Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine
“The sandwich was oddly matched pretty well with the plantains too.THE GREEN SAUCE IS SO DARN ADDICTING..”
“I've just finished half of my Pernil with a Twist Sandwich and I've gotta say it's one of the best sandwiches I've had in a long while.”
“My personal favorite is the fried pork chop special with moro rice and beans though the consensus favorite seems to be the breaded chicken.”
Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I'm suprised this place doesn't have a higher review. The Cuban I had was very good with the garlic sauce. I also had the beef empanada and the mango shake and the plantains. Now the prices are reasonable for lower Manhattan I would say – and I would NEVER say that for a place that I paid a little less than $20 for – but the food was very tasty. I definitely recommend.
This is an authentic eatery. I've had Cuban food, but it had been years. And, it felt like my friend's mother made these meals. The price wasn't bad considering the location and the speed of service was excellent. As a child with parents from the Caribbean, this was the perfect comfort food and I was happy to find out that they have lunch specials. If I could, I would eat here regularly.
Loooooots of food for a great price! However, I have had better food from stands (in terms of rice and chicken) but the green sauce and plantains are AMAZING here! That green sauce got me tearing up in all the right ways and the plantains are like a comforting hug; sweet and exactly what you need. The rice and chicken were bland and the dish would be just so much better is their was a smidge of marinade on the chicken. However, that green sauce comes in handy and gives you that boom-pow you need. Essentially, douse your meal with the green sauce to get the full impact!
Good for the value and the green sauce is the real key to success here. 3/5 for food, 5/5 for green sauce & affordability
WAY TOO FULL like buttons exploded off my pants full.
It's basically like a buffet and you tell them what you want. Pick your base and protein- add veggies, etc. I got the oxtail with orange rice. Also, ask for the green sauce- tasty- add flavors. It was around $13 but so much food!!!! Make sure you know what you want when it reaches your turn cuz they want to keep the line moving.
Food was average- I wasn't really impressed I feel like it's more like filler food like if u want to feel really full get this. Uncomfortably full.
Former New York Yelper (and I guess, friend) Vania K. can attest to this: when my office orders Sophie's for lunch, it's usually a cause for celebration. This is mainly because it's a little further from the office, and we only go for Sophie's when we're really in the mood for it or if it's a special occasion. Regardless of the occasion, it's always a good time when we have Sophie's for lunch.
Since the weather has been more or less sunny and comfortable this summer, we as a group walk over together to the shop and pick up our food and enjoy it by the Brookfield Place waterfront. Gotta promote team-building, am I right? The lines move relatively fast, since a good deal of the food is on warming trays, so it's not too much of a wait to get what you want. The place is actually incredibly no-frills, so don't expect a super nice ambiance, and definitely do not dawdle while waiting in line, lest you want to get yelled at in colloquial, angry Spanish. The staff isn't the one yelling at you, it's usually the other, often hungry people in line.
The daily specials usually include some sort of goat or oxtail stew, which are all pretty rich and kinda greasy, but definitely satisfying if you're looking for a hearty meal. The classic cubano is done pretty well, albeit on the smaller side for $9. I'm also a fan of the pernil (pork shoulder) with a twist, which included plantains. The empanadas are also nothing to sniff at either, with my favorite being the spinach and cheese and the chicken empanadas. Make sure to get extra green sauce when you're ordering, since the amount they give probably won't be enough. I'm not even sure what they put into it, but it's the perfect complement to all these hearty, richly spiced dishes. The catering is actually pretty good too, and you definitely get a good rate by buying "in bulk." Note though, that the empanadas are slightly smaller, which is why they're cheaper.
The overall value is fine, given the location near of all these banks and such, but don't expect dirt cheap prices. I can't profess to know if the food is particularly authentic, but it certainly is tasty. Definitely worth a look at for takeout or a leisurely Friday lunch.
Been frequenting this Sophie's location for years… I don't even remember who first introduced me to it but I would love to thank them!
At one point I would come here with coworkers all the way from Jersey City to pick up food.
Thankfully I now work walking distance from here. My coworkers and I don't frequent it for lunch too often, though, because we tend to overindulge on rice when we do then end up sleepy after lunch.
For lunch I usually get a meal that includes a protein dish and two sides… today I had the salmon but I don't get it often at $11.99 a pop. I didn't want to overload with carbs so avoided my favorite moro rice, and am trying to avoid fried food (no fun!) so avoided the amazing plantains.
Instead I had salad and avocado as my sides. (When did they start having avocado!). The salmon was a huge portion and very popular, so even without the rice and beans I was quite satisfied after.
My favorites are the Chicken Fricassee and the Goat… but I don't think either of these dishes are offered daily.
Sophie's serves Cuban food in the New York deli style. I had always thought it was a sit-down but there are no tables – it is pure take-out. My sandwich met my craving but I feel that the service is entirely geared toward speed – at the expense of quality.
FOOD:
My Cuban sandwich was partially prepared in advance of my order with the ham, cheese and pickle stacked on the bread so it could be quickly put on to the grill. Mayo, mustard and roast pork are added after the "pre-fab" parts are heated. It tasted good and filled craving.
SERVICE:
Orders are taken in a deli style, service line. The food server barks, in typical New York deli-style "Next !!!" to each customer. "I'd like a Cuban, please". Pre-fab (see above) goes on to a George Foreman style grill. Customer behind is met with "Next !!!".
Once the pre-fab part is heated , the server returns his attention to me and asks, "What are you having?" to which I reply, "A Cuban". Mayo, mustard, roast pork are applied to the heated, pre-fab part. The entire sandwich is now slapped (aggressive action) on to paper wrapping and cut into two halves and swiftly wrapped in foil. Somewhere in there I was again asked what it was that I had ordered. Lots of places in there, the word "Next !!!" was barked out to customers who are only three feet away from the barker.
There are several businesses that use the "Next !!!" method of serving their customers. A common theme of the "Next !!!" service model is that the server does not make eye contact and usually fails to recall each customer's order. Orders are frequently repeated. As you can probably guess, I'm not a fan of the cattle-herding and impersonal "Next !!!" service model. I much prefer the "How may I help you?" service model that includes eye contact and a smile.
The Cuban sandwiches are to die for. Make sure you get it "with a twist"- it's worth the extra dollar for their special green sauce! There's no place inside to eat, so this is takeout only. Delivery has also taken me up to 2 hours before to receive my food so make sure you order earlier in the morning if you want your food by lunch time. Regardless of the wait times, their food is just too good to pass up so I keep coming back for more!