Madera Introduce
For New Yorkers seeking a culinary escape to the warmth and flavor of Cuba, Madera in Long Island City is a premier destination. More than just a bar, it is a full-fledged Cuban restaurant that transports its guests with a vibrant menu and a cozy, romantic atmosphere. Located on the bustling Vernon Boulevard, Madera offers a delightful blend of authentic Cuban dishes, a robust beverage program, and a lively ambiance that includes live music. It’s a versatile spot, perfect for a casual lunch, a romantic dinner, or a fun night out with friends. The menu showcases a wide range of traditional Cuban fare, from classic sandwiches and savory appetizers to hearty grilled meats and fresh seafood. With a commitment to quality and a welcoming environment, Madera stands out as a unique and essential part of the Long Island City dining scene.
Madera is conveniently situated at 47-29 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101, placing it in a prime and easily accessible location. Vernon Boulevard is a well-known thoroughfare filled with a variety of restaurants, cafes, and shops, making it a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The restaurant is easily reachable via public transportation, with several bus stops and subway stations within a reasonable walking distance. For those with cars, there is both free and paid street parking available, though it can be competitive during peak hours. The establishment is also committed to accessibility, featuring a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, and restroom. In addition to indoor dining, Madera offers outdoor seating, which is a significant highlight, allowing guests to enjoy their meals and drinks al fresco while taking in the neighborhood's lively atmosphere. This combination of a prime location and accommodating features makes Madera an ideal spot for any occasion.
- Dine-in: Enjoy a full dining experience in the cozy and romantic atmosphere with table service.
- Outdoor Seating: A great option for enjoying a meal or a drink outdoors, perfect for a pleasant day or evening.
- Takeout & Delivery: For those who prefer to dine at home, Madera provides both convenient takeout and delivery services.
- Reservations: The restaurant accepts reservations and recommends them for both lunch and dinner, especially for groups, to ensure a seamless dining experience.
- Bar Onsite: A fully stocked bar offers a wide selection of beer, wine, hard liquor, and an excellent list of specialty cocktails.
- Catering: While not explicitly mentioned in the provided information, many full-service restaurants in this category often offer catering for private events.
- Authentic Cuban Cuisine: The menu is a celebration of classic Cuban flavors. Standouts include the "Sandwich Cubano," "Lechon Asado Con Mojo Criollo," and "Ropa Vieja," a traditional Cuban shredded beef stew.
- Excellent Drinks: Madera is highly praised for its drink selection, which includes a great beer and wine list, as well as a variety of classic and inventive cocktails. The mojitos and sangrias are particularly popular.
- Live Music: Adding to the romantic and vibrant atmosphere, Madera offers live music on Saturdays, creating a truly unique and enjoyable dining experience.
- Happy Hour Specials: The restaurant offers a happy hour with specials on both food and drinks, making it a great spot for a post-work get-together.
- Diverse Menu: The menu caters to a wide range of tastes, featuring everything from hearty beef and pork dishes to fresh seafood like "Paella De Mariscos" and "Garlic Shrimp." There are also plenty of healthy and vegetarian-friendly options.
- Great for Groups and Couples: The ambiance is versatile, cozy enough for a romantic date night but also spacious and welcoming for larger groups.
Address: 47-29 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone: (718) 606-1236
For New Yorkers looking for a memorable and flavorful dining experience, Madera is a truly exceptional choice. What makes it stand out is its commitment to authentic Cuban cuisine and its lively atmosphere. The food is the main attraction, with signature dishes that are consistently praised by patrons. The "Sandwich Cubano" is a must-try, often hailed as one of the best in the area for its perfectly balanced combination of roasted pork, smoked ham, and Swiss cheese. The "Skirt Steak" is another crowd-pleaser, known for its tenderness and flavorful marinade. For seafood lovers, the "Paella De Mariscos" is a fantastic choice, loaded with a variety of fresh shellfish. The empanadas, available in savory beef and chicken or sweet guava and cheese, are also a popular appetizer. Beyond the food, the bar is a significant highlight. The expertly crafted cocktails, particularly the mojitos, are a perfect complement to the rich flavors of the Cuban cuisine. The availability of live music on Saturdays adds an extra layer of charm, making it a great spot for a special night out. While some reviews have mentioned slow service at times, the overall consensus is that the friendly and attentive staff are dedicated to ensuring a positive experience. Madera’s combination of high-quality food, great drinks, and a vibrant, inviting atmosphere makes it a go-to spot for a taste of Cuba in the heart of Long Island City.
Madera Food & drink
Chicken
- Cuban Style Lemon Chicken $23.00
Served with your choice of side.
- Madera Style Chicken $25.00
Homemade breaded chicken, slowly sautéed in chicken stock, white wine, lemon, garlic and a dash or paprika. Served with your choice of side.
Empanadas
- Chicken Empanada $4.00
Served with house salsa verde.
- Beef Empanada $4.00
Served with house salsa verde.
- Guava And Cheese Empanada $4.00
Served with house salsa verde.
- Spinach And Cheese $4.00
Served with house salsa verde.
Beef
- Madera Style Steak $42.00
Our finest prime shell steak chargrilled to specifications. Served with your choice of side.
- Cuban Style Ground Beef $21.00
Our finest ground beef seasoned with oregano, cumin, green bell peppers, tomato sauce, raisins with a drizzled of wine to top it off. Served with your choice of side.
- Beef Spare Ribs $30.00
Argentinean-style. Served with your choice of side.
- Steak With Sautéed Onions $27.00
Served with your choice of side.
- Stew Shredded Beef $24.00
Cuban stew made by braising beef along side of carrots, onions, red and green peppers, fresh tomatoes, garlic, cumin and a touch of sherry. Served with your choice of side.
- Skirt Steak $38.00
Tender flavor Latin skirt steak grilled to perfection. Served with your choice of side.
Pork
- Lechon Asado Con Mojo Criollo $26.00
Succulent slow roasted pork. Served with your choice of side.
- Chuleta Empanizada $23.00
Breaded pork chops.
- Grandma Pork Chops $27.00
A marriage of pork, sherry and sour orange juice with generous additions of garlic, onions and herbs. A true Creole dish. Served with your choice of side.
Sandwiches
- Palomilla Steak Sandwich $16.00
Thinly sliced steak with caramelized onions and chimichurri sauce. Served with homemade French fries or salad.
- Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich $15.00
American cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. Served with homemade French fries or salad.
- Sandwich Cubano $15.00
Roasted pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and xy mustard. Served with homemade French fries or salad.
- Skirt Steak Sandwich $17.50
With chimichurri. Served with homemade French fries.
Appetizers
- Ham Croquettes $11.00
Savory small, lightly breaded fritters are crunchy on the outside and smooth and creamy in the inside.
- Sofrito Steamed Mussels $14.00
Our finest mussels steamed in to a redolent mixture or garlic, onion, bell peppers and finished off with dry white wine and parsley.
- Cuban Style Grilled Shrimp $13.00
Marinated in our chef's secret recipe.
- Fried Calamari $12.00
Lightly fried and crispy squid.
- Sautéed Pork Chunks $12.00
Marinated with fresh garlic, onion, sour orange juice, salt and peppers.
- Fried Codfish Cakes $11.00
Fresh fish cakes with potatoes, onions and parsley.
- Spanish Sausages $13.00
Spanish sausages cut in one 1/4" slices, sautéed with onions, jalapeño and chimichurri.
- Stuffed Green Plantains $12.50
Fried green plantains filled with lean ground beef, or shrimp, marinated in garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, olive, raisins and capers.
- Coconut Shrimp $13.50
Beautifully golden brown shrimp cooked to perfection, served with our delightfully refreshing mango mint sauce.
Seafood
- Paella De Mariscos $32.00
Cuban style seafood paella.
- Creole Style Shrimp $29.00
Caribbean flavors of fresh parsley, cilantro, roasted red pepper and a hint of hot red pepper sauce. Served with your choice of side.
- Garlic Shrimp $28.00
Served with your choice of side.
- Mariscada Seafood Stew $29.00
Little neck clams, mussels, fish and scallops slowly simmered and seasoned with Spanish spices. Served with your choice of side.
- Madera Salmon $26.00
Grilled with lemon win and spices. Topped off with a mango, cilantro, crush peppers and radish salsita. Served with your choice of side.
Soup and Salads
- Arugula Salad $12.00
Beats, alfalfa sprouts, red onion and avocado with a homemade raspberry dressing.
- Sopa De Frijoles Negro $6.00
Black bean soup.
- Tropical Salad $14.00
Papaya, mango and mandarin oranges in mixed greens and toasted almonds with a mint vinaigrette.
- Creole Salad $14.00
Avocado, tomato and red onion simply seasoned.
- Mixed Green House Salad $6.00
Add extra protein for additional charge.
Side Dishes
- Papas Fritas $6.00
French fries.
- Mashed Potatoes $6.00
Cooked potatoes that have been mashed to a smooth fluffy consistency.
- Yuca Fries $6.00
Served with garlic mojo.
- Fried Green Plantains $6.00
Crispy green plantains.
- Black Beans $6.00
Traditional prepared black beans.
- Fried Sweet Plantains $6.00
Crispy sweet plantains.
- White Rice $6.00
Traditional prepared white rice.
- Saffron Rice $6.00
Saffron and white rice.
- Black Beans Mixed With White Rice $6.00
Black beans served with a side of white rice.
Madera Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
- Live music
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Late-night food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Wine
Dining options
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Romantic
- Trendy
Crowd
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Parking
- Free street parking
- Paid street parking
- Parking
Madera Photos










Madera Location
Madera
47-29 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY 11101, USA
Madera Reviews
mojitossangriaskirt steakappetizerbartenderpartytres lechessaltyhappy hourpaella
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1Came here for dinner on a weekday. There was no wait to get a table when we came; only 1 other group when we arrived. Service was slow even though the restaurant wasn’t packed. We tried a few appetizers and for entree, we each got the Skirt Steak. Originally wanted a different steak but they said they didn’t have it that day. The appetizers were good, portions could have been bigger. My skirt steak was a bit tough.
May 04 · Theresa LStaff is very friendly and nice, although service did seem kind of slow. Food was very good - we aren’t experts in Cuban food though so can’t comment on authenticity, but paella and grilled snapper were great and so was the empanada. Prices are reasonable for this area.
June 16 · Priscilla VEven though the flan looks great on the photo it tasted bad for $10, it felt I was eating plastic. The service was off, staff should not be client facing.The location has potential.
May 23 · Syndel SendasA True LIC Gem - 10+ Years of Incredible Food, Service, and HeartI've been coming to Madera in Long Island City for over a decade, and it's hands-down the best in the neighborhood--if not the city. Through the years, the food and service have never wavered in quality. Every dish is consistently delicious, fresh, and made with care. Whether I'm dining solo, with family, or hosting friends, I always know the experience will be top-notch.What makes this place truly special is the people. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted like family. The staff, the management, even the owner--everyone here pours love and pride into what they do. It's not just a business, it's a family serving the community with warmth and heart. And needless to say, the ambiance is so chill that I've seen celebrities come and enjoy like everyone else, just relishing time with friends, family, and great food!I've brought friends and family from out of state and even from overseas, and without fail, they fall in love with this place just like I did. Many of them have become lifelong fans and make it a point to visit every time they're in New York.In a world where places come and go, this restaurant has stood the test of time--for good reason. If you haven't been, you're missing out on a true LIC treasure.
April 13 · W WilsonSkirt steak was good, however the Paella was very salty. Also regarding the Paella, very stingy on the seafood. for $42, it's WAY OVERPRICED. It was 90% salty rice, 10% seafood. We are not stupid. Also with the sides they could be a little more generous, especially when you are charging over $40 for entrees. QUEENS location, MANHATTAN prices, Owners can do better with value, Shoutout to the server, he was all alone, bartending and serving customers, get some help....
August 27 · christopher pitino
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