Gusto Cuban Cafe

Short story: The waitress really made the difference for this meal.
Long story: this was her first time at this restaurant. It did not start off well as we waited quite a long time to be greeted at the door and then even longer to receive waters at the table. However once our waitress came everything turned around she was helpful she made suggestions she even joked around with the kids.
The kids we were with got the quesadilla which we did not taste but it came with a plantain chips that were really good.
We shared number 31 which was a suggestion from our waitress as true Cuban food. It was brisket with rice and beans. I did not like it, but it was not because it was anything wrong with the dish it was just a pallet thing. My partner loved it and ate every bit of it. She said the beef was crispy well seasoned and the whole dish was very flavorful.
The other couple that we were with got the 37 and they also said it was very very good, I believe that one was with pork instead of beef brisket.
Both of our entrées came with sweet tasting plantains on the side that had the consistency of a baked potato. They were good but we preferred the crispy ones that came with the kids quesadilla.

I had takeout from here completely blind to what Cuban food was. I had the cuban and it was amazing! And it was ginormous. Plenty big enough for me to enjoy left overs the next day. The plantain chips were also delicious.

Second time back at this restaurant. First time food was very good and service was severely lacking. This time the food was spot on as well as the service
Tropically decorated with a continuous flow of Latin music playing in the background for your listening enjoyment.
Food is outstanding. A 4 or 4+ easy. We had fried yucca and tostadas (fried green plantain) for our appetizers — very good. Entrees were Arroz con Pollo (Yellow Rice with Chicken), sirloin with fried onions #33 on the menu, and Camerones a la Gusto (Shrimp in a smooth Caribbean Sauce. Entrees also come with sweet plantains, black beans, and rice. Outstanding– all of it. Meat tender and seasoned. Plantains were delicious. Definitely something we would eat again. Chicken was fall off the bone tender. If there was any shortfall, the shrimp were overlooked and a bit rubbery and the sauce could have used a bit more flavor.
Prices are moderate. Portions were good sized. You will leave full.

Great food, terrible service! If it wasn’t for the amazing food we would not be coming back. Recommend the macitas de cerdo and the fritura de malanga as an appetizer. The food is worth four stars but the service could easily be a one or two. Expect to wait for your drink order, meal and refills.

This place is awesome and true to authentic culture. There is also a little Spanish grocery next to it. I was impressed.

What a disappointment. Our waiter got our order wrong twice after forgetting to submit it. He also failed to mention it until we asked what was going on about 45 min after we had ordered. The food was mediocre to say the least. The ropa bieja tasted indeed «old». The tostones were stale and way overcooked. The only redeemable aspect was the desert and coffee. But for the overall price, almost 80 dollars, I felt cheated out. Buy yourself a Caribbean cookbook and save yourself from a huge and painful experience.

This is my go to place for dinner. You can tell everything that is made here is prepared with love. All the meat falls apart to the point you don’t even need a knife. Their congri (spelling?) rice is amazing, as well as their fried plantains. There’s nothing bad on the menu, everything is amazing. It seems like it’s a hidden gem, so go right now. There’s no reason to wait.

Whenever we get a chance, my boyfriend and I try to choose a new restaurant to try out in town. Some of my friends and co-​workers had recommended this place to me previously. We found a Group-​on and decided to check it out.
Upon arriving I felt as if I was walking through the Caribbean jungle with all the palm tree decorations and all. As we were seated I saw a table carving that said Gustos Cuban Café and on the chairs it carvings of little maps of Cuba and Puerto Rico (and I’m forgetting one more place). I thought it was pretty cool. We took a look at the menu and everything looked good. We had never tried Puerto Rican/​Cuban food before so this was our chance to broaden our taste buds. I decided to order Ropa Vieja which was a shredded brisket with a Cuban creole sauce. It came with fried plantains, bean, and mixed rice called Congri. My boyfriend got the Lechin Caribeno which was roasted pork in special Mojo sauce. It also includes fried plantains, beans, and Congri rice. You could get white rice too. The food was delicious! We even had space for a slice of Tres Leches cake. At the end we got to use our Group-​on coupon and sasss we were good to go!
This is a really great place to get a taste of the Puerto Rican/​Cuban culture, in my opinion!

Pork is to die for, whenever I come here it is mandatory. Great homely restaurant with a authentic taste

I will not be returning to this restaurant, once one of my favorite places. I tried to use a groupon and they apparently changed their policy and require a reservation to use, which we found out after they denied it. It was a Thursday night and there were 3 other people in the restaurant. Bad customer service… what would have been the harm in letting us use the groupon instead of having us leave angry?

Tried Cuban food for the first time and absolutely loved it. Will definitely recommend it to my friends and would make a trip to Omaha just to eat there

Delicious Cuban foods! Came here on a Friday night so the place was fairly crowded. I had the best pork with rice ever for my entrée. The fried plantain was so good! Highly recommending this and the gusto garden salad with grilled chicken when visiting here. The atmosphere was fun and friendly. The owners were very friendly and down to earth. They also have salsa dancing on Saturday night. They place has an open bar so it would be perfect for a weekend night out. Highly recommending this restaurant.

This is by far my favorite restaurant in Omaha! I’ve been going here for several years now & It never disappoints. From the décor, to the food, to the staff who runs the place, everything is exceptional.
My favorite dish at this restaurant is the Arroz con Pollo. It’s only available on the weekends. As the name suggests, it is a basic dish of rice & chicken. The rice has a great flavor & is mixed with spices & peas & olives. The chicken is always fall of the bone tender. It’s served with plantains on the side. Oh. My. God. Best plantains I’ve ever had. They’re sweet & tender & melt in your mouth. Delicious. Highly recommend it! Every meal on their menu is amazing, but this one tops them all. I would definitely recommend getting a mojito with it. They make the best mojitos in Omaha.
The chef often comes out to interact with patrons quite often & he’s a super funny & nice guy. If you are looking for a new place to check out, make it this one!

The food is truly delicious, so it breaks my heart to say I’ll never go back because of their service. After years of being a loyal patron, the fact that we didn’t make a reservation an hour before arriving simply to use a Groupon is unacceptable. There was only one other table being served, so to be asked to leave, call in & make a reservation for an hour later, then come back is infuriating. No more Gusto Cuban Café, no more!

Very good place to eat! I love the food. I have been here a total of 3 times.
The first time I was not happy with the service, though. I had a groupon that was worth $ 40 of food. I called ahead and asked if they did to go orders. They said yes. When I got there, they said I couldn’t use the groupon on to go orders. (It didn’t state that anywhere on my groupon) I asked a few more questions trying to get to a solution, but they would not budge. They made me sit down at a table by myself, order $ 40 worth of food, brought it out to me and then didnt come back to check on me when they knew I just needed some boxes, so I could just box it myself and take it home. It seemed ridiculous that they plated everything up, just to have me put it all in boxes myself to take home.
The last two times, I dined in. It was a cute little restaurant with average to good service, and awesome food. No complaints the last 2 visits.

Believe the hype! This place is amazing! Excellent food and friendly service. Get the chefs choice and have the flantastico for dessert!

Mi gusto Gusto! They will have a fan in me thanks to their yummy potato balls, mufongo, and flavorful chicken. We went with some friends after trying Creation Station, and let me just say it was the perfect way to end the evening. I ordered a piña colada and was glad to see they make them just right.
The waitress was friendly and even placed a special request song on the loud speakers for us.
The atmosphere is lovely, they have a stage for music. My friends and I really have to come back for one of those nights. They have a large selection at the bar and even have cigars!
We ordered a few things off the menu: potato balls, mufongo, chicken plate, beef plate and dessert which gave us a wide variety of the menu, but for sure we will be coming back for more.
It’s these types of places that really bring a sense of «home» to me through their food, Gusto has the flavor, the great staff, and all around great atmosphere that makes this place 5 star, which I don’t easily hand out.

Now, I’d mentioned to the owner the first time I visited that there were conflicting bits of information about their business hours on the Web. She thanked me for pointing it out.
Saturday, the 7^th, we planned on grabbing lunch at Gusto. Based on the various business hours for Saturday I called Friday night to speak to them and verify their Saturday hours. The employee said, «We are open from 1 pm to 9pm.» I asked, «Now, we’re double sure, right?» She replied, «Yes.»
So, we arrive with a few moments to spare (along with three other cars who thought they were going to have lunch) and no OPEN sign. We waited. Nothing. Nada. Zippo.
A guy who was also waiting called their number and the person told him that they open «At 2pm on Saturdays.» Grrrrr.
They lost four groups that intentionally arrived for lunch business — and gained a bad rep for a no show.
They should go out and clarify their hours, for sure. Don’t bother going unless you’ve called first and verified that they’re going to be there when you get there!

I am by no means an EXPERT on Cuban cuisine but, after living in Florida, I have had my fair share of Cuban and Caribbean fare. Gusto’s was as good as any I have ever had.
I had the LECHON CARIBENO with Congri Rice, black beans and plantains. EVERYTHING on the plate was a hit. The plantains were AMAZING (I have made fried plantains but I could never approach the flavors the chef achieved).
As for ambiance — Cuban music in the background, the servers HAD to be the owners children (they were SO polite and knowledgeable) and the décor reminded me of a nice «hut» restaurant i the Caribbean.
I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant (whether accustomed to the fare or daring something different) and I will be back.

I’m from Florida, I’ve had authentic Cuban food, and this is it. Yes, it takes a little bit to cook it but that’s why it’s so good. If you want cheap and quick and mediocre then go to Pollo Tropical. This is the real deal.
My husband and I went here for lunch on a Friday and it was fairly empty. I ordered the Arros con pollo and my husband got the Cuban sandwich. It only took about 30 mins to get to our table. The sandwich was very good but oh my god the Arros con pollo was amazing. If I had one complaint it would be that there wasn’t enough of that incredible chicken. I even had enough rice and plantains to last me two meals.
Bottom line: you can’t pass this place up.