Cabana Seaport

There isn’t. Anything bad on the menu… drinks wonderful especially mojito… food great shirt steak or shrimp

While the food is great. I strictly went to rate their Flán.
I am a Flán Critic. They scored 1 out of 5 Golden Spoons.
Thank you!
–Lugo
«The Flan Critic & Innovator»

So I love the south street seaport in general, and this restaurant is just an added bonus. Having a afternoon lunch at Cabana was not planned but after enjoying a beautiful, romantic saturday afternoon/​turn evening with my boyfriend @ the port, we stumbled upon this spot. We sat on the highest deck outside under a umbrella table, facing the entire seaport, the city’s boats, buildings, bridges, and water. The views overlooking the water is breath taking, especially if you arrive before the sunsets. They have a terrific tasting signature mojito drink with sugar Kane, which I def suggest everyone tries.
He and I had the la playa & Tropicana salads. My scallops were so plump and tender and juicy and shrimps very well seasoned. I enjoyed. We also had this mini beef patty type appetizers, they could almost be mistaken for patalitos, with a zesty but sweet sauce. That was also delicious. Overall I enjoyed it all, service, spot, views, and most importantly good!

Place is good but expect a wait especially with a group of 4 or more. The place was pricey, my friend and I shared an appetizer plate and we were fine with that! We did go over broad on the drinks which was totally worth the money! We had a pitcher of white wine sangria and I think it had champagne … So amazing!!! Try it !!

SABOR!!! okay, that’s all the Spanish I got today but it’s all I need. I’ve been here twice, once on a whim and the other time for my birthday. Both times I had great service, delicious food and strong drinks. This isn’t the hardest thing to find in NYC, the land of fine dining, but at the tourist Seaport this is a gem with great views.
Between 2 visits with my friend I’ve had:
Coconut shrimp w/​maduro mash: great! crispy, large shrimp, well cooked.
Bocadillos (mix of shrimp/​veggie fritters, wings, empanadas): This was El bomb. I shared this and it was still a lot of food. Not so much the amount of food it was just very filling and flavorful that I didn’t need too much. The wings were really great.
Coconut rice: well done. Light and flavorful with real coconut flavor. Great side.
Tostones Rellenos: came with 4 types of chicken sofrito, shrimp, ropa vieja and picadillo. This was okay. Good flavors but I can tell it was ready for a bit before being brought to me.
Arepas con queso: I am not an expert but these are pretty good. A real feel good, home food but done professionally so I don’t feel like I am being charged for cart food.
Chicharrones de pollo: These had a real dominican chicken chunk taste to them which I loved. Crispy, thick chunks with a nice sauce. They didn’t overpower the sauce with too much of a grill taste.
I wish I remembered the speciality drinks I got but I don’t. They were very strong though and well mixed. I drink like a pansy so I MUST have well mixed drinks i.e. long island ice teas or else I am miserable from the taste. Aside from the obvious creamy drinks like pina coladas the other drinks are well mixed and strong with great flavor. Lots of rum and fruits and schnapps.
I love how they don’t complain about a party of 2 wanting a booth either. They are so laid back yet professional and helpful with suggestions. My only complaint is that they did not have umbrellas for the outdoor seating when I wanted to sit outside. I gave it a shot for like 30 seconds only to catch on fire before having to sit indoors. Maybe they didn’t get chance to setup yet? Either way, I love it here.

Drink review only: Came here for drinks before heading next door to the Beekman beirgarden. There are outside tables that you can sit at once you order at the bar which was nice. The drinks were decently priced and definitely strong.

Went here this past Sunday, ⁵⁄₂₆ & … I agree with Sean R. …
The waiters & waitresses were very, very nice — very attentive, which I LOVE.
The host, though, definitely acted like he had a stick up his behind !
I mean, hey, I’m sorry … but, it DOES need to be said. Very dimissive attitude.
Also, aside from that, the food & the atmosphere … DIVINE !!!
My date & myself had the Chicharrones de Pollo (which comes
with yellow rice & black beans). Super delish, to say the least.
Quite the portions as well … had to end up «doggie bagging» it.
Of course, I didn’t mind ’cause it was so tasty & filling. YUM !!!
Also, very tasty drinks … definitely recommend, first of all, the Mango Margarita.
Really, really yummy !!! Can’t ever go wrong with that one !!! :-)
Wanna be able to go back to have the Empanadas, which was another thing
that caught my eye. I can’t help myself with empanadas. Very tasty overall.
Also, it’d be really good if they had a dancing area, especially with all the
Salsa & Cumbia being played. Would be really cool. Well, cool — er. :-)
But, then again … that’s just my opinion. What can I say ?
Quite the little foodie that I am, I also like to dance. :-)

Place
I brought my girlfriend here on Valentines Day. The service is quite friendly. The waiters were considerate and even though we did not have a reservation, they moved us to another table. We end up seating next to the window which had an excellent view of the city.
Food
The food was good, not the best. The lobster were huge though. The place can be romantic when its not full, but when its cramped, its something else –still enjoyable. My opinion, give it a try since its on the second level of the seaport ‘mall’ and it offers a great view of both Manhattan city and the sea.

Love this place!
Really good authentic Cuban food and the location of this restaurant is amazing. Beautiful view and great food.
I’ve been here multiple times but every time the food has not disappointed. Consistently good and so is the service. It is fast, because it does get packed here, but they don’t rush you either. I would suggest going during the warmer months to sit outside because it is so gorgeous to see the water and all the boats while you’re chomping down on some tostones!
Excellent date night to take that special someone, great place for a nice birthday dinner or even just a night out with the girls. When you go, you will be happy you did. Enjoy!

Cabana offers the best cuban food I’ve had and offers a great view and atmosphere. We usually come here with a large party of 10 on weekday lunch hours, there’s usually no wait.
Definitely order the appetizers here they’re worth it. I love the fried plantains. I usually order the Pollo Jamaiquina which is chicken marinated with a vinegary jerk black sauce that smells heavenly of spice and taste like both salty and sour and like nothing else I’ve tried before. It’s served with a side of rice and the portions are big enough for the price.
The drink list is extensive and always delightful.
The food here is amazing, they do things with chicken that should be sinful.

Been to Cabana sooo many times! Any celebration we would have would be celebrated at cabana!
–Graduation
–Birthday
–Mother’s day
–Easter
–girls night out
–just a regular nights dinner
You name it, we’ve celebrated it there! Lol
I love that it’s located at the south street seaport and has an outside dining area that overlooks the city and ocean. Very nice views. Come to think of it, I don’t believe I have ever sat inside. Only outside. There’s always a little bit of a wait, but not too long. They have a bar area that you can have drinks at and wait. When you first walk into the restaurant, you will see their kitchen. Good advertising strategy! Because all those plates of food waiting to be served are placed out there in full view and those smells hypnotize you.
Cabana has a typical Cuban/​Caribbean menu. Most of the time when I go there, I get my all time favorite Cuban dish «picadillo». «Picadillo» is basically ground beef seasoned with Latin spices and sauteed with tomatoes, onions, red peppers, olives and capers served on top of white rice and black bean are served around the rice. They make it really well. I’ve also tried their «pollo con camarones» which is chicken ans shrimp. It’s a grilled chicken breast with some sort of garlic demi glaze I believe and jumbo shrimp served with saffron rice and green plantains. The saffron rice is to die! Really good.
For a starter I almost always order and highly recommend the «tostones relleanos». It’s the green plantain bananas fried into little cup shapes and stuffed with your choice of shrimp and garlic sauce, shredded pork, or beef. I go with the shrimp. The best! Cabanas also offers a really nice selection of tropical drinks. The «Miami vice» is my favorite. It’s piña colada and strawberry daiquri mixed together. They also have another drink that’s on the rocks, I don’t remember the name but I know its made with guava purée and its delicious. Be sure to order that! You can also get virgin pina coladas and daiquiris if you’re not into drinking.
Service has always been fast and friendly. Never really had an issue here. Atmosphere is real nice. Food and drinks are good. I enjoy Cabana. Definitely will continue to come here, sporadically. :-).

One of my favorite places. The food is delicious and the servings are huge! I always take half of my food to go. The drinks, and appetizers are great.
I suggest trying the sample appetizer, churrasco steak, orif you have a passion for seafood try Paella Valenciana! Oh, and the Coco Cabana Pollo is to die for!

My husband and I was spending a great afternoon at the Seaport and we decided to have lunch at Cabana. Great place! We went early in the afternoon so it wasn’t as crowded.
The service was great from the time we walked in. I got a good vibe from the moment I stepped into the place. Our waiter was absolutely fabulous!
The lunch menu is a great deal. If you’re looking for a great meal at a great price, go to cabana’s for lunch. I had the Pollo A La Barrita (chicken breast grilled with adobo rub (garlic, oregano, lime and virgin olive oil) with sweet plantains, and leaf spinach). YUMMY! It was Delicious! All for $ 12 bucks! My hubby had Chicharrones tender chunks of dark meat chicken marinated in garlic and oregano then fried until crispy! All for $ 11 bucks! Each plate came with yellow rice and beans. What a great meal!
This a nice spot to go to with friends after work, or with your significant other. If the weather is nice you can sit outside and enjoy the view.
The drinks are great too. I recommend a pitcher of Sangria which is I believe $ 25 bucks (nice size pitcher). Another drink that’s awesome is called «Jamaican-​me-​Crazy»! Fabulous!
Check this place out!

Not too shabby and convenient if you’re in the area. I went to meet some extended family for lunch on the 4^th of July and it wasn’t very packed at 12:30 in the afternoon.
We ended up waiting at the wrong entrance — the back that faced the food court and not the front facing the stores. After a few phone calls, we finally figured it out. The servers sitting at the bar didn’t say much (about there being a 2^nd entrance) — I wish they had!
Got the Arroz Con Pollo and Yuca Fritas. Both were delicious, and you’ll want to share the entrée rice dishes, it’s a fairly big portion. Skipped dessert and got a decent cup of coffee.
A-​OK.

I have mixed feelings about Cabana Seaport… Here we go
PROS:
–The food was piping hot and came out very fast
–The waiter was very friendly and attentive
–The drinks were good! Tasty and strong!
CONS:
–For lack of other words, this restaurant is in a stupid location. It is at the top of Pier 17 at South Street Seaport. If you hadn’t been here before, you wouldn’t know it was here. It’s not facing the front of the building
–I was looking for a group of friends and I was told that I could walk back and look to see if they were seated. Really? The man was pretty flip about the whole thing. He motioned in a casual manner. Eventually I did walk back and look. I felt weird doing so as people were dining with their families and friends. They definitely need a better system. Which leads me to.
–They don’t take reservations. Again, strange to me.
–We were a group of 9 crammed into a booth. They could have found a better spot for us.
All in all it was a decent experience. The food and drinks made up for the other lacking areas.

Simply Good Food & Good Service… a night to remember! Everyone ordered something different so we could share and I enjoyed every bite!!!

We really enjoyed the night views of the Manhattan waterfront from the second level of the Seaport village. Enchanting city views backed by the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges!
The restaurant was quiet so we had a waterfront facing booth to ourselves, with a view of a majestic ship. We also opted for wine, as the Malbec bottle was only $ 24, quite reasonable, for quite good wine.
We next decided on the jerk chicken dinner, since my sweety likes it spicy, and the featured special salmon, which was served on a bed of black rice and in a sea of lobster sauce. Both were excellent. The house Cabana hot sauce was so delicious that we went through most of a bottle making our jerk chicken even hotter and spicier! So, we added two of the bottles of hot sauce to our bill to taken them home to Toronto! It was that good!

Having been to the location in Midtown East, I found this place to be more Applebee’s than I would have liked. The food was still good but the sheer size of the restaurant and the fact that it’s located on the 3^rd floor in a very generic looking mall made me feel not so special.
I came here for lunch with my coworkers and ordered the La Playa salad. I found the salad to be very satisfying. The fact that it came in a plate that weighed 4 pounds when empty should tell you of the proportions of food at the restaurant. There were 3 or 4 each of the shrimp and scallop surrounding a mountain of mixed greens with a yummy, light and citrusy dressing with avocados. Actually, it’s the exact same salad as the Avocado salad with the addition of seafood. For $ 14 in New York, I think that’s pretty decent. I’ve seen worse.

My friends in NYC treated me here. It was a cold night, and it took us a while to find this place.
This was my first experience of Cuban Food. The restaurant locates at a very good place. You can have seaport view from your seat, but it was dark outside.
We had their special. The salmon was a little boring. It was only a big fillet of grilled salmon on top of some salsa rice, sweet taste. My friends seafood dish was really good. there was a lot of seafood, though a little salty, served with bread, and you have choice of veggie/salad/rice&beans. It was a big dish! Another dish was their signature chicken dish, with coconut milk, it was really tasty, and came in good quantity!!!
I guess I’m not really used to their appetizers and dessert-​fried banana… Didn’t enjoy that. But overall it is a nice place, and the service was good too. And I like their music in the restaurant: Salsa, Merengue, Bachata! Made me wanna dance!

*get the empanadas. Choose between chicken, beef, or shrimp.
*huge portions.
*comes with yellow rice and beans.