Carmen’s Cuban Café

Delicious! I got the Lechón Asado which was so good, I thought if I came back, I’d never order anything else! The meat was very tender and very flavorful. Portions were generous and I took have my meal home. The yummy garlic bread was served as quickly the drinks. Service by Eduardo was excellent; fast and attentive. I’ll definitely be going back.

It was a piece from home. I loved it so much. I am from Puerto Rico and this is as close as it gets from getting authentic food from home here in the Raleigh area. I was a little disappointed because I am highly allergic to shellfish and they fry everything together so I was not able to really get into those mariquitas, rellenos de papas o empanadas I was really urging for. On the other hand the churrasco and chimichurri weren’t all that great but boy… where the yuca and arroz con congri where nice… definately AMAZING!

I went here with a big group and they were very helpful in taking us through the menu and bringing out various appetizers and drinks along the way very quickly. The starting bread was great (weird to actually comment about the bread on Unilocal,but it was so butter and soft that it is worth noting), the appetizers were all wonderful, the plantains were prepared great, and the Churrasco con Chimichurri was cooked perfectly (medium rare). Everything on my plate was wonderful and the drinks were good (the possibly not so strong). I recommend coming here.

Delicious! I had the Churrasco con Chimichurri and hubby had Bistec de pollo. Absolutely yummy! Meat was tender and tasty. Highly recommend.

Great food and great Service. I had the ropa vieja with the yellow rice, red beans and yuca frita. All the food was amazing. The gin and tonic was a bit light. But the followed coffee was a great recommendation. I will definitely be going back there one or two times before my trip ends.

Now, I’ll admit, I only came here initially because it has the same name as I do. Crazy reason, I know. But!
Nice atmosphere and delicious Cuban food made me love this place! The steak and yellow rice were amazing and the cocktail I had was wonderful. Will be visiting again soon!

The wait staff was super nice but the food was poor. We waited 15+ minutes for our food. We had a chicken & rice dish and it was dry as if it had sat out for 10 minutes under heatlamps before it was served.

Really good Cuban food and a friendly staff. I was craving some Cuban food and this hit the spot. Definitely glad I found this place on Unilocal

A solid, moderately authentic Cuban restaurant tucked into an awful location out near the airport and a mostly empty discount mall. The décor is nothing special and when we went the place was mostly empty although they supposedly have salsa some nights.
The food was fine, the cocktails were lousy and the waiter was maybe the most impersonal guy I’ve ever had the displeasure of being served by. He basically greeted us by asking «what do you want?» He was rude and clearly wanted us to just finish eating so he could go home.
Cool change of pace but I won’t be going back.

Had just landed at RDU need a quick bite to eat. Guy at hotel suggested Carmen ’ …glad he did. The service was awesome the guy at bar with glasses/​the bartender was super helpful. I had the chicken vegetable soup. Delicioso! There were a bunch of people at the bar raving about there food and the mojitos. They said the mojitos were as good as the ones in Puerto Rico. I was drinking different beers. Great vibe. And they also invited me to their salsa parties which I think are every friday. I will be back.

We came here after a flight from Dallas after my mom recommended it as a good Cuban place she had a long time ago. I’m not sure if they have changed ownership since then but the food across the board was below average at best. The ceviche was very sour and off putting. The pork was fatty and flavorless and the seafood came in a watery tomato broth and had a rubbery consistency. The service was good but I would not return because the food was disappointing and frankly overpriced for the quality.

Tracie is great! She recommended the best dish on the menu! The food was excellent and the staff was attentive! The ropa vieja is really good along with the Tostones

Awesome roasted pork dinner with arroz moro (congrí) and boiled yuca and onions. Great recommendations from bartender Ramón Soler!!! And to make it a perfect universe serendipity, turns out that Ramón and I have a bunch of high school friends in common. GO AHS PIRATES! And to end the perfect dinner he says — «try the flan de coco» — and now I’m ready for a good night sleep. If you are into Cuban food and want a really good meal for a very reasonable price, try Carmen’s Cuban Café near the Raleigh-​Durham airport. Until next time.

Food was very good, service was good and fast… who could ask for more? We will be back!

Alright here it is. if your looking for a place with great customer service and amazing food come to Carmen’s. the taste of their food is above and beyond the majority of all the restraunts in North Carolina. thanks to my man Josh who provided great advice on what to order.

I haven’t been here for a couple years. Wow, they expanded and it looks much more upper scale than I remember. Service was better than I remember as well. Food was much better than I remember too. The lunch specials had a HUGE heap of food, crazy huge! I know very little about Cuban food, other than a few restaurants in Florida that I tried, but this was better than those. Servers were wearing hats, which was a nice touch. Thankfully I had some will power to stop eating, otherwise I’d still be miserable 7 hours later. Do try this place.

Excellent service courtesy of Josh. Terrific food and we are so glad to have found this place. Best Cuban food in the triangle! Can’t wait to go back!

Great food and service. Their portions are large, so be careful with appetizers. Josh was great behind the bar. Will be returning when I’m in this area again.

The staff was great, very friendly and attentive. I ordered a Cuban as I always do at Cuban restaurants and I just wasn’t impressed. The bread was decent and the filling was decent but it just didn’t wow me the way I hoped it would.

First and foremost Josh was AMAZING. He made sure everything was going great and provided amazing service and made it a fun dining experience.
Second. The food was AMAZING.
Third the drinks were AMAZING.
AMAZING NIGHT. THANKS JOSH.

Really good Cuban food and a fun environment. I went to Carmen’s at that awkward time when it’s still too early to eat dinner but too late for lunch… But it was open! Josh was my server, and he was super friendly and helpful. He showed me that there are 3 big rooms, one of which is a dance party room for salsa on Tuesdays! Unfortunately I was there on Wednesday so I missed the festivities! But the food was excellent. I would consider myself an almost-​connoisseur of Cuban cuisine. My favorite restaurant back in Louisville is also Cuban, and Carmen’s is just as delicious! I had ropa vieja, a shredded beef dish which is a Cuban restaurant staple. It was awesome. I meant to take a photo of the immense pile of meat I got for a good price, but instead I went into a sort of hunger-​induced trancelike state… By the time I remembered about my idea to take a photo, I had all but decimated my dinner…
Any way, this place was great. It’s near the airport, so it’s great for curing those jet-​lag blues and hangriness that come from airlines that no longer feed you peanuts.

Alright, I’m converted. It took awhile, because the first time I visited here I was on a no-​carb diet. If you are too, my review is simple: avoid.
But I’ve learned to appreciate the true deliciousness that is their savory/​sweet comfort Cuban food. The setting is perfect for a business lunch: trendy, well-​lit, and white tablecloth. And they have a convenient set of lunch specials daily that let you sample their prepared hot entrées without having to do the standard lunch salad or sandwich.
I highly recommend the steak for lunch. Deceptively simple in the description, it somehow packs a ton of flavor for just being sautéed with onions. The lunch specials let you choose your starchy fruit/​root, choose your rice, AND choose your beans (see what I mean about carbs?). I like to pair mine with white rice, red beans, and maduros for an almost Cajun flavor set.
I know the ropa vieja sounds the most flavorful from the description, but I’ll warn you that several times I found it to be bland and tough, as have others.
Whatever you order, its a great business lunch in a place that you would never expect (sad side building to a dead outlet mall by the airport) in an area that desperately needs more options. There’s a reason Carmen’s has been around so long!

I see reviews for this restaurant from people who compared it to Miami… you have got to be kidding me!!! My friend and I were here from work, so we had to eat fairly quickly and get out of there… We were in and out in 45 mins. which was longer than what we were wanting (everyones eyes were on us as we walked back in to work) yikes… we ordered the fish sandwich (I would say it tasted like the fish sandwich at captain D’s maybe cap D’s is a tad bit more flavorful) and we had the chicken platter — umm it was okay. again, not that flavorful but definitely better than the fish…
the highlight of the menu: the garlic bread!
service was also pretty good

I have always been hesitant trying this place out for lunch due to the fact that I only have an hour. Since I had a half day on this most recent visit, I decided that it was finally time to give this café a try.
Walked in and immediately got a table, good amount of people but not too packed. Boyfriend and I both decided to go with a lunch special. I ordered the Ropa Vieja with yellow rice, red beans and sweet plantains and Boyfriend ordered the Bistec de Pollo with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains per our waiters recommendations. Both dishes were delicious, my favorite was definitely Boyfriend’s. I did like what I ordered; however, I was not a huge fan and would probably opt for a different option next time. I did enjoy the red beans and sweet plantains though.
As far as service went, it was AWESOME! I forgot to ask for his name and wish that I did, whoopsies. This was one of the best waiters that I have had in the area.
Now that I know that this place is quick, I will definitely come back with my coworkers! And, maybe some dance lessons if Boyfriend is feeling like he has rhythm.

We were so excited to find a Cuban spot near us since relocating from Miami. We ordered takeout (so can’t speak on décor) and both had Vaca Frita (fried beef), our absolute favorite Cuban dish and we weren’t blown away. I had Morro (black beans mixed with rice) and that was the best part of the dish. Hubby had white rice and black beans and the beans were pretty bland. The fried green plantains were reeeeally dry. Not sure if they were old or just cut too thick for them to be crispy. Disappointing. We also bought a slice of tres leches and it was pretty bad. Way too lemony for a tres leches and the texture was closer to pudding. I don’t know if we’ll give this place another try.

This is the real deal Cuban food like I get in Miami. Plantains like nowhere else, appetizer sampler that could feed a couple on a first date, unreal huge portions that astound and FLAN all combine to be more than the sum of the whole.
The warmth and love of the chef for Cuba and his mother, the real Carmen, shines in every dish. The portions here are huge and incredibly flavorful. The meal start to finish is served up quickly and the food comes out hot. Our server, Josh, was the best :-).
My meal was the roasted pork served with plantains, yellow rice and black beans. I had flan for dessert. All of it was excellent and very traditionally prepared, that is to say, prepared in the best way possible with a mild flavor and succulent cuts of pork shoulder. The flan was also very traditional in its firm texture and subtle sweetness.
Eat here every chance you get, food and service are top notch.

I dined here during a business lunch and i was surprised the place wasn’t packed. The location of the restaurant is tucked away near the airport however the inside is very modern. There were a few diners during the noon hour but the service was really slow. There were at least 5 – 6 servers walking around but it appeared they were prepping for something else.
I ordered the bistec de pollo which is a marinated chicken breast with onions, yellow rice, and plantains. It was cooked well and delicious. They do provide toasted Cuban bread before your entrees are served which is nice.
I wish this place was located in a better location but I will try it again if I’m near the airport.

This restaurant itself is a stand alone building and has a lot of seating from what I saw. The kitchen messed up our order several times because we had a bigger group (group of 6, which I didn’t think was that big), but what made this place was the food. The yuca fries were the best and my arroz con pollo was very flavorful and tasty. My husband also liked his bistec and plantains and rice. I would definitely go back to try some other dishes.

I’ve been here twice, both times everything was very good. Ramon was there both times, inviting me to come back for the Tuesday night salsa dancing (which I have yet to attend) and keeping a nice conversation with me while I sit at the bar by myself. Coming from south Florida the food here reminds me of home — because Miami is pretty much an extension of Cuba– they have great lunch specials, and the flan is great I can’t Not have it, and while I’m at it treating myself, I go all the way with a cafecito cubano to end my meal.
This was so easy to find in So. Fl, it’s nice to have another place nearby.
I’ll definitely go back. And soon for dancing!

They’ve got Cuban food down, I’ll give them that.
But honestly, that’s the only reason I feel like they even deserve 3 stars.
Let’s start from the very beginning.
Called in and made a reservation for 6 and once we got there, the hostess said there was no reservation under my name…
Uh okay… I intentionally made a reservation in advance because I figured a group of 6 is fairly big.
Luckily, they were able to clean up and set up a table for us in a matter of 5 minutes.
We get seated and order everything. 15 minutes pass by and the chef comes out to tell us that we be patient as we wait because the fish takes a long time to cook. That would’ve been cool and all if someone at our table actually ordered fish…
Anyhow, 10 minutes later, a few dishes come to our table. We were confused because only one of them was a dish we ordered. We tell the chef and he goes to the kitchen to tell the other chefs. We sat near the kitchen and unfortunately we could see them pointing at us and saying stuff to one another.
Another 10 minutes passed by before they finally brought all of the correct entrees.
The lechon asado was delicious– the pork was so tender it literally felt like it was melting in my mouth!
The Ravo Cubano was also very tasty– the meat fell right off the bone!
The shrimp in the camarones criollo was over cooked. Also, it came out lukewarm, bummer.
The arroz con pollo was pretty bland.
Overall, food was pretty good but I was not the biggest fan of their service. My boyfriend has been here a few times and he’s complained about the service to me each time. I guess this place is a hit or miss kind of place.

This is definitely as good as it gets. Carmen’s Cuban Café has some of the best Latin food we have had in years. From their Cuban sandwiches, to their arroz con pollo, to the incredible platanos. You will find delicious, fresh food with authentic flavors and friendly service.
We go back often, and try to save room for the tres leches cake after the main meal. It is worth it.
In the evenings they offer dancing, but we have only gone for lunch.
Carmen’s is located near the airport, in a quiet section that is across from what used to be a busy shopping center. We wonder what will happen to the vacant shopping center across the way, and we hope that it never causes Carmen’s to close since it is such a hidden gem off the highway. Fortunately it is by the highway and a few hotels there, that hopefully keep it busy. During lunch hours it is pleasantly busy, with regular office workers stopping in.
The décor is sparse, but functional. We wish they would decorate a bit more to add to the experience, but what they have right now is quite nice. One room section is lighter in color, whereas the main entrance section is a bit darker. The staff are always thoughtful, and the service is quick.
If you have not yet been to Carmen’s I definitely recommend going there soon. Save room for the tres leches dessert.

Wow. Just… wow. Absolutely delicious. I am disgusted with myself for not having been here until now, but dios mio was it worth the wait. Mouth watering-​ly good maduros, absolutely awesome lechon asado and vaca frita. I thought I could only get Cuban food this good around Miami, but little did I know I can have some right down the street from my house (or on the way to Miami as it turns out, given it’s proximity to the airport). Really cool dining room and bar area and super nice and friendly service. The food was as good as anywhere I’ve eaten around the area recently. For real.
For any other Bay Area expats, I’m starting to realize Morrisville is the Triangle’s own little ethnic food wonderland version of San Bruno, CA near SFO. Tons of funky and delicious international restaurants all a hop skip and a jump away from the airport. Anyways, I digress…
This place rules. I have leftovers in my fridge right now and I’m basically staring at the clock waiting for it to be lunch so I can dig into this stuff again. AWESOME. I’m going to be coming back here on the regular.

FOOD: The soft warm bread was to die for. Even better than what you find at Italian restaurants. The coco flan was so awesome wi th the grated coconut adding a certain crispiness to the baked caramel. However the caramel in itself wasn’t a hard brittle layer but rather soft.
The chicken rice… arro pollo I think was just ok. I couldn’t taste spices in it. But it sas served with plantains and those were awesome. Together they tasted really nice
SERVICE: Nothing to complain about. Fairly quick and well they serve wi th a smile.
AMBIENCE: The entrance is pretty cool. Then there are these lights that throw the waves at the walls… like fire ser ablaze somewhere. That looked nice. However the rest of the décor was pretty ok. However theu have enough seating space to accommodate big groups and small groups at the same time…