Best Restaurants to Eat the Best Cuban Food in NYC

There are many ways in which you can begin to get a taste and feeling for Cuba from within New York City, USA if you live in the States.

There are a number of Cuban restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops, for example, which are often run by or employ first and second-generation Cubans and which offer some very high-quality food, products, and services.

If you have yet to visit Cuba, and live in or plan to visit NYC, the following places are worth including in your itinerary!

Cuba (222 Thompson Street)

The quite simply named restaurant and bar site is in the center of the trendy Greenwich Village part of Manhattan.

This is one of the best places to enjoy authentic and traditional Cuban food, drinks, and entertainment.

They serve lunch, dinner, and brunches on weekends, with live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.

You may find that it is better to book if you plan to visit on a weekend because it can get very busy, such is the good reputation of this place.

In true Cuban style, they serve excellent mojitos and sangria.

They also roll Cuban cigars here and you can buy and smoke one.

The food is excellent in my view and this is now one of my favourite places to eat Cuban food anywhere in the world, except for in Havana itself.

I recommend trying the chorizo appetizer and the seafood paella, although, whatever you order, the food is of a very high standard.

It is hard and rare to find Cuban food outside of Cuba or Miami, Florida, which really tastes just like you would expect to taste in Cuba itself.

This restaurant meets this requirement and is well worth a visit. Further information to check their menus and opening hours etc can be found via: cubanyc.com

Guantanamera (939 8th Avenue)

Another great option for traditional Cuban food cooked very similar to what you would expect in Cuba is ‘Guantanamera’ which is very conveniently based at the bottom of Central Park just by Columbus Circle (5 minutes walk from Times Square).

On Friday and Saturday nights they have a skilled cigar maker (a torcedore) rolling hand-made cigars, which you can try.

All cigars in this restaurant are made by hand (totalmente a mano) and with lots of love and attention (y con mucho amor) just as a good cigar should be made!

Every day of the week they have live music, with many famous Cuban and non-Cuban musicians often playing here.

Many famous faces have been known to frequent Guantanamera over the years.

In addition to music and cigars, Guantanamera is a fantastic place if you love rum! Guantanamera houses over thirty different rums from around the world.

I almost forgot to mention the food.

The food is exceptional and very reasonably priced!

My favorite is the ‘Cazuela Marinera’ (a seafood casserole containing fish, lobster tail, shrimp, scallops, squid, clams, and mussels in green sauce with casava and sweet plantain).

You can find their official website and their menus on: http://guantanamerany.com

Agozar Cuban Bistro Bar (324 Bowery)

One more place I really love eating in in New York City, when I am looking for good Cuban food, is ‘Agozar’.

Located close to China Town, down close to Houston Street, this is more of a bar and tapas-style place as opposed to Guantanamera and Cuba, which are both restaurants.

Agozar is a great place to meet and you can certainly eat here with full menus available and with a very good standard on food.

In true Cuban style, the staff here take great pride in their mojitos and this drink is one reason many customers return to Agozar, and I am one such customer!

What I especially like about Agozar is the atmosphere which is always jovial and very positive.

Mixed with very affordable tapas, the drinks, which are well-made and are always with a decent amount of alcohol, make this such a good place to relax with friends, colleagues and also to meet other people.

The bar stays open late and with live music sometimes playing, this place attracts a great mix of people interested in the Caribbean and Latin food and music.

Make sure to try the chicarron de pollo if you eat and, if you are feeling brave and adventurous, order the spicy margarita!

Full menus and booking information can be found via their Facebook page.

Havana Central (Times Square)

Quite a tourist track with its location on 151 West 46th Street in Times Square, this is not my favorite place to eat Cuban food in NYC but it is still good enough to include and if you are staying in a hotel or visiting a theater in this area, then it is worth a visit.

What makes me visit Havana Central so often is the happy hour and hence the chance for decent-priced and well-made mojitos and sangria, from 4 – 7 pm.

This makes it a good place to relax before going to see a show on Broadway or after shopping.

It really is a good enough place also to eat if you do want a bite before heading off to see a show, although, if you do plan to eat, then I strongly recommend booking ahead of time (you can do so on their website at: havanacentral.com).

Dishes I love to eat there include: