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.

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

Take Out Review: First time trying an authentic Cuban, and I'm not mad about it. My friend and I…read moresplit a sandwich because ours was packed--I could barely finish my half. I guess we went in on a good day! The devil crab rolls were absolutely delicious, too! Waiting for our order took a while, but it was worth the wait.

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.

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!!

Wow mi primera vez aquí y les puedo decir que es un ambiente acogedor, buen servicio y la comida…read morebuen sabor y sazon , como si estuvieses en una casita de familia en PR , mi gente les digo un negocio que vale la pena visitar porque negocios asi ya no quedan

We have been going to 1961 for a while and always love it, but wow... something has happened to…read moretake it to a whole new level. The food has always been outstanding and really good service, but the service today felt as close to 5 star as I have ever felt apart from cruises with butlers! Wyatt did such a wonderful job, and a lovely lady never let our water glasses fall below half full. I have a feeling it might be the Maitre'd Neal Ward. I have not seen him there before and the ambiance he is helping to create is incredible. I cannot wait to go back!

We finally made it back to Nineteen Sixty-One this weekend after a lot of traveling and some health…read moreissues. We had friends visiting, so we came in for dinner and to celebrate a birthday. We truly could not have had a better experience. Every server was gracious, engaging, and attentive. The food was, as always, delicious and beautifully presented. We enjoyed every minute of our visit and can't wait to come back again. It feels like our Nineteen Sixty-One experience has been fully restored!