After reading the recent reviews one might understand why the place closed. I was put off by the "no cash" policy. Excuse me, I want as few people tracing and analyzing my credit card purchases as possible. I had the Elena Ruz, ehh, just ehh.
Tash H.
Decided to go on last night for the first time I have heard many great things about them and how great their wings are. I was hoping to try them but when my husband and I arrived last night @ approximately 10:52pm we were told they had just closed with no explanation but according to the website closing time is midnight but ok whatever ended up at Bar Louie in Brier Creek by another referral they were open and rocking with live band and by the way fantastic WINGS!!!
Jason C.
Worst place ever. Why you put your wait staff in that position. No Ropa Vieja, no chimmichuri steak, "sorry we think we are closing down soon" "like permanently". Do yourself a favor if you're looking at yelp and hungry and want food like Cuban Revolution....walk 1/2 a mile to Luna. This s*** is legit. I'm here now and I'm happy and full and got a good drank. F- Cuban Revolution. Suck it.
Parallax V.
Bad service. Served produce that was spoiled. Drinks ordered first, arrived last with dessert. No shrimp available. Mediocre food. Wish I'd read the other reviews first... AVOID!
Christopher O.
The drinks and food are okay. Atmosphere wise this is where it falls off the chart. We came here when it was mediocre busy. They got 5 tv screens at the bar and we asked to see if we can change to see a hockey finals at their convenience. They said they couldn't change the channel. Com on. Here sitting a t the bar ordering drinks and apps and I am watching some Spanish dance talent show. wTF?? Isn't this a bar?? To not accommodate customers to simply change a channel to a sport is ridiculous. I mean they are not that busy. Well this is the last tome I come here for drinks with friends.. what a downer. Too bad we ordered food. I would preferred to spend money at another accommodating bar!!
Eliza D.
This place was a bit of a disappointment. It is in a great location in the American Tobacco Campus which is why we ate here. I called ahead to make reservations and it took me about 6 tries to get through - a few times I got a busy signal and then when I got through the first time I was put on hold for over 10 minutes so I eventually hung up and called back. When I finally got through I was not able to make a reservation. Luckily, when we arrived a table was available. This restaurant does not accept cash so they asked us if we had a card before seating us. We had a group of 4 and my husband and I arrived about 5 minutes before the other couple so we wanted to wait for them to order. I think this irritated our waitress. She seemed very anxious to get our order. I had the mahi mahi sandwich and it was underwhelming. It was extremely dry - just fish on a roll with tomato, lettuce, and no sauce/spread. I also got the kale salad as my side and that was good. I definitely don't think I'd visit again.
Janel L.
For a place that purports itself as one of the "must visit places in Durham," they don't do much to distinguish themselves, other than claim that they're "authentic Cuban" which is why you're absolutely not allowed to request pico de gallo as stated on their menu lol. I ordered the nachos which were as underwhelming as could be. I've had better nachos from a fast food stop for a quarter of the price. My boyfriend got the chicken quesadilla which elicited the same sentiments as the nachos. All in all, this place isn't as special as it claims to be. The food mirrors the Moe's directly across the street which I find ironic considering this restaurant's claim to fame is that they're different from everyone else.
Tiffany B.
THIS JUST HAPPENED...In the process of attempting to resolve the fact that our pick up order was missing the garlic aioli for the yucca fries and the mango salsa for the chicken quesadillas, we were directed to a vey young sounding woman who later said she was the manager, Barbara, and she informed us that she put those condiments in the bag directly "so they must have fell out." Not sure about any one else in the food service and customer service industries but her response fell WAY BELOW the standard of "I care" period... My husband tied the bag before he left the establishment and that was how I opened it when he delivered it to me. So, no, it's quite possible that you just made a mistake and forgot to put it in the bag. When asked if that was her final resolution, she said yes and have a good day. When asked who the manager on duty was, she said it was her. When asked for the name and number of the general manager "she does not give that information out and no one else will." I am sending this message because we frequent Cuban Revolution along with many others in our social and business network and want to know if this experience can be resolved better.
C H.
We were looking for a place to eat before the outside concert. Been a while since I'd been here but couldn't remember why. Waitress seating us was flustered and initially dismissed us. Sat outside and the sweet little waitress tried her best to make up for the numerous shortcomings of this place. My hubby attempted to order a local beer, but they had nothing on tap, fries were cold, food was less than mediocre. Too many great places in Durham than to have to deal with this place.
Karyn A.
Poor costumer svc, our waitress was not prepare she couldn't describe an item from the menu...when she asked how was our food I said my ropa vieja was not good not flavor at all she said..."Yeah..." like she was agreeing with me...offer no apologies or solution! I paid $17 for a plate of undercooked rice a sample of ropa vieja that lacked flavor and two pieces of bread that had more adobo powder than the seasoning used in the meat! Im PR so I know flavor! My food was a complete blow! My husband payed $13 for an "sampler"empanada it was sooo small has to be on the appetizer menu and a bowl of rice and beans same...not impressed...
As a New Yorker with a girlfriend from Miami, we were excited to find a Cuban restaurant in the Triangle. Unfortunately this is not real Cuban food. The seasonings are off and the flavors are on the low side of average, and the offerings are for people who just want to say that they went to a Cuban restaurant. Their Cubano sandwich is ok. Their rice and beans are bland bland bland. And their Sangria tastes like they make it in the beginning of the week and leave it in the fridge. On top of that, they have an espresso machine and don't know how to make a REAL cafe con leche! If you know Cuban food, if you know Hispanic food, just stay away from this place.
Lisa L.
Tried this place in Durham last night. Picked it bc menu looked good and it was very close to a show we were going to see after at DPAC. Got there at about 5:30 pm, so they weren't very busy when we first arrived. They have outdoor seating, which is nice this time of year (mid May) so we sat on the patio. The waitress was very nice, although young and experienced. We had to ask for utensils and napkins. We ordered drinks (me the Caribbean Painkiller and him an IPA from their rotating tap selection). The bartender had to come out to the table to clarify our drink order because the waitress told him that we ordered a drink that was not even on the menu. She brought out the waters in a normal amount of time but, it was about 25 minutes before we got our alcoholic beverages. The Painkiller was excellent, they didn't skimp on the run. The food was pretty good. We ordered the Babalu Shrimp as an appetizer. Six very crispy butterflied shrimp with a spicy sweet sauce drizzled over. Good, but not worth the $14 for only 6 shrimp. He ordered the Cuban sandwich, probably the best Cubano we've ever had. It did not come with a side, which sandwiches usually do. I ordered the Chicken Bolsitas, which ended up being two soft shell chicken tacos (chipotle chicken, cabbage, cheese, tomatoes, corn, and chipotle crema drizzled over). The tacos weren't bad, just nothing to write home about. The restaurant was getting busy and our waitress was getting flustered. We felt like ordering another round of drinks and possibly some dessert. We asked to see the menu again and she walked past our table 2 to 3 times before remembering to bring it to us. I ordered another Caribbean Painkiller and we were going to order a dessert but after another 20 minutes and the drink hadn't arrived, we decided to just go ahead and get the bill so we wouldn't be late for the show across the street. We were delayed in asking for the bill, because the table next to us was speaking with the waitress at length about how they had been waiting for 30 to 40 minutes for their drink order. They ended up getting up and leaving with no drinks, and you could tell that our waitress was getting upset and really struggling. We ended up asking for our check as soon as we could get her attention. They only do debit/credit card transactions. No cash. She rang up our order on a little electronics device that all the waiters carry in their back pockets. She gave us our total which included the second drink that never arrived. We pointed that out to her and she gladly took it off the bill, but you could tell she was frustrated/embarrassed about having forgotten to bring it out to us. I ended up giving her a 20% tip, because I felt like she needed a boost after the struggle she was having at work that evening. She was apologetic, but visibly glad that she now had one less table to deal with. We were able to get to our show at DPAC with time to spare so all in all it was a fine experience. Maybe next time we go we can ask the host/hostess to seat us in the section belonging to one of the more experienced waiters. We went on a Monday night, so I don't think we could've picked a less busy night to go out to eat.
Michael S.
Meh. It's convenient, and I never had anything bad (food or service) but never had anything noteworthy. Outside is nice, interior decor is kinda' sharp, but outside of being on ATC campus, I can't say I'd go out of my way to eat here. Once ATC goes through Revitalization 2.0, which is getting underway, these guys may have to up their game or it'll be a challenge to survive.
Javier B.
This is my last time coming here. To start off I had to wait more then 30 mins with my family to get acknowledged that we was waiting to be seated then we had to wait after we got seated to get the menu not only that the server ask my wife what she was going to order and walk off after I had to call the server and tell that person that I was going to order too. The server drop the salt in the table,brought our drink order wrong I had to wait for a refill for 30 mins the food came uncooked(the rice, fry plantain). Like I said this is the last time I'll come here ever worst service in Durham it was an unpleasant experience. DONT EAT HERE!!!!!!!!
Jenny M.
Are you guys effing kidding me??? How IN THE WORLD are you gonna have fidel castro hung up the wall like its all good. The owners must not be cubans because real cubans who come in search of freedom, don't showcase him in anyway! I will never eat here
After reading the recent reviews one might understand why the place closed. I was put off by the "no cash" policy. Excuse me, I want as few people tracing and analyzing my credit card purchases as possible. I had the Elena Ruz, ehh, just ehh.
Decided to go on last night for the first time I have heard many great things about them and how great their wings are. I was hoping to try them but when my husband and I arrived last night @ approximately 10:52pm we were told they had just closed with no explanation but according to the website closing time is midnight but ok whatever ended up at Bar Louie in Brier Creek by another referral they were open and rocking with live band and by the way fantastic WINGS!!!
Worst place ever. Why you put your wait staff in that position. No Ropa Vieja, no chimmichuri steak, "sorry we think we are closing down soon" "like permanently". Do yourself a favor if you're looking at yelp and hungry and want food like Cuban Revolution....walk 1/2 a mile to Luna. This s*** is legit. I'm here now and I'm happy and full and got a good drank. F- Cuban Revolution. Suck it.
Bad service. Served produce that was spoiled. Drinks ordered first, arrived last with dessert. No shrimp available. Mediocre food. Wish I'd read the other reviews first... AVOID!
The drinks and food are okay. Atmosphere wise this is where it falls off the chart. We came here when it was mediocre busy. They got 5 tv screens at the bar and we asked to see if we can change to see a hockey finals at their convenience. They said they couldn't change the channel. Com on. Here sitting a t the bar ordering drinks and apps and I am watching some Spanish dance talent show. wTF?? Isn't this a bar?? To not accommodate customers to simply change a channel to a sport is ridiculous. I mean they are not that busy. Well this is the last tome I come here for drinks with friends.. what a downer. Too bad we ordered food. I would preferred to spend money at another accommodating bar!!
This place was a bit of a disappointment. It is in a great location in the American Tobacco Campus which is why we ate here. I called ahead to make reservations and it took me about 6 tries to get through - a few times I got a busy signal and then when I got through the first time I was put on hold for over 10 minutes so I eventually hung up and called back. When I finally got through I was not able to make a reservation. Luckily, when we arrived a table was available. This restaurant does not accept cash so they asked us if we had a card before seating us. We had a group of 4 and my husband and I arrived about 5 minutes before the other couple so we wanted to wait for them to order. I think this irritated our waitress. She seemed very anxious to get our order. I had the mahi mahi sandwich and it was underwhelming. It was extremely dry - just fish on a roll with tomato, lettuce, and no sauce/spread. I also got the kale salad as my side and that was good. I definitely don't think I'd visit again.
For a place that purports itself as one of the "must visit places in Durham," they don't do much to distinguish themselves, other than claim that they're "authentic Cuban" which is why you're absolutely not allowed to request pico de gallo as stated on their menu lol. I ordered the nachos which were as underwhelming as could be. I've had better nachos from a fast food stop for a quarter of the price. My boyfriend got the chicken quesadilla which elicited the same sentiments as the nachos. All in all, this place isn't as special as it claims to be. The food mirrors the Moe's directly across the street which I find ironic considering this restaurant's claim to fame is that they're different from everyone else.
THIS JUST HAPPENED...In the process of attempting to resolve the fact that our pick up order was missing the garlic aioli for the yucca fries and the mango salsa for the chicken quesadillas, we were directed to a vey young sounding woman who later said she was the manager, Barbara, and she informed us that she put those condiments in the bag directly "so they must have fell out." Not sure about any one else in the food service and customer service industries but her response fell WAY BELOW the standard of "I care" period... My husband tied the bag before he left the establishment and that was how I opened it when he delivered it to me. So, no, it's quite possible that you just made a mistake and forgot to put it in the bag. When asked if that was her final resolution, she said yes and have a good day. When asked who the manager on duty was, she said it was her. When asked for the name and number of the general manager "she does not give that information out and no one else will." I am sending this message because we frequent Cuban Revolution along with many others in our social and business network and want to know if this experience can be resolved better.
We were looking for a place to eat before the outside concert. Been a while since I'd been here but couldn't remember why. Waitress seating us was flustered and initially dismissed us. Sat outside and the sweet little waitress tried her best to make up for the numerous shortcomings of this place. My hubby attempted to order a local beer, but they had nothing on tap, fries were cold, food was less than mediocre. Too many great places in Durham than to have to deal with this place.
Poor costumer svc, our waitress was not prepare she couldn't describe an item from the menu...when she asked how was our food I said my ropa vieja was not good not flavor at all she said..."Yeah..." like she was agreeing with me...offer no apologies or solution! I paid $17 for a plate of undercooked rice a sample of ropa vieja that lacked flavor and two pieces of bread that had more adobo powder than the seasoning used in the meat! Im PR so I know flavor! My food was a complete blow! My husband payed $13 for an "sampler"empanada it was sooo small has to be on the appetizer menu and a bowl of rice and beans same...not impressed...
Restaurantji Recommends
As a New Yorker with a girlfriend from Miami, we were excited to find a Cuban restaurant in the Triangle. Unfortunately this is not real Cuban food. The seasonings are off and the flavors are on the low side of average, and the offerings are for people who just want to say that they went to a Cuban restaurant. Their Cubano sandwich is ok. Their rice and beans are bland bland bland. And their Sangria tastes like they make it in the beginning of the week and leave it in the fridge. On top of that, they have an espresso machine and don't know how to make a REAL cafe con leche! If you know Cuban food, if you know Hispanic food, just stay away from this place.
Tried this place in Durham last night. Picked it bc menu looked good and it was very close to a show we were going to see after at DPAC. Got there at about 5:30 pm, so they weren't very busy when we first arrived. They have outdoor seating, which is nice this time of year (mid May) so we sat on the patio. The waitress was very nice, although young and experienced. We had to ask for utensils and napkins. We ordered drinks (me the Caribbean Painkiller and him an IPA from their rotating tap selection). The bartender had to come out to the table to clarify our drink order because the waitress told him that we ordered a drink that was not even on the menu. She brought out the waters in a normal amount of time but, it was about 25 minutes before we got our alcoholic beverages. The Painkiller was excellent, they didn't skimp on the run. The food was pretty good. We ordered the Babalu Shrimp as an appetizer. Six very crispy butterflied shrimp with a spicy sweet sauce drizzled over. Good, but not worth the $14 for only 6 shrimp. He ordered the Cuban sandwich, probably the best Cubano we've ever had. It did not come with a side, which sandwiches usually do. I ordered the Chicken Bolsitas, which ended up being two soft shell chicken tacos (chipotle chicken, cabbage, cheese, tomatoes, corn, and chipotle crema drizzled over). The tacos weren't bad, just nothing to write home about. The restaurant was getting busy and our waitress was getting flustered. We felt like ordering another round of drinks and possibly some dessert. We asked to see the menu again and she walked past our table 2 to 3 times before remembering to bring it to us. I ordered another Caribbean Painkiller and we were going to order a dessert but after another 20 minutes and the drink hadn't arrived, we decided to just go ahead and get the bill so we wouldn't be late for the show across the street. We were delayed in asking for the bill, because the table next to us was speaking with the waitress at length about how they had been waiting for 30 to 40 minutes for their drink order. They ended up getting up and leaving with no drinks, and you could tell that our waitress was getting upset and really struggling. We ended up asking for our check as soon as we could get her attention. They only do debit/credit card transactions. No cash. She rang up our order on a little electronics device that all the waiters carry in their back pockets. She gave us our total which included the second drink that never arrived. We pointed that out to her and she gladly took it off the bill, but you could tell she was frustrated/embarrassed about having forgotten to bring it out to us. I ended up giving her a 20% tip, because I felt like she needed a boost after the struggle she was having at work that evening. She was apologetic, but visibly glad that she now had one less table to deal with. We were able to get to our show at DPAC with time to spare so all in all it was a fine experience. Maybe next time we go we can ask the host/hostess to seat us in the section belonging to one of the more experienced waiters. We went on a Monday night, so I don't think we could've picked a less busy night to go out to eat.
Meh. It's convenient, and I never had anything bad (food or service) but never had anything noteworthy. Outside is nice, interior decor is kinda' sharp, but outside of being on ATC campus, I can't say I'd go out of my way to eat here. Once ATC goes through Revitalization 2.0, which is getting underway, these guys may have to up their game or it'll be a challenge to survive.
This is my last time coming here. To start off I had to wait more then 30 mins with my family to get acknowledged that we was waiting to be seated then we had to wait after we got seated to get the menu not only that the server ask my wife what she was going to order and walk off after I had to call the server and tell that person that I was going to order too. The server drop the salt in the table,brought our drink order wrong I had to wait for a refill for 30 mins the food came uncooked(the rice, fry plantain). Like I said this is the last time I'll come here ever worst service in Durham it was an unpleasant experience. DONT EAT HERE!!!!!!!!
Are you guys effing kidding me??? How IN THE WORLD are you gonna have fidel castro hung up the wall like its all good. The owners must not be cubans because real cubans who come in search of freedom, don't showcase him in anyway! I will never eat here