Havana

Food was great, but half of our food wasn’t delivered as ordered. When we called, we were refunded for the food that was missing and were specifically told that they would not «re-​deliver» the rest of our food. What was the point of ordering?!

Decent chile relleno, good empanadas, very good mojitos. The place is a bit on the loud side.

The worst crab cakes I ever had tried in my life. I guess they made it from canned fish. The texture was far from crab meat. Very disappointed. The Mojito is too sweet. To much sugar, syrup etc.

Craving Cuban food, I made everyone come here. My benchmark is the Cuban roast pork, and here it is not a signature dish. Everyone enjoyed their food otherwise, and it was good overall.

Great place for food and drinks. I’d say Cohiba in Lakeview maybe be more authentic but this is good too, and definitely has a great. ambiance. It’s especially wonderful when it starts getting warmer and you can sit outside. Haven’t had them in a while, but I believe the mojitos there are pretty good too, and of course good music always playing… you may or may not end up dancing while eating.

Food was good. But disappointing service. Took them ages to take our order. We asked if we could get extra salsa to go along with our plantain chips. But they said they’ll charge us for it! (Who does that?!). Again they took ages to get the extra salsa, after our dinner was almost done! AND they made a mistake in our check by adding an extra cocktail.
Their guava flan dessert was excellent though.

This place was not very busy when we arrived. It looked like only 1 server for about ⁶⁄₈ tables (server was nice but seemed a little off) the food was good drinks were nice and strong! The only thing I would complain about is service lacked!

This restaurant gets 3 stars…
1. The décor lacked what one would consider Havana, Cuba. A bright white coat of paint, change the brown to something livelier, brighter lights and some décor on the walls would give this place the facelift it needs.
2. I think the chef/​owner is confused. The menu was half Cuban and half Mexican. Both great foods by themselves… not together. :/​
3. The guac was very good. The other dark salsa was not.
4. The tortilla soup was not good. It had a weird smoky taste that was very potent.
5. The Cuban chicken dish was excellent.
6. The yuca was mediocre. Had it been boiled yuca with their mojo, now that would’ve been a money maker!
7. The desserts were bleh so we skipped out on that.
8. The prices were quite high for the food. Had the portions been larger the price point would’ve matched.
All in all… I was kinda bummed. Good thing my date was HOT! ;)

Great place, good to go to for both lunch and dinner. I love love love Cuban food so I’ve been a few times and have enjoyed it each time. Good seafood dishes.
I’ve had a mojito here before which could’ve been stronger but was good.

Visit 1: September ’10
Banana leaf wrapped pork and a pitcher of mojitos to myself. Left happy.
Visit 2: November ‘15
Carne asada and three pitchers of mojitos. Left happier. Went back five years later off the fond memory I had of the first visit.
Visit 3: This coming Friday
Can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it.
Not sure why reviews range the way they do on this place. I’m thinking guest education. The food’s delicious. It’s consistent, on my drawn out ass timeline. It opens to a dance floor on Friday nights. And $ 15 pitchers of mojitos?! And this coming from a guy who keeps a recipe on-​hand for subpar occasions. You owe it yourself to go.
If it’s your first time, and especially on a Friday or weekend, give yourself ample time. Or bring company. And order from the especialidades. With the exception of the jibarito. Save that for Cafecito-​on E Congress.

Very solid place, we’ve been coming here for several years now and the food is always spot on. Some of our favorites are the Havana Pulled Pork and the Carne Asada.
The mojitos and sangria are great and very nicely priced for the neighborhood.

I really enjoy this place and feel and the food. I always order Ropa Vieja which was great, my leftovers tasted even better. Bae ordered Costillas con Barbeque aka Ribs and they were super tenders and the sauce was tasteful. I tried a spicy Margarita and it was yumster!!!

I was excited to try Cuban food and what could sound more Cuban than Havana? The restaurant appeared nicer than I expected. It could very well be a nice dinner place. While the food tasted ok, the service was lacking and the restrooms were dismal.
Starting with the menu, there was a good selection of Cuban cuisine. I got the steak jibarito, a sandwich with fried plantains for the bread. In terms of taste, it was average. I thought it could have used more flavor, especially since the plantains were really starchy, like dense bread. My friend got a chicken dish and I liked it better.
The service was the more disappointing element. We waited a long time to pay and it seemed like there were rotating waiters. When we asked to split the check, the waitress who came to pick up the check handed it back to us and told to us to wait for another waitress. She never came, so we ended up going up to the bar to pay. While this place tries to be a nice dinner restaurant, it falls short on service and quality. For the price point, I think it can do much better.

Me and my boys rolled over for lunch as I don’t think any of us have been here. The thought of Latin American food was quite enticing so thats why we went with it. Since there was a TV behind the bar, the 3 of us grabbed a seat. Was here for lunch so we couldn’t grab a drink even though I see on some of the reviews the guava mojito is whats up here!
I went with the jibarito and it was pretty good. Better than some of the versions I’ve had at some other latin joints. The steak was quite tender and packed with flavor along with the two fried twice green plantains made for a good lunch. I need to get back here for the mojito though!

This place has some really good Cuban food! Loved the chicken in plantain leaves so full of flavor. We went there as a big group and ordered a bunch of things and except for the beef (Ropa Veija) that was a little rubbery according to the hubby every one seemed pretty happy with their dishes. The entrees are pretty large in size so we skipped the appetizers.
The cocktails kept following and had a good amount of alcohol in them. The service was quick inspite of the place being jam packed on a Friday night.
Coming to the best part, the music! Love Latin music and they seemed to mix it with English songs from time to time. Our group had a great evening! Will definitely be going there again!

The food is pretty authentic and I enjoyed the drinks I ordered. Unfortunately, the slow and inattentive service will ruin any good experience you have with the food. We went on a Saturday night and were seated in the basement. It was really, really loud. A small space with way too many people packed in. Also, the restrooms were disgusting. When a restaurant has unkempt restrooms, it always makes you think how clean their kitchen could be. I would pass on this place if you have a choice.

We were looking for a place to which we had not been that could offer a good dining experience and we found a gem of a place in HAVANA! The four of us ordered different entrees and each was very happy with the selections. Meat was tender, sauces were flavorful and portions were healthy. The atmosphere was festive and we just had a great time. Each of us vowed to return here with others at some time soon. I love a restaurant that merits positive reviews just by what they do! Congrats, Havana!

I came here for a date night on a Thursday and it was exactly what my boyfriend and I were looking for! The restaurant itself is small, cozy, and dimly lit and the food was hearty, satisfying yet affordable. To start, we ordered a pitcher of mojitos and it was strong, refreshing and transported me back home to sunny Florida. I will definitely be returning for their half off pitchers on Fridays and try other flavors as well. We also shared the ceviche mixto, half order of guac and chips, and a cup of the sopa tortilla as appetizers. The tortilla soup had a bean-​y texture, which was not what I expected, but still tasty nonetheless. The guac and ceviche were also good and generous portions.
For our main dishes, I ordered the Havana roasted pulled pork and my boyfriend got the carne con tequila. My boyfriend loved his steak and said it was super flavorful. I kept stealing his Latin fries that were tossed in a delicious chimichurri sauce and would definitely recommend getting a side of these fries. I also really liked the pulled pork dish (even as leftovers the next day), but my one gripe was that the roasted cream corn sauce that it came with was a bit too sweet to me for this savory dish.
Overall, Havana is a great place if you’re looking for a casual place with strong drinks, flavorful food, and a varied menu. Will be returning to try their other tasty sounding dishes and drinks sometime soon!

Alright, so I checked in here for my birthday last night. This is a gem of a joint right downtown. There are several places around it so I will have to visit this street again. I will be returning to Havana for several reasons.
Just to let you know, Havana is a very intimate restaurant (small). There are only a few booths and a line of tables in the center. It is dimly lit beautifully and is a date night showstopper. From the front door to the bathrooms everything is clean and exceptionally kept. The décor is romantic and classy but not stuffy and pretentious. So on appearance, from the charming outward appearance to the quaint seating area, this place is wonderful.
I had a reservation, I showed up about 10 minutes early and was seated at my reservation time so thumbs up for not making me wait as it was packed in there. I was waiting on 2 people in my party anyway. The host had a pleasant and professional demeanor which I appreciated My cousin and I had a drink at the bar while we waited and the bartender was polite and cheery and again professional.
All the staff is well trained because I also loved our waiter Eddie. He was honestly suggestive on drinks and meal choice and seemed genuinely concerned that we had a great experience. We didn’t wait long for anything and he checked on the table properly.
2 people in my party aren’t big eaters so after appetizers and drinks they couldn’t finish their entrees and they are not the type that brings home leftovers so they had a lot on their plate. Eddie was concerned and asked if they were satisfied with their meal. He was assured that they were, it’s just that they were full and don’t do leftovers, But I feel that the fact that he asked was excellent behavior. A genuine concern again for our experience.
I enjoyed the live Latin band after 11:00 and the music that played throughout. Some people were even dancing in the front. This is an enjoyable atmosphere.
If all that isn’t enough, the food was fantastic. We all loved the chimichungas, and the guacamole and salsa for the chips were flavorful and well seasoned. I had a chicken dish with poblano pepper cream sauce and it was on point. The portion on the paella is over the top and delicious. The chocolate cake brought out for my birthday with a candle on it was a nice touch from our waiter and it was fudge deliciousness, we all shared a bite and it was a great dessert. Everything we ate tasted great and authentic. I wasn’t disappointed in anything at Havana. I seriously have not one complaint. I will return.

Delicious food. My favorite dish is the Pollo Horneado con Platano. Love the atmosphere, music and location as well. Would definitely recommend.

I had the Cuban sandwich and thought the Latin fries were going to be yuca fries not seasoned fries. Season fries were cold, but the sandwich was hot.

Havana never seems to disappoint. The prices and pitcher deals are fantastic for River North. Plus– it’s Cuban! Most authentic Cuban taste in the world? NO. Those are food trucks or restaurants not in the area, but close enough.
If you don’t make a reservation– you should be fine. There was a private party upstairs, so we were seated in the downstairs dining room which felt like we were in a basement party. A loud chatter restaurant and our waiter could care less that he was there but he was friendly and just asked us what we wanted to order. Service was a bit slow.
FOOD! Amazing. My friend got a cuban sandwich and i got the steak jibarito. For 13.95 it was a great portion, perfectly cooked steak in my sandwich between two crispy plantains. I have no complaints.
If you are looking for someone to explain the menu– don’t come. But if you are looking for good bites for a good price– and even have a good group-​come! The drinks are strong and fantastic. A friendly environment and cute place.

Loved it. We both got mohitos. They were good just a little heavy on the lime for my taste. Service was great, music was a little loud but good. I got the ropa vieja and my hub got the ribs. Both amazing. Although I’d have to say the ribs were divine. Sweet and tangy perfection that fell off the bone. Super glad we went

I was hoping dinner at Havana would bring me back to my (part) Cuban roots. It certainly delivered! The tostones were perfectly fried. And while I’m used to eating them with just a sprinkle of salt, the accompanying dips were packed with flavor!
My friend and I split the shrimp skewer appetizer and Cuban pork plate. The shrimp dish stole the show, the pork was just ok. I was expecting a slow roasted, fall off the bone cut of meat rather than slices of pork.
Great mojitos to wash the meal down. The restaurant was packed all night. It’s no secret that Havana is full of energy and delicious cuisine.

We came here randomly on a Tues night.
Things were generally sub par throughout the meal. For example, our waiter didn’t explain anything on the menu and he left to give us a few minutes to decide. It took a while as we waited for him to return. when he didn’t, we had to flag other waiters to send the message that we were ready to order.
We ordered the ceviche which was refreshing and tasty with the plantain chips. The ropa vieja was generally good… the rice was flavorful. The seafood paella was frankly kinda bad. the seafood itself tasted ok but the rice was soggy and the flavors just didn’t seem fresh.

Went with a group of 4 for dinner last week. For appetizers, the empenadas were not that good, but the chimichangas were delicious.
For dinner we got the enchiladas which were your standard enchiladas. We asked for sour cream on the side which made it taste a lot better.
The sweet plantains were cooked perfectly. My favorite part of the meal by far. I have been to plenty of Cuban restaurants before, and this is an average one, but probably one of the better ones I have been to in the Chicagoland area.

The food is super mediocre at best. I got the Cuban sandwich which was 13 $ and it had about one slice of dried out turkey. I could tell it just sat under the warmers for god knows how long. Our waitress was so rude it was unreal. Like I’m sorry to bother you and ask you to do something. It took her like 20 minutes to come see if we wanted anything to begin with. It was super disorganized. And my number one biggest pet peeve is restaurants that don’t split checks I’m mean it’s 2015 it’s not that hard.

Great Cuban place! I went with my cousins and ordered the empanadas and ceviche for starters. The empanadas were amazing! Seriously!!! We ordered ropa vieja (pulled steak in tomato and garlic and onion sauce, that comes with rice, beans and tajadas) and pollo a la cacerola (chicken in a green sauce topped with guac and served with rice. Food was delicious. Service was ok. The decoration is beautiful and the music is very legit Cuban music. Would definitely recommend it.

I loved the ambience of this place, which looks and feels exactly like a café in old Havana.
Unfortunately, that’s where the love stopped. As someone who lives much of the year in Florida, I’ve had a lot of Cuban food at many different restaurants, and I’ve never encountered anything like what is served here.
First off, the lunch menu has been taken over in part by Tex-​Mex items such as quesadillas, not a good sign. Perhaps foolishly, I stuck with something that sounded authentically Cuban, and had the Pollo from the dinner menu, along with a cup of black bean soup.
Good black bean soup is smooth, with plenty of whole beans and crispy bits of onion. This gritty slurry had none of those characteristics.
Traditional Cuban chicken is roasted, with a crisp, garlic coated skin and moist interior, exactly as described on the menu. What showed up, though was a soggy mess covered in a weird salty white gravy that had almost no flavor.
It had more flavor than the «congri,» it was served with, though. That mixture of rice and black beans was dry and utterly flavorless. Fried yucca was similarly flavorless, but had a nice crisp exterior.
The saving grace on the plate were the ripe plantains, which were perfectly caramelized and still hot from the sauce pan. Sadly, one out of five is not enough to get me to ever return.
It’s a shame because the service was efficient, and the place looks great. They just need major adjustments in the kitchen.

Grilled calamari and arugula salad. The salad was a large, filling portion. And I eat a lot. I eat more than my husband.
The grilled calamari was super tender. I’ve never had grilled but I like it more than fried! They also have pitchers of mojito. We didn’t get one but it looked good and every table had one.

What a great Thursday special! $ 20 margarita pitchers is EXACTLY what my friends and I needed to celebrate being done with medical board exams. We probably didn’t need FOUR of them but they sure went down easy. The chips, guac and salsa were super tasty and the grilled calamari salad was yummy too. The calamari wasn’t super chewy and the citrusy dressing was perfect for summer. My friends’ mojitos were spot on too. As our party grew in size, the place started to feel a little cramped, but this was definitely a good place to kick off our celebratory weekend.

OMG!!! this place is soooooo delicous! (Free dessert when you check-​in).
Anyways Waz suggested we eat here to try the Jibarito sandwich. We ordered the Steak Jibarito — not knowing what to expect… the food arrives and its a flat steak in between a flat fried banana!!! OMG so goooood! It also comes with dipping sauce, not sure whats in it, who cares the sandwich was yummy! Its about $ 13 bucks and def worth it.
We also ordered chips and guac… delicious.
The rumors are true… chicago does have better food in town.
Now im on a mission to find me a Jibarito sandwich in San Diego!

Once a month we order lunch in for my whole department and today it was Havana again! I was going to try something different but I loved the jibarito so much last time that I got it again. And again, it did not disappoint.
The plantains were fried to perfection and while the steak was a bit thinner than I recalled, the total sandwich was perfect for lunch and again, I love the sauce that it comes with. Delicious! The sandwich also comes with fries and chimichurri dipping sauce, which was tasty, but I couldn’t eat many of the fries without being too full.
Eating lunch at my desk is not so bad when it’s awesome Cuban from Havana!

Squeezed in for lunch this past Wednesday with a friend to use up my lunch-​for-​two Gilt City deal. Generally, this was a great meal. We tried both soups on the menu; I thought both were great, but my friend thought that the black bean might have had a slight edge. I tried the Torta Cubana and was very satisfied… the ketchup had a little spice to it, which served the perfectly-​cooked fries very well, and the bread the sammie was served on was excellent, as were the fillings. My friend tried the Ropa Vieja… she thought it was good, but «not as good as the spots I used to hit in Miami», whatever that’s worth!
The only negative was service/​food delivery speed… we arrived at about five before noon for our noon reservation, but we didn’t get out until just after 1. For soups and sammies over the work day lunch hour, things moved a little slow for my taste. Otherwise, I would come back here; menu prices seem fair and you get a ton of food for the price, at least off the lunch sammie menu.

I’ve been to Havana 3 or 4 times and have learned to stick with my favorites. Portions are very generous, and I like the dark, modern décor that’s cozy at the same time.
Chimichangas ($ 9) were terrific, perfectly crisp and filled with moist chicken in an addictively good poblano cream sauce.
Empanadas ($ 11) were just ok, the manchego was the best by far while the chicken and ground beef weren’t that interesting.
Carne con tequila ($ 18) wasn’t great, the steak was slightly overcooked and I wasn’t a huge fan of the tequila sauce. The chimichurri was good, but tasted a little weird alongside the tequila.
Pulled pork ($ 17) was a little underwhelming, the pork was tender but not very moist, and the potatoes and creamed corn were good but also added a lot of carb-​y, creamy heaviness that wasn’t balanced by any sort of acidity.
Seafood paella ($ 21) was a mixed bag. The seafood was plentiful and the chorizo was great with the pineapple, but the dish was a little dry overall and the rice wasn’t crusty/​crispy.
BBQ ribs ($ 19) were amazing. The ribs were incredibly flavorful and fall-​off-​the-​bone tender, and the guava-​infused BBQ sauce was tangy and unusual.
Jalea de mariscos ($ 22) was also a fantastic choice, a lot of fresh shellfish including scallops and shrimp in a creamy coconut sauce over rice, I guess it’s sort of like Cuban curry. Definitely recommend.
Havana has its share of hits and misses, but get the empanadas and either the ribs or jalea de mariscos and you’ll leave full and extremely satisfied. I will be back for those.