I would never have known about this place if I hadn't lived right across the street. BYOB. Cheap, delicious eats. Not overrun by foodies. What more do you want?
Just try the ropa vieja and get a side of platanos maduros. You won't regret it. The Cuban sandwiches are a little greasy, but everything else is so scrumptious that I still won't give it less than 5 stars.
I am not counting service in this review because the food is just to authentic and to damn good.  skirt steak with grilled onions is on point and the fried plantains were just like my abuela used to make.  The other thing that makes this joint good is the black beans and rice. This place serves true two day black deans, which means the beans are allowed to gather their full potential for a full day after they are cooked making them amazing. Really recommend this place  to anyone seeking some authentic Cuban food .
Review Source:I love the food here. Â Tasty and portion and prices are great. Â It is a very small place with about 4-5 tables, no problem. Â I do not give it 5 stars because the last time I was there a family came and it was about a group of 8. Â For what I unwillingly overheard, it seems this family comes here often and are not the best customers and do not leave a tip and leave a mess.............. yada dadadada.....
The waitress that day seem to have a lot of issues with them. Â Was very unhappy they were there, kept complaining in Spanish about them. Â She would go to their table for something and than go back behind the counter just a few feet away and start bitching in Spanish about them to the behind the counter staff. Â Obviously the customer were not Hispanics so did not understand Spanish. Â But my boyfriend and me did understand and so did the other customers sitting by us. Â I found that so unprofessional and discourteous to us and every one else even the unwanted customers. Â Not to mention it makes the place look bad. Â The food is great but if the customer service is lacking you will lose customers and get bad reviews. Â
I am sure customers that come here, come to enjoy a great home-cooked meal and to relax. Â Not to hear all of the waitress drama with other customers. Â Imagine if she did that about these customers what doesn't she say about me or any other customer?!!! Â
If you're going to own a restaurant/business you need to have good customer etiquette and make your customers feel welcomed so that they come back and invite others........
I will give it another shot and if I see the same thing, I will update my review and give it 1 star. Â
You just never know when Check Please may be there or any other food critique.
I have been going here for a good chunk of my life but have missed it lately. I brought my husband here once a while ago and we have been dreaming of the fried swordfish for a long time. Today, after too long, we settled down and waited anxiously with some plantains, warm, buttery bread, and a Materva.The entree was an ample size (I still got leftovers for dinner!), the rice and beans were just right, and the swordfish had a wonderful crust. We finished it all of with two espressos - ask for it "cortado" -with a bit of foam and sugar. Service was polite and friendly, ambiance was very relaxed. I can't wait to go back when I am in town again. If your looking for a nice, simple dinner, El Rinconcito is a great and affordable option.
Review Source:Hands down one of the best Cuban restaurants in the city. Â My dad always complains how he can never find anywhere with food as authentic as on the island, except when we go here, he loves it. Â I love it as well.
Warning, if you want ambiance, Â cute decorations, and cocktails this is not the place. Â However if you want something authentic, great portion size, and great price this is it. Â You pay for great food, not some fake palm tress and posters.
MmmMmmMmmmMMmmm
Cuban food is so good for you especially when it involves plantains which were what I was craving when I came here with  my friend two weekends ago. The plantains came with the shrimp tortillas dish and were a great complement. My friend got the bistec which was humongous and came with lots of rice and beans. We shared everything and both enjoyed the Cuban style rice (with pork fat in it no less!) and the large portions. Eating so much never felt so good.
El Rinconcito Cubano is a famly business and pride of ownership shows in everything they do. I live down the street and visit at least three times a month. I'm working my way through the menu and have never been dissapointed. The daily specials are great too (do yourself a favor and go on a Wednesday to have the Arroz Frito----it's amazing!!!).
I keep going back for the warm and understated service, the quality ingredients, great flavors, and reasonable prices (the portions are huge).
You have to save room for the flan. If they carmelized some sugar on the top you'd say it was the best creme brulee you'd ever had. I highly recommend El Rinconcito Cubano. You will not be dissapointed.
I live down the street and visit at least twice a month. This is a true family restaurant and pride of ownership is evident in everything they do. I'm working my way through the menu and have never been disapointed. The daily specials are always good too. Make sure that you save room for the flan. If they took a blow torch to it you'd swear that it was creme brulee and the best one you've ever had at that!!!
El Rinconcito Cubano offers excellent food at very reasonable prices, great service, and a warm and unpretentious atmosphere. It's one of our best neighborhood restaurants and I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
Really disappointing customer service. I strongly recommend finding another Cuban place.
I moved to Dallas 2 years ago and South American food is very hard to come by. As a result, each time I'm in town, I make a strong effort to get my cuban fix at El Rinconcito. This is the first place I've ever experienced cuban food, and since I enjoyed the Ropa Vieja, I figured I would remain loyal to this restaurant.
That is until today...
I came in and asked for the ropa vieja with a side of tostones. I explained to my server that the last time I was here, I had not received my tostones. She nodded her head and proceeded to give me a totally different thing on the menu. When I explained to her the misunderstanding, she scoffed and said that the maduros is what I had ordered. I shook my head and was 100% sure that I ordered tostones, but agreed that we would keep the maduros and place the order AGAIN for tostones in order to avoid any more problems. Unfortunately, they never came. I got the bill, explained that I had never received my tostones I so longed for. The server  then proceded to YELL at me, AGE DESCRIMINATE  me, and said that I was a young kid without any manners. There was nothing left for me to do but to pay my tab and to keep my cool despite being  embarassed by the entire scene.
Yelpers, it is evident that customer service is a key element to your restaurant experience. If you're looking to be yelled at, wait a long time for your food, and dirty looks, then this is the place for you.
I will now stop recommending this place and will have to find another little havana for my fix. Any suggestions are appreciated!
This food really hit the spot! My boyfriend and I had a taste for Cuban food on Sunday morning. We had actually planned to go to place down the street, but it wasn't open until noon. Since we were starving and it was just before 12pm, we happened to see that Rinconcito was already open. I love, love, LOVE the white rice, black beans, fried plantains and the crispy, buttery bread they brought to the table! I ordered a shrimp entree in an orange colored spicy sauce. My boyfriend ordered some kind of pork meatballs. Everything we tasted was delicious. Our waitress was very sweet too. It is CASH ONLY so don't forget to make a pit stop before stopping in. We will definitely return. It was great food, a good crowd (many Cuban patrons, so you know the food is good) and a great price!
Review Source:This is one of the Best cuban food in Chicago. My parents have been going to this place for so many years. While I was pregnant this was one of the restaurants I craved . I recommend the fish filet ( Â perfectly fried ), the arroz frito(fried rice on Wed),bistec encebollado,pepper steak and of couse el cortadito(cuban espresso, delicious). Definitely stop in this restaurant to check it out your self and fall, in love.
Review Source:Living across the street from this place sure has it's advantages! Â My husband loves this place a little more then me but we end up here quite often. It's pretty cheap, the sandwiches are HUGE totally sharable. We usually get a soup, pan and butter, and then share a sandwich.
This place runs on island time, and it's pretty much cash only, a great spot a total neighborhood stable.
This is very tasty Cuban food! The value is great - for a light weeknight meal, my fiancé and I can even share an entree.  Unpretentious and genuine.
I lived a couple blocks away for a year and never noticed it. Then a Cuban customer of mine who lives in Barrington now recommended it for great, affordable, authentic Cuban food which is exactly what it is.
I've had almost everything on the menu except the sandwiches and everything is tasty.
If you're looking for affordable Cuban dining and minimal English, you've come to the right place.
Rinconcito is short on frills and it seems like they wouldn't have it any other way. Seating capacity is maybe 30, and the menu is pretty small. Our group kept it simple-
-Steak
-Pepper Steak
-Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef)
-Fried Pork
-Cuban Sandwich
Everyone enjoyed their meals, and the portions were very large. I haven't had too much Cuban food so I feel unqualified to speak to the quality of the food itself, but the 5 of us who went- including one culinary school grad and one food blogger- all enjoyed our entrees.
Having moved from Miami a few years ago, I still get cravings for some authentic Spanish food once in a while. I've been to several places around the city, and have to say, by far, the food at this place is spot on. I had the ropa vieja with tostones, yucca, black beans and rice, with a cafe con leche. Holy cow! The ropa vieja was the best I've ever had in my life. Better even than anything in Miami. The yucca was cooked to perfection and the cafe con leche was yummarific. It's obvious that most of their business comes from regulars who have been coming there for years, but they treated us like family just the same. Authentic cuban food in an authentic environment. Love it!
Review Source:I went in for a late lunch with my family because a friend of ours recommended this place. Â It wasn't very crowded when we went in, but it took a really long time for the waitress to take our orders. Â When the food did come, it was delicious! Â I recommend the Ropa Vieja if you do stop in to eat. Â But the service wasn't the best. Â Might be better for a smaller group of people (even though there were only 5 of us).
Review Source:This was one the first neighborhood restaurant that I visited when I moved to Chicago. Â I'm old school so I had to order the Ropa Vieja. Â The food here is pretty good, but nothing spectacular. Â I've had some fantastic Cuban food before and have not found a top rated spot in Chicago yet. Â One thing that's a must have is "un sandwich cubano." Â You can't find an authentic one of the sort anywhere. Â If you don't speak Spanish, they'll still understand your order. Â Just point to the number on the menu. Â The last time I've gone to have dinner, the food was a bit salty. Â So, you might want to tell them to hold the salt. Â Otherwise, it's an ok place for a quick dinner.
Review Source:I've been eating here for sixteen years now and some things have changed and others stayed the same. The sandwiches are still spot-on and the café con leché is still great. I can't say the same for some of the entrees. The beans have lost some of their oomph and the seafood is a bit lacking in flavor. I know they don't have the same cook they used to years ago so that could have a lot to do with it.
Review Source:If you have ever dreamt of going to Cuba, your dream has come true. Â Well at least seeing the Cuban cultural aspects first-hand, right here in our city of Chicago. Â Continue reading along with my aventura cubana which describes various Culture Hints to look for when it comes your time to visit El Rinconcito Cubano. Â I am going to simply describe a few regulars and employees with fictional names (it's a bit tricky to know exactly who actually works there since everyone seems to pitch in without specific roles [practice Culture Hint #1]):
Betina: The most "special" of the crew who was sitting at our four-person table when my boyfriend and I came in. Â All the people who I am about to mention "asked" (which to an American would be replaced with the verb "yelled") for her to move [Culture Hint #2]. Â She wobbled on over to the cash register counter where she rocked back and forth by bending her knees and continually checked her phone which randomly rang only to be heard through her bluetooth earset. Â My boyfriend and I came up with the hypothesis that no one was ever actually on the phone since all the others in the "restaura" (as she calls the restaurant in Spanish with a Cuban dialect) seemed to push her off or ignore her.
Josefina: Our waitress who was very sweet, timid and older but tried her best to use her broken English communicate with us. Â She greeted us when we came in, showed us the specials on the dry erase marker board and was back in 2 seconds to ask what we had decided on. Â Once she had come back a third time I ordered the picadillo (ground beef with veggies including beans, rice and a little salad $9.50) while my boyfriend asked for the camarones criollos (shrimp in a lightly spicy tomato sauce with a huge plate of fried delicious plantains, white rice, beans and a side salad $10.50). Â Meanwhile the other 3 ladies interrupted screaming rapidly in Spanish "Where's the CocoRicos?" Â No time is better than now when asking questions like where the soft drink was that she put away in the bottom of the refrigerator [Cultural Hint #3].
Isabela: Another waitress who helps out Josefina on the side by cleaning tables and bringing out the full plates of food. Â She brought out the beans and camarones while telling me in Spanish "We're out of the picadillo," figuring a little white boy me speaks her language, perhaps because I was wearing an Argentina hoodie. Thankful I do happen to speak Spanish fluently and I barely asked for a menu when Josefina came up and said "No more picadillo. Â The estofado (beef stew) is delicious tonight. Â You want that right?" Â All I could do was agree since the Latinas are never wrong [Cultural Hint #4]. Â My food came out super rapido and I think they gave us extra platanos maduros due to the whole issue but maybe you always get a ton. Â Josefina, Betina and Isabela talked about running out of the picadillo for at least 15 minutes after breaking the news to me. Â This was the only thing they had left to talk about after a full day of gossiping about everything else happening in their lives: men-homeland-food-customers-sleep deprivation [Cultural Hint #5].
Octavio: The formally dressed owner who acted like the father to everyone else by ordering them around, while he talked to his fellow Cuban customers all day long.
If you finish off your food, you have a good appetite and as Isabela said when one thin boy walked out "He left 2 pounds heavier." Â If you still have food on your plate but are finished, there must have been something wrong with the food or you're sickly, unless of course you're chubby or fat which they'll have no problem in creating a nickname like 'gordo' for you [Cultural Hints #6 & 7]. Â
All in all, beyond the 24/7 entertainment, the food was very delicious so I must have gained weight while my boyfriend over ate.
If you're up for the experience and can be competent in my provided Cultural Hints, no need for a passport, just give it a try. Â Then if you survive, write Obama to continue pushing for an end to the Cuban-US travel restrictions so when can take on the real thing. Â We heard their flan is delicious but I was too stuffed to fit anything else in my stomach. Â Oh and although pesos may be accepted along with dollars, no cards are.
Worst Cuban Cuisine!
My husband and I went for a long walk last night and we came across with this place "Rinconcito Cubano". It is a very small place , probably for about 30 people, we thought it was charming and cozy but that is pretty much what I can say about this place because the food was very bland, more like a basic home cooking.
I had the creo shrimp, 5 pieces of medium size shrimp cooked in a tomato sauce with onions, came with fry plantains (soak in oil), rice and black beans, which I think this might be on the vegetarian section because she said it didn't had pork on it. My husband order (waiter's recommend it) the beef, big piece of steak with rice and red beans(this one had pork), as I said very bland nothing special, no spices or anything, he didn't even finish eating it, we also had the Cuban sodas..... ok ...... I never had one before.
The waitress? Oh yeah, she never came to check on us, she spend all the time talking to her friends next table from us, it was kind of rude! And when we ask for our check  it took her  for ever....  So 2 entrée and 2 sodas came a total of $24.00 with tx included, my husband left $30.00 and told me "we are never coming back".
This place single handedly saved my trip to Chicago.
We saw this restaurant called "Con Sabor Cubano" on the way to Isla Filipina and I nearly got a heart attack. I LOVE CUBAN SANDWICHES. So we made plans to go there before going back home to KC. (This was because their website said they would be open on Sunday's.). So from Hoffman Estates to the restaurant. And it was closed.
I was devastated.
Till El Rinconcito came to my rescue.
This place is much like the typical Cuban shop in Little Havana. Very small, but extremely family oriented. We were there first thing in the morning this past Sunday, and before 11:05, it was slammed in Cubans. The smell of coffee emanating from behind the counter was intoxicating.
So, we ordered four Cuban sandwiches to go. Two to eat immediately and two for us to eat while on the road. The sandwiches had amazing bread. The toppings used though were also very flavorful. I will say they cheaped out in the pulled pork department a little (not enough for my taste) but overall the sandwich was amazing.
And note for all of you Cuban food noobs, authentic Cuban sandwiches do NOT have mayo. This sandwich in particular is overzealous in white cheese.
I'm forever greatful for this place being open and satisfying my crave. Otherwise my immaculate trip to Chicago would have easily turned into a disaster.
A really nice and quiet restaurant. Not very big but I just think that the atmosphere is calm and soothing. The food is pretty good and the and relatively priced. The service was really good and the people there were nice, polite and quite welcoming. I love it when they try to help you order in Spanish, and not in a patronizing way. This good place for groups six or les due to the size of the place. Enjoy
Review Source:This food is smack your mamma amazing. Â I'm from S. Florida where spanish food is king. Â This place is the only one in Chicago to make me feel so at home. Â
Sure, the service made me feel alienated and weird at first, but once the food came I was in heaven. Â The rice and beans were PERFECT with multiple flavors lurking around every bite. Â The ropa vieja was KILLER. Â Tender with tons flavor and the sauce blended in with the rice like a fine Picasso painting on steroids. Â On the side was an unexpected order of yucca which was boiled to PERFECTION with a cream based garlic sauce. Â To top it off I had ordered sweet plantains which made me call home and cry. Â Why cry you ask? Â Because it felt like Christmas Day in August. Â
This place is THE BUSINESS for the BEST authentic CUBAN cuisine in Chicago. Â Hands down.
This place is funny. I have mixed feelings about Cuban food. I like it, and have been to several Cuban places, but then I always think I could have made it myself at home. I think in general Cuban food is overpriced for what it is. But then I grew up with this kind of food.
At El Rinconcito, the space is small (cozy), the decor that of a hole in the wall, the service is really really slow, the menu is limited, yet the food is satisfying and I keep going back.
I immediately forgot about how long I waited once i got my sandwich.
The vibe is funny and cool too. A lot of sharply dressed regulars and other family/friends/employees just hang out all day drinking coffee and chatting it up. It reminds me a bit of Satriales from "The Sopranos". Some might find it intimidating.
Hole in the wall, filled with wife beater and gold chain wearing old cuban men, family run, affordable, no frills, and crazy delicious. The delightfully sketchy atmosphere is half the fun, if the service is a bit slow/unresponsive at times. This is one of the best restaurants in Logan Square IMHO. I love the Criollo Shrimp, The Ropa Vieja, Tostones, pretty much anything will be good here, and mammoth portion sizes to boot. Get it to go and you'll have enough to feed two.
Review Source:This is one of those places you may  miss if you blink. It's definitely one of thos hole-in-the-wall, family owned restaurants that not everyone can enjoy. I, however, do. I enjoyed seeing the regulars talking to the staff- like they were in their kitchen. It's very cozy that way. The food was good. I had the ropa vieja and it was very flavorful, but the piece de resistance was by far the flan. I'm Mexican American, and love me some flan, and their flan was so deliciously different and sweet- my dad, who was my dining companion that evening, kept talking about it for days. It's cheap, but bring cash- no charge!
Review Source:You HAVE to spend a couple hours here, chatting with the suspicious-at-first, but warm and chatty once you establish that you speak Spanish and know your way around the menu. I don't go for the food, although their black beans and rice are REALLY good- I go to spend time with the regulars. Stay away from the fish- it's fishy. Sitck with the classic ropa vieja if you get something other than rice and beans, which for me is a delicious meal alone.
Review Source:A very authentic and delish little joint ... if you are hankering for beans, rice, plaintains and some serious ropa vieja, this is the real deal. Â I find this restaurant to be very atmospheric and really seems like it could be like the set of a movie ... the cafe con leche is also quite wonderful.
Review Source:A true hidden gem and a great place to have lunch on Saturday afternoon. Beware however, if your typical "out to eat" is SushiSambaRio or N9ne, that your comfort level will be tested here. It is an authentic place where velvet booths and faux-artsy lighting are a non-issue. This place could be best be described as spartan and clean.
The staff is very friendly and a little espanol goes a long way. We found a Yerba soft drink here which tastes nothing like Mate, but was interesting nonetheless.
The Ropa Vieja was outstanding and was a gut buster. It is enough to share for certain. Comes with peas and rice as well as platanos. The plantanos were the best I have has this side of the Carib.
A little cup of joe is highly recommended as well.
Great food, cheap prices, true cuban feel and very nice friendly staff. You walk in this little gem and you feel like your in a cuban kitchen. Its small and you should know some spanish if you would like to order correctly. But this is always a winner. Â A true " ace in the hole "
The yucca and the plantains are awesome. Closes very early so be there before 8pm.
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