Havana absolutely lives up to its reputation! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and amazing service. We came for the mojito flight, and it did not disappoint--it was so good! We also ordered the steak plate and the Torta Cubana, and everything was delicious. I honestly cannot rave enough about this place. The food, drinks, atmosphere, and service were all excellent. A special thank you to Ixchel, who was absolutely amazing and made our experience even better. I love this place and definitely recommend it! read more

Havana Grill - Carne asada plate usually rice and beans but opted for rice only. - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Umm no thanks. There was a smashed cockroach on my glass. It was huge. One of the people who worked there saw me holding up the glass to look at it and quickly took it away. Margarita was pretty gross. How do they not have guacamole. This was a big mistake. read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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i've been craving good cuban food since moving to arizona where it's very hard to find. havana did not disappoint. the guacamole, ceviche, and tostones were all fantastic. the garlic dip and mojo with the tostones were perfect and just added to how perfectly the tostones themselves were cooked. my husband ordered the sandwich cubano which was soooo delicious along with the crispy latin fries. i ordered the churrasco... wow. juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned. paired with all of my favorite things- a light citrusy salad, fried yucca, and plantanos maduros. we paid $240 for a steak the night prior at a very high end restaurant, and i enjoyed this one more. our server was very attentive despite being slammed and serving several tables. it was a hot and humid day and the air must've gone out, but they had backup air conditioner units that cooled the space off eventually. i didn't mind the short stint of heat- it made it feel like an authentic havana experience read more

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One in our party was in Chicago before and said that this was the best Cuban food he ever has had. (He never has been to Cuba). BUT HE WAS RIGHT! OH SO GOOD! Excellent in the way it was made and excellent in the way it tasted. Of course we had the Sandwich Cubano with Latin Fries (very good blend of sweet potato and regular fries). It was mid-afternoon, mid-week so not crowded at all but too hot for outside. Johny (not a misprint...that's the way he spelled it) was extremely nice and pleasant answering all our questions. If you can't make it to Havana Cuba, make it to Havana Grill, Chicago! read more

Havana Grill - Pork and rice and plantain - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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WOW. Maybe it's just because I haven't had a seafood paella in a long time, but this one was exceptional. The jibarito was delicious, and definitely worth a shot if you've never had this style of Cuban sandwich before; the buns are green plantains! The guava cheesecake is a MUST order. The service was quick and very friendly. I highly recommend this hidden gem. This place deserves more love read more

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This place was amazing! Came in a few weeks ago to grab dinner with friends, and was easily able to get a reservation same day on a Saturday night at 7 PM. From the very beginning, we were taken care of very well. We were quickly seated when we got in, and our server was very attentive. The restaurant was jampacked too, I'm surprised we were able to get in so quickly! The food was delicious; for dinner I had the pollo a la cubana which was so good. Our server had mentioned to me that this was his favorite item on the menu, and I could not agree more. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and very juicy. Great vibes in the restaurant too, very upbeat feeling here. Everyone was very friendly, and the music added a very tropical feeling. Overall great time and would happily come back. read more

Havana Grill - Pollo a La Cubana - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good choice for cuban food in river north ii order ropa vieja & mojito cubano pretty good flavors & portions staff on point read more

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We first chose this place because it was less busy as the restaurants in the area, they had a ton of outdoor seating, and we love Cuban food. Our waiter was kind and very attentive. We had some guacamole and empandas, great start, and super flavorful. My husband ordered enchiladas, and I ordered something I'd never had, Rollitos Manchego. One of the other waiters came over to congratulate me on what I ordered, so I felt good about it. It was delicious. I felt like maybe Cuban food maybe hasn't caught on in Chicago yet, but we loved this place. Only in town a few days or we would go back. read more

Havana Grill - Chicken Enchiladas - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went just for cocktails which were top tier! Didn't eat here, but wish we had. Definitely will next time! Host and bar staff all excellent! read more

Havana Grill - Banana daiquiri and pineapple cocktail - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Party of one. Had trouble acknowledged by the staff. The service I received was pissed poor no one even checked on me during my meal to see if everything was OK if I needed anything else. The food came out fast when I was able to flag someone down. Just ok. Nothing to rave about. read more

Havana Grill - Carne Con Tequila - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The staff are so nice and welcoming! The music sets a fun vibe. They serve a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, and meat with rice. Cuban food offers a good alternative to the other American restaurants in the area. I'll be back! read more

Havana Grill - Dining area decked out for Christmas - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for a quick coffee and some guacamole and really enjoyed it. The guacamole comes with pico and a tomatillo sauce on the side along with chips, and everything had good fresh flavor. The interior is nice, the bartender was friendly, and the servers were kind and welcoming. It is an easy place to relax for a bit, and I would come back. The veggie parillada sounds great, so that is next on my list. read more

Havana Grill - Interior - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Has a great menu for pan-Latin American and Cuban cuisine. Interior is homey, outdoor patio is nice for a beautiful fall day. We opted for outdoor dining, complete with foliage decoration and lights. To share we had tortilla chips with guacamole, pico and hot salsa . Great combo of tangy, spicy and crunchy. Great start to the evening. For my drink I opted for the original mojito. It was strong but balanced with refreshing mint and lemon. Didn't get the flavored one so no syrupy aftertaste. My entree was the Cuban sandwich. Bread was crusty and slightly chewy. Inside was pork loin, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Meat was tender and melted in your mouth. Chimchurri was served on the side. Dish came with crisp French fries and ketchup. A filling and satisfying meal. A perfect way to celebrate finishing the Chicago Marathon! read more

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If you're looking for a Mojito, that will knock your socks off and get you lit this the place to get it from in Chicago! I love that you're able to customize your Mojito with the ample flavor options they provide. I chose a coconut Mojito and that ish was amazing. These drinks are very parallel to what you would get in Miami in my opinion. Very tasty, very rum forward and tropical. My friend also loved her Mojito. I believe hers was a mango version. She ordered the trio empanada app and she did not like it at all. It was also extremely oily and made her feel unwell. I ordered the steak sandwich with came with a mixed medley of sweet and regular fries. The steak was a skirt steak, which made it a little harder to eat between the ciabatta bread it was between. However, it was extremely tasty, especially with the chimichurri sauce that they provide on the side. That sauce was so damn good. They need to bottle that up and the Mojito for me every time I come to the city. I loved being able to sit on the patio however I definitely migrated with the bees. It was a perfect atmosphere to people watch have great conversation and sip on a drink. If you're shopping down magnificent mile or just catching the views of downtown this is worth this stop to get a quick bite to eat and sip on a really good drink. Staff were attentive and during the week it was pretty quiet. If you're in the area, definitely stopped and try this place out. read more

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(Kari's Rating 9/10) I've been meaning to come here for quite some time now, I ended up stumbling in on a week night with a friend and I don't live very far, so I really don't have an excuse for why I haven't tried this before. The vibes were relatively chill, it's not a super fancy place, but the service was quick, the servers were knowledgeable, and the food was absolutely delicious. I'm not usually a drinker, but they're known for their Mojitos, so I ordered a guava Mojito and it was so incredibly refreshing. And someone is not a big drinker, it was the perfect balance of sweetness to freshness to alcohol. I probably couldn't have more than two as it would probably give you a hangover. For an entrée, I ordered the Ropa Vieja. I asked the server what was their favorite dish in man, it did not disappoint. It was this perfectly cooked piece of marinated flank steak served with a bell pepper sauce over a bed of rice, with beans and a side of plantains. I'm so upset. I forgot to take a picture! The servings were quite large as I had to ask for a box! When I came, it was relatively quiet, so you're able to have a conversation with the person sitting across the booth with you. I don't think you typically need a reservation, but I can see it being crowded on Friday and Saturday. This is definitely one of my top places for Pan Latin and Cuban American dishes! read more

All food was delicious. I ordered the salmon, and the house made BBQ was tangy amazingness. Jalapeño mashed potatoes had the right spicy kick and was NOT gummy. Our table was helped by multiple people and everyone was very kind. The vibes are local under-hyped authentic dinner. They've got many TVs but it wasn't too loud that you couldn't hear your companions read more

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Came here on Sunday night and genuinely got some sort of low level food poisoning so yeah, I will not be returning again. It's unfortunate because I loved it the first time. read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First time alert! Wanted to try Havana's based on Yelp reviews and wasn't too far from where we were walking around in Chicago. I ordered the paella (no pineapple) and it was ok; it was definitely missing something maybe tomato paste, not sure. My guest deferred the chicken tacos which I'll say she liked because she ate all 3. Her favorite was the black bean soup. As you can see I forgot to take pics of our entrees HOWEVER I did snap the star of the brunch...Zacapa 23 Old Fashion; there take on an old fashioned but substitute bourbon w/ rum! Where has the drink been all my life??? If I don't come back for food I will definitely come back for the wait staff as they were very friendly and helpful w/ food/drink recommendations and of course another Zacapa 23 Old Fashion! read more

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We stopped by here for quick cocktails. The vibe of the place was quite nice and chill. Cocktails were yum especially the Litchi Martini and Espresso Martini. Service was quick as we were sitting by the bar. Would love to try the food the next time I visit! read more

Havana Grill - Martinis - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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An upbeat place to dance on a Saturday night! My friends and I stopped by for a few drinks after Lollapalooza, as we heard the music is great on the weekends. The DJ hadn't started his set when we arrived around 10:30pm, but things were in full-swing by 11pm, lasers and all! If you love Latin music, you absolutely have to come here. One of my friends felt his caipirinha was way too strong, but I liked my guava mojito. The regular mojito was also strong, but enjoyable. There was plenty of space to dance and everyone there was clearly having a good time. We felt safe and the staff was efficient and professional. My only wish is that there was better ventilation as the area where people were dancing was verging on uncomfortably warm. read more

Tortilla soup was ok, I probably wouldn't get again. Piña colada virgin was very good, was very refreshing since it was hot and we were seated outside. Trio Empanada was amazing I definitely recommend. Out of all the desserts, the flan was the best. Chocolate cake was dry. Guava cheese cake tasted weird. I also would not recommend sitting outside. The outdoor seating is right next to an alley so we would occasionally smell strong smells of chicago alley while we were sitting. It was really nasty. We also went on a Saturday evening so the restaurant was super packed. Wait times for getting our food was very long. read more

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The attention at this restaurant is flawless, I can't complain about it, it was perfect, friendly Staff and the place is clean and neat. The food is a tad behind the service, wasn't bad, but I think it's not as good I was expecting. We order the jibarito, steak and chicken (I don't remember the exact names) but it was ok, the congri (black rice) was exceptional but other than that the rest of the food was just ok, that's why I am giving them 3 starts, I which I could do 3.5 but this is not the case. Give it a try you might love it. I didn't but I could come back for. A second round. read more

Havana Grill - Carne Asada - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious, a highlight of our stay in Chicago. Chimichangas and roja vieja are both very good. Server offered for us to use their private room to change our son's diaper (no changing table), itemized the receipt for us, and refilled our water as needed. read more

Hovering between a 3 and 4. While I love their outdoor patio, the friendliness from some of the staff can be a bit better. The carne con tequila was good! (Cooked medium, server recommended medium rare). It was better from the Cuban sandwich I had last time (picture not available). If they can improve some of their food and staff friendliness, I do believe that they can get more 4 & 5 stars ratings. read more

Havana Grill - Spicy Mojito - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered in. Im Cuban and have trying several restaurants. This surprisingly was my worst experience, starting with Par boiled rice?! That was the most appalling. Portions were small. Ropa Vieja was so soupy, meat was in chunks. That's not Ropa Vieja and some pieces were so fatty I had to get rid of....No onions peppers olives. What a mess. Shameful. read more

Great place for cuban food in the area. It felt and tasted pretty authentic. The people here are really nice and offer a great service. The only thing I didn't like about this place was their mojito. It was more on the strong side and could've used more mint. Aside from that I would definitely come back. read more

Havana Grill - Mojito's - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was mid... charged me 75 cents for my mojo for my RopaVeja... dude just build it in the price of the meal. Food was a bit cold too, which was odd because they were so busy. Almost tasted microwaved... Very nice bartender tho, good floor awareness. read more

Hmmm...I remember there being more rum in the mojitos some years ago. Our mojitos were definitely lacking. They use to be so good; my favorite mojitos in the city. My friend had a beef jibarito which they felt wasn't very flavorful, and I had one of the only two vegan options they had. It was just roasted veggies stacked up with a side of really good chimichurri. I wish they would had some creative vegan dishes to the menu. I will give them a try again and hope things have improved. read more

Havana Grill - Veggie - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Our first time at Havana, and we loved it. Sat outside, and while a little noisy from the Clark Street traffic right next to the patio, we honestly didn't mind. The setting is really fun and had great festive ambiance. We enjoyed the mojito flight - two of us shared one flight. Our empanada appetizer was delicious! The picadillo one was my fave. My husband had the Vaca Frita and we all agreed it was the most flavorful dish. But my daughter loved her carne asada and I enjoyed my steak jibarito. The chimichurri sauce is delicious and gave it the pop I was looking for. Wanted to try dessert but we were way too full. Next time! read more

Average at best. Food was okay. Really slow service and note they add tip to your bill automatically at 25%! Review your bill !

Absolutely disgusting and a disgrace to the Cuban people who can truly cook our food. I as a Cuban was completely disgusted and disappointed with their food. Ordered the Ropa Vieja dinner disgusting! These people had the absolute nerve to serve bag rice literally bag rice! The black beans no flavor, the Ropa Vieja dryer than the dessert and no flavor. My Advice hire a Cuban chef and get it together! I asked for lemons for water and got a molded lemon as well. I am not a complaint type but that was awful and disappointing. read more

Havana Grill - Ropa Vieja Dinner - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The vibes were immaculate feeling like you're sitting on the city streets of Cuba. Sitting outside was cramped but truly beautiful views with the stunning restaurant building and views of the city in all directions. Even with the sky scrapers you feel you're transformed to another country. We enjoyed the plain mint mojito than the fruit flavored ones in the flight. The chicken enchiladas were yummy and were served with lots of beans and rice to be a satisfying meal. Overall, a good choice in River north! read more

Havana Grill - Outside - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for the chimichangas that my girl swore by 10 years ago. Let me tell you, they missed the mark, they kinda tasted like the PF Chan's frozen egg rolls you can get at the grocery store. The service blasé and I expected more from this spot as it is supposed to have Latin-fusion cuisine which I love. read more

Nice Cuban restaurant in downtown Chicago. The menu has a nice selection of meals and drinks. I ordered the ropa vieja with a guava mojito. Very good and flavorful. It was a very fulfilling meal read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Havana offered an authentic Cuban cuisine experience! From the music, menu offerings, and ambiance it felt like we got on a flight right to Havana! We visited on a Friday evening about 6pm, I got there early and was able to enjoy some of their happy hour offerings which was nice (until 6p). We were seated right away and upon our arrival they were pretty light in traffic. By the time we left the traffic was picking up so I do suggest a reservation. The service was friendly, fast and efficient. While the food was authentic Cuban cuisine, some of it missed the mark for me. For starters we ordered the Crab Cakes, which were tasty and the chipotle sauce added a lot of character and flavor. We also ordered the Trio Empanadas, I really enjoyed the manchego cheese one, it had a good crunch and flavor however the pollo and picadillo ones lacked flavor in my opinion. For our entrees Tacos de Camaron, the shrimp was seasoned well and cooked perfectly, the chipotle coleslaw added a good flavor! Additionally we ordered the Vaca Frita, while the flavor and intention was there, the meat was a bit chewy/tough maybe a bit overcooked? While some of the food wr ordered missed the mark, their menu is so expansive I would certainly be back to try some other items! I still recommend especially for that authentic feel! read more

Fantastic spot, great drinks, great service, nice atmosphere, a staple!! Will always come back, especially for patio season!

Service was great. Passion Fruit mojito and the cuban sandwich were absolutely delicious!

The outdoor space is great in the summer and the indoor is very authentic. Delicious food with wonderful service. Ceviche is fresh and the pork entrees are well seasoned. One of our favorites and a hidden gem. read more

Love this place!! it's a great place to sit out in the summer and the food is always good. I've been multiple times now. The drinks are super strong too! read more

Havana Grill - Ropa Vieja - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried this place out for a work lunch and it was good! I didn't have the chance to try one of their actual Cuban dishes but they looked really good and I will have to go back to try one of them. Service was fast, food had large portions, and the inside was really cute. They also have a patio for when the weather. I'll have to come back to try more options out here read more