Food is made with love clearly, the seasoning is amazing. The ambiance reminds you of old Cuba…read morewhich is amazing and the point they are trying to get across. Lastly the servers and even owner come out regularly to check on you and provide great customer experiences.

Service was great! Very attentive and answered all questions. The food was so good. Would…read moredefinitely come here again. The sangria, delicious

First time trying Domican food and was pleasantly impressed with this restaurant. Waitress…read moreexplained different dishes we had questions on. Waitress was very attentive as was other staff. The food we ordered was very delicious and will be back to try other dishes and even do some catering for a Memorial Day party!

This is a great spot to quickly pick up lunch, or stay awhile and dine at one of their many tables…read more There is a lot of space here and even when there are other customers. It doesn't feel crowded. I've been to El Viejo Fred twice and both times did not disappoint. The first time I accompanied my Dominican friend who ordered for me. The second time I was on my own, but the ladies were very helpful and we made it happen. Most of the food is behind the counter in a covered buffet-style setup. You let them know what you are interested in, beef, chicken etc, and they'll show you the offerings. You can't beat their lunch special at around $12-15. You get a giant portion of rice & meat, add on a bit of salad and you're good to go! The food is so delicious, the flavors are all there. I also had the chicken and cheese empanadas as well as beef and both tasted great, I liked the beef best it was very well seasoned. Another bonus? Tamarind juice!! Not many places have it so I'm always ecstatic when I see it on a menu. Both my friend and I really enjoyed the food we purchased from El Viejo Fred, and the friendly service we received, we will definitely be back!

Excellent food and service. Pleasant interior, comfortable seating…read more The appetizer are very shareable.

If you are looking for unappealing imitation Cuban food, plates that are served half empty, $15…read moremargaritas, and lemonade that tastes like chlorine, this is the place for you. The service was OK. The food is awful.

This place was highly recommended from someone that worked at Newark Liberty Airport. I stopped by…read moreon a saturday. I ordered Bacalao with brown rice, maduros and red beans on the side. The dining area is 'family style' which is kool! I got mine 'to go' because I miss my sofa. The food was onpoint!!! The bacalao and the rice had great flavor (5). I was too tired/sleepy to write a review after I ate. I will definitely return, maybe I'll give 'family style' a try.

I decided to give this place a try after seeing a TikToker's review. When we got there, my husband…read morementioned that the food didn't quite look the same as what was shown in the videos, and I have to agree. However, the flavors were definitely there, which is what matters most. I tried the alcapurria, and while it was decent, I've had better. The chicken inside was a little dry and could have used more seasoning and flavor. On the other hand, the chicken empanada was really good. The chicken was tender, flavorful, and had a nice seasoned taste that stood out. That's definitely something I would order again. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of my lunch, but I also ordered pernil with rice and gandules, as well as baked chicken with rice and gandules. As someone who loves pernil, I have to say that Puerto Ricans make some of the best pernil. It's always well-seasoned, flavorful, and tastes clean rather than overly greasy. The pernil here did not disappoint. The rice and gandules were also very good. While it doesn't quite compare to my husband's aunt's homemade version, it was still packed with flavor and complemented the meal perfectly. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would come back to try more items from the menu. If you're in the area and craving Puerto Rican food, I think it's worth giving this place a try.

Went to Milina for Mother's Day brunch before our Mother's Day dinner. (Lot of eating going on on…read moreMother's Day!) We've been to Milina before but never reviewed them. Started out with coconut lemonade and a blood sausage appetizer that came with 2 mini arepas. It was our first time trying blood sausage and we were happy we did! Casing had a nice char and snap to it. Filling was well seasoned and delicious. Arepitas were light, crispy and had a very good sweet corn taste to them. Coconut lemonade was slightly tart which is how I like it and also had a sweet coconut finish to it. I would definitely order it again. For the entree we shared the Parradilla Milina Marinera which came with grilled steak, chicken, pork loin, shrimp and salted fried plantains. We added rice and beans. Grill taste on everything was terrific! Meats were tender and flavorful. Rice and beans were ok. They had free dessert for Mother's Day so my wife ordered chocolate cake which was delicious. It wasn't our first time at Milina and it definitely won't be our last. Servers were very attentive, courteous and accommodating.

We visited this restaurant and had an interesting experience…read more The seats were soft and comfortable. The drinks were good--both the Coke and passion fruit drink were enjoyable. The chicken empanada was also good. However, the CANASTICAS (3) DE TOSTONES RELLENOS appetizer was disappointing. It was $10 for three tiny cups, which was not what we expected. It wasn't worth the price, and we could barely taste any plantain. I accepted the conclusion. We also ordered a side of FRIED PLANTIANS (tostones). We received only three pieces, and they were extremely thin--so thin they could bend like taco shells. They were not the traditional thick, crispy tostones we expected. My husband's BANDEJA PAISA was also disappointing. The chicharrón was thin, hard, and difficult to chew. The steak was thin but good. The beans- good. Sausage-ok. A lot of rice on the plate. Then the receipt came with an automatic 18% gratuity. We don't recall seeing this noted on the menu, although it may have been listed somewhere. We were only a party of two, so we were surprised to see an automatic gratuity added. Be sure to check your bill carefully so you don't accidentally leave an extra tip. Overall, the food and value did not meet our expectations. It's simply not for us, though it may match other people's expectations, and that's okay.

There is barely anything a vegetarian can have here. The food is decent quality, but you should…read morelike pork or seafood to fully enjoy the fare. The ambience is cool and appealing, the music was a little loud, especially during the DJ party. The furnishing is warm. The place has been redone by new ownership (2026). The service was inconsistent at best. Be prepared, they don't serve tap water, just expensive fancy bottled water. The food came out to us with deffering amonts of delay, and they entirely forgot about one of the people's order twice, even after reminding them. On the 3rd time the waiter completely washed their hands of it and claimed ignorance about the placed order, then informed us they did not have the ordered item. When we wanted to replace the order they told us the kitchen was now closed. The person remained hungry since they couldn't eat any of the other foods people ordered. Normally I would give a place the benefit of the doubt, and write it of to being busy, but this was not good!

Grabbed lunch here with a friend. My 1st time here. Large venue with more of an old school…read morerestaurant vibe, than a "Cuban" theme/vibe. It has a separate restaurant and bar area. We sat at the bar. Service was friendly & attentive, food wait times were respectable. Metered street parking on a street that can be tricky to get parking. We had the Cubano Cuban, Beef empanadas, & Coconut shrimp. I also had the 'Renegade' drink. The renegade was really good, I enjoyed the empanadas and their sauce. I wasn't a fan of the coconut shrimps sauce, it was too runny, not solid consistency at all. The shrimp itself didn't contribute much, so the sauce was what needed to bring it home. The Cuban was flavorful, but we both agreed that the pork was dry. I'd give them another shot if invited, but I wouldn't go back on my own. Grades: Cubano Cuban: C Beef Empanadas: A Coconut Shrimp: B- Renegade:A

I would give Cha Cha in Kenilworth 2 stars…read more This was my first visit, and while the service was friendly and welcoming, the food itself was very disappointing. I appreciated the complimentary yuca fritters with special sauce, which was a kind gesture. However, the overall quality, freshness, and authenticity of the main dishes did not meet expectations. Parking is very limited street parking. The Cuban breaded steak was the biggest disappointment. A proper Cuban-style breaded steak should be thin, tender, savory, garlicky, slightly citrusy, well-seasoned, evenly breaded, and pan-fried until crisp and golden. The version I received tasted oddly sweet, the breading separated from the meat, and the steak had a gummy texture with an old-looking color. It did not have the freshness or clean savory flavor expected from this classic dish. The red beans were very concerning. They tasted strongly like vinegar, and I had to spit them out. When I looked closer, there appeared to be a white, murky-looking substance in them. Beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless something is wrong. Cuban-style red beans should be creamy, savory, aromatic, and well-seasoned with garlic, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The white rice was also not acceptable. It was hard, did not taste fresh, and had a vinegar-like smell and flavor. It appeared as if older rice may have been mixed with newer rice. Proper Cuban white rice should be fluffy, clean-tasting, separated, and neutral in flavor. The moro with black beans and rice was better than the white rice, but still lacked depth. It needed more bay leaf flavor and stronger Cuban seasoning. A good moro should have a rich, savory base from sofrito, garlic, peppers, onions, beans, broth, herbs, and slow cooking so the rice absorbs the flavor. The oxtail was tender and okay, but it did not fully deliver the deep, rich Cuban-style flavor I expected. Traditional Cuban oxtail should be slow-braised with garlic, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and spices until the sauce becomes rich and the meat is deeply seasoned. This oxtail tasted acceptable, but it seemed as though it may have been prepared a day or two before and reheated. I understand that many restaurants legally prepare certain foods a day ahead, especially dishes like beans, stews, and oxtail. However, food should still taste fresh and be stored, cooled, reheated, and handled according to food safety standards. Sour or vinegar-like flavors in rice or beans can sometimes indicate fermentation, spoilage, or improper storage, and that should never reach the customer. The best part of the meal was the dessert. The vanilla flan was very good, and the coconut flan was excellent. The coconut flan was rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor, with shredded coconut pieces that added texture and made it stand out. That dessert showed real potential. The prices were reasonable, but reasonable pricing does not make up for poor freshness and low food quality. It did look like they may do better with sandwiches and empanadas, which I did not try and perhaps should have ordered first. I cook Cuban food, Puerto Rican food, and other traditional dishes myself, and I lived in Miami for over nine years. I also learned from Cuban friends who cook authentic Cuban food at home. Because of that, I know how these dishes should taste. In my opinion, the dishes I tried did not represent Cuban cuisine with the freshness, authenticity, seasoning, or care it deserves. The restaurant may have people who know how to cook, but based on this visit, it seems the kitchen has lost some of the authenticity and discipline needed to serve fresh, properly prepared Cuban food. Food that tastes sour, vinegary, old, or questionable should never be served to customers. The service and desserts were the highlights, but the main dishes need serious improvement in freshness, food handling, seasoning, and respect for authentic Cuban cuisine. There are several areas that need improvement. Freshness and food safety should be the main priority. Rice and beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless intentionally prepared that way, and food that seems old or questionable should not be served. The breaded steak should be freshly breaded, crispy outside, tender inside, and properly seasoned with authentic Cuban flavors like garlic, citrus, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The rice should be fluffy, the beans creamy, and the oxtail deeply seasoned and fresh-tasting. I believe the restaurant may have cooks who understand Cuban cuisine, but the kitchen needs to reconnect with freshness, consistency, authenticity, and stronger food handling standards. Cuban food is rich in flavor, comfort, and cultural pride, and with improvement this restaurant could better reflect that tradition.

This is my second time coming here. It was a yelp event that brought us here first and it was…read moreamazing. I will say parking is street parking or side streets and can get a little crazy on weekends. Service is always great and you feel like you are a part of the family here. Food is always fresh and amazing. Anytime I am near here we stop regardless of being hungry or not. I absolutely am obsessed with their vaca frita and black beans. It's a huge portion so leftovers are always good. My boyfriend always orders their cubano as he said it is the best one he has ever had. Their Maduros are also sweet and crisp and never greasy. We also tried their choripan sandwich and it was awesome. We've never had thinly sliced chorizo which eliminates the usual oil and messiness. Always an amazing meal. We also tried their pineapple Cuban smoothie and ended the meal with their delicious flan.

amazing food i loved the empanadas and the workers were great i would so recommend this placeread more