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Category: Cuban
Neighborhood: Chelsea23rd St-8th Ave (C, E)
18th St-7th Ave (1)
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
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'Havana in Chelsea' is how they described it back in the days; along with, 'I've tried the rest, and this is the best.' This is the renowned spot for the, "Best Cuban Sandwich," as advertised on their storefront, in neon lights no less. It has to be legit!
I've read about other foodies' glorious experiences at this spot. And, up until this point in my Cuban sandwich journey, the two previous Cuban sandwiches I tried were mediocre. I was ready for an authentic Cuban with fresh pork.
I walked in, and I immediately noticed that 4 out of the 5 patrons were lunching on Cuban sandwiches. After I grab a seat, the waitress asks for my order, and my reply?: "Difference between the Cuban, and the Especial Cuban?"
"Sausage. Its worth it ;)" ...that's what she said.., with a wink and all!
Irrespective of that, I've read about the authenticity & debates of including sausage/salami in Cuban Sandwiches. I recognize that the inclusion of sausage/salami has become traditional in many regions, and I'm willing to give it a try.
And so, after much anticipation, and several swigs of my Negra Modelo, out pops my Cuban sandwich. It sports a beautifully crisp outer casing (bread). I see lots of pork, a slice of ham, some cheese, and thin sliced pickles in there.
I advanced forth with my initial bite. Good crunch, then I tasted the pork, the ham, the cheese, and some sauce (likely a combo of pickle - mayo - mustard). It was a good combination.
Here's where I begin to get technical about things.
Round 1
The roast pork is fresh. The bread is just the way I like it, crunchy! The pickles are subtle. The cheese is somewhat gooey. I sensed a layer of mayo and mustard. The sausage was interesting.
Round 2
The pork is over 90% lean and shredded with the grain, no juiciness. The outside of the bread is a bit too crispy (when you bite down, the outer skin just flakes off onto your plate. I barely sensed the layer of mayo/mustard. Given how dry the pork meat was, they could've spared more mayo/mustard. The sausage made my Cubano a bit salty.
They serve a very good Cuban sandwich at this place. However, it couldn't keep me interested throughout my meal. 50% into my sandwich, I lost interest in my Cuban.
I'd have to return to try their fabled ropa vieja
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I enjoyed this place immensely, they had a great Ropa Vieja.
Our waitress was a little rude and off-putting, which I was a little distracted by.
If this place even had a golden age of Cuban food in Chelsea, it's moved past that and into the medieval darkness. I'm not saying if you step foot you'll V.O.A. (Vomit On Arrival). I'm just never putting my fucking piggies through the gate again.
Mad rude service and unexceptionalvergingonoverpricednotespeciallywonde rful
Cuban food. I think I got ignored for a good 18 minutes before they gave me water. 'Cause I'm Blanco? Pero... Hablo un español pequeño. Muy pequeño. Cabeza de lechuga? Mas fresa? Sí, eso es bueno.
(I just Free Translated that to seem edgy. It's probably all wrong and assigning me female pronouns.)
I remember I told myself I would only go back to Casa Havana for the Mango shake and because it was seven blocks away from my school. And I did. I went back. But they over-lactosed that shit the second time around. I can't win with you.
Decent place nothing fancy just simple Cuban food. Its not a fancy restaurant, plainly put its a Cuban Dinner.
I usually have lunch when i work close by and its worth the price. You can get an entry with beans and rice on the side for ten bucks.
Best Cuban sandwich in the city so far. I was so happy to stumble upon this place one drunken night hahaha Have been going back since for thier Cuban Sandwiches. Also enjoy their papa rellanas, yum!
Just wish their croquettas tasted better.
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The masitas de puerco sandwich was divine. It was sweet (plantains) and savory (fried pork) all rolled into one. I would come back here, for sure.
Great cubanito and the breakfast dishes looked quite amazing. Check this place out.
I happened upon Casa Havana by accident and thought I'd give them the ol' croquetta test. They failed miserably. Piping hot and fresh to order, but still not up to par and therefor they won't get another penny from me.
The restaurant is small and kinda dingy- which I'd get past if the food was good, but since it wasn't, it just felt gross. Everyone who works there is from a different Latin American country and the owners are Italian-American from what I was told. Much of the breakfast menu was Dominican, NOT Cuban.
I came here last week for their recession special: 2 eggs, fries, ham/bacon, and toast and coffee for 20 cents. The breakfast was pretty lame though, the bacon and ham were dried out and the fries were soggy. The coffee was really bland... and I would give it 1 star if I paid 3 bucks for this breakfast but two stars because it cost less than the tax on a cup of starbucks coffee!
I don't know how long the special will last, but one should go just for the novelty of it. The place is cute and maybe their regular food is decent.
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The search continues ... I may have to come up with a Manhattan curve for Cuban food. This Manhattan Cuban Food Curve would be the red headed stepchild of my Miami Cuban Food Curve, but I digress ... on to the food.
I went with the basics, a Cuban sandwich and a cafe(cito). The meat on the sandwich was good, but the bread was soggy. It needs to be crunchy.
The coffee was served in a regular coffee cup instead of the traditional "tacita" normally associated with expresso coffees. In addition, they failed to whip those first few precious drops into some sugar to create the "cremita" you would normally find. In fact, I had to add my own sugar. For context, a common Cuban drink is Guarapo, sugar cane juice. Cuban coffee without sugar is like a pool without water. However, it tasted really nice once I had emptied part of the readily available sugar dispenser into the very generous portion ... more of a "colada" in a cup than a "cafecito."
With all that said, it was descent and worthy of a second try, as it is the best I have found on my ongoing search for some authentic Cuban food in Manhattan ... and it's near the house.
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Hard to believe, but true: right now you can get a full breakfast--two eggs any style, bacon, toast, french fries, and coffee--for 20 cents. That's $0.20. That's a lot less than it would cost you to make eggs and bacon for yourself.
The fries and toast aren't great, but the eggs and bacon are cooked perfectly, not greasy. And damn, it's only 20 cents, so there's really nothing to complain about. This is a limited time only deal, and they won't say when it's going to end.
I haven't been for any other meals so I can't say more about the restaurant as a whole, but the decor is nice--colorful murals on the walls, comfortable small diner-like setup. It's possible that that 20 cent breakfast was enough to lure me back for a regular meal.
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Grabbed a quick dinner here before a movie the other night. Pretty good but not a place I'll run back to. I had the shrimp and rice. Or perhaps I should say the rice and shrimp. Plate had a huge mound of yellow rice with green beans and green peppers strewn throughout and .... wait for it ... 6 shimp. For $12 seemed a little stingy on the shrimp. Tasted great - but more shrimp please.
Husband had the shredded pork (thought he had ordered a sandwich but got a plate of just pork) and fried yuca. He loved both - so pretty strong food, but not better that some of the other Cuban options in the city.
Worth noting that this is one of those places where the music is so loud that you can't talk to the person you're with. So not a place for a leisurely meal and chat.
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It's got some glitz and ambiance but all that does is punctuate average Cuban food. Average Cuban food is still wonderful but I don't really need to return.
_C$
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Service was a bit slow but the food was good.
Nothing beats a Vietnamese sandwich. Nothing except a Cuban sandwich. Casa Havana's pretty good. Sometimes the bread isn't toasted crunchy, but small quibbles for a place that's giving you cheese melted on top of drippy pork (that's a good thing, btw). Plantains were soggy greasy (again, good). Overall, cheap (both in the inexpensive and the 8th Ave. Chelsea gay boy sense) comfort food.
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We stopped by to grab some food to go, and went a little crazy with all the options. I tried the Cubano sandwich with chorizo (actually I didn't like this very much. Too bready, maybe), chicken and beef empanadas (the chicken is dry and boring; the beef is juicy and spicy and tasty and yummy), sweet plantains (seriously, when are these ever bad), and the tres leches (I wouldn't order this again).
Everything came out to, oh, 15$ or so. I'd come back if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way.
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I am no expert on cuban food, but I found this place to be really enjoyable and tasty. It is a nice, little spot on 8th Ave in Chelsea that will not cost you an arm & a leg. Also, no obnoxious kitschy theme going on. Its a cuban diner and that is it. No crazy fusion dishes - we ordered Steak, Fish and Flan.. all were prepared fresh and delicious.
Would definitely go back!
Average cuban food.
The empanadas were old and lacked flavor (spices needed). Maybe I'm spoiled because my grandmother makes amazing empanadas.
I had a cuban sandwich "especial" which was just different in that it had two very thing strips of sausage. It was good but kind of dry. My friend who had the non-especial cuban complained his was completely dry. I asked the waitress and she said sometimes they don't add the sauces (mayo, mustard) because people don't like it.
My friend had a plantain sandwich with pork and he loved it.
Prices are good.
Place is clean.
Service is friendly.
I'm going to try it again (other dishes) but as of now, Margon restaurant in midtown is better.
I came here with 4 other work colleagues and came away pretty happy. So maybe the Cuban I got was a bit dry, but then again maybe there's a pattern since 75% of Cubans I've had are also dry -- but who's to say dry is bad anyway? Wine, a sunny day, brits -- all dry and I love them all.
But I digress, I thought the food was generally very solid, and the prices can't be beat -- and I love the murals.
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Your 20-cent recession special breakfasts were wonderful. Love your food. Love the yucca, ropa, pernil, bacalao, shrimp omelette. Service? Well, that's the reason why you did not get five stars out of me. I wanted to use the bathroom one morning and politely knocked before using the bathroom. Heard a loud "What?" So I quietly sat down with my friend waiting for the bathroom to be vacant. After a good five minutes, a staff member got out of the bathroom. She was pissed off. She yelled in Spanish to other staff members who was knocking on the bathroom while she was using it. Of course I said, "It was me who was knocking at the door and do you have a problem with that?" Well she looked at this Asian guy who could understand Spanish and was cowering inside. Well the food was good. You are forgiven, honey.
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A great find for lunch in Chelsea. I went there today for a Cuban sandwich. Their "small" sandwich option, which is of a fine lunch size, runs $4. Add to that a side of French fries -- I wasn't totally thinking Cuban sides today -- and a cafe con leche, and your lunch will total $8.50.
Next time, I'll get rice and beans and sweet plantains as sides to be more authentic and consistent (The fries weren't all that.). And I'll certainly get a cafe con leche again. It's some of the best coffee I've ever had.
Two women one table over ordered soup. The soup looked wonderful, too, and comes in large and small bowls. You get half a potato, regardless.
Will be sure to return!
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So, so good. If you sit at one of the tables instead of at the counter or pickup, be prepared to be completely ignored for a decent portion of your visit if you don't speak Spanish. Order some tostones IMMEDIATELY upon walking in and bring beer with you. Drink the beer and eat the tostones while you await service. Eventually, stand up and wave vigorously. Order quickly or they will walk away in the middle! (Why do I find it endearing when the waitservice ignores me at holes in the wall and offensive at more upscale places?)
The food is fantastic. Heaping portions of rice and beans and giant steaming plates of chili and garlic drenched seafood. Don't plan on going out after eating here, just plan on stumbling down the street in a garlic scented, food induced stupor, or possibly sitting on a stoop somewhere to recover. Maybe bring beer in a paper bag to said stoop. Warm MGD is really the only way to top off a stomach full of super cheap beans and rice. I swear!
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I'd give this place 3 1/2 stars bc of the pricing and atmosphere of the place. It has the feel of a diner, except all cuban food. Our waitress also was really nice and funny, and i normally dont even care about service when i review places.
so for apps we had croquetas de jamon (not good! it tasted like mush with pieces of jamon, not the creamy bechamel sauce you expect with croquetas), empanadas were reallly good at 2 dollars apiece, had the beef and chicken and the meat was so moist, not dried out like at other places. Tamale with pork was good, nothing out of the ordinary.
For dinner we split a bunch of dishes, arroz con pollo (very good, the chicken was moist, it may be an issue if you dont like meat on the bone, but i actually like it that way), cuban style steak (really good, with onions and rice and beans), camarones a la criolla which was good, nothing special, the plantains (maduros) were sooo good, reallly sweet and greasy.
all in all, i would love to have this place in my neighborhood as a quick dinner at an affordable price
I remember Casa Havana pre-renovation. It was a place where you could get a decent Cuban sandwich at a decent price. Post renovation, that fact remains the same. Came here had a Sopa de Pollo, Cuban Especial and Croquettes de Jamon. and was impressed with everything except the croquettes. The breakfast specials are also reasonably priced as well. The staff is somewhat efficient and friendly, however, I would love it if I could speak better Spanish to them. In summary, a good find, a good backyard in the summer, and a great Cuban!
What a cute place! A true luncheonette. It was pretty quiet at about 7:30, with only 4 tables occupied. From what I understood, it's been recently renovated and is now called Cafe Havana.
I kept it simple, a small cuban sandwich and an order of tostones. The plantains came out first and they were plaintain perfection. Crispy and not greasy at all.
The sandwich had promise. It was hot, cheesey and crispy. But it had no mustard and no pickles. It wasn't until after I left that I realized that, of course. I was eating a something just wasn't right, as soon as I got a block away, it hit me, "the pickles and mustard!" Oh well, it was a good sandwich that would have been better with the p & m.
It's cash only, so bring some, but not much. My dinner was only $9.50. No bar either. The staff is brisk, but not particularly friendly.
I'd like to go back and try other things!
My girlfriend lives basically next to this place so I end up eating here a lot. The food is great (re: cuban sandwich raving begins here) and the environment seals it.
Greasy spoon diner that sounds like Havana and the prices seem pretty Cuban as well (a true $5 lunch in Manhattan?).
Last time I went I was having breakfast at the counter and this little 7 year old Cuban-American kid starts and playing around on the stool next to me. He was priceless and somehow related to the owner.
Lookling forward to trying the rice and beans.... beware the pork sandwich however, the bread was tasty but the pork was toooooooo dry. Still a great find though.
You know the mark of a good "ethnic" restaurant when you see people of that ethnicity eating there. This tiny restaurant front with "Best Cuban Sandwich" in neon is filled with both Cubans serving and eating the fare. The "small" sandwich isn't so small and is very tasty. The chicken soup has bones and no noodles but is far better than what you would find at a so called "Cuban because we serve mojitos" restaurant. The yellow rice and beans with plantains are good, but not exceptional. One thing I can't get out of my head is the Mango Shake... Jamba Juice ain't got nuthin' on em. Service here is not exceptional, but it's probably because of the language barrier. Here's a tip: just point.
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Oh my gawd the Cubano sandwich with chorizo was to die for! The flavor in the chorizo added flavor to the already yummy Cubano sandwich. The price of the sandwiches and entrees in the menu is definitely easy on the wallet. Service was alright but who cares about the service when the food is super good!
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interestingly enough i almost had to create this businees inside the virtual walls of the yelp empire. The reason i though i would have to do this was because the neon lights in front of this place read, in big bold letters mind you Casa Havana. not to mention the fact that that is exactly what it says on the menu. Some one over there at yelp should probably research this so that it makes more sense to me and maybe a few thousand others who might want to write and or read a review of this place i mean since it is in a little borrogh called manhattan.
but onto the review. do not be fooled by the grease making the windows a litle harder to see through nor the rows of what look like premade sandwhiches which line those windows they actually are only the hardware if you will of the sandwhich.
the place is unassuming and when you walk in you see cubans eating ordering and conversing in spanish a must for a joint like this. i had the cubano and it was delicious. pork ham swiss mayo mustard and pickles. don't omit anything. eat the sandwhich as it was meant to be. amazing. i wish i had eaten there more often. great spot for takeout. they also have empanadas and sit down meals that looked tasty as well. I was really tempted to try the goat stew special with rice and beans but alas we were on our way to the airport and a sandwhich is much more convenient for a travellers meal. and it did not disapoint.
this is a must visit if 1. you are in the area 2. if you are on a budget, 3. you want to pack a lunch for your visit to lets say central park. any of those kinds of things. well done authentic cuban food. better than anywhere you'll find in SF. oh yeah by the way lunch for 2 of us was 12 bucks out the door. great spot.
This is one of my favorite finds in NYC. This non-descript hole-in-the-wall serves up some of the best Cuban food around. Their yucca, tostones and platanos maduros are so good. Not to mention the huge portions of stewed chicken, yellow rice and black beans. I'm a bit bummed that I live in LA now 'cuz I haven't found any place like it here. But at least it gives me a reason to go back and visit NYC!!!
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I have a friend with whom I share a profound love of sandwiches. A love that transforms every excursion to Oakville Grocery into a sacred journey that inevitably culminates in a nailbiting decision between grilled chicken with pancetta or turkey pesto, a love that has turns any mention of tortas into at least five minutes of rhapsodic praise, a love surpassed only by an utter devotion to the soyrizo scramble. So when she told me that if I thought the banh mi was an astounding value I should really check out the cuban sandwich, I took it under advisement. I'll admit that the "large" cuban sandwich that the Havana Chelsea waitress plunked down in front of me did not immediately impress. I expected something a bit fluffier, a bit steamier, not something that looked like it had been steamrolled and shoveled into its sad little basket after sitting out for a few minutes. Clearly my judgment had been impaired by the less than flattering flourescent light that bathes Havana Chelsea in a sickly yellow glow because one bite of that sandwich and my reservations evaporated. It was incredibly filling, and my initial dismay at discovering pickles hiding under the ham (clearly I did not do enough pre-consumption research as to the fixings of a cuban sandwich) turned into incredulity that pickle flavor could add such a nice touch. The prices are certainly reasonable, particularly for the larger dinner dishes, and the service was friendly and quick. And french fries have nothing on the fried plantains.
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