Authentic Cuban cuisine next to Allegria in Silver Lake.

by Melissa Gage

Eastsiders swear it's better than Versailles: Inside this small, family-run spot, the narrow, no-frills dining room is awash in the pervasive scent of garlic. Yellow walls are covered in framed photos of Cuba and the odd straw hat. The food is about as authentic as it gets, from a simple pressed Cuban sandwich to tender, flavor-packed roast pork speckled with crispy bits of skin. On the side, expect a heaping portion of black beans and rice (order them separate or mixed) and tender yucca glazed in a potent garlic sauce. Beyond the popular pork, dishes include roast chicken, steak and garlic shrimp (emphasis on garlic). Weekday lunch specials ranging from paella to veal are under ten bucks. On the side, don’t miss fried bananas of the green or sweet variety.

03/21/09

amazing lechon!

by oxyboricua

as a puerto rican living in L.A. sometimes i really get a craving for caribbean food. this is about as close to the food i'd get at home without being in the kitchen for hours on end. their lechon asado is simply to die for. so juicy, yet crunchy at the same time. their tostones are good too, and the mojito that goes with it adds great garlic flavor. i have yet to try anything from the this place that didn't satisfy.

• Pros: fantastic flavors
• Cons: small space

10/22/08

mediocre Cuban food

by Boriqua18

So I wanted to meet a friend of mine for lunch, El Cochinito happened to be the center between both of our jobs, she had been there before, so she recommended it, but she did say it wasn't amazing, but good, so she did pre-warn me. I ordered the skirt steak and it was very dry and the flavor was not good, it tasted old, she had the ground beef and she thought the same, it just didn't have good flavor, she is Cuban and I am Puerto Rican, so we know good hispanic food when we taste it. Versailles was way better and it is a chain cuban restaurant, that's sad. Not to mention the service was just poor, the waitress just seemed bored and non-enthusiastic. I would not waste my time there again. If you want good Cuban food, there is a great place in Glendale called La Cubana, it's the best Cuban food I've had in LA and there is a great Puerto Rican Restaurant in Cypress called BIG ED'S. Happy eating.

• Pros: rice and plantains were good
• Cons: everything else was just ok

06/25/08

Best Cuban food in LA!

by Tinarocks

To start, Versailes is NOT Cuban food. It tries really hard to be, but it's not nearly as good as the real stuff! I was weened on Cuban food since I was tiny and El Cochinito is one of the only spots in LA that does it right. There's always at least one table open when I go, the food is absolutely delicious and the servers are awesome. You MUST try the tostones with mojo, the breaded steak and the rice pudding (by 7 or 8pm, they usually have sold out of rice pudding- ask for it when you sit down!).

• Pros: No wait, Authentic Cuban Food, Service, Prices
• Cons: Only about 10 tables

05/18/08

This is the place for Cuban food.

by asp811

I found out about El Cochinito through a friend that lunched there. I was very curious to try it since I had spent a number of years living in the Caribbean and know the food well. I wasn't disappointed. The food is authentic, flavorful and not greasy. This is particularly true for the chicken fried steak which is served up crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This dish succeeds or fails based on the breading, which must be crispy, seasoned lightly, adding to the flavor of the steak sealed within. This is how its served up every time I've had it. I met a friend years ago there, who had spent some time in Cuba, he mentioned the chicken fried steak reminded him of his stay and was just as he had it there. But there's other dishes to laud, such as the "ropa vieja" or shredded beef. The chicken fricassee is a real crowd pleaser, and if you've never tried Cuban food its a safe dish to start off with. All their pork dishes are phenomenal and remind me of when I lived in the Caribbean all those years ago. This place is way better than Versailles so if that's all you know, you're in for a treat. Note this is a family restaurant and as such closes on the early side.

• Pros: Authentic, fresh, excellent value.
• Cons: Intimate quarters.

01/15/08

Great cuban food

by laloba98

Even know this is a small restaurant, their food its very good and true cuban food!!! My family orders their party packages (which are very in-expensive) and everyone who comes to our parties loves the food too....

• Pros: great food and great prices
• Cons: parking might be hard to find....and the place is very small

Editorial Review

by Contributor

Small family-run Cuban eatery serves simple but authentic meals to Silver Lake regulars in a very small mini-mall location.

07/01/04

Magically Delicious!

by pinochet

This place rocks! I had the roasted pork, which was magically delicious! The black beans are authentic and much better than the ones at Versailles. Don't pass up the fried bananas!

• Pros: cheap, huge portions

05/29/04

Delicious Cuban food!

by liznutt

Definitely the most authentic Cuban food in around! The place has a real home town atmosphere. Great service and huge portions for the money. This is the place to go for Cuban home cookingfor lunch or dinner.

05/25/04

MR v guty

by victorgutierrez

Without any doubt: THE BEST CUBAN FOOD IN TOWN, the food is delicious -any one that you order- the portions are hughe, very family oriented restaurant, and budgeted priced...For sure if you go once, you will go again and will recomend it to your friends, that is the reason why EL COCHINITO RESTAURANT, has been in the same place for 16 years

• Pros: GREAT FOOD, HUGHES PORTIONS, BUDGETED PRICED
• Cons: , NO RESERVATIONS, LIMITED SEATING