El Cubilete is a family-style Mexican restaurant. They advertise homemade Mexican food and Tequila bar. They are closed on Mondays. However, they are open Tuesday – Friday 11 am – 9 pm, Saturday 11:30 am – 9 pm and Sunday 12 pm – 7 pm.
This establishment is located at 2050 Cayuga Drive Extension Niagara Falls, NY 14304. It is a corner lot on a very busy road which can be loud and dangerous. They have a parking lot and outdoor seating. Although, with the loud and busy road I can’t imagine the outdoor seating is actually pleasant. When my family and I celebrated my birthday dinner here this year, we were sat inside but some families were sat in the outdoor area.
This photo does not belong to El Cubilete Restaurant
The Atmosphere at El Cubilete
The atmosphere at El Cubilete is pretty typical of a Mexican restaurant. It is nicely decorated on the inside and seems appealing from the outside, aside from the busy road. The restaurant was very loud during our visit, it was also rather dark.
Staff leave something to be desired as far as their customer service skills. The restaurant was a but full but, it seemed that we were a burden or a hassle to our waiter. I have never had an encounter like this while in public with my family.
I have read that they sometimes have live Mariachi bands which could make the occasion more fun, as well as uncomfortably loud. This is the type of establishment that I would label “all bark and no bite”. They talk a big game, decorate their restaurant and bar to be pleasing to the eye, and yet they ruin it with off-putting staff, mediocre food, and a chaotic atmosphere.
My family and I had a difficult time here with my 2-year-old son. With the level of noise and chaos, he became very overwhelmed and my son is not a shy boy. My husband ended up sitting with him in the car while the rest of our group quickly ate, paid our bill and left.
The Food at El Cubilete
My family had been to this establishment in the past and enjoyed the food. So, they decided it would be a good location for my birthday dinner. I ordered the Burrito California which is stuffed with steak, beans, rice, Pico de Gallo, and a side of guacamole salad. The meal was decent. There could have been better seasoning on the steak and the salad needed something to add flavor and texture. Maybe bacon bits or homemade croutons of some kind. I ended up taking most of it home.
I don’t know what the total bill was for our group since my parents paid but my meal was $9.99. This seemed like a fair price considering the quality of the food as well as the quality of the experience. The other prices seem comparable to other Mexican restaurants.
My Final Recommendation of El Cubilete
I personally would not recommend this restaurant. There are far better Mexican restaurants that are cheaper and have a great staff! It also says something about an establishment when they have to beg potential customers to ignore bad reviews. After our visit to El Cubilete, I decided to write a review and read what others had written. I looked at Google Reviews and I was shocked by a post authored by the restaurant owners! “Don’t believe it all to the bad reviews. We’re definitely the best Mexican Cuisine from Western NY. So don’t hesitate and come in and prove by yourselves, and you will surely love it, my friend!” There are good and bad reviews for a reason and both should be considered. If I had seen this level of desperation from the owners prior to our visit, I would have recommended we go elsewhere. My family and I will not be
