I've been going to Bella Cuba since I've lived in the OC the area for the past few years and discovered a love for their Cuban food. The high level and consistency of service and amazing food I had every time going to Bella Cuba is truly unique. Regardless if its just a simple lunch break, birthday dinner with friends, or anniversaries; I've spent a lot of time at this restaurant and have never had a bad time. So much so, that when it came time to figure out a caterer for my wedding Bella Cuba was my first phone call. Nick and his father Antonio were upfront with me about having never catered a wedding (we had 150 guests!) before even though they've catered other large events. I was convinced with their food and level of service that they would do an great job, and once the day came they did not disappoint. We got a little bit of everything: salad, garlic bread, beans, rice, garlic shrimp, pollo asado, and the oxtail! Nick coordinated with us every step of the way for months prior to our wedding. He even stayed for the whole wedding to make sure the food was served properly! One of the big takeaways from our wedding from all our guests and vendors was that they've never had better food at a wedding, and I think that's a testament to Nick and the whole staff's work ethic and attention to detail to their level of service and great quality of food and ingredients. My only wish is that my wife and I had more leftovers for ourselves, but the look on our guests faces when they got to take home the extra ox tail was worth it. Now, whenever my wife and I go back to the restaurant we're reminded about our fun wedding, and the food and service is always just as great. My wife highly recommends the oxtail. Being a vegan myself I always go with one of the vegetarian specials (They're vegan!) as I love the beans and yucca. I can't recommend this restaurant enough, 10 out of 10 for everything, you won't be disappointed! read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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HOW THEY FIX MISTAKES AND MADE THINGS RIGHT. I eat here from time to time and the food is excellent as well as the customer service which is second to none. I ordered the garlic chicken to go. However, when I got to work I realized they accidently have me two boxes of rice and and beans. I gave them a call, told them about it, and it was no big deal. I totally understand the lunch rush and all the boxes look the same. We're all human. This isn't the zombie apocalypse. I'll survive . That being said it was it was really how well they handled the situation. I returned there after work and we had a good laugh about it. Not only did they gave me the full correct order but also realized I like that lemony flavor of Cuba, but they also have a me a really nice dinner to go for me evening. And yes the lemony pork was absolutely delicious. There was no hesitation, no dispute, just all smiles acne appreciation from both of us. So to sum it up it really wasn't the mistake. It was HOW THEY MAKE YOU FEEL and how they take care of you as a customer. a now loyal custom for years to come. read more

Really had high expectations of this food but everything was trenched in a vinegar sauce from onions that tasted awful! Not the traditional Cuba food I know and love. Ateamed yucca, tasted like vinegar. Roasted chicken, tasted like vinegar. Sample plater tasted like vinegar. And even the black beans. Never going back!!! read more

Bella Cuba is a casual sit down restaurant located amongst other eateries in the center at the corner of Bristol and Sunflower. You'll find a Ross, World Market, Hobby Lobby nearby. I have not visited this center all that often. I never really noticed this Cuban restaurant before. Fortunately, my co-worker requested to go to a Cuban restaurant for her birthday lunch. It's a medium size restaurant with plenty of tables. There's outdated hodgepodge decor, but that's not a big deal. The portions here are great for the lunch specials. Our meals started off with buttery slices of baked garlic toast. Lunch also included a bowl of black beans in a flavorful broth and huge portion of white rice. Plantains also come with our lunch entree. I was debating between the classic shredded beef or classic pork. Since I've had shredded beef at another Cuban restaurant years ago, I opted for the pork. This dish also came with a lot of onions and I didn't care for these since I was going to be in the office the rest of the day. It would be nice to be able to substitute with a small side salad instead. Note, your protein selection is the most important choice for your overall experience at Bella Cuba. I tasted my coworkers, shredded beef and I enjoyed that bite more than my own dish, the pork. I enjoyed the tender pork in the beginning, but after a few bites, the sourness or acidity of the seasoning was overwhelming. That wasn't for me. I wish I would've chosen the shredded beef or possibly another protein. I think I would've been better off choosing the quarter chicken or even the calamari steak. I will return with my family for other entrees next time! read more

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The food here is exceptional!!! I had papas con carne. I also had a delicious house made sangria. The wai staff is do attentive. They could answer my questions and give me excellent advice. I cannot wait to go back!!! read more

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Huge portions! Tucked on the other side of Metro Pointe and South Coast Plaza, this place is definitely worth a try. I enjoyed their garlic bread and flank steak plate. Surprisingly beans were awesome! Fried plantains were great too. Team members were friendly and very attentive. The place is lively and nicely decorated. Not too loud so you can enjoy conversation. read more

Bella Cuba - Menu - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

This is one of my favorite places for Cuban food. Love their roasted chicken dishes with the onions and tangy lemon sauce! Love the garlic bread they give and the yummy sangria! I have never had to wait here and they service has always been great! Most of their entrees have a yummy side of beans with a hint of lemongrass's so gooood! And the plantains are my fave!!! Sometimes it does get warm inside but the food is so worth it! It's a little cozy place that is not fancy at all. Again the food is delish! read more

Bella Cuba - Roasted garlic chicken and pork asado....yum! - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Are you a vampire? If so, stay the hell away from Bella Cuba. This restaurant serves delicious food and uses mojo sauce liberally. Mojo sauce is characterized by pungent garlic, tangy citrus and savory herbs like oregano and cumin. I ordered the combinación de Pollo y Puerco. I got a quarter chicken that was so delicious it left me wanting more. The skin was crispy and the chicken tender and flavorful. The shredded pork was also good but the chicken was the star of the show. The chicken and pork are topped with white onions marinated in mojo. Entrees are served with white rice, black beans and plantains. The service was prompt and everyone we interacted with was very friendly. I can't wait to go back I and eat an entire chicken on my own! read more

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Bella Cuba is a casual Cuban restaurant. They offer lunch specials priced in the $15 to $20 range. Complimentary pan fried bread is included. Sauteed Oxtail ($18) - This came with oxtail prepared in creole sauce and Cuban spices. Accompaniments included rice, beans, and 3 small fried plantains. While the sauce had a nice tomatoey taste to it, there was hardly any meat. 2 small bones had almost nothing on it but fat. The larger bone consisted of 70% fat and a little bit of meat. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with the oxtail. While the taste was good, I was basically eating lots of fat and very little meat. read more

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A restaurant packed is always a good sign for good food. Casual celebration for his birthday, we found Bella Cuba on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Plus it is nearby the hotel. Seated, ordered the braised oxtail, two spinach empanadas, and one sangria. The sangria is so good. The dipping sauce for the empanada is different, citrusy and peppery. It even works well on the oxtail. We shared everything, super full, but what's a birthday celebration without dessert. Therefore, the flan, best flan in a long time. Definitely get it. read more

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I've been coming to Bella Cuba for years, and the food and drinks have always been consistently delicious. There liver and onions. If you like liver, it's my favorite. it's a perfect place to bring family and friends and it's a nice cozy place. Recently, I came back for lunch after a year. My last experience here about a year ago was not the best due to an interaction with one of the hosts regarding my service dog, so seeing this flyer meant a lot to me. Thank you, Bella Cuba, for continuing to serve amazing food while also taking service dog awareness seriously. It made me feel much more welcomed coming back. Looking forward to many more visits! read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The food was great. We got the oxtail platter and also the combination plate of garlic chicken and lechon. Oxtail was tender but slightly salty, better if you eat it with rice. The combination was good, if you like lemon then you'd like this. Food came out fast and you get a basket of bread. Service is just alright though. I'd probably come back again if I'm craving it. read more

Bella Cuba - Oxtail, lechon and chicken combination - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I was in South Beach thanksgiving this year and went to popular iconic Havana 1957 restaurant in Espanola, they were so popular now they have 4 restaurants in the little SoBe, well they are no longer what they used to be, I was so disappointed, they must have replaced the chefs w the new Cuban immigrants who came from communist Cuba and thus have zero culinary talents. After many hours of Christmas shopping we went to Bella Cuba across from South Coast Plaza, we have been coming here the last 20 years. We had: 1) Steamed yucca, it came w mojo sauce, so delicious, do not get it fried, fried was bland. 2) Garlic roasted chicken, pollo asado so cheap and good, in SoBe, it was I think $30 and had no taste, I could not eat it. 3) Lechon asado, it was mouth watering good w a lot of onion. 4) Steak palomilla we did not have today but in the past, it was so marinated, I cannot wait to come back to get this, I still have left over from Christmas dinner so cannot order another entrée! 5) Their tres leche cake was heavenly good, I just did not have it today bc I still have Christmas Buche. We actually felt blessed to live in beautiful Socal to enjoy real Cuban food, God bless the Cubans, they love my daddy! LOL! I just woke up from a food coma, I wish they had happy hour and real mojito but it's still highly recommended, the restaurant was beautifully decorated, 5 solid stars. read more

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I've been shopping at Ross on Bristol for years and never noticed Bella Cuba. I love Cuban food and decided to try after reading a few reviews, I was greeted by Juan, he was helpful and answered my questions, i ordered the garlic chicken, rice, black beans and plantains. My order didn't take long at all. I looked at my order and drove home. The chicken was moist and seasoned well. The rice was good. I felt like I got the bottom of the pot for the black beans as it was majority juice. The garlic buttered french bread was a nice complement to the dinner plate. The plantains were delicious. It was late afternoon and not crowded at all and maybe that's why my order was prepared quickly. The decor was old but the restaurant was clean. There's no parking issues at all. Would i visit again, yes I would but I'd ask to make sure I had black beans with the juice. **Four stars because of the black beans** read more

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First time trying Cuban food and I was so glad that I stumbled upon this place! Hostess was nice and we got seated right away. We got their lechon asado and pollo asado. We were served garlic bread after we ordered and I don't know if it was because we were hungry but something so simple tasted so good! When our food came out, we were amazed how generous the portions were. Big rice, meat, bean soup and plantains! To my surprise, They all tasted really good! Service was really good- they checked on us frequently and made sure we were enjoying our meal. I highly recommend This place! read more

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My friend and I came here for dinner this week. Not only were we greeted and sat right away, but the service was great. We both ordered their famous Roasted Half Chicken with mojo sauce. It was delicious!! I could put the mojo sauce on everything. It was served with black beans and rice which made it even more enjoyable. I will definitely be back soon! read more

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Best tasting authentic Cuban food. Loved the roasted garlic chicken and the lechon Assado. Great service friendly people! read more

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13 years since my first visit, Bella Cuba is still bringing the same great food and service they always have. The garlic chicken and roasted pork are still amazing. The place is as pleasantly casual and comfortable as ever. read more

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Bella Cuba has been around for over a decade. This establishment still serves up tasty cuban food that I can't find elsewhere. This restaurant is down the street from South Coast Plaza. The decor is slightly dated with the carpeted dining area but the food is delicious! Service is quick here and staff is very attentive. The ropa vieja is a go-to dish, as well as the Lechon Asado. The ropa was tender and not stringy at all. The lechon was slightly over salted but had a nice citrus flavor. It is loaded with raw onions so if you're not a fan, you've been worried. read more

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Bella Cuba, is a staple in our family. It's not fancy, it's not a small hole in the wall, but it's a nice and decent place to eat across the street from South Coast Plaza. I've been to other Cuban restaurants, but Bella Cuba is our favorite. We have been coming here for several years. They play wonderful music that I assume are Cuban artists, which adds to the ambiance. All of our servers here have always been friendly and attentive. Once seated you'll be greeted with delicious, hot and toasted buttery bread. Our kids attack this bread basket every time. Guaranteed. We probably go through about three full baskets by the time we leave our table. What we've had and loved; note that *most of the entrees are served with rice, black bean soup and fried plantains. I don't recall if everything in my list had it. 1) Sangria - I'm not a wine person but I can tell you that I really enjoyed it. 2) mixed greens salad - served with tomatoes, onions and avocado, with literal oil and vinegar. I am the type that craves veggies with all meals. $9.95 3) Swai filet - served with a delicious buttery garlic sauce, a side of rice and black beans as well as fried plantain bananas. It's a large portion but smaller than the other meals we order. $16.95 4) lengua guisada - sautéed beef tongue. So good. I wish the portion of the tongue was just as generous as other cuts of meat. Unsure if the rice, beans and bananas come with this. $23.95 5) rabo encendido- oxtail. Delicious and I wish was also served with a more generous portion of meat. Unsure if it is served rice, beans and bananas. $23.95 6) Pollo Asado - Roasted garlic chicken. Served in their mojo sauce, topped with onions. Served with rice, black beans and bananas. We order this with dark meat only, grilled onions and when I remember, I ask for extra sauce. Huge portion and usually is like 2-3 servings for me. $17.95 7) Combination chicken and pork - served with their mojo sauce and topped with onions. Again, we ask for the grilled onions, dark meat only, extra sauce. This is also served with the rice, beans and bananas. Large portion which is 2-3 servings for me. $20.95 We love Bella Cuba. Sometimes we intentionally dine there but other times we end up at Bella Cuba because of long wait times at another restaurant we had our hearts set on. No biggie though. The whole family loves their food and the kids eat very well when we dine there. They're never a bad idea. The friendly staff makes for a pleasant dining experience. read more

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Great service and very good food for a reasonable price. The moro rice was excellent, the shredded pork very tasty and powerfully seasoned, the ripe plantains perfectly sweet. A nice gem in Orange County. The restaurant is spacious and very comfortable. read more

The food is excellent. The portions are large, the meats are all seasoned perfectly. The chicken and garlic is wonderful. They give you pancakes when you sit down. It is a rather small restaurant near South Coast Plaza. The decor is old school, simple, with a Cuban theme. We enjoyed our meal. The service was good. The interior of the restaurant is old, and might be better if upgraded. If you want a taste of Cuban food, I recommend this place. read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Food was pretty good. We had bistec empanizado, rice and black beans, yuca and plátanos verdes aka as tostones, maduros. Service was ok. Nothing to brag about. When asked for postres, flan was good, I asked for aero con leche . They never brought it to the table. When inquired, they forgot to come by and say they were out of it. Who does that? What kind of customer service, and on a Sunday you ran out of one of the most common desserts in the Cuban menu? read more

Came for the oxtails and I will be back for more. My plate came out within five minutes or ordering and it was all piping hot! Excellent service and great environment, energy, and hospitality from all the staff!! The oxtail was very delicious, meaty large and smaller pieces. I would share a picture but I ate it all !! read more

Amazing service and great food! I loved the bread you get as an appetizer before your meal, it was so fresh warm and buttery! My party was a group of four so we were able to try 4 different plates, Which was really awesome because it was our first time trying this particular Cuban restaurant. The Ropa Vieja was definitely my absolute favorite platter it was so well seasoned, juicy and such a huge portion. The other plates were also delicious but nothing compared to the ropa vieja. The restaurant was a bit busy but that didn't affect the awesome service. Servers were on it! They refilled drinks quickly, replenished our warm bread without us having to ask and made sure to check on us throughout our meal definitely will be coming back ASAP!! read more

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Tried the chicken empanada and yuca dip combo -- the empanada tasted more like a frozen one and wasn't great. The garlic chicken with black beans, however, was delicious and flavorful. They also serve complimentary garlic bread, which was a nice touch. Service was quick, and there's ample free parking available. Overall, a mixed experience but worth it for the main entrée. read more

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The garlic chicken was really good. Juicy and flavorful. The onions that came with it were good too. The black beans were better than Porto's for sure. The rice was average. Overall 7/10 read more

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Bella Cuba has surprisingly fast service and they had a decent crowd for 2:30 p.m. on a Sunday. The waiters were also very attentive and checked on us multiple times for more bread, drinks, etc. The portion is also good for the price and you're likely to have leftovers. I recommend their Ropa Vieja but would pass on the empanadas (we liked beef better than chicken, but the chicken was bigger). read more

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Amazing food cant go wrong taking someone to share food with the food explodes with flavor portions not too big but enough to fill i recommend splitting food either way to be able to explore the menu read more

A hidden gem! True to their culture, amazing food, great staff, authentic Cuban cuisine. good vibes all around read more

I love this place!! Across the blvd from Segerstrom and South Coast Repertory theaters. We had only 1 hour to order and eat our meal before the show and they got out on time for curtain call. I always order the oxtails with plantains and rice and black beans . It was enough r for 2 to share so we started with fried Yuca. Any appetizer is enough for 2 . During the summer the sunken courtyard outside seating had entertainment and a great place for young families who have kids that need to stretch their legs. We always order family style so we have variety. All the meals are so good and clean and fresh! read more

Had this delicious oxtail for dinner today! It was tender and well seasoned. The sauce or gravy was so good. The black beans were really yummy too. Would absolutely order again! I also loved the easy access to the restaurant from the parking lot. It was clean and bright. The staff was so welcoming as well. read more

Bella Cuba - Oxtail - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Yes the reviews about the food being bland is correct!!!The garlic bread and even the French fries!!!O let's not forget the garlic sauce(mojo sauce)NOO I had the oxtails and rice..The rice was gummy!! The service was great!The waitress was attentive. The ambience gave off an old dinner type atmosphere.The carpet and brown wood tables.. Not a place I would say I would revisit read more

Bella Cuba - Sautéed Oxtail / Rabo Encendido Shredded Beef / Ropa Vieja - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Stopped by Bella Cuba for lunch and tried the pork sandwich. It was nicely pressed and packed with flavor, but the pork had a slightly sour tang that I wasn't expecting, maybe just not my style. Service was friendly, and the place has a relaxed, welcoming vibe. I'm definitely open to coming back to try other dishes, there's a lot on the menu that looks promising. read more

Bella Cuba - Pork sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I shudder to think of the lunch I had there: pulled pork, rice and black beans. The pulled pork with onions was extremely sour...and cold, a mound of rice--am I supposed fill my gut with rice if all else fails and go away happy? And the black beans were in a cup half mixed with water and stuck in a microwave, mostly a muddy looking cup of water. All for a measly $16 and some change. I shall never, never ever return. read more

Good food so authentic service is very good owners are really smiley and kind I will come back read more

Bella Cuba - Picadillo - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Great service. Nice decor. Food is delicious. Prices are very reasonable. Found them on Yelp and would definitely go back. read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Beef tongue is not commonly eaten in the average US household, but it remains popular in many cultures and has recently gained popularity. Traditionally, Cubans are meat lovers, consuming meat at almost every meal, with pork being the most popular, often served as lechon asado, masas de puerco or pan con lechon. However, beef tongue is also popular in Cuba, when properly prepared, tongue meat is tasty, flavorful, tender and melts in your mouth. At Bella Cuba the chef cooks the meat as "Lengua Guisada", the beef tongue is meticulously sautéed and it is perfectly cooked in tomato-based sauce with traditional Cuban seasonings, accompanied by white rice, maduros and beans. Although not for everyone, I recommend trying lengua at least once for its unique flavor. On your next visit to South Coast Plaza, be sure to stop by Bella Cuba, where the gracious atmosphere and attentive staff are sure to enhance your dining experience. read more

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Man I really wanted to like this place. We came here during the conference and a bunch of us came here for lunch. There was a probably 12 of us at the table and I think the server was actually overwhelmed by our party. I can kind of understand that but you should also be prepared for bigger parties when you have food that is ethnic in one area. The rice and beans mixed were pretty good but nothing to write home about nor would I ever return just for those. The chicken with the garlic sauce was pretty freaking fantastic. I must say I really did like that and I loved dipping the bread they served at the table that was already buttered into the sauce for the garlic chicken and I asked for extra sauce. I did think it was seriously overpriced for what I got. Others in my party really loved the Cuban sandwiches and that seemed to be the most common sandwich. One of our party got mahi-mahi dinner plate and frankly it was extraordinarily fishy which is rare for mahi-mahi. The empanadas were okay. I definitely wouldn't be back for those. I did think the drinks were overpriced and I only got one refill but the garlic chicken was pretty amazing I might be back I might not it's not some place I would go out of my way to return to it was pretty good. The location was pretty clean overall and you go up to the counter to pay so that was all fine I hate places that pass along a credit card charge though just freaking charge it and pay that you're already charging outrageous prices for food. read more

Bella Cuba - Chicken breast plate - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Arroz con Pollo: the plantains were very yummy. It was my favorite part of this dish. My least favorite part of the dish was definitely the chicken. It was extremely, extremely dry - yes, I wrote extremely twice because that's how dry it was. The rice was fine - not bad, not great; edible. Cuban Sandwich: the sandwich was just ok. Again, edible but not something I would reorder. This is based on my most recent visit. I've eaten here before but had ordered something different. I want to say the Roasted Garlic Chicken but it was years ago. However, on this visit, the food was just eh. read more