Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar

What Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar does

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is a privately held, four-unit Cuban-themed full-service restaurant chain founded in 2000 by two-time James Beard Award winner Guillermo Pernot and operated by parent company GuestCounts Hospitality, LLC. The company operates restaurants in Philadelphia (Old City), Washington DC (Penn Quarter), Atlantic City (boardwalk), and Orlando (International Drive), with 288 employees across the brand. Each location delivers a unified offering of brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour service anchored by traditional Cuban dishes (Ropa Vieja, Lechon Asado, Churrasco) and an extensive rum and craft cocktail program, supported by digital reservation infrastructure (SevenRooms) and online ordering (ToastTab).

The company's core technology stack consists of standard hospitality SaaS rather than proprietary platforms: SevenRooms for reservations, ToastTab for point-of-sale, online ordering, and gift cards, ezcater for catering, and Fishbowl for email marketing. Distinctive operational features include the Cuba Libre Nights weekend entertainment programming (DJs, Latin music, bottle service), the GLP-Wonderful nutritionally balanced menu developed with Dr. Charlie Seltzer, and a private events vertical accommodating groups of 20+. Ancillary product extensions include the published 'Cuba Cooks' cookbook (with foreword by José Andrés), gift cards, catering, and Chef-led culinary trips to Cuba. Sister brands under GuestCounts Hospitality include Paladar Latin Kitchen, Bomba Tacos + Tequila, and Empanada Alley.

Revenue is generated entirely through direct-to-consumer transactions across physical locations and ancillary channels, with no franchise or wholesale model. Revenue streams include dine-in food and beverage sales, nightlife cover charges and bottle service, private events, takeout and delivery through ToastTab and ezcater, gift card sales, cookbook merchandise, and culinary travel experiences. Pricing varies by location; happy hour items range from $6.5-$10 (food) and $7-$8 (drinks), and a Monday $30 all-you-can-eat pork feast is featured. Cause-marketing tie-ins include donations to Cuba Decide (10% of Monday feast proceeds) and a CORE partnership co-funded with Patrón.

Name

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar

Legal name

GuestCounts Hospitality, LLC

Website

https://cubalibrerestaurant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is a privately held, four-location Cuban-themed full-service restaurant chain (Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlantic City, Orlando) founded in 2000 by James Beard-winning Chef Guillermo Pernot, offering dine-in, nightlife (Cuba Libre Nights), private events, catering, cookbook sales, and culinary travel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-service Cuban restaurants and rum bars

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Pubs & Gastropubs (CRANACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nightclubs & Dance Clubs (THAFAEAC), Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)

Keywords

• Cuban restaurant dining
• Rum bar cocktails
• Nightlife entertainment venue
• Private event catering
• Cuban cuisine chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales across all four restaurant locations (Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlantic City, Orlando). Includes brunch, lunch, dinner, happy hour, and specialty dining experiences like Chef's Tasting menus.
2. Nightlife and Entertainment: Cuba Libre Nights generates revenue through cover charges, VIP bottle service, and bar sales during weekend entertainment programming. DJ and dancing events Friday and Saturday nights.
3. Private Events: Catering and private event services for groups. Website indicates booking options for 20-30 guests and 31+ guests. Includes group dining reservations and specialized event menus.
4. Takeout and Delivery: Online ordering through ToastTab platform and catering through ezcater for takeout and delivery services.
5. Cookbook Sales: Cuba Cooks cookbook sold at $35 plus $8.75 shipping through the restaurant's website. Published cookbook by Founding Chef Guillermo Pernot.
6. Gift Cards: Gift card sales through ToastTab platform, driving customer acquisition and revenue advancement.
7. Culinary Trips to Cuba: Organized culinary travel experiences to Cuba led by Chef Guillermo Pernot. Revenue from trip participation. Legal travel opportunities for cultural immersion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar operates four full-service Cuban cuisine restaurants with rum bars in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlantic City, and Orlando, serving brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. The company also runs weekend Cuba Libre Nights entertainment programming, hosts private events and catering, sells gift cards, publishes the Cuba Cooks cookbook, and offers guided culinary trips to Cuba led by Founding Chef Guillermo Pernot.

Product overview

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is a chain of four Cuban cuisine restaurants offering a unified dining experience. The core offerings include full-service dining across multiple meal periods (brunch, lunch, dinner), a nightlife entertainment division (Cuba Libre Nights), private event hosting, and catering services. The company operates sister restaurants under separate brands including Paladar Latin Kitchen and Bomba Tacos. Ancillary revenue streams include gift cards, a published cookbook, and culinary travel experiences to Cuba.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cuba Libre Nights: Nightlife and entertainment brand featuring DJs, Latin dance music, and live specialty acts at Cuba Libre locations on weekends.

Products and services

• Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar Dining

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% of Monday pork feast proceeds donated to Cuba Decide

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GuestCounts HospitalitycoreOthersGuestCounts Hospitality, LLC is the parent company and operator of Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar. The parent company manages the restaurant brand and related hospitality operations including sister restaurants Paladar Latin Kitchen and Bomba Tacos.
• SevenRoomscoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline reservation platform used across all Cuba Libre locations for dining reservations. SevenRooms provides the booking infrastructure for table reservations.
• ToastTabcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering and gift card platform used for takeout, delivery, and gift card sales at Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Atlantic City locations.
• Farmer Brothers & Afficionado Coffee RoastersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee sourcing partners providing direct trade coffee and tea products. Supports education, food, medical care and economic development in villages in Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia and El Salvador.
• Afficionado Coffee RoastersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect trade coffee sourcing partner for Philadelphia location, supporting education, food, medical care and economic development in villages in Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, Ethiopia, Honduras and El Salvador.
• CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational nonprofit providing financial relief to families of food and beverage employees. For every Patrón Passion Fruit Margarita sold companywide, GuestCounts Hospitality and Patrón donate $2 per cocktail, up to $25,000 per year, in support of CORE's mission.
• Cuba DecideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCitizen-led movement working toward peaceful democratic change in Cuba. Cuba Libre donates 10% of Monday pork feast proceeds to this organization, creating social impact alignment.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bahama Breeze: Caribbean-themed full-service chain owned by Darden Restaurants. Broader Caribbean cuisine and tropical bar concept comparable to Cuba Libre's rum-forward positioning, but operates at much larger scale as part of a major public restaurant company.
• Hard Rock Cafe: Iconic themed full-service restaurant chain with memorabilia-driven ambiance, large bar programs, and live music/nightlife elements. Comparable themed-environment full-service model with entertainment overlay, though much larger scale.
• Margaritaville: Jimmy Buffett's Caribbean-themed restaurant chain with tropical cocktails, beach ambiance, and entertainment programming. Comparable themed-environment casual dining with strong bar/nightlife overlay.
• Buca di Beppo: Themed Italian full-service restaurant chain emphasizing family-style dining, private events, and large-format group occasions. Comparable themed full-service model with strong group/private-event revenue emphasis.
• ThinkFoodGroup (José Andrés): Restaurant group founded by celebrity chef José Andrés operating multiple themed Spanish/Latin full-service concepts. Comparable celebrity-chef-anchored, cuisine-specific full-service portfolio with strong beverage programs.

Direct peers

• Versailles Restaurant: Iconic Cuban restaurant in Miami's Little Havana, serving traditional Cuban cuisine with a full bar in a themed setting. Most direct comparable in cuisine, ambiance, and bar-centric full-service model.
• Señor Frog's: Caribbean/Mexican-themed restaurant and bar chain known for high-energy atmosphere, tropical cocktails, and party/nightlife programming. Closest comparable in combining themed Latin dining with late-night entertainment revenue model.
• Rosa Mexicano: Upscale Mexican/Latin American full-service restaurant chain with locations in major U.S. cities. Comparable themed Latin full-service model with premium cocktail program and event/private-dining focus.
• Havana 1957: Cuban restaurant chain in Miami offering authentic Cuban cuisine, classic cocktails, and themed dining experiences. Closest direct competitor by cuisine authenticity and bar/cocktail focus.
• Padrino's Cuban Cuisine: Independent Cuban restaurant in the Washington DC area offering traditional Cuban dishes and cocktails. Direct geographic and culinary peer to Cuba Libre's DC unit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CubaLibreBrand
• Facebookfacebook.com/CubaLibrePhiladelphia
• Instagraminstagram.com/cubalibrephiladelphia
• TikToktiktok.com/@cubalibrerestaurant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cuba-libre-restaurant-and-rum-bar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar