Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Introduce
If you're looking for an authentic taste of the island right here in the Garden State, look no further than **Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe** in Kenilworth, NJ. Located in an area of New Jersey that is rich in Cuban American culture, this family-owned and operated establishment is a true hidden gem dedicated to sharing traditional Cuban family recipes. Named after the fast and upbeat Cuban dance, the cafe lives up to its name with a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that transports you away from the everyday.
The cafe was born out of a family's desire to find authentic Cuban food close to home, and since its opening, it has become a beloved local spot. The cuisine here is a rich and flavorful blend of Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences, characterized by a foundation of seasonings like onions, garlic, and peppers in every dish. Whether you're a long-time fan of Cuban food or new to the experience, Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe offers a warm, cozy, and trendy environment where everyone is treated like family.
This commitment to quality and authenticity hasn't gone unnoticed; the restaurant was voted one of **Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2025**, a testament to its delicious offerings and exceptional hospitality. From the brightly decorated interior, complete with vintage Cuban photographs and posters, to the sound and smell of classic Cuban cooking, Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe offers a genuinely immersive dining experience for the New Jersey community.
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe is conveniently situated in the heart of Kenilworth, making it an accessible destination for residents across Union County and beyond. The address is **292 S Michigan Ave, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA**.
The location is designed to be welcoming to all members of the community, offering several accessibility features:
- **Wheelchair accessible entrance**
- **Wheelchair accessible parking lot**
- **Wheelchair accessible restroom**
- **Wheelchair accessible seating**
For those driving, **free street parking** is available, adding to the convenience. The area is known for its safety and family-friendliness, aligning with the cafe's cozy, family-focused atmosphere. It’s an ideal spot for a quick bite or a relaxed meal with family and friends.
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe aims to accommodate a variety of needs and preferences, offering multiple ways to enjoy their authentic Cuban cuisine. Whether you want to dine in and soak up the festive atmosphere or grab a meal on the go, they have you covered.
Key services provided include:
- **Dine-in:** Enjoy table service in the casual, cozy, and trendy atmosphere. Ideal for family-friendly visits and groups.
- **Takeout:** Perfect for quickly picking up your order and enjoying it at home.
- **Delivery:** Convenient service available through various online platforms, bringing authentic Cuban flavors right to your door.
- **Catering:** Available for events and gatherings, allowing you to share the taste of Cuba with a larger crowd.
- **Lunch Specials:** A dedicated menu with smaller portions and adjusted prices, available for a selection of main dishes during weekday lunch hours.
- **Payments:** Accepts Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and NFC mobile payments for hassle-free transactions.
- **Children's Amenities:** Provides a good environment for kids and offers **High chairs** for the little ones.
The cafe is celebrated in the New Jersey community for its authentic approach to Cuban cooking and the high-quality experience it offers. Several features stand out, making it a must-visit culinary destination.
Highlights of Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe include:
- **Authentic Cuban Cuisine:** Serves local specialty dishes based on treasured, generational family recipes, including their famous Cubano sandwich, **Ropa Vieja**, and **Masitas De Puerco**.
- **World-Class Desserts:** Known for its fantastic dessert menu, featuring the delectable **Flan** (plain or with coconut) and the highly recommended **Guava Con Queso Empanada**.
- **Great Coffee and Refreshments:** Offers authentic Cuban coffee like **Cortadito** and **Cafe Con Leche**, along with traditional Cuban milkshakes (**Batidos**) in flavors like Mamey, Mango, and Guava.
- **Cozy, Cuban-Themed Ambiance:** The interior is decorated with vintage Cuban photographs, posters, and unique furniture (like bar stools made from drums), creating a festive and transporting environment.
- **Friendly and Welcoming Staff:** Customers consistently praise the staff and owners for their kind, attentive, and welcoming nature, creating a genuine sense of being treated like family.
- **Varied Menu Options:** Caters to different dining needs with offerings like **Comfort food**, **Quick bites**, **Small plates** (Appetizers), and options for both **Lunch** and **Dinner**.
- **High Local & Critical Acclaim:** Recognized as a top New Jersey eatery, including the honor of being named one of **Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2025**.
For inquiries, to place an order, or for any other information, you can contact Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe using the following details:
- **Address:** 292 S Michigan Ave, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
- **Phone:** (908) 486-6000
- **Mobile Phone (Alternate):** +1 908-486-6000
The decision to visit Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe is an easy one for anyone in New Jersey seeking quality, authentic Cuban fare served with warmth. What makes this establishment particularly worth choosing is the combination of its **culinary authenticity** and its **sincere family-run hospitality**.
The menu is packed with flavorful classics, all cooked to order and based on cherished family recipes, ensuring a level of authenticity that can be hard to find. You can't go wrong with their signature dishes:
- **The Cubano:** The classic Cuban pressed sandwich, a customer favorite and a cornerstone of the cafe's legacy, is a perfect balance of savory pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickle.
- **Ropa Vieja:** The deeply flavorful shredded flank steak in a savory Creole sauce is a must-try entree, often cited as one of the best around.
- **Empanadas and Croquetas:** Excellent choices for appetizers or a quick bite, with options like Beef, Chicken, Ham & Cheese Empanadas, and the creamy, savory Croquetas De Hamon. They even offer a **Vegan Empanada** option.
- **Batidos (Milkshakes):** A perfect way to cool down or complement your meal with a taste of tropical fruit in traditional Cuban milkshake form.
Furthermore, the cafe is highly recommended for its genuine, personal touch. As many patrons share, you are immediately greeted with a sense of friendliness and belonging, feeling like you’ve stepped into a family’s kitchen rather than a typical restaurant. It is ideal for a solo lunch, a family dinner, or a gathering of friends. When you choose Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe, you’re not just getting a meal; you're getting an authentic, heartfelt piece of Cuban culture, tradition, and hospitality right here in Kenilworth, NJ.
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Menu
APPETIZERS
- Empanada - Cheese $4.50
- Vegan Empanada $4.50
- Ham & Cheese Empanada $4.50
- Appetizer Platter $23.95
- Empanada - Chicken $4.75
- Empanada - Beef $4.75
- World's First Cuban Rice Ball $6.95
Our Ropa Vieja or creole seasoned shredded chicken stuffed in a ball of yellow rice & deep fried.
- Tamal $6.50
Cuban style corn tamale with chunks of pork inside.
- Croqueta De Hamon $3.95
- Papa Rellena $4.75
Stuffed potato ball with seasoned ground beef.
SANDWICHES
- Cubano $15.95
- Fish Sandwich $15.95
- Ropa Vieja Sandwich $18.95
- Pan Con Lechon $15.95
- Frita Cubana $13.95
- Croqueta Preparada $13.95
- Choripan $13.95
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich $13.95
- Breaded Chicken Sandwich $13.95
- Pan Con Bistec $17.95
ENTREES
- ROPA VIEJA $24.95
- Chicken Tenders $15.95
- Grilled Chicken Salad $16.95
- Masita De Puerco $23.95
- Fricase De Pollo $19.95
- Cha Cha Cha Fish $23.95
- Chuletas $20.95
- Lechon Asado / Pernil $21.95
- Vaca Frita $23.95
- Bistec Empanizado $25.95
- Bistec Encebollado $24.95
- Pollo Empanizado $20.95
- Pollo Encebollado $19.95
- Rabo Encendido / Oxtail $29.95
Lunch Specials
- Pollo Empanizado - Lunch $16.96
Breaded chicken cutlet served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Grilled Chicken Salad - Lunch $15.95
- Masitas De Puerco $18.95
Cuban marinated chunks of pork served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Fricase De Pollo Lunch $16.95
Chicken breasts and potatoes in a creole tomato sauce served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Fish Sandwich - Lunch $14.95
Bassa fish flies on a toasted sandwich.
- Ropa Vieja Sandwich $14.95
- Chicken Fingers - Lunch $13.95
Comes with fries
- CHA CHA CHA FISH $17.95
Our bass fish filet served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Pan Con Lechon $12.95
Cuban roast pork with sautéed onion pressed sandwich.
- Lechon Asado / Pernil - Lunch $16.95
Our house roast pork served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Bistec Encebollado - Lunch $19.95
Sautéed steak with onions
- Pollo Encebollado - Lunch $16.95
Sautéed chicken breast with sautéed onions
- Chuleta/Pork Chops $15.95
Cuban style pork chopsserved with your choice of rice and beans.
- Frita Cubana - Lunch $12.35
Cuban style pork/beef burger served with potato sticks and comes with fries.
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich $11.95
- Pan Con Bistec - Lunch $14.95
Cuban steak sandwich - comes with sautéed onions and potato sticks.
- Cubano - Lunch $13.95
- Choripan - Lunch $12.95
Spanish chorizo sandwich with cheese and onions panini pressed.
- Croqueta Preparada $12.95
Croquette sandwich panini pressed.
- Ropa Vieja $20.95
Shredded flank steak in a cuban creole sauce served with your choice of rice and beans.
- Vaca Frita $19.95
- Breaded Chicken Sandwich $12.95
SIDES
- Side Salad $9.95
- Beans - Large $6.50
- RED SAUCE $0.78
- Congri - LARGE $5.75
- Congri- SMALL $4.50
- White Rice - LARGE $5.15
- White Rice -SMALL $4.15
- Yuca Frita $5.95
- French Fries $4.95
- Tostones $5.50
- Beans -Small $3.50
- Yuca Con Mojo $5.95
- Yuca Fries $4.95
- Maduros $4.95
- Yellow Rice - Small $4.50
- Yellow Rice - Large $5.75
SAUCES
- Rafa Sauce Bottle $11.95
- Santana Sauce Bottle $11.95
- Red Sauce $0.65
- Green Sauce $0.65
Drinks
- Seltzer $2.00
- Cortadito $2.95
- Malta $2.50
- Cafe Con Leche $4.95
Cuban coffee milk condensed milk and evaporated milk
- Water $2.03
- Bon Bon $2.86
- Double Espresso $3.95
- Espresso $2.95
- Coke $2.03
- Sprite $2.03
- Materva $2.03
- Malta $2.35
Batidos - MilkShakes
- Guava - Batido $7.95
- Papaya - Batido $7.95
- Trigo - Batido $7.95
- Guanabanana - Batido $7.95
- Mamey - Batido $7.95
- Mango - Batido $7.95
- Pineapple $7.95
DESSERT
- Empanada - Guava Con Queso $4.50
- Flan Con Coco $8.50
- Flan $7.95
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Great dessert
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Catering
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Parking
- Free street parking
- Parking
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Photos










Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Location
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
292 S Michigan Ave, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe Reviews
cuban sandwichropa viejaempanadasmomcongrientreeencebolladovaca fritafeelbeef empanada
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This one of those small family joints where the food is cooked to order and you absolutely feel like home eating there. The ambiance, the kid taking orders and the sound and smell of your steak and onions frying is crazy. I can’t wait to go back and try the fish and like the sign says it isn’t fast food
October 11 · George BetancesMuch of the credit for Cuban food's increasing popularity belongs to the cuisine's accessibility and deliciousness. The Garden State, especially North Jersey, is where a majority of the state's Cuban population resides.Voted Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2025 and named after a dance of Cuban origin that’s fast and upbeat, Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cuisine is located on Michigan Avenue in Kenilworth and is a cozy, family-owned, family-run establishment where I decided to have lunch today.Upon entering this hidden gem as a first-timer, I was greeted by the staff and transported back to the island, which was brightly decorated complete with vintage Cuban photographs & posters, bar stools made from drums, and ceiling lights made of Cuban canotier hats.The menu is full of classics—Cuban sandwiches, Croquetas, Tamales, and Ropa Vieja. It’s a rich and flavorful melange of Spanish, African, and Caribbean foods.As an appetizer, I started with the Croquetas (one with ham and the other with chicken) accompanied by cilantro sauce or chili sauce. For the main meal, I decided on the Pan Con Bistec.The meal was bold, tasty, served hot, and authentic from what I remembered from my childhood. The Cuban pressed sandwich was first quality, full of fresh ingredients, and very reasonably priced. It’s the pride of its seasonings, beginning with onions, garlic, and peppers as the foundation of every dish.I had a great conversation with the owner’s wife, Dania, whose friendly and welcoming nature has complemented the Guava & Cheese Empanada dessert.One is treated like family from the moment you step through its door, which I can recommend this place.
May 30 · Eloy YipGreat food. Great people. The owners are truly wonderful to be around and they connect with their customers on a personal level. Absolutely loved the “Cubano”. Amazing flavor and basically UN SANDWICHASO. We also tried the Fish Sandwich and the Ropa Vieja Sandwich.Absolutely full of flavor. Great local Cuban spot. Will come here again.
August 09 · Matias PerezYelp Elite Experience at Cha Cha Cha Cuban was fantastic!!Got to meet the owners the Santana’s! The loveliest people!!So festive from the Cuban music, colorful decor and the amazing aromas coming from the grill!My hubby and son joined me for dinner!The Cuban sandwich and my toastones were served nice a hot!Sandwich toasty on the outside and tender on the inside!So much flavors and textures!My son loved the Cuban sandwich too!Hubby enjoyed the entree:ROPA VIEJALarge portionsTook half my sandwich to go.Flan Con CocoWas the perfect sweet treat !!Highly recommended!Congratulations on the awesome distinction ofbeing Yelp Top 100 Places To Eat 2025!
May 02 · Suzette SequeiraI ate “pollo encebollado” they were accommodating and swapped out the rice for salad for me with no problem (due to my gluten allergy) and my mom had a “cuban sandwich” both of them were perfect! So tasty and it really feels like homemade cooking, with love and all. Plus one Cuban espresso which was also good.Great attention and a cozy atmosphere. Also the music is just as authentic as the food!
September 05 · Martha Devia
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