Liborio’s Cuban Restaurant

Well prepared Cuban food, attentive service, and pleasant atmosphere. Menu is generally meaty, but rice and beans, and plantain sides are tasty. This place has a busy lunch crowd of mainly locals. This place should pull in tourists, as it is close to many big hotels. It is an excellent break from the typical tourist fare. It looks family run, has a décor and slight sleepiness that reminds me of some of the upscale restaurants I’ve gone to in Puerto Rico. The local crowd can be lively, as New Orleans has a good sized affluent Latin community, and some nearby business with a central and South American focus. I’ve enjoyed this place for a long time. Best Mojitos in town too. The scenic Spanish Plaza, with fountain is across the street. This combined area is a little New Orleans secret place that doesn’t get the publicity it deserves. I recommend it, as an exotic twist, and mini-​vacation.

Went back to this place a few times and was disappointed to find they have been out of Materva every time. I did try the medianoche and it was tasty. It was lunchtime on a Friday and it was a bit empty but the service was nice and the food good. I had the ropa vieja during a previous visit and it was flavorful but seemed pricey for the portions.

11.50 for a steak sandwich?
Miami born and raised Cuban-​American. If local Miami eateries were to step foot in this place and see the astronomical prices, they’d bring out the pots and pans and start banging until this place closed down.
Cuban restaurants are delicious, affordable and friendly. The affordable part plays a big role as Cuban food is cheap (regardless of the area). Onions, olive oil, bell peppers, rice and thin steak make up the bulk of the offerings.
Price yourselves accordingly, Liborio’s. I’m disappointed in your prices.

I came here today on a work lunch. I’ve been here a couple times before and remembered it being very good, especially the plantains. So I was a bit dismayed by the recent reviews. I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I was looking forward to giving Liborio a good review to quell the recent bad ones. But alas, I cannot. Anyway, the place is very narrow and deep, and there is very little natural light, but they cannot help that. One thing they can help is bumping into your chair when they pass by.
I got the chicken and rice stuffed bell pepper special. And I asked for vegetables instead of rice on the side (the board said it was served with a side of rice, beans, and plantains). While I got my veggies, I didn’t realize that veggies took the place of rice AND beans; and that was disappointing. The veggies had no seasoning, literally just steamed. It was nice that they weren’t drowned in butter, but I at least like a little bit of salt and pepper.
The stuffed bell pepper looked fantastic, but did not taste so. It was fresh, and it was all cooked well, but it was lacking a certain flair. It was just very plain. It had a fresh tomato sauce with onions, chicken, and saffron rice. It had so much potential, but it needed some spice.
Again, everything was cooked well, but all of the above just needed some oomph.
The star of the meal was the plantains. They had a nice crisp on the outside and were soft in the middle. They were cooked well and tasted fantastic; they earned an additional star on this very review.
One other note, I’ve read that this place has amazing mojitos, but I did not try one. I’d like to though, so I may have to come back.

I work in the area and cannot believe I am just trying this place! Delicious. Everything was bursting with flavor.
The tamale I had is one of the best I have ever had. The pork was tender and tasty. One thing that didn’t impress me– the plantains. A little too mushy… but everything else I tried was great. I will return!

So disappointed. I couldn’t wait to try this place, specially since I was craving some arroz con pollo pretty bad. When the server brought my dinner I thought it was a joke. My rice looked like it wasn’t cooked right and that they put some water on top. It was nasty. I could stick the fork and eat the rice the same way you would stick the fork on a piece of meat. I’m so sad because I really wanted this place to be awesome.

My daughter wanted Cuban food so we went here for lunch. food was nothing special, we had ropa veja sandwiches and my son had a Cuban. We are a family of 5 eating sandwiches. The sandwiches didn’t include sides so we had 4 sides… and 1 pitcher of sangria for me and wife, 3 sodas for kids. It came to about $ 110. Of course they graciously added the tip in at 20% on this lunch since apparently we were considered a large party??? seriously recommend avoiding.

We found this little Cuban Restaurant quite by accident while wondering around New Orleans. It’s just two blocks from Canal Street and the French Quarter. The food is authentic, delicious and well priced. So many people think Cuban food is hot, and it’s not unless you add the hot sauce which I do.
We had the Cuban style half chicken, roasted to perfection, served with a salad and delicious fried plantains. We also sampled the Mojito cocktail, just the way I like it not to sour and with plenty of rum.
This place is a find, especially after dinning at several of the very expensive restaurants in New Orleans, it was a relief just to have some good food at a reasonable price in this quiet little spot.
I’m writing this review, my first ever, because it was so good and seemed like a well kept secret.
www.LiborioCubanRestaurant

It has been some time since I last tried Liborio’s. I had a serious craving for Cuban food so, despite the recent reviews, I headed here hoping for the best. Unfortunately my hopes were the only good thing about this meal.
The first thing you will notice when you walk into the restaurant is that it is dark and dreary. I realize many downtown buildings are old, but it would really benefit from more light. I like dark restaurants as much as the next guy, but a mid day lunch is not the time to set the mood. If that were the only issue, I could easily get past it, but the food and prices are what really chapped my hide.
The food at Liborio is somewhat authentic, but the sandwiches seem Americanized, and that is not a good thing. What I mean by Americanized is that they come with lettuce and tomato, which is not how I picture a ropo vieja sandwich. That didn’t really matter too much this time since they were out of bread and couldn’t make sandwiches anyway.
I started my meal with a pork tamale. This is one of my absolute favorite dishes in Cuban cuisine as pork is normally the thing they do the best. It was horrible. The tamale was very plain and was topped with two slices of pork. The pork, which should be their specialty, was bland, tough and not at all what I had expected.
Since they couldn’t make sandwiches, I opted for the special of the day which was the pork platter with black beans. After the awful tamale, I knew I was going to be disappointed with my entrée and I was right. The pork was so bland and tough that I had to add Louisiana hot sauce, salt and pepper to make it edible. The toughness seemed to come from the pork not being slow roasted long enough. Sure it was cooked, but I expected it to be tender and flavorful.
Adding insult to injury were the prices. I realize rent is much higher in the CBD, but the tamale was $ 6.95 and the pork platter was $ 12.95. Had they been anywhere near as good as my regular place, I wouldn’t have minded paying those prices. But when I realized it cost nearly $ 3 more per item, and wasn’t anywhere near as good, I was a little bothered.
I realize that I am not an expert on Cuban food, but I do eat it several times a week. It is some of the most flavorful types of cuisine that I have ever tried, but Liborio’s is just not good at all.

i can’t say enough how good this restaurant is, the place is lovely. and the waiter/​bartender was so nice, the mojito was
and my husband enjoyed so much the food was really good. I can’t wait to go back to this fabulous place.

Listen to the reviews!!! Not a good place, except for the Mojitos (not bad, but not the best). Good mojito and warm welcome= 1 star.
Friendly older gentlemen greeted us at the door, however, it was downhill after that. The server (bartender) was the only one serving, and he acted like he didn’t want to be there.
The food was not good at all and WAY overpriced. What were we thinking? Cuban food in NOLA?! I ordered the Cuban sandwich combo which was made on french bread. A Cuban on french bread? I guess it is NO. Then the pork on the Cuban was flavorless, dry, and fatty. The sandwich was $ 10.75 with no sides. I added a side of plantains for $ 4. And yes, they were even bad, not sweet and tasted like old grease. My wife ordered the chicken and yellow rice. Hard to go wrong there, right? Wrong! She only ate a few bites of the dried out old tasting chicken and rice and insisted I not complain.
Bottom line, there are hundreds of eateries in NO, don’t waste your time at this one.

If you’re considering this place, don’t. Unless you are in the market for an overpriced, but actually very good, mojito. That is the only thing acceptable in this establishment. And the only reason for two stars.
I ordered a Cuban sandwich: bread-​dry, pork-​dry, pickles-​mush, flavor-​must have been left in the kitchen. There was nothing served with it. At that price you could at least throw a plantain at me!
Co-​Worker made a request for her tortillas, to crisp them or fry them, the server guaranteed her that would not be a problem. Tortillas came and were as soft as the day they born. When she asked about it the server just looked at her and said, those are crispy. And then walked away.
Take a note from the server. Just walk away.

I wish I could give even less than one star. This was the WORST restaurant I have ever been to. We had a group of 12 walk in to the empty restaurant at around noon on Saturday. The place smelled of cat pee, and the one waiter there just ignored us and acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there. It took around 20 – 30 minutes to get our waters (we were the only people there).
They have a sign boasting original mojitos, so I ordered one and they informed us they had no mint, so no mojitos. We asked for a mimosa, and they said someone left some champagne so we could pay under the table for a bottle. They then proceeded to bring out cans of orange juice concentrate THAT EXPIRED 2 YEARS AGO! They then brought out glasses with lipstick marks on them for the expired drink.
We ordered french fries and out they came, overcooked frozen ore ida french fries that tasted like old oil! They came with ketchup packets that when squirted out, came out brown with water in it! I’m not exaggerating at all people, it was really this bad. By the time the cuban sandwich came out, I did not want to eat it. This would be a perfect place to get food poisoning and I do NOT recommend this place to anyone! Everything was dirty, the plates, utensils, glasses. Food was disgusting and not worth paying for. Service was awful, the waiter acted like he was mad at us for being there, making him do his job.
The only reason we came here is because of the wait at the brunch place down the street. believe me people, it would be worth waiting somewhere else!

Stopped in before our flight out due to it being next to our hotel. Some of our food was good, yet none that great and one of our dishes still had plastic wrap in it and they were out of a few of their main dishes. The server wasn’t that friendly either as other Unilocal reviews would point out, we really wish we would have checked Unilocal before walking in. It’s a big bummer that we wasted one of our New Orleans meals due to convenience.

was hesitant to go here based on reviews but we took a chance and ended up enjoying ourselves immensely. we basically had the place to ourselves and our waiter was extremely attentive.
the mojitos are definitely the real deal. and i also enjoyed the sangria. we all enjoyed out food. tasted authentic. i ended up having the chicken and rice and it was delicious. loved the saffron rice and the fried plantains basically felt like dessert they were that good.
definitely a place to come back to.

I stopped by here twice for a mojito on my trip to NOLA. The mojito was handmade in the slow way that somehow makes it taste better. The girl behind the bar muddled the crap out of the mint leaves with (I think) Country Time Lemonade Mix. This actually produced a fantastic drink. Maybe the mint coulda been more intact, but I’m not complaining.

Unfortunately, I sit here writing my review in absolute misery. I stopped into Liborio’s on a Tuesday around 225 for a late lunch (I had a meeting that ran late). I felt bad as they stopped serving at 245, but they were nice enough to accommodate me.
Maybe, I should have gone with my gut and not eaten lunch prior to closing as by 430, I started paying for my mistake. I ordered angel hair pasta with chicken which I thought was harmless and fast. It was ok tastewise, but I wasn’t expecting wonders since I know it was rushed. Unfortunately, I was sick 2 hours later, which makes me question the food all together
The only real positive was that the service was good. The people were really nice… or so I thought.

I have been wanting to try Liborio’s for quite some time and finally got the chance to have lunch there. I was a little stoked just for finally making it here. However, things took a downward turn when I walked in. The bartender/​waitress took a few minutes to acknowledge my presence when I walked in, and it took a few more minutes until I was finally seated. After I placed my initial drink order, it took a while for the waitress to come back and take my lunch order.
The restaurant had a decent sized lunch crowd, and the place looked more crowded than it actually was due to the narrow, shotgun styled layout. I kept my order simple, opting for a cuban sandwch. The sandwich took a little longer than I had hoped for to arrive at my table, and it was nothing to really brag about. Don’t get me wrong, because it was hot and I ate every bite. However, it seemed to be a little skimpy on the meat.
I also had a side order of fried sweet plantains as a dessert and these were actually pretty decent. Overall, the experience was not what I had hoped for, and I’m not sure if I will go back there again.
However, a simple rededication to customer service and an increase in the portion sizeswould possibly make a regular customer out of me.

These other reviews are, in my opinion, a false representation of how good this restaurant really is. I’ve eaten here several times over the last 4 years so let me explain…
I typically try to give a history lesson on a restaurant if I have one but in this case, what I know is not much. Their claim is that they have been cooking Cuban cuisine in the city since 1969. It is entirely family owned. The husband and wife work the kitchen, the children work the dining tables and the grandfather operates the bar. There is still a bit of a language barrier when speaking to the restaurant staff or placing orders. I think, due to this, staff prefer not to communicate with customers much more than they have to. This shouldn’t detract from the overall experience, however. I mean, it’s all about the food, isn’t it?
Initial entry into the restaurant, I’ll admit, is a little dark. It’s floor-​plan is very much like a shotgun house in that it runs deep, not wide and spacious. There are no windows in the joint except for those at the front of the restaurant, near the bar. The décor is very dated and the walls have been painted, depicting various tropical scenes. I had read an earlier review where a customer referred to the interior is being much like a «compound» of sorts. This is accurate, due to the deficiency of outside light. Again, this isn’t quite enough to ruin a good meal.
This restaurant also makes a bulk of their income from the lunch crowd. At noon, the place is filled with suits and there is plenty of hustle and bustle. At dinner time, the place is a ghost town. The food quality remains as strong as ever, though.
My favorite dishes in the restaurant are the Flank Steak and the Ropa Vieja. The Flank Steak dish is served with black beans, rice and fried sweet plantains. The seasoning of this steak is perfect! I’ve tried to mimic the flavors at my own home and I’m always missing something. I do detect black pepper, garlic and lemon. It’s just an awesome combination of flavors and expertly executed!
The Rope Vieja is another wonderful dish of thinly shredded beef that’s seasoned with red wine, tomato sauce, garlic and bell peppers. Black beans, rice and fried sweet plantains are also served, however I do believe they change up the sides on this dish from time to time. The plantains always remain, though, and rightfully so. I can’t so enough about the plantains in here. OMG, they are just so terrific!
Now, let’s review: the restaurant is a little pricey. However, each dish is very large so you can’t complain about the portions. The dishes are also always precisely prepared so you’re paying for quality. Yes, the restaurant is not very lively in the evenings but think of that as a good thing. If you want to have an intimate conversation with a date, this is a good place to go. If you’ve been around noise all day and long for quiet, this is a good place to go. If you’re just looking for some good food for dinner, this is a good place to go!
Also, make sure to try the mojitos from the bar! This restaurant makes the BEST mojitos in the city, bar none! About 4 years ago, this restaurant showed up in a New Orleans publication as being rated #1 for mojitos. Since that time, the title of «#1» has changed hands several times but in my opinion, this restaurant still holds the title. Do yourself a favor and check this restaurant out!

Came for lunch on a Monday and the place had a few business men seated further back in the dining room. Seems like they get a decent lunch crowd from the surrounding financial corporation headquarters.
Got the Ropa Vieja sandwich, which is seasoned shredded beef. It was tender and tasty! I also enjoyed a side of fried plantains, with a little hot sauce. Gotta have the hot sauce!
The travel companion enjoyed a classic Cuban sandwich and was searching for the pickles said to be included in the assembly. I took a bite and found one. I thought it was an accurate representation of what a Cuban should be. He was less enthusiastic about his choice than I was of mine… but he thoroughly enjoyed the lemonade! It was the perfect drink for a sticky, sunny Southern day. Not too tart, not too sweet.
We shared a piece of Tres Leches cake. It’s made with three different types of milk and has a tender, crumbly texture. It was sweet without being overbearing. Definitely not your typical American cake, with it’s sickening sugar levels.
Hope this place does well, although it won’t stick around if they are chronically understaffed at their busiest times… which is a shame.