Cafe Cortadito Llc

(212) 614-3080

210 E 3rd St
New York, NY 10009 40.7224 -73.9827

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Neighborhoods: Alphabet City, East Village, Downtown

CAFECORTADITO.COM

Price:

$$

Last updated 8.10.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Breakfast, Lunch Spot, Brunch

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Cafe Cortadito Llc

Featured Review

Justin Hartung

Contributor

The Scene – Warm light and cordial chatter spills out onto the East Village sidewalk from this inviting Cuban restaurant. Cafe-style windows swing open in summer, perfectly framing the understatedly stylish crowd, and a brightly colored painting of a nightclub eggs on the festive mood. The handful of tables in the front room fill up quickly; overflow gets shuttled to a pleasant back room, where service can be dicier. – – The Food – Cuban food is revered for its simplicity, and that's the way to order at Cortadito. Sandwiches like the classic Cubano and the Madrid…

Editor's Tips

Where to Sit:
The back room can be reserved for large parties of up to 15 people--make sure you call ahead to book it.
What to Drink:
A pending liquor license means the restaurant is BYOB for now, but nonalcoholic drinks like a virgin mojito and guanabana juice are definitely worth trying, too.
The Extras:
Can't get enough of that bread? Pick some up at Parisi Bakery.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “enjoy the food and the charming atmosphere.”
  2. “Granted, the quality of the dishes, including their presentation, is a bit above average here, and the decor is quite charming, as well.”
  3. “Warm, cozy, eclectic and inviting.”
  4. “Excellent Latin food, festive music and decor, and wonderful staff.”
  5. “The food here is incredible & the decor is beautiful!”
  6. “highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for true authentic Cuban food in a young and vibrant atmosphere.”
  7. “The service is phenomenal and the atmosphere and music create an authentic Latin feel.”
  8. “The interior decoration was very charming and charismatic.”
  9. “highly recommend this restaurant for a romantic evening, quick bite to eat, girls night out or special occasions.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The food was really good but after my friends and I finished our dessert the waitress asked us to leave because they had people waiting for a table.”
  2. “delicious tres leches cake for dessert, good coffee, and very pleasant service.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “They have amazing brunch and coffee.”
  2. “delicious tres leches cake for dessert, good coffee, and very pleasant service.”
food quality
90.22000312805176% positive
  1. “RUDE hostess, OK food - terrible value”
  2. “The food at Cortadito is delicious.”
  3. “highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for true authentic Cuban food in a young and vibrant atmosphere.”
  4. “Warm, friendly staff and delicious food -- and BYO!”
  5. “Great food, RUDE service”
  6. “was at the dinner with "good food Rude service" below.”
  7. “Good food RUDE service”
  8. “The food is delicious and very, very reasonably priced.”
  9. “Good food - TERRIBLE service”
  10. “good food, nice people”
  11. “Good food.”
  12. “Excellent Latin food, festive music and decor, and wonderful staff.”
  13. “we suggest the yucca fritas, guagauanco salad, ropa vieja, and tres leches.”
  14. “enjoy the food and the charming atmosphere.”
  15. “The food was excellent both times.”
  16. “FINALLY, the food was good, the waiter accomodating, but I was so appalled at the owner's manners I could never recommend it.”
  17. “The decision was unanimous that the food was simply delicious.”
  18. “Other then that the food is great.”
  19. “I've been to other places where the service is great but the food just sucks.”
  20. “Great food, bad service”
  21. “personally had the Churrasco which was perfectly cooked to a beautiful and delicous medium rare and served w/ a garlic/spicy chimmichuri salsa that had just the right amount of kick!”
  22. “delicious tres leches cake for dessert, good coffee, and very pleasant service.”
  23. “The chicken is succulent and the appetizers are great.”
  24. “The food was great!”
  25. “Food was generally tasty, although you it's not exactly cheap - entrees run from $17 - 21.”
  26. “can escape from the world and have a beautiful meal presented”
  27. “Great food.”
  28. “best cuban food”
  29. “Everyone loved the food and the atmoshpere hits all the right notes.”
  30. “groupon is awesome so I will still use them but this restaurant has lost me and my friends as customers which is a shame because I do like their food but I can get treated a lot better at plenty of other restaurants in manhattan.”
  31. “The service is phenomenal and the atmosphere and music create an authentic Latin feel.”
  32. “Granted, the quality of the dishes, including their presentation, is a bit above average here, and the decor is quite charming, as well.”
  33. “Best Cuban food in the city!”
  34. “The food here is delicious - eat the ropa vieja - and reasonably priced and we all love BYOB.”
  35. “The food was really good but after my friends and I finished our dessert the waitress asked us to leave because they had people waiting for a table.”
  36. “The food was good if I could have finished it.”
  37. “The food here is incredible & the decor is beautiful!”
  38. “While we enjoyed the food, we were seated at a table that fits 6.”
  39. “Sorry to all those who hate the service but I'll put up with less than stellar service anytime in exchange for a great meal.”
  40. “Bottom line is this, the food is amazing here.”
  41. “Great food and nice people”
  42. “friendly place with very good, if not surprising, food.”
  43. “Although the food was good, it was hard to enjoy the experience, and we will not return.”
  44. “The place is small and everyone wants in because the food is so good.”
  45. “Amazing food.”
  46. “This place makes the best cuban sandwich i've ever had!”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “This is my favorite restaurant in the East Village.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “Although the food was good, it was hard to enjoy the experience, and we will not return.”
service
63.5099983215332% positive
  1. “It is family run and the staff is incredible.”
  2. “RUDE hostess, OK food - terrible value”
  3. “Worst customer service I've ever experienced”
  4. “Everyone else in the staff was just magnificent, they were all very attentive.”
  5. “The staff was friendly and the service was awesome.”
  6. “wonderful service”
  7. “Excellent Latin food, festive music and decor, and wonderful staff.”
  8. “The hostess was incredibly rude to members of our party who arrived early, and when it was finally revealed that she had mistakingly cancelled our reservation, no apologies were handed out.”
  9. “Horrible service!”
  10. “The owners are so friendly, this is the perfect neighborhood spot.”
  11. “Great food and nice people”
  12. “Imagine how I felt leaving with eight hungry people and needing to find a good restaurant pronto!”
  13. “The hostess is very friendly and very accomodating.”
  14. “I've read a lot of similar reviews about the staff at Café Cortadito, so I believe that it is clear that the service at this restaurant is consistently horrible.”
  15. “friendly place with very good, if not surprising, food.”
  16. “We had a similar experience as "Worst customer service I've ever experienced.”
  17. “Good food - TERRIBLE service”
  18. “The service was also excellent.”
  19. “I've gone from dinner for 2, to multiple big 20 person parties, and every time the service was great.”
  20. “was at the dinner with "good food Rude service" below.”
  21. “The service is phenomenal and the atmosphere and music create an authentic Latin feel.”
  22. “FINALLY, the food was good, the waiter accomodating, but I was so appalled at the owner's manners I could never recommend it.”
  23. “However, during our last visit the service was terrible, and the nature in which the management spoke to our party was inappropriate, disrespectful, and unprofessional.”
  24. “good food, nice people”
  25. “delicious tres leches cake for dessert, good coffee, and very pleasant service.”
  26. “The hostess/waitress was consistently rude to everyone who came in.”
  27. “great customer service and guess what?”
  28. “Great food, bad service”
  29. “The food was really good but after my friends and I finished our dessert the waitress asked us to leave because they had people waiting for a table.”
  30. “Good food RUDE service”
  31. “stumblled onto the website and saw some reviews that made this place seem bad or had bad service, and i had to say something.”
  32. “I've been to other places where the service is great but the food just sucks.”
  33. “Sorry to all those who hate the service but I'll put up with less than stellar service anytime in exchange for a great meal.”
  34. “Warm, friendly staff and delicious food -- and BYO!”
  35. “(PS - For one of the first - and perhaps only -- times, our normally generous group could not justify giving more than a 10% tip to this incredibly rude hostess/server).”
  36. “to me:))) I do deserve it:)) and the best service ever.”
  37. “Great food, RUDE service”
value
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “Food was generally tasty, although you it's not exactly cheap - entrees run from $17 - 21.”
  2. “(PS - For one of the first - and perhaps only -- times, our normally generous group could not justify giving more than a 10% tip to this incredibly rude hostess/server).”
  3. “RUDE hostess, OK food - terrible value”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “highly recommend this restaurant for a romantic evening, quick bite to eat, girls night out or special occasions.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/03/10

Must Go!

by Aficionado

I grew up on Latin food and this is one of my favorites in the city. Top quality, great service, really nice ambiance. Run by the owners, really small (but in a cozy way) and makes for a great night out. I give the skirt steak 9/10....only because I don't give 10s.

  • Pros: Food
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/06/10

Best Cuban Food in the City

by ruckus420

I stumblled onto the website and saw some reviews that made this place seem bad or had bad service, and i had to say something.

In the past 2 yrs I've eaten there probably 175 times. I've gone from dinner for 2, to multiple big 20 person parties, and every time the service was great. Every time i bring my friends there, they remember there names, and even what they like to eat, so when some jerk writes a bad review, it gets me upset, especially cause i use to be a sever, and am very critical of service, and hospitality a restaurant has to offer.

This place is amazing and if you haven't been, your missing out

  • Pros: excellent food, good service, great sangria
  • Cons: none
2 Star Rating: Below Average

05/18/10

Never Again

by mjmaherjr

We went there friday night with another couple. 2nd time we have been there since we went with friends for my birthday in early february. I have no complaints about the food. The food was excellent both times.

I do have a major complaint because in late february after we had eaten there ( and loved it ) groupon was selling half off gift certificates to cortadito. So I bought 2 of them and we planned on using them friday night. When we gave them the waitress/owner came over and told us we had already used 1 of them and she wouldnt honor it. Well I told her that was impossible because they had been sitting on my desk at work since the day I bought them and she refused to listen. I told her to show me the used certificate ( which I knew she didnt have since I never used it ) and she couldnt produce it. All she had was a list where she crossed my name off in pen ( which I'm sure she did right before she shwoed it to me ). basically she had no proof so she refused to honor the certificate.

Luckily groupon was very concerned and refunded my money. groupon is awesome so I will still use them but this restaurant has lost me and my friends as customers which is a shame because I do like their food but I can get treated a lot better at plenty of other restaurants in manhattan.

  • Pros: Excellent Food
  • Cons: Cant trust them
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/03/10

good food, nice people

by gaby2

A friendly place with very good, if not surprising, food. A delicious tres leches cake for dessert, good coffee, and very pleasant service.

  • Pros: small, friendly
  • Cons: some diners get a little loud
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

12/02/09

Great food. So it's a little rushed, big deal... it's NYC...

by roneofty

The food at Cortadito is delicious. The hostess is very friendly and very accomodating. There is not one item on the menu that is not pleasing to the palate. If you eat here you can understand why there is a rush at times to get you in and out. It is too popular now that it has gotten stellar reviews from papers such as the Times. If I were the owner I would definitely move to a larger area to accomodate more people. Sorry to all those who hate the service but I'll put up with less than stellar service anytime in exchange for a great meal. I've been to other places where the service is great but the food just sucks...

  • Pros: Delicious food, excellent coffee & dessert, great atmosphere
  • Cons: It's now too popular for such a small location...

The Details on Cafe Cortadito Llc

Place Categories:

  • good delicious food
  • worst customer service
  • great food rude service
  • highly recommend restaurant
  • friendly staff
  • rude good food
  • best cuban food
  • very accomodating hostess
  • beautiful medium
  • romantic evening
  • just magnificent everyone
  • respectful something professionals
  • charismatic interior decoration
  • enjoy charming atmosphere
  • amazing coffee
  • beautiful decor
  • beautiful meal
  • nice people
  • appalled finally
  • not happy im
  • delicious tres
  • suggest guagauanco salad
  • highly recommend place
  • all love byob
  • fantastic gem
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