This place makes me want to visit San Mateo just to eat here! I am currently on a very difficult journey to try everything on the menu, but the problem is I keep wanting to reorder the same staples, especially their famous Cubanos. Everything I've tried has been delicious, and the sauces are seriously amazing. They make their own chimichurri sauce, a super spicy habanero sauce, and a creamy white sauce that somehow makes every bite even better. The fresh juices are also worth trying. You can tell they're actually fresh. This spot is flavorful, memorable, and absolutely worth going out of your way for. read more

Went on a hike nearby and found this place for food afterwards. It's a small restaurant with some outdoor seating as well, right on El Camino. The place wasn't very busy . They have a variety of options , including salads, bowls, wraps and sandwiches. They also had multiple customizable options for vegetarians or vegans that included impossible patty, broccoli or veggies . I got the Quesawrap with Maduros ( plantains ) and veggies options. It came with a side salad as well. Unfortunately , they made the wrap with some seafood or meat , the 1st time. Luckily ,I checked before eating and notified the staff. They made a new one for me and comped off some amount from the bill. The staff was very friendly. They also have a bunch of interesting sauces . Would try this place again read more

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Service was fine and it was not very busy for a Sunday at lunch. Cubano- my standard is Porto's in LA btw. Compared to Porto's, there was way less meat and cheese. And also less mustard and pickles. The bread wasn't flattened enough and it was like yoga mat. Flavor: mid. Everything about this was mid. For $15 or something, I'd rather get 2 Cubanos at Portos. Tater tots: $6 for 10. An absolute rip off. Would never order again. read more

Cuban Kitchen - Cubano - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I honestly don't know what took me so long to go here. I pass it every day to and from work and kept telling myself I wanted to try it. I finally did and it was delicious. My first visit I had the Best Cuban sandwich. The meat was so tender and the flavor was so tasty. About a week later, I find myself back trying the Lechon Fiesta bowl with Cha-cha-churri sauce, packed with rice, black beans, lettuce and tender pulled pork. I also tried a mini chicken empanada. Everything is so flavorful. And the portions are big enough to share!! The restaurant itself is small but has seating inside and outside, with the patio secluded from the street for more privacy. There's also a small parking lot for convenience. I'm glad I finally decided to give this place a try. read more

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I love coming to Cuban kitchen. Their food here is consistently delicious and flavorful. I always order the best cubano san'wich. The service here is always friendly and it's a small restaurant but they do offer indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Cuban Kitchen - The the "best" Cubano San'wich - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

I stopped by on a weekend for lunch. I got on of the last seats. Tostones was my favorite item here. Ropa veija plate was flavorful. Fried plantain side was excellent. Mojito chicken was also flavorful. Side salad was fresh. read more

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Ive been here twice and the food is so good. I had the guava juice which absolutely amazing. At first I was shocked with the size of the chicken empanadas but they were so good. I tried the yuca fries good as well. Also had the plantains. I tried the yellow rice and beans wasnt my favorite but wasnt bad. Service was great and the inside was nice and clean. They even had some good music playing. I definitely will be back. read more

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Great vibes and delicious food! I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner and she was incredible! I will definitely be going again! read more

Cuban Kitchen - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ordered to go review! Parked in small parking lot next to busy El Camino road. Friendly service. Love the dining area very intimate setting. Food wasn't bad. Shrimp was not overcooked and veggies were not soggy (also not salted if you're wondering!) Lots of sauces to choose from. I enjoyed the lemon one the best of course! Thank you! read more

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We've driven by this restaurant on El Camino in San Mateo many times and finally tried it. We love the richness in the variety of international foods available in the Bay Area. This was a great example. We placed a take out order, which took about 15 minutes around 6:30pm on a Thursday night. The restaurant was not crowded. Had we been dining in, we would have been seated immediately. Parking was available in their small lot. Overall, we were quite pleased with our experience. The ordered a variety of chicken, beef and vegetable dishes and found the food to be very good. The main dishes are available a la carte, which was better for us as we don't like to consume a lot of carbohydrates. To go food can sometimes degrade by the time it gets home. This was not the case here. The food was still in good shape when unpacked it. We liked the appetizers, especially the Maduros and the empanadas. the Tostones were good, but we found them to be a little dry. But maybe that's the way they're supposed to be. We're not experts on Cuban cuisine. The a la carte chicken and pork, which ranged from $9 - $10 were good. We found these to be a better value than the beef dishes, which were also good but cost $19. We liked the Pollito Mojito better than the the Pollo Pimenton, which was a little dry. The Pollito Mojito was juicier. The flavor was good on both. To be healthier, we also ordered a large broccoli for $8 and a large salad for $6. Next time, we probably won't get the plain salad, which we thought was not as good of a value for a tray of bag lettuce, tomato and cooked onions. We also ordered one Pollito Mojito salad, $14. Next time we do take out, we'll probably order it as a large side for $9 and adding our own lettuce at home. In general, we thought the food was pretty good. it was a nice change of pace to have Cuban food. We plan to go back to Cuban Kitchen. read more

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We wanted Cuban food and this place nailed it, amazing service and the food was fantastic! Ordered a Cubano to eat for dinner. Was so good I hadda get one to go! Wife had an entree plate and the house sauces were delicious with the meal. read more

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The cute little restaurant is located in a somewhat commercial area. We actually ended up here after after another one ended up not having a dine-in option, but we are glad we found it. We walked in before noon and there were a few customers. Once noon hit, the restaurant got real busy. This was on a Monday too. We came here to have a birthday lunch, so we started off with mimosas. I preferred a bit less juice, but the flavors were delicious. We got the guava and mint mojito. For food: -Mini beef and chicken empanadas: 5/5 sooo good. I wish they were bigger. -1/2 surf & turf sandwich with fries: 5/5 The fries were crisp to perfection and sandwich super delectable with a healthy portion of meat -Platter - Pollito Mojito (chicken) with black beans and rice 4/5 The chicken was a bit dry, but all the flavors were there and the sauces made up for it. Once it got busy, service was a little lacking, but there were only 2 servers there. Looking forward to going back to try the other menu items. read more

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This place is a hidden gem in the bay area! Sitting lone, with enough parking, this spot is located in San Mateo near Hillsdale mall! The restaurant is on the smaller side, but definitely enough seating both indoors and on the patio!! The service is fast casual, and the food is heavily portioned! Literally their tapas made me so full! Their kids meals are under $10 and are just as delicious as the entrees! My faves were the Vaca frita, Lechon, beef stew, and the plantains! Affordable pricing and everything is made organic and in house! read more

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El Camino isn't known for great food but don't skip over this spot! We had a great time after finally stopping by - the food was good overall and it was consistently busy. I really enjoyed the black beans, whereas the veggie side had way too many onions. The guava dessert was pastry. read more

Cuban Kitchen - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

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1/2 surf 'n turf, guava-cran nectar (8oz), & fries all for $15 if you dine in on the weekdays for their lunch deal was such a steal! the food here was absolutely incredible & priced well, everything tasted fresh & was so flavorful. in addition, the host was very attentive & provided excellent service, all while taking hours at the front at the same time (a one man show!). the host brought 4 different sauces to try & they were all an excellent addition to our dishes. would highly recommend this place, it was fantastic & i will definitely be returning. read more

Cuban Kitchen - 1/2 Surf'n'Turf + Fries - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The food is exceptional and the people are phenomenal. The ambiance is simple but adorable. They have a cute outside patio so you can eat indoors or out. I loved all the amazing flavors. What I loved was the pork, marinated chicken, black beans, yellow rice and the plantains. I also loved the large serving of veggies. All so tasty. Can't wait to go back, read more

Cute little restaurant with a welcoming and friendly staff. I don't think I have had Cuban food, but it's quite similar to Brazilian food. Both are different in their own ways and it's a healthy alternative that lives outside the box of being healthy as consuming only "rabbit food" or dry chicken breast. The dishes were simple, flavorful and affordable. I heard about their their award winning guava habanero sauce and I agree, added a great depth of flavor to the already perfected dish. read more

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Finally got a chance to check out Cuban Kitchen, a cozy Cuban spot tucked along El Camino Real near Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo -- and it did not disappoint. For our entrées, I went with the Bistec Philly sandwich, and my mom ordered the Cubano sandwich. Both were super yummy and packed with flavor. The bistec was tender and savory with that perfect balance of seasoning, while the Cubano had that classic pressed crunch on the outside with juicy, flavorful layers inside. You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients in every bite. Honestly, the only downside? I didn't have enough room left in my stomach to try more from the menu -- and there were so many other things calling my name. Bonus points for being dog-friendly, which always makes the experience even better. And service was top notch. Safe to say, I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu. P.s. try the sauces! read more

Cuban Kitchen - Philly Bistec San'wich.. Yummy! - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

Oh my! I wish I tried this place sooner! I got the Polloto Mojito Plate w Arroz Amarillo, Salad. Sauces- Guantanamo, Cienfuegos. Guac & Chips. Flan for dessert. I had no idea what the sauces were when I chose them but they were so good anyway! One was spicy and the other was creamy. Perfect! The salad was forgettable. I just needed something to balance the chicken and rice. The plantains were incredible! The chips and guac were awesome. The star of the show was the FLAN! I am getting spoiled getting good Flan lately. Disappointment after disappointment for years I've finally had to amazing Flans in a row! This one here so was thick and flavorful ! The caramel topping was the best I've had. It was thick and just the right sweetness! There's not much Cuban food on the West Coast. I think they came with it and def repped their culture sorry for the terrible pics. I had to take it to go and the lighting in my hotel room is lame read more

Cuban Kitchen - Pollito Monitor Plate - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Amazing food ! :-) I highly recommend the maduros/try all the sauces! I got the iced cortadito last time I went and it's super delicious. Staff is really kind, one time they accidentally forgot to give us a side, and they gave it to us for free because of the inconvenience. They didn't have to because they were sweet already but they went above and beyond :3 the seating is cute, never any wait time when we go! read more

One of the best Cuban spots I have ever been to! The food is absolutely delicious; you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My favorite is the milanesa chicken burrito bowl. And they also have vegan options. The staff is also super nice and friendly. Absolutely recommend! read more

One of the best cubanos I've had in a long time! It's a small place with table service and dine out. We dined in and service was great.

Although the place isn't always full, you have to stop in and get a thing or two. On tuuradays they have chicken empanadas and man those were amazing, 3 bite sized ones per order. The guano was well toasted and the mojo came through nicely. Maduros were on point. I cannot wait to go back and try more. It is super casual though so take out seems to be most popular read more

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Ordered the bistec sandwich, mojito chicken platter with white rice and black beans, and the Ropa Vieja beef platter with Spanish rice and veggie softrito. Out of everything, the Ropa Vieja platter was the best. Service was a little on the slower side, but waitresses were friendly. read more

Cuban Kitchen - Classic Bistec Sandwich, Ropa Vieja platter with Spanish rice & vegetable sofrito, and Mojito chicken platter with white rice and beans - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

Wanted so much to like this place because it's cute, near by and has great reviews. Got the bistec sandwich and the quesawrap and both were sorta lacking flavor. We liked the coffee and the guacamole the most and had to ask servers like four times for water. Not bad, not good. read more

I can't believe that I've driven past this place for years and only recently tried it. Cuban Kitchen is now one of my local faves! So far, I've really enjoyed trying their plates and their amazing fried appetizers. Their plates include a generous portion of meat (or vegetables/meat replacement), rice, black beans, and maduros (sweet plantains). I usually get their pollo mojito, which has a great garlicy flavor that pairs well with the earthy beans. (Plus, you can swap the default white rice for yellow rice for a $1 upcharge, which is definitely worth it.) Their appetizers include yuca fries (which are so airily crispy), tostones (which are fried perfectly), and maduros (which are always plump and floral), and you can get all three as the sampler platter. What helps take their food from really good to great are their sauces. They bring three sauces to your table: Guabanero BBQ Sauce, Guantanamo Aioli, and Cienfuegos. The Guabanero is fruity from the guava, but has just enough of a kick from the habanero, and it's a thicker sauce that goes well with their meat. The Cienfuegos has a similar flavor profile, but as a dedicated hot sauce, it's a little hotter and thinner. The aioli is creamy without being too rich, so it really complements the fried appetizers. And they give you the sauces in full-size squeeze bottles, so you can use as much as you like! I'm Puerto Rican, and the vibe of this place was as if my grandma had opened a restaurant. It's a great reminder that Boricuas and Cubanos are pájaros de las mismas alas! read more

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I went to Cuban kitchen and decided to try a bowl. I got the vaca beef and it had rice and beans as well as onions and a plantain. It was pretty good but it was a little small for the price. I may go back and try other things. It looks like a nice place. read more

Excellent food, my favorite is the Mojito chicken bow. My hubby loves the meat plates and their plantains are incredible. Their Service is top notch and the music is THE BEST!! read more

Delicious and heart warming food! My husband I really enjoyed our lunch in the ambiance of a cozy little restaurant. You can dine in or take away. The servers were very friendly and there are plenty of indoor and outdoor seats! read more

Cuban Kitchen - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

The sauces r the best here. Very nice people. I got the ropa vieja here and it was very nice

Cuban Kitchen has a pretty small menu, but everything I have ordered had all been good to excellent. On this occasion, I had their bowl with chicken. It came with rice and beans on the bottom, Romain lettuce, picco de gallo, and chicken. They brought three different kinds of sauce to go with it. There was a BBQ sauce, an aioli of some sort, and a thinner savory one. After trying them all in my bowl, I opted to mix and match to taste. The salad stuff was fresh and crunchy. The chicken was flavorful and juicy and the rice and beans was so good that even for a person who don't even like beans, I ate them all up. Not to be missed is their sweetened ice coffee. Strong, tasty and so refreshing. read more

Cuban Kitchen - Pollolito bowl - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'm not in this area often but I've come to find so many hidden gems! My favorite restaurants are the ones that feel like you're in someone's home and this hit that feeling! I brought 5 of my friends and we all had the best time eating delicious Cuban food. I got the Cubano and it was packed with flavor. I loved the pressed bread and the fresh and simple ingredients. This was the exact definition of a Cubano, nothing fancy, just the way I like it! I think the most unique thing about this place was their plethora of sauces you can add to your dish! I swear I could've drunken the whole bottle of garlic aioli. I would totally buy that if it was sold on its own. That with their Angry Fries were to die for. The whole table finished them up so quickly! I'll definitely be back to try more of their menu! read more

Cuban Kitchen - the "Best" Cubano S'wich - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

Great food. I love the breaded chicken and the pollo mojito! The bistek sandwich is excellent. Also guacamole and chips. Great service!

This place was great!! The food was absolutely delicious. Everyone at the party kept complimenting the food. Alejandra went above and beyond to keep open communication to make sure I didn't have to worry about missing anything. I would definitely use them again! read more

Cuban Kitchen - Delicious food - Cuban Near Me - San Mateo, California

The food quality was extremely disappointing. It was obvious that very cheap and low-quality ingredients were used, and everything tasted terrible. We honestly felt sick afterward This was one of the worst dining experiences we've ever had, and it will definitely be our first and last visit. The only positive part was the friendly and kind staff, but unfortunately, good service can't make up for such poor food quality. read more

Outstanding food and great atmosphere. Perfect choice for healthy food. Customer service is top notch and very helpful. read more

The food here is amazing. We always order the bistec plate and it never disappoints. The rice and plantains served with it are also very good. The staff here are very friendly and accommodating. read more

You don't come here for the ambience. But the service is super friendly and the food is very good! I have had the cubano, the plantains, and the schnitzel like chicken. The food is very good and the portions are generous! Come try it if you have not been here yet! read more

This place loses a star for just FORCING eat -in-diners to order your meal off the QR code placed in a frame at the table (and - insult to injury - auto defaulting to a 20% tip for "DIY", which of course you can change). I get it- -restaurants are a tough business, this place is small, and I think wants to appear to be serving home-style cuban food. There are about 8 tables inside. The "server" came over to tell us to order off the QR code, so why could we have not placed our order with her directly? or, easy for her - at the register when we came in? The QR code menu is poorly organized and just a L-O-N-G scroll. It took the 4 of us about 8 mins to order pretty simple meals. It would have taken about 1 min with a server. OK - RANT OVER, on to the review of the food. All entrees were very good. I got the pork lichen platter with rice and beans, my man got the garlic chicken platter with all veggies. The star of the show was the "mint mojito" drink (non-alcoholic). We also got the appetizer with both sweet and savory plantains, and 2 yucca fries. The three sauces on the table were all VERY good. My sister raved about her chicken Milanese burrito. It was about $100 for 4 entrees and 1 appetizer and 4 drinks. Bathrooms were clean. read more

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Food is muy delicioso! Had the burrito bowl of "ropa mojada" beef with a sampler app that came with plantains and yuca fries. I would hope the rest of the food is this good! read more