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    Havana Kitchen

    4.8 (141 reviews)

    Havana Kitchen Photos

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    HAVANA KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Havana Kitchen

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    Havana Benedict with cuban roast pork.
    Michelle F.

    Who knew Cuban food was this delicious?!? Stopped in for a late breakfast on a Saturday morning. The place was empty but as soon as we got our food the line grew. The space is large with plenty of seating. For food we had the: Original Cuban sandwich. So good!! the bread was toasted to perfection. It's the best combination of mustard, ham, swiss, pickles and pork. A good size, totally shareable but you won't want to! Trust me. Pork Benedict. Delicious Cuban roast pork with perfect poached eggs. The perfect bite with the best seasonings. The beans served on the side were really good as were the potatoes. Unfortunately I saved all my room for the Benedicts. Beef empanada. Ordered it to go. This was my least favorite. Unlike most empanadas the dough was fried like a chimichanga- american style. All in all a great delicious dining experience at Havana Kitchen. Nice friendly staff, happy to help you narrow down your options. Although it's in a odd like pocket of La Jolla it's totally worth it the stop.

    Cari A.

    Great place to have a casual meal. Pros: -small, free parking lot next to the restaurant -friendly staff -they serve breakfast all day -the rice and beans were my favorite, even better the next day in my opinion -they make their own hot sauce -self serve water station is available Cons -n/a

    Inside: signage on wall
    Mark F.

    Seems like this is a delicious hidden gem in Torrey Pines that been around for a little over a year now. The small parking lot for this restaurant is shared with other business so I can see that could become an issue during peak times. Our first visit was on a lazy Sunday afternoon and we parked right in front of the entrance like a VIP. They have a row of barstools with a dining counter that runs the length of the windows outside along side the street, if that's your jam. Looks perfect to dine with your pup outside. Inside, there are plenty of tables with big windows facing the street that are perfect for people watching while you enjoy your meal. The staff are friendly. The food is yummy and served hot! The house coffee blend served here is awesome! I had an Americano and dropped in a bit of sugar, which all went down smooth and complemented my meal perfectly! We really liked the Loaded Yucca Fries that come topped with melted cheese, Roast Pork, aioli, Spicy Mojo & cilantro. I would come back just for these fries and their coffee honestly! The Ropa Vieja is decent here and so was the Cubano sandwich. I want to try their empanadas next visit. Overall, this restaurant is closer to my home than other Cuban restaurants and that convenience will bring me back for more soon!

    Cuban shredded beef
    Kevin L.

    Located in La Jolla, there's a large amount of indoor seating. We were greeted kindly by the employees working there. Cuban shredded beef (5/5): super flavorful. The beef was tender. The beans complimented the beef perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed the plantains. They were a bit on the sweet side but the crispy texture was so amazing. Tap to pay is accepted. Overall, Havana Kitchen is a spectacular place. Service was great as the employees checked in with our food and table.

    Empanada Combo
    Sydni S.

    So glad I found this spot because I'm always looking for a place that has some good plantains! I got the empanada combo and I loved this option because you get to try a few different empanada flavors but you still get the plantains, rice, and black beans as a side. There was plenty of seating and even a parking lot which feels rare for La Jolla.

    Chicken plate
    Kevin T.

    This place is such a hidden gem. I'm so glad I went to this place. Ever since my partner and I have eaten here, we've been back so many times. This is probably the best Cuban food I've ever had. Every dish I've tried is so good. Their empanadas are so flavorful and the meat to pastry ratio is perfect. All their sauces for dipping are so good I can't even decide on which is my favorite. If you try this place I highly recommend the ropa vieja and some chicken empanadas. The parking lot is small, but everytime I've come by, there's always been a spot to park. The workers here are so nice. They gave me some sauces on the house even though it's supposed to be charged extra.

    Empanada Combo - 3 Empanadas of your choice with rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. I got chicken, beef, and oscar.
    Arnel R.

    An excellent place to go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I feel like I could eat here for every meal, every day. We came for breakfast and my partner and I ended up getting the Benedict and the Empanada Combo. First, the Empanada Combo is sooo savory and comforting. I ordered beef, chicken, and the oscar. I initially wanted to try three different kinds so I could have some variety, but if I could time-travel back and do it all again I would definitely order three of the chicken. They are so so so so so good, and with the rice, beans, and plantains to go with it make it perfect. The Benedict was excellent. The egg, bread, and all the other ingredients blended together in one bite makes us happy. The poached egg with the creamy sauce was perfect! The flavors were all perfect!

    Havana Eggs Benedict
    T B.

    Still a great spot to get breakfast or lunch while visiting San Diego. Always trying new items and they are all great!

    Pork plate
    Danielle G.

    I think after eating here every day for the past 3 weeks it warrants a review lol. Needless to say, this place is fire. The cubano, shrimp plate with mojochurri, and the roasted pork plate are my fav. The steak sandwich needed more steak. Owner/manager is super nice. Ambience is great and very clean. I love the music/vibes they've got going on!

    Katherine K.

    Very cute place decor wise and the staff is friendly. Their food left something to be desired, however. I tried their Loaded Yuca Fries (they don't give you much for the price, really enjoyed the first bite, but flavor went downhill with every bite), Veggie Empanada (my favorite thing I tried from here. I really enjoyed all the filling and the flavors paired very nicely together) and Chicken Cilantro Empanada (couldn't really taste the cilantro and the chicken was on the drier side. Should've been better). I wasn't a big fan of the dough they used for the empanada, but my friend enjoyed it. I'm not sure how their sammiches and other stuff are, but I probably won't be back to try out. 2.5 stars, but rounding to 3.

    Missy F.

    It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best Cuban food I've had. In my opinion it just wasn't authentic. I ordered a potato ball that I found under seasoned and honestly the potato texture was weird, thin and mushy. Just a suggestion ... get rid of that sauce you serve it with, it tastes ketchup based and a good potato ball doesn't need a sauce. I also ordered the Ropa Vieja. The serving size was good for the price. I loved the plantains and the blacks beans, but again the ropa vieja just was underwhelming and bland. Customer service was also a thumbs down for me. When I arrived the girl taking orders was on her phone. I got a hi and that was it, I felt rushed. I asked for water and she just pointed to where it was. It's decorated very nice with of course all Cuban pictures artifacts etc, very low salsa music playing, I don't if it's the location or what it was but it didn't do it for me. No fault of theirs but there was a very loud table in the back what appeared to be college kids, the sound just echoed throughout which did not make my dining experience pleasurable as well.

    Empanadas
    Casey D.

    Truly spectacular. This place definitely deserves more customers. Staff was friendly and helpful. Food was extremely flavorful! We got 3 empanadas ($11.75) - my favorite was the beef! We also ordered the steak sandwich, which left me wanting more even though I was already so full. Free parking lot (which is so hard to find on La Jolla). 10/10 would come here again!

    Beef empanada
    Corinna W.

    The food here was very delicious. Nice clean and casual place with quick service . Only has one cashier who served us the food too. She was Very nice and friendly. You order from the counter and the food is brought to your table. We ordered the original cubano sandwich, potato balls, beef empanada and the lechon plate . The pork in the cubano sanwich was tender and juicy. The potatoes balls were crispy on the outside but fluffy in the inside . The beef empanada was full of flavor. The crust was thin and crispy not doughy and the beef filling inside was so good. They also served it with a tangy garlicy sauce not the usual chimichurri sauce. And lastly the lechon plate was awesome. Juicy tender pork with rice , black beans and plantains. We loved this place. Also I have to give extra kudos for their women's restroom. They had 2 clean spacious stalls. Nice restroom completed the experience . LOL.

    Steak saute, medium rare, with cilantro sauce ($19)

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Havana Kitchen

    Are reservations allowed for large groups?

    Good day, appreciate your inquiry. yes we would take reservations for larger groups. Please contact Sara at 858-230-6424 and she will assist you. Thank you!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.3(3.1k reviews)
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    I have had to have been to this place atleast 20 times and it's always a must when in La Jolla. I…read morewas so excited for my visit today, but I was so disappointed when I sat down and realized that the menu had to completely changed. Both the things that I really liked were no longer offered. I ordered the birria skillet isn't still wanting to try it and hoping for the best and was extremely disappointed. It was more stew chucks of meat then birria and didn't have any sauce to incorporate everything is, leaving it pretty bland. The server let us know that the menu changed about two months ago and that a lot of the great items were taken off the menu. I'm not sure why this happened but it may have been a mistake. Now for the good, as always service was great and it's the cutest little restaurant. Everyone is always so warm and welcoming and happy to have you. I ordered the horchata latte which was amazing as always, and we got a s'mores hot chocolate which was always wonderful. The peach waffles were very yummy as well reminding me of peach cobbler! I will never give up on this place but hoping the can revert the menu to what it once was! Bring back the naughty skillet

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    Came here with the family while on vacation. Very family friendly, and the food was incredible. I…read morehad the Avocado Smash (toast) with smoke salmon. The bread was amazing, as was everything else. Everyone loved their food. I also had the Green Devotion drink, which tasted... very healthy. Wouldn't get that again, but not sure if it's possible to make somethign that healthy taste good :)

    It had been years since my last visit to The Cottage, but on a gorgeous, impromptu morning, we…read moredecided to follow our appetites and return. Weekday brunch worked in our favor parking was just a block away, and there was no wait, a welcome change from the usual crowds. The staff greeted us promptly and seated us on the patio, where the setting felt as charming as I remembered. I'm typically an eggs Benedict loyalist, but this time I was in the mood to explore more of the menu. We ordered the pastrami sandwich and the French dip, both generously stacked and visually promising. Unfortunately, while the portions impressed, the flavors didn't quite deliver. The pastrami felt like it was missing a key note something bright and tangy to balance it. I ended up adding dill pickles at home, which helped, but not enough to make it memorable. The French dip had a similar issue; the au jus leaned more toward a thick sauce rather than the lighter, savory broth you hope to dip into. The side salad was fresh, the fries perfectly crisp both enjoyable but they couldn't quite make up for the lack of depth in the sandwiches themselves. Next time, I'll stick with what they're known for and return to the breakfast classics. I'm not giving up on The Cottage just yet it simply deserves another chance, with a different order.

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    I feel that the food was not the most amazing and for the price. This chicken orchard sandwich was…read morebig portion but I would have preferred a soft croissant. It is a harder crunch croissant and my friend also got one too and thought the same thing. The side usually is a salad but I upgraded for the potatoes. I will say I'm a HUGE potato lover and the potatoes were delicious and highly recommend. Two of my other friends got the salmon bowl which they did like. My friends and I each got various coffees: Purple Haze Latte, sunrise latte, and pacific coast cloud. All the coffees did taste delicious. I only gave this 3 stars because I feel that with the parking situation how you have to park on the hill parallel and walk down, and their lot is only valet, it's a bit annoying. It's first come first serve seating so we didn't get a table closer with a view even though we called ahead, then later they said those were saved for other people - kinda confusing. You do get up and go order the food yourself then they bring it to the table. Overall for the food and cost, I think other spots may be better!

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    Havana Kitchen - cuban - Updated May 2026

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