Mannnnnn this place is a must. Cuban sandwich was 12/10. Service was excellent. Nice little atmosphere too. Cannot recommend enough

This is a great local spot. Very small. A small bar and six-ish tables (with some bench seating, so you could arguably make more). Brightly colored walls, a tropical blue. Family photos and art throughout. This is a spot where you use a QR code to connect to a menu and order remotely (though you can request regular menus). This doesn't bother me and it's fairly efficient. My server was still attentive and kind. I did hit a snafu at the end where it wouldn't let me close my tab, so she had to provide me with a bill and run my credit card. My only complaint about this place is that it was wicked cold. I was shivering at first. The server (maybe owner, I'm not sure, she just seemed to have her sh*t together) turned on a nearby portable heater and that made things livable, but I still kept my puffer jacket on the whole meal. This is not the only restaurant in Connecticut that I encountered that was frigid. I don't know if it's a northeast thing, a CT thing, the heating bill is too damn high thing, or if something wasn't working right. But even with he heater turned on, it never made it above 52. I had the rope vieja, which was juicy and flavorful. Loved the beans and plantains as well. All served perfectly. They have a great classic mojito. They also serve the Cubano (and several other types of sandwiches), empanadas, various Cuban dishes featuring pork, shredded steak, fried eggplant, chicken thigh, oxtail, Cuban beef tacos. They have veggie entrees as well, featuring ingredients like cheese, guava, rice black beans, plantains, tofu. The food and service were great. And I loved how it had a community feel. But more heat please! That's all I ask! read more

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After St Pattys Day Parade we weren't sure where to eat. We were spontaneous about Soul de Cuba which was nice. There was no line, it was calm . It it was a new restaurant for my friends. I have been before but it had been years since I had been back. The menu had changed quite a bit. Not everything was offered on the menu any day , it was broken down by specials of the day ! But they did have the apps and sandwiches and other dishes daily. The restaurant is had such a great ambiance. It had the art on the wall, the music , the food! It's perfect ! It is a small location so i suggest checking if you need reservations for a busy night incase. It's great for date night . Catching up with a friend . We all enjoyed our food ! read more

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Disappointing experience. My friend made a reservation for New Haven Restaurant Week -- which I'm glad she did because this is a very small restaurant so it does get filled pretty quickly. The service was extremely slow despite having 3 servers and not very many tables. My friend and I asked about the Restaurant Week menu and our waitress was confused and said she would go check with the kitchen, and we didn't see her again for another 15 minutes. That gave me plenty of time to realize that the deal being offered was not worth it and it would be cheaper to order 3 courses separately, so we decided to just order an appetizer to share and separate entrees instead. We ended up ordering online because nobody came to check on us for so long. The Soul Sampler appetizer came out just a few minutes later, which I was impressed with considering the poor service. The food, itself, was alright. I probably wouldn't order it again; the sauce was what really saved it since the food was bland. For my entree, I got the Lechon Asado. The portion size was massive, which I really appreciated. Again, the taste was alright. It didn't taste like the pork was marinated at all like it stated on the menu. The lime wedges were also extremely small and more for decoration than actual flavor because I could barely get any juice out of it. My friend got one of the Friday special tilapia dishes, and we both agreed it was average and didn't taste like anything but tilapia. It also looked and tasted like dining hall food. I would not come back here again, not only because the service was poor, but also because I've eaten authentic Cuban food in Miami and this doesn't compare. read more

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I am sad to give this a one star review since I was hoping this place would be good. I am from the Tampa/St. Pete area in FL. I loved Cuban sandwiches and all Cuban food. I ate at several Cuban restaurants in FL and only disliked one. This place was even more disappointing then the one in FL. When I go to a place I rate it off the price, quality/quantity of the food for the price point of the food and customer service. 1st the customer service was great. I only did a pick up but the girls were super sweet. 2nd the food. This was were it took a dive. For $70, the quality and quantity was not good. I understand inflation. I have worked in restaurants and understand food costs. We ordered 2 sandwiches with black bean soup, empanadas and flan. Empanadas- I ordered beef and chicken mixture. Nothing special on the inside, didn't get the sauce that came with it. They did travel well and stayed crispy. Cubano- barely any meat for $14, plus the upgrade to the black bean soup. A few issues with the soup. $3 upgrade where the menu online shows it comes with and I did see anywhere where it said it was an upgrade. Poor business practice there. It was super small. It was pretty flavorless. Pan con Lechon-Better amount of meat on it, but still not a lot for $14. I also did the black bean soup, same feeing my husband had on his. Flan- flavorless, rubbery. Enough said. For $70 I was disappointed. If the price would have been half of that, maybe I would have given it 3 stars instead of 1. I do not see how they have 4 stars. See my pictures of the quantity of the food for the price. read more

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This place hits the spot for my Cuban food cravings. I love salmon and plantains and theirs were delicious. Had their chicken empanada appetizers as well which were delicious. Kind and great staff as well. Restaurant seating is limited. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - empanadas - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Came here for lunch with my sister and bestie. The restaurant is tiny but very cute. Water was self serve and you had to order using the scan code, which I do not mind but at the end when you pay for you food they charge you a 12$ fee!! That to me is ridiculous and then they want you to tip as well? First time ever seeing this. The app was convenient and easy to use but costumers should not be charged for it, especially if you don't have an option. The food was ok. Nothing special in my opinion. My favorite part of the meal was the appetizer. We shared the Soul Sampler, which came with tostones, spinach croquettes, and papa rellena. Everything was delicious but the papa rellena needed more meat inside. The app was 20$ which in my opinion was way too much. For our entrees we ordered the Cuban sandwich, which I choose French fries as my side. It was nothing special. Also ordered the Fricase de Pollo. I personally did not enjoy the flavor or texture of the chicken. Again nothing special. The drinks were good. Ordered a sangria and mojito. They were light but tasty. I personally wouldn't return. But I did enjoy lunch with loved ones!! read more

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Stopped in for a quick appetizer and drink. Staff was super sweet. I lucked up and was there for happy hour so half off. My empanadas were good. Little on the greasy side but the beef was delicious. Way more flavor than the chicken. I also got a sangria that changed my life. The best sangria I've ever had. The place is super cute however a little tight on the inside. Outdoor seating is available I'll definitely be back. read more

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We were in the area for Family weekend and we're unable to make a same day reservation. I called and spoke to an understanding host who said they may be able to seat us without a reservation, on a Saturday, if it was before 8 PM. We arrived around 5-5:15PM and luckily we were seated. A couple of things worth mentioning first: - the location is small with approx 6-8 tables for seating inside. - you have to use a QR code to order your food, but if you can't navigate the digital world they will take your order. - I'll say they are environmentally friendly in the plastic cups they use. - there will be a 15% added service charge that is not part of the gratuity. I wish I saw this earlier. Now to the food and the reason for a 5 star review. It was absolutely delicious! The lechón was so tender and well marinated. My girls had the cubano and the steak sandwich, and both enjoyed their meals. We love Cuban, and being from LA, this was on par if not better than some of our known Cuban places in S. Cali. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time, very friendly staff and last we were given given two bottles of marinade to take home by a very kind owner. Overall a hit and we will definitely be back! read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - lechon asado - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Soul de Cuba has a nice cozy ambiance. Smaller location, but clean. It feels vibrant and I liked the feel of the culture while there. They do have digital ordering or paper menu at the moment. We opted for the digital menu, which was very easy to use. The wait staff were still very attentive. Drinks and food came out at a reasonable amount of time. We ordered the empanadas which were very good. It came with two sauces, which I really liked their mojo aioli. For entrees, my husband had the Ropa Vieja. It was a good sized potion, very flavorful and savory. It's one of his favorites. I had the Rabo Encendido, and I would highly recommend. I always get nervous ordering oxtail because it has to be cooked right, and sometimes you get all bone, but this was perfect! The oxtail was so tender and easily pulled off the bone, but not so tender that it was disintegrating. The flavor was robust. I liked the Yuca fries substitutes on this place because it gives you a bit of a change with texture. Fries were crunchy on the outside, but nice and soft on the inside. I do have to take a star away because I did find something in my rice towards the end of my meal, but besides that it was all good. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - ropa vieja - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Soul de Cuba used to be one of my favorite restaurants while I lived in New Haven so I went back to give it a try this summer. It is definitely still very good, but a little different than I remember. It now has the feel of a semi- fast food experience, where you order from a QR code menu and the food is brought out quickly (which definitely has its up sides!!). We ordered plantains and yuca frita to start, both of which were very good. We then split the ropa vieja, which was good but a little bland. We ordered two dark and stormies, which were verrry sweet (but I guess that's a risk you take when you order a dark and stormy). Overall, very nice staff and decent food. read more

My husband and I decided to give this place a try because he had a craving for a good Cuban sandwich. The restaurant is very small and the tables are on top of each other. You offer and pay using a QR code which was slightly annoying. I can see using it as a menu but service fees for basically forcing people to use it is unnecessary. Once the order was placed the food came out relatively quickly but no one came to clear dishes away until the end of our meal or checked in to see how things were. I wish I can say the food was worth it but that was not the case. For the chips and salsa app, the chips were straight out of the Tostitos bag and the salsa was jarred and tasteless. The beef empanadas were the best part of the meal, very good and full of flavor. We both got the Cuban sandwich and were disappointed. We had high expectations being that it is a Cuban restaurant. The grill on it was good but half of my sandwich had no pickle on it and both had very little meat. With how many different meats are included on a Cuban, we expected an overstuffed sandwich. Maybe it was an off night for them which happens but at least now we now it will not be our go to spot for a Cuban sandwich. read more

3.5 stars. Came on a Friday for lunch. This restaurant has kept QR scan not just for the menu, but to order and pay. The restaurant has self service water. Once you scan and place your order, the food came out quick. The sandwich was fresh, the pernil juicy and you could taste the mojo. The chips were tasteless. There was Spanish music playing in the background and tv showing towns and people of Cuba. It is a small authentic restaurant with a lot of culture. read more

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We decided to try this restaurant because we couldn't make a reservation at another restaurant. We called Soul de Cuba Cafe and found out we could just walk in, so we did. And I'm glad we did. The food, drinks, ambiance and service were so good, we came back for dinner again before leaving the city. I had the lechon asado both times. It's a little, cozy cafe that you should definitely visit! read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - lechon asado - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Efficent, Efficient, Efficient is all I can say. Oh and friendly also. If you know the area then parking is not the greatest but they are conveniently located on the corner. I thought it was just a take out spot but they have seating. Your mask is required upon entry and they have a hostess stand with a lemon water dispenser, hand sanitizer and cups. The atmosphere was so relaxing and pleasant. There is very limited seating...cozy. Good fora nice date for sure. The art on the walls are beautiful. You order via QR code like many places and can pay through there as well. I had their mocktail and it was amazing and so was their mojito. You come to dine in but look like you got your food to go..EFFICIENT. This does not take away from your dining experience at all. Portions are great and the food is amazing!!! I will be back. read more

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Second time around we are dropping in for coffee break !! This place always makes me happy the cuisine is Spanish food and i enjoyed my meal Pollo De Ajo Y , Yuca Frita and Pollo Soul De Cuba very authentic food. read more

I love this place. The food, vibes and intimate setting does it for me. I always get the same thing & this place is such a gem! Service is always great! read more

The portion sizes are extremely small for the price of the food. It felt like I was being ripped off in a way. The ox tail entree only had 1 large ox tail and 1 small one. That's it. I was sooo disappointed. I also ordered another beef dish that only had 1 spoonful of meat. Again, disappointed. I would rather that the price be raised by a few dollars to get a full meal. And the food wasn't that tasty at all. This was the 2nd time we ordered from Soul de Cuba Cafe. We weren't satisfied the 1st time we ordered, but thought that it as a fluke. So we gave them another chance. Based on our experiences, we won't be ordering from this restaurant ever again. read more

First time trying Cuban food and I'm glad my boyfriend found this place. The whole dining experience is contactless with the exception of a staff member serving the food and drinks. You pretty much order and pay for your food via a QR code. As for the food and drinks- chefs kiss. The Guava Mojito is by far the best Mojito I have tasted to date! The Soul Sampler- there were no survivors. My boyfriend and I cleaned the plate. It was the same case for our entrees. I ordered the Fricase de pollo and my boyfriend ordered the Cubano. The Fricase de Pollo comes with rice and beans and sweet plantains. Everything in this dish is full of flavor.... a combination of sweet and savory. Long story short, it's worth it! read more

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Best sangria.. happy hour starts at 2pm on Saturdays! Small place, wish it's bigger space, tables are close to each other, not much privacy if you care for it. Cuban Latin atmosphere and feel. The food is always deliciously made. Service is good, you order and pay via QR code. read more

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Really good cuban. The empanadas de guayaba are fantastic! The bistec sandwich was excellent if a bit small. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - empanadas de guayaba - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

My family and I drove from New York to attend a concert and wanted to grab food before heading over. Thanks to Tiktok I ended up finding this gem! The ordering was made easy by scanning a QR code and placing drink/food order on our own while sitting at our table (payment also made through here). They have great decor and the food was heaven! We ordered: yuca frita, tostones, Rabo, ropa vieja, lechón, and bistec. It all tasted homemade with fresh ingredients. There is still wait staff service to deliver the food and drinks to the table and both ladies were courteous and friendly! I will definitely return if I'm ever in the area again. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - Guava mojito Cuba libre beer - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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My brief-ish update is I really do love the food here. It was my husband and my first date location so it will always have good memories. However, they have permanently changed to a "contactless" ordering system where you not only scan the QR code at your table, you also pay through the link as well. So, essentially, someone still brings you your food, but there's no waiter? So do you tip? I still don't know. Also, all the food is brought out on paper-ish plates and plastic cups. It honestly completely ruins the dining experience for me. I go to a restaurant for service and quality. This is a place that I would do take out from because they have really ruined the dining out experience for me. I assume it's some way to save money and not hire waiters but it's really unappealing. read more

So the food is really good but their contactless ordering is unfamiliar and awkward. Walking in, we just stood in the front not knowing what was going on. We were told that we could sit anywhere and to scan the QR code at the table. The process was easy. Scan the code and order via your phone. The entire menu including drinks were online. . So there is no true waitstaff, only 1 person kinda covering the entire establishment. Awkwardness: The timing was awkward since there was No one to askl to bring your appetizers out first, then your entrees. No one to ask for water. If you want water, you had to go back online to order a bottle. There was no one to ask how was your food, if everything was okay, or if we needed anything. My friend dropped his fork and needed a new one. I needed more napkins. Had to go to the bar area each time to ask for both. He had to get up and ask for a to-go container. It's a sit down dine-in place that's run cafeteria style. I guess it saves $ by not having a full waitstaff, but takes away the full joy of eating/dining out. The saving grace was the food. It was all delicious! I stuffed myself to the point where I had no room for dessert! Starting out with the Soul Sampler, it offered a nice variety of apps since I wanted to try more than 1. The eggplant steak was a nice filling vegetarian option. I think I wanted dessert (to go) but there was that awkwardness. I didn't have a waitstaff to make a suggestion, or remind me how much I really needed dessert lol. It was also awkward that we had to pay on-line because I'm like is there an option for cash? and do we leave a tip? Yes he brought the drinks over, but didn't do much else. He never checked on us and When we needed something he wasn't there. As I'm writing this, I now know what was missing, that open warm welcoming feeling that a good waitstaff/host can facilitate. Don't get me wrong I understand why it's contactless ordering, but dining out is a way to get a little social interaction in a safe clean controled environment. Regardless, it was a cool chill environment to get a little culture and get a little soul! The food and the drinks are highly recommended!!! read more

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Although our server, Kirsten, was amazing, this will be the last time I dine here. I i ordered a dish that the new cook was unable make. That's how it's started. The ceviche was okay not great. My chicken Milanese was average. It appeared to be dry with a rather unappetizing tomato based sauce with a mound of shredded cheese. The plantain was delicious but sparse. This place is touch free which turned out to be more inconvenient than we imagined. You have to order and pay from your phone. Total pain in the ass. If service wasn't as attentive as it was, I'd generously give this 1 star read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - Ceviche with plantain chips - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Great spot in New Haven & now as a kiosk as well in the SONO Mall in Norwalk! I've yet to have the opportunity to dine in at New Haven, but I've ordered their ropa vieja dish so many times and the family really enjoys it! I recently tried their Lechon/Pernil (roast pork) for the first time in SONO Mall (pictured). I prefer the ropa vieja over their lechon. Aside from the tostones which taste stale, the food is nice and fresh but the flavor is just not to my liking for the pork (doesn't taste roasted, is a little bland and sweet) and the beans lack flavor (for me). If you like less savory/condimented things you would enjoy this & either way the quality is good. read more

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It's a small place on the corner so it get packed fast but it's well worth the try. The people that work there are very friendly. The menu is contact-free so you order thru the QR code and they will bring it out. This wasn't my first time there but I will be back and do recommend it read more

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I ordered 2 flan desserts- never got it. They sent 2 cups of mushy chocolate instead that did not look fresh. On their website menu they show yellow sweet ripe plantains, but they sent me burnt hard dry plantains. The rice was soggy over cooked and food was cold.I had to reheat it. I spent $60 ordering delivery from them to receive trash because that's where half of it went- in the trash. Soul de Cuba - your doordash customers matter too. But I never order or go to this restaurant again. Yes I have pictures+receipt. NEVER again. read more

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This restaurant is great for a cozy date, solo dinner at the bar, or catch up time with friends. I haven't been here since before the pandemic and I'm so happy to see that they've kept the welcoming atmosphere! Mom and I shared apps and had our own plates of plato tipicos. Together we split the beef empanadas, papa rellena, and the crispy pork belly. All so delicious and even better as leftovers. PS- they sell the house made hot sauce! read more

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Staff is great. They reserved the exact table I wanted and it was waiting for me right on time. Ordering was easy self service including payment online. Food was good - had a basic feel but we seasoned and prepared. Menu seemed a bit limited and the beer options were extremely limited. Nothing fancy about the place but very comfortable and quiet. read more

There is no other way to say it .. the portion sizes were ridiculously small. The Cuban sandwich (12) with added ($4) Yuca fries was literally half a sandwich with 4 crayon size fries. Were tasty but oh so small ... 3 empanadas ($18)were very good but again insanely small. Left hungry read more

I am in the New Haven, CT area this week for work, so expect a few reviews as I get to venture around town for food. Soul de Cuba came recommended by the hotel I am staying at. As the child of a Cuban parent who can cook along with family that can cook with the best of them, let's say my standards for Cuban cuisine are quite high. The location is tiny, so for a Tuesday night, it was pretty busy, which I think speaks to how good it is. First, the music playlist is on point. I was tapping my foot and felt like I was back home with family the entire time I was there. I used Shazam to add some tunes that came on onto my Spotify playlist. Anyway, started off with a traditional mojito which was delicious. Nice serving size and was well made; not too strong nor too weak. Lasted me through waiting for my meal and through eating my meal. I ordered the pollo a la milanesa which is a breaded chicken breast topped with a slice of ham, cheese, and tomato sauce. It came served with white rice, black beans, and plantains. It was delicious. Portion was extremely generous but not to the point where I was overly stuffed when I was done. It was a perfect portion. Felt like I was in my Abuela's kitchen eating dinner from the aromas, the music, and just how good it all was. I would highly recommend this location if you're in the area, looking for a nice dinner, and enjoy this kind of ambiance. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - Pollo a la milanesa con arroz blanco, frijoles negros, y plátano maduro. - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Environment very cozy with cute music and decor. Waitress very friendly, however made two mistakes on our order; maybe she was new? Unfortunately, food was expensive but bland. Might go back for drinks, but not for food. read more

Wow. I cannot overstate how impressed I was with this place. Better than the food I had in cuba! Pricey but worth it The instant you walk in, the lively music, quirky evocative art and delicious smells drop you right in a little corner of a beautiful gummy world. The attention to detail is so impressive not just flavorful shredded pork but each side is unique and served at its peak flavor and texture. Sangria too was one of the best I've had. read more

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Generous portion size and authentic Cuban / Caribbean food . And lots of cool drinks . Good choice for either dining in or take out read more

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This place NEVER disappoints other than not being able to get a table because you havent made a reservation (place is super small) great flavors, great choices and nice attentive staff. Frozen mojito?? Who knew! Been here numerous times and the worst thing is finding parking but mark my words, the culinary reward is so worth it! Run here and try anything on the menu-nothing here ever disappoints! read more

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Super good food! The tostones were incredible. A little expensive but worth it. Still currently open due to covid! They have a cool system of ordering through your phone. read more

love this location. The nice young man working the bar is a gem and always makes amazing drinks! The food is great and the overall vibe of the restaurant is nice. read more

This quaint location offers a Tapas and main dishes. It's decorated with various Caribbean theme prints highlighted by a colorful timbal. The appetizers are delectable. We order the empanadas. Not to be missed. The Soul Sampler was creative and well presented. The service was attentive and not too intrusive. Give it a try! You'll be pleased. read more

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I came here with three friends on a Monday evening, and the food was delicious! We started with a pork belly appetizer, and it was cooked to perfection. The side of plantains was also a nice touch. It was a great dish to split with 4 people. Everyone's main dishes were also delicious. The steak was cooked to perfection, and the Platano Relleno (like a lasagna with sweet plantains, beef, and swiss cheese) was a tasty, unique treat. The Lechon Asado was probably my favorite; the pork was cooked so tenderly. Unfortunately, my caipirinha was pretty small for the price and minimally alcoholic. I would not order it from here again. The restaurant is intimate, thought they can accommodate groups, which is unique. The space can get a little loud, though. read more

Soul de Cuba Cafe - Caipirinha! - Cuban Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut