was in town for a brief visit. It was a solo trip to celebrate me. Food was incredible. Drinks were good. The server forgot about me. It got busy. Lots of people at tables. My server walked past me several times, accommodating other tables and never stopping to check on me. I stopped her to ask for my check. I actually watched her return back to the area with a tray of drinks for the other tables. When she saw me, she turned around and went back to get my check. The worst thing a solo dinner guest is afraid will happen, happened. She forgot about me. She ignored me. What I thought would be a great time celebrating me, I left the restaurant crying. I filled out their “how did we do” email. The general manager emailed me, apologizing for the experience and asked if she can call me. I emailed back with my phone number. That was 10 days ago. Forgot about me? Ignored me? In their defense, a mgr and owner saw me at the restaurant upset, when I was leaving. They offered to “fix it” for me but I was leaving the next day. They apologized and gave me a free dessert. I spent a lot of money between drinks and food, a lot more than I should have. To be ignored and forgotten, especially in a Cuban restaurant (the Cuban culture thrives on how they treat everyone with so much love) after spending so much, is hard. I guess if I had spent as much as a 4-topper table, it would be different.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 5
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3

My husband and I visited this restaurant for the first time on a Friday night. We made reservations for dinner and were seated immediately upon arrival. Overall, we had an enjoyable and wonderful dining experience! The restaurant offers a nice variety of appetizers, entrees, sides, and beverages. The food was fresh, seasoned perfectly, and absolutely delicious! The staff was very friendly, welcoming, professional, organized, efficient, and provided excellent customer service. The restaurant had a delightful atmosphere and an engaging aesthetic. The Latin music playing in the background gave it a nice vibe. The restaurant was spacious inside and had outside seating as well. Additionally, the restaurant was very clean and well maintained. This was a great place to dine and enjoy the evening. We will definitely dine more frequently at this restaurant in the future.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Seafood Paella, Black Bean Soup
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Paid parking garage

Went here on two separate occasions. first time with my friends, good service, decent enough food; so I then I thought I would bring my girlfriend here on a date for the second time. Mistake. Absolute trainwreck of a waitress. (Batteries not included) We ordered two appetizers and drinks for the two of us, ordered our main course, ate all of the appetizers and started to wait. Until I realized that our beautiful waitress who is 4 cents short of a nickel forgot to put in our order. After confronting her she frantically put in our dish, had to wait an additional FIFTY FIVE minutes, before a different waiter gave us our food. Mind you, the wrong food. I ordered the pollo asado, I looked at my plate and it looked a lot different than the pollo asado me and my friends ordered the last time we here. (Pictures provided below). Of course our protagonist and her crew apologized.asked for the bill as soon as it came out as I was late for the function. spent 2 hours here. I only tipped because I was drunk. 3/10
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 4
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Ropa Vieja

The positive is this restaurant's atmosphere is one of the best I've ever been in. The music and decor are fantastic, it's themed about as well as you'd expect a restaurant in Disney World to be themed. As far as the negatives go, the food is mediocre at best, and for the price point I would expect better. The mango butter and bread was great though and for a great price too. The really big negative was the service. The host was not very engaging at all. Our server was absent for most of the night, except I could see them in full view at the bar chatting with other servers and the bartenders. It took us nearly 20 minutes after finishing our meal for them to return so we could get the check, which took another 10 minutes for them to return with after we requested it. The best service we received all night was from the woman cleaning the tables, and even she noticed that we had been waiting awhile for our server to come out and asked us about it. Personally we won't be returning, hopefully they see some changes though.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 3
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 5

The restaurant is beautiful. The service is not bad. The food is abhorrent. I ordered masitas de puerco fritas at 7pm. After waiting 15 minutes the server came to say that the kitchen was not preparing masitas de puerco fritas for the rest of the night. I went on to order churrasco medium well with rice and beans and a side order of tostones. The tostones were covered in salt so thickly you couldn’t rub it off. Safe to say they were not edible and I sent them back. they came out within 5 minutes with a medium rare churrasco still bleeding. I returned it to the kitchen and waited 20 additional minutes. They came out proudly serving me a burnt charred piece of meat. I spoke to the manager who was incredibly gracious. He even offered to comp my ill prepared meal and give me a gift card for a future meal. Thanks but no thanks. This place is incredibly overrated. Eat elsewhere.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 1
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 3

I was so excited to go back to this place since my first experience few years back was wonderful and received excellent service. However, this time around was not the case. Our waiter didn’t even introduce himself to us and didn’t come by barley at all unless had to. Didn’t ask how our meals were and had to flag him for spoons for the soup. The Cuban sandwich was the worst I ever had. Didn’t even have 2 slices of the pork and overpowered by cheese. If I wanted a grilled ham and cheese sandwich I could of gone somewhere else. we were actually better off going to a Panera if you compare the service and food quality. If I could get a refund for everything I would be happy that I didn’t have to waste all this money that wasn’t worth spending. The service was terrible and the food didn’t even justify our experience. Won’t return to this place and for others wanting to come. You can find better Cuban food someplace else. Seriously.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–100

Their interior is nice and colorful and we got a nice section away from the bar so it was very peaceful and made the meal even more enjoyable. First of all, we were served some pressed flat bread with mango butter, this butter was surprisingly tasty so do not skip this! The shrimp cubano which was prepared extreme good as the shrimp were large and cooked perfectly. We also ordered the Ropa Vieja which has a really fresh lime taste and was very tender and cooked wonderfully. It was the first time to eat at a Cuban restaurant, but we like their dishes. We definitely go back there to try different dishes and some of their custom cocktails.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Ropa Vieja

My friends and I had a great experience at Cuba Libre. Our server Milton was fantastic. He was very attentive but not at all overbearing. The food was amazing. I had the paella vegetariana which was very good but I also really appreciated that they had a vegetarian option. The restaurant had a great environment amazing for a late dinner. We did hit a hiccup when our food came out because one of my friends did not receive her food till nearly 20 minutes after the rest of us. But Milton was very apologetic and even gave us two free desserts to make up for it. It’s a little more on the pricy side but still reasonable. Overall we had a great experience and would love to come back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+

When in DC, this place is a must. We went on Valentines weekend so I think that’s why it was packed or is usually like that. The ambiance was fun. The food was delicious. It seemed a bit overpriced for me, specially the gaucho. The churrasco was delicious. The guacamole with plantain was my favorite dish. We had their rum and they were yummy. I’m not sure if they do this on purpose but the man’s drink were stronger than the women’s. We celebrated my friends birthday and they gave her a complementary flan. The waiter was nice but everyone seemed to be in a rush. The bathroom were clean and the huge mirrors made it so convenient to check yourself out.
Service
Dine in
Price per person
$50–100
Recommended dishes
Cuban Flan, Tostones

The food was excellent and the service was very fast, despite it being pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon. We split the Cha Cha platter which was a great way to get a little bit of a lot of different appetizers. The Pork Masitas was particularly good. We also had mojitos and the mango was excellent - not too sweet. The bread and mango butter was amazing and not something I've ever had anywhere else. Also note: the interior of the restaurant has been entirely remodeled to fit the theme. When you walk in it feels like it's the Blue Bayou or some other Disneyland restaurant, but that's not a bad thing - it's well done.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

CUBA LIBRE RESTAURANT AND RUM BAR, part of a small, east coast chain, opened in 2010. It is noisy and fun. A good place to have fine rum, delicious food, and excellent service. I'm a vegan. So, the Chef and the Metro d created a vegan meal for me. Fried Maduros Plantains, Black Bean Empanadas, and a mixed greens salad. Strips of Fried Plantains with guacamole served as an appetizer. Cuban food is Qué rico! (Delicious!)
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pineapple Guacamole Cubano
Vegetarian options
The Chef prepared a vegan meal.
Wheelchair accessibility
Everything, including the bathrooms

I made the mistake of not looking the recent reviews. FIRST, thre service great and our waiter was very nice and attentive. The presentation of the plates is great, the food look colorful and you want to eat, but once you do the taste is just meh... Latin and Hispanic food/cuisine is known for amazing flavors and spices they use.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$100+
Food: 1
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Paid parking garage
Parking
Paid parking lot. You may need to walk one to three blocks.
Wheelchair accessibility
Ground level

My friends and I chose to walk in at this Resturant in honor of our friend’s birthday. Without a reservation, we were promptly seated and were able to choose between indoor or outdoor. The Mojitos here are good and I loved the taste of the fresh mint. Though the food took longer than expected, it was worth the wait. The server checked in often and was easy to access. They do, however, charge for the birthday desert, which I thought would be complimentary. ($11) our total bill for four guests was a little over $200. I feel like the ambiance could be better. It’s quite dark inside and the music was very low.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3

My experience is from the tables at the bar. Apps, Food, and Dance was the goal. The Bar is mid-difficult to get drinks from, the food was good not great. The crew is friendly, and help provide a great vibe. The transition from restaurant to club is a smooth process. The bar at transition losses the stools, be aware. The security team is one of the best i have seen, professional. Music selection was varied weighted heavy to latino flavors (Cuba!). I will revist for sure, Gotta findout about VIP! GOALS achieved.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 3
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Had a great experience here while I was in DC. We came in during the week day and it was still very busy. There was a wait for a table, but we were able to find some seats at the bar. The food was really good and the atmosphere was great. The only issue was that the service was a little slow. It was quite difficult getting attention at the bar. I don't blame the staff, as they seemed incredibly busy back there. It seemed like they needed at least one more person back there.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

I had an awesome date night (dinner, drinks, and dancing). The staff were extremely friendly and receptive and the food and drinks were great. I enjoyed the music selection and definitely plan on returning in the future!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
Vegetarian options
There were enough options to enjoy a variety of items. Ingredients were fresh and delicious.

I recently dined at Cuba Libre a charming Cuban gem, and it was an absolute delight. I was transported to the vibrant streets of Havana. The ambiance was cozy and filled with the sounds of Latin music. Now, let's talk about the food - it was nothing short of spectacular. I ordered the Pollo asado, and my friend got a soup called "levantarse muerto" or something similar... very good food!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Soup

Quality food is served here and the price is very typical for a high end restaurant in this area. There’s plenty of seats in and outdoor. Service is questionable. We asked for an 8 oz churrasco and they brought a 16oz. One server for a whole section. Too crowded and there was no checking on us or another drink. We just left. I would def comeback cause maybe it was not my day. Ended paying over 100 on a churrasco and a single drink. Two appetizers were around 36 with a lemonade. 4 stars for now.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

Came here before COVID and had a wonderful time and dinner. So I decided to bring my wife here again for a nice romantic dinner and I have to say I was very very disappointed. First our server was never around even when I was trying to pay my bill and leave. Plus our food was very bland and tasteless which never happened to me in a Spanish establishment. Don't know if we will be coming back.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4

I had the chicken empanadas for dinner, and they were so yummy. The sauce that came with them had a perfect amount of spicy heat. My husband had the seafood paella. He said it was really good. It was a tad bit loud. The music was good but could have been turned down a tiny bit.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Seafood Paella

It was easy to make a reservation for 2 on a Saturday night. Pineapple guacamole was very good as well as the steak. Arroz con pollo seemed a little pricy, but it tasted good. Mango mojito was delicious. After 10:30pm the dance floor was so much fun and DJ played Latin rhythms. Staff was friendly and place felt safe with security staff everywhere. Highly recommended.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100

The food, the atmosphere, the vibes and the service were fantastic; this place turns into a nightclub after a certain time (11pm) on Fridays and Saturdays. Normally, they charge a cover fee but if you dine with them first, they let you hangout.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Seafood Paella, Yuca Fries, Seafood Soup, Soup

Was really looking forward to trying this place but it was overall a super disappointing experience. The food was insanely expensive for the portion sizes, a 4 bite tres leches cake was 11 dollars. The food itself was fine, but nothing special. Service was also alright but again not great. They also add a 3% 'service charge,' at the end, and having such hidden fees is always frustrating.
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

I attended a group meal with the organization i was in DC with for two days. This is an excellent restaurant! My first experience with Cuban food. The menu for our event was not the same for table service. The arroz con pollo was amazing. The Tuna Nikkle was marinated with a great mango oil. I especially enjoyed some of the best plantain chips I've ever tasted. Great service too!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Overall great place to hang out; they played all type of music; so I was happy on that side. I ordered the paella thinking that it was for two; but definitely it's not. Service can definitely improve; check in from the waiter took forever. Watch out they take all the bar stools by 11 p.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 3
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 5

From the bright colors outside, you know you're in for a treat. The appetizers were good, sharing sizes. The mango butter was so good...my drink was great. Very loud, bright & busy. Service was decent. Definitely worth another visit.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pineapple Guacamole

Each time I visit Cuba libre there is something new and tasty to try. The drinks are really good and food will not disappoint. It can get pricey as with many restaurants in the area but food and drinks were great, and service as well. The waiter was very attentive with knowledge of the dishes and great recommendations.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100

Not big thing it is like any other place. The only thing is that after some time 10:30 or 11 they start charging cover $20 per person and there are so many other places with the same atmosphere around Dupont Circle and for free so save those$ for a cocktail because there is nothing special about this place.
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Amazing food, great atmosphere and superb staff. Every visit makes me want to return again to this establishment. The staff were very accommodating to our large group and their attention to detail did not go unnoticed. The unique flavor profiles bring a little bit of Havana Heaven to DC. If you are in the neighborhood, swing on in as both the food and the drinks, will have you coming back.

Tried cha cha appetizer. Perfect size for two as an addition for some cocktails. Guacamole with plantan chips was awesome. Snow bird cocktail was awesome in taste. Late evening 10.30/11pm on Saturday started fun cuban party. Highly recommend stepping by.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

Went here for a dinner date and the most I can say was our server Ronnie was amazing. He was very pleasant and attentive and the food came out quickly. The main reason I’m giving 3 stars is because the food is not worth the price and neither are the drinks. Everything was pretty good but nothing I would come back for and portions were small. The drinks were also mediocre.

Delicious food. The drinks are on point. Very good customer service. I wish the chicken would stay open at least until 11pm.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Cuban Flan, Ropa Vieja, Yuca Fries, Kid's Cuban Sandwich, Tostones, Kid's Churrasco Burger

Decent food but not really impressed with the service. Even on a not so busy evening, the waiter was unattentive and barely followed what we requested.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 4
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 3
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Paid street parking

Food was overpriced and portions were small. The ropa vieja only came with 2 plantains and did not come with black beans. The tres leches was just a few bites for $11 and was pretty dry.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Ropa Vieja

I went with my boyfriend to have dinner. The place decoration and architecture are phenomenal, great service and the food is flavored. The coconut mojito was a bit sweet, and the vegetarian paella was delicious.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Great service, food and drinks. Everything was delicious, served in a beautiful way and big enough portions. I almost forgot to mention the music, so cool! Don’t forget to get some mojitos!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

My first visit to Cuba Libre and I was not disappointed. Ronnie was our server and he did an outstanding job. The food was flavorful, seasoned well and basically on point. I have no complaints about our experience and look forward to our next visit.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Expensive food for the TINY portions they serve. On top they add to the bill a “3% surcharge is added to all checks to help offset fast-rising expenses”.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 2
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

My wife and I were on date night for the first time here. Everything was amazing from the drinks to the food and music. I loved the experience. Our server was amazing. Very engaged and knowledgeable. Thank you so much for showing us a great time. We will be back. More

Great music and atmosphere, clean restrooms and fast servers. Also has a place to store coats. Overall a great experience, I like that they have like a pit when you can go dance and everyone is already dancing. No one is just starring at you. More

Fun Cuba feel to the place but Food was overpriced for the quality. Nice presentation on plate but taste not there. Burnt bread and reheated beans as a $23 plate. Server was not competent but luckily the great hostess jumped in to assist. I

One of my favorite restaurants in DC. The interior design is pretty cool, and the ambience is great. My favorite is the seafood soup, very flavorful with lots of seafood inside. During dinner time (after 4pm), they serve toasted bread with

OMG, from the moment we walked into the restaurant, I felt like I was in Havana; the ambiance was wonderful. Marlon E. was the marvelous host with our introduction to Cuban entrees and Mojitos. We did the meal for 2 and all I can say we

This is my second time at this restaurant. Food was great and the service was outstanding. I totally recommended this place for a casual dining or a celebration dinner. We got the chicken and beef empanadas, ropa vieja and drinks. The

Good food. Small portions. Nice atmosphere. Horrible service. Took nearly 35-40 min to get orders taken. Ended up being there over 2 hours for what was meant to be a quick meal. The pork dish was well seasoned and tasted great. More

Wonderful location for hockey games and other events at Capital One Arena. The service was attentive, and it's a fun atmosphere. The food was okay, a little on the sweet side for my taste (is that a Cuban thing?) More

Yum Classic Caipirinha! It tastes like a margarita. Happy hour prices from 4-7pm Mon - Fri.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–10
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Great music and great food. We made reservations and were so happy we did. Was a perfect option prior to our concert. Within walking distance from the Capital One Arena in a few hotels. More

Food is delicious. I recommend the soup levanta muertos if u are into seafood and soups of course. Their wings have a bold tangy flavor which I highly recommend. We also ordered

Went there for a brunch, the food was delicious but the service was awful. I had to ask for cutlery. It won't be my first choice in the future. More