Gustazo Cuban Restaurant & Cafe - Waltham

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1. T

   Toughtoplease

   New England

   89 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   89 reviews

   Dined 4 days ago

   overall4food4service3ambience3

   Biggest disappointment was that the outdoor patio not yet open. It was a warm night and most places on Moody St had outdoor dining available. But the food here is very good!

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New England

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on May 8, 2022

   overall3food3service2ambience4

   Made a reservation but ended up waiting 20 plus minutes and another 20 plus minutes to even get water once we were sitted

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3. MG

   MichaelG

   Chicago

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on May 8, 2022

   overall1food2service1ambience2

   Absolutely the worst dining experience of our lives. Have been here 6-7 times before and haven’t had issues like this. Was ignored by our server for 2 hours. Could hardly get a drink. When our food finally showed up my wife’s came 10 min before mine or my step son. Will be a very long time before we give them another chance

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4. R

   Robbi

   New York Area

   144 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   144 reviews

   Dined on May 6, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Croquettas, camarones, guacamole Cubano with plantains and arroz con pollo (huge portion) were all excellent. Mojito was perfect.

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5. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on May 5, 2022

   overall3food4service2ambience2

   The service was slow and the mojitos were too sugary. The lighting was poor and it was really loud.. We tried several appetizers including the tacos, empanadas and octopus which were delicious. Overall I was disappointed in our experience.

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6. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Los Angeles

   9 reviews

   4.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on May 1, 2022

   overall4food4service4ambience3

   It was ok. I made the reservation with a note saying it was my dads bday. It was overlooked. Not that it’s a big deal but it would have been nice if it was paid attention to.

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7. S

   Shayna

   New England

   117 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   117 reviews

   Dined on April 30, 2022

   overall5food5service5ambience4

   We generally do not do brunch out. Hubby does a great job with that😁. But decided this past Saturday to go to Gustazo before errands. We miss their weekday lunches. Fabulous food and service! But we ordered way too much. Started with their yucca fries. Yum! Then we shared a croque madam and chicken and waffles. All delicious, but brought half home. Next time we’ll share one order🙄.

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8. G

   Gretm

   New England

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on April 29, 2022

   overall3food4service2ambience2

   I really liked the smaller restaurant better. This one is too big and definitely too noisy. Food was good but I was looking forward to having the paella again and they didn’t have it.

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9. l

   luv2dine

   Philadelphia

   1 review

   vip
   4.0

   1 review

   Dined on April 29, 2022

   overall4food4service4ambience4

   excellent variety of small plates, great drinks and yummy dessert

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10. V

    Vizzy

    New England

    74 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    74 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    Gustazo has become one of my new Go-To restaurants. It has a really creative, well executed menu, the atmosphere is unique, vibrant and fun and the service is always excellent. I highly recommend it!

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11. SN

    StacN

    Washington DC

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 24, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    Small plates were excellent. We shared several. The mussels were my favorite. Waiter brought birthday dessert that looked good and was a delicious combination of tastes. Will go back.

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12. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    5 reviews

    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2022

    overall3food3service3ambience3

    Bar was under staffed. A lot of excuses for slow service. Waitress was pleasant. Food was good not great. Couldn’t talk due to the sound level in the room.

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13. R

    Rickey

    New Mexico

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 17, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Pleasantly surprised..food was great!!

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14. K

    josephK

    New England

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on April 17, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We went early on Easter Day so the crowds were quite manageable. They sat right away. The restaurant is beautiful: the lighting,the tables and the wall art really mixes well. The staff was super prompt and friendly, but not imposing at all!! The food was EXCELLENT!!! Super authentic and delicious. Lovely presentation of all the dishes. We had the empanadas, ceviche and fried yuca for appetizers. My husband and I had the Ropa Vieja (to die for!) and my son polished off the humongous Palomilla (skirt steak) without even speaking (trust me, that’s an endorsement!). Great experience and we will absolutely be back!

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15. DD

    DiningDiva

    New England

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    New location in Waltham allows for more seating. Food was delicious and promptly served.

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16. R

    Reviewed

    New England

    9 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on April 9, 2022

    overall3food4service2ambience4

    Overall the restaurant was really good. But it took 45 minutes to get our drinks and everything beyond that was exactly the same even the check to forever

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17. TS

    TamarindSoup

    New England

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    We picked some small plates from vegi, meaty and seafood. Each of them was so tasty and lovely presented. Dining area was a bit noisy at the peak time but globally we had enjoyed the food and ambiance.

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18. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 2, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    My husband and I went there very early for dinner with my 88 year old parents. I had requested a quiet table because of my parents and they obliged by seating us in the back room. First, the place is HUGE. There are two big rooms. Even at 5:30 pm on a Saturday, the front room was already lively. The back room had only one other party when we got there though when we left at 7 it was nearly full. I loved the ambiance. Towering ceilings cool art and windows, lots of dark wood, funky chandeliers. The only reason it didn’t get a fifth star from me is that it was too dark to read the menu. They would benefit from lights at each table. They had a nice cocktail menu. I had a coconut mojito because when at a Cuban restaurant… it was a bit too sweet, likely due to the type of coconut rum(I love coconut rum but have a kind that is not as sweet). Next time I will order a plain mojito. The food was overall great. A few of us shared several small plates and the seafood stew. My husband had the fish dish. The truffled yuca was amazing. The chickpeas were fine but not great. The Jonah crab enchilada turned out to be more like a tostada; I loved the inside but did not like the fried taco shell. I wish it had been a real enchilada. The seafood stew was truly amazing. At $35 it is pricey but a generous amount of wonderful seafood and the sauce was divine. I will definitely be back but maybe with a flashlight.

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19. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 18, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience5

    I had a reservation for two for my 11-year old daughter and I. We both loved the food. She enjoyed the grilled octopus the most. I like to be able to see my food. The setting was a bit dark. A little light would be great It would’ve been nice to see new food options on the menu. I feel like I was there a little over a year ago with the same food options. Other than that, the food was tasty with good portion size meals as well.

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20. C

    Coco

    New England

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on March 11, 2022

    overall5food5service3ambience5

    The food was great , but the team serving us seemed to be a little under staffed. However, it was still a great evening with delicious food in a fun environment.

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21. S

    Samekdan

    New England

    15 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on March 10, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    I was traveling for business and stopped here for an early dinner. The food was fantastic: the empanadas and ropa vieja were absolutely delicious and unique. The ambiance is great and one thing to note was that the bar had no TVs so you are encouraged to talk to your guests or even other patrons. It was a great experience and a perfect place for a date night or a meal while traveling through town.

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22. TB

    TeddyB

    New England

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 5, 2022

    overall3food4service2ambience3

    The food was fun and tasty, the servers were nice, they were just very very busy on a weekend night.

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23. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Vancouver

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 5, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    reservation delayed by 45 minutes. very upset about it

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24. TN

    TerriN

    New England

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 5, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience5

    Delicious food, plenty of choices & decor was beautiful. Due to totally pack seating we had a 25 minute wait on our 7:15 reservation. Our waiter was very nice & helpful, but due to full restaurant services was a bit slow in getting our orders. This was because he was working several tables. All staff members were friendly, Accommodating & worked as a team in serving our multiple small plate dinner. Highly recommend this restaurant but be sure you have reservations.

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25. NS

    NancyS

    New England

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on March 5, 2022

    overall5food5service2ambience4

    Food is always outstanding. The cocktail options are very creative and so delicious. Dessert was yummy. We were tightly fit in between a tables - couldn't move our chairs or else we blocked traffic. Our small plate never arrived and was not taken off the menu as requested (chalking that up to it being super busy). The restaurant was really busy and our service reflected it. I would recommend to a friend - but I will say that Sat night is the busiest night to go and service may be an issue.

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26. n

    nightowl6927

    New England

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on March 5, 2022

    overall4food5service3ambience5

    Food was amazing as always. Service was slow. The server took a long time to come over. Had to give our order to the manager

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27. SO

    SaraO

    New England

    24 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on February 26, 2022

    overall2food3service1ambience3

    I’ve been coming to Gustazo since they were located in Belmont years ago and always had nice things to say. The food is always really good, but unfortunately they seem to be really understaffed. Maybe they’re still having staffing issues because of COVID. Our server was the only one to be seen in the back section we were in and was no where to be seen half the time, which likely means he also had tables elsewhere and next to no help. We didn’t get water or a chance to order until we’d been sitting for 30min and a manager finally started to help out. The person I was with ordered a vodka soda and when we got the bill we realized they priced it at $20. More than all craft cocktails on their menu, which was ridiculous. Kind of the cherry on top of an unfortunate experience.

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28. ES

    EricS

    New England

    63 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    63 reviews

    Dined on February 26, 2022

    overall2food5service1ambience4

    I had an OpenTable reservation for 7:30 on Saturday night. Got there on time and was told to wait 25 minutes. After that was told to wait at least 45 more minutes. Finally gave up at 8:30 with no table in sight. Not a pleasant night out.

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29. LJ

    LarryJ

    New England

    6 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 26, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    Complete disaster, 7:15 reservation, we’re told maybe seated by 8, then told table was ready but another party seated instead, told different times by different hosts, total confusion and disarray, lots of angry frustrated people crowding the entrance , host station and bar, no apologies, staff totally overwhelmed, left around 8 never seated

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30. JL

    JLH2862

    New England

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on February 20, 2022

    overall5food5service3ambience3

    Food was excellent. The restaurant was very busy and it was hard to get the attention of the servers. Our food came out fairly quickly. I had to wait for my cocktail for a while. My husband's entree did not come out after we had completed our "small plates" so we finally asked our server. The meal was brought out promptly, followed by an apology by the manager and an offer to take it off the bill. Neither was particularly necessary but it was a nice gesture. I would recommend that the restaurant invest in curtain over the front door during the winter months. We were seated close to the doors and had a blast of very cold air every time they opened (which was a lot). Next time I would ask for a table further back.

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31. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    32 reviews

    4.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on February 19, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience4

    Great food and great service. I had the seafood stew. There was a very good portion of fresh seafood…little neck clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and calamari. The coconut cream broth was delicious. We had ceviche and empanadas to start. Great meal!

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32. s

    shahidp

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    Unfortunately I have to rate this place low. The young lady at the front did not EVER greet me and my date or acknowledge us. I totally understand how busy it was but customer service is customer service. Once I got her attention , I asked about my reservation, she proceeds to tell me to hold on. 7 mins later she returns and flags up to follow her to a tiny table by the bathroom that she never waited for us to be seated before she spun on her heels and left. So we left. I really wanted to eat here but the service was subpar so I had to leave .

    Report
33. NI

    NotImpressed

    New England

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall2food2service3ambience3

    Reservations overbooked. Had a reservation for 8:30 on Saturday, arrived a couple of minutes early, found people still not seated with 7:45 reservations. Finally seated around 9:15, at a standard height table next to the bar, with other waiting people hovering over and bumping into our table. Waiter/service was wonderful. Drinks were great. Food was ok. Wouldn't go back, at least not on a Saturday night during prime dinner time.

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34. J

    Jackie

    New England

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    Very RACIST environment. They treated my spouse and I like we were literally not people! We waited on 7:30pm reservations for an hour then the manager and hostess sat several 2 parties groups in front of my boyfriend and I. The hostess immediately judged me based on my name. She was very unprofessional, dressed like she walked in off of the street to work with her shirt tied up her back and very rude to both my boyfriend and I! Not knowing I speak Spanish and understand very well! She began to belittle us in Spanish with her coworker! We immediately left after an hour of standing and having several people sit. Very sad place! My boyfriend father past away and this was a special night that was running by the RUDE DISRESPECTFUL staff at this restaurant! If never recommend you eat here! Unless your an old black couple or white! They treat younger educated black people like we are ignorant! Smh sad sad place. Very disappointed. Again would NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! Maybe Cambridge is better than Waltham but I’d never step a foot in Gustazo again and be treated like this is the 1960s! Smh

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35. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    4 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall4food3service3ambience4

    I went to the one in Cambridge first before the one in Waltham. I have to say that the one in Cambridge is better. One thing I was shocked about is that they are mandating the vaccine in order to eat there. Waltham doesn’t have a vaccine mandate and there is nothing on the website or open table that says you need a vaccine card in order to dine with them. We get to the restaurant and there is a sign on the door stating that you need to be vaccinated in order to eat there. Out of the 4 of us I was the only one that had their card on them and the rest of the party has to scramble to get access to theirs. It would have been nice if we were told Beforehand. Aside from that the food was delicious. The service was slow but we still had a good time. I will probably stick to the Cambridge location.

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36. BI

    BostonIsBaller

    New England

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall4food5service2ambience4

    Food was really delicious…drinks took well over an hour to arrive (Covid / staffing issues I assume)…otherwise, great meal

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37. NP

    NPOT

    New England

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on February 13, 2022

    overall4food4service3ambience3

    Food was good. There were a ton of people and the host seems disorganized. Lost our reservation. However they quickly figured out their mistake and sit us right away.

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38. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 12, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Absolutely Amazing food and ambience. Finished the meal and felt like we were in Cuba!! Definitely coming back.

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39. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on February 12, 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience2

    The environment was so loud we could barely hear each other. Wait staff was exceptional but food too a very long time to come out.

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40. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 12, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    I like the environment because it’s very spacious with so many seatings. A lot of people with noises but it’s a good place for dating because you can still hear each other talking and you won’t feel awkward when silence occur. All the dishes we ordered were flavorful and most importantly my girlfriend likes it very much. One of the busboy accidentally gave us 2 dishes which he thought we ordered. Luckily our main server was kind enough to not charge us and told us not to worry about it. We appreciated their kindness. Definitely would come back here again for the food and services. Just only spend less than $100 for 5 dish/taxes/tips. Great deal!

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