Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar - Waltham

Very busy Saturday night service at the Moody Street Waltham location but the waitress, bartender and kitchen timed everything perfectly. Loved the ginger mojito and Hemingway Daiquiri. Table a shared Squash blossom salad, beef empanadas, pork tacos and lamb chops. Salad, empanadas and tacos stood out. Pan roasted chicken dish was fantastic and other family/friends raved about the bass and yuca fries didn't disappoint. We split the churros and loved them too. Easy parking behind building (free after 6pm). We will return :-)

Let me preface this by saying I am a five-year loyalist of the Cambridge location, with a perfect record of five-star experiences. We recently moved to Waltham and were excited to try the sister location of one of our all-time favorite restaurants. We ordered the chicharrones, ceviche, croquettes, and yuca fries. The croquettes were excellent — no notes, as expected. Everything else, however, appeared to be marinated in the tears of a thousand vinegar bottles. The chicharrones arrived wrapped in lettuce and topped with a very enthusiastic vinegar coleslaw. The yuca fries came with a “garlic aioli” that I can only describe as a vinegar-forward sauce that once thought about garlic. And then there was the ceviche — served soup-style in a bowl of straight vinegar broth, featuring four lonely

Easily our favorite Cuban restaurant in New England. (And my Mom was born in Cuba, so I am both intimately familiar with & very picky about good, authentic Cuban food!) The atmosphere is cozy with dim, soothing, easy-on-the-eyes lighting, high ceilings, and vintage “old Cuba” inspired artwork/ambiance. For apps: yuca frita, empanadas, croquetas de jamon are our go-tos. The ropa vieja & puerco asado are our favorite comfort food meals; if you’re doing apps, the meals are definitely big enough to share. Their mojitos are exceptional and refreshing with just enough mint. We’ve never had room for dessert, but one of these days, we’re dying to try the churros because they look to die for! All in all, we’ve been to Gustazo’s a few dozen times over the past six years, both for intimate date night

The restaurant has a lively, energetic atmosphere, and our server was genuinely friendly and attentive. I also appreciated how seriously they handled my nut allergy, despite the menu’s blanket disclaimer about cross-contamination. The Croquetas de Hongos were easily the highlight: well-balanced, paired with a great sauce, and impressively light for a fried dish. Unfortunately, the rest didn’t live up to the promise, or the price tag. Charging Boston-level prices in the suburbs feels unjustified, especially when the main dishes lack depth. Both the Ropa Vieja and Puerco Asado were aggressively salty, to the point that flavor was flattened rather than enhanced. I kept wishing for more plantains just to counterbalance the salt. Overall, some bright spots, but not enough consistency to justif

Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar in Waltham is fantastic! The food was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. My favorites were the ribeye, lamb, empanadas, and the bacon-wrapped plantain tapas. And don’t miss the flan! It’s the perfect finish and an absolute must-try. Great spot with delicious dishes!