Havana Restaurant #2

doorsfan83

Reviews
Written: 1

1.0

To start I would just like it to be known my wife and I met waiting tables at a restaurant so we are not yuppie snobs complaining to complain. In fact we have never before sent food back if we order medium rare and its medium we eat it that is just how we are we don't sweat the small stuff. We are locals we live in Asheville.
I bought various coupons on restaurant.com so the wife and I could try new restaurants. We went to Havana and it was dead, not a soul, but it was wednesday night. I thought nothing of it but my wife was worried and I should have been. Our server was new and I am guessing had never waited tables before. We ordered the Calamari to start. I had the Cuban and she ordered the Tilapia and Shrimp. Her salad came out pretty fast it was doused in oil, covered in pepper, and had pineapple on it. I enjoyed watching the funny faces she made as she choked the salad down complaining how pineapple and pepper don't go together and how it tasted like onion from being pre-made and sitting in the fridge. Our entrees came before our Calamari not a big deal the girls new. My sandwich that came with beans, rice, and plantains cost $11.99. I expect a sandwich that costs twelve bucks to be big and awesome. It was barely an inch thick with the bread, had barely any pulled pork and what appeared to be oscar-meyer chopped ham. I will eat just about anything and I managed to eat about half of it because I was hungry. It had no flavor as if it was pre-made and then microwaved. My wife said she couldn't eat her fish and I thought she was just being difficult until I took a bite. The fish was bad and I nearly vomited from a small taste. The Calamari was like greasy fried rubber bands and not edible. I asked for the manager and politely told her the food wasn't edible and asked her to taste the fish, she didn't. She took the food away and comped the whole meal without asking us if we would like something else. This was very strange I have seen many managers resolve situations and they always I mean always ask the customer if they would like to try something else. This lady knew her product was bad and didn't bat an eye at comping a $35 ticket. Something had better change at Havana or they will be out of business. We will never go back and unless you want food poisoning I would stay away.
Edit - Delete

Cuban

Reviews
Written: 1

2.0

Hey guys sorry to hear about all your disapointment.
But Mojitos is just around the corner in Greenville SC
816 S Main ST 864-232-9491
True authentic cuban food and they are from Miami.
the place only sits about 40 so call for reservation if you have a party of 6 or more.
And the best Mojitos in the upstate.
and be nice about people trying to do there best.
not everyone can cook like MOM.
see you at Mojitos
Mimi

asheville foodie

Reviews
Written: 1

5.0

Havana is a treasure in Asheville. I'm addicted. Great food, fun atmosphere, reasonably priced, nicely anchoring Battle Square with a fun vantage point for people watching.

mcknight88

Reviews
Written: 1

5.0

I absolutely loved Havana. Everything was great from the hot chocolate to the desert. I ordered a combination platter so I could try everything and it was all delicious. I think this is as good as food can get! Me and my husband were thrilled and have been bragging about our experience since.

Cpyder

Reviews
Written: 1

1.0

This is in no way and by no means Cuban food.
And sorry to NC Gal, that was not even Latin. The food was devoid of almost all flavor. Much less Latin flavor.

My family and I moved from Miami, this was in no way Cuban.... nor Latin in any way but the music playing in the background. My dad said that the cafe con leche was ok, that and the yuka.

I ordered the grilled chicken and it came with some very odd veggies smothering it. Sorry, and those were not plantanito. I am only glad to say that I did not try to order the Ropa Vieja. It was very misleading to have "Cuban Cuisine" as the genre of food.

Read bottom of the menu, 6+ diners will get you a 18% gratuity charge. Our total came to about $90, 4 kids and 2 adults. We could have eaten at Outback and all ordered steaks for less and still left about an 18% tip.

If you are going to fill your belly and maybe have a few drinks, this might be the place. But if you want real Cuban food.... Miami is worth the trip. If you want Latin food, Taco Bell might be a better bet. (that's saying much)

It's a shame I can't leave the stars blank for the rating.

The food was not bad, it was just a huge disappointment that it tasted nothing like Cuban.

LosmuchosdeCharlotte

Reviews
Written: 1

1.0

I don't like writing bad reviews. But I can't let this one pass. Should change the name of the restaurant to Tropical Cuisine. The Palomilla came with some weird vegetables and the cook did not know how to fried it, so it was soaked in old fried oil (manteca). But that was not the issue. My husband and son got FOOD POISONNING. They were both VOMITING all night. Something not OK in that kitchen. We complained with the owner about not being happy with the food. He acted like he didn't care. We are not going back, sad thing is that there were so many other choices, Ashville is full of restaurants. Next time ask the locals.

MotionII

Reviews
Written: 1

1.0

Being of a Cuban family I know what the food should be. I visited from Miami and wanted to check it out. I was disapointed at what I found. The only thing they got right was the black beans. I ordered a side of croquetas to see if they were any good. They brought me a plate of fried balls that looked like hush puppies. I said out loud, "oh look they're round" in a surprised manner and nearly started to laugh. The waitress got the hint I suppose. Of course the atmosphere was not even remotely cuban more like tropical but at least they tried by putting a picture of Al Pacino as "Tony Montana", not. They had picadillo on the menu but it was not available. I asked for Hatuey Beer and of course they did not have that either. I never saw any Cuban bread and what's up with the shreaded wet pork in the Cuban sandwich? They claim to be the best Cuban Restaurant in Asheville, probably because they are the only one??

SannaH

Reviews
Written: 1

2.0

The owner of Havana's is NOT Cuban. He is from Ecuador or Honduras I think. His wife is American. They used to own a small store in West Asheville with a deli in the back. The food is Latin, but NOT Cuban. I am half Cuban, grew up in Miami and Atlanta and Madrid, Spain, and a Cuban restaurant without cuban bread, with yellow rice and black beans, and with no pastelitos, is not Cuban. He may think he is cooking Cuban Food, but so far, the only authentic Cuban food I have ever found in NC was at Tropical Dream in Hendersonville, run by Cubans and Puerto Ricans, but was closed 2 yrs ago. Please, someone with half a financial brain pleas open an AUTHENTIC Cuban restaurant in Asheville soon!!! The number of Cubans and Americans from South Florida visiting and moving to this area is huge! Trust me if its authentic, they will come in droves! Id do it myself if I had the money. I miss the real thing!

GABRIEL O.

Reviews
Written: 1

1.0

I totally agree with the former, I grew up in Miami,Florida, my family is from Cuba, I grew up eating Cuban food my whole life. I moved up to Greenville,SC in 2007 so it's been a while since I've eaten at a Cuban restaraunt. This past weekend we decided to drive to Asheville to check out the City. As we walked around the Downtown area we ran into this place that called itself Havanna's. We decided to give it a try. When we first took a look at the menu, I already knew we've been fooled. A few things, NO CUBAN BREAD!!!!!, thats like eating at a Mexican restaraunt that doesn't have tortillas. NO PAN CON BISTEC!!, NO PALOMILLA STEAK!!, BLACK BEANS WITH YELLOW RICE!!!, ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Everything is served with chips n salsa, my wife had a Tamal, that tasted like an Arepa. Please, if you are going to name the place Havannas and say that you serve authentic Cuban Cuisine, do a little more research because this is so not Cuban. My suggestion, CHANGE THE NAME.

ericar

Reviews
Written: 2

5.0

I've been to this restaurant a few times and I absolutely love it! I'm not cuban, and I'm not from a very cuban area, like miami, so I can't say if it's "authentic" or not, but I've always had declicious food there. No complaints whatsoever. The servers are always very nice, and the owners are really sweet people. It's a man and his wife. The wife is white, the husband is Cuban, not Colombian like the server told the previous reviewer.
I've had the Cuban Sandwich and also the platter with a little bit of everything.
Both were delicious. Also, the chips and salsa are soooooo good. They are freshly home-made chips and the salsa is very fresh as well.
It's definately worth it!