Colada Shop

"A fun and great restaurant for Cuban food. They have great options and has seasonal items as well. The place is bit pricey but food is pretty good and taste is excellent. The stuff is friendly and helpful."

"Some many delicious options. Definitely recommend the Media Noche, café con, Leche, empanadas, and croquetas. But all the options are really good and flavorful."

"Overall, the atmosphere and vibe are great. Vibrant colors, the mural and music are authentic and outstanding. The food is good, with the one dish that stood out being the ropa vieja. My main issue is the prices and quantity that you receive. You get a small portion for a premium price. I get that the location lets them get away with $25+ for an order of ropa vieja, but I’d expect more on the plate. I had an old fashioned to drink, which was good as well. I liked the easy QR code ordering from the table, but I get that older people might be turned off by that (my dad being one). If I could, I’d give Colada Shop 3.5 stars, but I rounded down to 3."

"As a Cuban expatriate living in Maryland, sometimes I long for some of the most iconic foods of my country, easy to find in South Florida, but pretty rare in my zone. The ones I miss the most are those that are really the kind you get at cafes and cafeterias, like Cuban coffee "coladas" (expresso) or "cafe con leche"(Cuban versión of a latte), with perhaps a side of "croquetas" (ham, chicken or codfish croquettes) or a guava pastry. These are not dishes that you typically would make at home! And there is of course the Cuban sandwich, which as of late has found a Millennial audience, and many imitators. Well, all of this, and more you can find at Colada Shop, located in the Cabin John area. The shop is bright, simply decorated, with warm wood tones and splashes of color. There is a small lovely patio in the back, semi-shared with the Thai restaurant next door, Sisters. The service was warm and very friendly (thank you Lily!) and everyone makes you feel at home. The menu is very focused on Cuban fast casual food, and a nice cozy coffee bar. I had the Colada, Shop cubano sandwich, and it was a delicious interpretation of a classical Miami Cuban sandwich; roasted pork shoulder, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, but with some subtle tweaks (the bread was softer, and there was a savory mystery sauce in there, too) that elevated the sandwich. I also had the house-made fried plantain chips; these were fine but I always quip about the "modern" touch of slicing the plantains with the skin on (traditional ones are made with peeled plantains). They also have alcoholic drinks such as Mojito, and other fine beverages and cocktails, which was a pleasant surprise. They have their own versions of "batidos", the Cuban smoothies. There are other Colada Shop locations in Metro DC. Overall a great experience that I recommend to all of my fellow friends."

"A nice tasty selection of cocktails and Cuban sandwiches make this and the outdoor seating a great combo for the summer. Had the croquettes which were very good and some nice sandwiches. An ideal option in Cabin John which is getting a lot of great places to eat."