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Rumba Cubana

4.0 (565 reviews)
ModerateCuban, Bars, Seafood
Closed • 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
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RUMBA CUBANA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Loud
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Rumba Cubana

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Pork chops in pineapple sauce and caramelized onions
Giseli C.

I honestly need way more than just five stars ... Made a reservation for 5pm . Showed up at 4:25 , waited about 5 minutes and they accommodated us right the way . ( place was packed and busy ) . Service is definitely a 10 out of 10 from the minute with walk in the door . Beautiful decor , friendly and welcoming hostess . We were seated and right the way a gentleman named Mathias came to serve us , what an amazing personality , friendly , knowledgeable of the menu , efficient.. I can just keep on going . We were also helped by a lady named Jenny whom I found out later is the manager of the place . She even got me a special hook/stand to hang my pocketbook instead of leaving on the floor . The food was ordered and served within 30 minutes , to cooked to perfection. We had the Chuleta / pina . Pork chops with pineapple and caramelized onions , pollo rumbero - chicken with prosciutto and cheese in a white sauce , and boiled yucca . Food was spectacular, complements to the chef , table was always clean and service was beyond outstanding from beginning to end . Team work , great atmosphere, great food . Can't ask for anything better !!! Oh, and the was a drink called el guayabero , made from guava poured and rum that is to die for ... If you're in the area I would definitely recommend this amazing experience . Thank you Mathias , Jenny and the rumba Cubana staff for making it a great night ..

Patrona puebla
Diana M.

A group of us came here on a Sunday for lunch for my mother-in-law's birthday. Drinks were fabulous. The spinach empanada app was great. Skirt steak was great !service was top-notch. We were able to park right in front of the restaurant with kids and it was very kid friendly because it was loud. we really enjoyed ourselves. I would definitely come back.

Chicken, rice and sweet plantain. Yum!

Very attentive staff, great drinks and abundant tasty food. I visited multiple times while in the area and every meal was a treat. I loved the black bean and lentil soup and the rice dishes. Definitely recommend trying it out!

Adam S.

Very cool place inside Very festive a little loud but not to bad Food was delicious and very fresh Staff was very attentive Our waiter was great to start but kind of disappeared in the middle Over all a great spot

Mitzi T.

Good dinner spot - honestly can't go wrong with coming here. Service is always friendly, they have limited parking but I believe it can be valet depending on the day. I liked how their guac had chunks of mangos & they used plantain chips. We got their version of yuca fries - wasn't too much of a fan since the fries were really thick.

Ham croquetas
Adele P.

Came here with my daughter yesterday after a day of shopping. We had an absolutely fantastic meal. I truly enjoyed the fish, which was prepared with garlic and white wine. I had the most amazing salad with avocado as well. We often go to the Jersey City location, but this place was great and service was excellent. We didn't stay for dessert or coffee because we were already over full. My daughter wanted taking half her meal home with her. So glad we stopped in.

Arroz Campesino
David S.

Nice spot! I will say the service is on point and the food is very good and fairly priced. The ambiance is nice and versatile - whether you want a family night or date night Rumba works! I've ordered a number of items off their menu and I can't say I've had anything that wasn't flavorful! One thing I will say is that if the locals of the culture come here then they are doing something right so I do recommend Rumba Cumbaba to everyone!

Cappuccino
Jenna D.

The food was terrific, as was the service. The restaurant itself was very friendly and spacious. I got the bistec salteado, and it was cooked perfectly. Definitely recommend.

Disgraceful! I was sick on Mother's Day 2026 so we decided to call Rumba Cubana in Clifton and placed an order for a pick up. We went home, ate and saved the left overs. The next day we heated up the left overs for lunch. As I was eating, I saw something strange on my plate. I wasn't sure what is was. I placed it on a napkin and my husband dissected it with 2 toothpicks. I couldn't believe there was a strand of a thick steel scrubbing pad in my beans. We took pictures of it and then tossed the food in the trash. We immediately called Rumba and spoke with Jenny, the manager. She apologized, texted me, and requested pictures of the food. I sent her the pictures via text and to my disbelief, I never heard from her again. It has been 11 days and she completely disregarded me and my family. What a disgrace! She did not even have the decency to offer a refund or anything. My husband and I have been loyal patrons of Rumba since 2019. We have celebrated numerous birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries in their establishments. We definitely do not feel like valued customers after this experience. Thank God that my six year old daughter, my husband, nor I did not ingest this piece of steel scrubbing pad. Having done so could have lead to serious/fatal consequences. The fact that Jenny did not take this issue seriously is disheartening. Finding a steel strand in your food is a major health hazard not to be ignored. It's a shame! We feel extremely disappointed and will not be returning. I certainly do NOT recommend Rumba in Clifton.

Dining area
Nicole F.

We went in a Friday night just before 6:00 and were lucky enough to get a table, by the time we left the dining room was almost full. Parking - valet of street Service - all the staff were friendly, accommodating and available if we needed anything. They had these cute little racks that they bring to your table for your purse or Jacket/ I've never seen one before. Drinks ~ very good. I had the blanco tequila drink with grapefruit and my husband had the Cuban equivalent of a Long Island iced tea. Dinner ~ the chicken Mofongo and Roos vieja were a good size portion and very good. They were able to accommodate my husband's shrimp allergy and served his ropa vieja with rice and beans because the mofongo is fried in the same oil as shellfish so he couldn't have that. We saved room to share the flan for dessert- very creamy! This was our first time and it satisfied our craving for Cuban food.

Kimberly R.

Solid food. Never disappoints! They are always consistent whether you dine in or take food to go. We love their lunch specials, fair prices and great portions. The service is always fast and the staff is always kind.

Un Poquito de Todo
Mariam K.

3.75 Decided to stop in for some dinner and was seated right away. Started with the chicharroncitos de puerco and it was alright! The pieces that had the meat/fat were super tasty! Then we got the plate with everything which was good too! Great option to share. I personally loved the pork more and the rice! My fiancé loved the beef. Then we ended with the coco flan which was honestly the highlight of the entire meal! So so so tasty!

Ropa Vieja with Arroz Blanco and Frijoles Negro
Bea R.

I'm no stranger to Rumba Cubana... I usually frequent the Guttenberg location, but I happened to be in the area and came to this one (Clifton). I wasn't surprised that the quality of food, service, and atmosphere were great! Glad to see there's consistency between different locations. My order... *Ropa Vieja (~$15) - A classic Cuban dish made with braised shredded beef, simmered with tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, and sherry wine. You can choose one side and I went with white rice and black beans. I inhaled the entire meal in a hot minute. IT WAS THAT GOOOOOOOOD. Tender beef, rich tomato sauce, perfectly cooked rice topped with salt + olive oil, meaty beans.... My tummy was happy. *Tostones Montaditos (~$10) - 6 fried & pressed green plantains topped with skirt steak with chimichurri. ORDER THIS if you love plantains. The tostones were crispy and paired well with the juicy steak. And the chimichurri sauce?! SO fresh! Probably one of the best I've tried. *Patron del Pueblo (~$13) - This was the cocktail of the month for October. It included patron silver, ancho reyes poblano, mango puree, lime juice, and ginger ale. It tasted more like passion fruit, which I absolutely love. It was on the sweeter side and it definitely could have had more alcohol. Tasty drink overall. There are so many things I have yet to try on the menu... I highly recommend Rumba Cubana if you want to satisfy your Cuban cravings. Delicious food, friendly service, and a lively atmosphere!

Cuban bowl

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4 months ago

The mogongo is not the best. It's hard, dry and no garlic. Ropa vieja is okay I love you

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3 months ago

Fantastic food and great staff. Very authentic and delicious. Enjoyed the ceviche, Cesar salad and the spicy margarita.

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Food and services are great my experience was very good and I am happy to recommend it to everyone

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Rumba Cubana Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Rumba Cubana

How's the outdoor seating set up here? In the streets with a road view or city view?

Tables are set up in the parking lot with views of suburban Jersey homes an a large playing field across the street. Not set up for romantic dates but the food is good

Do you have to make a reservation for outside dining?

On a Saturday it's first come first served for both indoor or outdoor.

Anyone know what the name of the stuff they give you to sample with the crackers is called?

Bocadito spread or ham spread , made with shredded ham, mayonnaise, cream cheese, pimentos , relish and with a small amount of sugar My wife found a recipe in the internet

Rumba, what happened to your web page? I tried looking up your menu to show my guest but all that…

Hello Thank you so much for contacting us. We are doing some updates to our website, it will be up… 

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3.9(65 reviews)
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The graffiti outside screamed "quirky and cute." Inside? Nearly empty, with a hot food stand that…read morelooked suspiciously like a supermarket deli's last cry for help. We ordered fish & chips and a Cuban sandwich. Bold moves, apparently. The fish was so tasteless, I think I offended it by taking a bite. Honestly, frozen supermarket fish would've put up more of a fight. The fries? Also running for the "most bland" award. And the Cuban sandwich--ham, cheese, and shredded pork so thin I had to squint to find the protein. A whisper of meat. A ghost of flavor. But wait, it gets better. A Snapple? $4.00. For that price, I expected someone to at least open it for me. Instead, zero service--and yet, the screen still flipped around asking for a tip. The audacity? Inspiring. Just not in the way they think

I was attending a friend's mother's wake. Arriving at 4:30 and staying for about an hour, I headed…read moreto my truck. By luck the Cuban Breeze was right next to the funeral home. This is a clean casual eating restaurant with a colorful upbeat vibe, Spanish wall art and music. They have cafeteria style steam trays and some tables. I think they do a lot of take-out. Not having a lot of Cuban food experience, I did recognize the empanadas ($3,95), fried pork, red and black beans and yellow rice before settling on a Cuban sandwich ($12.95).The sandwich was just what I needed at the time. Hot, flavorful and the ham and pork was hot, well seasoned and juicy. The bread had a crispy cover but soft on the inside. I understand that the Abuela still does some of the cooking. I usually eat around 3pm so at 5:30 I was starving. I'll be eating more Cuban food in the future!

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Cubita

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4.4(107 reviews)
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My coworker had their coconut shrimp empanada at a fair once and could not stop talking about it…read more So for his birthday, I hunted down where I could purchase them frozen. I drove and hour and a half but I wanted to surprise him. The interaction with the owner via direct message was fast, efficient, convenient, and so absolutely kind. I was able to pick them up after hours, was given instructions on how to cook them, AND they even followed up with me to make sure everything went smoothly. I CANNOT reiterate what a GREAT transaction this whole thing was. In any case, I got to visit their brick and mortar and it's cute inside. It's clean, fun, and I just loved the mini replica of their truck. The empanadas were DELICIOUS and PACKED with filling. It was flavor you can't find anywhere else and I love that! Originality is what makes people come back for more. If a business makes something you can't find anywhere else, they have a chokehold on you. I am SOOOO thankful they made my coworker's birthday one he will remember!

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Mambo Latin Kitchen - New Design 2022

Mambo Latin Kitchen

4.1(249 reviews)
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Outdoor seating
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Let's start by saying I used to be a regular at mambo tea house in Rutherford, but when it closed,…read moreI started visiting mambo's empanadas, and at the beginning it didn't disappoint, with the inclusion of Peruvian plates in the menu, it became one of my favorite spots. But I'm not sure if there were changes in the kitchen. The food started to taste bland or too salty and after a couple of tries, we were there last around December 2024. Lo and behold, daughter was visiting and decided to give it a try since she hasn't been back to mambo in a while, food was very good and delicious, just like before. Here we are planning our next visit

My daughters and I found this restauarant before flying home. It was delicious, lovely cozy spot,…read morestaff was friendly and on spot service. The food, well, lets just say someones mama is back there cooking with love. We ordered the ceviche, the chicharrones and steak sandwich. The rice and beans with maduros were heaven. All of the dishes were amazing. Very generous portions. I miss places like this that we just dont find where we live in Tx, makes you want to move back to the Northeast! I will defintely visit again and come here for another fabulous meal. Dont change a thing, especially your cooking staff and lovely server! BYOB, theres a liquor store just across the street. Until the next time, buen provecho!

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Casual Habana Cafe

4.1(709 reviews)
5.3 mi
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I love coming here ! There's parking and if the Street parking is full there's lots out back. The…read morestaff is friendly. The place is not big but it does add to the homey feel. The food is amazing. I do prefer the white rice over the moro but every taste is full of so much flavor. The drinks are also great and I can't wait to come back!

As of now 4 stars but I can easily see this going higher the more items I try...some real authentic…read moreCuban dishes here as well as other Spanish food. Small-ish storefront on Main Street with street parking and I'm sure some municipal lot somewhere. ( 2nd locatgion in New Milford) Friendly staff and experienced bartender. Great drinks are made here and I highly recommend the Happy Hour with great prices on food\drink. Bar area ( 9 seats) is clean & impressive, and dining room bright & cheery. Stopped in during HH and had a few drinks waiting for my To Go order. Excellent Mojito cocktail; Red Sangria was very good too A group of us all agreed; One of The Best Cuban sandwiches anywhere. Stuffed with plenty of marinated pork & ham. And served with perfect plantain chips ( freshly made, not like the jawbreakers you get elsewhere.) Best corn tamale ( topped with fried pork (chicharron) and criolla) ever. So fresh, soft and flavorful The steamed yucca bathed in garlicky mojo sauce was cooked perfectly and every bite delectable. Empanadas may be small but very flavorful; I had the oxtail and the spinach with manchego cheese. Sooo good. Can't wait to try the brie with mushroom. The only item that fell flat for me was the chicken wings tossed in Cilantro and lime mojo. Needed more cilantro & lime!!! ( it also comes in a Spicy mango habanero sauce) Dessert menu sounds really good. Looking forward to eating here again. Highly recommended.

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Cafe 28 - Eggs

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4.5(4 reviews)
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Came to this Colombian cafe for a quick breakfasat and was disappointed. The ambiance was very…read morepretty, set up to take pictures for social media, but the bakery party was a total miss. My husband ordered a chicken empanada and it was filled with chicken and rice and not fully fried. When I asked the server to fry it some more, she brought a new one out that was a bit more fried but just as pale as the first one. The inside was not tasty at all and it was definitely not colombian. Then there was the stale Colombian beef empanadas. These were probably the worst of all. We also ordered a bread that we asked if it was filled with cheese, the server said yes....and it had ham and cheese, so my son did not eat it. This could've just been a miscommunication, but most places tend to clarify when it is not just cheese, but also includes something else with it. The menu is very small, so I decided to order a burger which was made with pulled beef and was actually delicious. They also have Colombian style scrambled eggs and coffee which my husband liked. If it's just based on food I would say it was 50/50 your chances of getting something tasty, but because the service was not attentive or friendly (we were the only people in the cafe for awhile), it is not a place I would return to. Maybe it was just an off day?

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2.9(411 reviews)
3.2 mi
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Visited La Havana 59 for an early Mother's Day dinner because Rumba Cubana was super packed. The…read moreparking lot was pretty full, but there was no wait for a table. All the menus are tablets, and you can switch between English and Spanish. Frustratingly, there was no Cuban sandwich available on the dinner menu. We got an appetizer sampler to start. Most of it was fried foods, so it was decent. For an entree, I got the fish filet in garlic sauce. The fish was tender and the sauce was flavorful. I also tried the oxtail. Some of them were tender and other pieces were quite chewy. To finish the meal, I ordered a cortadito but got a cortado instead. You'd think a Cuban restaurant would know the difference.

For Mother's Day my mom wanted to eat at a Cuban restaurant. The one she chose had a 1+ hour wait…read moreso we decided to give La Havana 59 a try. The parking lot was packed so I expected there to be a wait but was pleasantly surprised when our party of 5 (plus a baby!) was seated right away. The place is lively and a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. There's a stage/dance floor in the middle so I can imagine it can turn kind of clubby later in the night. Interestingly, the menus are all tablets and while really cool at first, it got annoying when a couple of our menus started to glitch. High tech but also leaves more room for failure. The service was friendly though and decently quick. We ordered a few appetizers and they came out in a reasonable amount of time. We got a sampler, croquettas, and a tamal. Everything tasted great so I had high hopes for our entrees. I went with the Mother's Day Special Relleno (stuffed) Salmon. It was a little overcooked but still really tasty. I believe it was stuffed with some crab meat and cheese. I also really liked the sauce that covered it. My dad got oxtail and it was seasoned very well but the oxtail pieces were cooked inconsistently. Some were soft and came off the bone very easily while others were tough to the point I had to use my hands to gnaw the meat off the bone. Everyone else's dishes were pretty good too. All in all La Havana 59 seems like a solid Cuban spot. I'd come back.

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Rumba Cubana - Un Poquito de Todo

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4.3(671 reviews)
8.6 mi
•$$

My go to place for delicious Cuban food. I come here very often with friends and family. This…read morelocation is great because the outdoor seating is pedestrian only and often times I come with my pups. It's located right across the street from a large park and the area is very lively and family oriented. The service is consistently outstanding, the food is also fresh every time. The menu is so expensive there's a little something for everyone. And the drinks are always great. Reservation can be made, but we almost always get a table when walking in. They sing happy birthday to you with instruments, making it a great place for a birthday celebrations. My favorite dishes: - empanadas (chicken or guava/cheese), the hot sauce on the side is SO good - pork tamale - garlic shrimp (comes with soft bread for dipping) - pitcher of white passion fruit sangria (way better than getting individual glasses) - skirt steak/churrasco - chicharron de pollo (crispy, juicy chicken bites)

3.5 stars I was in…read morethe mood for a new dinner destination, so we decided to make a reservation at Rumba Cubana's Jersey City location. I had walked by the place in the past and noticed that they had a really nice patio, and I had hoped to sit out there on the beautiful evening, but it was simply too packed when we arrived. Instead, we were taken to a spacious table inside, which still had a great atmosphere with fun music and a general buzz in the air. Our server was nice, but approached us way too quickly to take our order. We rushed to put in our beverage requests, but noted that we would need much more time to study the vast food menu. I ordered some sort of mezcal and passion fruit cocktail, which was very good and not nearly as sweet and full of juice as it looked. I also tried a sip of my companion's Old Fashioned, which used quite a few bourbons, making it very strong. It had a nice cherry sweetness to it, though. When we were finally ready to select our food items, we decided to start with bowls of their "Mama Fela's Chicken Soup". For $4, we were expecting small cups of broth, but the portion was much more generous. The soup was very flavorful and included chunks of spiced chicken on its bone, small cobs of corn, and riced noodles. Though it was enjoyable, it was also very greasy, and you could see the dots of oil throughout the broth. When our server came to clear the plates to make room for our main courses, she did a doubletake to inspect the knife that had been at my place-setting. I had initially thought that the blade had some sort of pattern on it, but she caught the fact that it was actually dirty. When I looked closer, I noticed a shoe print on it, which was so gross. Thankfully, she went to replace it, though I made her also bring me a new fork and napkin, as the two pieces of silverware had been wrapped together in the sheet of cloth. In terms of the entrees, my partner had only positive things to say about his Ropa Vieja, and I concurred that my simply grilled Seabass with olive oil, white wine, and garlic was fantastic. Though the fish was prepared in a very simple manner, it was seasoned and executed with perfection. Both of our meals came with our choice of a single side dish. While my companion liked his rice and black beans, I found my seasoned vegetables to be way to greasy. The medley of cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, and zucchini were swimming in a heavy garlic butter. Despite a few mishaps, we liked our meal at Rumba Cubana for the most part. I would go back, but I would definitely avoid the vegetables next time.

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3.2(4.2k reviews)
5.0 mi
•$$$

Cuban Pete's 428 Bloomfield Ave…read more Montclair, NJ 07042 Angus Beef Picaña As I entered this restaurant through a long tropical hallway bedecked with vibrant palm trees, I immediately sensed I was going to be in for a treat. The exterior dining area has an authentic tropical vibe with a cascade to the side. The interior dining room also has the same feel; the decor includes additional palm trees and Cuban cigar boxes. The Latin American themed background music enhances the atmosphere making me believe I was actually in Cuba. There are no physical menus available. Scan the QR code at each table to view a full menu directly from your device. I actually think this is an excellent idea because there were illustrations for every entrée and side. Manager Joe introduced himself and offered a free virgin piña colada sample. (This location is BYOB.) It was on the thicker side and very creamy. The mocktail is on the pricier side, but it is served in a full size pineapple; I'm definitely planning to order it for a future visit. The angus beef picaña was an excellent portion. The serving size was overwhelming, which is definitely a good problem. I was able to make two leftover meals out of it. The steak was served piping hot and the meat was unbelievably juicy. It included a mango pico de galo and creamy garlic sauce. Although I didn't care for the taste of the pico de galo, the garlic sauce satisfied my taste buds on all counts. It included two sides of my choice. There was a variety of choices and the only problem I had was choosing because I wanted to try them all. I decided to explore the yuca frita and arroz moro. They were the backbone to this plate. While I was dining, a photographer was approaching tables. I don't recommend this service, unless you are dressed to impress for a large gathering or memorable event. Cuban Pete's is on the pricier side, but the food quality is excellent and the portions are enormous. I highly recommend this Latin restaurant on all counts. #cubanpetes #montclairnj #angusbeefpicana

I really wanted to give this place another chance because my family and I were in the area, and the…read morelocation itself is really nice. Unfortunately, after three visits over the years, I don't think we'll be coming back. My husband and I first came here on a double date about 9-10 years ago, and we thought the food was mediocre. We tried it again maybe six years ago with a large party, and the food was still below average. We also had an issue with the bill that night. Fast-forward to now: I decided to give it another chance, even though my husband specifically said he didn't want to go back. Well... I should have listened to him. Whenever we go out, I order my toddler's food immediately, before we even look through the rest of the menu, so her meal can come out quickly. We ordered her chicken tenders, and when they arrived, they were RAW inside. Serving undercooked chicken is obviously a serious concern, but especially when it's a meal being served to a small child. At that point, I completely lost confidence in the kitchen and didn't feel comfortable ordering anything else. I do want to say that the staff was extremely friendly and gracious, which honestly made me feel bad telling them that we were just going to leave. The service wasn't the problem at all. It's such a shame because the place itself has a lot of potential and the staff was lovely, but after multiple disappointing experiences--and especially being served raw chicken this time--the food quality and kitchen execution simply aren't where they need to be. :(

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Cuban Pete's
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Rumba Cubana - cuban - Updated October 2026

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