This is my first review on Citysearch. I have had Cuban food before at the excellent Cuban resaurant La Isla in Hoboken, NJ and I was prepared for more of the same when I visited El Oriental with two friends on Jan 2nd, 2007. One friend ordered a Cuban sandwich, and the other a beef and rice dish. They were both moderately satisfied with their food, but we were all appalled and insulted by the service. I ordered the vegeterian plate, which was $7 for plaintains, yellow rice, and salad. The menu said that it also included black beans, but no black beans were served. We ordered but were not served: water, coffee, dessert. Our server took our order and disappeared for the rest of the evening. No explaination or compansation was offered for the fact that more than half of our order was not served. We had to track him down to tell him to strike the omissions from our tab when we figured out that he had no intention of returning to our table that evening. Suffice it to say we were thoroughly fleeced. I suppose that El Oriental is a good choice if you happen to be on this block and absolutely must have a Cuban sandwich, but otherwise, save yourself the agony and give your money to a business that actually notices that you are patronizing it.
Cons: poor service, indifferent staff
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