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

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

I was in the neighborhood saw this place. And oh my God. The pollo asada was amazing juicy, tender, and crispy on the outside. The best Cuban pollo asado in years! The service was top notch. The ambience was wonderful I felt like I walked into a time capsule and landed in Cuba. I left nothing behind tempted to eat the bone. read more

Bella Cuba - Amazing!!!! Left nothing behind. - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Been coming here for over a decade and really love their garlic chicken & onions with black beans and rice and plantains. This meal always hits the spot when you're craving this meal and nothing else will do. This is obviously not the only thing on the menu, however I've had a few other items that are equally delicious. The restaurant ambience is really nice and staff are very welcoming and are more than happy to answer any questions if you're not sure what to order. No question about it. I will definitely be back again. read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We were heading to the South Coast Plaza to do some shopping. Not wanting to deal with long lines and large crowds at the dining options in the mall I decided to try this Cuban plaza. This turned out to be a terrific find. The popular braised oxtails was fantastic. They were super tender and really flavorful. The portions were also quite generous. The Arroz amarillo con camarones was also delicious. The saffron flavor was prominent in the yellow rice and reminded me of paella. In fact, our server told me that the paella, which takes 45 minutes to prepare, is basically the same with a few more meats and seafood. Delicious food with reasonable prices. This has become one of my gotos for the area. read more

Bella Cuba - Arroz Amarillo con Camarones - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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Food was good, i'd say like others, the chicken or the sauce was a but on the sour side but i don't know if this food is supposed to taste that way. Either way the food was still good. Server was nice. read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Oxtail! The Rabo Encendido (Sauteed Oxtail) is sooooo good! Lots of meat, it is tender, and just has a huge amount of flavor. Then you pair this with the chicken rice.... dang.... it just hits. The Pollo Asado is another great item to get. Empanadas were delicious. We tried the beef, chicken, and spinach. I personally love Spinach Empanadas, and this one did not disappoint. Halibut had great flavors, but was overcooked and dry. Scallops needed more garlic and flavors, it was still cold when it was served to us. Service was excellent and kind. For me, going forward... it is the Rabo Encendido (Sauteed Oxtail) dish. I would definitely come back for this item. Thank you Bella Cuba! read more

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Had the Chicken Fricase lunch special. The chicken was so tender and flavorful! With the rice, beans, and plantains, it was sooo much food! Would definitely recommend! read more

Family-style casual ambiance; good service. The rice and beans separately were better than the one combined. The water from the beans helps keeps the moisture. Potato balls and soup were good. read more

Bella Cuba - Complimentary bread, chicken soup, beans and rice, potato balls with beef. - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The Fricasé de Pollo is off the chain! Love this freeway close spot across from South Coast Plaza. Cafe con leche , Rabo and palomilla are my go to's. everything else is top notch too. Friendly staff too. read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

The chicken and mahi mahi were fine, as well as the rice and beans. Service was also fine. After glancing at other reviews, I'd like to try the empanadas. Parking was plentiful. read more

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Quick satisfying lunch our waitress was great very authentic Cuban food great atmosphere great hospitality. We will definitely be back for dinner. read more

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Came during lunch ấn enjoyed their lunch special. Ambience// Wonderful Spanish music in the background Food// Steak scallop was not bad but rice was a bit grainy. Sauce was subtle but good. There was a side of bean soup which was the slatier end but paired well with the rice. Plantains were soft and I liked the crisped ends. Service// Server was nice and food was quickly prepared. read more

Bella Cuba - Steak Scallop Rice Lunch Special - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

I come here for the best cuban food! Ropa vieja is my go-to. They have a coco batida which is super yum! Service is fine, small restaurant but big flavor! :) read more

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My fiancé and I really enjoyed this restaurant! Casual atmosphere, super kind/efficient staff, large portions, well priced & delicious comfort Cuban food! We would go back for sure! read more

Amazing food... The restaurant was busy, but they took our order quickly and brought out our piping hot food right away! We ordered shredded beef, shredded pork and garlic chicken. The portions were large, the soup was fantastic, the rice had fabulous flavor, plantains were fantastic the pork flavor was great and the atmosphere was terrific. read more

The food was superb (sorry, I was so excited I forgot to snap pics). We ordered the chicken with mojo and lechon. Both plates were very tasty and we loved the black beans and rice as well. Our server Gerardo provided extraordinary service and very willing to please. I don't live in OC, but have saved this restaurant in both my collections and in my Google maps favs. Highly recommend it. read more

I have been eating this Cuban dish since I was about 24 years old living in LA and dining at Versailles. I like Bella Cuba better (off-the-record). ;) COMBINATION DARK MEAT CHICKEN (per request) and PORK MARINATED IN MOJO SAUCE: -- the orangy citrusy mojo sauce is delectable -- I normally order a side of it but forgot -- moist flavorful pork -- tender dark meat chicken -- I use the moist white rice (huge mound provided) and black beans as the base and pile strips of meat on top with the raw onions...it is my process since the beginning -- next time I will order only pork I think since it is my fave of the 2 meats -- the fried plantains are cooked to perfection and go with the mojo sauce like bread and butter STAFF are friendly and efficient. RATING = A read more

Post-mall meal! Bella Cuba is conveniently located just north of South Coast Plaza. We chose to eat here after spending our Saturday shopping. I've been told that the owner previously worked at one of the Versailles Cuban Restaurant locations for over 25 years, so I came in with high expectations. You'll find Bella Cuba on the corner of Bristol St and Sunflower Ave. On the first floor of a two story building. Seating is plentiful inside and out. The menu has some salads, pork plates, chicken combos, seafood specialties, beef bites, delectable desserts, and more. They have lots of reasonably priced lunch specials on weekdays from 11AM to 3PM. lechon asado - slow-roasted, succulent pork! pollo asado - roasted garlic chicken had good portion sizes, the mojo sauces adds a tangy kick to it chilindron de cordero - sautéed lamb was hearty! camarones al ajillo - shrimp in garlic sauce was a bit simple, but tasty sopa de frijoles negros - black bean soup was salty and watery plantanos maduros - fried plantains were sweet, served as a counterbalance for all the salt mariquitas de plantanos verde - plantain chips were just okay, could be crunchier Very savory meal, but keep in mind that most of the dishes are on the salty side. read more

Bella Cuba - Lechon Asado (Roasted Pork) - Santa Ana, California - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

We had our Ambassador meeting and got food from here to feed 20+ ppl. We got shredded beef, bread, rice, chicken... everything was delicious. I highly recommend coming here for lunch, dinner or just catering. read more

Had dinner here recently. Great varied menu. Had the Garlic chicken and ropa vieja. Both delicious. Amazing service! Very friendly and attentive. Lovely atmosphere! Really a treat! read more

Love this spot, Cuban like Ihad in Havana. Taking my pops again tomorrow. The flan is another level good!

The food is consistent authentic and delicious. The service is excellent! It's not fancy, but if you're craving authentic Cuban food, Bella Cuba is the restaurant. read more

Although the ambience of this place is super laid back, the food and flavor weren't! Everything I ordered had so much flavor! I'll definitely come back if I'm in the area. I was there with a huge group and they accommodated all of us with fast and sweet service! There was so much food that I took some to go and enjoyed it even the next day! Free parking available! I do have to say the mojitos were kinda weak- that was my only complaint. read more

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Great food, big portions! My favorite dish is the oxtail. And my second favorite dish is the picadillo. But you can go wrong with anything here! read more

Been here so many times and always great food and service. The most authentic Cuban food in the area. read more

Bella Cuba - Omgoodness !!! So good like always - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Being half Cuban, I'm always looking for food that will bring me back to my childhood. This place has it all. Been here many times and have tried different items each time. The empanadas are a great way to start your meal. Fried and full of flavor, you can't go wrong with them. The spinach and cheese are my favorite. Bistec de pollo, milanesa with eggs, and their fantastic black beans and rice are all simply amazing. Order a Malta to drink with your food and you'll have experienced a true, Cuban, meal. read more

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Food was excellent-had the sampler platter and the vegetarian dish. Great service and food!!

Good food as always Portions have gotten smaller and price higher. Chicken has gotten skinnier. Less oxtail Service still good read more

We had plans to watch a musical at Segerstrom and met here for dinner before. The last time I've been here was probably over 10 years ago and I'm glad to say this place is still very good. The service was amazing, and the food was as delicious as I remembered. My go-to is the ropa vieja and we also ordered the steak and lengua. It's a great option for good food and fast service. read more

SOS. Please don't blend the black beans, and please improve the flavor. Do not cover all the plates with so much onion that you can't even see what is under. Also, go easy with the lemon. Cuban food should not taste more like lemon than the meat. This is an honest review. I usually love giving good reviews, but this place definitely needs help. Maybe the chef is not Cuban. He might be trying, but he really needs to improve. I don't think I will come back, but people in that area deserve a decent Cuban place. read more

My first time going to a Cuban restaurant. I think the service was wonderful 10/10. I dropped beans in the table and the server was so sweet about it, they brought garlic bread to the table that is a 9/10 and we got extra to have with our food, and when I was packing my food to go, they let us have extra!!! We had the 14. sautéed oxtail wow 10/10!!!! Delish. The 1. roasted pork was a 7.5/10 I liked the pork but it was a bit sour. The rice was a bit hard for the plates but it went well with the sauces on our plates. We also have the spinach empanada 7/10 and the chicken empanada 9.5/10. I loved that there is so much parking near by. No wait time on a Wednesday at 5:30pm. read more

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It just to be good before. Now it doesn't taste good. The beans are super salty. I'm not coming back. read more

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

Hidden gem. Delicious lamb and oxtails. Ful of flavor. No salt or pepper is needed. The service was fantastic, and the prices were reasonable read more

Bella Cuba - Cuban Near Me - Santa Ana, California

A nice little cuban spot. Food is always good and so is the service. Have been coming here for years and never been disappointed.

Awesome service unique food. Delicious. Music is pretty big for my ear but not too bad. The oxtail is very tender falling off the bone. read more

I had the beef empanadas as an appetizer and they were hot and tasty, good flavor to them. My dinner consisted of a grilled lemon pepper chicken breast with plenty of onions on top of it, it was a solid plate. The service was good, the food was quickly cooked and tasty very good, I'll be back very soon . read more

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This people don't even deserve a one star not sure what happen but we where discriminated our food was cold the bread cold the service was very bad I felt bad for my son it was his bday in 2023 I reported law enforcement misconduct nd corruption since I been a target thy go to the restaurants i eat at nd tell there owners to discriminate against me nd my family not sure if this is the case but the mistreatment is not excepteble nd needs to be addressed read more

Excellent quality, quantity atmosphere absolute delicious deliciousness authentic Cuban read more

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Our favorite Cuban restaurant in the area. Can't go wrong with the pork dishes. Fast excellent service always.