Cheap Eats 2009: Cuba de Ayer

Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Cynthia Hacinli , Ann Limpert , Kate Nerenberg , Rina Rapuano

Great food, low prices, lots of fun

Cuba de Ayer

15446 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD
Phone: 301-476-9622

Cuisines:
Cuban, South American

Opening Hours:
Tue,Wed,Thu,Sun:
General: 11:30 AM - 08:30 PM
Fri,Sat:
General: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
None nearby

Price Range:
Inexpensive

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
Chatty

Reservations:
Not needed

Special Features:
Kid Friendly

Best Dishes
Ham croquettes; beef empanadas; ropa vieja; masitas; picadillo; Cubano sandwich; plantains; black beans; rice; tres leches cake.

Price Details:
Appetizers $2 to $7, entrées $8 to $15.


 

Reader's Rating:
No Reader Reviews

Why go: The area’s best Cuban cooking. Granted, Washington isn’t Miami. But this oxblood-colored dining room with framed prints of old Havana gets a lot of the details right, from the almost-creamy black beans to the oiled rice to the sour-orange bite of the cubed pork dish masitas.

What to get: Ham croquettes; vaca fritta, crispy shreds of pan-fried beef (give it a shower of lemon juice); black beans and rice; the beef-and-potato hash known as picadillo; home-style chicken soup; tres leches cake.

Best for: A festive night with friends.

Insider tip: Cocktails often lack adequate alcohol; opt for a cold beer instead.

Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.

>> See all 2009 Cheap Eats restaurants here