The ambiance was everything. The lighting of the restaurant was dim but also bright enough to still…read moresee around the time we went. closer to 830pm. Greeted & seated immediately by a super nice woman at the front desk. latin music playing, a vibe for sure. Service- MIIAAAA was super sweet & knowledgeable about the menu. i was being particular about wanting a side of cream with my dish and she knew exactly why & was able to bring me some. she checked on us the right amount of times & at the end reminded us of their brunch & live music hours. she also made sure to have the manager give us 2 certificates for money off our next visit since it was our first time. give her a raise! food/drinks- everything and i mean everything was delicious. from the drinks to the appetizers/tapas & the entrees & desserts. everything had flavor, the drinks were perfectly strong and not overpowering taste of alcohol either. 10/10 we'll definitely be back

5 Stars - Service…read morewas incredible. Kia was very attentive and had great vibes. We were able to chill and enjoy some drinks before we ordered our food. THE FOOD was some of the best we've had in Walnut Creek. The seafood in the paella was so fresh and perfectly cooked. Chimichurri steak was so tender and flavorful as well. Scallops? Also 10/10. Would absolutely come back to try other tapas and mojitos.

Every time we're in the area, we end up coming here. It's a great way to stay connected to Cuban…read moreculture. The atmosphere, the food, and the flavors really bring that authentic Cuban feeling every time. The staff is always super friendly too, which makes it even better.

Saw the sign for Habana Express on the way to my bank and had to check it out. After looking over…read morethe menu, we ordered the Cubano as a combo, which came with a side and a soda. We've both had Cuban food before, so we knew what to expect. This is not a place to rush in and out. It took about 20 minutes for our order, but everything was made fresh, arrived hot, and was packed up well to go. The sandwich was big enough to split. The bread was spot on, with thick slabs of roasted pork, ham, melty Swiss cheese, pickles, mayo, and mustard. I would have liked a little more mustard, but overall it hit the mark. We will definitely be back.

Excellent food, my favorite is the Mojito chicken bow. My hubby loves the meat plates and their…read moreplantains are incredible. Their Service is top notch and the music is THE BEST!!

This place makes me want to visit San Mateo just to eat here!…read more I am currently on a very difficult journey to try everything on the menu, but the problem is I keep wanting to reorder the same staples, especially their famous Cubanos. Everything I've tried has been delicious, and the sauces are seriously amazing. They make their own chimichurri sauce, a super spicy habanero sauce, and a creamy white sauce that somehow makes every bite even better. The fresh juices are also worth trying. You can tell they're actually fresh. This spot is flavorful, memorable, and absolutely worth going out of your way for.

Overall subpar flavors and absolutely not worth the long wait…read more I came across this vendor through a festival unfortunately they are not equipped to meet the demands of event goers. Hopefully their catering is better. Waited over an hour for empanadas, rice and plantains. The food was sadly overcooked, skimpy and not worth the cost. I do think with some operational improvements they may be able to overcome their current obstacles.

I tried empanadas from Dona Aida's at the Latin Food Festival in San Jose. My personal opinion is…read morethat it provides the best experience when you use them for catering and a reasonable experience when you try them at an event like a festival. I ordered both the crab and Cuban empanadas when I visited them at the San Jose Latin Food Festival. Their empanadas are made-to-order, which is great in theory as you know they are fresh but also resulted in waiting almost 30-45 minutes. The empanadas were definitely tasty but not necessarily worth the long wait. Now I should mention that the festival itself was a complete flop (if I could write a review, it would be two stars)... besides this place, there was literally one other taco truck and a Puerto Rican food stall. There were quite a few people in attendance at this festival that were literally all split in terms of waiting in line between these three places. I'll give Dona Aida's the benefit of the doubt and that they may have just been overwhelmed with the crowd hence the long wait time. However, I should note that I also caught a glimpse of this place at the Latin Food Festival in Oakland (much more successfully put together than the festival in San Jose) and they seemed to be backed up there as well. Once again, the empanadas from here were delicious and had I picked up my order immediately, I would have given a five star review, but it does seem like they are best used for pre-orders/catering rather than made-to-order at an event.

Came for an early Mother's Day celebration on a busy Saturday and had an incredible experience! The…read moreSouth American and Caribbean flavors were so rich, bold, and vibrant in every dish. I loved the jerk pork tacos! The pork was juicy, tender, and aromatic, and the mango-papaya salsa added a refreshing sweetness. I also tried the paella Oyo that my sister ordered which was sooo yummy and full of protein. The small size was more than enough! My mom ordered the oxtail stew which wasn't on their brunch/lunch menu (dinner only), but I really appreciate that they were accommodating to make that dish for her. I've never had oxtail and it was delicious--tender, perfectly sweet and savory, and paired well with the plantains. The other dishes that my family ordered were hits too (jerk pork shoulder and seafood paella). We also tried the ripe plantains pancake Oscar for a sweet treat. I love anything marshmallow, so the brûléed marshmallow cream that blanketed the pancakes was heavenly. It also came with a plantain on top and a few other fruits to balance out the sweetness. Overall, we left full and all around very satisfied. The staff showed us such warm hospitality and came around often to check on us, despite being an almost packed house. The decor was beautiful and the atmosphere had a fun lively energy. With indoor and outdoor seating options, anywhere you get seated is a nice spot. Can't wait to visit again to try their dinner menu items and drinks, and hopefully catch some live music!

Ceviche and paella were tasty!…read more Service was pretty fast, too. Love the decor inside they have a bar with fun drinks

Always our go to for a nice break. Everything was yummy and I always pour their hot sauce on…read moreeverything. Kind service, I always ask for clarifications and staff favorites. Look is very nice and clean. Love that they have a bathroom too.

After a few hours of walking around the mall, visiting some stores, and doing the shopping we…read moreneeded, we were both very hungry. As I entered, I eyed Cholita Linda, and since we had already eaten at the place near us, I knew what we wanted and would enjoy for our late lunch or early dinner... a Cubano! For those who might not know, a traditional Cubano sandwich is made with Cuban bread (a white bread loaf with a thin, crispy crust and a soft, airy inside. Usually, a moist palmetto leaf is placed on top of the dough before baking to create its signature split), Mojo-marinated roasted pork (slow-roasted in a marinade made of sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, and cumin), glazed ham (sweet, deli-style sliced ham), Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and yellow mustard. Of course, here in the US, the recipe is adjusted based on the location and available ingredients, but the core stays the same, which makes for a delicious sandwich. Cholita Linda's Cubano is made with pulled pork shoulder, black forest ham, mustard, pickles, aioli, and Swiss cheese on grilled French bread. Trust me when I tell you that it is a delicious version! Anyway, this location is very well managed and maintained. The staff are friendly and the place is clean and nicely kept. They have tables inside and outside the mall. On a warm day, you might prefer to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air while you eat.

My husband & I had 5:15 pm reservations. We were seated right away…read more I'm glad that we had reservations because the restaurant was full. Atmosphere is modern with beautiful lighting and large windows that let in lots of natural light. Lots of ferns. Tropical. Decor lent itself to the Islandesque menu. We ordered wine for my husband and the Isle de Tigre for me. Later I had Cucumber Crush. Both were refreshing and original. We had Jerk Chicken & Coconut Braised Pork Belly tacos for starters. They were delicious. The Jerk Chicken was a standout! I had the Jerk Fillet of Salmon, my hubs had Lita's Steak Dinner. While dinner was delicious, next time we will get 2 Chicken Jerk Tacos each and a couple of craft cocktails and sit at the bar. Pricing is reasonable. We had two starters, 2 entrees, 2 drinks each. Bill with tip was $200.

When I'm in the area, I usually just go by here. One day my coworkers were wanting to go out for…read morelunch, so we came here. I'm so glad we did. Service was excellent and the food is delicious. We had the chicken empanadas to start off and they were a perfect bite! I had the steak frittes and I had zero regrets. I love the ambiance here and our server was very friendly and attentive. I don't know what took me so long to come here but I definitely will be back soon!!!

Ate here soo many times…read more You go to the counter, place your order, pay, and have a seat. They bring your food to you. This is hands down my favorite spot for fish tacos. They are not skimpy on the fish. It is deep fried to perfection and tender flaky on the inside. Ordered their Baja Fish Tacos, plantains, and tostones con picadillo. All very flavorful. Service was excellent.

Whenever I'm in Alameda, I stop here for the Baja Fish tacos. The ingredients are fresh, the fish…read moreis perfectly battered and fried, and the taco is well prepared overall. The service is always very good and the restaurant is clean and bright. You can opt to sit at a bar against the front window, tables inside, or a few small tables on the sidewalk. Parking is usually not too difficult- unless it's a busy weekend. I'll keep going back for sure!

A very good restaurant--tasty and delicious food A very good restaurant with tasty and delicious…read morefood. I would definitely return--the fish dish with rice and salad is excellent..

It was amzing the service is awesome and there so fast also the food was perfect and when I got it…read moreit wasn't to hot or to cold it was great

I usually go to the one in Burlingame. Today just found out there's one in Walnut Creek. So decided…read moreto give it a try. Foods are amazing as it always be. Robert, our server is very friendly. Will come again if I am in Walnut Creek.

Incredible service from Wilfredo, he is the kindest person in WC and I look forward seeing him…read moreevery time I come! It's amazing how going to a restaurant becomes a whole different experience when everybody is very kind to you. Amazing Food and service!