My favorite ppl. Bre is wonderful…read more Always clean and happy vibes inside. Super friendly staff

STOP what you're doing, and order. This place is worth it. Best small business ive been to in a…read morenumber of years; remarkably welcoming and warm.... Several items tasted (no charge just hospitality.) my recommendations: Oxtail.... 10/10.... Empanadas 10/10.... the Cubano Sandwich 10/10 There is a reason this place has such a following, and my expectations were MORE THAN blown. Thank you Gio. See you at the Cuban Hut!

Another San Diego must try ! I went with the recommended cray Cuban with jalapeños and it was…read moreamazing. I also tried a empanada , which was also good. The ambiance of the restaurant and vibe is very cuban and tropical. I'd rather spend a few more dollars and go here than eat some junky , fast food .

This review is from the last time I had oxtails here before they took them off the menu and…read moresubsequently closed. I visit Havana Grill whenever I want some tasty oxtail.  I noticed oxtail was one of the specials.  Last time I visited the oxtail was on the regular menu and you could order it anytime. Oxtail was extremely tender and juicy.  The mix of beef flavor and the spices in the sauce were delicious.  This is my favorite oxtail dish in town. French fries were crisp and had a delicious fried flavor.  The oil was fresh and there was no aftertaste.  Excellent fries. Pineapple upside down cake was dense and did not have a fresh baked aura.  The outside part was starting to harden like it was getting stale so I guess it was baked at least a day ago.  Cake had a mostly mild flavor.  I didn't taste the pineapple though the top was lined with it.  I did taste a ton of ginger flavor.  It appears pieces of ginger were mixed in with the pineapple.  I love ginger as part of soy/ginger seasoning for fish but not in a cake.  This is one of the worst pineapple upside down cakes I have had.  My favorite is at Roy's where you have to give them 30 minute notice and they bake it to order.  Roy's version was piping hot out of the oven, was moist and fluffy, with amazing pineapple flavor. Staff provided fast and friendly service.

Everything was great. Delivery was one time. The best one was chicken. It was amazing!read more

Phenomenal food, tastes like it was made with a lot of love!!…read more My grilled chicken plate was a ton of food and the plantains were my favorite. Will definitely be back very soon!!

we came here for a friends birthday brunch !! They hosted us and let me tell you tony was an…read moreamazing host and server. Very attentive, always checking in, always making sure everything was okay. Food was amazing, drinks and mimosas were amazing. The ambiance of the restaurant was absolutely amazing, to it's most cuban delights ! Thank you for hosting us habana & thank you tony! We appreciate you guys !

Everything is great except for the jumping prices. Looking through old pictures of past menus (on…read moreYelp) shows how several price increases in the past 3 years. Price increases in our past three years are certainly expected, however, the hike since April's menu to yesterday (10/3/2026), seems unreasonable. The Churrasco entree (Cuban herb chimichurri with sharp citrus notes) for $50 gives you a very thin skirt steak with a corn cob, white rice, and black beans in a skinny ramekin (tiny, tall egg cup in this instance), whose price seems unjustified. However, $44 dollars would make more sense, including the value-add of the remarkable ambiance and terrific service. The next time, I will ask them how many ounces meat dishes before ordering to negotiate price to product. Be certain to ask for your corn cob to be served off-the-cob: it has sprinkled cotija cheese and a thin coat of unseasoned enchilada sauce on it. The *curved blade of the steak knife that comes with this entree is almost impossible to cut the kernels off of the cob without making a disaster. I asked for more of the churrasco sauce, with a citrus tang that was served minimally, under the skirt steak -- it was also outstanding with the corn and white rice.

My husband and I came to Habana in Costa Mesa to celebrate our anniversary, and we had such a…read morelovely experience! We made a reservation ahead of time, and when we arrived, our table was decorated with rose petals and a cute anniversary card. Such a thoughtful little detail that made our celebration feel extra special! For food, I ordered my usual, the Ropa Vieja, and it's honestly a 10/10 every time! The meat is always packed with flavor, and their rice is literally my favorite! My husband ordered the New York steak, which was super buttery, tender, and seared to perfection. We also ordered a side of their Caribbean fries, and the dipping sauce was SO good! For drinks, my husband ordered El Cubanito, which was really good! I went with the Agua de Coco, which literally comes served in a coconut! I also ordered a shot of their Havana Club Añejo to go with it, and I loved the combination. Definitely something I would order again! Overall, such a wonderful experience! Between the delicious food, drinks, and the thoughtful anniversary setup, it made our evening feel even more special. Habana continues to be one of my favorite spots, and I would absolutely recommend it, especially for a date night or special occasion!

More parking than I thought on a weekend…read more Restaurant located at The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa. Tropical vibes and decor. Our server was initially prompt, but as the evening passed, we saw him less and less as the tables began to fill to the point we had to ask other waiters to refill our water. We ordered a bunch of entrees and sides to sample the menu. I ordered the Chef's Special which included a hanger steak, broccoli, and roasted potatoes, along with a side of the Chorizo Mac n Cheese. The consensus was that the food lacked seasoning. The sauces that were served with the dishes enhanced the flavor and added the needed seasoning. What I want to highlight is that they had cooked my steak just as I wanted (rare) and the broccoli was just how I liked it. Price is a bit steep, but you're paying for the aesthetic and atmosphere. Overall, while I'd be open to trying it again, it wouldn't be my first choice for Cuban food.

Food was super tasty and staff was welcoming and sweet! I'd recommend it and definitely will be…read moreback :)

My wife Yessy and I have driven past Calle Ocho Cuban Cafecito for the last couple of years, always…read moretelling ourselves, "We need to try that place!" Somehow, we'd always miss them because we'd come by a little too late. Well, this morning we finally made it -- and I'm so glad we did. After dropping our car off at the dealership for some routine maintenance, I told my wife, "It's early enough... let's see if we can finally catch Calle Ocho while they're open." Best decision we could have made. We ordered a Café Con Leche, a Cuban Cortadito, a Papa Rellena, Ham Croquettes, and a Cheese & Garlic Empanada. Everything was delicious and exactly the kind of comforting, flavorful food you hope to find at a great neighborhood Cuban spot. The coffee especially hit the spot. But as good as the food was, what really made our first visit memorable was meeting Fernando, one of the owners. Fernando is genuinely one of the friendliest and most welcoming business owners I've ever met. The kind of person you could easily sit there and talk to for an hour. I'd honestly come back just to hang out and have another conversation with him. What really stuck with me was finding out that he had been working since 2:00 AM that morning fulfilling a huge catering order. You would have NEVER known it. Instead of looking exhausted or rushing us through, he welcomed us with a smile, took the time to talk with us, asked questions, and genuinely made an effort to get to know us as customers. That kind of hospitality is rare these days. Running a small brick-and-mortar business isn't easy, and when you come across owners who clearly put their heart into both their food and the people walking through their doors, those are exactly the places worth supporting. Calle Ocho absolutely earned two new customers today. We'll definitely be back because that Cuban Sandwich is already calling my name -- along with the Lechon Fries and the rest of those empanadas we didn't get to try! If you're in Rancho Cucamonga and haven't stopped by Calle Ocho Cuban Cafecito yet, do yourself a favor and check them out. Great food, great coffee, and even better people. Love seeing local places like this thrive. We'll be back soon, Fernando! UPDATE @ 12:30 PM: Well... my wife and I came back a LOT sooner than we expected. After our first visit this morning, we couldn't stop thinking about the food, so we decided to head back to Calle Ocho for lunch -- and somehow they impressed us all over again. This time we tried the Cubano, aka their Signature Cuban Sandwich, and this thing was absolutely A1. The sandwich is loaded with juicy slow-roasted lechon (pork), savory ham, pickles, mustard, and their incredible mojo garlic sauce, all pressed together between Cuban bread. And let me tell you about that mojo -- the aroma of garlic and roasted pork practically permeates the air when you walk in. If that smell alone doesn't draw you through the doors, you're missing out! The combination was bursting with flavor. You get the richness of the slow-roasted lechon and ham, the brininess of the pickles, the tanginess of the mustard, and that garlicky mojo tying everything together. We dipped the Cubano in both their Chicano spicy sauce and extra mojo, and that just took it to another level. The sandwich already had so much flavor on its own, but the sauces added the perfect extra kick. We also got a side of maduros, which were sweet, warm, and a perfect contrast to the savory Cubano. For drinks, we tried a Jupiña pineapple soda and Materva yerba mate soda, which were both really good and something a little different from what we'd normally order. Calle Ocho Cuban Cafecito is the real deal. My wife and I already can't wait to come back again -- and next time we're bringing our two boys with us. When a place gets you to come back twice in the SAME DAY, I think that says just about everything you need to know.

Amazing food - great passion fruit sour Service was…read moreexcellent Owner came by - such a great find

I had a short trio to Palm springs and decided to taste Peruvian food from places that i read above…read moreaverage reviews, this on has a 4.7 so I decide to give a try. Worst experience I had. I am a native Peruvian, with over 25 years experience as a private caterer, and the lesson I learned is that a big percentage of people who has given 5 stars to this place, don't have much knowledge of Peruvian food. I don't reviews often but in this I felt compelled to. I don't take food pictures like others that take 3 photos from different angles from the same plate, Why not?, because pictures are deceiving and don't give you the really perspective of what are you looking for. This review is based not only in the quality taste and execution of the food, but also on the worse service experience and the excessive lengthy time to had the food serviced at the table. Lets talk about service: 1.-Entered the restaurant, and the waiver without a proper acknowledgement mumble :"just anywhere" 2.- I took him about 7 seven minutes to come to our hour table to ask form drinks. We ordered TWO Diet Inka Kola. He confirmed they are in stock 3.- 5 minutes later he came to apologize as they didn't have in stock, we switch to 1 regular Inka Kola and 1 diet Coke as there were no more sugar or diet options. 4.- Another 6-7 minutes passed when we brough the drinks and took the food order. 5. The food order: Chicharron con yuca Leche de Tigre Causa rellena de pollo Anticuchos 6.- Another 7 minutes passed and he came apologizing because they were out of anticuchos. I asked for the menu to order something an it was another 5 minutes wait before he brough the menu. I ordered a Lomo al jugo sandwich. 7.- At this point we were seating at the table for about 30 and we have not been served any food. About 10 minutes after food start coming to our table. 8.- This is the last detail about service. The Lomo al jugo sandwich was NEVER served, the waiter never placed the order. Now lets talked about food: 1.- Chicharron con yuca. I was expecting maybe 1 or 2 pieces of yuca (REAL YUCA), what was served was 2 pieces of yuca fries from the frozen section of a market. For the chicharron most people use different pork cuts ( cushion meat, butt, shoulder, even pork leg) This case was pancetta or pork belly, we were served 5 small cubes about 1 inch, and they were 50% meat and 50% fat The meat portion had a good taste , but the fat was undercooked. No comments about the salsa criolla 2.- Leche de Tigre This was not leche de Tigre, it was a plain fish ceviche served in an 8 oz glass. I need to admit that is was correctly executed and had a good flavor for ceviche. But i ask for the Leche, with has a different execution flavor and texture 3.- Causa rellena de pollo There are several techniques to make causa, but the main ingredient aside of the potato is " pasta de aji Amarillo". This causa didn't have the texture or right color, I know some people cut corners and use food coloring (BIJOL in some cases). IDK what was used here but it was not the yellow chili paste. The portion was generous, but i chew a piece of chicken skin that were not supposed to be there. 4.-No comments on the anticuchos as they out, and on the sandwich as it was never served. 5. Finally we ask for a leche volteada for dessert. This was tasty well prepared and the amount of sweetness of the syrup was just right. Prices were about what other places charged, but the amount of food were small food portions. However 2 items I believe are overpriced are: 2 Sodas (we were charged for Inkas, maybe same price) $ 8.50 1 Crema volteada $ 8.84 Subtotal bill $ 59.84 Tax $ 5.54 Tip $ 11.77 ( I always tip Let's say the waiter had a bad day and he is not responsible for the quality of the food) Total BIll $ 77.15. Will not come back to this place again Receipt photo included

This is the best Cuban food I've had in SD!…read more I loved the indoor and outdoor seating. Super convenient location with spacious and clean interior. They also have a parking lot you don't need to pay for! The coffee machine set up looked very legit, I would love to come back to try their cafe and breakfast menu! The food itself was a very perfect portion, not too much and not too little justttt right. I really liked the sauté option on the menu as it makes your meal very customizable. I got the mojochurri, but will come back to try the other flavors. Great quality, warm and inviting ambiance, clean and new store, huge menu, and their own parking lot. What else could u want!!??

My daughter picked this place out of the blue…read more The food was good, my hubby said it reminded him of his Cuban grandmother's cooking. It's a tiny place and most of the drinks are in cans. They were out of the item i ordered, so when I chose something more expensive I thought I'd have to pay the difference, but nope! Im not super familiar with cuban food, but we enjoyed our lunch.

7/10 overall! CocoCabana is definitely giving cute rooftop brunch spot. We went on a Sunday right…read morewhen they opened at 11 AM, and it was actually really nice and chill not crowded at all. The rooftop has such a pretty aesthetic with the umbrellas, decor, bar, and plenty of shaded seating. The view was nice, too! The Bananarama drinks were 10/10. They're non-alcoholic, super yummy, and SO cute. Honestly, I'd go back just for those. My breakfast sandwich with the potatoes was also really good solid 7/10. My mom got the butterscotch donuts and said they were to die for A few things could be better: the paper menus looked pretty worn compared to the cute menus I'd seen online, and some of the outdoor pillows definitely looked like they needed a wash/replacement. I also noticed that some of the food I saw people raving about on Yelp is from an older menu, so definitely check the current menu before getting your heart set on something. Overall, I'm glad I finally got to experience CocoCabana. Cute atmosphere, chill Sunday morning, good food, and those Bananaramas were bomb!

This place kind of feels like a group of girls were sitting at a bar one night and decided how cool…read moreit would be to open their own place. And honestly, that would be cool if the flow was there, but you can kind of tell that all the ideas aren't fully there yet. For starters, the drinks are expensive, which I get because you're in Oceanside by the beach and I'm sure rent isn't cheap. But man, I paid $18 for a coffee-style cocktail and it was pretty bad. They put this whipped cream on top that just didn't work with the drink and was actually pretty nasty. They definitely put alcohol in it, which was good I guess, but overall it was probably one of the worst cocktails I've had in a while. My wife and I also walked up to the bar and waited to be attended. One of the waitresses was busy cleaning and organizing things, going back and forth from inside to outside, while another waitress was socializing with a group of guys for probably 6-7 minutes before noticing us standing at the front of the bar. I really don't mind waiting, but when you combine that with the quality of the drinks and the lack of attention, it just makes it seem like no one really cares that much. That's kind of why I made the comment in the beginning. The place has a cool idea behind it, but you can tell it's missing some of the professionalism and attention to detail that comes with running a good bar. The one thing that really saves this place is the view. It's a really nice view, and during sunset I can definitely see why people come here. Other than that though, I personally wouldn't spend my money here again.

My absolute go-to restaurant whenever I'm in the desert!…read more Mi Cultura Peruvian Colombian Cuisine has become a MUST-STOP every single time I visit the desert. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've eaten here almost every day of some of my vacations. That's how much I love this place! The food is absolutely incredible. Every dish is packed with flavor, and you can really taste the love and care that goes into the cooking. Everything is so delicious, comforting, and authentic. One of my favorite things about this restaurant is bringing my friends and family here for the first time. Without fail, everyone is always blown away by how amazing the food is. I genuinely love introducing people to this hidden gem because I know they're going to love it just as much as I do. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and it's the kind of place that makes you feel right at home. It's rare to find a restaurant that keeps you coming back over and over again, but Mi Cultura has absolutely earned that spot for me. If you're ever in the desert, do yourself a favor and eat here. You won't regret it! I'll certainly be back every single time I'm in town.

Found this restaurant and a local friend confirmed it was the best he had solidified we had to try…read morethem out. So glad we did ! No lie everything we ordered , I would come back for a repeat . We ordered: Complementary Aquadito: chicken cilantro soup 5/5. Cosmo cocktail 5/5. Benito cocktail 4/5. Plantains à la carte 5/5. Perfect flavor, not too sweet, not chewy just right ! Columbian empanada 5/5 . Made with cornmeal that gave it a nice crisp bite with a light sweetness to it. The stuffing was moist and gave a perfect balance of texture . Great when paired with a squeeze of lime and a dab their aji amarijo sauce. Peruvian empanada 4/5. Light and airy. Appreciate that the dough wasn't dense . Lomo saltado 5/5. Oh the sauce was superb! This dish was worth every bite just try it you won't be disappointed. Service was chill, friendly and on point. Clean and well kept restaurant.