tl;dr the juicy Caribbean pork sandwiches at this revived Seattle mini-chain live up to the…read morelegendary hype Un Bien is arguably Seattle's most popular sandwich joint, and its dramatic history begins with Cuban chef Lorenzo Lorenzo and his initial shop, Paseo. Lorenzo opened Paseo in 1994, where his popular Cuban roast pork sandwiches were regarded as among the best in the country. After years of local expansion, Paseo abruptly filed for bankruptcy in 2014. The brand was subsequently bought out by a local entrepreneur, but the sale did not include Paseo's secret recipes (the reboot attempted to reverse engineer the sandwiches with varying success). So, in 2015, Lorenzo's sons revived Paseo under a new name, Un Bien, armed with their father's original recipes. Nowadays, Un Bien is generally regarded as superior to Paseo, and you can grab their Caribbean sandos at one of the three locations across Seattle. You can't miss the pastel pink-and-teal palette of the original shack on an otherwise drab block of Ballard. As you approach the wooden window, you are greeted by the aroma of sauteed meats and veggies. Communal laquered wood benches are lined up underneath a covered pergola. Fifties hits ring respectfully around the kitchen. My partner and I visited for late weekday lunch, and we ordered immediately. We opted to focus on the signature pork shoulder, so we split the #1 Caribbean Roast and #2 The Press. Across both sandwiches, we were impressed by the tender pork, rich onions, lemon-forward aioli, and marinade-soaked baguette. The standard roast pork sandwich added on pickled jalapenos and crisp romaine, culminating in a dynamic flavor that accentuated the meat. Meanwhile, The Press featured tart banana peppers, smoked ham, and melty Swiss, amping up the sweet and savory flavors alike; we agreed that this extra-messy sandwich just edged out the standard version. Our order took just minutes to be prepared, and the bill just topped $30. Despite the fanfare, I still found myself surprised by just how satisfying Un Bien's sandwiches turned out to be. Across all the food I ate in Seattle, only these pork sandwiches would be worth a return visit, even if I had to venture out of my way.

Messy, pricey, totally overrated…read more My family and I visited Un Bien and arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing. We ordered promptly, but were told we would only have about 10 minutes to use the seating area before it closed. When we asked for clarification because the restaurant was advertised as being open until 9:00 PM, staff confirmed they were open until then but said the seating area would close earlier anyway. After receiving our food, we were told not to sit down and were asked to leave the seating area altogether. The interaction felt abrupt and discourteous, especially given that we had arrived well before closing and had purchased food with the expectation that we could eat on-site. The food itself was average, but the poor customer service and inconsistent messaging about seating left a much stronger impression than the meal. There are other better places. Skip.

Been loving this place, since before the beginning! I've been good friends with the owner, for…read moreseveral decades now and I continue to go there several times a month, because their food and drinks an vibe are always that good!!! When you go, definitely start with a signature MOJITO or 2, chat up with neighboring tables or the staff, then order up an appetizer, like the Empanadas, Ceviche or Tostones, then one of their large entrees! Ohhh...how I love their Shredded Beef or Lechon! Once you're done with your meal and order another mojito, definitely check out their postres/desserts menu! While I'm partial to their FLAN, my next favorite is definitely their Tres Leches! This will round out your savory/sweet palate and will go home super full and happy! I promise! Hope you check them out! ¡Salud Amigos!

Neighborhood gem... warm environment through the wait staff... everyone works together to ensure…read moreeveryone is getting service. Main focus is on the regular clients. Met at the door with I'm assuming the owner. Ordered Millionaires Mojito- great drinks! Cerviche- nice dish Marinated steak dish- excellent flavor Roasted pork dish- tender dish ... ... no complaints

I really enjoyed the Desi Plate from Bongos. The pork was flavorful and tender, the plantain was…read moresweat and soft, the coleslaw was fresh and not too creamy and the pickled veg was great sourness to combat the rounded beans flavor. 10/10 would order again. Good spot for the summer since it's an order and pickup at the counter spot (with ringers) and a good post-Greenlake hearty meal. The service was quick and standard, no complaints and limited conversations so not too fussy

Caribbean-style fast food spot with a clean, brand-new interior and nice little windows for a…read morepleasant view while eating. Ordering is done at the counter, then you wait for a buzzer to grab your food, which made it feel more like a cafeteria or fast-food setup than a traditional restaurant. The food was okay, but heavily sauced and lacking the authentic Caribbean flavor I was hoping for. Being from the East Coast, I was really looking forward to some true Jamaican jerk chicken or flavorful oxtail, and unfortunately this missed the mark for me. The best comparison I can think of is making baby back ribs in the oven, pouring barbecue sauce on top, and calling them authentic BBQ ribs -- without the seasoning, smoke, or hours of preparation that make the real thing special. One big plus was the ample parking with generously sized spaces, which is definitely appreciated. Overall, probably not somewhere I'll become a frequent customer, but I could still see stopping in for a quick bite over McDonald's, Five Guys, or standard takeout Chinese food.

The chicken thighs could quite possibly cure depression. Perfectly falling off the bone and bathed…read morein a citrus marinade. So good.

I had and issue with this order in the picture the rice was crispy (it's supposed to be fluffy) the…read moremeat was chopped into tiny slices and dry like leather. I called the store asked the owner to call me so I could understand what happened? She told me "The food is made a day in advance" it's very sad that she is giving a gross presentation of Cuban food. If you want a good close Cuban sandwich stick to un bein or any other place than here. She asked how she could make things right I asked for a refund it was $42 for bistek and "Cuban " sandwich was left on read. I hate having to do this but save your money life is too expensive nowadays.

Amazing sandwiches. Impeccable flavor. Would 100% come back if I'm in the area…read more The only downside is that it's a little messy with how juicy the sandwiches are, so it was hard to picnic with them, but honestly not even much of a downside since it's how I prefer my sandwiches!

Oh so I've never had Caribbean food before and I walk up to the window and I said just give me your…read morebest sandwich and within I don't know maybe 10 minutes. I have the best Palomilla steak sandwich absolutely must go back for that. Staff is Super friendly super efficient and always extra napkins. Love it.

How have I been sleeping on this place??…read more Just got back from an awesome Friday night at Lenox, highly recommend. Food: We were thrilled with everything, including the beef empanada they sent out just because. Mofongo: prawns with mashed plantain and a broth to die for Pollo al Carbon: chicken with the right amount of smokiness and sauce Coco Greens: hands down some of the best greens and potlikker we've ever had Tostones - couldn't stop eating these Red Beans and Rice - perfectly cooked Service: outstanding from the host to our server Marcus to all the staff. It's friendly, comfortable and fun Ambience: Most of the tables turned over during our 6:15pm dinner but we were never rushed and while the restaurant was full, it never felt too crowded or loud. All ages were there on a Friday night from families to millennials to older couples out on a date. Fun to see such good food uniting everyone. We will definitely be back!

I was extremely excited to try this restaurant with my partner but the food was not good at all…read more The food is insured by Cuban and Puerto Rican/Nuyurican dishes. I have had my fair share of visits to NY but clearly need to trying the PR food there and also need to prioritize going straight to PR as well. Ive had the food in Cuba and this was nothing close to that so, let move on. We had the Pollo al Carbon, Coco Greens and Hushpuppies. For drinks we had the Rhude Boy and Sandia. The Pollo al Carbon was not good at all. The chicken was smoked (dry) and the sauce underneath it taste like nothing. The veggies and potatoes were good though! The Hushpuppies tasted more like cinnamon and were simply not good. The Coco Greens tasted like kelp and coconut milk. Service was also decent! Our server was kind and friendly despite us returning the first thing that came out, the Hushpuppies. The drinks were made and sat for about 5mins after the bartender made them while our server was stocking silverware. Despite the food being nasty and the drinks taking some time to be served, I appreciated that they included gratuity for the sake of supporting staff. Overall, I liked the drinks but truly could've lived without the food.

I heard someone at my hairdresser mention this place having the only decent Cubano in the city…read more They had lived in Miami and found this place to be the most authentic - so we had to go. I haven't had a real Cubano but if it's like what we had at Cafe con Leche then I may need to book a flight. It was so good! We started with a small shot of espresso and moved on to a pair of tasty sandwiches. A Cubano for him and a marinated chicken sandwich for me. Our server was drifting between Spanish and English and greeted a number of the customers like old friends. Always an excellent sign.

The Ropa Vieja from here was quite good. It came as a very large amount of shredded beef, a smaller…read morehelping of rice, and fries to go along with it. I'll start with the beef, as it was the primary component of the dish. Despite it being flank steak, it was clearly simmered for a long time - and displayed none of the traditionally chewy or dry properties associated with the tougher cut. The sauce also helped - it was very well spiced, and had a slight tomato-like flavor. Mixing this with the yellow rice yielded something that was really satisfying to eat. The combination of sauce, beef, and rice was quite enjoyable, even with mixing the vegetables in for some extra crunch. The portion size of beef was crazy. When combined with the rice, the total amount of food here was solidly enough for two full meals. It is around 20 dollars for the dish, but I would classify that as a good value when you consider how much food you get. On the opposite side, I swapped the maduros out for fries. These...were not good. The fries tasted stale, hard, and not appealing at all. While the portion size was high, the appeal was not. The sauce that came with these was interesting at least. Overall, I think this is a very strong core dish at an impressive portion. Would recommend sticking with the plantains as a side though. 8.5/10

another Caribbean restaurant added to our list…read more we had the chicken sandwich, Caribbean plato and ofcourse Yuca fries. the chicken sandwich was amazing and like all Caribbean sandwiches, they leak delicious juices as you take a bite of the sandwich. the plato was amazing, the beans in particular was delicious along with the chicken and the corn. nothing why ever goes wrong with yuca fries. parking seemed very limited, however there is a paid parking lot adjacent to the restaurant.

We're out of town visitors, so we were unfamiliar with the ordering process...that means we sat…read moredown inside waiting for a waiter...who never came. After a while, I got up and asked someone who sort of explained that you're suppose to order upfront. Once we figured out their process, our four to-go orders were prepared very quickly...and the food was great! Special shout-out to Christian who was exceptional helping us out and making sure we got what we needed. Thanks Christian!