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    El Cubanito

    4.5 (430 reviews)
    InexpensiveCuban, Sandwiches
    Open 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order El Cubanito Takeout or Delivery

    El Cubanito Photos

    Business Info

    EL CUBANITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Cubanito

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    Cuban sandwich
    Mara D.

    I love el cubanito! I love their Cuban sandwich! It has Sliced pork and ham INGREDIENTS: cheese, pickles, mustard. So good! I have tried most of their empanadas but my favorite is the steak ones service is always friendly. The place is nice and clean they always have good music playing which can be pretty relaxing after a long day of work! And their prices are reasonable! Don't forget to get the delicious sauce to pour it on the Cuban and your empanada!

    I loved this poster.
    Gladis I.

    Although I was born in Cuba, I really don't visit many Cuban restaurants here in the city or anywhere else. This is a restaurant my sister loves this place, I bought a Cuban sandwich that was good but needed more dressing like the mustard. The place was nicely decorated by Cuban artifacts, and they played Latin music. The lady that took the order was super nice. I would go again to try other dishes and perhaps give them a much nicer review.

    Cubanito Steak Sandwich and a cold Cola champagne
    Kristan M.

    I order from here every time I'm in Chicago. 10/10 for taste and quality. Fast service, usually busy, but the line moves quickly.

    This this café con Leche and I love you ham egg and cheese sandwiches every food that they have in there is amazing I love this place

    Best Cuben Place ever Hands Down Love the Food Service and Owners and Family, They Are All Beautiful Souls and Have Such Great Hearts Love Them. They Always make sure you're okay, So Friendly and Caring to Everyone, Best Positive Place to be and they have a great place to rent out for party's Love it!!

    Sweet plantains
    Susan S.

    Clean, friendly, high energy. Service was great. All the employees were wonderful. So much pride in this place. Empanada was big and delicious Excellent coffee. I had one with cardamon and?? Was great piping hot and great wat to finish the meal .

    Cuban sandwich

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    5 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Cuben sándwiches are sooo good and the coffee is sooo good favorite place will recommend this place my new hang out yess

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Delicious beef ropa vieja sandwich! Good portion and good price. The walk up window is convenient!

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Delicious! Quick! I've lived in the neighborhood for a week and have already eaten here three times!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    9 months ago

    Some of the best sandwiches in the city. Great service always. You can't miss with anything you get here.

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Got a Cuban to go, it hit the spot. The bread was nice and crispy on the outside and the meats were top notch

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The BEST Cuban sandwiches in the city. Also love the empanadas. Worth the trip for great food and service! Five stars!

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The best Cuban in Chicago, no question. All the right stuff on the right bread. Done right.

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    Page 1 of 11

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    1492 Cuban Fusion - White rice and beans

    1492 Cuban Fusion

    4.4(336 reviews)
    2.1 miWest Town, Humboldt Park
    $$

    We visited 1492 this week while visiting from out-of-town, and found it to be in the top 3 of Cuban…read moreplaces we've tried anywhere! We tried the empanada trio with pork, chicken, and ham-n-cheese, and all were tasty; the lechon [pork] was especially great. For mains, my spouse ordered the masitas de cerdo (fried pork) and I got the pollo a la plancha (grilled chicken). We both opted for congri and maduros for sides. The flavor of everything was delicious! The meat was slightly on the dry side, and the maduros were SO sweet that we wondered if they were bananas rather than plantains, but overall we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The portions were plentiful. If we weren't staying in a hotel with a fridge but no microwave, we definitely would've had enough to take home for a whole other meal each. We would definitely be regular patrons if we didn't live hours away!

    We ordered a variety of dishes to try 1492 as a first time customer. Empanadas, steak salad and a…read morecouple of the entrees to try different proteins and dishes. We also got the cuban sandwich. The Cuban sandwich was good but lacked any real flavor. Not sure if it's because it was delivered (so not as hot off the grill). But it was good, just not great. Next time I'd reheat it first. The empanadas were very good. We enjoyed a variety. My favorite was the pork. The steak and chicken entree's (both grilled) were ok and were both closer to 3 stars at best, maybe 2. The meat was tender but was a little bland, and as a to-go dish, the presentation is just unappetizing. I wouldn't order those again. The sandwiches are good to try in the future.

    Photos
    1492 Cuban Fusion - Interior

    Interior

    1492 Cuban Fusion - Tostones / Fried Green Plantains Yuca Frita / Fried Cassava

    Tostones / Fried Green Plantains Yuca Frita / Fried Cassava

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    Cafecito - Steak Chimichurri Sandwich

    Cafecito

    4.2(1k reviews)
    5.8 miStreeterville, Near North Side
    $$

    Food was amazing! I'm still thinking about that soup…read more Service was excellent. Our server helped us through the menu and suggested some good items for us to try. Ambiance is dimly lit on the dine in side, but they do have windows on the cafe side and a cute patio !

    What a wonderful place! Charming location and even more charming staff. Visiting Chicago for the…read morefirst time and with an hour to my appointment in the Hancock Tower's 360 feature, I had plenty of time to get a quick bite before the Chicago 360. So searching in Yelp I see a Cuban restaurant, and that's my fav, so I went in and I had a great early dinner. Cafecito would be at home in a pre-revolutionary Cuban building, when Art Deco architecture permeated much of Havana and the other major cities in Cuba. Plenty of outdoor seating, but I chose to eat in the cafe area due to time constraints. I had the Vaca Frita which I haven't had in over 60 years and wow, it was amazing. It came with the proverbial white rice, black beans with plenty of condiment, and maduros. Oh yummy. My Cuban grandma would have been pleased... The waiter was indeed, a Cuban American who had come over during the early Cuban diaspora. We chatted a bunch about the old country and had a pleasant conversation about being from the same province in the island. Great reminiscing, great food, great service. Yum.

    Photos
    Cafecito
    Cafecito - Yucca fries and Guava - Q Pork Sandwich

    Yucca fries and Guava - Q Pork Sandwich

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    Bayan Ko Diner - Baby bangus silog

    Bayan Ko Diner

    4.3(144 reviews)
    3.5 miRavenswood, Lakeview

    I was so happy to discover Bayan Ko Diner, a vibrant fusion of two rich culinary cultures -…read moreFilipino and Cuban - within walking distance of our ceramics class. My daughter and I came here for the first time last month on the last day of our summer session, and we returned a few days ago on the first day of our fall session. I love the beautiful, trendy décor, with Filipino and Cuban wall art displayed on opposite walls. The restaurant is clean, comfortable, and inviting. Our first visit was a solid four stars. The service was good, although not particularly memorable. The food was good overall, but not everything was a hit. We ordered: - Lumpia Shanghai ($7 for 1/2 order, 2 pieces) - Filipino spring rolls with pork, scallion, and Mom's garlic sauce. The skin was crunchy and the filling was flavorful, although the rolls were quite small. - Adobo Wings ($16 for 1/2 order) - crispy fried chicken wings with adobo glaze, served with rice. The wings were delicious, but we received 5 drumettes and only 1 flat. We would have preferred more flats, or at least an equal number of flats and drumettes. - Bistek ($20 for 1/2 order) - Korean beef short rib with Spanish onions, served with rice. The meat was full of flavor, but unfortunately quite tough. My daughter wasn't a fan, so I ended up finishing the whole thing. I was actually glad this was a small portion. I had a Virgin Pandan Mojito ($10) and my daughter had a beer ($8). My mocktail was okay, but nothing particularly memorable. Then they completely redeemed themselves on our second visit! We had the entire restaurant to ourselves at first, before two other tables arrived, so I had more time to appreciate the space and really enjoyed the atmosphere. A special shout-out to our server, Christopher, who was warm, welcoming, extremely friendly, and professional. My daughter ordered their signature cocktail, Lola's Drunk Again ($15), but then realized she might be allergic to one of the ingredients. Fortunately, she hadn't taken a sip. Christopher and another lady, who isn't always there, graciously took the cocktail away without charging us. My daughter then ordered a different cocktail, El Toro ($14), which she enjoyed. I just had an orange juice ($4). We ordered the following, and enjoyed everything: - Croquetas ($6 for 1/2 order, 2 pieces) - smoked jamón with Jufran aioli. The exterior was crunchy, while the filling was delicious, creamy, and not too salty. I would definitely order these again. - Ropa Empanada ($8 for 1/2 order, 2 pieces) - beef brisket, sofrito, and mojo crema. The crust was a little thick, but crunchy and easy to eat. The beef inside was tender and flavorful. - Ropa Vieja ($17 for 1/2 order) - beef brisket in sofrito, served with rice, black beans, and sweet plantains, which we requested to be served on the side. Even the half portion was quite generous. This was perfect comfort food - flavorful, filling, and satisfying. There was an abundance of shredded beef, and it was tender, tasty, and easy to cut apart. - Ube Ice Cream ($5 per scoop) - Since we were already full, we shared a scoop. We didn't order the banana split, but Christopher gave us a really generous scoop, which was much appreciated. The ube flavor was excellent, and the ice cream was creamy with a nice texture. I would definitely order this again. Overall, all the dishes we tried on our visits had bold, distinct flavors, and the ingredients tasted fresh. We already can't wait to come back and try a whole bunch of other dishes! Bayan Ko Diner will definitely become our go-to spot after ceramics class!

    I really wanted to love this place. We went she s cubs game hoping for a delish meal. However, we…read moreboth thought the waitress was a bit cold and when we first arrived, there were only two tables with customers We ordered two teas. The hibiscus tea I had was pretty delicious. Then we ordered the lechon whole portion but we had such a good day that we did not want to sour the day and send it back it was supposed to be crispy pork but instead it was a plate of pork fat pieces - maybe 10% meat. We took the leftovers to our dog as he will eat anything. The wings were really good I'll say. The croqueras were okay Id say; not the freshest or maybe the oil was dirty. Cute place however.

    Photos
    Bayan Ko Diner - Beautiful décor

    Beautiful décor

    Bayan Ko Diner - Sisig shishito hash and drinks

    Sisig shishito hash and drinks

    Bayan Ko Diner - Interior

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    Interior

    Omarcitos Latin Cafe - Steak Sandwich or Steak Jibarito

    Omarcitos Latin Cafe

    4.8(133 reviews)
    0.3 miLogan Square
    $$

    If you aren't coming to Omarcitos, you are missing out. My boyfriend loves all the Jibaritos but…read morethe Lechón Plate may be the best dish I've had anywhere in the city (and I have been to Michelin star and Top 50 Bars rated spots around Chicago). We split the Tacos Dorados De Pollo En Consomé as an app for the first time today and it was simply perfect. The lemonade is made super fresh. I have a feeling I may have to try everything on the menu. The energy is immaculate - maximalist mix of colorful tables and chairs, plants, original paintings, and a signed poster of Guy Fieri. The people who work here are so kind and helpful. The music is not so loud that you can't talk. There's an open-air indoor area and an outdoor section. If you get here before it gets too crowded, it's not a bad place to sit and read a book either.

    Yasss Omarcitos is exactly it!! I can not count how many times I have been. The food is…read moreconsistently amazing. Always hits 100/100. The place is getting popular, very popular. So if coming during peak times expect a small line and enjoy Omar is amazing standing at the window making sure everything runs smooth. He is yelling out hello papis left and right. He knows and loves everyone. The menu is full of everything is fire. Enjoy it this is one of the best on this country

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    Omarcitos Latin Cafe - Best Coconut café con leche

    Best Coconut café con leche

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    Bayan Ko - ADOBONG PUGITA

    Bayan Ko

    4.4(237 reviews)
    3.5 miRavenswood, Lakeview
    $$

    I don't think I've had a meal this good in a long time…read more I'm usually hesitant about Asian fusion restaurants, but Cuban-Filipino sounded interesting enough for me to take the chance--and I'm so happy I did. Every dish was sexy. My favorite was the arroz caldo: a black rice porridge with lobster. It was salty without crossing into oversalted, and it tasted warm, homey, and comforting while still feeling incredibly elevated. The wagyu melted in my mouth and was easily my second favorite. The octopus came in third - it was cooked and charred perfectly. The tamales and pork were also so mf good: crispy, flavorful, and just extremely satisfying. Dessert was amazing too. It wasn't overly sweet and had this mochi-like texture on the inside with a cake/brownie-crust texture around the edges. So fucking good. Even the cocktails were great. I rarely visit fine-dining restaurants twice, but this place was so good that I genuinely feel like I have to come back. They rotate the tasting menu, although this particular lineup was so perfect that I can't imagine how they'll create another set of dishes just as amazing. My only criticism is the timing between courses. Some of the waits felt longer than they should have, and tightening that up would make the entire experience feel even more polished. Other than that: really, really good. Everyone needs to try it.

    First time! The inside is cozy and small. We were greeted warmly and seated immediately…read more(reservations only) we got complimentary drinks because we were celebrating, which was a nice surprise. The food was really good but I had higher expectations. The tamale Cubano was one of my favorites and the kare Kare was good. The dessert was also really good. Amazing amazing service! I don't think we will come back because we can definitely get food as good for cheaper somewhere else Chicago; it was a great experience to try one time.

    Photos
    Bayan Ko - Inside

    Inside

    Bayan Ko - ARROZ CALDO

    ARROZ CALDO

    Bayan Ko - Cubano Fried Rice. Uncle Ritchie Ricardo approved

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    Cubano Fried Rice. Uncle Ritchie Ricardo approved

    El Cubanito - cuban - Updated September 2026

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