El Oriental de Cuba

11/02/08

The Only Cuban food worth having in Boston...

by goddesszeppelin2

Me and my bf haunt this place as regulars almost. The food is exceptional, staff is all so friendly and knowledgable and the place is anything but stuffy and overpriced. We recommend the fried pork chops or the griled chicken plate. On that note they have the best tostones in town ( fried plantains) . The crows is very diverse and welcoming even though it can be packed. You have to try it at least once, It wont be your last... I didt even mention the Cubano sandwich because there are no words

• Pros: Food, Service, BEST SHAKES with REAL fruit
• Cons: parking, can get very busy at rush times

02/06/08

I'm Cuban, El Oriental isn't

by alideva

The 4.5 stars the editorial staff gace this place is grossly undeserved, but since there isn't an AUTHENTIC Cuban restaurant in the Boston area, they really don't have anything else to compare it to.

This is not the place to go if you want a Cuban Sandwich. In fact, this is not the place to you if you want Cuban anything... except the scenes on the photos on the wall.

The cooks aren't Cuban. The food is a mash-up of recipes of Latin-American origin.

Service couldn't be worse. Sorry guys. If you want good Cuban food, go to El Exquisito on Calle Ocho in Miami.

06/03/07

Terrible Octopus and inedible Famous Cuban Sandwich.

by meatfenway

I have never been in Cuba, therfore I am not sure how the octopus is cook there, but I bet it is nothing close to the huge smelly chunks of cheap and unfresh octopus tossed with rice and lots of oil I got here for $12. It was bad news and I even got intoxicated the next day. They also have "Bacalao" in the menu for Saturdays only and good luck getting that because they don't make it. My wife got the famous cuban sandwich (the specialty) and that was a disaster as well. The two "empanadas" were bad too. Maybe we did not know how to order, but I am not taking the risk going back there. Save yourself a trip !

• Pros: Nothing.
• Cons: Th ingredients are not fresh, no tables for one person and bad service.

01/05/07

A terrifying nightmare of poor service and mediocre food.

by elmira77

This is my first review on Citysearch. I have had Cuban food before at the excellent Cuban resaurant La Isla in Hoboken, NJ and I was prepared for more of the same when I visited El Oriental with two friends on Jan 2nd, 2007. One friend ordered a Cuban sandwich, and the other a beef and rice dish. They were both moderately satisfied with their food, but we were all appalled and insulted by the service. I ordered the vegeterian plate, which was $7 for plaintains, yellow rice, and salad. The menu said that it also included black beans, but no black beans were served. We ordered but were not served: water, coffee, dessert. Our server took our order and disappeared for the rest of the evening. No explaination or compansation was offered for the fact that more than half of our order was not served. We had to track him down to tell him to strike the omissions from our tab when we figured out that he had no intention of returning to our table that evening. Suffice it to say we were thoroughly fleeced. I suppose that El Oriental is a good choice if you happen to be on this block and absolutely must have a Cuban sandwich, but otherwise, save yourself the agony and give your money to a business that actually notices that you are patronizing it.

• Cons: poor service, indifferent staff

12/20/06

Good Cuban, great food option generally

by kidray

I really appreciate this place. Again, this is a sign of the times in JP, though I know it used to be there, but this place offers yet another ethnic option for this up and coming area. The empanadas are absolutely top notch. The Cuban Sandwhich was as good as advertised and rice and beans were giving me precisely what I wanted. Decent pricing makes this an easy go to on any given night. Enjoy.

• Pros: Good food at a reasonable price. Ethnic diversity a plus.
• Cons: Take out was somewhat of an adventure

11/13/06

best (and only?) cuban food in boston

by nelsonsanz

i can't explain how excited i was to read that they had re-opened! the food NEVER disappoints, whether you just come in for an authentic sandwich cubano or a full-out meal, and the service is always top-notch. the new space is noticeably more elegant, but the prices stayed the same as before. the # of tables stayed the same as well, so get there early or you'll have to wait.

• Pros: fantastic food, reasonable prices
• Cons: no vaca frita on the menu!

10/12/06

Alot of Cuban Flair!!

by stormie2025

Before this resturant was set of fire, it was really on FIRE!! I've been eating here for years and even got a bunch of my friends hooked on this place. They have seafood dishes that make your mouth water even before you have it in front of you, like the seafood stew. It's full of fish and shellfish and the broth is to die for! This is the place to have your first real Cuban meal.

• Pros: Great food for a great price. Right on the MBTA (3 buses).
• Cons: No major parking

10/11/06

As authentic a Cuban experience as you'll find in New England, situated on a nondescript Jamaica Plain corner.

by Contributor

The Scene
El Oriental de Cuba looks and feels like lunch hour at a Havana cafeteria. A lengthy takeout counter greets all patrons, from neighborhood kids to police officers walking the local beat. Scenic photographs of Cuba are perched between snapshots of local celebrities. Ceiling fans hum above the twenty tables, which are graciously shuffled around the restaurant to accommodate diners. Bilingual service is casual and dependable, but not necessarily friendly.

The Food
Aficionados pour beans (black or red) over rice (white or yellow) and add their entree to the mix--like breaded steak (bistec empanizado) served with peppers, green olives and onions, or shredded chicken (pargo en salsa), swimming in a garlicky sauce. The house specialty is the tasty Cuban sandwich, a thin baguette filled with roast pork, Swiss and ham and topped with a secret sauce. Crunchy tostones (fried green plantains) are served with most meals, but try the sweeter maduros, made from ripe plantains.

01/10/03

Excellent Value

by mille1j

Very good service and great value for good food. The Cuban sandwich is awesome.

• Pros: cheap, great Cuban sandwich
• Cons: hard to get to

10/20/02

Man I wish my mom could cook like this

by creepkid

This is a great place! I was fortunate enough to be with my friends(who call this a second home) on my first visit..I've been back every weekend! I love the fried yucca, plaintains(sp), and the rice(im veggie). How can plain rice taste so good??