Was very disappointed tonight with my order. I ordered two chicharrón de pollo and a side of fries. What I received was a whole chicken cut into small pieces and fried until it was practically burnt. This is not chicharrón de pollo at all. I tried calling after I was home but no one answered. read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

See all

Can't say I'm a Cuban food expert, but I can tell you the food here is really GOOD!!! About two weeks ago I came here for a business meeting. It was the immediate halfway point between my buddy and I. While driving there I was nervous as I've never been and honestly it looked a little hoodish. Looked like I took a truckers route lol..... Anyhow back to the review. This spot is located on a Main Street and its metered parking. If you speak Spanish yall be golden here, if not the menu has numbers and pictures. We order the Garlic shrimp, steak and onions, fried snapper and pork chunks. Everything was awesome. Great seasoning and cool presentation. I don't really consider this a date spot, but my lady rides with me anywhere and we are definitely coming back here!!! I hope you enjoy as I did. read more

See all

After experiencing a heartbreaking rejection that I would prefer not to discuss, I decided to treat myself to dinner to ease my troubled mind. I'd been meaning to try out Alvarez Cafe considering I live only a few blocks away, and it seemed to have great reviews. So, I walked in and after much deliberation I decided to have "El Famoso Sandwich Cubano." You know, a good ole Cuban sandwich. I was not disappointed. Being Cuban and from Miami, I'm a little picky with my Cuban cuisine, but this sandwich really was good. I'm also a vegetarian, so the fact that I would choose a sandwich filled with meat is really sayin' something. The bread was flaky and crispy, had just the right amount of mayo and pickles, and a hearty serving of sliced ham and succulent pulled pork draped in melted cheese...yum! I loved it, and could only eat half before I was stuffed. I saved the other half for my boyfriend, which I'm sure he'll be stoked about when he finds it in the microwave. The decor inside was outdated and dingy but the service was pretty sweet (hope you brought your Spanish!) and the menu looked extensive and authentic. I'm coming back for dinner for sure! A note on the neighborhood: It is on Elizabeth Ave., but I wouldn't worry about it too much, especially if you're driving. Like I said, I live only a few blocks away and I've walked the area during the day and night, alone, and nothing has happened. I was scared shitless, but nothing happened. ;) read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban sandwich! - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

See all

Who doesn't love Cuban food?? I love it, and that's what matters right now. Just a plain old Cuban sammie please!!! But that's not why I come here. I come here to sit at the little bar and get my Pina Colada on! I rarely eat here but always get the Garlic shrimp. I can't resist. Soooo good. But the Pina's are better. Cheap and located close to other bars. But it's on Elizabeth Ave. It's far from where I live and the area gets a little seedy at night. read more

Alvarez Cafe - Getting my Pina oon @ Alvarez! - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

What happened to this place? Growing up in Elizabeth this was the pinnacle of Cuban cuisine. Went in on a random Friday for some ajiaco and a cubano. The ajiaco had an odd aftertaste. What threw me off was the 2 toned meat and the acid like aftertaste, the corn looked like it seen better days. The cubano lacked luster and meat and that had an odd taste as well. Disappointed it was once a great place for food read more

This is one of the most authentic Cuban restaurants outside of South Florida. Try the pulled pork with yuca and black rice. Tasajo, dry cured beef similar to beef jerky, is awesome. It is prepared in a sauce. It's not tough like jerky. The oxtail is spicy and finger licking delicious. Mariquitas are yummy. This are thin curly friend green plantains. The desserts are to die for. read more

I had a terrible experience here. Placed my order online for pick up and selected a pick up time 40mins or so from that time.. I show up at the restaurant and no one acknowledges I'm there... It was a good five minutes before anyone even made eye contact with me. I told them my order and she acted like it was almost ready... it was just shrimp, rice & beans. Fast forward almost an hour later I'm still sitting there waiting... I also watched them handle and cut the bread with with no gloves on... Meanwhile they're also answering the phone and touching everything. I know this is an old-school place but it was still uncomfortable to watch. When I finally got my food there was no apology, explanation or anything..wont return read more

I ordered my food online and at 10:42pm and received a confirmation email that my food would be ready for pick up at 11:15pm, the restaurant closes at midnight. I normally pay with credit card but I selected cash this time (luckily). I get to the restaurant at 11:25pm and the lights are off and the door is locked. I called and no answer. What if I would've paid with a card?? I would have been charged $35 for a meal I would have never been able to eat. I grew up in Elizabeth and have eaten at Alvarez cafe since I was a kid. Very disappointed! read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Order 7 steak sandwiches with everything on it, i pd $75 and they only brought me hard bread with a dry steak and ketchup , on top of that there were flies in my rice pudding disgusting ! read more

Alvarez Cafe - Flies on rice pudding ! Disgusting ! - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Always great service ...best Churrassco in Elizabeth ..always Fresh food and fast an the owners an servers are very friendly ..they follow me on Facebook an Instagram which is cool ..I give the place a 5star rating read more

Went here with a lady friend, we were seated quickly, then had to move to a different table, the ceiling was dripping some kind of liquid on her, looking up I saw random damage on the ceiling - minus one star. It was Sat night at 9pm, place was very much empty. Ordered fried pork chunks appetizer and beef potato ball, came out relatively quick, pork chunks were very dry. Potato ball was OK, but had a left-over taste to it, not fresh. I ordered Ox-tail combo for my entree, rice was dry and ox-tail was salty - minus one star. As we were eating, they start mopping the floor right next to us, and the chemical smell really bothered me. How could you be so brainless as to do that when you have customers eating their dinner? Minus one more star. We came here with a $15 restaurant.com voucher, which our waitress took right after she seated us. When they brought out the bill, not only was the voucher not used, but they over charged for both entrees and the appetizer - minus one star. Maybe they thought we wouldn't check. Finally, they added 18% gratuity to our bill without asking. Seriously?? 18% for just two people?? 18% and higher gratuity should ONLY be added for large groups of people (4 or more). This is a big NO NO, and I have a strong suspicion the restaurant keeps most of this, as our waitress who spoke very little English, didn't even notice it was on the bill, the lady behind the counter did the bill. Subtract one more star due to this. Yes, if you do the math, that's 5 stars I subtracted, but unfortunately Yelp doesn't allow ZERO start reviews, so one star it is! Congrats Alvarez, you earned it. Bottom line, very shady with the billing, and food is just average. I would not go back nor would I recommend them to any one. If you go, check your bill twice before paying, it's probably wrong. read more

This place sucks. I just picked-up food from here and I was compelled to write a review about my overwhelmingly disappointing experience. I ordered the skirt steak (with chimichurri sauce), chorizo appetizer, and a Cuban sandwich. First issue. The portions are laughable at best. It's absolutely ridiculous how cheap the portions are especially with the expensive prices they are charging. The rice that came with the skirt steak was a joke. The chorizo app was probably a quarters worth of a full chorizo. There was probably 5 thing slices of chorizo in the order. And the chorizo seems like it was boiled. No texture at all. Didn't seem like they pan fried or grilled it (LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO)....mind you, they charged me $6.50. Absolutely ridiculous. Second issue. After I got my order at the counter, I asked the old woman if the chimichurri was in the bag/tray that she gave me. She said "yes it's there". I get home, open the bag, and surprise surprise....NO EFFIN' CHIMICHURRI SAUCE. Totally ruined my dish. You can't get Cuban churrasco WITHOUT the chimichurri. I'm still boiling over it. Third issue. Not sure what the other yelpers are talking about, but the Cuban sandwich totally SUCKS. If you think this Cuban is good OR authentic....YOU'VE NEVER HAD A CUBAN SANDWICH. Our saving grace is not eating at the restaurant, so at least we didn't have to sit down in the outdated and dreary décor and provide tip. For all the yelpers saying that they come here all the time and say that this place has good Cuban.....let me help you out. Without having the expense of a plane fair to go to Miami, your next best bet is bergenline in Union City. Yelp or google "Cuban restaurant" and you'll find a handful of places that puts this imposter of a Cuban restaurant to shame. read more

I came here for Mother's day & the food is always absolutely delicious. We drive all the way from Brooklyn, NY because we know it is well worth our time! The Churrasco with Chimichuri is amazing and the bistec encebollado (steak with onions) is so juicy and wonderful. Customer service is always warm, welcoming and very attentive. The staff is always so sweet! Definately recommend coming here read more

- This place was AWESOME! Aside from the great food and awesome pricing was the AMAZING hospitality. The staff was so sweet, attentive and made us feel right at home. I would love to come back here and try the rest of the menu. I had the Pot Roast Sandwich with fries. Our waitress spoke mostly Spanish, but was able to communicate with us enough to make a great lunch. read more

Aw, I love this place. My boyfriend and I moved to Elizabeth after graduating from Rutgers and this place is one of our favorites. Even if the decor is out dated and kind of weird, the people are so friendly and the food is delicious. The waiter recommended the skirt steak and we devoured the entire thing. Also there is just something to be said about fried pieces of pork then squirted with lemon juice...mmm so simple yet so good! read more

Cuban sandwich was better than others I've had around the area....beef empanadas were so so. Went there to pick up an order but must say place looked nice and neat inside read more

Excellent Cuban food: as good if not better than restaurants on Calle Ocho in Miami. Try the vaca frita! read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Alvarez is unreal! Very clean and even better customer service. 100% Cuban . I will definitely be back on every visit to Jersey

I used Alvarez Cafe to cater my wedding in Brooklyn! My now-husband and I live in Brooklyn, but we were willing to trek over to Jersey on a tip from another caterer from Chowhound that Alvarez Cafe would be a solid option. We worked with Louie, who was very friendly and generous - the food was great and SUPER AFFORDABLE. We decided to splurge on other things for our wedding and have a more informal buffet for dinner. That being said - our buffet still provided an impressive amount of variety. We had: carnitas with crispy skin which was and still is AMAZING, chicken with peppers and onions, steak with peppers and onions, fish fillets, sweet plantains (though if you go to their restaurant in person the salty fried plantains are AWESOME but just can't withstand traveling), 3 different types of rice, his legendary baked ziti, garlic yucca, and tossed salad. It was a really impressive spread and we have SO MUCH leftover (like I said - he was VERY generous) - that we froze a bunch of it, and we're still eating happily from our wedding food. And let me tell you - it's still as enjoyable as leftovers, if not better for some reason. Our friends still stop by to see if there's any pork with the crispy skin left and if you just pop some in the oven, it's absolutely perfect. Juicy meat, crispy skin, GREAT flavor. Our favorite was that paired with the yellow rice or the baked ziti, which Louie brags about and is weirdly good. So yeah, if you want really cheap but still good wedding catering, I'd go with these guys if you are willing to DIY the wedding buffet setup (bring your own racks, trays, and sternos) - though I know they're willing to provide the setup too if you'd like that as well - it was just cheaper to do it all ourselves. Oh! And we also asked for low sodium because we had a lot of elderly people with high blood pressure and he was fully willing to accommodate. Food still tasted great. And the delivery guy was early. I think Louie might have also been there for the delivery - at least he articulated so on the phone that he really wanted to come along to make sure the delivery went well. How's that for customer service? read more

I'm Cuban and this food is authentic AND amazing! I'm always in search of the good stuff and I finally found it. I tried the Ropa Vieja and Vaca Frita with an assortment of sides and all were very delicious. The vanilla flan was some of the best I've ever had. Family owned and operated for 30+ yrs... I felt like I was at my Abuela's house. I was confused by the other reviews on Yelp, all said they loved their food but only gave 3 stars? This place easily deserves 5 stars! read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

See all

Every single time I go to this place I get treated very badly. I love their empanadas but the curtesy here is beyond bad. I call they leave the line open and talk until they want. I go personally and they don't attend until I make them notice I have been waiting for long. Also their place sometimes stink of mold or I don't know, Something unpleasant. read more

I have been going here for Years! I live in Hillside, I always hate the drive from Hillside NJ to Elizabeth because of the traffic_reminds me of a mini New York City, BUT now that you can order online and they deliver, it is the BEST. I hated trying to get there, then trying to find a place to park! But the food is so worth the trip. Now that they have an online ordering and delivery I will be ordering from there more often! I have tried MANY other places like this_ But none can compare. The roast pork is so fresh, the Yuca is perfectly prepared, the sweet plantains are to die for and the black beans and rice, PERFECTO! The people there are nice and friendly, however when you call to order it is hard to find someone that speaks English, that is the only reason for the 4 stars. BUT FOOD gets 5 Stars all the way! If your out and about or just looking for GREAT food, you will not regret! If you get the Roasted pork dinner order Extra Limes. :) ~Nikki~ read more

Good people, filling portions, quality food, reasonable prices. A good place! Lots of menu options from modest and inexpensive to a little more deluxe with lots of different meats and seafood. read more

Alvarez Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Good eats and better service. You won't be disappointed, we've returned several times

This is one of my favorite hidden treasures in Elizabeth. The food is classic Cuban food, both delicious and flavorful. The prices are ridiculously cheap for but he amount and quality of food you get. They also have a full bar and the best white sangria around. I always have a great time in the quaint little quiet spot, and never spend more than $20-$25 a meal! read more

The food is great and the service is great also!!! A very family environment. They also have free wi-fi....

This review is solely based on the Cuban Sandwich. First of it looks nothing like in the picture. There were burnt chunks of "mystery stuff" inside the sandwich, because I opened it to see why it tastes like mainly bread. Most parts had no pork, there was absolutely no pickle or cheese on it & since I was starving I created my own semi edible version of a sandwich. Probably one of the worst Cuban Sandwiches I have ever had. I've had some good ones in Miami so I know what it's suppose to taste like. That was def not good. Not sure about the peoples standards in the previous reviews, but drove here 30 min for a huge disappointment. So sad, but I'm determined to find a good one in NJ read more

Alvarez Cafe - I opened the sandwich so you can see how a lot is missing in here, where's the cheese, pork & pickle?? - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

I've been patronizing this establishment for well over 30 years. The quality of the food was always spot on and authentic (I'm cuban). After coming in I was greeted by a very nice waitress, I noticed that for a Saturday night, the restaurant was pretty deserted (clue 1) then I noticed an array of assorted drinks both alcoholic and soft on top of the bar (clue 2). Upon asking for a few very common staples in any cuban restaurant, "frita" "pork chops" "garlic shrimp" even avocados the reply was they didn't have it (clue 3). I was starving and spent 20 minutes looking for parking. So I ordered a standard cuban meal of pork chunks rice black beans and cassava, it was over cooked the rice was hard and the beans flavorless. I paid for my meal, but I will not return under no circumstances. read more

Food was great. The service was good, too. They start you off with some bread. They have nonalcoholic and alcohol drinks. Really great fruit shakes. The prices are good. We hit vaca frita which came with two sides and carne ripiada which is ropa vieja with two sides. We ordered a soda and a Papaya shake and a side of tostones. The bill came out to $37 which I think is pretty reasonable especially for how delicious the food was. Parking not great. But other than that, it was a really good experience. read more

BEST authentic Cuban cuisine , we travel an hour just to get their Cuban sandwiches. Reasonably priced , nice dining area and good customer service . Highly recommend!! read more

Is the best sangria in town the food here it's super delicious very good Caribbean cuisine

Good place but a little bit boutique, you have to expect some disorganization. Food is good though. read more

Alvarez Cafe - Back of restaurant - Cuban Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

We just ordered from there, and they claimed they didn't take debit cards, which is false. Furthermore, they don't speak English. We had to get someone that speaks Spanish to order, and they barely understood each other. This place is extremely unprofessional. They have not changed nor improved since I left my last review. I only ordered with my coworkers because they wanted to order but they have not gotten any better at all. read more

I ordered delivery from this place and asked if they were able to handle the delivery or if they were to busy. They assured me they could do the delivery. I ordered a tamale, fried yucca and spicy chicken. It took them over an hour and a half to delivery my food and then made me come to the lobby of my hotel to pick it up. Now for the food, the fried yucca was obviously from frozen sticks due to the uniform size and cheese stick shape. There was no dipping sauce with them. It was well...fried from frozen sticks! The tamale was not even close to being worth the $7.95 price. It also came with yellow rice that would embarrass every Cuban I know. The chicken was basically chicken breast cooked with Tabasco sauce on it and a few onions placed on top. In the end ordering from this place was a huge mistake. Please don't make the same mistake! read more

Update: 10/21/17 Seems like they sold the place to different owners. Everything we ordered was so so, im really sad about this. Whoever wants authentic Cuban food this is the place to go!!! I used to be all about the Pollo Encebollado until my boyfriend let me try that Churrasco.... Omg! Can we say foodgasm!!! Ever since then I don't know which one to pick but they're all so good. The service is great the people were nice it's one of the best places to go. All I can say is YUM!!!! read more

Worst Cuban Food ever, not sure how these ppl stay in business, the rice was hard and cold the steak had no seasoning at all, churascco cold meat on a plate worst experience. Meal for two was 47.00 not worth it at all. DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE ITS THE WORST CUBAN FOOD EVER!! WAS HERE ON A WEDNESDAY 3-15-17 FOR DINNER WILL NEVER GO BACK AGAIN. read more

If you want authentic Latin cuisine this is where you wanna go. Had Sancocho..A1! My friends had a Cuban sandwich. Legit. Ordered a side of Plantains... great Prices. And i ordered this coconut milkshake thing. 3 people ate and were stuffed! All for $30 def coming back. read more

I've been eating here for years now but what made me post a review was this.. A few nights ago I went to Alvarez at a very late time, maybe 11:30 PM and they were pretty much entirely closed due to construction. He told me I could still get deli sandwiches. Stupidly enough after he just told me the kitchen was closed, I asked if he could make us two steak sandwiches and without hesitation he said yes let me go see if I can still cook it. He went to the kitchen and literally cooked us some steak for the sandwiches at almost midnight. All I wanted was some good food after a very long day at work and he gave that to me (the sandwiches were AMAZING) and also threw in a free empanada. I believe he was the owners son. Just wanted to say thank you again and even though I've always come here I'll forever be a loyal customer. read more

I really liked the pork lunch special at Alvarez Cafe. The lunch specials come with 2 sides. For mine I got plantains and rice and beans, both were really good. The meal also comes with some nice toasted cuban bread as well. The pork was moist... an octogenarian without teeth would have no problem eating it. I'm definitely going to be going back to Alvarez for a proper Cuban sandwich. read more

I can't believe I haven't written a follow up for this place! Since our first visit we've been back multiple times (bringing out-of-towners, to celebrate a birthday and on multiple date nights). Everyone always loves the food! We took the waiters recommendation and ordered the churrasco- definitely one of the best in the area. From the mouth of my boyfriend "I want this place to cater my wedding!" (See, really good food can do some crazy things, like make men think about marriage.) Food and service are both great-we'll keep going back :) read more