Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar - Cambridge

I've eaten at Gustazo a half dozen times since they opened, and each experience has been gustatory splendor. This is without question one of my favorite places to dine, and if the T ever moved at a pace that delivered me to Porter Square in under an hour, I'd eat here every week.My husband and I decided to take advantage of the holiday special $5 mojitos on July 4th. The cocktails here are always so tasty but we liked the regular mojitos so much that we each got 2. For food, our first dish was a new item on the menu, crab stuffed piquillo peppers, served over wilted greens with gooseberries and topped with melted cheese. This was our favorite small plate of the night - so much flavor packed into this dish! Next up was was the comforting cazuela de coliflor, served in a gooey manchego sauce, followed by bacon wrapped maduros, sweet and savory for the 1-2 punch. My husband had never tried ropa vieja, so that was our grand finale. I generally don't eat red meat, but I always make an exception for the Ropa here because both the stewed beef and the black beans have such magical flavor. We did not leave a single kernel of rice, making sure that every last drop of liquid from the beans and meat was absorbed and eaten. As usual, service and food was on point!

Overall: true to its name Gustavo specializes in "Cuban" food. The flavors were well represented all around and I would definitely recommend this place again but some dishes could go back to R&D for a better final product. Food: they had the classics like ropa vieja which had that melt in your mouth slow roasted feeling. The flavors were rich and actually had a tinge of sweetness from one of their ingredients. They had a lot of fish options but we got the large plate mahi mahi. The sauce that came with it was very very unique. The "rice" it came on felt like risotto so it was almost like 2/3 dishes in one. The highlight was the fusion style barbecue ribs with guava flavor. Not entirely sure if it's traditional but the use of guava to tenderize the meat and flavor was really creative. The one dish that could use more development was the enchilada de canejo. The way it was cooked and the flavors were all there it's just that something didn't add up. Either the dish didn't come together flavor wise with too many things going on or it was too much of everything. The beet salad was a secret positive having never had beets. They were tender and extremely flavorful almost a bit sweet. Ambience/Decor/Service: we sat upstairs had a good time as the food came out one by one. The server was extremely helpful answering questions and making sure we got everything we needed. Cute spot away from the usual locations of Davis and Porter.

While visiting my daughter in Boston, came across this recommendation from vegan friends. I was to only vegan in the group so it was great to find a place that had options for me that went beyond a salad.My food was wonderful and portions were great. I ordered the Garbanzos and Espinaca plate and the Ropa Vieja de Hongos. The service was great and our server was very helpful in making recommendations for the rest of the group. This was a great find!

This is a great spot for group dinners. Tons of diverse options for all types of palates, including plenty of vegetarian, meat, and seafood options. They also have a fun cocktail menu. The ambiance is cozy and inviting and servers were well versed on the menu and friendly.

We walked-in for a friend's birthday in a group of 5 and got to try many things. It was a bit earlier in the evening so it wasn't too crowded, but the space is huge with a basement too. All of the staff were really friendly and attentive, without being overbearing.Must-orderQueso frito: A crowd favorite. Very unique - the cheese is pretty mild, but the vegetables and the bright sweetness from the sauce worked nicely together.Chuletas de Cordero: I've had this from Gustazo before, and it was as good as I remember. Lamb chops are not super gamey, but super juicy and flavorful, with subtle herbal and spicy sauces to complement.Just okYuca Frita: great texture, and very snack-like morsels. I found it to be a little too salty and the sauce not bright enough to balance, but was fun overall.Maybe notCostillas a la Guyaba: meat fell right off the bone, and each part of the dish was cooked and seasoned well, but overall I don't think they came together.Empanadas de Espinaca: did not really make an impression... I don't really recall any strong flavor profiles nor any interesting texturesWill be back for drinks! The cocktail menu looked super interesting.

Gustazo is a great spot if you're looking for a quality dining experience in the Boston area. I came on a Friday night and it was pretty busy, so I'm glad we had a reservation. The decor is bright and fun, with eclectic artwork on the walls.We started out with the Cuban Margarita to drink, which had a nice kick to it, but wasn't overwhelmingly spicy. For two people, we got two tapas and an entrée to share, which was just the right amount. The Yuka Frita (yuka fries) had the perfect crunch to chew ratio, with a delcious aioli on the side. The Costillas a la Guayaba (guava glazed baby back ribs) came with a bunch of fun accoutrements and was a visually appealing dish. While tasty, the cook on the ribs could have been a bit more consistent. To me, the star of the show was the Ropa Vieja (shredded flank steak). The sauce/seasoning on the meat hit the spot. They also had a mushroom version as a vegetarian option. Overall, a great meal, especially if you're interested in trying Cuban food!

Came here for a work related dinner with a group of 10. It was a Saturday night so they were very busy. We had a pre arranged menu which allowed us to taste so many different dishes. My favorites were the vegetarian empanadas, beet salad, squash salad, vegetarian ropa vieja. And don't forget to try their churros, they are so fluffy and light. There were other dishes such as mussels, chicken, regular ropa vieja, but I didn't try them. Also, great mocktails!Our server Frank was amazing even though the kitchen and bar were very slow that night.

I have been here a few times but just came for a friends birthday over the weekend and it was fantastic! Staff surprised our friend with dessert with a candle. There was 6 of us and we were sat downstairs which was a very nice vibe. I had only ever been upstairs and I never knew how large their downstairs dining was. We got 5 tapas and one large plate between the 6 of us and it was perfect. Everything was so delicious I don't know how to pick just one. The empanadas were so fresh and incredible with a great bagel seasoning type twist. We also go the arroz con pollo and the chicken melted off the bone. We were able to cut it to share with just a butter knife! On larger parties they do include a 20% which I have no problem with but they didn't tell us so please make sure to pay attention to your receipt! My only other complaint is they used to have this incredible salmon dish on their large plates menu and it is has been gone for some time. I still dream about that salmon so if you ever wanted to bring it back! I would be happy to see it.

I had bookmarked this place for a long time but didn't get a chance to try recently. Food: 8.5/10Honestly, everything we got was sooo good. The chef really knows how to create special and unique flavors for each dish. I find familiar flavors but not completely expected combinations for Cuban food (I have been to Cuba before). Portions are very decent as well. We got A LOT of food, so maybe don't do what we did lol. We got the ceviche, yuca fries, queso frito, cazuela de colifor asada (cauliflower-- get it!), lamb chops, chicharrones, pan roasted half chicken... for 2 people! Did I regret it? Nah it was worth it, but we did have a lot of leftovers.Ambience + Location: 8/10Nice and cozy place. The area is quite easy to get to as well. Service + Value: 9/10Our server was great and nice. We never felt like we were rushed out or anything even though the place was packed.Overall, highly recommend!

Hemingway daiquiri delicious, vegetarian meat options were great. Loved the flank steak and corn fritters