Zameer A.
Yelp
At first glance, you might think Radio Habana Social Club is intimidating. To be fair, from the outside, it looks more like a crazy person's apartment than an actual restaurant. I don't think anyone would fault you for completely missing this gem in the Mission, but if you've got a somewhat adventurous spirit, I suggest you open that door on Valencia and let yourself escape to Cuba. You will not regret it.
Just to give this review a little context- Cuba is, in many ways, like a real-life time machine. Because of Cuba's history and the US embargo, Cuba is saturated with old cars and buildings, and has the same aesthetic it did in the 1950's.
Much like Cuba itself, Radio Habana Social Club is kept at a balmy 75-80 degrees (F), and is adorned with colorful relics of the past; It really conveys the feeling that you've stepped out of reality and into someplace special- possibly the island of Cuba. The artist (and owner) has taken items we would normally discard as 'junk', and turned them into evocative pieces of art. I've noticed a general trend of babies portrayed in interesting ways, exploration of anatomical forms, as well as some distinctly ironic pieces and tributes to historical figures and celebrities from the past. One of my favorite pieces is hanging on the right-hand wall when you're facing in from the door, and features an angry male doll with the bottom half replaced by an electric drill- to me this seems like a literal representation of the saying, "i'm going to drill that girl". Fascinating.
You can (and should) easily spend hours here exploring the resident artwork, as well as the photo collections on the back wall that change every month. And to assist you in that task, I recommend you enjoy a large princess cup (copa de reina) of their fantastic sangria. It is delicious, refreshing, and cheap, without being cloyingly sweet. I'm no aficionado, but its the best I've had.
The food, on the other hand, is only ok. The plantains are standard, but the empanada and ropa vieja were both disappointing. The empanada felt stale, and the ropa vieja lacked flavor and seasoning. I don't mind though, because the food was reasonably cheap, and I was more than content enjoying my sangria and admiring the amazing atmosphere of this place.