"We found an absolute gem in downtown Bartow! This authentic Cuban restaurant had some of the best…read moreCuban food we've had in a long time. The Cuban sandwich was perfectly pressed and packed with flavor, and the fried pork with onions was tender, seasoned perfectly, and absolutely delicious alongside the yellow rice and black beans. Every bite tasted homemade and authentic. The atmosphere made the experience even better. The walls were filled with quirky, fun artwork, vintage Cuban décor, and old antique signs that gave the restaurant so much character and charm. You could tell a lot of love and personality went into creating the space. The staff and owner were incredibly friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. Great food, great people, and a fun atmosphere -- definitely a place we'll be coming back to whenever we're in Bartow!"

So happy to have found this Cuban spot! Authentic flavors, friendly staff and eclectic decor. The…read morepork sandwich was mouth watering and the chicken breast with rice & beans were really good. Reminds me of being back home in Miami.

This is one of the most authentic Cuban restaurant here in Lakeland it's a very small place with…read morenormally just one waitress she's also very nice I had the pork with black beans and rice and sweet plantains don't forget to get your Cafe Con Leche with real sugar it's the bomb the inside is very quaint and they have a lot of different sweets that you can buy but most of the time they're gone so if you see them buy them. Honestly I've been coming here probably 15 years maybe I can't remember. I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal here ever.

Parking can get hectic during lunch time and the seating fills up fast but the food is great. Nice…read moreowners. Some things sell out quickly so if you're looking to snag something for a late lunch or dinner, you may miss out.

This place is seriously delicious! Order at the front and seat yourself. The food is served very…read morequickly.

We love this place. The food and the atmosphere is friendly as always…read more Considering the state of our country and the world I question how anyone could possibly trust white Americans again. I find it hard to trust my bigoted countrymen. But we went to see Elio today and it reaffirmed my belief that one of my heroes from childhood was correct. "Despite everything, I still believe that people are good at heart." That is a paraphrase from Anne Frank's' diary-but it still stands. This is a poem I wrote today. I asked Google to translate it into Spanish. I hope that it conveys the true spirit of what America really stands for. El globo que solía poseer - Un poema para James Conocí a un hombre en su último aliento Su carrera casi acabada En su habitación había un globo De esos que solían vender El eje, de bronce y dorado Representando al mundo Con fronteras desactualizadas Y pueblos fronterizos ya olvidados Pero las mismas guerras siguen luchando Le pregunté si había amado bien Sonrió, más amplio que el cielo "Oh sí, muchacho, mucho he amado No puedo esperar al siguiente; La vida que cargo aún me lleva" Miré ese globo Una vez más... el mismo globo que lo conoció bien y nos deja, aún gira Pero las guerras aún arden Cuando termine, ya no Tendrá necesidad de globos O guerras O pueblos con nombres olvidados Supongo que las guerras son para los vivos - Deseo que su globo pudiera Dejar de girar Suficiente tiempo para ver Un globo sin guerra Sin miedo, ni una sola lágrima Y fronteras con papeles que solo digan "Bienvenido de nuevo Te hemos echado de menos."

Love the ambiance in here it felt like I was back in Miami with all the Cuban art work and de or in…read morethe walls. The food was great my vaca frita had some moist meat with crispy edges a and the rice was perfectly cooked, the yuca lacked flavor and salt. The service was friendly but slow. We were a large table of 10 but given that we were the literal only table in the whole restaurant, things took awhile. I would come back if I lived in the area for sure!

This is a clean, calming and inviting little restaurant. My server was on the spot, polite and…read morehelpful. The croquettes were perfectly crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. The "hot sauce" that they brought with them was just the right mix of flavor and heat. My Masas de Cerdo Fritas, with white rice and black beans, although a little on the dry side was tender and flavorful and beautifully presented. The sides were expertly prepared and the black beans were extremely flavorful. If it weren't for the pork being on the dry side, this would have been a 5 star review from me, which I rarely give. I am looking forward to returning to see if I can revisit my review and add that star.

Loved this place, the fries are so good and the sandwiches are huge. I had the spicy Cuban. I…read morethought I got a lot of food for what I paid for as well. I'll be coming back for more.

Cuban had no mayo, just a load of yellow mustard and a spit of roast pork. This is a Mulberry…read moreCuban. No way is it a Tampa Cuban. The Ole Cuban in Lakeland is far better

I had the navy bean n ham soup and hot pressed Italian hoagie. Both were awesome. I took half of…read morethe hoagie home and order a quart of soup to go.

This is no exaggeration. Simply the BEST Cuban sandwich in…read moreFlorida. I've never been disappointed in 24 years.

Me and my fiancé went to this restaurant right after Church, after seeing some food pictures…read moreonline, and this is our first and most likely last. We were greeted by a waitress... a couple mins. We received a complimentary noodle soup, we ate it and it was delicious. We had 2 waiters taking care of us. We then proceeded to tell him our order A couple apps, and a couple entrees for me and her.... I can't recall how long we waited to get our appetizers, but it wasn't too long..... so, we ate them slowly, thinking we were going to get our meals very soon. But that didn't happen... Our waiter then says to us, please be patient, our food takes time to make, so we didn't think anything about at the time..... but I started to notice.... One side of the restaurant, looks empty, and we sat right by the kitchen, and the other side.... I couldn't see if there was people or not..... and it's now, 30 mins in and all I see are, 3-4 waiters just hauling food to one side of the restaurant and we still haven't got an update, no one showed up to our table with food or nothing, now it's past 45 mins in.... And me and my fiancé are getting irritated and pissed... she got up and asked about the food and the waiter just nonchalantly tells her, it's coming out.... Now, it's over an hour and we're beyond pissed.... Everyone around us, receiving food but us. We didn't even order but 2 appetizers and 2 small entrees..... it was so bad, got into an argument with the staff and they comp us one meal and that's it. And made them wrap up our food to go. I hope they fix that, Because that's ridiculous and just disrespectful to us to make us wait for over an hour. It's our first time and most likely our last......

I love this place but this will be the last time I will be visiting. $16 for 2 kids lemonade?…read more I'm won't be complaining about anything else besides that because the food is actually good, But I will not be returning ever again! $16 por dos limonadas para niños!!

My boyfriend and I decided to stop at this establishment for brunch on our drive back home and are…read moreso happy we did! The workers were extremely welcoming and they even greeted us with a complimentary dry champagne because it was our first visit. Nate our server was very attentive and knowledgeable. The maitre'd Neal checked on us as well and that made us feel even more at home. I ate the eggs benedict and it's a nice twist using jamón ibérico and melt in your mouth biscuit. My boyfriend ate the prime rib that had a dry rub and made specifically only for brunch which he said was divine. We can't wait to come back and checkout what more they have to offer. If you're ever in the Lakeland area definitely be sure to give them a shot!

My second dining experience at this restaurant and I was not disappointed. My first time was in…read more2024. The reason was the restaurant just happened to be the year of my birth. How sweet. Not knowing what to expect, we made reservations and were greeted with pleasantries, immediately seated, and welcomed. The octopus was smoky and tender. Just right-at least that's what little red riding hood said . I don't remember much else because food kept coming and I kept eating. We had the best service that night and the owner came and spoke with us. He told us the reason behind the name which is when his family came to the US. Fast-forward to July 2, 2026, I visited Lakeland, to see my mom who lives there. The hotel happened to be down the block from Nineteen61. My mom's appetite had waned. I was concerned but knew if she got what she wanted it would help her to regain her appetite. She wanted an entire snapper. Not many restaurants serve the whole fish (head and all). I called and, what do you know, they serve deep-fried yellowtail snapper. The whole fish. Reservations for 8:30pm the same night and we arrived at 8:10 p and were immediately seated. I had the miso salmon, hubby had the rack of lamb, and mom got her fish. We added ripe plantains and started with the calamari. It was not bready. Just the right amount of dusting for a crunchy texture. But the sauce was tangy and sweet-so good. Oh, the salad-nix the cheese. The dressing is amazing. My husband ordered the Riesling, and I got the moscato. Mom went with a strawberry daiquiri. Here is where things get interesting. We are sweet wine drinkers and the Rieslings we are used to are sweet. This was dry. So the server gave him a taste of the moscato and he went with that. I don't know what they do with wine when you send it back-so I opted to keep the glass of Riesling and mix it with my Moscato. I cannot explain the result. Suffice to say we both enjoyed the mixture. The restaurant was busy. That is always a good problem to have. The servers and bus teams worked swiftly and maneuvered among the diners, crisscrossing through the ravines created by the tables with finesse. We received a ample attention and we needed it-adding and asking for condiments to which they supplied. The bar was amptly stocked and the decor inside the restaurant captures the history. What was more appealing was the size of the restaurant made it feel like you were dining in your own private nook. Yes, I would return to Nineteen61 again and again. Worth it!

Great quick service spot. Food was tasteful and large portions. Had the pork, sweet plantain and…read morebeans and rice

El mejor restaurante Hispano en winter haven, La comida y el ambiente excelente..... muy Rico todo!read more