The Cuban Corner - Rockville

Let me start by saying that I have no real experience with Cuban cuisine and that I tried this place once before, back in 2000 when I first moved to MD and got a job in Rockville. I ordered the arroz con pollo and was not impressed so I never went back. For 16 years, in fact, until one of my colleagues (different job by now) chose that place for his going away luncheon. So we went; and everyone enjoyed their meals! The owner, Joaquin, looked exactly the same (Cuban expatriate) and the menu looked very similar to the one I'd seen all those years ago. Maybe something changed with my taste buds because the food was excellent! I ordered their equivalent of beef stew and am in love with the dish just scrumptious! Their empanadas are excellent as well, best I've ever had, really. Since I have very little exposure to empanadas (although they are very similar to Jamaican patties) you can take that with a grain of salt but they were delicious. Also, you are served rice and beans separately make sure they stay separate! Mixing them together is the Puerto Rican way as the owner so informed us. They have a small selection of wine and beer, can't recall if they have cocktails but I'd assume they do. It's a great little spot to grab a quick and tasty lunch and the prices are very reasonable. One thing I neglected to mention, as far as decor goes, it is mostly pictures of prominent Cubans or nameplates of prominent Cubans. There were a lot of faces that I didn't even know were Cuban, its interesting, kitschy even. Very small dining area, basic tables and chairs with white tablecloths under glass tops; same with plate ware and silverware but despite all of that, it isn't a hole in the wall. Its clean, the staff are quick but may not have the greatest grasp on English but you can point and look if you can't be understood and that works just fine. All in all, a new favorite spot of mine. I've been back several times since that first return visit last year and like as not, will go there for lunch again soon.

Wow! First time at a Cuban restaurant and couldn't have asked for better food. We had the daily specials for Saturday see the picture and the fried tilapia as well as a plate of Cuban bread with butter and hot and Ice-T none of it disappointed.

My first time eating cuban food! This restaurant is cozy and small. The owner Joaquin was onsite and very helpful with the selections. I ordered cuban style shrimp. It was served with Cuban beans, rice a plantains. Joaquin made sure to tell me to mix the rice and beans (I wouldnt have done that! Glad I did, it was tasty! I also had a glass of sangria, it was delish! I will return!

As a Chinese girl in this cuban restaurant, I should have ordered a cuban sandwich (which is what I actually came in for). Instead, I saw a placard on the table for the daily special and was easily swayed. In what I called fried rice the bone in chicken breast was chopped into 3 chunks. The chorizo was sliced on a bias. The chicken was well flavored but a little dry. The chorizo was crispy and delicious! The yellow rice was very flavorful and moist. It was accompanied by plantains which were perfect! They were ripe, sweet and crispy...just the way I like 'em! The restaurant was empty when I arrived and when I left. The owner was sitting in the corner and greeted me. The waiter was very attentive but only filled my water glass once. I was not wow ed but I will definitely come back and try the cuban sandwich!

I stopped by to place an order for carry-out and enjoyed reading about all of the accomplishments of the Cuban and Cuban-American people who were up on the walls of the restaurant. Like many of the other Yelpers, I was surprised to see the the outside and then the inside of the location. It's a tight squeeze getting around, but the service is prompt and friendly and the food is cooked well. I did think that my carry-out portion of the ropa vieja was a bit small that I would have liked for the $16 price, but it certainly was delicious. The meat was cooked to perfection where it just sort of melted in my mouth and I could not get enough of the curry which accompanied. The rice was light and I found myself eating the curry on it's own just because of how great it tasted right out of the take-out container. The corner is certainly a gem!