Cabana Restaurant & Bar

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Great Food and great music to listen to while pigging out\r \r Great place to hang and people watch \r \r The food is always consistent\r \r Many people think of it as a Cuban Place or Jamaican place. It is not - it is better and the eclectic Novo menu and seasoning has made it one of the best restaurants in the Forest Hills and Queens in general. The food is fun to eat and while the place gets very crowded at night but they do their best to keep the client happy.\r \r Great spot during the summer as well...awesome people watching during the summer months. The prices are relatively inexpensive and their lunch menu is a bargain by all standards. Great cocktails and the sangria is not bad at all. more

Food is exceptional! Drinks are nice and heavy........you get your monies worth. Pros: Best Watermelon Mojitos more

Cabana is one of the best restaurants around Austin Street. The food is pretty good. I usually get the paella, which is usually good for 2. Drinks are decent, although the bar area is extremely tight, they only have 5 stools and on a typical Saturday night, you'll have a bunch of people standing, shoulder to shoulder, all around you. The tables are also a bit tight. The prices are average, a meal for 2, with appetizers and drinks should cost you around $90, tax and tip included. Definitely check out this restaurant next time you're in Forest Hills. Pros: Good food, above par drinks Cons: Very tight seating more

I was there last weekend with my wife and we had a great time. The food was good and the service was even better . Congratulations guys keep up the good food and the good service Pros: Best mojitos more

I have been here 3 times in the last 2 months and have not been disappointed by the food or service. I have gone there with one other person and a group of up to 10 people and had a fun time. My only problem with this restaurant is that seating is on a first come, first served basis, even with large groups. The food is average price compared to other more expensive places for the size of the portions and the drinks are varied and good. The waiters are always friendly and courteous. I recommend it but be aware you have to wait on Saturdays when it is busiest. Pros: Great Queens location, food portions for the price and atmosphere Cons: Cannot make reservations more

Enjoyed good times after seeing a local movie with friends. The drinks were pretty good (not good with the names) and the appetizers were just ok. This one seems to be a chain, which is a red flag for me.!!!! I doubt that the owner is latin. I find that real latin restaurants taste much better. More homemade from the heart. The hostess seated us right away and our waiter was good too. One short man seemed very upset at something ( maybe manager?) and it was very unprofessional, However, the place has a fun vibe to it, people there seemed to be having a good time. I have lived in Forest Hills my whole life and I know it takes little to please the locals, we are used to mediocre. The salad was their best and the biggest size ever, however the desserts were AWFUL. We ordered 3 out of like 6 and not one was good. A above-mediocre place to eat in Forest Hills.\r \r There is a new Mexican place that taste great on Metropolitan ave( also in FH)...try them! The name is Elias or Elian something like this. The food was so good, fresh and very ""authentic Mexican"". This new place may be the best Mexican in Queens!!!!!!!and the vibe is more cabana casual, PRICES WERE GOOD. \r On Metropolitan there is also a great Argentian restaurant and both places are run by Latin people and owned. The Argentinian place is pricier but the steak there was sooooo gooood! Tender, juicy and the room has a more formal look. \r The food at both was just Amazing. This gives me hope for the future of food in Forest Hills!!!\r Also, Pio Pio on Woodhaven where the Peruvian chicken will make you a believer !!! more

I been to all the Cabanas my favorite is the one in South Street Seaport because is spaceous.......but if you visit the one in Forest Hills go early it gets crowed and its a small cozy place............the deserts are delicious too lol........the banana with ice-cream/chocolate syrup more

The service was excellent and the food was above and beyond anything I expected. The coconut shrimp and mushroom appetizers are a must. The ultimate mojitos are better than anything I've tasted. The Bacardi factory in PR should take notes. There is a bit of a wait but it's totally worth it go hungry because the portions are very generous. The manager and staff are super nice. Pros: The food and drinks more

A few of us went to the location in Forest Hills. The food wasn't bad but the service wasn't what it used to be. I had eaten at this particular Cabana location before but this time I had to practically wave my hand in the waitress' face as every time she saw me calling her over, she turned and went the other way. When she finally stopped to listen, I had to remind the waitress of the appetizers...I did say appetizers and she just put it in with the order as a side dish. My sister-in-law had to ask her for a steak knife (she ordered steak..hello!). Waitress never came around to ask how things were. When we were just about done with our main courses, the bus boys almost took a plate out from under the person eating off it. The sangria was so/so. It's not what it used to be. Next time, I am going to Sofrito's....I'll get the same order, better food and service!\r \r Sorry Cabana. Pros: Shrimp Al Ajillo is still good Cons: Waitress service not up to par; Sangria tastes more like juice more

I was out in Forest Hills visiting friends - after dinner we decided to get drinks at Cabana. I had been to the one in Midtown east and had a bad experience there (my friend's birthday party reservation was told that they couldn't accommodate us after she had it reserved for a month) so I decided to not go in with any bias. \r The 4 of us found a spot at the very busy bar and ordered drinks (they were ok & moderately priced) My friend went up to the hostess and asked her if we could be placed on a list for a table - she said yes. My friend also told her that we would just be having drinks and she said it wasn't a problem. 30 minutes later, the hostess took us to our table. Our waiter came with menus and we told him we were only drinking. The waiter actually crossed his arms and said THIS TABLE IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE EATING DINNER and stormed off to the hostess. My friend went up to the hostess to clear the problem and the hostess denied ever telling us we could sit at a table for drinks. I could not believe what I was hearing! We were planning on spending quite a bit of money on alcohol and they had the audacity to tell us we couldn't sit there unless we ate. This all would have been avoided if the hostess was paying attention!\r Long story short, our drinks were not finished yet and there wasn't any room at the bar, so the manager told us we could sit at the table to finish our drinks. The waiter actually had the nerve to stand behind the table with his arms crossed and stare at us, waiting for us to finish. He did this until the manager came out and told him to knock it off. I have worked in the hospitality service and could not believe the attitude we received. Several couples saw what happened and left to go somewhere else. As did we - we went to the new wine bar down the street - BONFIRE and had a great night and great service!!\r Next time you're in FH for the evening, do not come here -- spend your money elsewhere!\r Pros: ok prices Cons: terrible drinks, horrible service - bartenders, waiters, and hostesses more

Everything in this restaurant is absolutely delicious. Every time they bring something else out, you wonder fi you should have gotten that instead... more

I have eaten here a few times ( in a span of 3 years) due to hunger, convenience, friends etc.... I do not get it. People wait for a long time to eat here, why? Clearly people just will eat anything and be impressed. The food here is just ok. That's all it is. It is overly seasoned with a bunch of sazon goya and sold as Latin food. GO TO JACKSON HEIGHTS...EAT AND BE MERRY. You will know what real Latin food taste like and you will see how fakey latin the food is here! more

I've been to Cabana numerous times before and lately I have stopped going. The food on the menu is the same that they've had for years! Even the specials! For appetizers I always have the Coconut Shrimp which is always good but, they only give you 4 pieces and they're overpriced. I must admit all their appetizers are a good selection with something for everbody's liking. For dinner I usually have the Churasco Steak or the Chicken and Shrimp. Good luck with the steak. At times, it can taste kinda rubbery. Oh and I've had the Pork Cops too which were pretty good. Two big pieces which two people can share. My boyfriend said the Salmon is pretty good too. Just make sure they cook it well in the middle. We had that issue already. For dessert, I never leave without getting the Tres Leche Cake. Delicious! The Bannana fritters are good too. The Mojitos are really good not bad for $6 bucks. We usually get rounds of mojitos or the White Sangria Pitcher. (they put real fruit in it). Tell them to make it strong! Now the place is WAY TOO SMALL! Seating is NOT prompt! It gets really crowded on fri and sat nights! After 8pm you basically will be waiting like 1hr for a table! Mind you since like I said the place is so tight that there's basically no room for you to even stand around and wait. Everybody is literally on top of each other waiting for their table. We usually wait outside but good luck if it's winter! Oh and by the way, there is NO reservations! The service is ok (waiters staff etc.) It's not worth the $100 you will pay for this place. Take the ride to Astoria Steinway way better selection of great Restaurants there. This place is good for a quick, near by, dinner date if you live in FH like I do. I guess after awhile I just got tired of the food. NEXT! Pros: Great Mojitos! Ask for stamp on your parking ticket if you park at the garage (next to Barnes and Noble) you only pay $3. Cons: The seating is NOT prompt at all. No reservations allowed. Small tight place. Pricing is TOO high not worth it. more

Me and my girlfriend love to try new restaurants at least twice a month, so we decided to try Cabana, I read the reviews and was convinced that it might be as great as people say. we went on a thursday night at about 5:30pm, there was about 3 diners in the restaurant, they sat us down very quick, we ordered our food and began to wait, at this time i noticed that there were about 8 waiters/waitresses just standing around, 20 minutes later we are still waiting for our food, i see our waiter sit down at the end of the restaurant and he began to eat his dinner, 5 more minutes pass and we are still waiting, our waiter is done, one patron shows and as soon as he sits, 2 minutes later he gets a soup brought out, 10 minutes later a half a chicken and rice is brought out to him, we are still waiting, i told my girlfriend 2 more minutes and im walking out, finally the food came, the food was good, especially the jamaiquina chicken. but the service is below average, i had to call the waiter like 6 times to fill my glass of water. recommend CHIMU peruvian restaurant in williamsburg...great food great service. Pros: good food Cons: slow service, to pricy more

I have been to Cabana several times for their lunch special, which is very good and generous with their portions, and was not disspointed at dinner either. After shopping or window shopping at Bloomies, it's a good place to go to get transported into feeling like you're in another country. It was busy last Friday night, and they don't usually seat incomplete parties, but made an exception, since my friend was starving and the other two in our party were lagging behind! We asked for mojitos without so much sugar (since it's muddled w/sugar, has triple sec and 7up!), and they obliged-love the sugarcane stick that it comes with, too! Three of us got the shell steak, which was good, if not a little greasy, and our other friend got the La Playa salad, a huge delightful salad of mixed seafood! The steak came on a sizzling plate straight from the oven with whopping sides of rice and beans (and they do let you substitute if you want!) and a garlicky cilantro oil sauce on the side, which was great!\r Service was friendly and obliging, and I will go back, although I am tempted to visit Sofrito, but didn't go there last night, because i didn't feel dressed up enough, since meeting and dinner was a last minute decision! more

I love this place. I came here by a friend's reccommendation and was rather impressed. The atmosphere is great - salads huge - and love the plaintains. I also highly reccommend the Berry Mojitos. I can't wait until the next time I come back to Cabana. Pros: Great Food, Service, Reasonably Priced more

My fiance and I stopped by Cabana last Friday. We finally found parking across the street without having to search for over 30 minutes. The restaurant is pretty small, with a lot of the tables feeling a little bit too close to each other, but I liked the upbeat feeling of the place. We ordered two of the specials that night, Chilean sea bass for me and the steak and shrimp for him, and 2 glasses of pinot noir (mediocre) The shrimp and steak came out first and we were happily sharing the dishes when the manager came over to apolgize for giving us the wrong food. We didn't even know there had been a mistake! The coconut shrimp was divine and the steak had great flavoring although it was a bit tough. He said our correct dishes would be coming out soon and that we could finish what we started without charge. The steak the fiance had ordered wasn't as tough but didn't have much flavor and the shrimp was just ok. My chilean sea bass was good (not great, I've had better elsewhere) and I ended up doggy bagging it since I was so full from the wrong food we'd been eating. Overall it was a good night with good food in a relaxed atmosphere. If the fiance and I can find parking next time, we'll be back! \r And prices are average, about $16-24/dinner entree Pros: honest service, tasty food, good place to hang out with a small group of friends or a date Cons: restaurant isn't that big-must get there early to be seated quickly more

This place does not only have the latin vibe since the moment you walk into the door but the food is amazing. They give you big portions, spanish style, and the drinks are just as good. If you are looking for a quiet place this is not it, but it can be a bit romantic and fun at the same time. Pros: Great food, good drinks, good ambience Cons: Not much parking space. more

I am latino so I am hard to please when it comes to ""Latin Food"". The thing I hate most is when restaurants claim to serve ""authentic"" latin food, then they serve you some pre-made previously frozen stuff. Not the case at Cabana. I was extremely satisfied with all the food I tried here. The food definately had that homemade taste and even looked like real latin food. I visited the Forest Hills location many many times, and will warn you, the wait can be quite long on the weekends. The place is ""very cozy"" ;)....but have no fear, just snuggle up to the bar and order one of the many flavored mojitos. I've tried the original and the coconut myself. Bottom line: The food is excellent, the service is excellent, the drinks are excellent, the prices are great, and even if you have to wait.....THIS PLACE IS WORTH IT!! Buen Aprobecho. Pros: food, drinks, service Cons: parking, waiting (on the weekend) more