3238 West Fullerton Avenue (map)
(773) 489-4440
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If you have ever been to Cuba, a visit to El Rinconcito Cubano is a must. Once you walk into the small storefront restaurant, which has been on West Fullerton for more than thirty years, you’re transported to a typical neighborhood restaurant in Havana or Santa Cruz: from the smell of the Caribbean food wafting from the kitchen and the prominent Boing/Boing Con Fruta soda machine to the friendly chatter of the Saturday-night crowd of exuberant Cubano hombres.

The authentic Matanzeras regional cuisine is realized by owner Roy Quintanas, who shops every morning at the local markets to select the freshest ingredients, and his sister, Rosetta, who cooks every meal from scratch.

Start out with the croquetas, a breaded spiced ham appetizer that melts in your mouth. Don’t be fooled by the iridescent yellow dip that comes with the croquetas; it is a superb mayonnaise-based sauce that is the perfect taste accompaniment. Other starters include traditional beef picadillo, stewed in a slightly sweet tomato sauce, or tasajo, marinated dried beef.
From the exceptional bacalao, dried cod cooked in a tomato-based criollo sauce, to the superb pescado a la Matanzera, a regional Matanzas-style fish dish made with whatever fish is fresh that day, everything is full of flavor. The hands-down favorite may be the bistec de pollo, a flattened breast of chicken marinated and cooked to perfection. All entrées on the menu are, of course, served with classic black beans and rice and first-rate buttery garlic bread.

As one of the regular patrons explained to us, “Every night is Saturday night” at El Rinconcito Cubano.