Kuba Kuba Dos

The food is very flavorful and the drinks hit the spot. The portion size of the food is great! There is always enough to take home. My leftovers always reheats to it original flavor (if not better). This place is definitely a go !

I give 4 stars because it is only my 1^st experience. And I plan to come back with ny fiancé and try more of the menu!

Fabulous food and nice and helpful staff. For the love of Pete, PLEASE learn the fine art of margarita making and serving. I understand that Cuba and Mexico are different countries/​regions. The food here would be so well paired with a freshly made margarita (no sour mix use agave, lime, etc).
Muchas Gracias!

As a huge fan of the original Kuba Kuba (KK), I had to come here to check out how Kuba Kuba Dos (KK2) stacked up. Final verdict, although food quality is identical, the ambience and service falls short:
1) Food quality– Food quality is spot on to the original. Delicious! And it’s true to taste as the dishes at the original KK. However, the drinks are a different story. The café con leche at this location (To be fair, I’ve only had it once), didn’t taste the same and was downright disappointing. It tasted like they used regular coffee instead of espresso. So great food, but avoid the hot drinks.
2) Ambience– Located in a strip shopping center, Kuba Kuba 2 does not have the same ambience as its predecessor due to its larger size. The original Kuba Kuba is small and quaint whereas KK2 is more spacious and allows greater capacity to seat larger parties. So yes, the KK cozy vibe wasn’t replicated successfully due to location and size, but KK2 is better to accommodate large parties.
3) Service– KK2 service is average, at best. Service at KK1 is much quicker possibly due to its small size. At KK2, the waitress’ section was, in my opinion, too large for her to service efficiently or she was not as experienced. We had to ask for multiple things which she didn’t seem that interested in getting us and when things were forgotten, no apology was given. This isn’t KK1 filled with 2 tops… 4 tables of 5 – 6 tops can be overwhelming which reflected in her service.
Overall, I personally prefer the original as I love the vibe there and I don’t mind waiting. However, the food quality is identical so if you take out food, you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference.

I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the location, it’s in a strip mall, and the fact that from the outside it looks a little shady but it was fantastic! We had a group of 8 and we were one of those pain in the butt parties but our server was awesome. She was polite, friendly and on top of it. I had a classic mojito and it was good, not the best I’ve ever had but it was good. I also had the Shrimp Enchilado (I think that’s what it was called) and it was superb! The portions are huge and full of flavor. I will definitely return!

My fiancé and I were told it would be a 15 minute wait despite 10+ tables being available. It was annoying to wait for no reason but the food was great. I had veggie paella and he had another paella! Delicious flavors!

Went there for breakfast after seeing the original place on TV, was not disappointed. Café con Leche was good and the Roast pork omelet was worth the trip. Will def be back again. highly recommend checking them out.

first time, we went the week after opening. good food as good as the original.
drinks were spot on. service was good.
oh, why 2 stars.
other times we got not so good service. food was not as good as in the past. Cuban sandwich without pickles and mustard… what is that? drinks were not good — mojitos were watery, unsweetened limeades. waitresses were non-​apologetic and didn’t seem to care.
we sat at the bar another time on a sunday and bartender was sloooooooooooooow coming to us. then it was even slowwwwwwwwwwer getting another round of poor excuse of a mojito.
we ordered a large take-​out order. of course, this took forever and we switched to beers because the bartender sucked and was a … we checked the order and of course, it was messed up. geeezzzzzzz
if we return, we give KKdos another chance. perhaps, new staff and bartenders can turn this around. the staff needs to care and there must be consistency with the food and drinks.
if not, it is doomed and it is a shame because we looked forward to the opening.

I went here for lunch today. It was my 2^nd time. This time I went with my mom and we decided to order a bunch of stuff and share. Let me just say, every element of each dish was delicious!
The chorizo/​beef meatballs were served in a robust tomato sauce.
We also ordered a cup of the black bean soup that was topped with a lime/​sour cream. It is definitely a good soup to order during the fall; it will warm you right up.
The mussels and shrimp appetizer came out of the kitchen piping hot! The shrimp are good size and the mussels were cooked just right which had chopped onions and tomatoes. It’s served with toasted buttered bread that you can dip in the broth as well.
The Pork Shank entrée was crispy, fatty, juicy goodness. I loved it. We only had enough appetite to finish half. The rest of it is in my fridge. It’s so good I will probably eat it cold!

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover as the inside of the restaurant is more appealing than the outside of the building. There is a wide variety of items to choose from on the menu. I missed having Cuban bread and was pretty impressed with the portion that I ordered. I was not too fascinated with my selected entrée, which was the Kuan Roasted Pork. The meat appears to look dry, but the flavor was okay. The lemon/​lime mojo hits you immediately upon tasting. I thought some sort of sauce should have been complimented with it. The waitress provided a honey ginger syrup and another spicy sauce that tasted like a habanero pepper purée. The plate was out portioned with lots of beans and not enough rice. The plantains are AMAZING! if I go back, it would be for the plantains and Cuban bread. Our waitress was nice.

The food is excellent! This was our third visit. Service was slow tonight, and the waitress had an awful attitude. Did not refill drinks at all during our meal. Had to ask for water. Had to take the check to our server to pay. Waitress basically threw the the check at us to sign.

$ 9.50 for a shot of Jameson? $ 5.50 most other places.
Kuba Kuba can kiss my Assa Assa with their pretentious overpriced mediocrity, and unfriendly employees and owners; just like most places I’ve experienced that are Giavos owned, where the spirit of the owners and employees emit arrogance, dismissiveness and entitlement. Thumbs down

Wow! Guava Ginger Shrimp! Fabulous! First time here, but definitely not the last! The waiter was very sweet and funny too! The music was upbeat and added to the overall festive experience. Bring your friends!

Welcome to the West End, Kuba Kuba 2! We are so happy to have you here.
DH and I have been trying for a while to stop by for dinner, but each time the wait to get a table has been more than impatient DH has been willing to endure (you would think he was a senior citizen!). So I got home from work early this past Friday and suggested we head to KK2 before it filled up.
On this visit, we decided to load up on appetizers instead ordering entrees. This way, we could try a little bit of everything. We munched on the empanadillas, coconut risotto cakes, chino latino role (which is like a cuban press sandwich rolled up like an egg roll) and the camaraones y mejillones (shrimp and mussels).
Not only was everything presented beautifully, everything tasted as good as it looked. We LOVED everything — and the shrimp and mussels dish especially stood out to us. The seafood was cooked and served with in a lime-​cilantro broth with big chunks of tasso ham (which I have not seen much outside of New Orleans). The dish was served with toasted bread to sop up all that goodness. I could have used an entire loaf to get every last drop!
Our service was attentive, helpful and pleasant. The server timed the arrival of our various appetizers so our table was never over-​crowded with too many plates of things.
As this place is just around the corner from us, I can see us making this a regular place. But we will try to arrive early as it is obviously loved by many of my neighbors as well!

Kuba Kuba Dos is tucked away in a strip mall surrounded by neighborhoods but it’s worth the journey. Always a fan of the original Kuba, I enjoy the bright, large space of the new location even more. The menu is an exploration in traditional, sometimes exotic foods. Make sure to ask questions if you aren’t sure what you are getting (a Spanish tortilla isn’t what you might think). From the breakfast treats (frittata) to the wonderful beans and rice, plantanos, and insanely good coconut risotto cakes all the way through to, what is rumored to be, Mama’s homemade tres leeches cake you will be delighted. Make sure you go hungry. Large portions will require a nap afterward.

Hahahahahaha omg this has to be the weirdest experience I’ve ever had at a restaurant. I was meeting a friend there for drinks and we have been dying to try the (slightly) larger west end version of Kuba Kuba for weeks. Firstly, I’m surprised by where it was. I seriously thought my GPS was playing a joke on me when it told me to turn onto Forest Ave and keep going. I literally live around the corner from Forest and have never been in this direction before. That made me excited because it’s so close to where I live, so I was hoping it was good. It was NOT.
When I pulled up to the place I was skeeved out. It looks like a crack shack on the outside. Not to say that some of my fave restaurants aren’t in crack shacks but the whole area had me a little freaked. There is not much at all for parking and I snagged one of the last spots at 5pm. I walked in and immediately thought that the pics of this place are way too kind. Not nearly as nice as I thought it would be for a new restaurant… and it was 90 degrees in there. I’m not joking. I know it was 90 degrees in there because it was 90 degrees outside and when I went inside there was no relief. So I walked up to the bar and sat on one of those majorly uncomfortable tiny olde-​tyme bar stools and thought I won’t be here long. My friend was lost (she couldn’t believe the location either I guess) so I decided to order a drink. The bartender greeted me and I asked for a wine list. Then he just… disappeared. I waited and waited and saw him at the other end of the bar making drinks and standing around looking confused. Someone else noticed and asked if I had been helped to which I replied «that guy is getting me a wine list… I think.» The man heard me and came back up and said «we actually don’t have a wine list.» Okaaaay. Could’ve said that from the get go. So I asked what he had for wine by the glass and he said a house white and house red. Okaaaaaaaay what are they? Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. I ordered the Sauvignon Blanc. Keep in mind that this entire exchange took 10+ minutes. He grabbed a glass, poured for me then went somewhere else. Wine was passable, not the typical cat-​pee smelling wine that I’m used to in a sauv Blanc but it would do.
Now this is where things get hilarious — a woman walks in and comes up to the bar to pass the time waiting for a table. She sits down next to my saved seat for my friend and asks for a wine menu from the same guy I did… AND HE BRINGS HER ONE. I guess he heard me chuckling because he looked at me and explained that the wine list was by the bottle only, and walked away. The lady who just walked up looked at me stunned and I said «yeah, I guess you look like the type who can finish a whole bottle by herself!» So proceeded to give her the by the glass options and she settled in the sauv blanc too. That’s when I noticed that they had wine on tap… four of them… different from the wine he gave me. When I asked him about what kind they were he said they were no-​name brands. Thinking he misunderstood me I asked «no what kind are they, as in varietal?» He looked confused and I said «I see one is a Rose?» He said yes and didn’t elaborate on them other than to say «they aren’t very good.» Hahaha what?!
At this point I have finished my first and am already ordering my second when my friend arrives. Also please keep in mind that because it was so hot in there I was beginning to get buzzed and dizzy, despite the water I was drinking. Part of me wanted my friend to get one glass with me before we settled up and went somewhere else, and the other part wanted to stay and order food and see how that played out. I gave my friend the specials since no one else seemed to want to bother and she went with the Pinot Noir. Big mistake… big…huge. Remember when I said it was 90 degrees in there? Well the wine she was served wasn’t far off. It was like lukewarm soup and didn’t taste good. Since it took her so long to get there my friend wasn’t at all impressed with this, but I told her it was pointless to ask for an on tap wine because «they weren’t very good» and all the other wines were by the bottle. We ended up closing out and leaving, and unfortunately I will not be back. Call me spoiled but I like my air conditioning. :)

Let me start off by saying my husband isn’t what you’d call a connoisseur. He’d be just fine with chicken tenders on the kids menu, no matter where we go.
This place was truly a pleasant surprise. Our server, Grace greeted us at the door. She was pleasant and helpful throughout our meal.
The food was amazing! We each got a house salad that was very fresh, colorful and tasty. The coconut risotto was so good. I got the pulled pork which was generous in its portion as well as delicious. I wanted to eat the entire plate, but I could only manage half. My husband got the elena ruiz and really liked it.
I have not been to the Kuba Kuba downtown, so I can’t compare the two. All I know is this place was great, from the staff to the atmosphere to the food; we loved all of it and will definitely return!

The Reuben and the Cuban are my two favorite sandwiches of all time. Perly’s does my favorite Reuben in Richmond and Kuba Kuba, my favorite Cuban. The authenticity oozing from Kuba Kuba’s monster-​of-​a-​Cuban (last time I got it, I ate the thing for three days, two meals a day,) is rather evident and the bread is absolutely incredible: crispy and rich, like a torta should be. They use high quality meats and cheeses in their Cuban, and you can tell: everything just tastes so fresh, and even when I’m sickeningly full, it’s hard to not take another bite!– it’s like crack. Their coffee is also notorious for being rich, dark and perfect taken black, as good Cuban coffee should be, and those fried plantains I could just sit here and eat a plate of. (The best plantain dish in Richmond is my next hunt, but I have a feeling these may stay up there!) The place has an extensive menu, and you really can’t go wrong with any of it, and despite hearing reviews here about the service, last I went, I remember having prompt, friendly service with frequent refills and check-​ups, and yes– yes, it’s a bit loud, but it’s a hearty Cuban establishment. Everyone’s a loud, hearty person enjoying an island feast at this place! I thought Dos was perfectly on par with the food quality of the original Kuba Kuba, and I’ll definitely make another trip soon. It’s a great gift to have out here in the desolate suburban waste of the West End.

The family decided to give KK2 a shot. We had gone to the original several times to average outcomes, but with some high points. KK2 did have two high points, bud sadly neither were related to service or food.
Starting with the good. The décor and spacing of tables in the added location is great. Tin ceilings, good colors and the required wall pictures. All perfectly suited to the kk2 experience.
Sadly, once you sit at the table, everything else appears to go awry. The server while pleasant during interactions, was largely absent after providing our drinks and taking our order until the food arrived. The lack of attention was highlighted as a result of it taking a woefully long time for the food to arrive.
As for the food, my son ordered the pasta with cheese, my wife the veggie paella and I the Cuban. We also ordered plantanos to share. Starting with the pasta, my comment would be, «why bother!» A nice sized bowl of pasta served with a minuscule topping of cheese that reached a level of tastelessness seldom rivaled. My wife’s paella was beautifully presented in a large bowl. Sadly that was the highlight. There was no balance of flavor, nor elements. An example was full cloves of garlic that were found at various points of eating less that half the bowl. The dish came with a piece of corn bread that was so dry and bland, it was inedible. Finally, the Cuban. The pork and bread were excellent! However, the cheese, pickle and mustard were non-​evident in the sandwich. This resulted in a sandwich that lacked contrast and thus in the end was only mildly satisfying.
The sum for this event was 39 dollars, which based on the quantity of food was fair, but based on the quality of food and service was over priced. So, as much as I long for some of the dishes that are offered at KK2, I’m afraid that it will be a while until we venture there again.

Oh yes, a fan staple finds its way to the west end… hopefully nothing is lost in translation… we were lucky enough to agree on a place for a Mother’s Day treat, and happily, the menu remains a constant of both locations and there’s lots of choice, from eggs and breakfast served all day, from entrees to their staples, the cuban sandwiches and their awesome variations.
First, the space… if you are a fan of the old Graffiti Grille (best shimp blt’s on challah I’ve had, ever), you’ll recognize the shape of the dining room, the open kitchen area and elongated bar. Little has changed as far as the space is concerned but you know you are not in Kansas anymore by the Latin-​themed music and décor. It’s peppy, it’s fun, and it’s pure Kuba Kuba.
Second the food… happily as good as the original, if not better. The sandwiches were big hits with the kids and the appetizers, especially the avocado salad, were a nice size and well-​seasoned. The guava ginger shrimp entrée was the most impressive thing we ate, with nice sized shrimp and a sauce that was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. The rice and vegetables were a perfect compliment.
The pressed cuban sandwich or «cubano» is their signature, and I love it, but lately they have not been as good as they have been in the past. When a cuban is right, ALL of the flavors of the meats, cheeses and pickles work in harmony to create a perfect storm of flavor. The saltiness of the meat is usually tempered by the pickle, cheese and mustard, but my last cuban here was predominantly salty due to the relative weakness of the other ingredients, or maybe the amounts? The pickles in particular needs to step up a bit, or maybe they need to get them from a different vendor. Not enough dill to the pickle… a small complaint but when these ingredients sing… you have something magical. And I could barely make out the mustard on my sandwich. Have I been sleeping through the great mustard shortage of 2015?
Third, the waitstaff. While our server was good, there was an obvious lack of menu knowledge that I understood given the newness of the location, but when I asked about what an exotic sounding special appetizer was, the waiter assured me that he would «go and find out.» He never did. That’s OK given the choices and tastes of what we ate, but another patron may remember that in not as good of a light as me, and you certainly want to make sure the specials are discussed with your staff so there is no confusion, especially when the choices sound so fun and tantalizing.
So overall, Kuba Kuba Dos hits all the right notes, and is a welcome addition to the Tuckahoe Shopping Center. Just remember your spanish english dictionary if it gets tricky on the specials board, and maybe hope for a bit more zest for the future pickles and mas mostaza por favor? Gracias!