes with a friend, and both were incredible! The highlight of my menu sampling however, was the paella! Out of this world! With dinner, I also tried the coconut mojito, which was even better than the ginger one, which I previously thought was an impossible task.
Cuba Cuba would probably get 6 stars from me. maybe even 7 if it were possible! If you haven’t yet tried it, I highly recommend that you do so now!

Still 5 stars, but I had to update to rave about their new patio! Gorgeous, fantastic light fixtures, great vibe! If you guys ever put a band in there, I’d probably never leave.
Food was amazing, as it always is (go for that churrasco with the chimmichurri), but the drinks are worth 5, 6, 7 stars on their own. That man behind the bar makes the best mojitos I’ve ever had. Love Cuba Cuba!

The most important thing that this restaurant offers is uniqueness. There are not a whole lot of Cuban/​Latin type restaurants in Denver that don’t serve re-​fried beans.
Sometimes unique can be troublesome, but not here. The food and drinks are great. Being in an old home, you feel like you are having a home cooked meal. Overall, atmosphere is strong.
My only complaint is the wait, and the space to make that wait. The bar fills up with hungry, and sometimes angry people. The bar then becomes overwhelmed with thirsty folks. My advice? Don’t go on a busy Friday or Saturday, but do go any other time to try this great place.

This is one of the best restaurants in Denver!!! It has so much charm (love that it was converted from a house). A gate was converted into a decorative piece and hangs above the bar. Check it out. During the warmer months, there is outdoor seating.
It is packed and always a wait unless you get there at opening, but I guarantee it is worth the wait. The service is always superb… courteous and quick! Even though there were a ton of people waiting, the hostess managed to remember each party by only taking their names… No pagers, no phone numbers taken, etc. Pretty impressive.
The maduros (sweet plantains) are a must order!!! My favorite dish is the Tuna Con Sandilla. My bf loves the habanero vegetarian dish.

This place is absolutely adorable and the food/​drinks are delicious. Great place to bring a good friend or a date — and the perfect place to get authentic Cuban food in Denver.
1) DRINKS
Get a mojito pitcher or some sangria. Both are delicious and very well-​made here — and exactly how you’d get them in Miami.
2) ORDER THE PORK SHOULDER
Slow-​roasted, tender, delicious pork — oh how I still dream about you at night. Trust me, if it’s your first time here, it’s a must.
3) ENJOY THE ATMOSPHERE
This place looks like two cute residential houses connected by a little corridor. The inside is filled with small wooden tables, tropical ceiling fans, and smiling people. Cozy, cute, and lovely.
The only down side to this place is that I have to wait for my annual trip to Miami to get the best Cuban dish there is: oxtail stew. Definitely something they need to add to their menu (at least for the winter).