La Cubanita Zaandam in Wijk 22 Zaandam West

We ate on Boxing Day. We were a bit early, and after asking if that was a problem, the manager hysterically told us there was a change of the second shift and we had to go back outside into the icy cold. By then I was pretty much done with it. There was plenty of room at the bar, so from now on, ask us to wait there. It's a bit more customer-friendly in this cold weather. The food was okay, the desserts were supermarket-quality. The only positive was the friendly girls who brought the food. The people behind us had a big hair in their dessert, and then it was over. We paid and drove home with screeching tires. They won't call us again to eat there.

We had a delicious meal with lots of tapas to choose from! Highly recommended!

Really liked, unlimited restaurant, it’s not exactly tapas, small dishes: meat, fish, veggie. Cocktails are good, not expensive. I can recommend.

I found the food delicious as always, but we regularly received food that was cold, too hard, or not quite cooked through, which I'm not used to at other la cubanita restaurants. Also, some tapas were gone, but this wasn't mentioned until we asked for them after a long wait. The waitresses were super friendly and did their best to resolve the issue. When we were there, it was cold outside, and unfortunately, it was cold inside as well. At some point, everyone in my group had put on their coats over their sweaters. We asked if there was a heater, but I don't think they could. It's a nice location for a la cubanita; if you sit in the back, you have a view of the water. We mentioned that someone at our table was celebrating their birthday, and for dessert, they came singing and set off fireworks—it was so sweet and fun! All in all, an okay la cubanita, but there are definitely better locations in the Netherlands. If you're looking to eat somewhere near Zaandam, Beverwijk is a better choice.

Food and drinks very tasty amber good customer service

Wide selection of tapas. The service was very slow. We waited over an hour for part of our order. They brought us dessert with seven tapas still missing. The coffee took another 25 minutes to arrive, and we had to complain. It seems we were the only table with problems, but everyone had issues. Not recommended.

Super cozy! We had a delicious meal and the service was excellent!

First of all, I'd like to say that the food was truly delicious again. Cubanita-worthy. But this was my worst experience yet, both in terms of atmosphere and service, at Cubanita Zaandam. Wed 12-11-2025 18:20 Our empty plates kept piling up, and every time new ones were brought, the lady in question could barely place them because of the empty plates, and she'd walk away with an empty tray. When the table became truly overcrowded, we started putting our empty plates on the table next to us. (See photo) We realized this wasn't right. But the table only had one chair and one plate, and it wasn't full either, meaning it was the last table. After we had to do this three times!, a woman who was a sort of manager came to tell us that wasn't allowed. When I pointed out that our table wasn't being cleared and it was overcrowded, she didn't feel the need to wait politely for me to finish, but turned around, muttering under her breath, and walked away. When our table was completely covered with glasses, carafes, and bottles, and I asked the waiter, who was also serving us with a literally empty tray, to take it away, he simply said, "Sorry, I only take empty plates." After he went around to the other tables and took away plates, he didn't return to collect them after returning them. They were all still there when I left. (See photo) When I paid, I was charged €173.50. I gave €200, after which the woman at the cash register frowned and kept looking after the cash register. Then the woman who was apparently in charge came over and said, "What's wrong?" There was some whispering, and the manager took out her iPhone and literally typed in: 200-173.50 = After which I ultimately got €26.50 back. Generally, the past few times have always been good, and I understand that people have to learn, but today's service was unfortunately really below Cubanita's standards. Too bad We were celebrating my son's birthday, but unfortunately, this turned into a bit of a problem.

We really enjoyed our dinner at La Cubanita in Zaandam! From the moment we walked in, we felt like we were in Spain. The music was great, the atmosphere was warm, and the service was incredibly friendly. The tapas arrived at a good pace, and every dish was a feast for the eyes – fresh, well-seasoned, and beautifully presented. A perfect spot for an evening of dining together!

I'm not used to waiting so long: 1) We didn't get our drinks when we arrived, even though they were already waiting on the bar. 2) After 45 minutes, we asked at the bar where the tapas we ordered were. 3) After incident number 2, we hoped they would pay attention... no! We spent another 45 minutes asking about the potatoes we ordered. After we finally got them, we went to pay. Unfortunately, nothing was done about the price 😞

Save your money. We sat for two hours and only managed three rounds of food. After the first round, we had to wait 45 minutes for the second, even after we'd told them to. You'd think they'd be more careful after that, but alas — for the third round, we had to wait another 45 minutes. Then it was over for me. (FYI, it wasn't even half full.)

During our visit to this location, we unfortunately had a disappointing experience. The service was very slow; every time we ordered, we had to wait a long time, while the table behind us was served several times in the same period. Furthermore, the food was not up to par. Some of the dishes were undercooked and had to be sent back to the kitchen. Unfortunately, we never received a replacement. Also, much of the food that should have been hot was cold upon serving. Furthermore, we didn't receive all the dishes we ordered. In total, we spent almost two and a half hours in the restaurant, but during that time, only two rounds of food were served. We had ordered the third round, but after waiting for about 45 minutes without anything arriving, we decided to pay. We ended up going to the supermarket ourselves to pick up dinner.

Things have gotten incredibly bad at La Cubanita. I know the menu changes every so often, and that's no big deal, but the quality of the food has plummeted. I almost left everything yesterday because it was inedible. I also waited ages for my food, and my drinks were brought out very late. I'm definitely never coming back.

A wonderful evening full of flavor and conviviality! We went here for dinner on the recommendation of friends, and honestly, we were pleasantly surprised! The tapas were fresh, well-seasoned, and beautifully presented—especially the meatballs in tomato sauce and the prawns are highly recommended. 🍤 The atmosphere was relaxed and cozy, exactly what you're looking for in a tapas evening. The service was friendly and seemed to really go the extra mile to please everyone. You can tell they're paying attention to the feedback they've received—and I really appreciate that. In short: don't be put off by older reviews. Everyone can have a rough patch now and then, but this restaurant is clearly back on track. We'll definitely be back!

Yesterday we planned a fun team outing at La Cubanita in Zaandam, and we were really looking forward to it! But the atmosphere quickly changed. The food was terrible: frozen, raw, cold, hair in the food, a dead fly baked onto the food, etc., etc. It took a long time to get our orders. We complained to the staff and showed them what we found in the food. But there was little response. There were 14 of us and we had to pay €511. It was outrageous for all the complaints and the disgusting food. And worst of all, six people got seriously ill. We were vomiting all night. Never again for us!

I've heard nothing but horror stories about La Cubanita... Aside from that, we went here for dinner yesterday on a staff outing. It's truly awful. The service was friendly, but the food was truly awful. So bad it's downright dangerous. Most of it was reheated, with the core still ice cold—in other words, it just came straight out of the freezer. The meat is tough, and some dishes are even raw. The sauce, oil, and butter taste absolutely stale and cloying. Guests can get seriously ill from this. As a precaution, I ordered some fried food, hoping that all the bacteria would be dead and your dish would at least be warm. The fact that you even have to think about that is absurd, of course. I would really advise everyone not to come here. As the owner, I'll be scratching my head. There are many more complaints like this online. It would be nice if they did something about it, because the concept is interesting.

Delicious food, very nice atmosphere and super helpful and friendly service.

Beautiful restaurant, comfortable seating and delicious unlimited food.

Delicious food as always. Great service. Xxx

Delicious food as always. Great service. Xxx

A lot of the food was really bad, everything was dirty, there were long waits for the food, a lot of the food just straight up didn't arrive, and you had to agree to their terms & conditions saying these things might happen and you just have to accept it basically. Also you can't order more than 10 times despite it being "all you can eat".

It's not expensive for six people, but what an incredible mess it is. The food tastes okay, but everything is 100% frozen because every piece of meat is tough. They're also very confused and often forget orders, so we personally missed a lot of food all evening. I also didn't expect it to be such a zoo with all the shouting. This is not recommended and definitely not worth the money. Cuban experience ❌ / headache ✅

I ate here a week ago with my boyfriend. The waitresses weren't very professional, and one girl really drew attention... There was a lot of singing (shouting) along to the music in the kitchen. The girl, who was completely unprofessional, started flirting with my boyfriend twice, very clearly. It was really noticeable, and it happened right in front of me. I'm not worried about the flirting itself, but I am worried about the fact that she's a waitress and should be professional. She did have good taste, though.

The staff comes by sporadically for drinks and seem more focused on each other than the guests. The atmosphere could be enhanced by, for example, Spanish music. Unfortunately, the music selection consisted mainly of English hits from 2025.

A distinctive restaurant for those who want to enjoy food

Mijn zusje Ria is zondag 17 augustus 70 jaar geworden en dat hebben we gezellig met de hele familie hier gevierd. Servetten met 70 jaar erop en een feest hoedje Ria zat écht jarig te zijn! 🎉Heerlijke gerechten en aardige medewerkers We kregen alle tijd en na een feestelijk ijsje ging de hele familie de Boer voldaan naar huis.

Super nice tenant and good cocktails !

We ate here yesterday, it was awful. The food was inedible and I had to send dishes back three times. Spanish burgers were completely red, only to be told twice, "That's how it is." We've eaten here a few times before, and they were never red inside. The steak was just floating in the water as if it had just been microwaved. Never again! A waste of money. You can eat better at Dam Square, a good piece of meat, this is outrageous!!! Maybe don't put young people who don't feel like working in the kitchen! And waiting for drinks takes so long that you have to walk to the bar yourself.

We had a delicious meal last night, eight of us. The food was excellent, and the service was fast and friendly.

The food was sometimes too cold and not properly cooked, such as with squid, there were also some very tasty things in there, which was a bit of a shame.

We made a quick reservation and only then saw the reviews. Ultimately, we decided to go ahead and hope for the best... and we had a fantastic evening. The staff were incredibly friendly, the food was nothing less than average at La Cubanita, only the exterior appearance is a bit less appealing, but then again, that's not what you go to a restaurant for. We had a fantastic evening, and kudos to the sweet guy who served us—what a gem!

Delicious food, friendly and fast staff! We'll definitely be back!

After avoiding La Cubanita in Zaandam for years due to previous negative experiences with the quality of the food, we decided to give it another try last Thursday. The concept remains appealing; after all, who doesn't love tapas? Something for everyone. What immediately stood out, and is definitely a positive, was the service: friendly, attentive, and with genuine hospitality. That deserves a compliment. Unfortunately, we can't say the same for the food. The manchego and the bread were fine, but they're safe choices where little can go wrong. After that, however, things quickly went downhill: the pork tenderloin was bone dry, the two types of prawns were swimming in an unappetizing oil with questionable spices, and the peppers were completely charred. The pulled meat taco was a low point: not only burnt, but also filled with an indefinable mass that didn't even remotely resemble pulled meat. The mozzarella and tomato skewers were covered in a factory-made sauce, so that the original ingredient was no longer even visible. The biggest disappointment of the evening, however, was the eggplant. When it was served, I was already shocked by its appearance, but the taste was absolutely awful. It was the first time I've ever gagged in a restaurant. Despite the friendly service, the quality of the food is far below par. Perhaps it's due to a shortage of good chefs, who knows. The interior and outdoor area could also use some TLC; everything feels a bit dated now. All in all, it remains (still) a disappointing experience.

"Big disappointment at La Cubanita Zaandam – and on my birthday!" What a terrible experience. I came here to celebrate my birthday, but it was absolutely terrible. The food arrived cold or lukewarm three times. The kitchen clearly doesn't know how to handle it. They don't even know how to use the microwave. The waitresses were friendly and well-meaning, but they spent more time chatting than working. If you wanted a drink, you had to call them over and over, even though it wasn't even busy. A regular glass of sangria wasn't available; only half-liter or full-liter options. It was incredibly inconvenient if you only wanted one drink and had already had a half-liter. Terrible service! Tables weren't cleared, so we ended up sitting among piles of dirty plates and glasses, having to put all the mess on the tables behind us ourselves. The tables around us were also complaining about everything, so it certainly wasn't just us. They'd forgotten their music either; it was whisper-quiet, so it was really unpleasant because you could only hear the people. Talk. In short: a huge disappointment. It's a real shame I celebrated my birthday here. Incidentally, they don't do anything about it either; I didn't even get a drink on the house, even though it was known, and I wasn't even congratulated. Absolutely not recommended! In fact, we'll never go back to La Cubanita Zaandam; what a crappy place! Everyone who works here should be deeply, deeply ashamed.

Nice, relaxed atmosphere, food quite good, don't expect Michelin here, but it met our expectations, cozy and tasty food with a small group.

Had a lovely meal tonight...it was all very tasty but I also go there twice a month 🤣

Wow, this has gotten really bad!!! You're better off keeping your money in your pocket and going somewhere else (snack bar is often even better quality). Many rounds are simply forgotten, food is lukewarm or cold and just disgusting! Sometimes we had to wait 40 minutes for the food to arrive. Staff is shouting at each other. It's also very easy to offer unlimited drinks that can only be ordered through staff. You have to haggle for another drink because staff is far too busy. Complaint sent by email and never heard anything back. I understand that this may be very easy and cheap with a bunch of (screaming kids) but it's really a waste of your money! Go to Zusje a little further down the road!

niet de beste ervaring die ik met La Cubanita heb gehad, meerdere rondes waren ze vergeten te brengen en dat was vreemd aangezien het helemaal niet zo druk was. Dit aangegeven bij het personeel en die zijn niet terug gekomen met; het komt er aan of iets van. Nee ze kwamen gewoon helemaal niet terug en ons eten kwam ook niet. Zonde, zou er dus op deze locatie niet vaak meer gaan eten. Het eten wat we wel kregen was gewoon echt heel lekker dus daar klagen we verder niet over.

A lovely experience with good and plentiful food, good service and a cozy place.

Great food, really good price quality and a nice relaxed atmosphere. The cocktails are also nicely priced!

Very tasty food and very nice staff

Delicious food and the service was very friendly

Cold food, dirty cutlery and glasses several times, food that doesn't arrive, hair in the food.

Very good and nice service. The food came quickly!

We were here for Valentine's Day. Food was good and the cocktails even better 😁

Good place for tapas with normal prices for an all you can eat, sometimes the tapas are not quite what you would expect in terms of quality and flavor being Latin when you miss your pos but they are still good and my Dutch husband loves it too. They have variety and you end up quite full

Had dinner here with my wife on Saturday March 29. Staff were very friendly and the food was tasty. We had a nice evening here!

As always great food especially for that price. We often eat at other Cubanita's and often there is something different on the menu. The food is generally a bit spicy (probably to promote the need to drink) but not objectionable

Everything was ok but the food took a very long time. The starter took an hour to arrive.

The best we have eaten anywhere. Friendly staff good service. Nice atmosphere.

Won't come here again. Food was not good tasted old. We reported this to (we think) the manager of the evening and he did not seem to take us seriously. When paying she said “you had to stop ordering because this is food waste”. We kindly stated that it really wasn't tasty, but a little empathy is hard to find at this company. It was my first time here and the umpteenth time for the person I was with, but they indicated that this is not normal. Too bad we weren't heard. Regret the evening and the money

Finally completely okay again. Was a little less for a long time. As it is now 5 stars Despite murmurs from others

Half of the orders were not even received and the food was cold

We ate here for the first time on Christmas Day, after having been to Purmerend several times and once to Hoorn. Zaandam stands head and shoulders above the other 2 locations. A nice atmosphere, good space around the table, music at a pleasant level and very good service despite the crowds. We enjoyed it, and from now on we will go to Zaandam instead of Purmerend. Top!

Super gezellige avond gehad, met zeer vriendelijke, vrolijke bediening. Eten was ook heerlijk. Bedankt namens grote en kleine baas 😀

The food was delicious, but it was so cold inside because the kitchen was too hot that we ate with jackets on. Unfortunately, I got sick the next day. Staff did nothing about it.

Food was good. Just bit disappointed because i ask a cava sangria, they gave me water glass to drink it, i went to the lady at the bar and she said she couldn’t give me a wine glass for the sangria. I was obligated to order a glass of wine to get a glass to drink the sangria. To bad.

Ate there at Christmas, great service and the food was very good, the atmosphere was pleasant top

Our experience at La Cubanita Zaandam was absolutely good. We had dinner here with our family of four and enjoyed a wonderful evening. The atmosphere was warm and cozy, partly due to the friendly service. The hostess deserves a special mention; she radiated so much enthusiasm and made everyone feel immediately welcome. The team was attentive and made sure we didn't miss anything. In short, La Cubanita Zaandam is highly recommended for a fun evening out.

Very cozy. Food was good. Atmosphere was good

Had a delicious meal on Boxing Day with a group of 9! Nice service and delicious food 🎄🥂 We will definitely come back🥰

Sorry, I won't be doing this anytime soon. Evening out with a bite to eat section. It's not normal to be cold there. And to be honest, I wasn't crazy about the quality of the food either. No, sorry once and not again.

Tables really too close together, otherwise fine

Delicious food. The waiter was alone, but even though there were 6 tables occupied, we didn't have to wait long. Will eat there again soon.

Last minute reservation for 2 people. What a drama! Waited an incredibly long time for your food, when you got it it was often cold. Potato fries, the stew had flown over it and you had to look for the steak tips in your bowl of vegetables. Staff walk around with food but often don't know where it belongs. The further the evening progressed, the more grumpy the staff looked and the harder the plates were thrown. The staff is quietly eating the snacks in the kitchen. The passageway is dirty, you see food there. At the end of the evening, many tables were already empty but the dishes were still on the table while staff at the front of the restaurant were on their phones. Spent the whole evening in the extension in the cold/draught. Definitely not recommended!

Never had such a bad meal at La Cubanita. Almost everything cold. Asked for it to be warmed up, didn't get it back. Mochito was not tasty, too sweet. Pale squid rings. I think the cook didn't know what to do. Last round of tapas took half an hour before it arrived.

Er werd niet geserveerd we werden vergeten, het was er erg koud en het eten was niet vers de bladerdeeg dingen smaakte naar karton de advocating was slijmerig en bruin

Really lovely restaurant. Have been there twice with my wife and our two children aged 2 and 8 and everyone really enjoyed it. Food and service was really good both times. Friendly staff. Would recommend them any day.

Food was tasty, but sometimes not too hot. Service young and inexperienced and sometimes very slow. But friendly.

I thought the food was good, service also good. A bit cramped to sit in and messy with ordering the rounds via your phone.

First and last time we ate here. Many things were already gone, it took a very long time for the food to arrive and I'm not even talking about the gluten-free menu... A lot of money for what you get. Friendly service from a young man, great!

Had bad service, food you ordered did not arrive. We didn't get what we ordered for several rounds... waitresses thought their phones were more important than the guests. Mixed drinks were good for the first round, but for the second round it was almost water. If you then reported it to the waitress, they said they would follow up......we now have to wait for our orders. Many of the products they offer on the menu were no longer in stock and what they did have was poorly prepared. Normally I am very satisfied with this restaurant, but I have now been disappointed several times with how things are going there. Very unfortunate

I have been coming to this restaurant since the beginning. Several times a year. I can say it is my favorite restaurant. Every time it's a little party to go there...

I found this gem of a place while I was staying at a hostel in Zandaam! I had awesome tapas.They have a special on where you have unlimited tapas and drinks for a mere €34 .It's a bit more on weekends but we'll worth it.The food was delicious .While i waited they gave me a fresh bread toll with deliciius spreads.I loved the fact that you scan a code and order yourself via your mobile!! And the servers were very nice! I will definitely visit again!

Had a wonderful and enjoyable evening tonight, the food was delicious and there was plenty of choice. Staff was very friendly and pleasant despite the crowds. Sometimes we had to wait a little longer for a dish, but due to the crowds this was logical and in my opinion not a problem. Would love to come back here again. Thank you dear people for a successful evening out with my family.

Tasty food, friendly staff, you didn't have to wait long for your food. The mocktails are very sweet! Update. Eating and drinking really took a long time. Hot dishes were just cold, which is a shame. Just waiting more than an hour for some dishes. Apparently they don't want to sell drinks either because we were waiting more than 45 minutes for them. Having small children at the table is not very pleasant. I also spent half the night hanging above the toilet... Probably because of all the fish dishes that were no longer warm. Once it was a good place, where I liked to go, but now... I'll skip it! And saw that yesterday we were not the only ones who left because of it. Maybe take more staff and otherwise take fewer reservations.

Had some cold dishes that should have been warm. Also had a piece of spicy Birkenstock which is on the menu as steak.

Wij vonden het super goed en de bediening was top en snel en we zaten erg gezellig de bediening maakte ook nog een gezellig praatje met ons

Very unfortunate about this evening. Food was all cold what we ordered. When your staff points out that the food is cold, people sigh and find it difficult to accept. Once the food was brought back, it was still cold. Sweet potato fries that taste like cleaning solution. Not recommended!

Very bad. The reception was very strange. Bad table service. But worst of all, the food was just bad, lukewarm and tough. I recommend la cubanita in purmerend, it is much better than zaandam. What a drama

Nice restaurant, good tapas, nice service. We went here twice on our vacation

Because we were a group of 10 people, the table layout had to be adjusted. This gave me the impression that there was very little space between us and the other guests. When I left I saw that there was more space at the back of the store. I think we are technically placed on the window side of marketing. The food was of course good, we have come to expect that from La Cubanita. We will definitely eat in Zaandam again.

A few times we had to order something again because we had not received the dish or we received it after we had already ordered something else, otherwise the food was good, very tasty

Menu has been adjusted so that half of it has disappeared. Chicken is now the most common dish. Unfortunately, not everyone likes chicken, so there are few meat dishes left. As a result, my wife only wants two things from the menu. As far as we are concerned, it is too expensive to eat there. Hopefully they will bring back some of the dishes. Then we would like to come and eat again

Service was top notch, staff friendly. Unfortunately, half of the menu was unavailable because it was 'sold out'. Especially the meat tapas were not there. Unbelievable at the beginning of the evening. But you have to pay full price and go home unsatisfied :(

We had a delicious meal, service was fast and with a smile. Drinks were on the table very quickly (really tasty) and the food was also delivered on time. We will definitely come back here!

Delicious food and so much choice, you actually want to eat again the next day. Friendly service and really unlimited food for €29.95, still very reasonably priced if you compare it with the sushi restaurants, which now go to €40 for 2 hours of unlimited on weekends. We were a group of 10 and spent €53 pp including thanks, desserts and tip. Very worth repeating for me. See you soon!

Great meal! After a debacle at Loetje

The food was tasty but service was a bit slow. Quite a nice concept. Definitely recommended

Delicious food, excellent service and a cozy atmosphere for a good price.

Very nice atmosphere, especially at the back of the conservatory you have a beautiful view over the Zaan. Food was delicious & the service was very friendly. One even cycled through the pouring rain and was still at work in a good mood and a smile. In short, highly recommended! P.S. The cocktails are also tasty, especially the one with pisang ambon!

We hadn't been to Cubanita Zaandam in a while and I was shocked by the number of bad reviews. But it was great. Nice, friendly and attentive service. The food was well prepared and very tasty. We had a pleasant evening and will definitely come again.

I have been there several times with my family and the staff is very friendly, the food is certainly good and the conservatory offers a nice view over the water.

Nice atmosphere, nice service. Tapas itself a little less. Definitely tasty, but nothing special.

You know what you get. Location more cozy due to new furniture. Unfortunately, due to limited staff, it takes a little longer. Not a big problem.

Very nice restaurant, great service. The tapas were quickly brought to the table after ordering via QR code. They were the best we've ever eaten. We look forward to next time.

had a delicious meal with daughter and grandsons. cozy place and nice staff.

Drama. Not only is the service super bad, but you should really be ashamed of what you put on the table. Some dry nachos. Really really incredible. And then wait 30 minutes every time for your order or for your order. Never never again. Good luck with your business!

Just ate there. 2 pers. 19/4/24. All the food is fried with sauces and fat, mayo, etc. There is not one dish that is healthy. Shame.

I have never felt more welcome at La Cubanita. There was some confusion about the reservation while it was in order, our app was only activated late, not all the food was equally tasty (chicken pink and ice cold on the inside, steak tips were tough and more peppers than steak). However, the service was cheerful and helpful and the drinks and desserts were tasty. All in all we had a pleasant evening, but I have had better evenings here.