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    Cafe Havana

    4.8 (213 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 3:00 pm

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    CAFE HAVANA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Havana

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    Pork chunks sweet plantains rice and black beans a ten.

    I give this restaurant a 10 star rating. The food is amazing. I got pork chunks my son got the cuban sandwich and fries. My son got his girlfriend the grilled chicken sandwich and fries. They each shared . Everything was phenomenal. I met Martha who was so gracious she made us cortadito. I felt like I was having dinner with family. Cafe Havana my new favorite restaurant

    Lechon Asado lunch plate
    Mel M.

    New to the area and coming from Central Texas where Cuban restaurants aren't that common, my wife and I were eager to try out Cuban restaurants near us. A couple of days after we closed on our house, we searched for lunch options. While checking out Yelp, Cafe Havana popped up with great reviews, so we plotted a course to check it out. Located in a seemingly industrial area, Cafe Havana offers ample parking. We placed our orders, Lechon Asado lunch for me and Cuban sandwich (which came with fries) for my wife. We, well maybe my wife did, waited a few minutes for her sandwich and fries to be served before eating. The lechon asado, aka roast pork, lived up to its billing as their best seller. Tender, savory and fatty pieces of pork served with yellow rice and fried plantains...the only thing missing was crispy pork skin that comes with pernil. My wife liked her Cuban sandwich as well, good flavors but lacking that crispy bread that she's come to expect. The fries were fresh and hot...perhaps the only place we've tried so far that includes fries with your meal. All in all, a good place that we'll likely revisit for future cravings for Cuban cuisine.

    Main area to order
    Noel E.

    Found it on Yelp and was a hidden gem, cafe con leche in point, free samples of expresso and greeted like Family! Definitely found me a new spot to sit and enjoy a nice cup of Cafe!

    Jacob W.

    I got the lunch special with a bunch of different options! It was delicious, staff was super friendly and helpful. It was busy inside but no wait, for lunch special the food is ready and hot. Interior was nice and laid back.

    Roasted pork with yellow rice and plantains
    Tim D.

    Wow, what a find! Just passing through Ocala on the way to the gulf and we found this wonderful little hole in the wall. Both the shredded beef and the roasted pork were so full of flavor! I had the coconut rice and found it a little bland and pasty but my wife's yellow rice was great and enough for us both. We were served a complementary taste of the cuban coffee and it was so wonderful that we each had to buy a full size cup. This is counter service so much much to talk about except regarding service except for that nice gesture of the coffee taste. The place is a bit of a dive but in a good way. You know when there is a line at the door containing local law enforcement that the place is a winner!

    The staff and food were great! I wish I'd taken a picture of the food The yellow rice and the Ocala coffee were delicious

    Restaurant and car

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    15 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    12 years ago

    The best Cuban food with a smile in Ocala. Always willing to go above and beyond to please customers.

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    The absolute best Cuban food that I have ever tasted!!! Traveling through Ocala and found this jewel. Can't wait to come back!!!!!

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    9 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Gotta go Cuban when in FL, and this is the place! Free tastings to help decide what you want to eat. Authentic hole in the strip mall!

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Excellent food and service. I'm not from the area and I found this place on a whim. Highly recommended!

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Worth going out of the way for! Delicious authentic Cuban food, super casual and inexpensive.

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Great service and amazing food...big portions!

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    13 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Great food. Good quality. Clean. Friendly. Had lunch special and coffee con leche...

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

    I would say 4 1/2 because its really good, however the bread needs some inprovement, but I recommend going here!

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    12 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Sooo great! Food fabulous and staff very friendly. People drove long distances to enjoy this food.

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    8 years ago

    Loved this place! The food was fresh and amazing. Nice little spot, definitely wish I'd known about this place sooner!

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Had the mojo pork plate, wasn't the best but good. All the food was good and the service is above and beyond.

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    11 years ago

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    Page 5 of 6

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    The Cuban Stop - Ropa Vieja, congri rice and yuca.

    The Cuban Stop

    3.8(4 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    I decided to do a quickie for dinner on my way back home. I went to Paddock Mall's food court as I…read morewas debating whether to do seafood poke or Cuban food. Since I had seafood already, I went with Cuban. The friendly guy at the counter took my order, which was a Cuban sandwich (10 dollars) and mango smoothie (5.50). My sandwich included a side, and I chose the potato salad. I was told there would be a small wait, but was handed the potato salad from the fridge. The potato salad was typical, but delicious with a nice amount of potatoes. The smoothie came before the Cuban sandwich. It almost tasted like mango lassi, but a bit more icy. It tasted natural and flavorful though. The sandwich came 5 minutes later, and it was quite hot in temperature. However, the flavors were missing. The bread was a bit bland, but it was soft. The pork looked to be pressed, but it tasted good. The ham tasted like regular supermarket quality. There weren't many pickles in my sandwich, but I was able to taste the mustard and melted cheese inside. I honestly ate the insides and left quite a bit of bread. There was no atmosphere other than the typical mall food court. There wasn't much of a crowd and the mall looks like it is dying. Even though I didn't care for the Cuban sandwich, the mango smoothie and potato salad was good. Thus, I will round up to 4 stars. Else, it would have been a 3.75 if decimals were allowed in ratings. I would visit and order again, but only the smoothie and it was natural and had various flavors at a reasonable price.

    I cannot believe all the positive reviews for this terrible food on Goggle! First of all - except…read morefor the toasted Cuban bread - everything we got was SWILL! How dare they even call this Cuban food? From what kind of Cuban who sends a Cafe Con Leche with no sugar in it? In my entire life of eating Cuban food mostly in Miami and Key West I never had Cafe Con Leche without sugar! It was burnt tasting and awful - undrinkable. The Carne Guisada (Beef Stew) had no olives, capers or raisins in it - only potatoes, carrots and beef and had barely cooked so the meat was like an old shoe. It was unappetizing chunks of fatty, tough, sinewy meat, unpleasant and salty. Impossible to chew and swallow. The side dishes were an insult to Cubans everywhere - flavorless mojo with boiled yuca and red beans that were mostly watery bean juice and a few red beans. The pork tamale had no flavor and the meat was fatty pork that the cat had difficulty chewing with her fangs. Obviously all the good reviews on Google are fake or people in this ridiculous town have no clue what comprises real Cuban food. It was some of the worst food I've had in this burg and that's going some.

    Photos
    The Cuban Stop - Cuban sandwich - 10 dollars

    Cuban sandwich - 10 dollars

    The Cuban Stop - Mango smoothie - 5.50

    Mango smoothie - 5.50

    The Cuban Stop - Potato salad - included as a side

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    Potato salad - included as a side

    Angela’s Latin Kitchen and Bakery - Picadillo, Plantains, black beans and rice!

    Angela’s Latin Kitchen and Bakery

    4.1(72 reviews)
    7.6 mi
    $

    My wife and I have been to Angela's before, for lunch and to pick up yummy pastries. This time we…read morestopped by for breakfast after my wife's early morning dental cleaning appointment. When we walked in, the place was quite busy with diners with most looking like they were enjoying their Cuban breakfast sandwich. My wife and I opted to order the Breakfast Combo #1, which came with eggs, choice of protein, hash browns, Cuban toast and a small cafe con leche. My wife went with sausage and I opted for bacon...this was after the lady behind the counter dissuaded me from ordering combo #2 (guess she's not a fan of the tomato sauce). We also ordered a couple of guava and cheese turnovers for a snack later. Breakfast was OK. Wished the eggs were fluffier but they were fine. The buttery Cuban toast was good and so were the cafe con leche...wished the coffee size was bigger. The biggest disappointment was the bacon, if you can call it that. When I first saw the bacon, I thought it looked odd...and my suspicions were confirmed when I bit into and tasted it. The texture was off and it had no flavor. Perhaps it was turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon, either way I wasn't informed that the bacon would be some weird facsimile of bacon. Surprised the lady behind the counter didn't try to convince me to change my choice of meat. We'll probably go back for breakfast but will definitely avoid ordering that strange bacon. Breakfast for 2 with the turnovers and tip cost just under $30.

    They are kind. Greeting when you enter is very pleasant. Passionfruit shake is yummy morning pick…read moreme up! And freshly made :D Empanada are fresh, seasoned well and tasty, too. Always clean, even during the"rush" A nice little spot for short business or personal meetings ups. I like your style, Angela's Well be back :D

    Photos
    Angela’s Latin Kitchen and Bakery
    Angela’s Latin Kitchen and Bakery - Pastrami Sandwich

    Pastrami Sandwich

    Angela’s Latin Kitchen and Bakery

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    Latinos Y Mas - Trio Fajitas

    Latinos Y Mas

    4.0(329 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Excellent service! Delicious food!…read moreMy favorite food is the Mero-Fish and fresh vegetables on their crisp salad. I have dietary restrictions so their salad and fish meet my needs and a delicious place for lunch and dinner. Beautiful setting for a conversation with friends or family!

    After a visit to the Appleton Museum (a good way to spend an hour or two experiencing some…read moreworthwhile art pieces...especially an original Andy Warhol serigraph of Marilyn Monroe), my wife and I planned a late lunch at Latinos y Mas. We read some rave reviews on our community's Facebook page that intrigued us. The place looked nice from the outside and the interior looked equally nice. We were promptly seated after walking in and presented menus on these digital tablets...only one worked so we took turns looking at the menu. I was going to order their Arroz con Pollo but my wife, who knows I like pernil, pointed out they have pernil so I pivoted and ordered pernil instead. My wife ordered the Cuban sandwich. We just ordered water for drinks and were served chips and salsa while we waited for our meals. Service was quick and efficient and we were soon digging into our dishes. The pernil was just OK. While the meat was tender, it lacked flavor. The yellow rice was just OK as well. My wife liked her Cuban sandwich. I tried it and it had decent flavors. While the pernil fell way short of what I've come to expect pernil should be after sampling it at Kinka's in Lutz, we still thought it was worth a return visit. I just won't order the pernil. Ambience and service were good and value was decent. Lunch for 2 with tip was just over $38.

    Photos
    Latinos Y Mas
    Latinos Y Mas - Chips and salsa

    Chips and salsa

    Latinos Y Mas - Bar

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    Bar

    Mojo Grill & Catering - Red Snapper and Grits

    Mojo Grill & Catering

    4.0(333 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    I had a couple of beef tacos with a huge serving of coleslaw. They even provide a serving of…read moreflavorful sauce to dip the tacos in. The service was great. The food was even delivered surprising fast for a large group. My first time there and will definitely be returning. As you can see, our entire group was smiling. Tell 'em BaddBob sent ya!!

    My wife and I stopped by Mojo prior to watching "Young Washington" in Epic Theaters on a Friday…read moreafternoon. It was a late lunch so the place wasn't full...although the bar area looked busy. When we walked in, there was no host to greet/seat us. Waited a couple of minutes then I walked towards the kitchen to get someone's attention. A minute or so later what looked like the manager came over to seat us in a booth. After checking out the menu and mindful to avoid ordering fried items based on reviews that they're overly greasy, my wife ordered the The Ricky ($13.50 + $1.00 up charge - Cuban roast pork on Cuban bread) with sweet potato waffle fries and I ordered The Pepin ($16 - Cuban roast pork served with red beans and rice and fried sweet plantains). We just had water with our meals. My wife thought the bread was fresh but thought the roast pork was just OK. The sandwich paired well with the honey mustard but not so much with the mojo au jus. My dish started out good, with my first taste of the roast pork being good and flavorful then just went meh after that. The sweet plantains are always good for me. Ambience was cool and upbeat. Portions were generous and it had decent value...but we thought the flavors of the roast pork were muted and fell well short of the pernil flavor we've come accustomed to. Lunch for 2 with tip came out to just over $39.

    Photos
    Mojo Grill & Catering - Some of the most interesting decorations I've seen yet and I didn't even take pictures of the ceiling!!!!

    Some of the most interesting decorations I've seen yet and I didn't even take pictures of the ceiling!!!!

    Mojo Grill & Catering - Red Fish plate with beans and rice and sweet potato fries

    Red Fish plate with beans and rice and sweet potato fries

    Mojo Grill & Catering

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    Latin American Cafe - Cubano/Q'bano Sandwich

    Latin American Cafe

    4.7(85 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $

    My wife and I received a gift certificate for this place from our friend and realtor after we…read moreclosed on our house in Ocala, having moved here from Central Texas. Located in a strip mall anchored by a Roses Discount Store, the place looked dark from the outside and the "Open" sign didn't appear to be lit but we knew they were open because of various Open yard signs in front of the establishment. Upon walking in, we were seated right away and presented the menu. They have daily specials but they didn't have pernil, although they had lechon asado like most of the Cuban/Latin American restaurants we've tried in the area. I ordered the lechon asado which came with yellow rice, fried plantains and red beans. My wife tried their Midnite Cuban sandwich. The lechon asado was flavorful (but of course no crunchy skin) and the yellow rice was good as well. My wife's sandwich, however, was a disappointment! The roast pork had an off taste and was gristly...she had to remove that meat from her sandwich. I tried her roast pork and was thinking of sending it back but my wife just removed all the meat from her sandwich. Perhaps we'll be back but definitely not ordering the Cuban sandwich again. Lunch for 2 came out to just over $30 with tip.

    We usually come here when we visit family. My husband's favorite place. The food is delicious…read more Service is good and portions are quite large. Definitely good value here. We love the masitas- fried pork chunks. The beef stew is awesome. Today, trying the ropa vieja- one of the Friday specials and the breakfast , Machito. They make good French fries here. Area is very nice after the remodel a couple of years ago.

    Photos
    Latin American Cafe
    Latin American Cafe - A Whole "Red Snapper" 1.5- 2.0 lbs. served with 2 sides (market price, also allow xtra time time, as we cook it to order.

    A Whole "Red Snapper" 1.5- 2.0 lbs. served with 2 sides (market price, also allow xtra time time, as we cook it to order.

    Latin American Cafe

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    The Mojo Grill & Catering - Fried Pickles

    The Mojo Grill & Catering

    3.7(114 reviews)
    9.1 mi
    $$

    To celebrate a special birthday, a group of seven decided to go to Mojos in Belleview for lunch…read more Our waitress Callie was EXCELLENT!. She was attentive, pleasant and extremely efficient. All the orders came out perfectly and the food was great! thanks again MOJO's for helping us celebrate a special birthday.

    20 years ago the food was great, back when it was located in downtown. Back then it was too…read morecrowded. Probably because the food was great, used to have live music too. The Belleview location is lacking in quality of food. It reminds me more and more of leftovers put together to make a meal. Go one week and the side beans and rice are so good I could eat them as a meal. Go the next week and they're burnt tasting with unjustly amount of over seasoning. My take... last weeks beans and rice are getting a full new seasoning bath to cover up the re-cooked, overcooked beans that they serve me this week. Not cool!. Just because the health department allows them to reserve those beans for 10 days straight doesn't mean they should. Server brought me the wrong sandwich, I told her but I let it ride. She didn't offer to reorder correct sandwich. That deer in the headlights look made me feel like I dint want her to lose her job. The tacos were not seasoned, like none. The shells were limp. The last two times we visited the fries and waffle fries were barely warm. They need not do this to people. Pre cooking potatoes is not good business. We didn't get the wings this time because last two times they were severely overcooked and dry. The time before that they were perfectly supreme. There is no consistency here. If you want a cold beer, get it in the big glass. I don't know what's up with that. Maybe they only keep the big glasses cold and not the small ones but those smaller glasse go hot fast

    Photos
    The Mojo Grill & Catering
    The Mojo Grill & Catering - Great side of mojo. Wow.

    Great side of mojo. Wow.

    The Mojo Grill & Catering - Interior

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    Interior

    Cafe Havana - cuban - Updated September 2026

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