Love the aesthetic of this place. The service was very good and the staff were accommodating. I enjoyed their fish sandwich. Highly recommended
This outlet of La Cubana on Roncesvalles Avenue is clean, bright & minimalist with a good selection of Cuban fare delivered efficiently by cheerful staff with surprisingly accommodating choices for us veggies such as the pictured Plato Vegetariano. Delicious!
I love this place because the food is great, and the people are friendly. There are two things though that I think they can improve on: temperature and noise. The open kitchen is cool but it does make the place warm,especially in the summer. And the noise! The sound of the people chatting, I don't mind. However, the banging of plates and everything else from the back was too much. It makes every single person in our table wince! I am not sure if it was because we were close to the door that leads to the back but still!
Anyway, the food is good. We ordered the chicken sandwich, pork shoulder, and shrimp. Everything is awesome.
Omg this place is amazing!! Im in love with the chicken sandwich with avocados, tomato and EVERYTHING is freshly made! From the bread to the sauces
Loved this place. Lovely patio in the back and really nostalgic diner style dining area inside. The menu is strait forward and our waitress was very friendly and helpful ,explaining dishes to us and answering questions. We shared chorizo empanada,jicama salad,corn frituras,tropical chips and salsa and Cuban grilled corn. Soooo fresh and yummy!!! Wish there was a Kitchener location.
If you're looking for a fun Cuban place to eat, this is it. The menu is straightforward, has a big selection, and is all reasonably priced.
The portions are very generous so make sure you're ready to eat. The staff are super friendly and very accommodating. This location in particular was also very kid friendly...also very indicative of the neighborhood.
I had the Achiote Chicken Sandwich which came with a generous portion of roasted chicken slices, avocado, and tomato. It all melted together between the fresh bread it was served with. The Cod Croquettes were silky and smooth, not to mention delicious. The Yuca Fries were thick and crunchy starchy goodness drizzled with a garlicky aioli.
Be sure to check out their daily Happy Hour $10 specials. I also heard that brunch on the weekends is a must-try as well!
4 stars mostly because this place is cute as a button and very 50s diner, casual, and clean.
The coffee I am told was fantastic but perhaps the food we selected not so much. We both found the fish sandwiches with avocado a little bland.
The donut balls were pretty good but then again so are Tiny Tom's :)
Delicious, Fabulous, Charming, Delightful! Went to visit someone who recently moved to the area. She took us (5 girls) to this restaurant. She had been before and raved about it. Had the Guava short rib sandwich. WOW! I was not expecting to love it! Ate every crumb of it! Have to go back again, can't wait! Our waitress was awesome and cheery and suggested the sandwiches - thank you!!
La Cubana is fantastic.
Grilled Coconut shrimp, delicious. Chorizo Empanada, delicious. Guava BBQ Short Rib, fall of the bone delicious. Grilled Fish Sandwich with fresh avocado and pineapple salsa, simply magic.
Planning to go back as soon as I can :)
Having spent one week in Cuba at an all-inclusive resort, and having eaten exclusively at the buffet, I am eminently qualified to speak with authority on the state of Cuban food in Toronto.
La Cubana is not the first Cuban restaurant I've visited. Or rather, it is. So believe me when I say it's authentic.
Plates are piled high with delicately slow roasted shredded pork and gleaming fried eggs sensually dripping juicy golden yolk down their exposed sides.
Pressed sandwiches are crisped to toasty perfection, their crunch giving away to a finely balanced combination of meat, melted cheese, and mustard.
Take it from someone highly regarded as a local expert in Cuban cuisine (so much so, in fact, I was never asked to open my own Cuban restaurant or quoted in any credible third-party source): La Cubana is... how do the Cubans say it... "good".
Love this place! One of my go-to spots in Roncesvalles for a quick, cheap dinner. Try the short rib sandwich!
Brunch is great too.
Would definitely recommend it to anyone.
A quick meal.... Had the bean and cheese empanada, chorizo burger and hubby had the traditional medianoche. The cabbage slaw was wonderful and spicy! Would recommend for a quick and light dinner.
Authentic Delicious Cuban Food. Went here on a Wed night and place was still quite busy but we were seated right away by a very friendly Irish waitress with a wonderful smile. We were provided an old-fashioned bottle of water and were given time to look over the menu, which had many great choices. We chose the fish platter and fish sandwich with Yucca Fritas and of course we had to order their famous Mojito. The food was amazing and so very delicious and seasoned to perfection. Everything made fresh and from scratch. The portions were perfect and and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The Mojito was one of the best I have had and they are not stingy on liquor. Thank you to the staff and chef for providing a most memorable dining experience. We will definitely be back, please say you will be part of Winterlicious 2014.
Best new(ish) place in toronto. Why oh why are you located so far west? I dream of your empanadas and braised short rib daily. Have you heard of the booming Danforth? There is foot traffic galore, patios are full even on weeknights and Pizza Libretto is packed to the rafters nightly. That could be you too La Cubana. Please look into a second Eastern location as soon as possible.
signed,
Your biggest fan
Just what one needs!. Lovely place for a sandwich and beer midday. Great service in a small place.
What a great addition to a already nice neighbourhood!. Food is great and doesn't disappoint. The squid is to die for. Love the pork belly sandwich and key lime pie to end it all? What more could you ask for! We have been here 3 times and have enjoyed every morsel.
The shrimp in coconut milk are super good! Enjoy!
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Amazing food!!!. We had to wait an hour to get a seating, but it was so worth it. We just went and had drinks across the street. I suggest calling and making a reservation.
We did several appetizers for the table. All of them were very good. Chorizo empenadas, habenero glazed squid and the coconut shrimp were my personal favorites.
I have had 100 dollar entrees that were not as good as the 15 dollar entree I had @ LA Cubana. I had the grilled fish, with pineapple salsa. It was beautifully balanced and cooked perfectly.
My girlfriend had the Traditional, ham, beef and gruyere sandwich. It was also excellent.
The prices are super reasonable. The portions are very good. Note: I hate disgusting American style massive portions. The service was top notch. The food took a little bit to arrive, quality more than made up for that.
Overall, this restaurant is the best culinary find of the last year for me. I will drive out of my way to eat here.
To the staff of LA Cubana, I say thank you and please keep up the amazing work!
Amazing place!. This hidden gem on Roncesvalles is phenomenal. We ordered several different dishes and none of them was a disappointment. We had a hard time agreeing on which dishes to re-order. We loved everything from the savoury flavours, the variety of different dishes, the service, the decor and the prices. Nothing less than an orgasm in your mouth. Can't wait to go back!!
Inside the aroma from the grill hits me like that first touch of tropical air when the planes doors open after a long needed vacation – mmm, I missed
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I don't know how I had not really heard of La Cubana until now but I am certainly glad that I have found it. We went for lunch on the recommendation of a good friend who regularly goes there to eat the guava shortrib sandwich, expect that my husband thought it was a kimchi shortrib sandwich so I was expecting Korean lol.
I was happy as soon as we walked inside - the decor is bright and fresh and we both loved the modern twist on a fiftie's diner going on. There were lots of tables but we both like sitting at the bar, which ended up being dangerous, indeed. We ordered the shortrib sandwich for him and I got a black bean soup with chorizo jerky but while we were waiting for our orders, we had front row seats to watch the chef make everyone else's food.
We ended up adding a red cabbage slaw, the habernero glazed fried squid and the tostones rellenos with beef picadillo along the way.
My black bean soup was one of the best I can recall eating but it was actually so thick and filling that I couldn't finish it if I wanted to try anything else. I loved the finely minced chorizo jerky and the level of heat was perfect.
My husband loved his shortrib medianoche (a medianoche is served on a bun that is closer to challah than the usual thin, crusty bread on a cuban sandwich) and the tostone rellenos was another delicious but very filling dish and I would only order it again if we were sharing amongst a couple more people.
The crispy, habernero glazed fried squid was the dish that we couldn't stop talking about on the entire drive home. I will go back just for that (well and because I want to try tons of other stuff that I watched being plated but lacked the stomach real estate to order)
All of the apps are between $5 and $7, the sandwiches are mostly $8 or $9 and the sides are all $4 so you can go here with a small group and eat your face off and not break the bank.
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For full disclosure, I haven’t been to Cuba. But I have been to La Cubana. And after one visit, I’m convinced it’s the closest experience to authentic Cuban food I’ll have until I get on a plane.
La Cubana is located in the High Park/Roncesvalles village. The area is known for its Polish community, but ironically, this Cuban restaurant is sweeping up local patrons by storm. Be careful though, if you’re looking for Cuban cuisine in the Roncesvalles village, you can easily walk by La Cubana without noticing: they don’t have a big, bright sign, just the name on the door.
When I walked into the restaurant I felt like I passed through a time warp. I was back in the 1950’s, at a diner in Miami. With pastel green-coloured walls and mambo music in the background, I had to fight the urge to shake a hip or two on my way to the table.
Looking over the menu you’ll want to order everything, it all sounds AMAZING! We compromised and ordered what caught our eyes, along with a few recommendations from our friendly server.
We started with the Bean & Cheese Empanadas ($7), Habanero Glazed Fried Squid ($7) and Guava Short Rib ($8). Honestly, everything tasted like a slice of Cuban heaven. The empanadas were crispy and packed full of cheesy gooeyness; the squid had a killer spicy/sweet kick; and the short rib was pure fall-off-the-bone goodness.
After devouring those plates, we decided to share the Pineapple Glazed Pork Belly Medianoches ($8) and the Grilled Fish with Pineapple Salsa ($15), and a side of Yuca Frita ($4). A medianoche is a sweet milk bun, similar to Chinese bakery buns filled with BBQ Pork.
If you thought that was it, think again: I never ever skip dessert, it’s as important as breakfast!
We asked the server what her favourite dessert was, and she recommended getting the donuts ($5) and to dip them in the Cuban Coffee Natilla ($5) – mind blown! It was the perfect end to an incredible Cuban dinner.
Overall, my experience at La Cubana was amazing. The food was full of flavour, the service was on point, and the décor/atmosphere really made me feel like I was in Miami (because I have no idea what Cuba is really like). I plan on coming back soon and letting my inner fat kid run wild, possibly for their brunch.
Food: 4/5
Service 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
392 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto ON M6R 2M9
Phone: (416) 538-7500
Hours: Monday to Friday 11am until late; Saturday & Sunday brunch 10am-3pm
Went to La Cubana for brunch on Saturday. The place was packed. I had the Chorizo Empanada. Very tasty & different than your usual bacon & eggs brunch. Service was good & price we fair. I recommend.
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Every time Mike and I go down to Miami, we always make sure to get a good fix of Cuban food since Toronto is definitely lacking in that department. So, I was definitely ecstatic when I heard that the owners of the now-closed Delux announced they were opening up a Cuban diner.
La Cubana opened up last fall on the Roncesvalles strip to plenty of fanfare. Mike and I finally dropped by for a casual Friday date night and the place was pretty busy – particularly on their cute patio located behind the restaurant.
The hostess informed us it would be a half hour wait for the patio but they had a free table inside the restaurant. Since we were starving, we chose to just sit inside. A word of warning though – it gets VERY hot and stuffy inside the restaurant with the open kitchen. Thankfully it was a cool evening so it was bearable but I can only imagine how uncomfortable it’d be on a sweltering day.
I’m a big fan of the décor at La Cubana which has a retro diner feel to it. The floors were made of mosaic tiles and I particularly loved the mint green tiles which lined the walls and counter. The narrow restaurant features an open kitchen and counter seating in the middle of the space. Booths and tables fill the remainder of the space.
Given the neighborhood it’s located in, it’s no surprise that the restaurant is family-friendly. They even have separate kid menus for the little ones. It’s clearly a selling point as we saw plenty of families there with young children.
La Cubana’s (adult) menu is divided into several sections: Bocaditos aka appetizers ($5-$8), soups/salads ($5-$7), sandwiches/medianoches ($7-$9), Cuban plates ($15) and sides ($4).
As far as drinks go, they have a small selection of Cuban cocktails for $10 each, one beer (brewed specifically for La Cubana by the Junction Craft Brewing House) and several non-alcoholic options.
I went with something non-alcoholic, the Guava Fizz ($5). Light, refreshing and just what I was looking for.
Mike also opted for a juice cocktail, the Mango Colada ($5).
We started off with an order of the Chorizo Empanadas ($7) which came with three small empanadas. While they were on the greasy side, they were pretty damn satisfying and well worth the calories. The chorizo filling had a nice kick and I loved the addition of the raisins which gave it a nice sweetness. The empanadas also came with a generous amount of aioli which complemented them perfectly.
After reading some great things about the Habanero Glazed Fried Squid ($7), we decided to go with an order of them. The crispy fried squid rings were coated in a sweet glaze which was missing the spice. I expected more of a kick but it turned out to be pretty mild. Overall, I thought the squid was good (despite the lack of spice) but I wouldn’t say it’s a must-order.
For my main, I ordered the Guava BBQ Shortrib Medianoche ($9). A medianoche is a type of Cuban sandwich which uses a sweet milk bread. It’s similar to brioche but a little denser and held up very well against the heavy toppings.
The bun was topped with tender pieces of shortrib, fried onions, pickled red cabbage, crema and jalapenos. I loved the shortrib – particularly the delicious bbq sauce. It was no doubt a messy sandwich and for a small-looking sandwich, it certainly packs a punch. Loved it!
Mike went with the Molasses Roasted Pork Shoulder ($15). The portions certainly weren’t anywhere as large as the ones in Miami (like at El Palacio de los Jugos) but they’re still pretty filling.
The pork shoulder was tender and wonderfully moist but I found it a touch too salty (Mike thought it was fine though). All Cuban plates come with rice, beans, slaw and tostones, all of which were delicious. The addition of the cabbage slaw helped balance out the heaviness of the rest of the dish. Mike particularly enjoyed this dish and didn’t leave a crumb on his plate.
Dessert offerings ($5 each) include mini donuts which were one of my favourites at Delux. We decided to try something new and ended up with the Key Lime Pie ($5). Arriving in a mini mason jar, it was topped with cream and a sprinkling of granola. It was a solid dessert but nothing particularly memorable. Next time, I’ll just stick to the donuts.
Overall, we had an enjoyable meal at La Cubana – I’m still thinking about that shortrib medianoche. You’ll definitely find me back at this Cuban diner!
At a glance:
• A casual Cuban diner located in Roncesvalles
• Same owners as the now-closed Delux
• Gets very hot inside the restaurant from the open kitchen; not ideal on a hot day
• Nice patio at the back of the restaurant
• Family friendly
• Prices for mains range from $7 for a sandwich to $15 for the Cuban plates
• Favourites: chorizo empanadas and guava BBQ shortrib medianoche
Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars
Habanero Calamari is AMAZING!
Cassava fries werent good.
Sweet plantaine is great.
The sandwiches are very good, but the Guava BBQ doesnt taste like guava at all...
Prensado cubano is fantastic.
Very friendly staff.
Will go back as soon as possible!
Cute ambiance, great service, food was typical cuban, but a little on the heavier side, no light options, many items are fried, but overall tasty. Best menu item was the key lime pie
The Achiote roasted chicken at La Cubana is amazing! The place was bustling with energy, the servers were very friendly and it was one of them who suggested I try the Achiote chicken. One of my friends had ordered Chorizo Empanadas, the serving seemed a little small for the price they charged, but the taste was great. The Pineapple Glazed sandwich was pretty awesome as well, said my friend. I'd definitely go back to try the other dishes on their menu.
Always a great experience at la Cubana! I would recommend this restaurant to everyone, young, adults, old people. It has been appreciated by all the people I've brought to. Plus, they have a patio at the back which remove the noise from the street. The music is nice, the customer service welcoming & helpful and food has always been top quality for the two last years I've been. The only thing is that you would need time to enjoy the meal as it takes about 30min to prepare.
Nice spot! Sat in a booth and ordered a couple of drinks, apps (corn frituras and a bean and cheese empanada) and two mains (pork belly, and pork shoulder). It was all very tasty!
Great little spot, it's like walking into a Cuban diner from the 1950's. Food is fantastic. The Corn frituras are perfect, as was the Pork shoulder. Cocktails 🍸 are fab! Service is great, friendly staff, love the atmosphere!!
Obsessed with the food. Extremely friendly staff. Keep trying to convince my bf and friends to come. Love the atmosphere as well!
Got the cubana sandwich with the yucca fries
Keymon Derpis AKA Brett H
+5
Fantastic back patio ( theres also a CafeTO street one) i had the vegetarian plate and it was fantastic. Fresh veggies, a black bean patty, rice and beans, tostones, slaw and avocado, tomatoes , cheese . Great cocktails and mocktails
Super nice. On a summers day, on the patio with the right cocktail and plate you could be convinced you were in the tropics. Service and food is very quick and traditional. Looking forward to going back.
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