La Unica Cafe
1083 N Salem, Schaumburg, IL, 60194
La Unica Cafe Menu
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Address :
1083 N Salem
Schaumburg, IL, 60194 - Phone (847) 278-1827
- Website https://launicacafe.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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jan l.
What a pleasant surprise!! We were heading to Koreana, and decided to give this a try based on yelp reviews. Starting with the guy taking orders, with a ponytail. He was wonderful. It was our first time and he, without prompting, took us through each of our choices and added his thoughts. He was so good and so helpful. We decided to get as much variety as possible. We ordered the Cuban Plato la Unica La Unica special: steak, chicken, rice, black beans and fried plantains. And on the Columbian side we ordered the Mountain Man plate: Chicken, egg, chicharrones, fried plantains. We also ordered two empanadas, the Cuban and Columbian. The empanadas were outstanding. If we had just ordered the Cuban one (flour), we would have been very happy. However, the Columbian empanada (corn) was outstanding. As soon as it hit my tongue? Delightful!! The wonderful guy behind the counter offered they were both good, but he preferred the Columbian one. Agreed. The black beans were so good, and the plantains were the best we've ever had. So well done. The chicken was moist and very flavorful, loved it. The chicharrones weren't for us, and I don't think we'd order the steak again. Too many other great choices. And again. Thanks to the guy with the ponytail. He was so amazing, and it was obvious he cared about the food. Oh, and there are pictures on the walls of all the menu items. Pretty cool. We will definitely make the half hour drive again and again.
(5)Kathy K.
This a strip mall place but the food is great. The selection is really big so there is a ton of dishes to choose from. The chicken sandwich was delicious -- the chicken was cooked perfectly and super thin. My boyfriend loved his food, too.
(5)Lynell I.
Just... Yes. This place is nothing to look at, but the food is great. The boyfriend and I picked up the Ropa Veija and the namesake platter to share. The steak and chicken were fork tender and flavorful, and the pulled beef was properly spicy and juicy. The red salsa is hot! How rare. The plantains on the side rounded out the meals perfectly. The black beans are a little watery, but taste great. We will be back.
(5)Safa K.
This place is unreal. I haven't had ropa vieja this good outside of Miami. Crazy cheap prices and crazy good food. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Jason C.
La Ropa Vieja Pozole (spicy pork and corn soup) Fried chicken with rice Plantains both sweet and not Cuban Tamale All of the above were excellent and well worth ordering again, and again. The Plato La Unica I would pass on, primarily because the beef was of low quality and tough. Some may not like the black beans which is served in a bowl and is more the consistency of bean soup rather than the black beans which you might be find at a Tex-Mex place; though I liked it just fine.
(5)Caili C.
I have to admit, Chipotle makes up most of my Hispanic food experiences, but I was pleasantly surprised when I came here for lunch on a whim The Ropa Viejo was on the salty side but I enjoyed it nevertheless and I liked the consistency of the black beans that came with it. Also, I had the horchata which is made in-house and delicious, the perfect complement to the beef. The cashier was also extremely nice, suggesting that I try the horchata before I got it to see if I would like it. Overall, I plan on returning to try the empanadas and coffee. For the price, the taste and large portion sizes make it worth visiting.
(4)William B.
I can't claim how "authentic" the cuisine is here, as I've never been to Cuba, Peru, or Columbia. However, I can say that everything I've had here has been fantastic.I think i went 3 days in a row last week. Things I've tried so far- all highly recommended: Lomo Saltado- peruvian style stir-fried beef & gravy over french fries. Ropa Vieja- a traditional cuban dish of shredded beef with black beans & rice. cuban style fried rice with chicken & shrimp. Cuban sandwich. Breaded steak sandwich. empanada. Tostones & platanos maduros (salty & sweet plantains, respectively) A couple different tamales. Flan & Dulce de leche (unique) I can't wait to go back. Maybe today!
(5)Melissa A.
This is a hole in the wall in a somewhat depressing looking strip mall in Schaumburg. However you can't beat great food, cheap prices, and generous portions! I've been here twice and I plan on frequenting La Unica quite a bit since it's close to my office. They serve a variety of cuisines which are Cuban, Colombian, Mexican, and Peruvian. What's nice is that the takeout menu on the counter explains each dish and there are also pictures of a bunch of the dishes on the walls to help people decide what they want to order. I've tried the following and all were delicious; you really can't go wrong with anything you order here. * Plato La Unica ($9.99 for steak, chicken, fried plantain, rice, and black beans): very tasty and your basic plate if you want to try a little of everything. *Ropa Vieja ($8.99 shredded beef with tostones, rice, and black beans): this was delicious and I highly recommend. The beef was flavored well and the tostones perfectly crunchy since it is fried twice. *Empanada Cubana and Empanada Colombiana ($1.39): I preferred the cubana since I liked the flour dough and ground beef whereas my friend preferred the colombiana since she liked the corn shell better. *Cafe con leche ($2.75): sweet, creamy,and delicious coffee. Need I say more? The only downside to La Unica is their spotty service. They only have one or two people working so service/food is slow to come out. I think one table ordered ahead of time because they came in after us but were served before us without having to order at the counter. Definitely check out La Unica for some delicious Latin American cuisine in the suburbs!
(4)Sarah Y.
I came here to fulfill a Spanish project, and I'm glad I did. This place has the best service ever. I had the steak, and the rice was delicious. My friend and I shared a grande steak, and they were so kind and put the two steaks on different plates. Even though we payed for one serving, we got double! Definitely coming back here again
(5)Bob R.
I have to tell you, I really liked La Unica Cafe. It's not elegant, and in fact, it's kind of a dive. It is a storefront restaurant with plain formica tables and chairs. You order at the counter. They have takeout menus and big pictures on the wall of everything they serve. Prices are very reasonable and the portions are huge. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. For an appetizer we ordered a Honduran Tamale, and for dinner I ordered Sobrebarriga - ((Flank Steak with Rice, Yucca & Fried Plantains) and my wife ordered a Cuban Sandwich. While the food was excellent, I can't say as much for the service. I don't think it is for lack of trying, but they were severely understaffed. I only saw one person in the kitchen, and one person out front. You order at the counter - while you are ordering people are standing in line waiting, and they seem to do a heavy take-out business so the phone was always ringing, interrupting the person in front. However, I have to say that, for the price, the size of the portions and the quality and freshness of the food. this is the best Cuban/South American restaurant I've tried in the suburbs. I plan to make this a regular stop on my eating circuit.
(4)Elsa G.
Located in a strip mall in Schaumburg and the decor is nothing fancy. You have tables and chairs and you have to order your food at the counter. There are pictures of their dishes so it is easy to see what you will get. Customer service is super friendly and helpful. Now for the food. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I went with two of my good friends and they agree that everything we ordered was delicious! We usually are chatting and catching up but there was more silence than talking this time! It is ridiculously cheap and I promise it will not disappoint. P.S. not too many choices on dessert but you NEED to get a cafe con leche...just saying!
(5)Sue T.
This is a find! Small family-owned place in a strip mall. Not fancy--just formica tables. You order at the counter and sit, then they bring your food out to you. Oh my gosh, someone's mom must be in the back cooking up these delicious Central/South American dishes. Everything is homemade. We like to order several things to share; they're great about bringing us extra plates. Try all the tamales - Cuban, Honduran, Colombian. They are all different and tasty. The Honduran included large peanuts; the masa on the Cuban was slightly sweet and there was a savory dark sauce spooned on top. The Lomo Saltado was similar to stir-fried beef and veggies with a bit of broth, french fries stirred in and served with rice. The empanadas are all good too. We ordered the black beans and rice and they brought an enormous plate of it. Platanos were as expected. They even had pupusas lorocos with salt & vinegar shredded cabbage and mild red sauce. I didn't order the Cuban sandwich because they said they can't get the authentic Cuban bread. The sandwich is probably still good but imho it has to have that bread. There are so many great menu choices that's a small issue.
(4)David A.
The service: very inconsistent. Out waiter was very accommodating of our requests, but the 'cashier'; a young looking gal, was more focused on flirting with some costumers than taking our order. So much so, that we ordered some bread to go and she did not give them to us. We had to go back and ask for our purchased items. The food: nothing to brag about. This stablishment favors quantity over quality, serving an exagerated amount of bland food. But, what can you expect for 10 bucks a 'dish'. I would explore other avenues before considering to return to this place.
(2)ChiTown M.
The delivery gal was friendly. The order was incorrect. We ordered a Cuban tamale. They delivered a Cuban empanada. The Bistec de Lomo was horrible. The steak was tough, bland, overcooked, and gristly. The Mexican enchiladas were just weird, no sauce, just chopped raw red onion and lettuce on top, no cheese, ground chicken. Yuck. The saffron rice was OK. The black beans were OK. The Mexican tamal was too spicy and the masa to meat ratio was ridiculous, almost no meat. The Honduran tamal was OK, again too much masa, not enough meat. They failed to deliver the Cuban tamale, so we didn't get a chance to taste that. Instead, they delivered a Cuban empanada. Meh. There are thousands of great Latin restaurants in Chicagoland, so we will skip this one next time. I ORIGINALLY GAVE THIS RESTAURANT TWO STARS, BUT LOWERED IT TO ONE STAR AFTER A GIRL FROM THE RESTAURANT CALLED TO ARGUE WITH ME ABOUT THE ORDER BEING WRONG. I am not going to argue about a $1.49 item. My time is way more valuable than that. BAD SERVICE!
(1)Omar M.
My coworker and I come here every week to eat lunch! This food is delicious!!! And I recommend it to everyone!!!
(5)Phil S.
Cuban food in Schaumburg? Awesome. Not as good as I had hoped? Womp, womp. Upon finding out about this place, I instantly went into nostalgia mode and flashbacked to my Florida days of eating from a tiny cafe with cafeteria style servings of Cuban food for lunch. With high hopes, I first tried the Plato La Unica and then the Carne Guisada. At $9 a plate, I expected a ton of food and that is exactly what I received. The Unica had steak AND chicken BUT the flavors were unusually bland. Excessive amounts of hot sauce was needed to give the dish some semblance of flavor. The Guisada was a favorite go-to dish for me back in Florida so I had higher hopes for this dish. It was definitely an improvement over the Unica but I was still underwhelmed. I guess my nostalgia may have distorted my expectations more than I expected. The meat was overcooked but the flavors were acceptable. This place is NOT cheap at an average $9 per plate but quantity is enough to feed two people for lunch easily. They try to fatten up the dish by giving disproportionately large amounts of rice in an attempt to justify the hefty price. If you're into coffee, the cafe con leche was spot on, be it a little on the sweet side, and kept me from falling into a rice induced food coma after eating my lunch. They also have a great collection of many different ethnic bottled/canned drinks that are not easy to find. The seating area is pristine, maybe even borderline sterile, because everything is brand spanking new. I haven't tried eating in but I believe you order and pay up front first, then the food is brought out to your table. A crew in the kitchen can be seen from the front counter preparing your meal to order. La Unica serves Cuban, Columbian, Mexican, and Peruvian dishes so I'm sure I'll be back again to try different items, such as the Cuban sandwich and empanadas. I suspect they might be trying to cover to many different styles of food, diluting the ability to excel at any particular genre well but only time will tell if this place gains any traction at such an obscure location with such high prices. They have a Chicago location as well and I have to wonder if they dare charge the same prices in a less affluent neighborhood. Overall, I'm glad this location exists but I think some adjustments are in order. Worth a try if you're in the area but be sure to bring an eating buddy to tackle the heroic portions.
(3)Heather C.
The Cuban empanadas are amazing and the other food my friends and I ordered from here was awesome! Every time I've been here the service has been prompt and the staff is friendly.
(5)Mary B.
I was La Unica's most enthusiastic new customer, until I ordered some food. I mean, I was so thrilled to find a Cuban place in Schaumburg, I insisted we go there for my Mother's Day meal, fully knowing it was a dingy little dive, but not discouraged in the least. I was taking photos to share, already planning my social media status...I was determined to love the place! I lived in Miami for 10 years, so I miss and crave the little Latin American joints that are ubiquitous there. I have learned to make all of my favorite Cuban foods at home, from scratch, and they are delicious and authentic, but not nearly as fun and satisfying, somehow, as ordering from a picture menu, sitting at a greasy Formica table, and enjoying a quick, guilty bite at any moment's notice. My excitement would have carried me through a few bumps in the road, but La Unica was a train wreck! I'm not an impatient person, but the wait for our food was unbearable. In fact, two members of our party couldn't sit any longer, so they left, went for a walk in the neighborhood, stopped at a bakery in the strip mall, bought a bag full of treats, came back to the restaurant, and made appetizers of the baked goods to fight starvation while we waited for our meal. After this whole episode, we sat for an additional 15 minutes without even a glass of water, let alone the bottled Coke we had requested. We kept asking each other, "Should we just leave?" The wait couldn't be explained by a crowd of diners, even though that excuse was attempted by the staff. In reality, there were only a few other customers present. I believe there were as many employees as customers. When food did start to arrive, it wasn't the food we ordered. The waitress brought the wrong items THREE times, and then we endured more of a wait while the dishes were corrected. Other items from our order were forgotten and we had to remind the waitress to bring them. Was the food worth the wait? Definitely not! The Cuban sandwiches were the worst I've had, and I've had hundreds. My husband said the pork on his sandwich tasted old (it was, in fact, gray); mine just tasted like nothing: no garlic, citrus, salt...and the sandwiches were bone dry! Speaking of dry, the grilled chicken my daughter ordered was so overcooked the dryness was visible. Paradoxically, it was both tough AND crumbly. She couldn't eat it. I brought it home for the dog (she likes chicken jerky), but I reconsidered and just threw it away because I was fairly certain it would make my dog sick. Worst of all, my daughter's rice had a HAIR on it, hidden under the plantains, and my son's steak sandwich had another hair nestled within the bun. If you will excuse the Oscar Wilde allusion: one hair in our food may be regarded as a misfortune; two looks like carelessness. There was also, in the croqueta, some unidentifiable, hard, foreign object that we had to pick out and discard. At that point, we gave up, and ate no more. Dining at La Unica was a thoroughly disgusting experience. I can't remember it without a shudder. Nothing would induce me to return.
(1)Derek A.
This is a real gem in the area, been here a few times now and have never been disappointed. The portions, especially the meat, are very generous for the price. All of the food has tasted great, I've had a different meal every time I went in! The range of options is impressive. The staff is always friendly as well, and helps make suggestions when you want something new. Whatever meal you get, try some yuca Frita on the side!!
(5)Ken J.
We love this place and visit often. Tonight we chose to order take out. As expected, it was awesome. If you haven't made it to La Unica yet, run, don't walk, straight there as soon as possible. The employees are so friendly and non-judgmental if you pronounce something the wrong way. Don't know what it is? Just ask and they will describe each and every item on the menu. The end result is an incredible flavorful meal that will make you want to come back for more. Why not 5 stars? Nobody is perfect! :-)
(4)Nicole G.
My first experience with Cuban food and it was awesome. Ropa Vieja was flavorful and the meat was tender. Try the green Peruvian hot sauce or mix it with the Mexican red hot sauce. So good! David, behind the counter, was excellent. They are willing to make items not on the menu and provide excellent recommendations. The restaurant is clean and modern and for us gringos, they have the menu in pictures on the wall. I would even consider using their catering service.
(5)Natalia M.
Finally a worthwhile Latin American restaurant in the northwest suburbs! This place is a little gem in Chicago and now in Schaumburg. Really delicious and authentic Cuban, Peruvian and Colombian food (they have Mexican too but I haven't tried it). They are also incredibly fast and friendly. Check it out!
(5)Erick P.
Bomb ass foods, I had their Empanadas and they were amazing. What else can I say? I will def be going back when I am in the area.
(5)JH K.
Sought out this little cafe in the area purely for it's Cuban espresso. Ahhhhhmazing!!!!! They made it just right. Looking forward to future visits so I can try out some authentic Cuban food off their menu.
(5)Jackie U.
Tasted the Cuban sandwich, platano maduro and a cafe con leche. All of these were so good. I'm glad i found a place that has authentic Hispanic food, now I don't have to go all the way to Chicago to get the good stuff.
(5)Huska P.
It was my first time to try this location, because theres another one in chicago but it has a supermarket. Based on my experience i like this one better than the chicago. The girl in the front is SO nice and fun. And the food was great, you can tell its not rushed and the empanadas are my favorite!! Im just amazed they can do this, and they are here in the suburbs... Definetly gonna be my new favorite place!!!
(5)Michael M.
I was a regular patron for the last 3 years but lately the food and service has changed. They admittedly gave my baby a day old hard arepa and didn't apologize for it. They said it's the norm. They are no longer friendly because they have gotten so big there is no need for it. The young skinny girl in the front is an air head but the philopino girl is the sweetest. There is another heavy set man that is always miserable. I overlooked these things before but the arepa incident was the last straw.
(1)Donna C.
If your looking to spend hours waiting for your food, then you found the place! 1 waitress 1 cook 1 cleaner... Ridiculous. They cook 1 order at a time per person. I've never seen such poor management in my life. I hate that I even had to give a star. 2 thumbs down
(1)Scott K.
Not from the Schaumburg area, but had to be out there around midday--found a deal on restaurant.com for La Unica and saw yelp reviews, so gave it a try. Wow--this is just really, really good cuban food. Not that I'm an expert, but I spend months each year in South Florida, eat a lot of cuban, and in my view, this is outstanding. Had Ropa and it was meaty, tender, seasoned well. The plantains were terrific and cooked perfectly, beans/rice solid as well. The real star of the lunch though were the cuban empanadas. The filling was just nicely seasoned chopped beef, but the pastry was fantastic--crispy, light. Halfway through, I ordered two more to take with me. Also, even with a coupon, which is often the kiss of death at places, the service was terrific--friendly, committed, checking often... Do yourself a favor if you have not been here--try it! I wish I lived closer.
(5)Chris C.
Ate here for lunch after finding them on a Google search. I wanted to find a place near work that served Cuban sandwiches. When I saw the extensive menu of Latin American food I had to try it out! The food was great. I ordered a Cubano sandwich and a side of Flautas de Pollo. The Cuban was tasty but I feel like it could've been a little better. It was made right but instead of swiss they used Queso fresco cheese, which actually was a good substitute. It also needed more pickles and mustard BUT it was still really good and definitely worth the price! The flautas de pollo were AWESOME. Simple but totally delicious, you should definitely add some to you meal. I got them plain and they were still great. The service was nice and friendly, but I was disappointed to see that there weren't more people dining there. I'll definitely be back for sure. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because it took a bit of a wait for my food to come out. I ordered my food to go, but waited nearly 15 minutes for it to come out. That's about the only negative, otherwise the meal was great!
(4)Sung Y.
amazing food. rabo de res is my favorite so far. great service, really hearty food. love the tamales, fried yucca, plantains. I wish I could eat here every day and you could literally pick anything on the menu for me at random and I can guarantee I'll devour it with no regrets. I had the anticucho (beef heart skewers) and I never had heart before. it was nicely spiced, came with a really tasty sauce, fried yucca, and a little side salad slaw that brightened up the palate wonderfully. beautiful food. so, so good...and they have great coffee obviously. support this business you guys
(5)George P.
If your looking for Latin food in the burbs, look no further than LA Unica! Eclectic selection ranging from Colombian to Peruvian. The food is fresh and well prepared.
(5)Jose M.
As good as it gets! For a Cuban/Colombian/Mexican/Honduran restaurant in Schaumburg!! Yes folks they have a little bit of everything. I have been a fan of this place and have recomended it to all my friends and family. When you get there make sure to not sit right away there are no servers, you have to order at the cashier and they will bring the food to your table. The menu's are located by the cashier. If you have any questions about the food just ask the guy running the cashier can answer any questions. Food was fresh, and tasteful. Empanadas are pretty good. The Steak and cuban sandwich is very good. Give it a try!
(4)Miriam B.
Stopped in with some friends to try out the empanadas, from the start I was told not to expect much. After we got our food with a nice cold Colombiana I wasn't too disappointed, I personally thought they were pretty good. The next week I stop in to order 8 empanadas (To-Go) I realized they had a big catering order so I understood but the fact that people that came in after me and ordered the same thing got their food first really irritated me because I heard them place their order... Final point being, the food isn't all that bad but it's definitely not worth waiting 25min for!
(3)Katie S.
I tried both of their empanadas and both were great! The young lady up front was very perky and happy that I was there. I received 4 empanadas and it was under $5.50.
(4)Michael K.
OK, I've been on a cuban sandwich quest (see my other reviews) and found La Unica Cafe. I should have paid attention to the other reviews. The cuban was just ok. No sliced pickle or if there was, couldn't taste it, decent flavor, but very dry. Now, the cuban empanadas? Oh baby, were they good. I started eating one right in the car. The dough was fried to perfection and the ground beef is delicious. You could easily do 2-3 for lunch (or 4 or 5). Yum. The pictures of the other food looked good so I will be back to try more.
(3)Jesi R.
This is my favorite take out in Schaumburg. I get the plato montanero everytime, it is so so so so good and only 10 bucks!
(5)Alicia F.
Great food, great prices and awesome staff. Have yet to be disappointed and I don't anticipate it ever happening, no matter what dish I order I'm always satisfied, what more can you ask for???
(5)Kerosan L.
Went there to try the food and we weren't disappointed. I tried Anticucho and the guy behind the counter told me that its actually 'beef hearts' but i still went along with it. I liked it very much especially with the sauce that it came with. We really really love the arroz amarillo we even took some home. The place is fairly new and simple...it works if you're looking for a place to really enjoy your meal and actually talk to whoever you're with that day. Will definitely be back to try other menus.
(4)Daniela S.
Any place that has this many different countries dishes you cannot expect it to be truly authentic.... not very authentic Cuban food the ropa vieja was not anything like I cook at home/ or what you could even find in Miami.. at least they sell Materva... cannot find that anywhere out here!!
(3)Julie M.
Loved this place! The food was delicious, it's clean, it's affordable, and the guy at the counter was friendly. Be sure to try the empanadas and the tamales. All good. The bread pudding was to die for. I can't wait to go back.
(5)J R.
the chicken was greasy, the steak was tough, the bread on the steak sandwich was stale. I did enjoy the cuban sandwich. Staff was very friendly, prices were more than fair, but overall i didn't think the food was that great.
(2)Chris R.
This is a hidden treasure type of restaurant! I've been looking for a restaurant that sells columbian and peruvian food and this a great place :) Portions are generous, friendly staff and good prices!
(4)Jivko B.
Just had my first meal at La Unica today it was nothing short of awesome! Having lived in Miami and having eaten Cuba food frequently La Unica was spot on. I ordered the Cuban beef stew with rice and plantains ( not sure if this exact name, but if you say that to the man at the cashier he would know what you talking about) and it was really good. The plantains were cooked to perfection and portion of food was very generous. Also, be sure to try their green homemade sauce. It is a bit spicy, but went good with the rice and meat. For under $10, I walked away over stuffed and a happy man.
(5)matt m.
I love eating here. Food is great and prepared fresh to order. The portions are big and the home made red sauce is one of a kind. I love putting the red sauce on everything I eat here. My all time favorite thing to eat here is the empanadas. I could eat 10 empanadas in one sitting and still want more!!! My fiancé doesn't normally like Cuban/Colombian/Mexican food but she loves this place. La unica has a nice calm atmosphere. If you are looking to try something new other then typical low budget taco restaurants come try the food here. They don't have tacos on the menu but they do serve them upon request. They are delicious!!! All the steak used here is high grade meat. I haven't had a piece of meat that was stringy and I couldn't chew. Every piece is tender and cooked to perfection. I highly recommended this restaurant.
(5)A M.
I never thought I would find decent Cuban food in Schumburg. I had a great steak sandwich. I thought it was going to be a torta but they got the sandwich just the right way. With onions. Great Job! The sandwich is not as good as Marianos (on milwaukee av) but its very good. Im looking forward to my next visit. The place is very clean and the staff is very friendly.
(4)Peter B.
Living in the hoffman Estates area there is no better ethnic Latin food in the area. Highly recommend the food and service is great.
(5)Kev G.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this place was related to it's name sake on the north side of Chicago. I grew up in Edgewater and had been going to the original for years. I really missed it since moving to the Burbs. I've wanted to introduce my daughters to Cuban cuisine but just hadn't found the right place until yesterday. They are very picky eaters so when they asked, "...Dad when can we come again..." I knew we had a winner!! Bistec, chicken, rice, black beans, sweet plantains, Cuban & Columbian empanadas were enjoyed by all. I will probably give it five stars after I try the rest of the menu. More to come. P.S better than the original!
(4)Rachel G.
This place is new and serves Cuban, Mexican, Peruvian and Colombian food. I was happy to see a place that served Cuban food since the only place I could go to get some was in the city. It is about 7 minutes away from Woodfield mall which is a plus. The store is spacious inside and looked clean. I ordered the Cuban empanada which was REALLY good. I could tell it was fresh and made in house. The meat inside was ground beef and very flavorful. I also ordered the Cuban beef stew which came with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains. The beef stew was good and very tasty. The white rice was good and the sweet plantains were sweet just how I like them. The only thing that wasn't good was the black beans. They were really bland and flavorless. Thankfully the beef stew was tasty and complimented the white rice well. They should really work to improve the black beans since that is one of the main staples of Cuban cuisine. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.
(4)Mili A.
Good food looks basic good for grabs and go or for lunch jaberito was a bit oily I didn't like that it had yellow cheese but still was good prices were reasonable plates are huge I wish they had tooth picks cuz steak stuck in my teeth lol
(3)Jennifer S.
Love the food here! Try the lomo saltado, their columbian and Cuban empanadas! People are also welcoming and friendly.
(5)Nicholas P.
Great place. Very unassuming. You must try. I grew up in Puerto Rico and the Spanish dishes are spot on. Best taste in town. Great and fair prices. Perfect portions. It looks family owned but I'm not sure. I will be back.
(5)Cher G.
Ill try my best to be as descriptive as possible, but in one word- DELICIOUS! I am so glad to find Cuban cuisine without having to go downtown. The first and only time prior to La Unica that I have ever experienced Cuban cuisine was in South Beach and I'm pleased to say La Unica has best that standard. The dishes are averagely priced but you get a lot of food. I ordered the bacalao and was impressed with the amount of fish I got. It lasted me 2 meals and the rest are still in the fridge. I love that there is a mix of different backgrounds and lots to choose from on the menu. I had been craving tostones since the only time I had had them in Miami a few years back and I'm so happy I can get the locally and well made anytime now. Also, I consider myself a foodie while simultaneously being a health nut and I was very impressed that the filling inside the empanadas (tried both the cuban and colombian) was not excessively fatty or glistening in fakeness however still incredibly flavorful. Needless to say I am Impressed and want to see this place stick around :) Also for an independent business in a middle class area, the restaurant is very well-kept and nice to look at. I haven't tried it yet but can't wait to try the authentic flan with how good it looks ;)
(5)Ernie A.
The coffee is great, the service was good only thing that wasn't so great was the meat it was kind if rough. Would return to try something different
(3)