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Categories: Latin American, Cuban [Edit]
Neighborhood: NolitaDowntown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6, B, D, F, V)
Bowery (J, M)
Prince St (R, W)
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"I discovered this dim sum oasis after seeking refuge from the nearby canal street. Service was very fast and friendly and the food...well,…" read more »
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Went here tonight on a recommendation of a long-time local. The place is tiny and busy, but we got lucky and were seated immediately by a friendly host.
The menu is compact but packed with interesting selections. I ordered the Grilled Chicken dish, called Pechuga de Pollo al Pipian. The menu describes it as: Chicken breast served in a traditional toasted pumpkin seed & tomatillo mole with your choice of rice & beans.
I would augment the description with a preface of "The best..." and a postscript of "...that you will ever taste, at a very reasonable price."
Hands down, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. There's a reason behind the 600+ reviews and the long waits to snag a table at any given time. It all comes down to the food. The food here is undeniably mind-blowing delicious, in my humble opinion. Take it or leave it, if you will.
But the long lines here are really annoying, especially when one sees large families inside eating 2 hour long dinners and they know that there are hungry people waiting outside in the cold. I even locked eyes with one dude for about 40 minutes. He took his grand ol' time and my stomach was ready to eat him alive. Shame on you!
Fast forward to 45 minutes later on a Thursday night, 3 hungry girls were ready to stuff our faces. Here's what we ordered:
2 plates of Grilled Corn Mexican Style- 4 grilled to perfection corn on the cobs were smothered in mayonnaise, chili powder (this has a kick!), and cotija cheese. Squirt lime juice on top. You will think of nothing but these delicious kernels going down to your belly. Corn will never taste the same ever again.
Tostones- fried flat pieces of plantains shaped in little discs. They comes with chipotle mayo and garlic mayo. SUPERB! These are the best plantains I've ever had and I consider myself a plantain connoisseur. I would make sweet love to these if I could...
Enchiladas Estilo Norteno- grilled steak enchiladas with a spicy red ranchero sauce and a side of rice & beans. Perhaps my favorite entrée here and the best enchiladas ever!
Camarones Al Ajillo- shrimp a red spicy garlic sauce with a side of rice and beans. This is another outstanding dish. The shrimp packs in so much flavor from the sauce and they serve a decent amount of those tiny suckers.
Chuleta De Puerco A La Pimienta- grilled pork chop & goat cheese toast with a wild mushroom & chipotle "au poivre" sauce. I believe this is their take on a French bistro version of pork chops. Not as amazing as the others, but just as good. The pork was cooked perfectly, but the sauce was a little too much for my liking. All I tasted was the mushrooms and cream, which tended to take center stage.
At the end, we killed all three entrees and side dishes. Couldn't breathe or function properly after paying the check. I had to run up my 25 flights of stairs to get to my apartment so I didn't feel so bad about stuffing my face with the amount of food I had consumed. If anything, go for the corn and tostones. Such stomach pleasers!
People thought this was:
Corn, duh. But what else? CUBAN SANDWICH!!!
Oh man... I don't know why people recommend the Chicken Diablo Sandwich because although the chipotle mayo is good, the sandwich is dry without enough of it. And if you want more, prepare to pay an extra $1.25.
Cuban sandwiches have not always been my favorite. Usually the ham is so overpoweringly boring that I cannot stand to eat it. It has always resembled plain ol', supermarket luncheon meat. But here, it is actually quite exciting to eat! The roast pork is flavorful and chopped up like tuna for some reason. This doesn't bother me though and the ham only adds to the juiciness. It is literally so juicy that oils were dripping down my mouth and all over my hands.
Mind you, the place is small so if you go during a busy time, you'll have to wait but it's worth it. Make a friend wait and peruse the neighboring boutiques or vendor stands.
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What consists as a good restaurant?
The primary concern is the food of course. That's why this place is 3 stars. The corn is what everyone comes here for. and it tastes very good. the way its cooked is excellent but i feel the quality of the corn itself could be better. The restaurant side is very cramped, bumping shoulders with people standing in the bar waiting to be seated. The sandwich side is equally cramped. the cashiers are not the friendliest and service on either side is unusually slow. but at the end, this place is a hole in the wall and these things should be expected and tolerated for the excellent corn, and great sandwiches.
I've been coming here for awhile now and this place has never disappointed. I only wish they would expend so that the wait time weren't so bad. At anytime of day, you can expect a wait of 30-75 minutes for either a party of 2 or 4. a party of 4 almost guarentees you a 45 minute wait as only a few table in the restaurant can accomodate this.
Now, onto the food. This place is solid all around with entrees ranging from $10-$20. a must have is the corn on the cob. They season it with spices and cheese and a little lemon that you squeeze on and it is perfect everytime.
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My partner insisted that we go to Cafe Habana right away when we landed at JFK. Because it's a place where he used to go all the time when he lived in NY, etc, etc.
So we went!
It's a small cafe with smiling waitresses, ours was definitely zesty and came from La Habana, or somewhere nearby.
We ordered the mojito, and although they were a little small, there were delicious.
Then, obviously, the corn! Really good, tasty with a hint of spicy.
I then ordered the amazing pork chop. Great sauce, the meat was perfectly cooked and savory. My boyfriend got a great enchillada.
By the time we were almost done dining, the place was full, and people were waiting at the bar to be seated. A hot spot, definitely.
Location, location, location. This is a restaurant that fully benefits on it's prime location. The food is good, but it's mad sceney and the majority of servers and customers are rubbernecking to look at all the pretty hip people coming and going. Not really my style and I opt not to eat here when it's busy. The service really suffers from the wait staff working so hard at looking sooo cool. The good news is there is a seperate take-out entrance around the corner. When it's nice out, I'll go here and grab a burrito or torta and corn on the cob and walk a 1/2 block south to the little sculpture garden and get all picnic on that shizz. Much nicer surroundings then the environment in the restaurant which goes like this:
LES hipster + SOHO too cool for school = Nolita* douchebag-aroni with xtra cheese.
*I actually really like this hood a lot, just calling it like I see it.
Oh and if you want real Cuban food head over to Cafe Cortadito on B, or Amour Cubano up in Spanish Harlem. Don't be scared whitey, they won't bite. Much.
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Shout out to Leighann F. for the recommendation! Thanks!
*** THE WAIT
The wait was killer when we came. For a group of 4 at 6pm, ETA was 1hr to 1hr 15. We came back in 50 mins, but she had already given our table away b/c we weren't there 5 mins earlier when our table was ready. We had to wait another 40 mins. WTH! This place has VERY VERY limited seating. Maybe 10 tables total, each with a maximum capacity of 2-4 people.
*** THE FOOD
The food was definitely tasty and worth trying, but for n00bs here, I don't think it's worth the 1hr 30min wait. I think 30-40 min wait is appropriate.
My friend and I shared the Mexican style grilled corn ($3.95). It comes with 2 grilled corn dressed with chili powder, lime & cotija cheese. It's their signature appetizer dish so it's worth the try! To me, I enjoyed it, but I prefer my corn less seasoned so that I can taste more of the corn's natural flavors.
I ordered the Chuleta de Puerco a la Pimienta ($12.95). It's grilled pork chop & goat cheese toast with their "famous" wild mushroom & chipotle "au poivre" sauce. I don't know the story behind why it's so famous but I loved the dish. Big thick juicy slab of pork in a pan gravy sauce with yummy mushrooms. With the rice and sides that come with the dish, the portion size satisfies a healthy appetite. You will finish your plate but you're not left wanting that much more. Perhaps room for dessert?
Also, note that next door there is a to-go version of this restaurant. You can get the same food without the long wait!
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I ate here and it was awesome!
The horchata is fake. Don't get it. Water plus powder. Get the corn though of course.
This place has the most delicious food imaginable. I really don't to repeat the raving about the corn, but it's inevitable. The corn is YUMMY. I mean, words really can't describe it. The restaurant was very crowded, and the servers seemed to be spread a little thin, but the food beyond compensates for this shortcoming. We ate until we were very full. I wanted to try the dessert, but had no room :(
The prices were also very reasonable. I cannot wait to go back.
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Part of the reason why I like this place is because of the vibe. It doesn't hurt that the food is good too. I had the skirt steak w/ beans, and it was delicious. Others really like the corn (I don't eat it, since I hate mayo), and I mean really like it (as in, Virginians will ask their friends to bring it down to them, via car). It can get pretty packed though, so be patient, or go well before you get hungry.
All I can say is YUMMM! hate the wait but its worth it. reasonable price, great margaritas, and nice service. its a really tight space in there so it can be uncomfortable at first but then you realize the atmosphere is pretty relaxing and laid back.
Pros:
Corn.
Pork chops with mushroom gravy.
Fast service.
Marjito (Margarita/Mojito).
Goat Cheese bread.
Black beans with hot sauce.
Awesome cozy cuban atmosphere.
Cons:
Long wait to be seated.
No where to wait.
Food is inconsistent (been here a lot and sometimes the food is over cooked).
OVERALL, I can't stop going back for more.........................
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Mexican, Latin American & Cuban food unlike any I've ever received at a restaurant. I was raised on Mexican food, having a talented Mexican mother who cooks outrageously delicious traditional dishes, and can barely stomach eating at a Mexican restaurant anywhere, much less Los Angeles or San Diego. Lemme just say Cafe Habana has changed all that. Get the grilled corn - you won't be disappointed! I had the enchiladas suizas and was just blown away.
Awesome!
This place is a tradition for us. Each time we visit a particular client we head to Cafe Habana for grilled corn, cuban sandwich or skirt steak and a healthy amount of mojitos!
Con: it's small and the wait can be long but worth the wait!
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Came here for breakfast and dinner.
I've been here about 4 times now and every time there was at least a 20-30 minute wait. Not so bad if you're standing at the bar and having one of their margaritas. DELICIOUS. Just the right amount of alcohol and sugar. They also have flavored margaritas but I suggest getting the original.. MMMmmMmMm!
Crowded, loud, small tables, tight spaces, no where to hang your coat.. love it (isn't that what NY's all about?)!! Waitresses are gorgeous and super friendly. The corn is out of this world. and their food....... oh man.. their FOOOOOD. !!!!! THE best pork chops and enchiladas EVER. Even their plantains were good and I don't even like plantains !! @_@
One of thee best restaurants in the city hands down. Oh and prices are good too!
OMG the corn. Everyone's said it, but it's worth saying again. OMG CORN. I'm always a little sad when I finish. Then I rally and go back to the counter for another. Because OMG THE CORN!!!!!!!!!
I've never eaten at the actual restaurant, though...there's always like an hour wait. So I just shuffle down to the take-out place down the street. Minimum wait...not very much seating, but there's benches outside :) and OMG CORN!
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Getting relief from the surprise downpour by stepping into Cafe Habana heightened my impression of this restaurant much more than coming here on a clear, sunny day would have. Granted, the main reason my friends and I were even standing out in the rain in the first place was because we had to wait 45 minutes to get a table, but I digress...
There were three of us, and we made sure to order the corn to see what all the fuss was about. Since each order only comes with two cobs, we got two of them. I loved how they were unabashedly SMOTHERED in butter, chile powder and parm. I took it in my best interest to unabashedly snag the remaining corn cob before the other two could get to it.
The pollo mirador had sauteed chicken in roasted garlic sauce, rice and sauteed spinach. The chicken was amazingly tender. The enchiladas and halibut dish were also superb.
I can definitely see why this place is crackin' in Nolita.
It's kind of funny how one bad experience can ruin the way you view a place.
Our waitress today at Cafe Habana let me down.
At first we could not get her attention. This was frustrating because we were seated next to the station where she picked up food and it is not exactly a big restaurant to begin with.
But we figured it was crowded and she was busy.
She eventually took our order with a lot of eye rolling and sighs. When our burgers were up she lobbed them onto the table then stood over us scratching her head and then walked away.
It was weird and totally made me lose my appetite for food from Cafe Habana.
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It's a small restaurant so you have to wait awhile especially at peak times. But when you take a bite of that corn, you say to yourself how happy you waited a gazillion minutes for it. Okay that is exaggerating it a little. But I did wait 90 minutes for a table when it was 30 degrees out. I also thank them for having Tapatio sauce. If the wait is too long, go next door to the take out place and order a corn.
Mmm, I loved the food here.
The corn was to die for! So good. I haven't been here in forever though- my next trip to NY I MUST make a stop here!
It was pretty crowded though, the last time I was here. But- if its crowded, it can only mean one thing, right? Good food. I think the last time I was here I got some seafood dish, I think it was paella... but it was delicious nonetheless.
Just stop by and eat the corn, you'll feel like you're in corn heaven. :D
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The appetizers are amazing! I recommend the corn that is covered in Mayo and cheese and chili powder with squeeze of lime. The cheese flan is also delicious - kinda homemade cheesecake tasting and a thicker consistency than the traditional flan. I had the steak enchiladas and tried the skirt steak and both were super yummy!
The waitress is very friendly and provided great service.
It's pretty hard to hate on this place but I found a way. has anyone eaten here lately? Sure it was great when the whole pork pie hat thing took off for the first time back in '05, but now the meat is fit for a chinese restaurant, you know those bullet proof ones? Pretty sad because it used to be so good there, but I guess the ....economy....something. Still, its busy, If you sprayed the corner of Elizabeth and Prince with 12 gauge double ought shotgun shell you would collect a lot free swiss cheesed Marc Jacobs and Varvatos.
Although small and usually a pain to get into - this place is truly tasty. I've been here twice and will certainly come back again.
I would recommend going as early as possible to avoid the long wait. The food is worth it though.
I recommend the corn - which everyone raves about for good reason. Bring floss!! I also recommend the shrimp in spicy garlic sauce. It was SO yummy I ate the whole thing!!! The rice and beans are really good too.
Overall, a yummy place to eat but be prepared to wait.
Shocked to see the number of reviews on Yelp, so had to go check it out for dinner after shopping in the SoHo area. Around the time we got there, the steady drizzle turned into a TORRENTIAL downpour. Nonetheless, the waiting crowd spilled out into the street, huddled under umbrellas. Impressive. We were quoted a wait time of an hour, but in just over half that time, our group of five found ourselves tucked into the cozy back table of the (tiny, cramped) restaurant.
We started with drinks (mojitos, large in size, decent but not anything special) and appetizers. Yes, the famous corn on the cob. Yes, it was quite good, and a warm comfort from the cold, rainy night outside. That said, is it heretical to suggest that the corn is "good, not great", and I'm surprised at the hundreds of worshipful reviews it has received? Instead, I fell hard for the "sincronizada toluca", which is something between a quesadilla and a Mexican pizza. With chorizo. This was terrific!
I whiffed on the entree, though, going for the "Tlacoyo de Tres Marias", a corn shell stuffed with beans and sun-dried tomatoes. It was unfortunately too plain and lacked any flavor, and my attempts to remedy this by piling on the hot green sauce had my mouth on fire.
My companions enjoyed their selections though, and in retrospect, I think I may have been much better off had I gone with the roast pork (the losing end of my 50-50 indecision when the waitress took our order) or the skirt steak. I tried my friend's pollo mirador, and that seemed tasty as well.
I like Cafe Habana's location and the decor and vibe of the place. Good value for the price--entrees between $10 and $14. The staff are friendly and responsive despite the constant busyness. The food is generally good, though the menu has some misses. If you go, you'll have to find somewhere else to wait, because there's absolutely no room in the diner.
Corn, its all about the damn grilled corn. Habana is a fun place to eat. The food is usually fantastic. Cramped, intimate spot that can always be counted on for a good meal. Expect a good wait at peak times. The service fluctuates between friendly and snobby.
If you dont want to wait, get take out next door.
People thought this was:
Probably the best thing on the menu is the Mexican grilled corn. It's as good as it gets!
roasted corn. ROOOAASTED COOOOORRRNN!!
cuban sandwich was dank too. bloody mary.. ehh..
great corn! great huevos rancheros too!
good prices for great food!
Dropped in for a visit while I was in the area. Loved the place. Small , packed, no room to sit !
Who cares, the food was very good, priced right and the drinks were amazing.
Try the mexican style grilled corn, the camarones al ajillo , an order of tostones (fried plantans) and a mojito!
crowded yet cozy
great music in the background
enchilada suiza w/ tomatillo sauce=amazing
must try the corn
thanks for the recommendation!
This is actually a 3.5 star review. This place is run like a restaurant outside the U.S. only with a friendly staff. You get the feeling that you could spend all night there talking to your friends, ordering more food, getting another drink, and ending with a cappuccino. If I could smoke inside, I'd think I were in another country. For all these reasons, though, it's also inefficient. Cafe Habana's popularity makes matters worse. If you're hungry, it'll drive you crazy watching the group of four huddled around a table for two slowly nibbling their corn while your stomach churns.
The corn is very good and worth trying if you come, but a little over hyped. Would I wait an hour for it? I don't think so. Carnivals in California sell corn just like this sans lime wedges. I ordered the Pollo al Pepian as an entree, and it was very tasty.
If you want a table, politely flag a server to get on the list. They double as hosts. If you're in a hurry, walk one business over to their take-out location and get something to go.
I loved the Elotes the most. The other entrees were delicious too. This is not a place to go to for ambiance or a romantic dinner. And its way too cramped.
Ambiance means a lot to me, if I just want good food, then there are plenty of hole in the wall places. But all in all, I did enjoy the dinner overall, not a bad experience.
whenever im showing a guest around the city, a stop in soho for shopping inevitably leads to lunch or dinner here....mostly because its a little more out of the way, not as easy for the tourists to find. though, the locals def know its here, and you will still probably wait for a table
if its nice out, opt for the carry out right next door...the menu is a little different, but just as delicious and authentic, and you can eat outside on the benches
ive gotten just about everything on the menu at this point, and so far, there has been nothing i wouldnt eat again, gladly. if you like corn on the cob, you must try it here, complete with cheese and spices, youll never look at bbq cobs the same
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I have an aversion to foods that have been oft-referenced in dirty jokes: pizza sauce, tartar sauce, etc. So corn on the cob (with mayo and cheese at that) fell under that category - really, google "hot buttered corn joke" and you'll get a glimpse of stories with which we regaled each other in the cafeteria during 8th grade.
We came here right before midnight on a Sunday night, and by then, with work looming over my head in a few hours, I was reticent already. There was no wait, and the waitress told us to order within 5 minutes because the kitchen was closing soon.
After a few nibbles of my friend's grilled corn I was sold (ignore how gross that sounds). Minutes later, the whole group of us were laughing and exchanging funny and childish innuendos. So that's the lesson of the moment: Cafe Habana's corn can cure anxiety, frustration, social awkwardness, you name it.
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THE CORN APPETIZER IS A MUST.
I liked the skirt steak as well. A deal for the price ($12) in my opinion. But, my friends weren't fans.
It gets busy here but service is fast.
P.S. GET THE CORN.
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Best Darn Grilled Corn ever!!!! and very good for brunch... I cant get enough of their Omelette Caribe... eggs, platains and salsa verde! sweet and savory all in one bite... yummmm
http://chubbychinesegi...
TO MAKE THIS CORN AT HOME....
http://chubbychinesegi...
Eat the corn.
Do whatever else you please. The food is pretty good all around, but for the sake of all that is good and decent in this world -
Eat the corn.
I honestly can't say if I liked the food so much because I was absolutely famished or because it really was that good. DH and I were looking for a different place but when we got there they didn't have any customers, so we used yelp on the iphone for another place. DH found this one and off we went to walk there. I was getting in quite a grumpy mood especially since there was a different place to eat every few feet. DH really wanted to go to this place though, so we kept walking and walking and walking. I have lived in LA too long. A short walk felt like 5 miles.
When we finally found it there was a small line outside which is usually a good sign unless you are in LA.
While we were sitting there looking at the menu corn kept passing by me. It looked and smelled so good. It took every ounce of self control to not stand up and just grab one. Speaking of servers is it me or were there only 2 people working the entire place? The service was slow but wow they were really working hard. Crazy as it may sound we didn't get the corn because I am such a good wife and shared the corn cakes instead, which were pretty good.
I ordered the steak enchiladas and DH ordered the mole enchiladas. The rice was really good. It tasted like their was cheese mixed in with it. Too bad I wasn't able to savor the food as I just scarffed it all down. I did get some odd looks and rolling of eyes. I think everyone was wondering how the skinny girl was able to eat everything and continue to scrape for more.
I would def go back. The place had a cool vibe. I felt like I could hang out there a while with friends and just eat drink and be merry.
Love this place (like I love the sister spot in Brooklyn). We rolled up on a Sunday morning, lucked out with a diner-style booth table within a mere moment of asking. Service with genuine smiles (cute staff too!), food was not particularly memorable, but it did the job in Cuban-American style.
For me it was a fine place to shake off a hangover, and the kooky vibe was worth 4-stars from me.
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