El Oriental De Cuba

Great place to eat! I’m Latin American– raised by Puerto Rican parents! So I love season food. This place has awesome food. I love Mofongo and camarones (mash plantains with spicy sauce shrimp) but I have to admit (Merengue restaurant) does it better. Nice and moist.

I needed a Cuban fix and suggested this spot based on reviews, even though it was about 4 miles from Charles Circle where we were at the time and I knew that getting to JP would be difficult, even in mid-​afternoon (it took more than 45 minutes in the car and there were no realistic transit options).
Maybe it was the anticipation building during the drive, but El Oriental de Cuba was not up to our expectations. A Cuban sandwich was okay, but the roast pork was tough and the bread was ordinary. Black beans and rice came as 2 separate items and lacked the complexity or depth of flavors one expects. The chicken fricassee recommended by our server was overcooked (chicken was a little dry) even though it was in tomato sauce. Fried plantains were authentic. Service was friendly but inattentive.
I would go back only if I was less than a 5 minute walk away to try other items, just to see if we ordered badly. The restaurant may be highly rated in a metro area where there is little competition, but it does not stand up to the more authentic Cuban restaurants in Florida or Houston or to home-​cooked favorites.

I have been going to el Oriental de Cuba for many years. Now, mostly cater for MANY events at the college i work. ALWAYS on time, well cooked, great attitude… great prices and quantities. Highly recommend! Mari

Been there many times, but haven’t got a chance to give them a review. My favorite dish here is Mofongo. Love pork rinds and the red sauce, I always ask for extra. Will go there again soon. miss it: o)

Heard a lot of great things about this place. Overall the meal was very average and lacked flavor. Empanada and main dish were overcooked and bland. All in all, glad we tried it out but unlikely to return.

— Okay food with EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PRICES! They will charge you as Cipriani in New York City or Top of The Hub in Boston’s Back Bay. As if you don’t have many more options on Centre St. in JP.
— Waitress: With a «so so» customer service.
— This is the place to go ONLY once in a while!

Small, hole in the wall restaurant in the heart of JP. It is cash only, but there is an ATM inside.
Service was quick and people were friendly. I got the black paella and passion fruit milkshake and both were delicious. Prices were extremely reasonable for the quality and portion size. I can’t wait to go back and try another dish!

Plentiful and delicious food. Has everything under the sun — all great. One of my favorites in the city.

Lobster and shrimp in spicy red sauce is delicious, I got it with the mixed rice and sweet plantains. Highly recommend, the sauce was perfect and not very spicy.
My friend got the black Paella which was also well worth it. Sometimes I think chorizo can be overpowering with paella but that was not the case here — perfect mix.
Special Cuban was all hand carved meats and very good but it was no paella or lobster n shrimp.
Pork tamale was not my favorite but I’ll let that slide.
Staff was SO friendly and happy to explain things too

My favorite restaurant in the city of Boston. What is there not to like? You walk into a setting that takes you to another world full of palm trees and salsa dancing. But who am I kidding, it’s right in the heart of JP. Weekends are busy but it’s worth waiting for AUTHENTIC Cuban food.
Yucca fries are the best just as much as their iced drinks (tamarindo or coconut). Soups are flavorful and will make your head cold go away. When I order traditional plates, I can’t decide because I want all the options. My favorite has been fish in coconut sauce or pollo a la parilla with grilled onions on top. You can order yellow or white rice with sweet plantains or tostones. Just typing this in makes me want to drive 30 minutes to go back!
Finally, it is a local business that showcases all of their customers with framed photos. Big Papi is a fan in addition to your abuela. Please go to El Oriental and have Cuban food for me.

Great food! Lovely staff, if a bit slow when they’re slammed, but what the heck — it’s really a Latin thing, so roll with it.
Big portions, daily specials, the cheapest expresso in Boston outside your own kitchen, and a colorful line of Bastidos (milkshakes), make this a sure bet.
A destination dinning spot for over 15 years, the place was burned to the ground (almost), but was rebuilt by owner Noble Garcia.
Insider Hint: for 2 people, here’s a suggestion that will save you some $$$.
Order one Specialty Plate, like the Shredded Chicken. It comes with choices, so go with the yellow rice (because it is better than the white and is cooked with tiny pigeon peas), black or red beans, and plantains maduros (Sweet Plantains).
Why sweet? Because as a side dish you’re going to order fried Yucca with onions, and if you order the green plantains it’s too much fried food.
This way, you get plenty of food, a great cross section, and, quite possibly room for either rice pudding or flan.
By the way, the garlic shrimp are fantastic and when you come back again (and you will), order the Mufongo as the side dish instead of the yucca.

We came for dessert: great ambience, kid friendly, the iced coffee with milk was perfect. We got the tres leches and the base was really good but the topping didn’t like. The Mamey milkshake is a must. Would love to come back for savory food.

Located in the heart of Jamaica Plains.
Surprisingly this place was packed on a Sunday night. Service was slow, took 30+ mins to get our plates out. It’s a charming, simple place with pictures plastered along the walls of what I’m assuming are scenes from Cuba.
The good:
++Portions are huge. One of the very few places where I needed to take out left overs.
++Sweet plantains– my first time trying them and they’re like caramelized bananas. Very filling.
++Seafood Rice Paella– abundance of seafood loaded with yellow rice, mussels, and squid. Comes with a side of fresh salad. Load it with hot sauce available on the table and it’s divine for ya’ll seafood lovers.

This is the first time that my Zagat book fails me. On Friday, I was having cravings for some tasty Cuban food. I grew up on Latin food, but a good chunk of it was Cuban food. Basically, I know how good it can taste.
Went to this place because a Cuban professor had also recommended it. Ordered yuca rellena, empanadas (beef & lobster), and croquetas (ham). I ordered the rope vieja, which is shredded beef in red sauce, with the black beans, white rice and fried green plantains. What a disappointment. It all lacked flavor!
It’s really too bad because the waitresses were very friendly and the service was very good. I’d like to think they were just having a bad day…

We had high hopes for this place since it’s literally the only Cuban restaurant we could find in the Boston area. You have to keep in mind that we’ve had some of the most authentic Cuban food in the country when we lived in Miami and New Jersey so we have high standards when it comes to Cuban cuisine.
The restaurant is a hole-​in-​the-​wall and in our experience those are the best places to eat. It’s located in Jamaica Plains which isn’t the best part of town but we ate early enough so it wasn’t an issue. The staff was really friendly and attentive without being overbearing so that was great.
But the food was average at best. We started with Passion Fruit shakes which were delicious. It was a great start to the meal so we were excited for more. For our appetizers we ordered one lobster empanada, one cheese empanada, ham croquetas and Yuca. The best dish of the bunch was the ham croquetas but again, compared to the Cuban food we’ve had on Calle Ocho in Miami and Bergenline Ave. in New Jersey, nothing we ordered so far was on par. None of the appetizers made you stop and say «wow». They were just OK.
For our entrees, we ordered the Caballo Steak and the Ropa Vieja. I must admit, the steak was very good but the Ropa Vieja was completely tasteless. The rice was a bit dry and the beans were bland. The platanos maduros were very good however. All in all, it was a disappointing meal. Maybe we caught the cook on an off night. Who knows? But we’re not going to go out of our way to come back.

El Oriental De Cuba is located in convenient area in JP in walking distance to many of my favorite spots and there are some great restaurants next door. El Oriental is very quaint but packed full of people, with good reason. This is definitely a great date spot and an awesome place to eat with your friends and family.
I love hispanic food so I think I had very high expectations and they were totally met. My food was PHENOMENAL! Savory — Sweet — and seasoned very well. I totally felt like I was eating a home cooked meal. My dish (pork chops with yellow rice and tostones) was only $ 13, and I couldn’t even finish half. Huge servings — enough to take home. I also had their chicken empanadas. I will definitely come back just to get these to go!
I’ll also note that the waitresses were super sweet and funny and she was totally honest when I asked her about which dish is her favorite versus another dish I asked her about :)
I will be coming back!

I was going through our junk drawer and throwing out all of the take-​out menus we’ve accumulated since we always look at the menus online instead, and I came across the menu from El Oriental de Cuba; decided we should try something new before I tossed the menu, and Eddie agreed.
I had the Variety Plate w/​shredded beef, rice & beans, and fried ripe plantains. This was slightly expensive ($ 13ish?) but was EASILY enough food for two people (or two people with an average appetite) — I stuffed myself the night we ordered and still had enough leftover for a full lunch for the next day.
Eddie had the cubano sandwich and fries, and reported that the sandwich was delicious. There are enough reviews on here about that so I didn’t ask for specs.
A tiny thing: the takeout menu is not 100% clear. For instance, what’s the difference between breaded chicken tenders, breaded chicken steak, chicken wings, and «krispy chicken,» which are all listed as different variety plate options?
Would definitely, definitely order from here again; I really want to try the tamales and tres leches.

One of the most impressive things about this restaurant is the consistency in food. Every time we have visited — the food has always been made to order, fresh and consistent from one visit to another. It doesn’t matter where you are from or what your ethnicity/​heritage is — you can find something that will enjoy and walk away satisfied.
From the appetizers (my favorite the empanada’s), to the sandwiches (Cuban my ultimate favorite) to full meals (from seafood, chicken, pork and beef); and every side you are accustomed to seeing (rice and beans, tostones, etc.) — you can find something to taste.
Be ready for not just a meal — but an experience. From the pictures that adorn the walls, the owner that is often seen in the restaurant and comes over to you as though you are family, to the authenticity of the food — you won’t be disappointed. The staff is extremely accommodating to any order and they even make my «Gringo Sauce» when I ask (Ok — it’s Ketchup, Mayo and a bit of garlic)!
I like the made to order Seafood Soup, my wife adores the «whole red snapper» and not to leave out the amazing skirt steak and onions… cooked to perfection, loaded with flavor that reminds you of being in Cuba, Puerto Rico or any other Caribbean country.
The servers, owners and cooks are top notch and you can watch them from the waiting area as they cook away. The place is cozy, but soooo worth the wait. They are attentive and personable… they make you feel like you are in your mothers kitchen about to have a meal of your life (it’s true).
I promise you — you want authenticity, wholesome, and an incredible experience — come to El Oriental De Cuba in West Roxbury, MA.
Oh Yes — do what I do — order a coffee right away (a «cortadito» is always a great start — espresso and milk — strong), a couple of appetizers and then enjoy a meal… then if you are daring and have just a little more room in your belly — try the amazing melt in your mouth Flan and another «cortadito» of course!

I get immediately hungry thinking about the food I had here a couple weeks ago. El Oriental De Cuba is serious. I am a huge fried sweet plantain fan and these are the best there is. Large sweet plantains, mushy on the inside, very slightly crispy and greasy on the outside. A must get! Everything else was great as well. Cuban Pork tamales had a great texture with small pieces of tasty pork inside. The steak in sauce sounds so simple but the sauce is out of this world good. It’s oily, so don’t wear your favorite shirt, but you won’t even mind a stain after you taste this food. Go!

A deliciously authentic Cuban restaurant in the heart of Jamaica Plains! I went with two others at 2pm on a Saturday, so the restaurant was busy and the service was pretty slow. It was definitely worth it though, because the food was absolutely fantastic and the prices were very reasonable.
I ordered the Steak Cubano Sandwich, with a side of Sweet Plantains. The sandwich was the size of a football, and loaded with steak. What I liked most about it was how nicely the traditional flavours of Cuban sandwiches paired with the steak.

Primeramente empezare por decir quBal Usaae soy de Puerto Rico. Además de eso soy un cocinero aficionado. Conciente de hay diferencias entre la cocina Cubana y la Puertoriqueña, crecí comiendo comida cubana en la isla de PR. Pedí un Asopao de camarones y Mofongo. Quede decepcionado con ambos. Una presentación muy linda pero con muy poco sabor. Los camarones sabían como si habían sido cocinados antes de la sopa, y el Mofongo con ajos de pote, no fresco. Le di 3 estrellas en vez de 2, porque no me cobraron el Mofongo porque llego después de la comida, cuando era un aperitivo. Además las meseras fueron muy atentas. Mi Señora esposa pidió un sandwich de cerdo que también estaba como decimos en PR sozo

Sandwich Vegetariano.
Well, that and a café cubano, of course.