Cuba's Cookin'

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#31 of 235 Restaurants in Oranjestad$$ - $$$, Caribbean, Latin, Vegetarian friendly

+297 588 0627+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Mon

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Tue

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Wed

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Thu

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Fri

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Sat

7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

1,991 reviews

#31 of 235 Restaurants in Oranjestad

Travelers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Caribbean, Latin, Cuban, Central American, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“Amazing Ceviche!”

“The Cuban Sandwich takes my breath away.”

“... which we enjoyed, especially the Empanadas, Medianoches and Roasted Pork.”

“The Cuban sandwich was also good and would recommend if you’re in mood for sa...”

Location and contact

Renaissance Marketplace, Oranjestad Aruba

+297 588 0627

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Is this location primarily known for Bars & Pubs?

Yes

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About

Newly located in the Renaissance Marketplace downtown, Cuba's Cookin' has moved with the times just as when Fidel began his march on Havana in 1959. This is what Havana would have looked & felt like.... and when the live music starts up nightly....this is exactly what you would have heard & seen back then. A moment in history brought out in Cuba's food, mojitos, art, culture and dance. A real authentic dinning experience you will take home forever from your trip to Aruba.

PRICE RANGE

$20.00 – $35.00

CUISINES

Caribbean, Latin, Cuban, Central American

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music

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4.5

1,991 reviews

Excellent

1,103

Very good

518

Average

218

Poor

Terrible

ed m

Minneapolis93 contributions

Tasty food, good vegan options.

Apr 2021 • none

We stopped in after a reservation elsewhere fell through, and it turned out to be one of the better surprises of our trip! Cuba’s Cooking has some genuinely tasty vegan options - the dirty clothes was great - not too heavy, but tasty and definitely interesting. This place has live music, and it was live and lively while we were there - the guitarist involved the crowd (on their terms) and we were serenaded by one of the diners who also had a glorious voice. The service was very, very slow, especially at the end when we were ready to pay our bill. I imagine COVID has something to do with this, and the ambiance was great, so ultimately no big deal, but good to know for the folks who are on a time crunch. All in all, a great time. We even met a few good folks from back home, which just goes to show Minnesotans are everywhere.

Written April 11, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grace C

3 contributions

Great food and personable staff

Feb 2020 • couples

We came for dinner on a Saturday night. We were quickly greeted by the host (who I understand to be the owner) and seated us at the table of our choice outside. He took time to understand what kind of food we liked and made pointed recommendations based on our preferences. The food was fantastic (my boyfriend had the El Cubano and I had the Pantilla steak) - extremely flavorful and great portions. Don’t skip the garlic pork bites either. Highly recommend stopping here for any meal - they’re open of breakfast, lunch, and dinner most days.

Written February 8, 2020

Susan M

Londonderry13 contributions

Best meal of our vacation

Mar 2020 • couples

Had no plans for dinner when we visited Oranjestad for the Bon Bini Festival. Decided to give Cuba’s a try. It was awesome! Amazing food and helpful, attentive waitstaff. We were a party of 6 with someone with severe food allergies, and they made sure that she was able to eat without worry.

Written March 5, 2020

Laurene T.

Austin71 contributions

You will get taken advantage of!

Oct 2020 • couples

STAY AWAY you will get taken advantage of! This is a total tourist trap. We read some great reviews about the food here and wanted some real Cuban food and a place for a Cuban cigar, near our hotel. We were one of only three tables there and right away started to feel uncomfortable. The server, Alfred immediately quizzed us on his name which was very weird and there was a magician walking around who wouldn’t take no for an answer. We ordered ceviche at 8pm but were told it “wasn’t ready yet” which seemed quite odd. Alfred convinced us to order the “special” instead of the meals we had chosen, because they were the same price but included more. We each had two drinks, an appetizer and dinner, and were then informed after the fact that they didn’t have any Cuban cigars and what they did have were $35 each. We asked for our remaining food to go and they took the plates, only bringing back a portion of the food and leaving of the beans and salsa behind. We asked to cash out and were told the credit card machine and printer weren’t working and “to go find an ATM”. Our bill was $170!!! And they could only furnish a scribbled piece of paper with numbers on it. We confirmed the amount was in dollars and Alfred let us know we could come back the next night to leave him a tip, after asking for a review. We went to a 5 star restaurant later in our trip, sat at a beautiful Oceanside table in the sand, and had a bottle of wine, fresh lobster, scallops and snapper and paid the same price as what Cuba’s cookin charged us. We were very clearly duped and walked by later that night to see the credit card machine working and the bartender printing receipts. A local van driver from a ranch later told us to avoid any restaurant in that complex, and that he has heard numerous stories about tourists being ripped off. Yes, the food was good, but not anywhere close to $170 good.

Written October 31, 2020

marcellos375

Ferrara551 contributions

check the bill carefully

Nov 2021 • none

I hardly ever review the same place a second time, and only if my most recent experience substantially deviates from a previous visit: regretfully, this is the case of Cuba's Cookin'. While their Mojito is always excellent, and the food is good, the lack of transparency in their pricing has turned me off for good. I admit I did not scrutinise too carefully the bill, I only found a drink we had not ordered which they took off immediately; I was surprised by the $40 "special" (which consisted of the $26 grilled grouper plus three shrimps), not priced in the menu (sure, I did not ask about it when I ordered), and the 15% gratuity automatically included in the bill, which I had overlooked when I was asked for a tip while processing the credit card payment - so they got two tips when they hardly deserved one. The final bill was $120 for the two of us, which I consider heavily overpriced and fully undeserved. In these COVID days I like to help small businesses and tend to willingly overtip them, but I don't tolerate being deceptively ripped off. If I add that the live music was disturbingly too loud (could hardly have any conversation), I am left with the memory of an unpleasant memory in a restaurant where I will no longer go back. Honestly, I don't want to feel I have to bring a calculator to the restaurant so that I can control in detail the bill, and if a restaurant is not willing to be transparent about its prices I simply stop going there. Pity, I had gone to Cuba's Cookin' for years, it was in my list of favorite restaurants in Aruba, but the magic is gone: they can keep the double tip they got from me and charge what they want for their specials, they will never see me again.

Written November 9, 2021

516anton

Somerset20 contributions

Average food for expensive price

Dec 2019 • none

Nice looking restaurant with a good atmosphere.Little disappointed with the food as it was just average, it didn’t help especially when we received the bill . A compulsory 15% gratuitous payment required. The service was ok but I would of tipped 10% waitresses was most insistent that we pay the full 15% and said it was law ? Been to 4 other restaurant locally and didn’t find this to be normal. The Canadian manager was very good and pleasant in trying to explain but I was not convinced. Will not be going back.

Written January 8, 2020

Wilda

17 contributions

Great food, good humor

Jan 2020 • couples

I was drawn in by the wonderful menu which explained some Cuban traditions and dishes quite humorously. We went right around 11 o’clock, and that is where it got a bit odd - breakfast is served until 11, then lunch starts. My husband wanted breakfast, I preferred lunch, so we thought being there at about 10:50 would be perfect. However, our server made it clear that if I wanted lunch, I would have to wait with my order while my husband had to hurry for breakfast. Both dishes could only be brought out after one another. It did remind me of “Falling Down” a bit... however, the food was wonderful, the music nice, the atmosphere pleasant and the service friendly.

Written January 23, 2020

Don A

1 contribution

They had "credit card machine issues"

May 2021 • couples

The food was good, great actually, but my issue is we were told the credit card machine didn't work because the internet was down. I was on their wifi without issue, and I've also made a living off the internet for 20+ years, so nope, internet was fine. Benefit of the doubt, maybe the machine was down, but 1. In a tourist area who doesn't have a backup for their credit card machine? 2. Who doesn't tell customers BEFORE they order and start eating that the credit card machine is down? This place is right in front of the cruise ship docks for crying out loud. Sure they aren't running now due to Covid but it's still mostly tourists in the area. The ATM they directed us to was down and we had to do a case withdrawal via credit card at the casino, which carried a 9 dollar fee. I call B.S. on all of it after seeing a similar review on Trip Advisor about credit card machine issues. I'd 5 star the food, but that gets docked 3 stars for the hassle and me wasting $9 on their "issue" which I'm not sure is real to begin with.

Written May 15, 2021

MAXAMILION

Dear Dondiggity, No one was more pained and sorry about last night than we were. Yes, we thought the issue was the internet because the island's electricity had gotten knocked out earlier and yes our computer system also got knocked out but our tech guy managed to get that up and running remotely. We naturally assumed it had to be an internet problem with our credit card machine. We were wrong. Because we also called our bank to check their machine just in case. Their technician came early this morning and after an hour and a half of trying everything he could, the verdict was rendered. The machine itself got burnt when the power came back on. However, because we live far from the civilized work world and everything down here takes more time and it being the weekend....there is nothing he can do to replace the credit card machine with a new one until Monday. This is just one of the challenges of living on the island and yes it requires patience especially in the heat of the moment. There you have it..."The Real Issue" and not the B.S. you presumed we were full of. But I am certainly glad you gave us 5 stars for the food and can only formally apologize here for our inconvenience that got passed onto you.

Written May 16, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mitchell Z

1 contribution

Great Atmosphere, Better Food!

Aug 2020 • friends

I went here with my wife and two friends for dinner. We were not sure where to go at first, so we walked around the plaza until we stumbled across this pleasant surprise. Immediately we were greeted by Alfred, our amazing server. He was very informative about the menu and daily special, which we ended up trying - and it was amazing! The empanadas were the best I’ve ever had and we will definitely be back for them. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I’d recommend it to anybody who is looking for great food, service, and atmosphere!

Written August 6, 2020

zuichui

1 contribution

Really great food

Aug 2020 • none

We enjoyed our time at this restaurant. Neither my partner and I eat pork, beef or chicken, but the server Alfred was kind enough to create a seafood special for us that consisted of the grouper fish, topped with shrimp, with a side of rice, beans, & sweet plantains. We were incredibly pleased and definately stuffed. Thank you Alfred for the recommendation.

Written August 13, 2020

CVTravelers

Castro Valley303 contributions

Nice lunch during cruise stopover

Jan 2020 • none

Walking distance from our ship and my wife and I enjoyed a quiet lunch. We both had the grouper which was well prepared. The plantains, rice and beans that came with the fish made for an excellent plate. The restaurant had few customers for lunch so the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. The local beers were cold and tasty as well. We would recommend this restaurant and would certainly dine here if we again have a stopover in Aruba.

Written February 10, 2020

shan1203

44 contributions

Little bit of Cuba in aruba

Nov 2020 • family

Overall food was very good. Ropa vieja and tostones were very good. Others had a sample platter with steak chicken and ribs they liked it. We started with the empanadas they were great. Our waiter Alfredo was very helpful.

Written November 6, 2020

Dominican-Born

Howell108 contributions

Average at Best

Sep 2021 • none

This restaurant may excel for Non-Spanish customers but Spanish customers will notice the food lacks the taste of a great cuban cuisine. The food is certainly edible but it won't knock your socks off, the bill definitely will. There are better places in Aruba in the same price range. One and done for me.. My wife had the "ropa vieja" and I had the Cuban Mofongo.. Both entrees came cold to the table, not sure why since we had dinner before the crowd arrived for the evening rush. The service is super slow as they seemed to be understaffed.. One thing that bothered us the most, we noticed they served us the smallest glass of water in the entire restaurant while other tables, served before and after us, were getting bigger size glass of water... Did they singled us out because we were of Spanish decent? I don't know, but they won't see me again. I will definitely NOT recommend this place.

Written September 21, 2021

Brad

Trenton7 contributions

Just Okay

Mar 2020 • none

This was our first time in Aruba. We were there for 10 days and honestly we did not have a bad meal. However, Cuba's Cookin was probably the lowest of all our meals. We thought the food was good, but nothing special and the price for what we got was rather high. The staff was very friendly but would not go back. In our opinion there are a lot better places to eat on the Island.

Written March 17, 2020

jmelissaprentice

Kennesaw446 contributions

Visited Aruba stumbled on this place so tried it! Wouldn't recommend.

Nov 2021 • none

We stumped on this place while hanging around this area. The service was EXTREMELY slow. This was actually the worse service we received our entire week in Aruba! We showed up around 4 p.m. so it was an odd time. Only two other tables were occupied... still the servers were more interested in chatting with each other and prepping for dinner ( just a guess) than serving us. My brother ordered the shrimp cocktail and it came laced in Thousand island dressing with a little bit of lettuce. Not sure if this is how it is supposed to be served, but we were not impressed. I ordered a "Special" I can barely remember what it was, but it was "ok"...not tasty or memorable! None of us were impressed or even satisfied with our meals. It was just ok! And for what we got, the price was definitely not worth it! They include gratuity, even for a table of three. Maybe this is the reason they don't feel the need to serve you well! I do not recommend, unless you are just so starve and just need food!

Written November 23, 2021

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CUBA'S COOKIN', Oranjestad - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor