I have been wanting to try Casual Habana and I am glad I finally went. The food is very tasty! I tried the yucca fries and had the Cubano sandwich for lunch. The meat was tender and the portion was large and came with plantain chips. This is definitely a restaurant where you get value for your money. I'd like to try the lunch buffet some time. The staff was very nice and allowed us to stay and talk without making us feel rushed. read more

Great Cuban spot. I've not experienced dinner here because every time I decide to have dinner here... It's packed. So I've decided to have lunch as the restaurant is close to my office. Lunch at Casual Havana is delishes and tasty. They do offer a great buffet at a very reasonable price but I order my favorite Pernil Assado. Perfect every time (once a week) and the specialty hot sauce is amazing!! Try their basil lemonade as a change from soft drinks. Healthy and refreshing. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try this past Friday and boy, are we glad we did! I plan on bringing my girlfriends back the next time we get together! BYOB = A very good thing. Love having the option to drink what I want & what I like. We arrived around 7:30pm or so and there was a decent crowd, but we didn't have to wait for a table. As soon as we sat down, our wine bottle was opened and a hot bowl of fresh plantain chips were brought to the table. Definitely a nice change from a bread basket you get in most places. We devoured the chips as we were already hungry when we got there. As an appetizer, we ordered the Shrimp in Creamy Garlic Sauce. It was delicious! You get about 8 shrimp in a wonderful sauce and only then was I wishing for a bread basket to mop up the creamy garlic sauce! My boyfriend ordered the Pernil Asado. I ordered the Vaca Frita, which is shredded flank steak with caramelized onions. Both entrees come with a choice of 2 sides. We both chose the Moro Rice (white rice mixed with black beans). My boyfriend order the side salad and I ordered the tostones. The tostones had to be THE BEST I've ever had. Sometimes they can be very tough, but these were light and perfectly crisp with the right amount of saltiness. I ate every last one! We had enough food in total to bring home a full meal. We decided to share the dos leches dessert. It was very good, considering I am not a fan of what would seem to be soggy cake. It was actually really yummy and almost custardy in texture. Everyone talks about Benny. He did some by 2x to see how we were doing and to fill our wine glasses, but you can see he definitely has his regulars/friends/favorites as he was sitting with a couple of different tables for extended periods of time whereas we were just a "drive by" for him. All in, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees & 1 dessert (with tax & tip) cost us $50! Can't go wrong here and we will be back over and over again! read more

Hackensack is fortunate to have a great, little Cuban restaurant like this. You walk in, & you're instantly transported to another country. The designers did a nice job with lighting & decor. Their menu offers a good variety of options. The soup is excellent. -1 for the breading on the empanadas being slightly too thick/dry. Otherwise, the food is solid, atmosphere pleasant, & it's BYOB. I'll definitely be back. read more

I've eaten here and ordered delivery from them many times. The food is excellent - the mofongo de ropa vieja and oxtail empanadas are favorites of mine. If you're dining in, the servers are very friendly. And for delivery, they're usually on time. Very much worth checking out of you're in the Hackensack area. read more

I like this place. Seems like a very vanilla thing to say, but that's kind of how I feel about the place. A little vanilla for a cuban restaurant. The decor is nice since the remodeling, it has a very laid back, comfortable vibe, so good work there. The service is mostly good, although they can get a little too involved flirting with each other and checking their phones rather than watching their tables. Nothing major, and they're all pleasant, but there it is. Benny is a good manager. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, and cares enough to almost always be on the floor schmoozing it up with the guests, which is a nice touch. The food is hit or miss for me. Some things I've tried I've really liked. Not the best cuban food I've ever had, but above average for sure. The fried plantains are usually spot-on, the empanadas are great, and the option to have sangria/mojitos made (which they do a good job on, the sangria in particular is a good mix) with your alcohol is a plus. Others... eh. The rice can be disappointing. A ropa vieja I ordered once was kind of dry, like too dry for comfort, although the quality of the meat was good. Everything else on the menu I've tried is... nice. Not THRILLING... but nice. Prices are standard, no great deals, and nothing unusually expensive. Overall: Good. It really has no competition in the area at the moment so they can sit on their laurels with what they have, but in my opinion if another place opened up in the area with a desire to succeed, they could definitely snag business from this place, mine included. They just need to step it up a bit with the menu, and have the staff pay a little more attention to the tables rather than each other. read more

Love the authentic Cuban recipes. My favorite is the Vaca Frita, Bistek Empanizado and the Pernil. The mojitos are great but if you want them with alcohol you have to bring your own rum. The staff is friendly and helpful I have been here many times and recommend to all my friends read more

3.5 stars A small BYOB Cuban restaurant tucked away in Hackensack's main street. The name is fitting as it did feel like a casual (but nice) restaurant. While you wait for your food, they offer plantain chips with a tasty garlic sauce sauce. We mainly ordered appetizers as we were tight on time. 1) Ensalada Casera/House Salad (with passion fruit vinaigrette, dry papaya and goat cheese): overall a good salad. I added chicken to it and that was the seller for me; very tender & juicy. 2) Chorizo Johnny (Spanish sausage sauteed with onions, garlic, and red wine olympico): Not a bad app either but nothing stood out 3) App sampler: empanadas, yuca fries, papa rellena were all good. The yuca fries were almost as good as the ones I had in the Dominican Republic. The tamale was mediocre and was probably the least favorite. Overall a good deal for the price and quality. I do want to come again and try some of their entrees next time. read more

*salmon (the fish itself was a little overcooked, it was also underseasoned so the mango salsa made this dish a little too sweet for an entree. the bed of spinach was hiding on the bottom with chopped plantains laid across the top of the salmon filet. The flavor combination was weird, but I think the only thing that saved this dish was the plantains. I wish there was something crunchy on this plate because everything was soft. Maybe have the plantains be crisp or have tostones instead) *baby pernil (pork shank!!! this was so good and one of their signature dishes; the meat was so perfect and tasted amazing!) *arroz moro (cuban dirty rice; yes please!! I can eat a barrel of this and be completely happy. I know it's simple, but it's when the simple things that are done right that make a good impression) *yuca con mojo (yuca in garlic and olive oil; soooo good!!!!!! the yuca itself was soft and powdery, not sticky like some other places; the oil and garlic were light and did not take over the yuca which was appreciated) Going back for a regular dinner service was a much better experience than their lunch buffet. I think their lunch buffet was lacking and the food was cold so I couldn't taste the real flavor of the meats and stuff. However, based on this dinner I would more likely return for another meal and recommend this place. I wish they would have better lighting too. Place is dark as hell. read more

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BYOB + CUBAN goodness= HOME RUN! the service is on point, the owner is always there to make his rounds to the tables, introducing himself and usually throwing a free appetizer your way. The daily specials tempt you to want to order more than what your tummy can handle.. with unique pairings like Chorizo Espanola empanadas.. being of Spanish descent, i was happy to see this on the menu.. their ropa vieja is excellent and well, everything I've tasted here has been terrific- beautifully plated, fast service, and friendly atmoshphere...nice job! read more

We were driving around Jersey didn't know where and what to eat for dinner. Of course with yelp we agreed to try Cuban food. So we decided to dine here. This place amazed me as I came in. It's Something cozy and decent, clean, a very nice Spanish ambiance. We were met and sat right away even tho the place was kinda packed. The table was wobbly tho, Every time I move it moved too.. But again, I can't complain. We tried some appetizers.. The steak empanadas was yummy and I loved it especially the dipping sauce. The fried pork belly was ok, it was soft but the fat melts in your mouth. It's BYOB and we forgot to bring some wine, so we end up ordering their red sangria which doesn't seem like it has alcohol content. we didn't know its supposed to be mix with other wine , well maybe next time. My entree was pescado, I ordered the salmon varadero $16.00 it's a slow roasted Atlantic salmon topped with warm spinach, Chips on a mango sauce. This is yummy I loved it and it's a must try. My friend tried mix seafood with corn muffin on a red sauce $19.00, both entrees came with 2 sides.. We opted for yuca fries which was ok and green plantain tasted better. Their main specialty was the "baby pernil" which mostly everyone was ordering.. But we opted for less cholesterol. The service was slow tho but the food was excellent. The staff were great and friendly. The price is very reasonable. Their rest room is clean. There's a metered parking on both sides of the street across the place. This place well I can recommend to others, I'll find my way back next time. They got lunch special as well. We had a great times d a sumptuous dinner. Good food! read more

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This being my fifth time here, it was pretty good although the Red Snapper was a little overdone and rice a little cool. Still a pretty good meal. Finally got their liquor license and the sangria was pretty good but the carafes are very small. I'm a fan of the small pitchers like El Cid because sangria is cheap to make as the fruit and ice take up most of the room in the carafe. This bumps the price up considerably if you plan on have more than two glasses of wine each. read more

Not bad at all. Flavorful and authentic food. I actually ordered for delivery and they came super fast!! The ham croquettes for super salty though. But everything else we ordered was very good. We had the empanadas which my son devoured, the baby pernil was so flavorful. Also had the red snapper and man was this thing super crunchy!!! MMMMMMMMMM Loved their rice and yucca fries too. The only thing with the sides was it's frozen steamed veggies so nothing impressive. Definitely want to go in a try the food but will order again mmm. read more

Service: friendly attentive helpful Food: the pernil was great. Not good, great. Crispy out, juicy in. The oxtail was good also but not as good as the pernil. The empanada was so so. It's fairly pricey for Cuban food but it was worth it. The restaurant was fairly clean. The wait is pretty bad so make reservations. The good reviews are well deserved. read more

Hey Ben, I missed the skin on the baby pernil!!!! Please!! I want the crispy skin!!!! read more

Ehhhhh food was nothing special. Tables are so close that my elbows were actually touching the people next to me. May be back, may not. read more

Casual Habana Cafe - Boom - Cuban Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

Nice place, good vibe, great service, decent food. The plantain chips were a good way to stave off hunger, although the sauce served with them could have done with a dash of salt. The escabeche entree was good, and the first time I tired mofongo. I know that this type of cuisine is rustic, so it was odd seeing it presented on a china plate, all stacked up neatly and topped with an olive, pepper and onion sauté, and a salty brown reduction. They shoulda reserved some salt for the ailois. The shredded steak over mofongo was good also. Same deal as the fish...only beef. My partner, who lived in the Caribbean for many years, thought that the flavors were light and wished they were a bit stronger. As for me, it was fair...but me and Island food haven't hung out together much. The summary here is that it's a good place to try if you've got a hankerin' for Cuban. Nothing to knock your zapatos off, but definitely good. read more

For those who hate waiting at Cuban Pete's awkward staircase, come to Casual Habana! I come here often when I'm craving Cuban. I've tried many dishes here and it's hard to talk about each one, but my two favorite dishes are: Vaca Frita and the Fried Pargo (I couldn't choose one!) Both are cooked until crispy perfection! The Fried Pargo has a great presentation too! Another reason why I like this place is because you can choose 2 sides from a long list! Finally, the staff is EXTREMELY friendly. I feel like I know the chef by now since he comes out EVERY time I am there and talks to each table. This place never lets me down. Finish your meal off with a cortadito and slice of tres leches and don't forget to BYOB for sangria! read more

I love the food here. The arroz con pollo tastes just like my mom used to make. The ensalada casera is my favorite. I add grilled chicken but you can add steak shrimp or salmon. The little papaya bits , goat cheese and signature vinaigrette combination is to die for! And let's not forget... the black beans ! read more

Casual Habana Cafe - Cuban Near Me - Hackensack, New Jersey

This place surprised me! It's very cute inside; has a rustic feel. The place is small, though, so rsv are probably a must. We had an 8pm rsv and probably waited ~15 min. Unless I missed something, parking is street-only and it's not the easiest, so give yourself extra time. The music was playing at the perfect level and the service was great. BYO, come prepared, because the nearest liquor store is...not nearby. The food was really good and reasonably priced. It did take some time to get to us, but hey, it's Cuban time. Enjoy your company and your wine. Our party of 7 enjoyed the pork shank, churrasco, chicken smothered in onions, ribs, and the app sampler. The portions were big and everything was tasty. We ordered flans for dessert--these are easily shareable because they are big (one can be split between 2 or 3 people). I'll definitely go back...seriously, it surprised me. read more

Had dinner here last night for the first time. Place was packed but only waited 5 min to be seated. Service was some of the best I have experienced in a long time. The décor was very modern and yet warm. The owner was very tentative to everyone's needs. He kept coming around to see if everything was ok which was very nice. For appetizer we had the Yuca fries with garlic sauce and it was really good. I have the Churrasco with chimichurri sauce along with white rice and beans. My wife had the one of the special which was Baby Pernil, dirty rice and salad. We also got a side order of Maduros. For dessert we tried the Chocolate Empanadas which was 3 or 4 small empanadas filled with chocolate sauce, deep fired and covered in powdered sugar. The portions were a good size. Everything was well cooked and very good. Overall a very nice place. We will definitely come again. read more

Went with 3 of my girlfriends on a Friday night. Loved the ambiance, great for a dinner with friends or a date..even family! It was packed, and we weren't sure if we even had a server at first, it's possible Friday nights are busiest. I ordered 2 appetizers as my dinner, wasn't super hungry. I got the calamari and the steamed yucca (cassava). The calamari was decent, the sauce was decent, will probably not order again here as it wasn't fantastic. The steamed yucca though?? Oh it was delicious!! My oh my. I also tasted a friend's sweet plantains and they were perfect, just how I like them. We tried the tres leches cake for desert and it was tasty. 1 order is enough for 2 people for sure...depending on how hungry you are. Overall this place was good and I WILL return. I gave it 3 stars for the absent server and because I've had much better calamari. read more

Wonderful fresh foods. Reasonable good food. Tres leche to die for. I love the salad with chicken steak and shrimp. Enough for two meals.

Food was over cooked. I had the bistec Palomilla, my partner had the Baby Pernil, we sat at the bar, when our glasses were empty we were never asked if we wanted refills of our beers or glasses of water because the waiters were too busy. Beer was warm even with a frozen glass (which wasn't frozen). The waiters were very young and busy doing a little bit of everything, at times there wasn't any waiter at the bar, it was empty. We came here during the start of the pandemic and was very disappointed back then, we thought the quality of the food had changed due to the times we were dealing with in 2020 but it seems like it's who they are, (stupid us for returning). The people seated next to us ordered Mojitos, the drink was 95% ice, we didn't know each other but we looked at the drink and both laughed out loud, my partner and I should of left then, we ended up at Choripán Rodizio, what a huge difference in service and food was way better. read more

This place gets five stars across the boards! Ambiance, service, drinks, food are fantastic. The owner (and chef) Benny, always comes around to say hello to all the diners. Love this place! read more

The good news is, my teeth have finally ceased their chattering. Not what you'd expect out of a Cuban restaurant review eh? Well, it was just THAT cold in this place, so it warrants mentioning. I was in town visiting my BFF and though we'd hit this much-talked-about-in-her-family Cuban place in picturesque Hackensack. The general decor and atmosphere was absolutely charming; as was the greeting we received when we arrived for dinner. The wait wasn't long, and before we knew it, we were seated at a "wonderful table" towards the kitchen. The table was very "wonderful" I suppose, but damn was it cold! Our booth was near a long hallway flanked by restrooms; at the end of which was apparently...a very poorly sealed door abutting the cold New Jersey winter outside. We had to put our coats on, it was that serious. But enough about that. Cold. You get it. Don't sit at this table or consider wearing a yeti to dinner. We waited for a few minutes to order drinks (Diet Coke - didn't realize it was BYOB); no big deal. I can wait a few for a drink. Aside - the available mixers were terrific. So, should you choose to BYOB, be prepared to have many delicious options from which to choose. We downed our drinks pretty quickly and due to our sparkling conversation, I didn't realize how much time had passed. Eventually, I checked my watch and had been a solid hour since our last visit with our delightful server. Delightful as he may have been, I really would've appreciated a refill or some acknowledgement that we had not yet frozen to death. To be honest, I'm not sure when we actually received our food. I lost track. And all of this whining aside - I didn't mind THAT much. I was with a good friend and was pretty content to pass the time catching up. I just would've killed for another drink or the aforementioned yeti to keep me warm. BUT, we did eventually receive our food and it was delicious. I ordered the mashed plantains with chicken, steamed veggies and a side salad. The veggies were borderline amazing had they too not been ice-cold. The salad was fine but the perfectly formed mound of plantains and chicken was AH-MA-ZING. It didn't look like much, but halfway in I was so full I thought I might pass out. So good. Must have the recipe. But given this so-so review, I'm unlikely to get it. Soooo - I don't know really. The food was awesome-ish, so given a heads up that you might be here all night and if you bring lots of booze, I'd say give Casual Habana a chance. Bundle up Jersey - it's only February. read more

The food and the service are excellent at this location. I dinned at this restaurant witha party of 6. Everyone ordered something different and everything tasted amazing. The waitress was really great as well. We felt so comfortable and created some great memories with each other at Casual Habana, which really speaks volumes as to the amazing food and atmosphere of this place because they dont serve alcohol. We plan on eating at their New Milford location this week (which does serve alcoholic beverages). I'll let you know what we think. read more

I ordered take out from here once and was totally underwhelmed. Since the reviews seem so good, I figured maybe the food doesn't travel well, so I decided to try it out in person- much better! Decor: modern, with exposed brick walls, but the chairs are fairly comfy. At around 8:30-9 on a Saturday night, the crowd was mostly families with (thankfully) well-behaved kids, and some groups of 2-6 in their 20's-40's. Drinks: BYO. You can obviously bring whatever you want, but I recommend bringing in a bottle of wine so they can make homemade sangria- so good! You can also bring in brandy and they'll make white sangria- maybe i'll try that next time. Food: for apps, we got the chorizo johnny and the plantation guacamole, which was guacamole with grilled pineapple, served alongside plantain chips (thin like potato chips, not tostones). Both apps were really good, but the serving of guac was kinda chintzy. Next time- MORE GUAC! During out take-out foray, we had gotten the Camarones al Ajillo, which had really good flavor, but did not travel well at all (i.e.- the shrimp were cold and the sauce had begun to separate). We also got the Chorizo a la Plancha, which was good, but average- the Johnny is much better. For entrées, I got the Churrasco Asasdo con Chimichurri (Choice Skirt Steak Fire-Grilled and Served with Homemade Chimichurri Sauce), which I had also gotten when I got take-out, with black beans and tostones. First, the sides- delicious! The beans were great and the tostones were crispy with the perfect amount of salt. The Churrasco definitely had much better flavor in-house than take-out, but the meat was just so ridiculously fatty that I really couldn't eat too much of it. I've gotten skirt steak at several different places and this was definitely the fattiest. And it was the same twice, so I'm guessing that's how it always is. :( Fiancé got Boliche (Braised Eyeround of Beef Stuffed with Chorizo and Served in a Criollo Sauce), which was also not that great. The meat was pretty dry and overall, the dish didn't have too much flavor at all. His sides were really good, though; he got the Ensalada Casera (Mixed Greens Dressed with Homemade Passion Fruit Vinaigrette Topped Dry Papaya and Goat Cheese), which he described as "out of this world", and maduros, which I normally do not like because they are usually a mushy mess, but these were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside- well done! Dessert was the tres leches cake, which I think was really good, and the table next to us described as "amazing", but after sharing a pitcher of sangria, my memory is a little hazy. Overall, I definitely recommend dining in over take-out. The food shines much better fresh out of the kitchen. Everything here was great but the meat entrées. I don't get it? I guess I need to stay away from the poor quality meat and need to start looking at the seafood and chicken options for next visit! read more

Yum yum yum. Very good cuban/latin food. The prices are good for the quality, and amount of food. Please try the churrasco! It is amazing. Also the ropa vieja is good as well as the apps. Ive tried coconut shrimp in pineapple ginger glaze over guac, great! It is also byob but they do have a mild sweet sangria. The decor is very cute and rustic feeling. They also have an $8.00 lunch buffet witch is great value for money. The owner is also very friendly and makes it a point to make rounds to the tables and say hi. read more

We we very happy with our delicious dinners, and the sangria was soooo tasty! Hadn't been there in a year, and I was very surprised with the upgrades, and although we prefer BYOB, the drinks are reasonable and tasty! read more

Cute spot with good service and food. I was in the mood for Mofongo with chicken and decided to give this place a try. It was very tasty! I will definitely be back. read more

Good food, but very rude staff. Everytime I've called, the girls that answer the phone are very rude and have no customer service. Rather give the business to New Milford. Also, be advised that they have a weird rule that they can only take reservations at 6:30 and 8 pm on weekends. read more

Love it here! Celebrated my birthday here about 3 years ago. They take reservations and accommodate a somewhat large group. (Maybe 20). Anyway the food is ALWAYS delicious. I've tried multiple dishes and I'm never disappointed. Best steamed Yuca and Arroz Moro if you're picking a side. Empanadas are also great! I could go on.. I usually take out but dining in is cozy and intimate. Nice ambiance. I think they have performers there on some days. Staff is nice. read more

I love everything about Casual! From the decor, to the food, Ben, the owner, walking around to every customer and thanking them for coming out. Not to mention the occasional live entertainment. It's a blast! Go ahead and order literally anything on the menu. You will not be disappointed! I am particular to the Skirt Steak and the Mofongo but everything is delicious. They will make you sangria in house if you bring the wine. It is good but a tad expensive and I'm not sure if I got my wine back before I left. They also have excellent rates on holidays. I've been there for Easter, Father's Day, and 2 Mother's Days and have not been disappointed with the Prix Fixe menu. They have also recently opened hall that is available for bigger events. I hope to plan an event soon to see how they do on a bigger scale. I'm sure it will be just as good as the restaurant is. 10/10 GO THERE! read more

On of the best Cuban restaurants I've ever been to. It's A great BYOB with nice decor and friendly staff. Try the Baby Pernil and the Churrasco. All of the appetizers. Reservations are recommended on weekends. You will not be disappointed at all. We've been there five times and even have had their food delivered. It's a can't miss place in Hackensack. Enjoy! read more

This place is phenomenal! My husband and I go there pretty much every Friday night and host ours and friends birthdays there. The service is great and the churrascco is one of the best i have ever tried. Benny the owner always makes you feel welcome. Definitely a place to visit! J&V read more

Love this restaurant! Mi Favorito! Delicious food, and great service! Don't forget the sangria!

Excellent food. Excellent service. Warm friendly atmosphere. Great to have such a wonderful go to restaurant in the neighborhood.

Used to love coming here especially for the Rabo (oxtail). I took some guests from out of town and have to say what we had in Paterson the week before that cost a fraction of this, was so much better. It was not cooked enough, so much fat, you could cut it off and so difficult to eat because it didn't fall off the bone or have the flavor. It should not have been served if it wasn't ready. I spent $80 on lunch without drinks and sorry to say, I didn't feel it was worth it this time. The shrimp in garlic sauce was okay, the picadillo was salty, but the kids liked it with the rice. Our server seemed a bit new, so there was a lot of grace. All in all, for the last 10 plus years, not my favorite dining experience. read more

I can't believe it took me so long to find this absolutely wonderful restaurant. I've had Cuban food in many restaurants and Casual Habana is the best so far. The food is very fresh and very well prepared. I highly recommend the pork shank. I never eat with my fingers but I found myself picking it up to get more off the bone. The owner, Ben, is very talented and very experienced. His staff and he are most welcoming and friendly. I could have made a meal just with the tapas - yum! The only weak link are the mojitos and sangria, although we did manage to down two pitchers of the sangria. This is a BYO but the sangria definitely had wine in it. They recommended we bring brandy for the sangria but we forgot. Do ask for Lucia to wait on your table but I must say everyone there was super friendly and efficient. I am a long time foodie and I highly recommend Casual Habana Cafe. I can't wait to go back! P.S. It gets a whopping 25 in Zagat's! read more