★ Yelp Top 100 · Food Network · Family-Owned Since 2015
(908) 486-6000 · 292 S Michigan Ave, Kenilworth NJ
Cha Cha Cha
Call (908) 486-6000 Order Online
Bienvenido a Havana

Real Cuban Flavor.
Kenilworth Soul.

Family recipes, hand-pressed Cubanos, slow-braised ropa vieja, and batidos so good they'll stop you mid-conversation. Warmth you can taste. Every single plate.

See the Menu Order Online
Open Mon–Sat · 11am Kenilworth, NJ (908) 486-6000
Scroll · Come Hungry
Yelp Top 100 USA Featured on Food Network As Seen on Telemundo Featured in Eater 4.6★ Google · 544 Reviews
House Specialty The Cubano sandwich at Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe
The Legendary Cubano

The sandwich people drive across three towns for.

House slow-roasted pork. Fine Cuban ham. Melted Swiss. Pickles. A knowing smear of brown mustard. Pressed until the bread crackles.

It's not the kind of sandwich you eat and forget. It's the kind you text a friend about. Rafael has been pressing them the exact same way since day one — because when something is already perfect, you don't change it.

$15.95 Lunch Special $13.95 · Mon–Fri 11am–2:30pm
Order the Cubano
The Plates People Return For

Family Recipes. Cooked Slow. Served Hot.

Ropa vieja that tastes like abuela made it. Masitas crisped to order. Empanadas folded by hand. Batidos blended with real fruit. Nothing shortcut. Nothing microwaved.

Classic Ropa Vieja — shredded flank steak in creole sauce with white rice and black beans

Ropa Vieja

$24.95

Tender shredded flank steak braised for hours in a garlic-tomato-pepper Creole sauce. Served over white rice with black beans and sweet maduros.

House Favorite Cubano sandwich with Cuban ham, slow-roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard

Cubano

$15.95

Cuba in a sandwich. House slow-roasted pork, fine Cuban ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and a smear of brown mustard — pressed until golden.

Hand-Folded Cuban food collage — Cubano sandwich, ropa vieja with rice and beans, batidos

Empanadas & Papas Rellenas

from $4.50

Beef. Chicken. Ham & cheese. Cuban rice balls. The original papas rellenas. Fried to order. Impossible to order just one.

Signature Masitas de Puerco — Cuban pork chunks

Masitas de Puerco

$23.95

Cuban-style pork chunks, marinated and pan-seared until the edges go crispy and the inside stays juicy. Comes with rice and black beans.

Fresh Blended Cuban batidos — mango, guava, mamey, papaya tropical milkshakes

Tropical Batidos

$7.95

Mango. Mamey. Guava. Papaya. Trigo. Guanábana. Pineapple. Real tropical fruit blended thick with milk — the way they drink them in Havana.

Sweet Finish Cuban flan and dessert

Flan con Coco

$8.50

Silky Cuban flan with a deep caramel top, finished with toasted coconut. The way to end every meal. Don't argue — just order one.

See the Full Menu
The Menu

Built For Hungry.

Sandwiches worth the drive. Plates your grandmother would approve of. Coffee that actually tastes like coffee. Jump to what you're craving.

Sandwiches

Cubano, Pan con Lechón, Ropa Vieja, Pan con Bistec, Choripán, Frita Cubana

 Entrées

Ropa vieja, masitas, vaca frita, lechón asado, pollo encebollado, rabo encendido

 Appetizers

Empanadas, papa rellena, croquetas, tamal, and the world's first Cuban rice ball

 Sides

Yuca con mojo, tostones, maduros, congri, yuca fries, yellow rice, black beans

 Coffee & Drinks

Café con leche, cortadito, espresso, coconut water, fresh lemonade, Malta, Materva

 Batidos & Flan

Mango · Mamey · Guava · Papaya · Guanábana · Flan · Flan con Coco · Guava con Queso
Inside Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe — warm Cuban decor, drum stools, vintage Havana photos
Open Since 2015
Our Story

A Family. A Recipe Box. A Town That Needed Better.

Ralph Santana couldn't find real Cuban food anywhere near Kenilworth. So in 2015, he and his daughter Dariany opened Cha Cha Cha — built on his mother's recipes, his Tia Fifi's congrí, and the Cuban sandwich he'd been perfecting for years.

What started as a little café off Michigan Avenue is now on Yelp's Top 100 in America, featured on Food Network, Telemundo, and Eater. But ask Ralph and it's still the same thing it was on day one: family recipes, cooked slow, served to people who feel like family.

Drum stools. Hats on the ceiling. Vintage Havana on the walls. A ceiling fan going. That's the dining room. The food is what brings you back.

"It's a hidden gem with the flavor of traditional Cuba and family love. Definitely a must-visit place."

Maria Gonzalez · Google Review
What People Are Saying

4.6 Stars. 544 Reviews. Zero Exaggeration.

Across Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, Facebook — the same story. Warm, honest, wildly flavorful Cuban food in a place that feels like home.

★★★★★

"The Cuban is by far the best I have had. I'll take Cha Cha Cha Cuban Cafe over them all."

Anthony W.
Tripadvisor
★★★★★

"Cozy place with great food and service. Feels like you are in a family kitchen."

Myriam F.
Tripadvisor
★★★★★

"So inviting, cozy inside and gives a home-like feel — and the food tastes amazing."

Imani V.
Google
★★★★★

"The pork in the Cuban Sandwich is outstanding — flavorful with a great texture."

Alan L.
Tripadvisor
★★★★★

"Excellent experience. The food was absolutely delicious — full of flavor and beautifully presented."

Yordi M.
Google
★★★★★

"A hidden gem with the flavor of traditional Cuba and family love. Definitely a must-visit place."

Maria G.
Google
Read All 544 Reviews
Come Eat

Find Us On Michigan Ave.

Small café. Three tables and a counter. Open Monday through Saturday. BYOB. Closed Sundays.

Address & Phone

Hours

Mon – Thu11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Fri – Sat11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
SunClosed
Lunch Specials Mon–Fri · 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
¡Vamos a Comer!

Hungry yet? We thought so.

Grab the Cubano, the ropa vieja, a mango batido, and a flan for the road. Order online or call the café — we'll have it hot and ready.

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