I don't usually like brunch, but now I might have to reconsider. We got fresh squeezed orange juice to start (so delicious, and pulp-y). Then we each ordered an egg dish- mine was with shrimp and polenta. Tasty! We'll have to come back to try the flan and churros. read more

Some serious problems on a post-pandemic Saturday night. It may be that they can't handle running two restaurants at once. (Waltham and Cambridge) Their hostesses were very unprofessional. One of them was chewing gum. They had a single bartender for the entire restaurant, and our waiter was under-trained (probably new) and entirely overwhelmed. He never checked on us once, and was hard to track down. They also have a pricing problem, with mediocre sangrias (a lot of seltzer water) costing $13 with no option to order a pitcher. $9 for 2 empanadas (very good though) and $10 for guacamole (so so). A cardinal sin on a Saturday nite- they were out of flan at 8:00 p.m. And the flan there is excellent. We did have the churros with chocolate sauce. Very good. The atmosphere is outstanding, and the food can be excellent or only fair, so one must order carefully. (Mussels- excellent. Above mentioned guacamole- fair.) Once they work out their staffing problems, achieve greater consistency on the food quality, adjust their price point on some items, and get their staff trained, Gustazo can be a 5 star experience. As it was when they were smaller. read more

Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & bar has been my favorite restaurant in Waltham for over 10 years. Last Friday, I was excited to bring some guests to enjoy the food and atmosphere I have come to love so much. Unfortunately, from the moment I stepped foot in the door, the ambiance was off. The Music was off most of the time and would intermittently go in and out. The vibe in the restaurant was like a school cafeteria. Lila, our server, was very nice but seemed overwhelmed. We ordered drinks and 6 dishes. For the first time ever, the food was just mediocre. Although disappointed, I assumed it was just an off day and decided not to say anything and asked Lila for the check. She then asked me how everything was. I figured, if she was asking, she would want to know the truth; I explained that the food was disappointing and that the music was coming in and out and distracting. She apologized and said that there were a lot of cancellations because of the upcoming snowstorm. Understandable and not the end of the world. I reiterated to please bring the check. A few minutes later the director of operations, Kevin Chandley, appeared at our table. He asked how everything was and again I told him what I had told Lila. I said that everything was mediocre the entire evening from the music not being on in the restaurant to the food. Specifically, I told him that the Grilled Octopus I had ordered was not good and did not taste fresh and asked him if he would like to try it. He refused and said that he was going to take the grilled octopus off of the bill. I also told him that we waited several minutes for sharing spoons to arrive at the table. He apologized and asked if he could do anything else to make our experience better. I said no and to please bring the check. When the check arrived, I noticed that the grilled octopus was still on the bill. Since Kevin had offered to remove the octopus from our bill, I asked him why it was still listed. He said he changed his mind and was not going to take it off the bill (in a very condescending tone). WAIT, WHAT!!!?? First, I never asked to speak to the manager. He came over on his own. Second, I never asked for him to remove the item from the bill. He offered. What was the point of him offering and then refusing to do it?. It was clear to me; he was trying to put me in my place. Why else would he do that? Regardless of his reasoning, it was EXTREMELY unprofessional. Either you make the offer and stick to it or you do not do it at all. Period. I was very disappointed by Kevin's behavior to say the least. I will not be visiting Gustazo's ever again; Not because the food and music was just mediocre, but specifically because of the way I was treated by Kevin. Having an off night at a restaurant is not the end of the world. Having the Director of Operations belittle you in front of friends is. Because of what happened, I could not sleep. I was embarrassed and upset about the situation and decided to call the owner Patricia Estorino on her mobile phone. She did not answer the phone so I sent her a text message. She responded "thank you for reaching out" and "would be in touch with me shortly". It has now been 3 days and I have not heard back from her. I will update this review if I hear back from the owner. read more

My first time here and it's actually so nice!!! Cool atmosphere, a ton of space both inside and outside, and purportedly there is parking out back (can't confirm). The ambiance/decorations are eclectic but cool, and of course like every tapas place, you will end up putting down a chunk of change, but most of the dishes are worth it! The "modern" tres leches was the only true "miss" for me, but the phenomenal churros more than made up for it. The service is really slow if they are busy (which it seems like they frequently are) so don't show up actively hungry bc you might die, but the servers are really nice and accommodating. Overall, would recommend ! read more

Five stars for our extremely kind server. The rest of the evening was a almost a joke except it wasn't funny. Just a waste of time/ money. Let me start off by saying that we have wanted to go to Gustazo's since it moved years ago from a teeny tiny location in Belmont, near our house. I was so excited for them when they moved to a larger location. They had big bold flavors and lots of love and heart. Clearly, COVID shut down these places the last year and it's been heartbreaking. So to see a start of revitalization is encouraging and heartwarming. We made a reservation last night for 3 at 7:30 pm. Upon arriving, there was no hostess to be seen. About 5 minutes later she walked out of the restroom and saw our party standing there. No urgency whatsoever. In fact, I thought for a split second it was a customer. But no, it was the hostess, seemingly annoyed we were there. She came over with her iPad, asked our names and spent the next minute staring at the iPad. "Should I seat them? I don't know. Hmmm. I hate my job. Fine. I will! Sigh". Once seated. We waited. And waited. And waited. And.........waited. To be fair, they like a lot of restaurants, are severely understaffed. But a simple hello. From anyone, a "be there shortly " would have made things better. Finally, our sweet and overwhelmed server came over. Took drink orders and we decided to put in an order of guacamole ASAP in case this was a sign of things to come. And this is where the evening just fell apart. Drink took almost 20 minutes. We ordered two cans of Sierra Nevada and a Mojito. Guac came out with Plantains and it was delicious. We finally caught our servers attention and put in everything. The Guava baby back ribs, grilled lamb lollipops, beef empanadas, ham and cheese croquettes and a tostada version of a deconstructed Cubano. Not one single dish was good. Either too dry or so salty you couldn't get through to finish. The empanadas had gristle in the first bite (gag) the ribs were like sawdust, the croquettes had no evidence of ham, the tostada creation tasted like a cigar, the lamb was like a salt lick. Ok. $147 dollars later plus a 30 dollar tip. We went home and ate cereal. I think I could have forgiven the crappy food knowing places are struggling to get back on their feet. But the sheer rudeness of our arrival, man it just made it hard to lighten up. Sorry :( read more

Excellent Cuban restaurant! Warm, relatively quiet atmosphere, great service and absolutely divine food. Went there with a couple of friends. We started with the octopus appetizer and guacamole with plantain chips. We tried the special drink of the day - the most amazing sangria I've ever had (Malbec based). I chose the mariscada for my main course; a generous portion of seafood in a coconut-based sauce, served with a side of basmati rice. Cooked to perfection, the seafood was well done (but not over cooked) and all flavors were simply complementing each other (instead of competing, which is always a danger when a variety of seafood is involved in a dish). I deliberately left space for dessert: espresso with vanilla ice cream with chocolate bits. I also really loved the decor - artistic but not overbearing. Although the restaurant filled quickly, it never felt overcrowded. And we were not rushed at all. I am SO going back! And remember to make a reservation- this is a super popular place, and justifiably so. read more

See all

Really great place for delicious tapas and drinks. We came here for dinner and I can honestly say almost everything I ate was perfection! The ambience was cozy, but I would recommend that they think about adjusting their evening lighting, it was very dark in there and a lot of people were using their phone flashlights to see the menus. Homeruns were the Guacamole Cubano and the Truffled Yucca Fries. We actually got two orders of the fries, they were just so delicious. They come with this addictive cilantro aioli and are beautifully preoared: crispy, crunchy and creamy all at the same time. Standouts were the Frituras de Calabaza (squash fritters), Jibarito (fried plantain mini-sandwiches), Ropa Vieja Tacos (sort of like short rib meets taco) and the Pulpo a la Gallega (octopus), as well as the flan for dessert. My friend got a glass of sangria and it was yummy, and I don't even like sangria! The sauvignon blanc I ordered was excellent, and so was the cappuccino after dinner. It really hit the spot. The dishes I wouldn't recommend both had ratio and seasoning issues. The Camarones al Ajillo, which are shrimp sautéed in oil, came with way too much oil, not enough of everything else and were very underseasoned. The other dish was the crepes, they were supposed to come stuffed with dulce de leche but didn't have any filling, the ice cream that was supposed to come with it was a teeny-tiny serving, and it was like eating a plate of eggs. Not very appetizing. Service was great and the people were friendly. There is either on-street parking or you can park in the muni lot just a short jaunt behind the restaurant. It's a bit on the pricier side, but worth it. We'll be back! read more

A very nice place with authentic food, nice drinks and attentive and friendly staff. Our group, two couples, ordered exclusively small plates from the menu. Jibirita, pulpo, empanadas, camarones, beet salad, and lamb chops. Every item was perfectly prepared with a sauce that added an extra and wonderful kick of flavor. When we had an unfortunately poor dish, croquettes, it was quickly attended to with no fuss. The drinks were strong and balanced. The atmosphere lent to the style of food and service received. Absolutely great place. read more

I had been wanting to check out Gustazo for some time now and this place DID NOT disappoint. In fact it far exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by the friendliest manager and taken to our seats. Our server came by with in moments and the entire time we were at the restaurant he made sure our drinks never ran out and we had everything we needed. He also made some great recommendations about the menu because we were indecisive. All the food was delicious, I can HIGHLY RECOMMEND the MADUROS CON TOCINO, CHULETAS DE CORDERO, CEVICHE, CAMARONES A LA PLANCHA, and the PALOMILLA. We tried a little bit of everything and it was all...Chefs kiss. Whether you're vegetarian, pescatarian or omnivore, this menu has something for everyone. I met up with a girlfriend here last night after a long day of work and it was so nice to grab drinks and eat delicious food in a cozy environment. I will definitely be back!! read more

Gustazo - Cuban Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

See all

Amazing experience all around. Make sure you make a reservation it got super crowded. We started with the maduros con tocino. OMG incredible and because we were a party for three they let us buy another one at half off so we all could have one. We all got one of the large plates. Everything was super flavorful and the portions were massive. Definitely ate way too much but so worth it read more

Honestly cannot say enough incredible things about Gustazo's. I love this place and everything it offers including ambiance, food, drinks, staff. Please bring back brunch to be the icing on the cake. read more

I have been to the Cambridge location a few times, but came to the Waltham location for a work event and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. All the usual items ordered - lamb, beef, seafood, vegetarian - were of high quality. We also got a lot of desserts - the flan is amazing to try, as well as the churros. This location is far bigger than in Cambridge, so can accommodate larger groups. Excited that the team is expanding ! read more

Great Brunch & Tapas Menu! Spanish latte is sooooooOooooooo GOOoooooooD = Espresso with condensed milk! Taste like a dessert! Ribeye steak and eggs brunch plate is cooked perfectly! Cubano sandwich is good too, just ask for less mustard. Street parking mostly one hour only. read more

See all

Wow this place was amazing!! The food was just so unique and fabulous, with fantastic drinks as well. The ambiance was great and service was fast. Standout plates included chicharrones, yucca fries, the cauliflower, and the seared cheese. Will definitely be back- I have to try everything! read more

Good place, ordered mussels and fries, fine, cocktails are delicious (menu: MEJILLONES con CHORIZO, drink havana and white lime martini) read more

See all

I'm torn as the food is good. Really more of a 3.75ish. it's Waltham. Off of Main Street sits this modern Cuban bistro. Bustling with noise and energy it begs you to come in. I was greeting promptly but got the sideways glance when I confirmed I was a party of one. The waitress was a bit impatient and failed to explain the menu (it's mostly tapas) although she was reluctantly helpful when I pointed this out. Not a place I felt entirely welcome - or is that appreciated. For example, at the end of the meal I was asked if I wanted desert but had not been provided a menu. Also one of my dishes never came out though I had asked andbwas assured that it was coming. Food was delivered (or dropped on the table) quite perfunctory. I get that they are busy-ish but some eye contact and a smile is nice. Needless to say, the food (when it comes) is the star that smiles and brings warmth with it's whimsy and inventiveness. It's not all a hit but they have skill and eagerly try. Avocado toast-tones were bright and tangy. More of a salad on tostones with cut avocadoes beneath arrugula and baby tomatoes bathed in vinaigrette and topped by pepitas. It begged for a splash of salt. The chickpeas with spinach were delicious - a pleasant mix of sweet and creamy and smokey. The shrimp were tasty but would benefit from more garlic and browner butter. The flavor, strangely, was more akin to a hotdog - not necessarily in a bad way, just the sweet and parika barging through. Some additional (if smallish) negatives - they were out of empanadas and have outdated menus on-line (which was just annoying because their draft beer list was good - and their actual list is pedestrian at best). read more

See all

Once again in an unfamiliar area, Yelp comes through! Sunday brunch was 5 stars in every aspect. It was 100 degrees outside but pleasant inside with the storefront windows open and high ceilings with the fans keeping the air flowing. What better way to be in a Cuban restaurant? So we had coffee, since it was hot anyway, and I strongly recommend the Spanish Latte. Most everyone else was drinking fun cold beverages like mimosas, and The servers kept full bottles of water on the tables too. I had the Cuban version of shrimp & grits which is less spicy and more soupy than the New Orleans version. Really yummy. My wife had the avocado toast which she concluded was the best avocado toast she ever had - and she has broad experience with this dish. The potatoes are to die for. Nice and crispy outside and soft inside. Great vibe, atmosphere, food, and service. read more

Gustazo lives up to the hype. Tapa style Cuban restaurant what can go wrong with that right. 1st time here I tried small plates only. All of the dishes I ordered were good. I normally don't order empanadas anywhere because it tends to be dry but the empanada here is excellent. The must try dishes is the lamb and octopus salad. Don't forget the desserts! read more

Gustazo - Flan and churros - Cuban Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Update: After eating at this new location a couple of times since they moved I have been HIGHLY impressed. Changing my score to a 5 out of 5! The food is phenomenal and you can't beat the vibe. I really enjoyed the lambchops but almost every dish was perfect. They also have a variety of cocktails. I have had the sangria as well as the "Westerly Winds" and both were delicious and refreshing. Perfectly paired with their amazing tapas. Another thing to note is they have a beautiful and spacious patio area that is wonderful on warmer days. I can't wait to enjoy it in the summertime. read more

See all

Amazing food! Went for brunch Great ambiance and service too. At first they messed up our reservation but they made it right. I had the polenta with shrimp and then churros y chocolate. I'd go back in a second. All 10 of us enjoyed our food. read more

Oh My! Where do I start with this vibrant place! It was for my birthday and we arrived 15 mins late - we still got our table, were seated, served water and were waiting for our server. A couple was brought to a table next to us, same protocol was observed, but before we blinked they already had a server taking their order. My date, bothered by this, asked the server about it - he was really annoyed: we're black, the couple next to us, caucasian. The server apologized and told us that she would be with us right away. Less than 1 min later, she returned, apologizing about not knowing where our server was, took our order and went her way. Shortly after the manager, Frank, very friendly guy came to us, apologizing about the whole situation. I was impressed, I had no idea how he knew about what had happened since we did not ask to talk to the manager, we appreciated the gesture and thanked him for his time. Our food arrived pretty quickly and it was ALL delicious! We got the mussels, a salad and the fried yucca. Drinks: Guava Mojitos, and a ginger drink that was to die for! Frank came back to check on us and actually offered to take OFF the mussels from our bill because of what had happened earlier! I was super impressed! Definitely going back! FOOD AMAZING! Service - Frank definitely made up for it. So if you're having service issues - just ask for Frank! Can't wait to go back and try some other items on their menu! read more

Former favorite now a clip joint. Went there for a work dinner the other night... Six of us ordered. The appetizers were just plain terrible. Croquettes were a soggy mess. The salads were starting to go bad and just inedible. The fried cauliflower was drowning in some white goo. It's a mystery if there was any cauliflower in there at all. One of us ordered the fish entrée and the fish was just sad. The only decent dish was the Ropa Vieja. Stunning how bad the meal was across the board. Back when it was on main street this place used to be amazing. We each ordered a different glass of interesting rum. The pour was the size of a thimble and the charge per glass was up to $45. Quite honestly one of the worst meals I've had in greater Boston recently. read more

Amazing drinks and tapas! Atmosphere is lovely. Service is a little slow at times so was hard to place more orders sometimes but if you're with good company it's fine. read more

Wow this place is amazing!! It's got a lively and casual atmosphere with great food and drinks. Be sure to make a reservation beforehand if you can, as it does fill up quickly. We came here for brunch and ordered the plaintain chips, Cubanisimos, pan de lechon, and churros. Everything was delicious - be sure to get some form of the crispy pork belly because that is to die for!! Will definitely come back to try the dinner menu and their famous empanadas. The churros were also amazing like literally melt-in-your-mouth amazing, so do not skip them!! Never had churros like those before! Also good coffee if you want something to pair with dessert, but the cocktails leave something to be desired. read more

See all

Really good place to eat in Waltham. Came here because they have great reviews and I was not disappointed. The seafood stew is delicious. The portion size is huge. The stew goes great with rice. The pork chop is also delicious. They slow cook it so the meat is really soft. Service is good. The place is loud and vibrant with dim lighting. You're gonna get business folks to dates to family dinners. Overall: will return if in the area read more

See all

Had dinner recently on an early Sunday evening at Gustazo in Waltham. A large space, the two of us sat in the dark back room. The menu, which you needed your cellphone's light to see, was printed in fairly small type on 3 back to back, loose 3 pages. Okay, but the real downer was our entrees that arrived in small plates with the 3 or 4 ingredients stacked on top of each other. Not presented or prepared on a normal plate with the ingredients showing and spread out. Would not likely go again. read more

Love the food and ambiance. Everything tastes so fresh. I feel like I'm transported to South America.

Amazing experience! The food we ordered were perfectly timed and all tasted incredible! They have fresh juice which is a major plus! Would absolutely recommend and I'll be sure to come back! read more

See all

Gustazo exceeded all expectations! Mocktails, cocktails, small plates & desert! All packed with flavor and originality. Service superb. Top 10 all time culinary experiences. We sat in the back room which was much quieter than the front but both are great depending on your preference. read more

This really depends on whether you love Cuban food. I don't. I find it relies too much on plantains, which often conflict with the other flavors. I found this to be the case with Gustavo's, which has a very limited menu, and, aside from the excellent empanadas, it was pretty mediocre. read more

If I could eat at Gustazo every week, I would. Our meal from Gustazo was absolutely spectacular. Having visited their Cambridge location a few years ago, I didn't expect to be blown away by my experience at Gustazo Waltham, but maybe things have gotten even better with time, or the chef at Waltham has upped her/his game. Either way, I couldn't have been happier with this experience. We did takeout and I was impressed with how carefully the takeout was wrapped. Everything was thoughtfully separated and wrapped to maintain heat. It felt like they went the extra mile. I didn't even have to reheat food once it got across town in February weather! To start, we ordered yuca fries. They were still crispy when we ate them (no small feat for takeout) and came with cilantro Mayo and garlic oil dipping sauces. We couldn't decide which we liked better, but I do know that I was looking for more things to dip into these sauces by the end of the meal. Delish. I ordered the Ropa Vieja and my husband got the Puerco Asado. Both were fantastic and I would get both again in a heartbeat. The depth of flavor in both dishes was particularly impressive. Both dishes were served with rice and beans as well as fried plantains. The beans were incredibly flavorful and the rice and plantains were cooked perfectly. To top off a fantastic meal, I was impressed with how allergy conscious Gustazo is. They list all allergies on their menu and have easy allergy alerts to add to takeout orders. Gluten free, dairy free, nightshade, vegan, vegetarian. You name it, Gustazo can accommodate. Needless to say, we'll be back. read more

The food was delicious, the drinks were spot on. It was decently filled on a weekday. I was originally concerned with getting tapas while seated at a small table. The staff were tentative and it wasn't a problem at all. read more

Came to Boston for the first time and found this gem out of nowhere! Staffs were so sweet and kind and welcomed me once I've told them I'm from LA. I've tried few different tapas and my favorite was roasted cauliflower. Also tried their octopus, but coming from LA, I would pass that dish if I get to visit again. Loved their energy and ambiance! read more

Gustazo - Cuban Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Gustazo's was probably the first ever time I have ever tasted Cuban food and needless to say it was awesome. I ordered the Ropa Vieja with rice and beans and it was so tender, juicy, and moist with the tangy and nicely cooked beef and the pillowy rice making for a dish that anyone would enjoy the first time they tried it. The waitress we had was really kind and the staff here was great too. The place was pretty loud though, but I'm not taking points off for that. Anyways, I'd highly recommend because of those reasons and is their Pulled Pork Sandwich any good? I gotta know. read more

Come here - the cod cakes are ridiculous. Lots of gf options. The small plates were all fantastic and the drinks were wonderful. Have cuban run - just do it read more

See all

A really solid and regularly chosen date night out spot, the food is amazing - a little pricey but has never disappoints - and the drinks are top notch. Because they have the tapas approach, service can be spotty once you put your food, but more egregiously drinks order in - kind of a guessing game for what comes out when, and usually you're waiting a lot for the drinks. That said - they always taste great and and you're gonna leave satisfied read more

Food was very tasty with great flavors. Drinks and service were on point. Highly recommend.

Loved this place. I've done brunch here and gotten the salmon Benedict which was massive and great quality salmon. Their cortadito is spot on and maybe I liked it too much since I had two double shots. They may be small, but they pack a punch.I've also picked up a sandwich (chorizo) from there during lunch time. Perfect size and flavor. And I go back frequently just to grab their cafe con leche, especially during the cold months when you need a good warm me up drink. It's a homey Cuban vibe with no bar. That's my only sad face emoji feeling about this place. Doesn't need a bar, but a beer with empanadas?? That's okay. Everything has been fantastic when we've gone that I'm not going to deduct "points" because of something they don't have when it's not needed. That's just lame. It is a bit smaller inside so you may want to make reservations during busier times of day. read more

Great place great customer service. I went there for a first date, and my day was very impressed. The food was amazing. I told all my friends about it. read more

I cannot say enough about how good the food at Gustazo is! Finally made it out to dinner after having lunch at Gustazo months ago, and boy was it worth the wait. While lunch was a solid 4.5, the dinner menu is EASILY a 5.0!! I don't think it's fair to call this just Cuban food. This is like if Cuban food went to school and got a Ph.D., Then came back and opened its own school.... Consisting of a mix of Tapas dishes (including vegetarian) and larger plates, I am not sure there is a wrong choice in the bunch. Whatever you do, do not miss out on the Costillas a la guayaba(glazed pork ribs). Waltham is quite the trek, but I'd travel for miles for amazing food like this. read more

See all