Cuban Restaurant Now Open on Washington Street

, the Cuban Restaurant & Bar opened Tuesday afternoon inside the former Nine night club at 333 Washington Street.

The new space includes a front bar and dining area, two rear dining areas and a bar on the second floor. Altogether the restaurant can accommodate 120 customers simultaneously.

The décor evokes a colorful Cuba, with art and photos adorning the walls. Owner Luis Iglesias said he hopes the restaurant replicates the feel of a home.

“Our culture is very family oriented,” Iglesias said. “These little dining rooms could be a dining room in someone's home.”

The menu will serve traditional Caribbean and Latin American dishes with modern touches, including the ropa vieja (Spanish for old clothes) which features twice cooked stirred steak with tomatoes, onions and peppers; the classico, a braised pork shank with a white rice and black bean mix; and the tamale cazuela, which is a corn polenta dish.

The restaurant will open its bar daily at 4pm, with a happy hour from 4-7pm featuring $5 appetizers and $3 beers. The bar will be open all night and feature a tapas style late night menu until 1am.

The Cuban will serve dinner from 4:30-10pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 4:30-11pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from 4-10pm on Sundays. It will be closed entirely on Mondays.

Coming soon: new gyms in the city, and a chic clothing store closes.

The Business Beat covers businesses opening, closing, renovating, relocating and celebrating anniversaries in the Mile Square. Have a Hoboken related business tip? Send an email to alanskontra@hotmail.com.