Son Cubano

very nice place inside… good mojitos… tres leche was very dry… plantains and yellow rice were DELICIOUS! if you’re not cuban, you will like it… if you ARE cuban… you’ll notice that the mosaic cuban flag out in front of the restaurant is incorrect! TOO MANY STRIPES! shame shame shame on them!
nice place, i’d do it again.

why why WHY did SC close??? so sad. I loved this place.
SAD FACE.

Hungry for Cuban cuisine? Look no further than Son Cubano, which was located in the meatpacking district, but recently moved to chelsea. I haven’t been to their new location, but have eaten at their old location plenty of times and have loved it.
They have a great menu, with a variety of different selections. I personally like their ceviche and albondigas. For drinks, definitely try one of their mojitos, great choice for a summer meal. Their décor was great as well, they had these beautiful paintings of 1960’s Havana on the walls, and they often have live music usually jazz, blues, or spanish guitar. They also stay open late on Saturdays for a fun dance party. They have a lot to offer and the food is pretty tasty. You won’t be disappointed.

I have only been here once for a dinner party of seven a while back…
I really don’t have much to say except my food was undercooked and left much to be desired. (I had the Ropa Vieja which I totally didn’t finish)
Aside from that we were rushed to finish our plates.
I wondered why? I also thought our waiter was rude and not attentive to our needs.
NO WONDER…
The freaking place turns into a night club after with dancing and all. As soon as we were done the waiters just lifted our table right off out of the way… (where the hell did it go?)
Next thing I knew people were dancing all around us with drinks in there hands.
It was packed and they didn’t have the AC on so there was no air circulation what so ever.
I was so not feeling this place and was suffocating, plus I had to work the next morning so I just said my good byes and left. (Listen if I was having fun I would have stayed, who care about work in the morning, not the case here though.)
When I walked out to my surprise there was a huge line to get into this place. I was amazed at how many people were just standing on line.
(ugh! I’m not the wait and stand on line kind of girl) I would much rather then take my butt some where else… lol
Anyways I do want to try there sister restaurant Flor de Sol and hope the food and service/​crowd in much better than this place.
So Disappointing =/

This restaurant has fantastic, fresh, cuban food in a perfectly decorated, lively, and authentic setting in an amazing neighborhood!
THE LOCATION: Located in the heart of the always cool meat-​packing district, it surrounded by great shopping, and fabulous restaurant, it is still stands out as one of the best places to eat in this area. It is across the street from DVF if memory serves me correctly, and obviously street parking is not too much of an option unless you get lucky, but they have great valet service
DECOR/​AMBIANCE: The décor is just amazing and breathtaking. It is clearly latin/​cuban inspired, but still clean, lush, gorgeous, and comfortable. The lighting is warm and the vibe is bustling, inviting, and cool. This might sound wierd, but I got this sense of fresh luxury the second I walked in the door!
FOOD: The fooooodd… oh the food, the food is amazing! I wanted to eat almost everything on the menu. They have tons of small plates, appetizers and salads that are great for sharing! My friend and I split the avocado-​mango salad and the homemade plantain chips with black bean dipping sauce. honestly, they were both amazing, my friend and I actually fought for the last bits of plantain chips. The plantain chips were so amazingly fresh, the outside was perfectly crispy, but the insides were perfectly soft and amazing.
For entrée I got a special which was the grilled white fish with mango salsa, served with yucca & lime. This dish was PHENOMENAL. it was simple, but fresh and authentic, and the white fish was cooked literally to perfection. The yucca with lime as also an amazingly powerful yet simple combination.
Once thing that i noticed about what makes their food good is that it is truely authentic, simple, and fresh. They just do cuban food, but they do it well using great ingredients and powerful flavors.
DRINKS: I didn’t order any drinks, but everyone around me ordered drinks that looks amazing and they all seemed to love them. The bar was also amazing-​looking, and there was quite a bar scene.
SERVICE: The service was also amazing. I am always worried about the service when I go to such a nice, borderline posh restaurant in such an upscale neighborhood, but the service was fantastic. The host was very welcoming and accommodating. My friend and I took forever to decide on what to order and out waiter was SO patient and helpful the entire time. He also came back to ask how the food was, and he let us hang out for a good while after finishing our food, never ever pressing us to leave even though it was a friday night and it was super-​crowded.

I’ve been here on a few occassions and they never cease to disappoint. Their food is tasty and their service is attentive.
The sangrias are also very addicting! On certain nights they also have a live band playing which can get a little loud but that’s the atmosphere you’d expect anyway. Good for groups too, but be sure to make a reservation as it can get crowded.

OK… pick your poison.
The BAD: Meatpacking district. No parking unless you get really lucky. Get here early or you will spend a good amount of time outside… and trust me…45 minutes outside in 25 degree NYC cold is not fun AT ALL. Or 100 degree humidity for that matter.
$ 5 coat check (Mandatory)
$ 7 beers and $ 11 mixed drinks in shooter glasses filled with ice.
Really tight to walk around with weekend crowd since the Friday and Saturday crowd packs it in.
THE GOOD: The food is pretty good if you come on a night where you can sit down in peace and enjoy the live music and friendly atmosphere. Not the best prices… but what do you expect.
Yes the Friday/​Saturday DJ plays latin music and hip hop. What do you expect him to play? The crowd is all in… dancing, Drinking, laughing, taking pictures. No wall standers here… or at least not that I’ve observed. Go in to have fun and just let loose. Other than the fact that it can be really crowded, I have always had a good time here. I can always get a dance and always get to the bar and get a drink. Bathroom runs have not slowed me down since the attendant keeps it movin.
OVERALL: Pricey, Crowded, long wait outside but good food, good crowd and party music inside. You make the choice! 4 stars… I’m a fan.

Sooo I luv Spanish food… maybe a lil too much. It’s in the blood.
Son Cubano is a nice lounge like restaurant. Great Mojitos. jus can’t stop at one. I had the Churrasco, that’s the skirt steak. lots of flava. It cam e w/​yucca aka the Spanish potato… LOL!
My one complaint is the lighting. I get we want to create ambiance, but I’m always worried that there is a reason it’s so dark… what don’t you want me to see? Are there things crawling around? Is there a fly in my food that u don’t want me to see? LOL! I know, maybe not a big deal but it makes me go… hmmm, i wonder.

Ttasty but i think it was a little over priced. I guess i was surprised that they charged you for every refill on your soda… We ordered the ropa vieja and it was a-​OK! I think «Arcoiris» in Tampa, FL is ten times better then Son Cubanos.
The service was not up to standard since we constantly had to keep trying to get our server’s attention to refill drinks! He didn’t even come and check on us after the meal was served. For the service this place stinks!

I have been to Son Cubano for drinks a number of times, and for dinner twice. They make arguably the best mojito I’ve ever had, but my dining experiences have been mixed. My first dinner at Son Cubano was in a large group. My meal was phenomenal, and the many small plates that we sampled were also incredible.
My second experience was on a date, and I was very disappointed. Perhaps the place has gone downhill, or perhaps I had just built it up too much in my head, but everything that I had on my second experience at Son Cubano was very average.
If I graded the two dinners separately, I would probably say that it was five stars and two stars. Since the two star experience was my sober experience (and my more recent experience), I had to round down.

I had completely forgotten how much I detest this place until my friend told me he was contemplating having a dinner party here. «Oh no,» I said. «Not again.»
Maybe on an off day, when it’s relatively quiet, the place could be… bearable. But not on a Friday or Saturday night when the rude bouncers, riff raff crowns and ridiculous coat check policies magically appear. No thanks.
The food isn’t mind blowing. The drinks are sub-​par. The service is standard. You could get more amazing Cuban food at Cortadito or Cafecito in the East Village for less.
Why would I wait an hour outside in the cold to have to mandatorily check my coat at a cost to pay for over-​priced, watered down drinks and eat food I could eat anywhere else at a fraction of the cost? Because for some reason, some people think 2 salsa songs played make for a night of salsa dancing. No. If you want salsa, go to Oliva’s in the LES. Small but at least the crowd and bouncers aren’t pretentious.
And this isn’t a bad review of just one visit to Son Cubano. I have gone a number of times and every time I leave with my blood boiling and praying to the heavens none of my other friends decide to meet up at this place.
Next time someone asks me to meet them at Son Cubano, I will decline and meet them at the next spot — because even the people that like this place can only take the sweltering heat and big crowd for so long.

LOVED Son Cubano with it’s energetic vibe that is all about fun with a Cuban flair!
Stumbled upon this little treasure as two out-​of-​towners looking for something to eat, that was different and yet, sounded appealing. Son Cubano fit the bill!
Wandered in around 9:30 or so on a Saturday night. Told us it would be about a 20 minute wait, but it was a mere ten minutes later that the host was blowin’ up my phone.
Bar was packed but we were still able to grab a drink before dinner. Didn’t have one, but the mojito appears to be the drink du jour.
Live music got the bar patrons dancing salsa between tables of diners. No one seemed to mind. It just added to the vibe.
Food was great. Server was on the ball. Lingered over dinner and people-​watched for two hours. Girls were dressed to the nines in their swanky, fun dresses and high, high heels. Guys were decked out in jeans and button-​up shirts.
Don’t get to come to NY often enough, but next time I do, Son Cubano will be on the itinerary!

I feel so alive when I enter this place… I hear ya Cuba! I hear ya loud and clear. Love the live band. The dark mahogany hand crafted bar with the beautiful accents are so aesthetically pleasing. It really does bring you back to 1950’s Havana.
I came here a couple times to have dinner and late lunch. I have not been here for the awesome nightlife. I hear it’s some saucy spanish dancing!
O.K back to the food! I have tried an array of tapas. Many of the tapas are good, but there is one that I walk out thinking — damn I gotta come back for that… Vieras Ciego de Avila is a delectable little dish. Nice jumbo scallops lightly seared in butter with sweet plaintains. Then an amazing pomegranate sauce that is not too sweet, but with a hint of tart accompanies this tapa to give your taste buds a WOO WHOO! Yess! My taste buds do say «WOO WHOO! «
I’ve also had the Arroz con Pollo and was kinda dissapointed. It makes me question the whole Cuban/​Spanish authenticity of the place… So a whole star off for that =T

Although service was good, this place is definitely past its prime. The live music was also way too loud if you are coming here to dine (for dancing it is ok).
The appetizers all tasted very tired and uninteresting. We tried the puff pastry with ground meat, the cuban sandwiches, the fried plaintain cups with crab, the fried calamari and the octopus cooked in creole cuban sauce. All very meh-​tasting.
The only slightly better dish was the paella in that the seafood used was very fresh and nicely-​sized. But even then, the paella overall was very watery.
Definitely other better places to hit for a good meal in the meatpacking district.

Late night, Son Cubano is a lively gathering spot for attractive latinos or people who wish they were latino. The music is jammin with salsa, merengue, and reggaeton. And, every song that comes on the whole crowd does the «omg, this is my jam» squeal and begins singing extra loud and off with such enthusiasm you can help but make up your own words and join the fun. Everyone is very open and having a great time dancing, despite the fact that there is absolutely no room to show off your skills even if you had any. Guys are liable to grab your hand and swing you into some salsa dance despite your protests over how much you suck. But, that’s all part of the fun =)
It kinda gets that hazy, smoky feel of basement parties because of all of the body heat being generated in there. Prepare to sweat. Prepare to wait in line to get in. Also prepare to pay $ 5 for the mandatory coat check, but there no cover so yay!
Anyway, I gotta come back and hook myself up with a mojito next time. I like.

! Dame mas gasolina !
* Holla Daddy Yankee fans *
I was ecstatic within 5 minutes of walking into this bar, I could feel it. The energy. It’s on your skin, in your core and instantly you want more. It consumes you.
That’s not the only consuming thing here.
The mojitos, oh no. I mean… OH YES!!! These were insanely good. By that I mean, you’d be insane not to slam down $ 13 bucks for a passionfruit mojito. If you’re not feeling the passionfruit, they also have mango or just the original mojito for $ 10. Everyone was downing one of these babies, from the hot lesbian chick who wouldn’t let go of my friend’s hand, to the beefy looking Latin guy getting it down on the dance floor to my conservative friend who threw her cover-​up sweater to reveal her sexy self to everyone. Yowza. These mojitos are definite creepers. Their sangria is killer as well. Ask for Ritchie, he’ll hook you up.
The pulsating beats make you shake what your mama gave ya. Their music is heavy on reggaeton so fans of Daddy Yankee, Don Julio and yes, even some Shakira music were mixed in. Definitely one of the best party nights I’ve had in NYC.
Son cubano I’m crazy for you and as Shakira puts it, hips DON’T lie!

Great times and great people.
We weren’t going to wait an hour for the Spice Market… so we walked over to Son Cubano and waited 5 minutes.
My buddie and his wife took me to this place. Good times and good food. BUT NO CUBAN BEER???
I had the Pallomilla steak (med rare of course) and a D.R. Presidente beer! Good stuff… the tapas were good too…
The atmosphere of the place is good… lots of hot looking women and a nice live Cuban band!

So, which is better? Going to a restaurant, armed with the knowledge (either through word of mouth or review) that you’re probably getting a good meal? OR… just wandering around town and happening upon someplace that turns out to be excellent? Well, we can answer that question another day, but it is the latter that lead me to Son Cubano during my very first trip to NYC. Although I am a strong believer in doing dining research when visiting a new city, I figured «This is NYC, great restaurants are everywhere.» So, after work and without any idea what I waned to eat, I set out to wander the streets of Chelsea and into the Meatpacking District. Within 20 minutes, I found Son Cubano and thought «Yeah, Cuban food sounds good.»
The inside is very dimly lit and the crowd was sparse, which did not bode well. However, the waitier assured me that the crowds don’t pick up there until 8PM or so. OK, fine. After ordering an obligatory (and very good) mojito, I perused the menu and saw all the usual Cuban classics. I decided on something simple, Arroz con Pollo, thinking that if this place was worth its salt, then it should nail a staple like this. Logical thinking paid off, because this might have been the best interpretation of this dish I’ve had. Deeply flavorful, juicy chicken and perfectly cooked rice. Served with a side dish of plantains, this
I’ve eaten here since and the experience has been equally good. The empenadas and ropa viejo are both delicious.
The tres leches cake as merely OK. To be honest, I think I make better at home. But, I highly doubt I could replicate any of the entrees, so I guess I’ll just have to come back.

It’s Friday evening in Manhattan and we’ve got a reservation for 13 girls at Le Souk. Of course we’re running late. Frantic blowouts and artfully applied lip gloss ensue. The pitter-​patter of Christian Louboutin on hardwood. Balancing flutes of Veuve and mascara wands. At 6:30pm the phone rings and our worlds come crashing down (insert melodramatic popular song).
«Hello, this is Le Souk calling to cancel your reservation. Sorry, but there’s been a gas leak so we’re unable to seat any parties this evening.
Toxic air? This is a joke, right? It is Friday the 13^th after all.
:dead silence:
Fast forward through a wine-​fueled calling spree. Son Cubano emerges as the lusty hero: 10:30pm it is. A small procession of cabs to the Meatpacking District later and we enter the Cuban haunt dressed to the nines. Coats are whisked away, introductions to the charming manager made, and we’re oh-​so-​prominently seated in flashy New York style.
The restaurant is so dim that reading the menu requires hand-​held candlelight, also making a champagne fête compulsory. My father would hate the dark, loud setting… but I loved it.
On to the food. I try the Croquetas de Queso (goat cheese and hazelnut croquettes drizzled with honey and lime) and the mini Cuban sandwiches. Both were fantastic, but the croquetas unabashedly won me over. And, if you somehow find yourself growing tired of naked champagne (it happens), nuzzle up to a Bellito (rum, muddled lime, mint, peach purée and champagne). Exquisite, I tell you.
Our server and the management were super accommodating and attentive. And the bartenders — just darling! (especially our new friend Giovanni). When we weren’t being entertained by the wait staff, the energetic live music set followed by a DJ spinning hot tracks ’til 4am held our attention steadfast.
** Warning: completely irrelevant portion of my review starts here **
Coming off a late Thursday night, I was fading fast at 2am and then HE entered the scene. Gorgeous Colombian with stop-​the-​world magnetic charm and infectious smile. Still, I’m not easily impressed.
I stay away. No, I don’t want to dance with you. Dance with my friends, I tell him, let the birthday girl kiss you. Can the Veronicas please help? Because their song ‘Untouched’ (which was playing) in short intervals so perfectly punctuated my rapture.
«See you, breathe you… give me all of you.»
He comes back. I’m all calm exterior with racing heart. Sit, talk, laugh, linger. So closely. Can’t be — he’s intelligent and interesting AND delicious. Then there’s the almond-​shaped eyes, bee-​stung lips, a sexy shadow of stubble and thick, boyish hair. And that voice. Welcome back chemistry, how I’ve missed you.
«I can’t lie… wanna get what I want… don’t stop.»
A brush of the knee while matching his gaze. Intensity. Music, politics, books and stories. Daringly honest stories… did I really just say that? Where has the time gone? Never mind — let’s STOP time.
«And I want you so much… I just can’t resist you.»
But… my Catholic schoolgirl discipline won and we ended the evening there. Save for an innocent kiss. Despite his best efforts to get me to grab a bite with him (no, can’t leave my friends), bring back a dozen of my girlfriends to his place so he could play mixologist (no, they’d think that was strange) or otherwise woo me, I resisted. So go find this man ladies… dance with him, kiss him, love him, exercise extreme passion! I’ll even extend my blessing and buy you a celebratory bottle of your favorite champagne (disclaimer: all the while I’ll be biting my bottom lip in envy). Because every girl should experience this kind of attraction.
Dare to live, live to love. And yes, I did get his number.

Meat packing district– dress to impress or you’ll stick out like a giraffe.
Good food and nice mix of people.
Pros: Beautifully decorated, live music, good food, and the waiters kept our glasses filled with water, AMAZING dessert (get the chocolate cake!)
Cons: HUGE waiting list (make a reservation), slightly on the pricey end, but not completely outrageous, and they have weird rules when you go to dinner: each person is forced to order an entrée or 2 tapas.
HINT when you go to the restaurant– Don’t opt for the 2 order of tapas… unless you plan on sharing a bunch with your friends on top of the entrees. The tapa portions aren’t enough to get you full. Order an entrée, it’s more worth your money and you get way more food.
Great place for dinner… even for big parties! We had about 9 people at our table.
Happy Eating!