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Categories: Cuban, Tapas Bars [Edit]
1518 Park StMon-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Wed. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Drinks: freaking strong! The bartender went a little crazy with pouring our rum but that it threw off the taste of the mojito but if you want alcohol, they definitely don't cheap out.
Food: OK
My family and I ordered a bunch of small items (tapas) as well as regular entrees. I ordered the Bistec a la Havana and I was imagining huge grilled steak but it tiny! I mean I'm not a big eater but it was definitely small pieces. Plus the taste was just OK - kinda bland and nothing really blew me away...except for the bill =)
In the end, my family enjoyed their food (they've been there before) but my sis, the boy and I weren't really a fan. Food was mediocre and not mind blowing. Service was ok.
Will probably allow my family to keep going here but if we're invited, we're probably pass. Might be a good place to start with just drinks then after, go somewhere else!
Last honest mojito in town!
not too sweet, very refreshing and STRONG.
just the way I like it.
They have recently hosted an event I attended, showcasing a local photographer and his recent photos of Cuba.
Great crab cakes, good fried plantains, steak and so much more.
First of all the service is great here, but the food was really disappointing. I'm probably biased because my BF is Cuban and actually cooks Cuban dishes for me all the time. I was really looking forward to some delicious Cuban food . . .
The crab cakes were the only thing that I liked, but crab cakes are already rich. They put a creamy sauce on the greens and made it really difficult to finish. It needed some kind of citrus to lighten the richness.
The Shrimp and corn tamale . . . thumbs down. Don't order this, even though the waitress said it was one of her favorites. It had a lot of shrimp, so they don't definitely skimp on the shrimp. But they also do not skimp on the corn either. It was basically a Shrimp and corn creamy garlic sauce over the masa.
The plaintain chips were ok, but not fresh.
If you've been to Cuba or had some home made Cuban food, then you'd know that congris (black beans and rice- not gallo pinto like Ticos) is normal to have with your meal. And they do not even have/offer White rice seperate to serve instead of the sofrito rice. the sofrito rice is Puerto Rican.
The Ropa Vieja was not Cuban Ropa Vieja, it was the Mexican version of Ropa Vieja. No offense to the cooks, but there should at least be ONE cocinero cubano en la cocina, por favor.
If you come here, just order the cuban sandwich and a mojito.
While my sandwich (Ropa=braised beef) was wonderful my friends fries were so greasy it filled her plate. I do reccomend this place and will most likely return, the restaurant would do well to wash their linens. Nearly every table seemed to have a spill of beams or something on the sides ( it just looked nasty)...
while we also waited a little too long when we entered (we almost left), our waitress was nice anx accomodating shen we asked for separate checks. My plantains and sandwich were really, really good though!!!
I arrived at Havana at 5:00 on a Monday night and it was fairly empty. I was waiting to meet a group. I sat in the bar area which came across to me as a bit barron and cold. There were about 6 tall small tables an stools surrounded by windows but there was no warmth or inviting atmosphere about it. They put two tables together for me and came and asked me at least five times if I wanted a drink. I kept telling them as soon as I decided I would let them know. I think they were bored since minimal customers. Once our group arrived they asked them if they would like a drink and then we chatted for while. The rest. started to get busier so we decided to take a table in the dining room for dinner. The service was still good and our orders were taken. One ordered Crab Cakes she did not like them she said the crab was so shredded she would not taste it and they were too crunchy. She exchanged them for the Grilled Lime Shrimp which I also had and it was very good. Six grilled shrimp on a bed of rice with a great sauce but not enough of it. Another odered Scallops but she was brought the Grilled Shrimp which she did not care for so the waiter brought her scallops since it was his error but they were a bit over cooked. I also had the Halibut Ceviche, I like ceviche but this seemed like the fish was not marinated enough and it was a bit too sweet for me with the mango in it. Mondays are half price Mojitos all night and this was a bonus. They were good but I prefer more mint so I asked for them to bring me some mint and they did so this made it the way I like them.
The service started to be not as quick as earlier because at that point the rest., was mostly full and the staff was busy. It was good to see it this busy on a Monday night. All in all the service and food were good. I think a bit overpriced for Tapas but our 1/2 price Mojitos help to keep our tab down. I would go again for the Mojitos not sure about the food.
Lunched at Havana after realizing Pappo is closed on Mondays. And after a brief moment of panic on my part, we decided on Havana. It ended up being a good thing. Havana did not disappoint
I was joined by two fabulous yelpers, Cara Y. and Michelle S.
I am trying to refrain from reviewing my lunch companions, but let me say, Thank God Mojitos were not involved. The stories were giggle, giggle funny.
Our hostess/server was right on the mark today. She allowed us girl friends our time without being neglectful. Each course was brought out in a timely manner.
We started with
Boniato Garlic Fries with Guava Chipotle Sauce & Chimichurri Aioli
Halibut Ceviche Mango, Black Beans, Onions, Peppers & Cilantro
with Plantain Chips
Our lunch then consisted of
Plantain Crusted Halibut Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, Sofrito Rice
Bistec a la Havana Marinated Skirt Steak over Sofrito Rice & Black Beans, Grilled Pineapple
Cuban Wedge Chipotle-Buttermilk Dressing, Crispy Onions, Spiced Pumpkin Seeds.
The day was a success without Pappo.
But watch out Pappo, you have some hungry Yelpers coming your way.
Today was my first visit to Havana.Tonight will be my second..
I enjoyed my Halibut Ceviche so very…
Read more »
I don't want to be snobbish in my criticism of snobbish things, or things that aspire to be snobbish, but this restaurant was a bit too pretentious and the food was only ok. I had pork chops once and I swear it didn't even have salt or anything on it. Neither did the black beans. The plantains were good. The lunch time Cuban sandwich is good. The rice and the yucca chips also felt unseasoned. It was ok. Not worth the price and not worth the pretentious atmosphere. Everytime my waitress came around I felt confused like I was at a M.A.C. counter or something--same feeling. Still, terrible it was not, just guess I was expecting more.
Oh the mojitos are good though!
The food is unique. Not that many cuban restuarants in these parts. I would just at least give it a try once if you live around here. It's different from the usual foods you find on Park.
If I were to come here again I would probably order the same things:
Mango Chicken Salad
Bistec Sandwich
(both plantains and garlic fries are good)
I think those are the only things I ordered and will ever order becuase nothing else looks that great to me.
I also really like the internal decor. It's bright and cheerful.
first off, i must say that i LOVE the oversized photographs. it really helps to cut the close-but-no-[cuban]cigar miami aesthetic. fake palm fronds placed arbitrarily atop columns? why? just why?
my friend ordered the bistec and i had the ropa vieja. the winner was clearly the ropa vieja: a deep and wonderful flavor, perfect texture, paired with black beans and rice. my only complaint is that either it was a little too salty or it could use more bell peppers. also, the ropa vieja was a HUGE portion-- enough for two people to share.
also tried: platanos maduros (small portion, way overpriced) and the shrimp & yucca fritters (meh, nothing special, but i was fully diggin' the hot dipping sauce).
the mojito menu was charming, but we settled for the traditional: too much simple syrup, not enough mint, and a little too weak for my liking. but then again, my friend thought it was one of the best mojitos she's ever had... *shrugs*
i'd definitely come back, but i wouldn't go out of my way for havana.
Tried for lunch here today with the lovely Betty H., only to be thwarted by a disappointing lack of customer service.
11:27 -
Meet up with Betty in front of Havana. Totally looking forward to a mocktail, some boniato garlic fries, and a crispy Cuban wedge salad. Signage says they open for lunch at 11:30. Score.
11:28 -
Hostess proceeds to meticulously clean the inside windows and glass front door where we're waiting. No eye contact.
11:30 -
Hostess gets on phone and proceeds to have conversation. Walks from front to back several times, chatting and laughing. Door still locked. Still no eye contact.
11:33 -
Hostess (still on phone) collects the day's mail from underneath front door, where we're still waiting. Door still locked. Still no eye contact.
11:35 -
Hostess stacks menus neatly on top of podium in front entry. Walks past us back and forth behind bar area and kitchen several times, still on the phone. Door still locked. Still no eye contact.
11:40 -
We give up and walk down a block to have a lovely lunch on the patio at Speisekammer. Hostess was still lingering around in clear view at the front of the restaurant (behind the locked door) as we shrugged our shoulders and walked off.
--------------------
Really, all it would have taken was some sort of very brief acknowledgement that we were out there waiting, and we would have happily hung around and spent our money on lunch at Havana (which was what we both really wanted). Better luck next time, I guess?
Based on the love-hate reviews for Havana, I was prepared for pretty much anything when my coworkers… Read more »
Have you ever had one of those friends? You know, the one who can be the absolute life of the party, always there with a smile or a pick-me-up - but who can turn on a dime into the biggest hot mess drama queen known to mankind. They draw everyone in your circle into a wonderful evening, then disappear for the next two weeks in a semi-moody (but not enough to call them on it) funk. They're inconsistent, but too fun and rewarding to give up on - do you know the type I'm talking about?
Well, that's basically Havana. When Havana is on, they are ON, with tasty food and drinks served up in a colorful atmosphere. When Havana is feeling off - pitchers of mojitos weak enough to use as koolaid, soupy and bland ceviche - I come away wondering if it's all worth it. Havana always sucks me back in though, and generally rewards my return with something yummy. But they are one bad visit away from a long break in the relationship.
I love their Mojitos 's menu. There are a lot of selection and my favorite one is PEACH. I went there for happy hours with 3 of my friends. We order a pitcher of the De Peach Mojito. They are awesome and It tastes really good and refreshing..
Also, we order the garlic fries to snack on.
Came here on a Tuesday night and got seated right away. The decor is very cute and modern...for Alameda! I was definitely impressed. We got a pitcher of original mojito and there wasn't enough alcohol so the waitress happily added more booze and sugar! YAY for that one! Later that night, she also sent over a free shot for each of us! Extra points for that one.
Now for the food. We ordered the mussels, honey glazed shrimp, garlic fries, and shrimp ceviche. The mussels were good with tasty broth but came out cold. The honey glazed shrimp was bland and over hyped, the shrimp ceviche was pretty good, but my friend said it was too spicy. Now for the shocking finale....the garlic fries were the best thing we ordered.
Enough said. Go for drinks but if you want really good tapas, go to Cascal's or ChaChaCha!
Note: 5 stars for Bay area cuban because it's the best and almost only place I could find up here though their menu could use some more items like other Cuban places.
We'd been meaning to try this place for awhile, but usually when we have a hankering to eat out we don't really feel like driving so we've been putting it off.
Well, tonight we were celebrating the boy's finishing of the BAR exam and he voted to finally try the place.
And boy, am I glad that we made that drive!
We've been craving plantains, you know the once fried sweet kind. Well, they've got 'em! and they're delicious! (almost orgasmic). They're called plantain maduros...
Okay, Havana is 1 for 1 so far. Awesome.
Ooh, crab cakes? Let's try 'em! Yummmm.... one of the best crab cakes I've had in awhile.
Hm, 2 for 2. I'm getting excited. Have I really found a local Cuban place? Do I need not wait til my return trips to LA to indulge in Cuban cravings?
Maybe we should order mojitos. EVERYONE has one. They must be good even though there's no real fruit in them. I'll take the de Pina (pineapple) one please.
W.O.W. That is one good mojito. Even better than that one place in the city that only serves them. Perhaps we should come on Monday night next time when they're half off.
Yes yes, Monday night next time. 3 for 3. Sweet! Can't wait for the meal!
Bistec a la Havana please. That's skirt steak with grilled pineapple, black beans, and rice.
Okay here goes. Yum, steak is pretty darned good, and who knew I liked grilled pineapples so much? The rice and beans lacked a bit in flavor, but were still good.
Oof, that was a lot of food. Maybe next time we should split the $20 steak and come on a Monday when mojitos are half off so then perhaps our bill wouldn't be a whopping $90.
Very pricey, but definitely one of my new favorite restaurants in the area (I don't have any up here come to think of it...).
Staff totally ignored us for a good 10 minutes and even moved us from the the stools, even though it wasn't that busy. At one point the bartender looked directly at us, then refilled straws and cleaned two glasses before getting to us, like he had to make a point about something. What'd I do?
Mojitos are the house specialty and what the place is sorta known for (Alameda Magazine's 2009 Best Of) , but c'mon one drink is not that big a deal folks. Kind of a silly accolade IMO.
Food is nowhere near authentic. For example their "lechon" has no skin, which basically the whole point of the dish, and without it, its just carne asada. And the fried plaintains? More like spongy banana chips.
You are paying for the ambience. Nice lighting, interior lines and the huge (and good) photos of Cuba add a lot. The place is packed because its Park St, everyone is going to Alameda to eat these days, and this is as close to South Beach as many are gonna get.
So overrated. The service is snobby and the food doesn't back it up. If you just want a big table to have your friends to drink mojitos at its fine. But if you want good food and appreciate friendly service, this might disappoint. And if you want REAL Cuban, forget it.
I loved it here. Me and two of my girls came here for their b-day. It's in the same month so I figured I'll kill two flies with one rubber band . You heard me-I'm downright dangerous!!
The complimentary bread and butter was warm, crusty and soft on the inside. Just like I like it.. We ordered the drinks, I got De'Pina (a pineapple mojito), one of the girls got De'Colada (a coconut mojito), and one got De Fresca (a strawberry mojito). My friends said they liked their drink. Did I like mine.. They were all topped with a cherry. I'm a pleasure delayer so I had the cherry last. The drinks were very good, but they're creepers.
We ordered from the tapas list. We shared Boniato garlic fries (Sweet potato fries), Mixed Grill( Two chicken, sausage, steak skewers and "sofrito rice"-Spanish rice), Havana crab cakes (Yummy and it comes with mixed greens and a tasty aioli) Ancho-honey glazed shrimp(My favorite dish!!! The sauce was so good and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. I didn't care for the jicama slaw though), mussels (Yum.), Mango gazpacho (Tasted refreshing and kind of ginger-y), and some shrimp dish that was not on the menu. It came with five shrimps on sofrito rice with some cream sauce (It was not all that.). The meal was tasty and we were so full.
The total came to $92.00. Our drinks were either $7-$10. The tapas was between $8-$12.
The server was friendly and gave good recommendations. The bartender was really nice too.
I really dig the nice, peaceful, calm ambiance with a tropical Miami-ish feel. When it gets darker outside, a blue light comes on throughtout the restaurant and they light candles on every table. It's THE place for a special occasion. One point for me..
Well, I haven't actually eaten much here but an appetizer of plantains...but it's getting 4 stars for it's awesome mojitos, offered by the pitcher! We had 3, between 3 of us...enough said.
Overpriced and mediocre food, this was much better when it was Emerald Garden. This place is the worst place on Park St.
I absolutely love the color scheme of this restaurant! Stepping inside makes me feel like I've step into a whole new world compared to the other restaurants in Alameda. Lunch time is the best to enjoy the skylight above the dining area. The walls are colored with bright pastels and covered with large cultural photographs of people and things found in Cuba.
Appetizer
- Complementary bread and butter: warm bread, good.
- Twice fried plantains w/pineapple salsa: It looks like a banana was smashed into a very thick circular disc. Hint of saltiness and soft, it did not taste crispy enough.
Entree
- Grilled chicken pressed sandwich: Tomato, arugula, swiss cheese, mango salsa. Crispy ciabatta like bread, but the portion size was quite filling. I only finished half of my order.
- Pressed Sandwiches comes with a side of Boniato Fries, Twice Fried Plantains or Sofrito Rice. Skip the rice (bland, no tomato flavor, topped with scallions) and get the fries!
- Boniato Garlic Fries with Guava Chipotle Sauce & Chimichurri Aioli: OMG, so good! Not oily, thin, crispy, and flavorful without the dipping sauce. *Favorite*
Dessert
- Flan: Comes with a side of whipped cream and strawberry slices. Very rich/creamy and you can taste the alcohol. Alright.
Overall, a great lunch spot. Not packed, attentive service. Although not all items were available at the time we came, I enjoyed lunch here and it's a nice break from all the other restaurants in the area.
P.S. They have a bunch of flavored mojitos (they sounded very good) and a virgin mojito option as well. Must try for happy hour!
A friend of mine met me here for cocktails and apps the other day. The first thing... the interior looks like a high school cafeteria from the 50s. I thought... wtf? Aqua colored counter top and lots of diner metal seating.
We sat at the bar and ordered the required mojito - I had the melon (watermelon flavored and wicked good) and my friend had the limone. She also seemed to enjoy her drink.
Oddity about the bar.. all of the glasses and liquor are in direct sunlight and the glasses are all HOT when served. Who thought this was a good idea? One woman at a nearby table complained that her wine was served in a HOT glass. Hey Havana.. .FIX THIS!
Food..
We had several appetizers. The Mixed Grill is awesome and each piece of protein was devoured with glee.
The Shrimp Ceviche - yum! The mango salsa was so good I tried to discretely lick the plate. Spicy Plaintain Chips were also terrific.
The gentlemen next to us ordered SEVERAL plates of the garlic fries. between three men - they devoured four plates of them (and then ordered dinner). I tried some - they were eons better than even Gordon Biersch fries.
Music.. excellent selection of real Cuban music. I've been to Cuba, so I would know. They didn't play mexican tunes and tell you they were Cuban.
We will likely be back. Will be happy to try more of their food and drink. And maybe bring more people so we could try more things.
Okay, I had mad cravings for cuban food after channel surfing, finding the food network, and catching the episode of Paula Deen's Havana in Savannah with Daisy Fuentes as guest along with the grand dame herself, Ms. Gloria Estefan... Conga! I decided to suggest this place to my date later that evening.
Overall, it was decent. Hostesses were nice. The mojitos were well made (on the sweet side, but not overpowered by the mint... how i generally like them). The mussels appetizer was heavenly... the mussel juice was flavorful and perfect for dipping the toasted bread.... and the soft cuban bread with the whipped butter also made for a great start. The main dishes... well, I wanted to really like.... they were tasty (my date had the lechon and I had the ropa vieja). the entrees, though good, did not rock my world. The Lechon needed to be hotter and crispier and the ropa vieja needed to be less greasy.
As for the ambience.... it's a cute spot. The tables for two can be cramped when you are sitting right beside other coupled guests. I'd come back... but my date was a total disaster, it was the last date with someone I really liked. It will be hard to go back there due to memories of heartbreak. Five star places would call me back even with bad date associations.... It'll take some time to heal.... If I return to havana, it will be a long time (hmmmm. i just sounded very cuban and very exiled).
Found this gem thanks to Yelp. The service was superb and the food was just was great as the service. We had the ahi tuna tar tar to start and it was delicious! The manager/owner came to check on us many times and gave great recommendations. We also had the mixed grill over sofrito and the lechon over papas. I love Cuban food, this place is very special Cuban. . . I felt like I was in the movie Like Water for Chocolate, the food was that good. I am a rum girl and I have to say they have a pretty good rum spread: Flor De Cana, Oronoco, Zaya, etc. The drinks were great and all the servers are willing to serve you. Great music plays thought the restaurant parking is easy. The manager/owner sent over some scallops and dessert on the house. We even left with gift certificates to come back. . . and we definitely will.
We came in on Friday night for a few drinks. We didn't try anything on the food menu other than the plantains maduros, which were very tasty. But the highlight of the night, by far, was the mixed drink that bartender Johnathan made us.
If you order nothing else at this place, find Johnathan and ask him for a Zaya daiquiri. Quite literally, this might be the best mixed drink I have ever had. Impossibly delicious. Imperceptibly alcoholic. Totally unforgettable.
great mojitos, friendly service and good food! We had several tapas, a couple of dinners and salad, etc. among 5 people, so we were able to sample a bunch of things on the menu. My fav. was the plantine chips that came with shrimp ceviche (because the chips were spicy!) and seafood paella. I also liked the roasted corn that came with the cumin coated tuna. Ambiance is a bit like MIami Beach meets Cuba meets California.... Interesting.... The high lihgt was the the friendly service by the Manager, who compted us some sort of vodka rapsberry drink, which I liked 'cus it was not too sweet! I would def. go back.
This was my first trip to Alameda. What a cute town! Havana was delicious. The mojitos were just so-so but the food was really tasty. The table shared some apps: Boniato Garlic Fries Guava Chipotle Sauce & Chimichurri Aioli, yum. Havana Crab Cakes Pineapple Aioli--lovely! And Twice Fried Plantains Pineapple Salsa-nice, with a kick!
For entree's: I ordered the Cumin Crusted Tuna Sofrito Rice, Lime Vinaigrette, the fish was very fresh and I loved the flavors. My Bf had the Plantain Crusted Halibut Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa, Sofrito Rice--he loved it...I look forward to visiting again and trying the Paella Clams, Shrimp, Chorizo, Chicken & Fish with Peas & Saffron Rice.
I love Cuban food :)!!! Not enough of it in the bay, happy to have found a place close to my new house that I like!!
Havana, Havana, Havana....what else says Cuba other than Havana and rum? I'll tell you what. Mojitos.
This place is hands down the go to place for pitchers of mixed mojito goodness. The bar tender was hands down a mixologist for the ages and he even showed me his special stuff of "forbidden" rum.
Great service friendly attitude. Bar tender is not only a good mixer; he's also a riot. We swapped stories of meeting women at bars for hours while he continued to mix for my friends and I. Kept us highly entertained.
At this point, you might be asking, why the 4 stars? Well, the menu is not really anything special and the music--while really good--is on WAY too loud. If Havana reads Yelp (and I hope they do) they'll make the adjustments necessary to make me give them 5 stars.
a measure of good service is how the staff handles things when they get something wrong. The bartender/host/waiter earns major stars for
1. listening to my friend complain about her drink being too weak (cringe!)
2. tasting the drink to figure out what was wrong with it
3. coming back to the table to let us know, and
4. making her a new drink that knocked her on her ass.
Count 'em, 4 stars - you earned them bartender boy!
This seems to be one of the new hot spots in Alameda for great food, and it has a lot of great upside!
I feel like the restaurant does give off a nice south Florida vibe... By that i mean the white walls, the huge windows that let the sun come in... the baby blues and lime green... the huge pictures on the wall... the friendly waiters... Its a nice vibe in here.
Items i've tried include the Mango Chicken Salad. The full salad is very big, and it comes out very cold so it tastes fresh... but it lacks alot flavor. That will run you $10.95 at lunch.
The sauteed Scallops are pretty good. They're very easy to cut through, not very rubbery like some scallops can be... For $11.95 you get 4 scallops.
The item i like most is the Shrimp Ceviche. Honestly, i've never met a ceviche i didn't like... I think everyone likes ceviche because it's basically just a freshly made salsa... it's hard to go wrong here. The only problem i had was i wish Havana's ceviche was a little spicier. $9.25
Lastly, one item i would not recommend... The crab cakes. I'm not even sure if they put crab into them. For a dish that every restaurant should have on lock... this one failed. It tasted like tuna/mystery meat. $9.50
I think this place is pretty good... A solid A-OK 3 stars! I think the prices are a little high for the amount of food you receive, but that's how it is with all tapas spots. There is a nice $10 off coupon in the East Bay Express, i would recommend trying to snag one of those... I think i'll probably be back to Havana to try one of their main entrees or sandwiches...
Half off Mojitos, every Monday. hmmmm
To quote another reviewer "WOW, that's a really good mojito" I had the mango and traditional flavors. Would have had more but had to drive home at some point.
Had the seabass for dinner..yummy and rich but $$$
The fries were too greasy for my taste but the aoli that came with them should be bottled and sold, yum.
Will most def go back....on a Monday :)
So I went here a year ago and remembered it being excellent. I went again last week and it was not. Overpriced, ceviche had very little fish, generally very stingy portions on all the tapas. The Sangria was very good but everything else left much to be desired. Service was friendly but slow in a not packed Friday night restaraunt, I expected much better.
They had food here??
I was in mojito heaven so I didn't really have time or space for any of that. I just saw a bunch of mojitos on the menu that sounded tasty, so I ordered as many as I could. I can't remember which I liked best so I guess I'll have to go back and try them all.. again :)
Returned here tonight and definitely had a better dining experience than last time!
My boyfriend and I were seated immediately this time and my Adobo chicken was very good! Last time I thought the rice and beans were plain, but this time they tasted better and the mango salsa that came with my chicken was a nice compliment to it.
Last time I had ordered the Bistec a La Havana which I thought was so-so, however I definitely enjoyed my meal much more this time.
The atmosphere and ambiance was still cool, with occasionally dimmed lighting and cool music. We also admired the colorful yet simple decor.
I would return here in the future to try more entrees. Still a great place for dates or an intimate dinner.
Friendly waiters also
To start you do not need reservations unless you have a party of 8 or larger, even on Fridays and Saturdays. (I tried calling earlier in the day to set it up and it is first come first served.)
It is right on Park so it is close to everything once you can score a parking spot. We went it and were seated straight away, water and bread/butter were brought within 2 minutes. The decor was okay and i'd probably like seats that were a little more comfortable. That being said, the service is good, food fresh (we tried the Halibut Ceveche with mango and the plantain chips. It was very tasty. For the main course we enjoyed the short ribs and the skirt steak. I would have liked the steak a bit spicier but the flavor was good. The beans and rice were hmmmm just okay nothing special. Just black beans and rice. They need to add some tomatoes and some bell peppers to make it more flavorful.)
The main thing is if you are looking to have some cuban food in the East Bay this place will suit your needs. I would not recommend it for a first date due to the noise level. My lady and I found ourselves saying "What?!" alot.
I had high hopes for Havana, based on the smells coming out of the kitchen on arrival. I'll say the food was really good, the mixed grill tapas and the garlic fries (made with some sweet potato) were tasty. The scallops were divinely tender, if a little over salted and cold in the middle, too.
Our server was attentive and candid with us about the sizing of the portions, and steered us toward best value. Drinks were strong, and reasonably priced.
We only ate three tapas total, and had two drinks each. The total bill was about $70, which is a little high in my book, for the amount we ate.
This was a departure from our regular sushi Friday night dinner, and it was about twice as expensive. Wasn't twice as good. I won't rush back, but I would return.
We like it here! We don't drink so we can't say much about the mojitos and the other libations (I've been on a candida free eating/drinking, boyfriend is diabetic), but we actually always enjoy the food.
Appetizers: We LOVE the scallops-some of the best in the Bay. We usually get the garlic fries or the platanos maduros depending on if we're going sweet or savory, though the garlic fries do both pretty well.
Entrees: The halibut and the seabass are both pretty good. The corn cake that comes with the seabass might make it slightly better.
As I said, we like it here.
Despite all the mixed reviews, I think Havana's is a pretty classy place for a date night or a fun night out. The service was great, prompt, and friendly. We were greeted and seated immediately.
Though I've never been to Cuba before, the fresh decor with white walls, accented with bright blue and green beams, and large portraits of Cuban people and scenery made me feel like I was somewhere like Cuba...but since it's not totally authentic, maybe I don't really know what I'm talking about...Maybe it's Cuban-American?
On another note, Havana's is a place with quality food. The BF and I came here for a date night on a Wednesday night.
We ordered:
- Peach Mojito: they must have read the previous reviews, because it was quite strong. The peach flavor got a bit lost in the mix.
- Shrimp Tamales: The shrimp was good, it was good with the crushed corn, but the corn itself was weak in flavor. I wouldn't recommend this dish.
- Crab cakes: I didn't think they were as bad. Of course, they can't compete with the ones from the East Coast, but I've had worse. Sauce was good as well. Served on some tasty greens.
- Mixed grill: delicious, cooked just right and juicy. I especially liked the mango-rice it came with. Flavorful but not overpowering.
Overall, the food excels in quality with great ingredients that marries well together. Great sauces and flavors, they keep me wanting to come back for more.
Who would of thought you can get some Cuban Latin Nites in the heart of Alameda!
A friend's birthday brought us here, its a great spot! Loved the ambiance. Its trendy, authentic and fun! Nice Cuban decor with great staff and a great menu!
We had a party of 20. Ordered three pitchers of Mojitos and a bunch of tapas. I've never seen sucha variety of Mojitos! Pineapple was our favorite Mojito and the Shrimp Ceviche and Garlic Fries were the favorite tapas.
As far as entrees, they have a little bit of something for everyone. The birthday boy had the Bistec, that was delicious, with grilled pineapple on top. My fiance had the Lechon, it was tender and flavorful. My Sea Bass was perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside juicy on the inside.
I'd definitely come back! They did after all, hand us all $10 coupons for our next night out.
I guess I am a little more enthusiastic about this place than most. I love their traditional mojita's and much of the food.
The shrimp in cream sauce Tapas is wonderful, ditto the fish dishes, ditto the cuban and BBQ sandwich.
Never had a bad drink here. Always had good service.
Amazingly fun and exotic place for Park St. Alameda.
Update: Had the roasted sea bass over polenta and loved it.
Hint: At the moment, some of the flavored mojitos are less strong than the traditional ones, due to lower proof flavored rum. That may change.
Wow, stepping into the restaurant alone is an experience; beautiful, clean and great music.
The Mojito's I was a little disappointed with. The Mulatto was nice and strong, the mango was a little off on flavor (tasted like passion fruit?). My friend ordered one with a title like pina colada (it was sweet...ok). DO NOT get the sangria. Tasted like cleaning product.
We ordered tapas: Garlic Fries (great), Crab Cakes (ok), Meat skewers (I don't know don't eat meat), and the flan (you can't go wrong). They were out of plantains (well they weren't ripe) so we couldn't try the platanos Maduros!!
It felt like out waitress was trying to kick us out (kept asking if we were ready to order more food, took away our waters....) which kind of made us feel rushed towards the end, but maybe I'll go back and have dinner and drinks with my guy and see what that is like?
I'm giving Havana a solid * *. My husband and I recently went here for lunch. On the up side they had a decent ambiance, good service and pricing on par with their caliber and quality. The food was o.k. It simply didn't knock my socks off. I had the Cuban sandwich and my husband had the ropa vieja sandwich. My husband's ropa vieja was delish! My Cuban was alright. I also ordered the garlic fries and WHOA NELLY were they loaded with garlic. They were also as greasy as it gets, with an oil slick forming on the plate beneath them. Furthermore, the minced garlic was straight up raw. A little flash saute on the garlic would have made it mellow and agreeable. As it was, I think they simply minced it and threw gobs of it on top of the hot fries. Now, their black beans were killer... full of cilantro and perfectly cook but good beans can hardly be considered a draw. I really wish I could give these guys three stars, but alas, I cannot so they will garner two.
Alameda, CA
Category: Tapas Bars
Alameda, CA
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Alameda, CA
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