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    Rumba's Cafe

    4.2 (372 reviews)
    InexpensiveCuban
    Open 6:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Rumba's Cafe Photos

    RUMBA'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Rumba's Cafe

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    Chicken Empanada De Pollo

    Always see how busy the place is when we walk by & saw how cheap the menu is and finally decided to give this place a try. We came on a Thursday around 6pm and it wasn't too crowded and got seated immediately. They have daily specials and we were going to opt for the short ribs and another beef dish. But we were told that they have sold out of everything besides the soups for the Thursdays Special. So come early if you want to order certain items. Nonetheless, our waitress gave us a list of other entrees that they had such as the pepper steak, chicken, pork that still come with either white or yellow rice & black beans. Beef empanada: Crispy, juicy and savory filling. Paired nicely with the hot sauce. Different from the ones I've had. Chicken empanada: Personally didn't really enjoy this one. The filling was dry and not too much flavor. Pan con Bistec w/ fries: for $6 sandwich very worth it (fries were ordered as a side) The meat has a really nice char & grilled flavor to it. Some parts of the meat were tougher but still really good. Fries were good, kinda tasted like McDonald Fries just need some more salt. Bistec con Salteado: your classic pepper steak, steak was tender and paired nicely with the rice and veggies, just wish there was more meat. Plantain was so good and sweet. Tres leches: a nice sweet treat to end everything. Your standard tres leches cake. Overall, the food reminded me of going over to my spanish friend's house for dinner lol. Given the price point of everything in this economy, it was good. Definitely will be coming back on those days where I just don't want to cook. Service was great and staff were very friendly.

    Menu

    Prices are still cheap! We ordered the Monday special, chicken with white rice, plantains and black beans and pork cubes with rice and plantains. They were big portions. Great tasting. Also ordered a bowl of chicken soup. Which is the price of a bowl when you go to a diner. The soup alone could be a main meal with rice. The chicharones are Chrispy and tasty! Service was quick!

    Steak and eggs with large drinks
    Ashley G.

    As always, this place almost hits home comfort food. Especially with the price value. It really works out. I enjoy their sancocho a lot. We ordered the large one to go and there was a good amount of meat in there. The downside is that you do have to pay for sides. The soups and sancocho does not come with rice. You have to pay for the rice separately. Otherwise, the staff is still welcoming with their hustle and flow.

    Cuban Sandwich
    Victor H.

    Came here for the cuban sandwiches and they were delicious! I had a blast with them. They were very very affordable as well, and even cheaper than buying them in Florida. They were about USD $6 for about a foot long : )

    Patricia P.

    I was dying to try Rumba Cafe in Jersey City while in New Jersey. The restaurant had been highly recommended by a friend who experienced good, fresh, latin food at reasonable prices. I discovered Rumba Cafe delivered exactly that! The restaurant was busy early on Sunday morning with guests enjoying breakfast or early brunch. There was a long line at the ordering counter, which moved relatively quickly. The service was friendly and efficient. I was happy to learn that the dishes offered in the daily special menu were available that early. Hurray! I ordered 4 special plates; they consisted of - meat, ( 4 choices, beef short ribs, baby back pork ribs, roast pork, and roasted chicken). Rice ( 2 choices, white or congris). -Fried yellow plantain -Beans, (2 choices, black or red). The rice, meat, and fried plantains were served together. The beans separately. In addition, I ordered 2 chicken soups, 4 Cuban tamales, 8 empanadas (chicken, beef, and chorizo). All dishes were fresh, tasty good latin goodness! What a jewel!!! Rumba Cafe truly delivers!

    #2 Two Huevos, Jamon or Bacon, Papas Fritas,pan Con Mantequilla, Cafe Con Leche Y Jugo De Naranja
    Milko P.

    This place is the gem of Jersey City !! I can't express how amazing this cafe is and has been for so many years. All the menu items are super affordable, the portions are plentiful and the food always tastes good. Personally, I absolutely love coming to Rumba's for their breakfast. I get the #2 which comes with Eggs (made to your choice), Choice of meat, French Fries, Bread with Butter, Orange Juice & cup of coffee. I often order a side of fried cheese to combo with the food since it just always tastes so good. The servers are always so sweet and attentive. They work hard and are always willing to help you out with your order or with the service. The cafe has a beautiful cultural feel with the decor and the music giving you a classic cuban vibe. Overall, I'd give this place 10 stars if I could -- highly recommend.

    Dining Area

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    11 months ago

    Great food at very affordable prices, a friendly neighborhood vibe and great music to match.

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    1 year ago

    Love their Mondongo Soup. I drive 2 hours to eat this awesome soup! Yummy and so flavorful!

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    10 months ago

    Overall great experience. Ordered through their website and was ready by the time we arrived.

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    Page 1 of 10

    Rumba's Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    The Cuban - Vaca Frita Plato

    The Cuban

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    I don't take leaving negative reviews lightly. I would much rather support a local business than…read morebash one. However, after attempting to address this directly with management multiple times and being met with zero follow-up and continued avoidance of responsibility, I feel obligated to share our experience. What we dealt with went far beyond poor service. It was unsanitary, chaotic, and frankly a potential health hazard that warrants review by the health department. We arranged for a private loft space on Valentine's Day to host a surprise birthday dinner for 25 guests with a prepaid prix fixe menu. From start to finish, the night was a disaster: * We were promised a private loft space, yet two other couples were seated upstairs with us, leaving some of our guests without proper seating and creating an awkward, cramped setup. * From the moment we arrived, buckets were placed in the middle of the party area due to a leaking ceiling caused by overflowing toilet water from the bathroom above. Water dripped into the dining area all night -- onto guests, tables, and plates. There was one bucket gathering brown water from the ceiling when we arrived and at least three by the time we left. Food and drinks were carried directly beneath it and the floor was soaked. This is a serious health code concern, and notably, two guests became sick after the party. * We appeared to have one single server for 25 people, resulting in extremely slow service. For a 6:30 reservation, appetizers began arriving 90 minutes later -- one plate at a time -- some cold by the time others were served. * Dinner was not served until 9:30pm. After nearly three hours of waiting for entrees, some guests had to leave without ever receiving food. * The included coffee, tea, and dessert -- part of the prepaid package -- were never offered or served. * After requesting to speak with a manager about the experience and a possible partial refund, we were told we would receive a call. That call never came. This was not a matter of a busy holiday or a minor delay. It was a complete breakdown in cleanliness, staffing, communication, and accountability -- compounded by management's lack of professionalism and refusal to take responsibility afterward. I attached photos from the moment our guest of honor arrived at the surprise party, and an additional photo of what the additional buckets looked like at 8:43 PM while we were still waiting for our food to arrive. I genuinely hope ownership takes this seriously before anyone else books a party or chooses to dine here, because no one should have to experience what we did.

    For being a Monday night, I think I picked out the perfect spot while in Hoboken! The Cuban…read morerestaurant is certainly more spacious than meets the eye from street view. It has a very long bar with a half floor in the back for additional booth like seating and also a mezzanine for additional seating above. We were very attracted to the restaurant from the outside with their fun music playing from the speakers. We proceeded to have dinner and a couple drinks to end the first Monday of the year. My coworker and I shared the garlic shrimp with toast and the trio of empanadas (spinach, pork, chicken). We'd rate both dishes, a 9 out of 10 each. One point knocked off because the garlic shrimp was a bit oily and one point knocked off because the sauces were a bit too sweet. For dinner we ended up sharing Churrasco plate which is grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce, yucca fries, and a watercress salad. We ordered additional side of rice and black beans to share. In addition to the appetizers, this was the perfect meal to feed us two. The steak was pretty good and the server even asked if we wanted the hot sauce which was so spicy but very delicious. I highly recommend getting some of it to pair with your steak. We did order a Mojito since the server said they make fresh in-househouse. It was in fact, so delicious and would highly recommend especially the guava flavor. For dessert, we decided to give the chocolate filled churros a try. It appeared with a raspberry sauce. That was a 7 out of 10 for us so I'd say skip on that. Romeo came out to about $140 for two including the Mojitos and dessert. I feel like it's pretty fair pricing. Otherwise, service throughout the night was amazing, staff was very attentive and server very polite to recommend a couple of dishes. We certainly appreciated being in an awesome booth in the back. Would likely return again for dinner!

    Photos
    The Cuban - Nice bar

    Nice bar

    The Cuban
    The Cuban - Cheers!

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    Cheers!

    Chango Kitchen

    Chango Kitchen

    4.5(180 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    Being honest, the food here is about three-star-worthy…read more But the prices. The prices are from 2010, and as long as Chango keeps its menu at those prices, I'm going to keep loving them. Christ on a chopstick, I haven't seen an $8 sandwich since I was in grad school (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth)! We started with the Tamal Cubano, which was fantastically delicious, though the accompanying sauce wasn't hot at all. A shame, because it was well-flavored--just needed a lot more capsaicin. My Cubano was very well done, but barely had any pickle in it, which made me sad. I opted to add fries and wasn't sad about the small, thin ones I got (very McDonald's-shaped). However, the Pechuga de Pollo Adobada con Escabeche de Calabaza was a disappointment. The grilled chicken was drastically overcooked, probably because they used really lean breast meat. The accompanying Caribbean pumpkin was interesting, but too small. The other side of rice and beans was perfect, though--great bean texture and lots of savory flavor. With tax and tip included, our meal came out to $33. $33! You can't even get lunch for one person for that price at 90% of Manhattan restaurants south of Central Park. I could've cried with wonder at the bill. Time travel is real guys--at least financially. Just hop into El DeLorean and come to Chango.

    Casual spot, good Cuban food…read more Their chicken soup was perfect for a cold winter evening. Not overly salty. We also tried their chicken empanadas and shredded beef dish. Both were tasty. We got tres leches for dessert and unfortunately it was still frozen and did not taste good. We let the waiter know and he quickly resolved. Recommend if you're looking for a cheap and quick lunch/dinner.

    Photos
    Chango Kitchen - Inside

    Inside

    Chango Kitchen
    Chango Kitchen - Vaca frita

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    Vaca frita

    West Bistro

    West Bistro

    4.8(9 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    I was recommended by a friend to check this spot out. So, Saturday a group of 6 of us got together…read moreto celebrate a friend's birthday and we went. The owner was present the day we went and he was super friendly and helped us make the birthday for her even better. There was hookah, multiple seats, a second floor, gender neutral bathroom, byob and plenty of street parking. The food was authentic Cuban food with a fusion twist. Everything was delicious. We all ordered different things so we could try each others plates . Everything was 10/10. At the end of the night we got dessert and hookah and our bill was only $230! Not expensive at all for the amount we drank and ate. Absolutely will come back to this place again and again. I highly recommend this to anyone on a date, solo or in a group. Place has such a nice Caribbean vibe to it with Cuban music and decorations. The staff is friendly and everyone is welcoming. Give them a try !

    Finally a nice sit down restaurant in my neighborhood!!! West Bistro is a new cuban spot located on…read morethe Westside of Jersey City. Ive been a resident of West Bergen JC for decades and sadly its been barren on food choices outside of fast food and chain restaurants. This place has come at a perfect time to the westside with all the new developments in the area. We came in on a sunday and had the place to ourselves. The decor is nice! I remember when it was another establishment so they did a very good job woth their improvements. The hostess and waitress were very nice. Its a BYOB restaurant so we brought our own wine BUT they have sangria and its free and all u can drink if u tag them on social media which is a great marketing tactic because who doesn't love a free drink?! We ended up taking our wine home and just going to town on the sangria which was very good!! Now lets get to the food. Moderately priced. We started with the shrimp scampi bruschetta, very strong in taste maybe from the white wine but it was good. For entrees we have the Vaca Frita and Skirt Steak. The meat was tender and flavorful. My Vaca Frita was a bit too lime for me, but still very delicious!!! It was served with rice and black beans! I saw ordered some sweet plantains! They were bomb! Crispy on the outside and tender and sweet in the middle!! So good!! I def want to return and try other items on the menu!! Overall great date night! So glad we gave them a try! Please support small local businesses like this one!! We desperately need them in our community. Thanks West Bistro for the great service and food! We will be back for sure and will def spread the word!!!!!!

    Photos
    West Bistro
    West Bistro - Shrimp Scampi Bruschetta

    Shrimp Scampi Bruschetta

    West Bistro

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    Son Cubano Restaurant On The Hudson - Son Cubano Summer Hours

    Son Cubano Restaurant On The Hudson

    3.1(1.5k reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$$

    Had an amazing time at Son Cubano for one of my girlfriend's birthdays. I have been wanting to try…read morethis restaurant for some time now so I was excited! She decided to come on a Saturday night as they have a live DJ. The restaurant has valet parking, but my husband and I opted to park in a local parking garage and walk over. It was about two blocks. The place is absolutely stunning! It is located right across from the city where you can enjoy beautiful views of the skyline and water. The restaurant has several gorgeous chandeliers and a very upscale vibe. The dining area seemed to be split in two and we sat in what seemed to be the main dining area, with the bar. But there was another extended area beyond. I was completing dry January so opted to have a mocktail. I had a guava margarita mocktail and let me tell you... This was the best mocktail I've ever had! A lot of times when I order one it just literally tastes like soda. I'm not sure exactly what they put into this one, but there was a smoky finish that made it taste like there was mezcal. Even my husband was surprised at how delicious it was and how much it resembled an alcoholic drink. I was elated to actually have a delicious tasting non-alcoholic drink. (For once) To eat, my husband and I shared the antojitos sampler. This made more sense for us than getting the individual appetizers we got - as that way would have been more expensive and we wanted to be able to try multiple things. The sampler came with ham & cheese croquetas (which were my husband's fave) mixed empanadas, maduros rellenos, queso Fritos y chicharrones. The fried cheese, maduros & chicharrones were my fave even though it was all amazing. For dessert, we had flan and sadly that was a miss for me. My grandmother's Puerto Rican flan will always top any that I try, so idk why I try lol Their spin is to add pineapple and I didn't like it. All in all, it was a wonderful birthday celebration and the birthday girl enjoyed the food & the vibe. Thanks for having us Son Cubano! I will be back to try your brunch!

    It was just okay. The bartender could definitely work on his skills--a simple vodka martini…read moreshouldn't be a challenge. The food was mediocre, and the noise level was so high it made the whole experience less enjoyable. Maybe that's why our waiter kept mixing up drink orders. The woman who answered the phone also lacked basic courtesy. When I called to ask if they could accommodate a party of seven, she said "yes" and immediately hung up. No "thank you," no "see you soon," no request for a name. Just... click. We later noticed on our bill that it was "Havana Thursdays" with a pre-fixe dinner option, something no one bothered to mention. Why keep that a secret? And by 10:30 the place was a ghost town--no last call, no notice, nothing. Overall, communication was poor and everything else was just mediocre. Do better.

    Photos
    Son Cubano Restaurant On The Hudson - Join us for Lunch with a View on The Son Cubano Patio

    Join us for Lunch with a View on The Son Cubano Patio

    Son Cubano Restaurant On The Hudson - Join us for Lunch on The Patio @ Son Cubano Today! Walk-Ins Welcome

    Join us for Lunch on The Patio @ Son Cubano Today! Walk-Ins Welcome

    Son Cubano Restaurant On The Hudson - Https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=57247&restref=57247&experienceId=87342

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    Https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=57247&restref=57247&experienceId=87342

    Rumba's Cafe - cuban - Updated May 2026

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