I love Back to Cuba. It is authentic and fresh Cuban food served in a friendly atmosphere. It's the only place in Nashville that truly gets the bread for a Cuban sandwich - crispy and flakey. If you haven't been, you should really treat yourself. read more

My friend excitedly suggested we try Back to Cuba when she realized I'd never eaten here before. I'm so glad she did! The restaurant is welcoming with relaxed vibes. The owner was very kind when he stopped to check in on us. I'll definitely return! There's free parking outside in the shopping center lot. Love: cubano (fresh bread, flavorful pork); yucca; plantains (right balance of crispy yet tender) Like: tres leches (great treat) read more

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That same way I give good reviews that same I will give them bad reviews I went back because on the first time they was ok but let me tell you what happened..... They have signed that said they don't allow any substitute on the menu order ok I got that But I order masita de puerco with come with congri rice and fries yuca plus the pork When the waiter came to our food the bring me just white rice cool as the ice and boiled yuca that taste like been there for days and the pork them I told what just happened this not what we ordered and they tell me because during the week with don't cook congri rice and fried yuca we give this..... WHAT I TOLD him first at all you have a freaking sign that said not allowed any substitute and you make all this change without asking me and I have to take it and eating plus paid that same price I don't have any choice..... hell no I Will never going back to this crazy place and I don't even recommend it read more

Now I understand why this place is always packed... The food is unbeatable, and the service is excellent... but the atmosphere--the music, the vibe! It's like being transported to Cuba in an instant. Highly recommended! An unforgettable experience. read more

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I was SO excited to try this spot after coming home from a long weekend in the mountains. Cuban sandwiches are amongst my favorite; you just beat that greasy salty pork paired with mustard and pickles on crispy warm bread. After reviewing the menu, we wanted to try the ribs, but they were out by 5:30pm on a Monday. We had to settle on the churrasco. My husband ordered takeout which was ready quickly, in about 25 minutes. Even though they've been open for a few months now, they are still operating under a cash-only business model. A little inconvenient, but there is an ATM at Publix and a bank in the same plaza. The food looked delicious when we pulled it out of the bag, but upon my first bite I was immediately disappointed in the sandwich. I cut the roof of my mouth on the corner of the bread, which was so dry on top, it nearly crumbled into ash, but was somehow still soggy on the inside. I tasted NO pickles so I opened up the sandwich to see all of the toppings completely smooshed into the soggy upper part of the sandwich. On one half, there were only 2 pickles which were so thin you could see thru them. They tasted like water. There was no visible mustard on the sandwich which made it totally dry and inedible. I ended up deconstructing the toppings from the bread and eating just the ham and cheese rolled up. I gave the dry pork to my dog; at least somebody enjoyed it. read more

Back to Cuba - Zero condiments. See thru flavorless pickles. So disappointed. - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Service was great. Food was amazing. The shop was not busy when I came but food still came fast. Very cute decor with tons of homage to the island. They have live music some days but I didn't get the schedule. I ordered the most popular pork option that came with yuca and black beans. I scraped the bowl. The pork was flavorful and delicious. I also had an empanada which was good too. There is also a free bread which was great. My friends got fish and chicken dishes and they both loved it. Oh and free parking that is plentiful. Overall a great place and I can't wait to try again. read more

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Delicious and flavorful Cuban/Puerto Rican classics! Great menu with a wide variety of options. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Back to Cuba - Pechuga a la Plancha, Vaca Frita and Churassco - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Great representation of many Cuba dishes but INSANELY greasy. Superb service and average atmosphere

Finally found great Cuban food in Nashville. Everything we ordered was delicious and the restaurant was clean and comfortable. I got the churassco and would recommend it along with the vaca frita. Empanadas were excellent as well. We finished with cafecitos, strong with great flavor. We will be back! read more

Back to Cuba - Churassco - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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When I heard Back to Cuba Cafe was back in business after 5 years away, the fattest juiciest tear fell from my eye. I got the Friday special, Bistec Empanizado, which is basically seasoned fried steak (well done) with yellow rice and grilled plantains. Amazing. We also got the Pescado Salsa de Mango which came with tostones (smashed plantain) and tasted lighter. Also very good. They didn't allow substitutions for sides when I went (which sucked because their yellow rice is my fav) and it was also cash only. read more

Back to Cuba - Pescado Salsa de Mango - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We drove an hour to try their cuban sandwiches. They were out of bread, half of their menu was sandwiches. I asked if I could substitute my black beans, rice and plantains with congris and yuca since they were out of bread and they refused and told me I would have to pay for it extra. Horrible customer service unwilling to make a customer happy or take care of a customer even though they didn't have what I wanted. We called and talk to the manager and he was rude when i asked how a restaurant was out of bread and just hung up on me. Don't have a business where you take read more

What a find for this ex Miamian.. from 40+ years ago. This place is the real deal.. es verdád!! The Pechuga is not to be missed. The Cuban sandwich is terrific, exactly as I remember. There are pork, fish, meat and chicken entrees. The owners are Cuban from way back, super gracious. Authentic cafecitos (traditional cafe Cubano) and cafe con leche. The restaurant is spacious, with seating at the coffee bar. I'll be back often, as it's located at Nipper's Corner, a hop skip and a jump from everywhere. Plenty of parking. Highly Recommended! read more

This place is so great. My family loves trying different things off the menu. They're quick and so friendly. Highly recommend for dining in or take out. read more

They reopened in the new location a couple weeks ago. It was cash only at the time. They didn't have credit card set up yet. Everything was absolutely delicious! Definitely going back again to try more. read more

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Back to Cuba is like being back in South Florida with the menu offerings and the great taste. The wait staff was right on and was able to answer the few questions we had. The Cafe con leche was spot on. The flan was good but a little different than what we were used to. We had lunch there on a few occasions and would love to be there for dinner sometime. Highly recommend, especially for those who've only had Mexican food. read more

Every item here is delicious. We have had everything on the menu at least once. The decorations and intimate atmosphere and friendliness by the owners will keep you coming back. read more

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Delicious pulled pork sandwich and spicy green sauce! Very nice homemade bread. So glad they moved locations and reopened. read more

Delicious and authentic Cuban dishes! Made to order - and they have fresh juices - my favorite was their mango juice! Their ropa vieja was super flavorful and their cubano was toasted and packed to perfection. Only downside is they are cash only - so be prepared! read more

We had a second visit to BTC. I wish I could say our experience was better -- but it wasn't. . The congri was good and the minuta (fish) and chicken sandwiches were just okay. But the service remains slow and the atmosphere is chaotic. It was reminiscent of the old location on Trousdale. These people can prepare a meal but cannot run a restaurant. We won't return to Back to Cuba. read more

Back to Cuba is back in a BIG way...the grilled chicken with onions, the shrimp in enchilada sauce ...the juices...especially mango and maracuya (passion fruit) amazing.....the cafe con leches are delicious.... Alex the owner and his wife Rebecca, Cuban and Colombian respectively and their staff including chef Pancho are giving Nashville a well deserved taste of wonderful Cuban food..... i love this place and have missed it since it closed in 2020....it's now open and in a great location with a larger and more colorful dining room ...it's local, it's Cuban, it's Nashville....it's awesome........!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

So glad they are back in Nashville. More extensive menu than at the old location and ample seating. Great recommendations from the server.

Absolutely NOT the same. The ropa vieja was a massive soup of pizza sauce tasting slop with a few shreds of fatty meat. my daughter and I used to eat at the Harding road location- it was delicious. this is an entirely different recipe. it was 45$ for two plates of slop that we threw away. we are ordering from somewhere else. read more

Awesome Cuban food. Very authentic. Nice now that it's returned. Bigger dining room now

We ate here last week. Decor is cute, lots of cuba posters and very comfortable. We had the Pan Con Lechon and the Pan Con Bistec. Both were excellent. Also had the empanadas, which were huge and incredibly delicious. The owner and staff were all very friendly. We can't wait to go back and try some other things. If you go, definitely get the empanadas!! read more

Cuban coffee was authentic along with the scene there. Looks like an establishment in Cuba. Food was real tasty!

Please try their Vaca Frita! It is the perfect blend of acid, fat, and salt. it comes with a side of their amazing black beans and rice and fried plantain. I have been getting this dish from them since 2015. I cried when they closed during Covid and cried when I found out they were coming back because it is an establishment near and dear to me and my family. Today was the first day I was able to revisit them since their reopening and It is just as wonderful as it used to be. read more

Great food. I love a Cubano sandwich and they have a good one. I've tried several other items off the menu, can't remember the names, but everything I've had is fantastic. read more

Out of Bread ,and other foods . As a business owner if you are a restaurant how are you out of what covers 50% of your menu?. Business is money greedy pushing their overpriced food. When talked to the Owner he was very rude and told me he didn't care what anyone thought. I refuse to ever step a foot back in this place. Also by reading other Reviews on here from others, you can clearly see this business owner does not care about anyone but himself. We'll Goodluck to him. read more

This place is terrific. As close to authentic as you will get in Nashville. Everything we've had so far is amazing, we highly recommend the masses de Puerco. Even Cuban coffee and pastalitos for late breakfast is wonderful. Don't miss this wonderful restaurant. read more

The food is just okay. Waitress placed the wrong order. Not sure what she finally bought me.

Back to Cuba is a simple storefront in the parking lot of a gas station, serving some traditional Cuban fare. They do have some colorful Cuban decoration up all over, but it's pretty quiet inside. There are a few tables and you order at the counter. I got the bistec palomilla, which comes with a big bowl of black beans, white rice, and sweet plantains. Also tried the empanadas, one chicken and one beef, and shared a Yerba Mate soda. My steak was a 2/5 in terms of taste, but it was a good portion. It was really thin and limp, but cooked well. It sufficed, but I've had better, heartier Cuban steak. The black beans were badass, though. I could've had a meal of just that. Rice and sweet plantains were standard, liked both. The empanadas were really big, but about halfway filled with meat. Both were good, but I liked the beef one more. The soda was good! I've never had one quite like this. It didn't really taste like Mate, but it had a tea aftertaste that I thought was refreshing. At 42 grams of sugar a can, though, yikes. My boyfriend got a fish plate and that was a good one. I think it was better than mine. It was a thick filet covered with cheese. I recommend that one over mine. Service was fast. It's an incredibly low-key place, so I wouldn't say to go out of your way, but it's a good side stop for a quick, filling meal. read more

Back to Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Love Back to Cuba! Best authentic Cuban in Nashville. I couldn't be more happy they are back!

Back to Cuba has been on my list of places to try for quite a while. I finally got the chance to go last weekend. As others have written, the restaurant is very small and is in a stripmall and gas station. Don't let that dissuade you from trying this place. We had a group of six people. I would not advise this, since most of the tables are two-tops and you have to be very lucky to arrive at a time when you can push three tables together. No reservations. No hostess. It is counter service for ordering. The menu is quite simple - sandwiches and entrees. They had two specials the night we went and I tried the Ropa Vieja special. They do not serve alcohol, but you probably can bring your own. We waited 10-15 minutes for our food to be brought out. Not long to wait except I was starving! The food was very flavorful. A bit on the salty side. My entree came with fried plantains that were absolutely the best. Slightly sweet and perfectly cooked. There was a huge scoop of rice and a pretty good size bowl of black beans. The Ropa Vieja was served in a little dish on the side to keep it from running all over the plate. We ordered empanadas to share. They were huge! Lots of filling in the middle but a lot of empty crust around the edges. I wish it had been spread out a little more but what was filled was delicious. We were there at 6:30 and around 7pm, the owner put a sign on the door. It turns out, they were closing the restaurant early because they ran out of food! I can't wait to go back and try out more items on the menu. Definitely a can't-miss-place to visit in Nashville. read more

No frills, just fantastic food. I've had several of the sandwiches, and they're all packed full of flavor and hearty. The pork and chicken dishes are always delicious and flavorful (make sure and check for a daily special). The empanadas are made fresh and are the best in town. After saying all that, what you really want is the Skirt Steak with Chimichurri....one of the best meals in Nashville. All and all, you can't go wrong here. With that being said, the service is a little "what are you doing in here, take a number" type vibe, which may play in Miami but it feels odd in Nashville. The food is so good it doesn't really matter. read more

Back to Cuba - Churrasco is killlllin it today. - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Love the flavor, it's real authentic Cuban food. Don't let the surroundings fool you. It's the perfect Cuban cafe. Food is good, fast and the service is awesome. Will be back when I'm looking for my Cuban fix. read more

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I started a yelp account because of this place. I'd give it zero stars if I could. Easily in my top 5 worst dining experiences ever in my life. The menu says the Cubano comes with Dijon mustard and pickles on it (you know, the ingredients that set off the rest of the sandwich's flavor profile and what makes a cubano a cubano), but mine didn't have either on it. By the time I FINALLY got the pickles and mustard to put on my sandwich, my food had gone cold and i had lost my desire to eat. The experience was so bad that I lost my appetite. My mother's pan con bistec sandwich was missing the potato stix that the menu says comes on it, and the steak that was supposed to be cut into strips (like the menu says) was not cut and was dry and tough and very difficult to chew. The lady at the counter was pretty much just like "I'm sorry but too bad, thats how we do it," then said she'd give me a discount but still charged me full price anyway. I left feeling insulted, lied to, and ripped off. I reluctantly paid and left bc I'm not one to cause a scene and be a Karen, bc that's how you end up famous on YouTube and tiktok for the wrong reasons. Do not waste your time, money, energy, or gas on this place. Gordon ramsay needs to do an episode of kitchen nightmares here. Never has a dining experience actually pissed me off until now. I can tolerate a lot and give someone the benefit of the doubt, and yet my experience was so bad that here I am writing this very bad review, and I hate having to do this bc I love supporting small businesses, but I also don't want anyone else to feel like they've been ripped off the way I do while typing this very review. Never ever EVER coming back. read more

Surprisingly good lunch spot in a run down strip mall attached to a gas station. The outside is not much to look at, but inside the staff is welcoming, and the food is good. Traditional Cuban fare, the pork rice & beans being the house special (see pic). I have the feeling you really can't go wrong with anything here as the line is usually long and open tables are rare read more

Back to Cuba - Delicious pork, rice & beans - Cuban Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

After living in Miami for several years i got to love the culture, the people, the music but specially the food so i always look for good Cuban restaurant in new cities and I finally found it in Nashville. Hidden in a street mall this tiny little place is my spirit animal. Nothing fancy, but when the food is good, it doesn't have to be. When you see the steady stream of folks coming in to eat, you suspect this might be a hidden gem. Great music and decor. About the food ... The grilled chicken has a great flavor cooked perfectly. We had both the breast entree, pan con pollo sandwich, the garbanzo soup, Cuban style rice and black beans could be a meal in themselves. The plantains were cooked perfectly. We ordered the empanadas. First they were HUGE. These can be an entree. Of course to finish Cuban coffee. The hot and spicy green sauce goes well with all the dishes The menu is tacked to the wall. The items and specials change. We will be back to Back to Cuba. One minor issue I see is the young woman is tacking orders, cooking the sandwiches and working the register all at the same time with not gloves or washing her hands after touching money and credit cards that's why I gave a 4 star not a 5. read more

The menu offers plenty of choice (but not so much that each item can't be perfectly prepared). I went for a Cubano, black beans and tres leches. All were fantastic--the black beans were a revelation and the Cuban bread had an incredible crunch--but what wowed me just as much as the flavor was the portion size. I got what I paid for and more. I took half my sandwich home and left some beans and cake on the plate because there was so much. I also tried the Malta (soda) at my friend's recommendation. I thought it was great, but it's definitely sweet, so I was glad I had ice water to go with it. The location nothing to look at, but you don't go here for to decor. The service was quick and very friendly, and the food was fantastic. read more

I've driven by Back to Cuba multiple times and have wanted to try it, but a recent episode of Parts Unknown brought my BF and I here after craving a Cubano sandwich. The restaurant is nice inside with a casual atmosphere where you order at the counter. The menu is handwritten on what seems to be cardboard paper and is a bit difficult to read. I appreciate the craftiness but wish it was a bit larger. We ordered the Cubano sandwich (of course) and the roasted pork with rice, beans, and yuca. The sandwich was huge and plenty for two people. It was very good! The roasted pork was also very flavorful and delicious, and the yuca was unreal good. I loved it so much!! I wasn't a big fan of the beans and rice; the beans didn't taste fresh, and I was disappointed because the pork dish was more expensive, and I expected higher quality from the rice and beans. Overall, I liked the food a lot (especially the yuca) and would like to give them a try at dinner. It's a pretty heavy meal for lunch (although delicious) so I am curious to come back and get some more dishes to sample! read more

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