Equelecuá Cuban Cafe

Very nice little café with a homey feel. Went for lunch, would love to come back again for a lunch with friends. An outside seat on a nice day if you can grab one looks like it would be great. Food is good, not amazing, but I love the vibe so much i don’t need superstar culinary skills.

Amazing vegan food and friendly staff!

We had just left LAX and looked up Cuban restaurants nearby. We found this restaurant and went to try it out. As soon we arrived we were greeted with open arms. The lady explained it was a vegan restaurant. We told her that we will try the food. The service was excellent and the atmosphere were like we were in Cuba. She provided a papa rellena (potato ball). It was excellent. We ordered the food and I had shrimp in garlic and it was excellent. One of our boys orders a salad with chicken it was outstanding. The picadillo was outstanding. The dessert arroz con leche was so tasty. The good thing that all the food was healthy and being Cuban we had never had Cuban Vegan. I highly recommend the restaurant. Thank you for the great service!

I haven’t even finished my food yet and I gotta say it’s so AMAZING!
1– I’m not a vegan at all. I’m a huge carnivore.
I’ve eaten vegan food twice at «the stuff I eat» because my dad turns vegan once a month .
That place is so good. I felt like it was real meat I was eating. But I never decided to branch off to try other places because the stuff I eat is a black owned restaurant and block people can’t mess up on food in my eyes :)
2– ive lost 14 lbs in 2 months eating healthier daily. but it’s very depressing foods. So I’m trying to find healthier alternatives daily to keep this weight dropping .
Which brings me here now:
So I came here today because it’s 1 minute from home, I LOVE CUBAN FOOD and men, and I figured Cubans are just black Spanish people too so there’s no way this place can be bad. And if it is, oh well trial and error.
I got the picadillo plate.
It comes with raisins, but I asked for them to take them out.
It also comes with rice and black beans.
Soooooooo delicious!
I also got the papa rellena (potato balls) .
And I swear they are humongous and sooooo bomb!
I love Portos potato balls. But I’m not even kidding these are so much better.
I will definitely be returning Bc I feel like I’m not even eating healthy and it’s mouth watering
Thank you!

Love this place, the staff is super friendly and chill, all good vibes. Well worth the drive from Anaheim. The bf and I shared the nachos which were out of this world, I seriously have been wronged eating nacho cheese with corn tortilla chips all these years. The banana chips are the stuff of dreams paired with the picadillo. The cuban sandwich that the bf had was fire, it tastes like they used daiya slices which was a good choice on their part to give it that cheesy gooey goodness. I had a tamale combo plate with maduros that I absolutely loved. No take home boxes necessary it was good to the last bite!

The ambiance was good. The food was good to okay. The service was nice, yet non-​existent.
I was greeted promptly and felt immediately comfortable with the abundance of smiles from one of the servers. I immediately found that i would have to speak in Spanish, versus them speaking in English. I chose to sit on the patio. Nice ambiance. The server wouldn’t let me enjoy it for constantly asking me if i was ready to order. I finally ordered a drink and told him I was waiting for friends, so no need to come back until they arrived.
Soon after, my friends arrived. One immediately ordered, while my other friend and I simply ordered drinks and took our leisurely time. I didn’t like the coconut-​wanna-​be agua fresca, but it was refreshing. My friend liked her green Cuban soda. Friend One received her Cuban sandwich as we ordered picadillo and the shrimp dish. As we waited, we saw the immediate distaste on Friend One’s face. She ate the yucca fries, but bit into the sandwich and said it tasted like Spam. By the time the server came back with our dishes, Friend One stated that she didn’t like her dish. Their (server and cook) response? «Sorry to hear that.» And they walked away. Wow. We couldn’t get service the remainder of the eve. Friend Two said she would have ordered another drink. I would have ordered dessert. But oh well…
When we went to pay, the owner said, «I’ll take 50% off because you didn’t like it. If I would do anything else, I lose.» Wow again. Won’t you lose by simply offering bad food and service? Shouldn’t he have offered another dish – like an hour ago? Shouldn’t he have offered to take the whole thing off the check? I didn’t snip the server, because I think he just got too busy for his own good. When I came in, it was only me. When we left, there was someone at each table. So he got his tip, but we promised not to return.
Well, been here. Done this. No need to do it again (as there are many other cultural restaurants right in the same complex).

My friends and I visited this restaurant on June 3, 2016. I can honestly say that this was one of the worst dining experiences that I have ever had. I asked the owner/​chef for his recommendation and he suggested the Cuban sandwich. When it arrived, it looked like thinly sliced spam between two slices of burnt bread. In light of the positive recommendation, I ignored the fact that it didn’t look very appetizing and gamely took a bite. It tasted as bad as it looked. The cheese looked and tasted like glue and stuck to my mouth and fingers like Elmer’s. The spam looking substance was similarly inedible. When told my very nice server (in both Spanish and English) that I didn’t like my sandwich, he looked very uncomfortable and pointed to the owner/​chef and said to tell him, which I did. He responded by saying «sorry» and walking away. Neither my server or the owner ever came back to check to see if I wanted anything else or take away the disgusting spammy sandwich. In fact, our server never checked on us at all after bringing our food. When we went to the register to pay our bill, the owner tried to charge me for the terrible sandwich! When he saw the shocked look on my face, he said he would «only charge me 50%, since he can’t lose money.» When I reminded him that I did not eat the sandwich because I found it to be inedible, he tried to blame the situation on me for accepting his recommendation (?). After some back and forth, he ultimately agreed to take the sandwich off of the bill.
Bottom line: terrible food and non-​existent customer service with two exceptions – (1) our server was nice, but inattentive; and (2) I had a delicious, but small and way overpriced rum raisin cupcake. Neither is worth a return trip.

Camarones al Ajillo was what I had and I was confused … It was like real shrimp texture! (Well from what I can remember when I ate shrimp). The picadillo was good but had an olive taste. If you live olives you will like that dish. Yucca was bomb! I had the rum cake and it was spectacular!!! Pima colada cheesecake was good too! Cute seating area in the back.

Five stars! This is a great find a Cuban restaurant that’s vegetarian and very tasty!
Had the picadillo and classic black beans and rice. All vegetarian and you wouldn’t know it… Wash down with a tasty Guanabana juice drink… great food family owned. Will return

POTATO BALL LOVERS: this is your place to try out a gigantic potato ball. I am not Vegan but wow this impressed me.
Pros:
–Service is friendly!
–potato ball was extra crispy & crunchy on the outside, the inside was warm & savory.
–vegan chicken wings had the texture & taste on point! It’s as good as chicken wings, trust me!
Conclusion: non-​vegan or vegan, this was some BOMB food! If you are close to LAX, this is a good place to call your order in then pick up. It’s 1 – 2 miles away from LAX!

There are words that have no business being in proximity to one another like — President and Trump, SuperGlue and toilet seats, and vegan with Cuban cuisine. I wont be trying the first two of that series, but the idea of veganizing one of the most meat-​centric meal cultures intrigues me…
After a staring contest in the parking lot with some surly East African cabbies, I was greeted with the soft smiles of Equelecuá’s staff. There’s a handful of brightly decorated tables, tropically themed art prints, and a tented outdoor seating to protect you from the urban desert sun. Naturally a cool drink was in order –
Granada Burbujitas are natural sodas sweetened with fruit, not high fructose corn syrup. The passion fruit version was surprisingly tart and lightly carbonated. Less than 10 minutes later, lunch was served.
The Vegan Cuban Sandwich features a Spam-​like pork patty, house-​cured pickles, deli mustard, and Veganaise pressed down to the size of an iPad. I wasn’t expecting it to be as savory as the real thing, but the real surprise came in the pronounced coconut flavor of this Latin-​inspired panini. It wasn’t inedible but it was definitely off.
Yuca Fries where appropriately fluffy inside and crispy outside, dashed with salt flakes, and served with a shot glass of garlic sauce that made my breath lethal to any vampire within 50 ft.
I wouldn’t wish Veganism on my worst enemy (or inept presidential candidates) but I’d be happily lured back to Equelecuá’s as it’s quick, clean, and cruelty-​free.

I came here before I headed to LAX. I was the only customer at the time that I arrived. I ordered the picadillo and it was GOOD! I recently became a vegetarian and being half Puerto Rican, I have been longing for some comfort foods. Cuban & Puerto Rican cuisine is similar but still have their own distinct dishes.
Anyways, I had the picadillo and it came with white rice and beans. I also ordered a side of maduros. Everything was good! The only thing I have to pick at is the saltiness of the picadillo. It was a bit too much for me but I still finished the entire plate. Also, it is kind of pricey but since this is the ONLY vegan/​vegetarian Cuban eatery in LA, I will overlook it and treat myself here every once and a while. I want to try the Ropa Vieja next. I will be here next month when I fly out of LAX again.
I would definitely recommend this spot!

What a delightful find! Work brought me to this unassuming mini-​strip mall in Inglewood and my palate is better for it.
Plan to spend a bit of time here, as beverages and food appear and taste like «from scratch.» It’s worth the wait! I enjoyed the vegan Cuban and the cheese (vegan) actually melted. The passionfruit soda was fresh and custom made.
This little meat-​free spot offers a splendid assortment of meat-​substitutes. It was refreshing to have an entire menu to order from and to actually have options one can sink one’s teeth into.
I can hardly wait to take my GF here. I’ll get bonus points, for sure! ;)

Laura Unilocaled this Cuban eatery. It was highly rated. So we ate dinner there. Good place like back in Cuba (or any Caribbean Island). Except, the restaurant was vegan. Also, everybody was speaking English. I was completely shocked. This doesn’t even transpire in South Florida. Twilight zone. Wow.
*Laura gave her meal 3.5-stars. She thought it tasted great, however, it felt different than meat in her belly… Like her digestion was different. A little uneasy.
*David gave his meal 3.5-stars. He’s a vegan eating vegan food and thought it was tasty, however, heavy like carby. He highly recommends the Papaya Soda.
*Alicia (that would be me) gave her meal 5-​stars. I ate a meal that my Trinidad & Tobago parents or Cuban/​Cuban-​American friends would feed me (without the salad & rice). And I recommend the whole menu.
If you happen to be in the airport area, and feel a sudden urge for vegan food, eat here: Equelecua Cuban Café.

I love trying food from different cultures, which can be a little difficult to navigate when you don’t eat animal products. When I saw there was a vegan Cuban restaurant in the area, I had to try it!
I’ve always wanted to try a medianoche sandwich, and Equelecua does a great job. It’s on the thin side, not the thick, meaty sandwich I was expecting, but it tasted like a grilled cheese and I will never complain about that. It came with yucca frita and a garlicky mojo sauce that I just loved. The fries were so creamy inside, they were amazing! I had a papaya soda that was very refreshing and complimented this tropical meal perfectly.
There are so many things on the menu I want to try, I’ll definitely be visiting again. It’s worth the drive!

Delicious. My fallen star is due to slow service. I’m pretty sure our waiter forgot to put in our order so we ended up waiting for like 35 mins for our food after ordering. He came over after like 25 mins and told us it would be another 10 minutes. *sigh*
Food: 5 Stars!
Fire Wings: So tangy, spicy, crispy, chewy. I will be craving these things!
Ropa Vieja: Great taste but didn’t hold a candle to…
The Arroz con Pollo: So garlicly and lemony. The soy protein makes a girl wonder why she ever ate meat. The tostones that come with it were fried perfectly. Crispy, salty and light and fluffy.
We finished with their espresso. Sweet and strong.
The restaurant is cozy with only about 8 tables. We saw tons of people come in for take out which is what we will do in the future.
I think we just came on an off day with our waiter so hopefully in the future I will be posting an updated review with 5 stars!
If you are a longtime vegan/​vegetarian or a meat lover, there is something here for everyone!

Man I hate to be the one to give it less than 5 stars, but I have to take away 1 star for cleanliness. I was the first one to walk in the door when they opened at 11am and the floors had white scraps of trash as well as other debris. Other than that, everything was great. Be advised that there are only 3 tables in this small establishment. Although service was friendly, I would probably recommend carry out because of the small dining room.
I had the Cuban nachos and they were unique as well as good. For dessert, I had half of a raisin rum cupcake (they are small — $ 3). Nice to see a vegan CUBAN restaurant. Would get a carry out order again when going to/​from the LAX airport in the future.

Went here for the first time last Sunday, ⁰²⁄₁₄ with my friend. We’ve heard good things about this place and were excited to try the food!
I went in not expecting anything and it was the best experience! Everything we ordered was mouthgasmic! We ordered papas rellenos, Cuban nachos, Media Noche Sandwich (comes with yucca fries but order more! You won’t regret it!), & the appetizer sampler that consists of tostones, plantains, and yucca fries. So freakin’ good!!!
This is my new fav restaurant! No hype here, just the truth! Go here to enjoy delicious food and support a family business! Even your animal-​eating friends will enjoy it!

A great find near the LAX airport!
If you’re tired of regular airport food and LAX is you’re final destination then this is the place for you! It’s near the rental car exit and just a few blocks away. It’s hidden in a strip mall so trust your maps app and follow it through!
Service was fast and friendly so if you’re in a hurry, you can even order ahead and have it to go. I had the vegan chicken (arroz con pollo) and amazingly it tasted great! Their sodas are home made and well worth it. Plus a free espresso during weekdays from 12 – 2. This is a great deal!
This is one of the times I’m glad I looked at Unilocal and found a 5-​star place to enjoy a good meal.

Though it’s not from Porto’s, I never would have had the chance to try a Cuban potato ball had it not been for Equelecuá.
Soy meat picadillo filled, breaded/​deep-​fried mashed potato ball. What more could you ask for? Well, how about Cuban nachos? Plantain chips topped with ropa vieja or picadillo and black beans. I got the picadillo. So meaty and flavorful and satisfying. I knew I had made the right choice.
Sister ordered the arroz sin pollo. I was secretly hoping she would get the ropa vieja, but the chicken had a ton of flavor. The chicken was flanked with two perfectly crisp tostones. I cannot get enough of plantains. And that plump saffron rice sitting underneath was absorbing all that yummy goodness. I’m not even a big rice fan, but I made sure every buttery morsel of it was gone.
I wanted to try the pineapple tea latte, but our server disappeared into the kitchen shortly after taking our order. I think he also cooked our meal.
The location is very close to the airport. Stop off and take a meal onboard your next flight. There’s still much more for me to explore on their menu. They had chalkboard specials (which was where I saw the potato ball) that included vegan tamales and cupcakes, as well. The outdoor patio was cute, but we sat inside where there were a handful of dining tables.

The only cuban Vegan restaurant in the world. Did I catch your attention just yet? Located in Inglewood. I absolutely recommend this place even for those non-​vegan & non-​vegetarians. Yes, I’m talking to you my little carnivore lovers. All the true foodies must give this vegan joint at least a try.
I’ve tried many things here but a MUST for sure are their TOSTONES with that delicious mojo! My mouth is watering thinking about them.
I love their camarones al ajillo, but you cant go wrong with their ropa vieja and arroz sin pollo. Their fire agave wings are also so good!
Oh and lets not forget about their great cafecito cubano. An awesome way to end all that deliciousness. Friendly staff, friendly owner, easy parking and very close to the airport.

«Carb city chick, carb-​carb city chick! Ten-​ten-​ten, twenties on them fifties chick» ;P
We affectionately call this place «carb city.» After the most delicious lunch here, we went straight home and took the best carb-​induced nap ever. No regrets!
What caused it? For starters, the Cuban «Nachos» made with plantain chips topped with black beans and ropa vieja (vegan «beef» strips simmered in Cuban sofrito, onions & bell peppers). A drizzle of vegan sour cream for presentation and into our tummies it went! This one dish is a meal in itself!
For entrée, the Meateater BF had the Camarones Al Ajillo. A mound of saffron rice was topped with vegan «shrimp» tossed in delicious savory garlic vegan butter. It also came with Tostones which was my least-​liked item out of everything we ordered due to the subdued flavor (compared to everything else). That being said, I still loved the crispy texture of the fried yellow plantain and came to appreciate the subdued flavor which balanced out the boldness of everything else in the dish.
My Cuban Sandwich was just the best! But first, let me get this little fact out of the way… the thin slice of vegan roast «pork» didn’t really add much flavor to the sandwich. Or perhaps the flavor was swallowed by the vegan swiss and pickles. Regardless, I LOVED this sandwich! It was like eating a grilled cheese sandwich with a bit of flair. It came with a side of Yucca Frita. Perfection was obtained with a crispy outside and fluffy inside. There was also a side of sauce that I wasn’t sure if it was for the sandwich or the yucca or both. I used it for both. I think it was garlic vegan butter. Whatever it was, it was crazy flavorful and delicious!
As much as we wanted to partake in dessert, we just didn’t have room for it. Plus, it was time for that carb-​induced nap!
This hole-​in-​the-​wall café is very small but it has a charming outdoor patio with a lot of plants. There’s a small parking lot which is convenient but also could be a bit tight to drive around the spaces. Service was friendly, attentive, and fast. There was a moment when our server disappeared for a long time after she handed us the bill. But we just ended up paying at the counter. Food was great! Prices seem a bit high but the portions were generous. We’re definitely coming back! …but only when we’re free for a lazy day and a nap ;) #yumcarbs