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La Habanera

4.0 (88 reviews)
ModerateCuban
Closed Closed

La Habanera Cuban Restaurant Photos

LA HABANERA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - La Habanera

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Plantain cups filled with rum, coconut and sweet garlic shrimp
Rojarra T.

This gem is located in the downtown Montreal core. Since this was my first time trying Cuban food, I appreciated our waiter's patience and tailored recommendations. A friend and I shared the Croquettes, Papaya Salad, Shrimp Plantain Cups and Safran rice. Everything was good, but my absolute favourites were the rice + croquettes; they were fantastic! Though I enjoyed the salad + plantain cups, I wouldn't order them again; instead, I'd try the Yucca poutine and the Bao Buns. I've found that this place is ideal for small groups + sharing plates. Unfortunately however, the restaurant is very small and now that the weather has changed and the patio is no longer set up outside, I imagine that their capacity to accommodate is even less than before.

Ensalada melon
Caroline T.

Came here with a friend after work, the food was sooo good and the service was quick. The atmosphere is so cute and hipster with all the neon signs and the fun wall decorations, i was almost reminiscing about my Havana vacation last fall! The food is so delicious, really authentic cuban food with a twist. Super flavorful, i really recommend all the items i took a pic of. We shared 4 plates and we were full, the portions were great! My favourite was definitely the Yucca poutine (guilty!) Cocktails are great too, they are generous with the rhum... Overall nothing bad to say, loved that place! Would def come back

Papaya salad!
Anna C.

We had a great time at the Habanera last night! We ordered wine and mojitos and lots of different dishes to share. The Papaya salad, aguacate and the bao were the highlights! Great spot downtown to have a drink and a bite!

Aguacate salad - not recommended
Thea M.

What a disappointing experience. Terrible service and terrible food. I went for lunch with a co-worker and tried to order the fish tacos. The waiter insisted that we order two dishes even though we only had the appetite for one. So I reluctantly ordered a salad (I think it was called the aguacate?), which was generous in avocado and papaya, but the dressing simply just didn't taste good. Then, 40 minutes later, my fish tacos, which were what I actually wanted (and not just that which I was forced to order), still hadn't arrived. At this point, I asked them to cancel my order and to just give us the bill because we were almost late for our meeting, but in doing so, got some 'tude. Also, our water wasn't refilled a single time while we were seated. My friend also didn't enjoy her food. The pâté chinois was sickeningly sweet, and I'm all for experimenting with different flavors and textures, but it was just a weird combination. Overall, so disappointing. I was super excited to try this place out given the Yelp reviews, but honestly, not impressed at all.

Fish tacos
Jack D.

Was actually having drinks at the Irish Pub around the corner and by chance happened to check my trusty Yelp app to see if I had any nearby places bookmarked and lo and behold, La Habanera! Been meaning to try this spot for a minute. So once my boo arrived, we headed over. Lucky for us, the place had a table available for us. It's a small, intimate space, so I imagine there are people waiting during busier hours. Upon first glance, one can't help but think "date spot." But not a tinder date spot. We're talking the kind of place you take that special someone. Nice soft lighting, charming and thoughtful decor. My boo and I happened to stumble into here but the romance juices were flowing a bit I must admit. She had one of the mojitos (I believe it had blackberry in it) and it was super tasty and sweet. We also had the pulled chicken tacos, the fish tacos, and the Bao with fried chicken. Everything was amazing. I probably would've enjoyed slightly larger portions for that price, but I think the ambience and experience made up for it. We're definitely coming back. Probably on a rainy weekday evening when it isn't crowded again :)

Cod fish tacos
Josephine P.

This cute little place on Avenue Union has been on my go to list for a long time. I must say it didn't live up to the hype I expected from the reviews. It's very small, the food is almost small portions. You'd think it's not expensive but order two of dishes and a drink- you would have spent money and still be hungry. I wasn't too fond of their fish tacos as it has a sweet twist to it. The chicken tacos were delicious, pizza empanada was too dry. Service was quick, the place was a bit too cramped up. I ordered the guava pina colada and to my surprise I couldn't taste much guava but it had a strong coffee flavor. The mange mojito was a better option. I would not go to this place again, especially after you have been to Escondite next door. Dreams of the perfect Cuban sandwich has been shattered and swept all over La Habanera for now

Konstantina P.

This restaurant in the heart of downtown Montreal is one of a few opened by the same owners and offers a Cuban themed menu and decor. The venue is bright and nicely decorated with pictures, plants, and neons lights; the colours and decor make you feel like you're in a small venue in Havana. Small space with minimal tables and chairs but they also have comfortable teal coloured couches for groups as well, that really add that pop of color. Having visited many times, I can attest that the menu is inexpensive and yummy. Besides maybe one or two dishes, like the plantain tostadas that are not my fave, they're is not a single other item that I don't like. The Cubans sandwich and fried chicken bao buns are so good but the avocado salad is probably the one thing on the menu I can't get enough of! The service is always friendly and attentive; the food always comes out super fast too. If you are looking for a casual spot with good inexpensive food and amazing cocktails in the heart of the city, go to Habanera!

An T.

Cute but very small restaurant. We made a reservation for 5:30pm and by 6:30pm there were no more seats left. Read reviews about people raving about the avocado salad so we decided to give it a try. It wasnt particularly good or bad. There were big slices of avocado, some kind of nuts and carrots. The sauce they added tasted really sweet. We ordered smoked ham fried cheese balls and they were crispy on the outside and creamy inside. They tasted good but we weren't amazed. We also had their "fried rice" - the rice wasnt actually fried and in terms of flavour, we thought it lacked spices. Our favorite dish was the yuca poutine. It was the highlight of our dinner. we loved everything about it, from the sweetness of the yuca to the pulled pork's tenderness. Would definitely recommend ordering the poutine!

Yingcan L.

A nice bistro of Cuban style!! I've been there twice. Food and cocktail were tasty! Ambiance was nice! Also, this place is very popular. Better make a reservation before going.

Jimmy C.

I like the decor, the service , the background music , the food and the cocktails Habanera is definitely a must to every foodie ... Shared tapas style menu ....not expensive at all

Assortment of Cuban tapas
Tamara T.

I really had a great time here. They make an amazing assortment of delicious rum cocktails and Cuban tapas. The fish tacos were excellent, nice and crispy. And the service was quite friendly. Worth a visit.

Yucca fries with beef and coriander #poutineweekwin
Aimee H.

First time going to La Habanera was for Poutine week 2017. The resto is small and cosy with a hipster ambiance. Seats 6 at the bar. Kudos to bartender for using really fresh looking fruit for cocktails. The Poutine de Vaca Frita had Frites de Yuca, Sauce, Fromage en grain, Mojo Verde Vaca Frita (boeuf), Salade de Coriande. And I devoured it like I was starving. Yucca fries for Poutine? Who'd of thought!?! It was awesome!! They were just a touch under but yucca fries have this meaty flavor to them but are light and satisfying. I frickin love coriander on Poutine and they have opened my eyes to a new way of eating Poutine. The meat was a little sparse but the bowel was small anyway. Gravy was tasty and just enough to cover the fries. I left wanting more. #poutinewin

Diana L.

Overall: Excellent cocktails and food. Decent service and nice cozy hispter decor. Drinks: I had a guava pina colada and it was succulent. Taste of guava was subtle, but mixed well with the drink. Food: Fish tacos is just simply delicious. Made of deep fried cod and garnished with mangos and ginger pineapple sauce add freshness to the overall plate. Braised chicken with creole sauce is drumsticks braided in a sauce quite a bit spicy for those with a more sensitive tongue. I really enjoyed the meal though. Beef skewers can be skipped in my opinion. The meat was a bit dry and there isn't really anything special to it. Plantain cups with shrimps is another plate that I enjoyed. The coconut dulce de leche was made on point without covering the freshness of the shrimps. The plaintain cup was alright and has a texture like potatoes which i'm not big fan of.

Behind the bar

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7 years ago

Very cute place, good service and good food but way too overpriced. Good cocktail bar and snack food but not for dinner or lunch

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