Havana Grill

INCREDIBLE!! Our family reunion with 40+ people had our 'big dinner' at Havana Grill, Mission Valley. Our group of many Cubans including my 89 year-old mother-in-law who left Cuba over 60 years ago, thoroughly enjoyed the ENTIRE experience! The Alex-es (there are 2 of them) and their staff, particularly Emma, made us feel like family and took exceptional care of us over the 3 HOURS that we were there! They served us 'family style' which worked GREAT as there were large plates of a variety of Cuban food (recipes from Alex's Cuban mother) that were passed around easily and happily from one table to the next. The restaurant had brought in a live band that kept us entertained all evening and had many of us including my grandson and his great-grandmother dancing around the restaurant. The food, the ambiance (including the live music) and the customer service were absolutely exceptional! (and the price was very reasonable!) Our group included many people from the east coast, including Miami where there are many Cuban restaurants, and everyone raved about the food and the experience! Thank you so much for creating lifetime memories for all of us! P.S - while I thanked the staff in the front of the restaurant, I failed to thank the kitchen staff - please pass along our SINCERE ADMIRATION AND APPRECIATION for their work!!

Vaca fritas was amazing. The beef had a crispy outside and still soft and tender texture as you bit in. The flavor of the mean was delicious, both savory and a little citrus maybe. It had an odd sense of being refreshing. Beans were delicious, just black beans but well cooked, food texture, and nice subtle flavor. Fried plantains were a nice touch for the meal and quite yummy. Also, the meal came with melted garlic butter which maybe had some other flavor in it but it tasted great with the beef. Empanadas, the crust on all of them buttery and flaky and perfectly cooked. The crust is actually a strong flavor so for some of the more miler flavored empanadas, it overpowered. Reviews of the flavors from favorite to least favorite: Braised beef: This was very flavorful, mine and my partner's favorite of the bunch. I'm not a huge fan of bell peppers (though I'm not offended by them), but it complimented the flavor of the beef so well that I really enjoyed it. Picadillo: 2nd favorite was this seasoned beef. It smells stronger than it tastes but it has a nice flavor. My partner said he wouldn't think he'd be able to eat the whole thing because it would be overpowering over a while, but I think I'd enjoy the whole thing. It was savory and seasoned well. -- For the record I don't always prefer beef, but I think the stronger flavor of these had better balance with the strong buttery-flavored crust. -- Beans: this surprised me. I didn't have high expectations but it actually was really tasty. I'm not sure what cheese they use but it was stringy and balanced nicely with the beans. Cubano: My partner put this as his third but is my fourth. I actually think maybe even 5th for me. He liked that it had the mix of ham and pickle flavors. It looked and tasted like it had ham and chicken and pickles. I couldn't taste the cheese at all and expected some kind of sauce or mustard with it like the sandwich does, but alas it did not. The meat also was a smidgen dry. Not bad but could have been way better. Lechón: my 4th/5th favorite. The flavor of the pork was quite good and it was tender and juicy enough. However, this is one where it suffered overall because it's a milder flavor and the empanada crust overpowered it. Chicken: I like chicken. It's so versatile. This just tasted like boiled chicken, very flight flavors, overwhelmed by the crust. Also, the chicken was overcooked and dry. It wasn't so bad you wouldn't want to eat it, but it was distinctly not tender and juicy. I wanted a sauce to dip it in to give it flavor. Oh the dessert.... It was delicious. The balance between the mouse and the cake was great. It wasn't too sweet or rich, but had a decadent chocolate flavor. The crust was nice with a little crunch to it. The cake inside was very moist. Also it looked like there were two different chocolate mousse in the layered cake, but I didn't try them separately to explore further. I ate all layers together and the cohesion was perfectly balanced. My partner took a bite with the rose petal, do not recommend.

Havana Grill delivers every time! I have been to the other location in Clairemont Mesa several times, but this was the first time I have been to the Mission Valley spot; it's just as great. My friend and I ordered the sampler platter and the Cubano Sandwich. The sampler platter included an Empanada, Papa Rellena, Sweet Plantain, Yuca Fries, Tostones, Ham Croquettes, and Plantain Chips. The flavors were all on point, everything was well seasoned, and the meal was hearty as well. The desserts were also delectable. We ordered the chocolate torte, the chocolate profiterole, and the best dessert they carry(in my opnion) the giava cheescake. This cheesecake is worth the return trip alone! Our service great as well. The interior is bright, clean, and inviting. I can't wait to come back. Eat up!

My friend took me here for lunch on a weekend and we had a great time. There was plenty of parking at the busy Mission Valley Mall. This place is beautifully decorated inside. It was open and airy so it felt like we were seated outdoors. Service was good too. Our waitress was checking in with us often and the food came pretty quickly, especially the empanadas. We ordered the 3 empanadas to try. The braised beef, picadillo, and chicken. I wish these came with sauces. They were delicious but the chicken empanada was a bit dry. The spinach salad was good too but I will order another salad next time. It was a bit on the bland side for me but my friend loved it.

First timer here, We sat at the bar this Wednesday night and was wildly impressed! My friend loves Cuban food so I wanted to taste what Havana had to offer and it was delicious! The bar staff were very friendly and the manager was excellent. You felt at home, it’s a great feeling and vibe! I will take the family back ! Cheers 🥂

Only writing this review because the owner sternly told me: "Don't you go write a review about us". TL;DR; The good: pleasant live music (at least when we went). The bad: Food ranges from mediocre to inedible. From a "congratulations" level done steak that was ordered medium rare, to tasteless beans that would make you yearn for canned food, to a passable cubano. Would definitely not recommend the food here. The ugly: unacceptable water quality and appalling service. Long version: Came for a dinner with my wife and two other couples. Live band in the back is very pleasant. We ordered various items off the menu, including a couple of cubano sandwiches. My wife ordered Havana sirloin steak done medium rare. The food is very mediocre but the biggest disappointment was the beef. In particular, the steak was nuked into oblivion (see attached picture). The waitress agreed to replace the steak. Unfortunately it took another 30 minutes for the replacement to come out. The tap water we were served had an unacceptable amount of sand and other residue which I suspect came from the ice cubes (see attached picture), which means that the ice cube machine in this establishment does not get cleaned often, if ever. We mentioned the quality of the food and unacceptable amount of residue and sand in water to the owner who happened to be at the restaurant. The way she handled the situation is the reason why I am writing this review. She agreed the steak was of unacceptable quality and said she wants to "investigate" the sand we had in our waters. Five minutes later she came back with our water glasses, still full of sand, said she doesn't know what's going on, offered us some 'free' desserts and sternly told me to not write any reviews. We were never offered water, we were never asked what can be made right, we were expected to pay the bill in full (which we did), offered some free desserts (which we politely declined) and sternly told to not write any reviews. Rude, unacceptable service (especially from the owner). Appalling water quality and pretty bad food. Stay away from this establishment.

Fantastic service by Alex and the crew. The Milanesa and Lechon are aeasoned to perfection.. Their beer selection and crafted drinks keep the party going. Ambiance is hoppin with live Cuban music. Coming back Fosho!

All of our food was delicious!! Save room for the guava pastry! It was so good! We shared their braised beef empanada, and it was the best empanada I have ever had!