Asere Cuban Restaurant

Apparently I didn’t go there enough. They are closed/​out of business. :(
I found this restaurant by trolling for local restaurants, and I’m glad I gave it a try. After speaking with very friendly owner, I discovered they open only a few months ago. The outside of building isn’t so pretty but inside the restaurant is welcoming and staff is friendly. The quality and flavor of food has always been more important to me. I’ve been a big fan of Cuban sandwiches, so that was my immediate choice from the menu. I also ordered a side of French fries. The food is not mass produced and I was very happy with the presentation of the meal. The Cuban sandwich is served with a side of Mojo sauce to dip. The food tasted great and I will definitely be back for another Cuban sandwich soon.
I highly recommend this restaurant!!!

Good bread. Pastalitos were not fresh but everything else was great. Fried Yucca was great. Only other conplaint is it took a while for food to be brought out even though restaurant wasn’t crowded, but worth the wait

Hands down one of the best hidden gems I’ve ate in the last six months. I had a great lunch here and probably looked like a weirdo as I nodded to myself in agreement about how good my food was. I also could stop eating even though I was getting full. I almost felt like I needed to hug the owner.
It’s damn good and is very authentic Latin/​Cuban cuisine at very reasonable prices. The amount you get for your money is well worth it. My piccadillo dish and a empanda were around $ 10.
I’ve never had piccadillo and tostones until today, and I am so glad I tried it. The picadillo was expertly seasoned and was complemented nicely by the green olive flavor that wasn’t overpowering. The dish came with some of the most beautifully seasoned black beans I’ve ever tasted. The beans weren’t too soupy where the flavor is just in the broth either. I don’t know what grain rice they used, but it was cooked to perfection. A nice translucent color that wasn’t mushy or overly dry.
The tostones (twice fried plantains of pure tasty joy) were fried crisply, had a nice crunch, and didn’t taste like it was sitting in oil. The empanda, I had was made from scratch was pure tastiness. A nice flaky golden crust stuffed with shredded chicken and fresh spices.
The cook/​owner came out twice to see how my food was and told me she came in early to prep the ingredients. More often than not, when a cook says that, I’m like, «yeah right!» In this instance, you can tell she took pride in craft of her food which I can respect.
If the owner sees this please open up a location in Vinings closer to my house.

The proprietor is also apparently the chef and the only skilled cashier. The cashier/​counter waitress was not at all knowledgeable about the menu and did not even know the soup of the day. I ordered a croqueta sandwich and asked to add lettuce and tomato and my companion ordered pan con bistec. We also ordered caldo gallego and we’re told that the restaurant cannot get Cuban chorizo so they use Mexican (funny I can buy Goya chorizo at the Asian grocery) and we ordered tostones. The caldo gallego was «brothy» and had carrots in it as well as chorizo and greens. It did not have much flavor despite being warned that it had a little heat from the chorizo. The tostones had what looked like squeeze parkay on them. NOT an authentic preparation. When the soup arrived 10 minutes after ordering at the counter, the cashier informed me that they do not have lettuce and tomato. Other than that, my croqueta sandwich was ok, just nothing special. The pan con bistec was a big disappointment. It was served with stale soggy fries in place of potato sticks, not an authentic preparation and the steak appeared to have been grilled at some earlier time, and recently microwaved. Thankfully, insert sarcasm here, the proprietor informed me that she adheres to the «authentic» school of thought and does not put lettuce and tomatoes on the sandwiches. Too bad she does not adhere to the same school of thought regarding the soup, or tostones or pan con bistec. I will pay this complement: the bread on both sandwiches was really good Cuban bread. I visited around 2 PM on a Saturday.
Added after reading the proprietor comments:
Clearly you have confused me with someone else because it was a young girl acting as cashier during my visit and I did not see a male worker at all. Also, we actually did not lick our plates clean. I didn’t finish the tostones nor did my companion finish the steak sandwich. Your venemous retort was unprofessional and uncalled for. With the exception of «insert sarcasm here» my review was respectful and factual, it just wasn’t a positive review. As a business operator, you should be prepared to accept a negative review or at least respond to a negative review with a bit more poise. Good luck to you ma’am.

Smell good and food looks and taste great. Very original Cuban restaurant.

Great, authentic and reasonably priced Cuban food. A little bit «off the beaten side» but worth the trip.

Nuthin fancy but the Cuban Sammy is to die for! I had 2 in a week! Awesome on many levels, as a sandwich should be. Looking forward to trying some more of her food soon.

Placed a pick up order via phone. The lady who answered was so nice and thorough. The food was delicious! Never had Cuban food before and this was a nice surprise. I got the tostones asere deluxe with chicken and it was so flavorful. Will be going back.

ASERE home of the Cuban, we enjoyed our Cuban sandwich and fish plate. The fish was seasoned with a very tasty Cuban sauce.

I stopped by this place based on a review written by Daniel B. I am a big fan of Cuban food so I try to eat it when the opportunity presents itself. Like others have stated, Asere is located at the very back end of the Nazareth Plaza off of the South Loop/​Franklin Road. It definitely doesn’t look like much from the parking lot and is in need of a little sprucing up. When I went in one day after work, there were maybe a handful of people who were already seated enjoying their meals. The space itself is pretty spacious and there was plenty of seating. I ordered the Cuban Sandwich with maduros (instead of fries) and asked to get my order to go. The lady behind the counter who took my order (not the owner) seemed a little scattered and confused and a transaction that should have taken a couple of minutes took a lot longer. I sat at one of the tables and waited for my order to come out. I did notice that the place is very dark inside, and like the outside, could benefit from a little TLC. It took about 10 minutes for my order to be ready.
Asere definitely served up one of the better Cuban Sandwiches that I have ever eaten. The bread was perfectly toasted, there was a good amount of meat on the sandwich, and the cheese was perfectly melted. The maduros were very tasty too, but I wish that more that three were included with my order. Before I finished my sandwich, I was already thinking about what I would order on my next visit to Asere. They are definitely serving up some good food!
This is one of the restaurants that you really want to survive. It’s location definitely works against the cause, but hopefully word of mouth will help this little hole in the wall with delicious food survive.

I love Cuban food so when I saw Asere in Nazareth Plaza I had to stop in. The place is small and dark — almost dingy and in need of spiffing up.
It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and I decided on a Cuban Sandwich to-​go. It was really good. The ham and pork were moist and flavorful. I was able to substitute maduros for the fries and was so glad I did. The maduros were blackened gold and wonderfully sweet. The woman at the counter was super nice.
I’m looking forward to going back and trying the rest of their menu.

We found asere by looking for the Jerusalem bakery next door. Once we saw the sign for Cuban food and checked the Unilocal reviews we went on in. Asere has that unique feeling of a genuine Cuban dive. The lechon asado, maduros, rice and beans, and Cuban sandwich were great. Try their café con leche– you won’t be disappointed.

Loved it!
I had the Lechon Asado and at $ 10, it was definitely worth it. The pork was tender and very tangy. Rice and black black beans were also good. It’s quite homey really. Nothing too fancy, but definitely felt the love put into the food. My only suggestion is that instead of putting big chunks of raw onions on top of the meal, how about putting fried string onions instead? Or at least steam the onions cuz it was just raw onions and it killed my pallet a bit, so I just put it aside. Then maybe, add a slice of lime on the plate to add color. (Lol– look at me making suggestions haha) The added Tostones were golden and crispy which added texture to the whole dish.
Hubby had the pancon lechon which is essentially shredded pork with a slice of ham, pickles, mustard, I think there were banana peppers there … All embraced in Cuban bread, pressed in a panini maker ($ 7). Very delicious! Served with fries that I think is cut on site. He could only eat half of his sandwich so keep that in mind when ordering.
All in all, their prices are very reasonable ($ 7-​$ 12), the food is fresh and delicious, and their portions are humongous. They just recently opened, so I suggest to go and check them out before u can’t find a seat in this hole in the wall joint, cuz once people find it about this place, they’re going to keep coming back.
They’re also on scoutmob and I suggest that you take advantage of it.

Incredibly nice staff.
Asere chicken sandwich and Cuban sandwich can’t be beat!
Pastelitos is to die for.

Asere had its ups and downs. They seemed like a mess when they first opened. They didn’t have their license, they didn’t have their cooks, and they took over a spot that’s notoriously bad for business. I wonder if they can bring back life into this spot?
I tried a couple things on their menu. Their Lechon Asado was a bit dry and salty. It was like a boring pulled pork from a typical BBQ joint.
Speaking of saltiness, they do have consistency problems with the saltiness of their sides. One day their yucca fries and tostones had a ton of salt. Other times, they had the right amount and tasted good. I’m hoping they taste good all the time.
Their Guava Pastry, pastelito, needed more guava filling. It was like 80% bread to me.
Their Cuban Sandwiches were okay. Their bread seemed a little bit stale. The roasted pork was dry, like their Lechon Asado. The flavors were all there though. But I’m not sure why the pork was always dry.
Their Ropa Vieja was okay. I guess I’m not a fan of Ropa Viejas in general. I don’t think I ever had one that was good. It’s always tempting to get one though. But every time I taste it, it always reminded me of spaghetti sauce on beef. And that’s pretty much what it tasted like at Asere.
Their food is okay. It’s not bad. It’s just okay. Their service is spectacular though. The lady here is very nice and talkative. Her personality does make the food taste a bit better.

With my wife in Atlanta. While walking my dog, I stopped in the restaurant. I think I spoke with the owner and asked for a lunch menu. She was so friendly that I suggested to my wife that we should eat lunch there.
The food was great and servicer friendly. We sat outside with our dog in their shaded seating area. They did a lot of carry out business too. Oh, almost forgot, their prices are great too.
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I had lunch today for the first time! What a delicious surprise, the food was great and the service was beyond excellent. I will be back with my family ! Thank you also for the experience.
Scott Hopper

Came for lunch based on other two reviews. The owner is super-​friendly! I had the Cuban Sandwich (better than average), wife had the Media Noche (delicious ingredients) and my 4 yr old son tore up the Asere Chicken Sandwich (an original creation!)
The location is still in its early days. And the owner has ambitious plans — expanding to dinner service and creating an outdoor party spot on the patio.
I appreciate the owners interest in taking feedback from the customers. Example — based on info from the first review the mojo is now made fresh (and really elevates the dish).
I’m giving 4 stars now, but only to allow 5 stars once the place is fully ramped up. I recommend, and will be back!

Asere is a Cuban restaurant that soft-​opened around May 2015 in Marietta’s Nazareth Plaza, the eclectic Franklin Road shopping center best known for Tasty China and Jerusalem Bakery. Asere is hidden from street view, a few doors down from Jerusalem Bakery, behind the crematorium. This is a small «mom and pop» shop (really, just a mom and no pop) that serves some really tasty Cuban cuisine. I’ve had some of the best maduros in metro Atlanta here.
The space doesn’t amount to much. It looks a bit dumpy from the outside, but the restaurant has benefited from the interior renovations made by Rango Restaurant 2 – 3 years ago. Rango opened June 2013, replacing Le Buzz, but closed within a year. Patagonia Wood Pizza opened February 2014, replacing Rango. I’m not sure if Patagonia even lasted a year. Hopefully, Asere will buck the trend of the last two restaurants and survive, though its out-​of-​sight location does not help.
«Asere» is an Afro-​Cuban salutation. The friendly and enthusiastic owner, Carmen, is Cuban. The restaurant has interior seating capacity for about 40 (all tables) plus a few tables out front on the covered patio. There’s a side patio, but it’s not being used for anything at the moment. The dining room is bare and somewhat cavernous with traditional Cuban music bouncing off the walls from a set of tiny portable speakers. The music is wired to speakers out on the patio.
Aside from Cuban classics such as the Cuban Sandwich and Medianoche (with bread made out of soft, sweet, egg dough), Asere’s simple menu includes other sandwiches such as Pan Con Bistec (steak) and Bocadito de Lechon (grilled pork), entrees like Tostones (double-​fried green plantains) and Lechon Asado, sides like Papas Rellenas (stuffed potatoes) and Empanadas, and desserts like Flan and Pastelitos (Cuban pastries made with guava and cheese). Expect to spend about $ 8 – 9 per sandwich, $ 5 – 10 per entrée, and $ 2 – 3 per side/​dessert.
Drink options include Cuban coffee (Cuban espresso), café con leche (coffee with milk), cortadito (Cuban coffee with milk), batidos de fruta (tropical fruit milkshakes), tropical fruit juices (e.g. mango, papaya, mamey, guanabana, pina/​pineapple), and Cuban sodas such as Jupina, Materva, and Ironbeer. Most drinks are $ 1.50-$ 3.00 each.
I’ve found Asere’s Cuban Sandwich to be quite enjoyable. It’s made with chopped roasted pork, homemade mojo, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and mayo on flattened Cuban bread. It’s a flavorful combination of good-​quality ingredients that works well. The warm, toasted, and pressed bread together with the citrusy and garlicky mojo sauce really tie everything together to make a solid Cuban sandwich.
The Lechon Asado is A-​OK. I’m impressed with the quality and taste of the pork (better than expected). The meat is similar to Southern BBQ pulled pork. The seasonings and flavors are completely different of course. Asere’s Lechon is seasoned with the restaurant’s homemade mojo and roasted in-​house. It’s cooked with sliced white onion as well. Hearty stuff. The Lechon comes with Frijoles Negros (black bean soup) and Arroz Blanco (white rice). Though not bad, the black beans use a basic seasoning and aren’t as flavorful as the black beans I’m accustomed to at other Cuban restaurants.
I’ve tried the Picadillo and it’s good. Picadillo consists of ground beef cooked with tomato sauce, garlic, onions, green olives, and a blend of spices. The juicy, tender, marinated meat is intensely flavorful and somewhat heavy (greasy). Therefore, I suggest eating this with bread or rice (Arroz Blanco). Arroz Blanco should come with this dish by default, not ordered as a separate side.
I highly recommend the Maduros! They are sliced, ripe, soft plantains that are fried, resulting in a delectable, caramelized exterior. About three plump, sweet, and sticky maduros come per side order. I’ve tried the Yuca Frita as well and they are alright. Yuca Frita is fried cassava root, similar to French fries, but starchier and denser. Crispy exteriors, soft interiors. The Yuca Frita comes with mojo dipping sauce on the side. Asere sells regular French fries as well which are solid.
If you like Tostones, try the Tostones Asere Deluxe. A good value at $ 4.99, you get a plate of eight tostones topped with your choice of beef or chicken, two types of shredded cheese, and jalapenos. Carmen likes to say they are like nachos, but better. I’ve tried the beef version and like it. This is a good «entrée» to share. It’s quite appetizing and filling. The freshly fried tostones are the best part. You can order them plain too.
Service is fine. Since this is a 1 – 2 person operation, things can get slow when there are more than 4 – 5 parties at a time. Asere uses Square for payments which is convenient since payment and tip are handled over the in-​house iPad (no paper) and receipts can be emailed or texted to your email address or phone number on file.

I tried Asere with a friend of mine and the food was good. The owner is super nice and very accommodating. Highlights are the Yuca fries, tostones and maduros. All were fried to perfection.
The ropa vieja was really good as well and had a stronger sofrito taste than the Cuban Diner. The chuleta was also good.
The one area to improve upon is the mojo. My suspicion is that it’s not homemade, which is a bit of a bummer. It could be better.
Overall, it’s the very early stages of their existence. As they formally open up in the next week or two, I am sure they will get into the groove. The restaurant is a welcome addition to Nazareth Plaza. I will give them another whirl in a few weeks.