El Mariel – Cuban Sandwich Shop

It closed down!!! :(When I was there last the owner mentioned things were slow but apparently they were SUPER slow.

If you are getting food to carry out it’ll take about ten to fifteen minutes under the press to heat it up. In the mean time you can chat it up with the convivial owner. On our visit there he was really proud of the homemade spare rib soup and gave us a hot sample.
It has all the right monikers: cheap, owner operated, pork, home cooking. What more could you want? I have to come back and do a whole meal with soup, sandwich and dessert.

I’m beginning to think of myself as a sort of Cuban sandwich expert.
For starters, I love all things pork. That’s pretty self-​explanatory. So if there will be two varieties of pork on ONE item, I’ll be all about it. It’s only natural that I would become fanatical about sandwiches with roast pork AND ham. Hello. I love that.
Add the other ingredients (also things I love) and it’s only natural I’d seek this food item out as much as possible.
El Mariel does a nice job of the cuban sandwich. Crusty bread, tender pork, salty ham plus the obligatory pickles and mustard. Oh, and how could I forget the swiss cheese?! Yum. The only I would’ve tweaked would have been to make it just a smidge hotter… leave it on the grill for just a few minutes longer and it would’ve achieved cuban perfection.
Free homemade chips added to the delish meaty sandwich.
This place is tiny with only five tables, and has a small menu consisting of sandwiches such the cuban, of course, roast pork, and chicken parmesan (yeah, I didn’t get that one either) among others.
Next to my first love Habana Libre, where I first discovered my love for Cuban food, this place is perfect for a quick bite to eat when you’re in the mood with a little pork with a side of pork.
It’s very tasty. Try it. You’ll like it. I mean, I’m practically an expert.

As I was starving, my cuban neighbor told me about this place she absolutely loves. I told her I haven’t had a good cuban sandwich since I went to Miami 4 years ago.
Walked on over and saw that it was a nice little place as the owner was standing inside and greeted us with a smile. I got the Cuban Sandwich which came with a delicious vegetable beef soup and cuban chips. The «cuban coke» was also very tasty. The sandwich was indeed the best I had since Miami and the chips were very addictive. All of this for only $ 6! What a deal!
This place is BYOB and you have to bring cash because they don’t take the plastic. I really hope this place sticks around because the owner is a nice guy and his food is great. I didn’t get a chance to try the delicious rum cake I heard they have, but I will next time around.

Man, this place was really amazing. I went for lunch and was very happy and satisfied with my choice. I had a grilled chicken sandwich which was very good along with some plantains. What I loved about the place was that it had a very warm vibe, like you were in your grandma’s house or something. This vibe made me really enjoy my food. This place is a great example to how friendly people and good food make the perfect day=]

El Mariel is an exceptionally authentic Cuban restaurant with outstanding sandwiches. Minimalist décor and bright lights may not appeal to the passer-​by, but the food is worth the visit. I dropped-​in for a quick bite when famished a short while ago and was so impressed I keep going back. El Mariel is owner-​run and operated, so each time I’ve seen him there. I appreciate watching him make my sandwich on the large, wood-​block table behind the register. Worth every minute.

My FI and I were walking on our way to Flo’s when we came upon El Mariel. Decided to pop in and check out the new kid on the block, maybe have an appetizer and move along. The restaurant is extrememly basic but yet you feel extremely welcomed in this sparsely decorated environment.
We chose the croquettas and an empanada (I like to eat). The chicken croquettas were delicious. Real hearty chicken filling and the coating was a perfect cracker meal dusted and fried. The chicken empanada was DELICIOUS. I can’t stop thinking about how wonderfully seasoned the filling was. However, there was a little to much pastry and not enough filling. As we enjoyed our appetizers Jose (chef and owner) offered a sampling of the days soup. It was a beef soup that reminded alot of what my mother would make on cold nights (delicious).
Now remembering we were supposed to be having dinner at Flo’s down the street, we decided to cvontinue our venture at El Mariel. I ended up with the steak sandwich. DELICIOUS. Homemade bread, grilled onions a slice of beefsteak tomatoe, served with perfectly cooked steak. Jose even offered a piece to try to ensure I would be okay with the seasonings. The homemade chips were a nice little touch.
With our bellies full, Jose sealed the deal with his homemade pastry. It reminded me of a cheese danish. The dough was ligh and flaky, slightly sweet, filled with gava and cheese. uggggh I can’t fit anymore in my belly-​must continue to eat, to good to stop :)
I will be back! My FI was back the very next day enjoying empanadas.
The restaturant has only been open 2 months and I pray that they are able to survive in this environment!

The roommates wanted to «try someplace new» and I had seen an article in Time Out magazine so we decided to hit up West Town. The place is pretty basic: a handful of tables and chairs and the menu is fairly simple and straight forward. Panini grilled cuban sandwiches that are really tasty and the homemade chips are perfect. The tostones were fried just right.
While the food was good, the best part of the experience was that you felt like you were hanging out in someone’s Kitchen. The owner came out to check on how things were and said «I’m making soup, you want to try some.» and he brought out soup to all the patrons in the restaurant. Really cool. He also shared a bit about himself, pointed himself out on the «Big Bruce» photo on the wall — the banana boat that brought him to the States. The place was so laid back — order the food, sit, eat, when your ready go up and pay, but didn’t feel rushed.
We’ll definitely go back to El Mariel.

Just got done eating the sandwiches from here and I am happily stuffed! We ordered a Cubano, which was fresh and delicious and also the Pork Sandwich, which was amazing! The pork was so flavorful, juicy and tender. The sandwiches are made fresh so take a bit of time, but no big deal. Our sandwiches came with homemade chips, also delish. The owner gave us complimentary turnovers as well! Sandwiches are fresh, cheap and delicious. Great addition to Chicago Ave!

Wanted to try the new place in the ‘hood. It’s hard to classify this place, because when we were there it was just one guy making sandwiches. We had 2 steak sandwiches, 1 cuban sandwich, each comes with homemade potato chips, 2 orders of plantains and 1 guava and cheese turnover. Total bill: $ 24.
And the food is good. As I said, it’s basically one guy making sandwiches fresh. Fresh bread, good meats and tasty.

Is my neighborhood turning into Cubatown? I hope so!
I went in today with a real hankering for a Cuban sandwich. I’ve been a big fan of Habana Libre for a while and was really curious about this place. I ordered a Cuban to go and Jose, the owner, gave me a free cup of chicken soup while I waited. That chicken soup was great!
When it came time to pay I gave him my card and he sadly said «cash only». He is waiting to get a credit card machine. The total was $ 6 something with tax and I gave him a five dollar bill and promised to go to an ATM and be right back. He told me not to worry about it and that I could pay him next time I came in. What a nice guy!
When I got home I tasted exactly what I was craving. The thing that most cuban sandwich joints fall short on is the bread and El Mariel really got it right. Jose bakes the bread himself and presses it so its thin and crunchy. Just like I like it. Not only did I have the pleasure of such a great sandwich but Jose even threw in free fries! Amazing!
Make sure you ask about their daily specials when you call or go in — I would have ordered more had I known ahead of time what delciousness he had made for the day. Of course I wouldn’t have been able to pay :)
Two suggestions for Jose if he reads this — 1. Lose the American love balads playing on the radio and play some good Cuban music. 2. List your specials on the counter

Why would somebody open a Cuban restaurant right next to another Cuban restaurant? Jose, the owner of El Mariel, says «What, you never been to Chinatown??»
El Mariel, located in a former bakery and next door to Habana Libre, has excellent Cuban food. Justin C. and I had the Ropa Vieja sandwich, Cuban Sandwich, Papas Fritas, Garbanzo Bean Soup, and homemade pickle. All of them were delicious. The bread for the Ropie Vieja was homemade and just perfect. The Garbanzo Bean soup, also homemade with prosciutto and ham, was out of this world.
The interior of El Mariel is pretty spartan, and primarily features an oversize picture of the boat that brought Jose to Key West in 1980. They can really use some work to fix up the interior and add some tables.
We asked Jose what his hours were, he said «I wake up early and I go to bed late. When people are hungry, I’m open.»
Bottom line: El Mariel has phenomenal homemade food. The restaurant could use some work, but if you’re looking for delicious Cuban, you should check it out.