Jorge Castillo: El Artesano Restaurant is a long time Union City favorite. Brothers Ignacio and Rafael Alfonso have perfected the art of Cuban food since opening their Cuban restaurant in 1974.

Glenn Lindgren: The food at El Artesano Restaurant is the kind we like, down-to-earth Cuban food with no pretensions. You won't find anything Pan-Latin or Nuevo Latino here!

Jorge Castillo: The restaurant is not as large as some, but we like the cozy atmosphere.

Raúl Musibay: El Artesano Restaurant is a very popular lunch spot. They make all of their sandwiches to order, which is the only way to make a Cuban sandwich. The sandwiches here are stuffed with meat and served hot off of the plancha.

Jorge Castillo: The restaurant's signature dish is pechuga de pollo rellena con camarones y cangrejo a plump, boneless, skinless chicken breast stuffed with a very tasty blend of shrimp and REAL crabmeat.

Raúl Musibay: Don't forget the fufú! Here they call it by its Puerto Rican name, mofongo. But it's basically the same dish we love, mashed green plantain mixed with flecks of crispy pork, onion, and chicken broth.

Glenn Lindgren: In the mood for soup? Well if it's January in New Jersey, you probably will be. They have two of my favorites at El Artesano Restaurant: Caldo Gallego, a delicious broth with white beans and Fabada Asturiana, a hearty Spanish white bean stew. For a real treat, come on the weekend when they serve Ajiaco Criollo, a rich and satisfying "country-style" stew that's so thick you can eat it with a fork.

Jorge Castillo: We've always felt that the skirt steak is under-appreciated in the United States. If cooked properly, skirt steak is rich with flavor – one of the best tasting parts of the cow!

Glenn Lindgren: El Artesano prepares the dish very nicely – Bistec de Entrana, or what would be called a churrasco steak on the menu in Miami. The Artesano version is nicely grilled to order with melt-in-your mouth tenderness and flavor.

The walk-up window gets plenty of business, especially in the morning when people line up for hot churros and cafecitios.

Jorge Castillo: El Artesano Restaurant also has several seafood dishes on the menu, great renditions of shrimp and fresh fish, like the red snapper. The Arroz con Camarones (rice with shrimp) is a delicately flavored shrimp dish. The rice is seasoned with a sofrito of onions and peppers that gives it a delicious flavor.

Glenn Lindgren: We highly recommend this restaurant. The quality of the food, the friendliness of the staff, the experience of the chefs make dinner here a real pleasure.