🇺🇸 DC | Cuba Libre – Cuban Cuisine 🇨🇺

A restaurant so good, I started writing this review before even finishing the menu! Absolutely delicious!!! What a perfect way to wrap up my year in DC! 🎉 Coinciding with the restaurant’s 25th-anniversary celebration 🥳, we ordered the Chef’s Tasting Menu – an amazing deal at $49! Starter: Bread and Butter ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Crispy, thin bread served with mango-infused butter – rich, fragrant, and subtly sweet without being heavy. A perfect start! 🧈✨ Second Course: Appetizer Platter • Cubano Pork Belly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tender, well-portioned pork with a smoky-sweet flavor. Topped with pickled pineapple to cut through the richness – so good! 🍍🐖 • Shrimp Cocktail ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Marinated with a hint of citrus and lemon freshness – not boozy at all. The shrimp were plump and bouncy. A refreshing bite! 🍤🍋 • Cream Chicken Croquetas ⭐⭐ Pretty standard croquettes – the filling was a bit too dense and dry for me. Not a standout. 😅 Main Course (By this point, I was already stuffed… but the feast went on! 😆) • Ropa Vieja (Braised Beef in Red Wine) ⭐⭐⭐ Classic slow-cooked beef – tasty, but didn’t stand out. Surprisingly gave me a bit of homesickness vibe 🥘❤️ • Pescado Frito (Fried Fish) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfectly fried – crispy outside, tender inside. You can tell the fish was super fresh! 🐟🔥 • Lechón Asado (Braised Pork) ⭐⭐⭐ Good, but not as memorable as the pork belly earlier. The braised meat was soft, and it came with a piece of crispy fried pork belly – unexpected and fun! 🐷💥 • Arroz con Frijoles (Rice with Black Bean Sauce) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maybe it’s because I’m a carb-lover 😂, but this was a surprise favorite! Rich, savory black bean sauce over rice – so comforting! 🍚🖤 • Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sweet, soft, and fragrant – delicious, but one piece was just enough. Any more would be too sweet! 🍌✨ Dessert: Tres Leches Cake 🍰 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A bit sweet (maybe my tolerance has gone up after a year in the U.S.!), but the milky flavor was just right – not too heavy, not too plain. A lovely finish! 🥛🍯 The restaurant had a great vibe with Cuban music playing all night 🎶. We didn’t order drinks – with tax and tip, it came to around $65 per person. Have you been to Cuba Libre? What’s your favorite Cuban dish? Share below! 👇💬 #DCfood #DMVfood #RestaurantRecommendation #InternationalCuisine #VAeats #CubanFood #ChefsTastingMenu #BudgetFriendly #ComfortFood #FoodReview #LatinFlavors #DCdining #CubaLibre #AnniversaryMenu #FoodieShare #EatLikeALocal #TropicalVibes #SweetAndSavory