A good friend recommended this cozy restaurant in St. Peters because of the oxtails and great service, so my husband and I decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed! From the decor and amazing hospitality to the delicious, tender oxtails, we were beyond pleased with our experience. We went later in the evening, so they were out of a few items, but the owner took the time to walk my husband through some other great options. He ended up ordering the braised pork with rice and beans and was extremely pleased with his choice. The oxtails were tender, plentiful, and full of flavor. The black beans were perfectly seasoned and absolutely delicious. The service was warm and welcoming, making the entire experience even better. We will definitely be back and highly recommend giving this place a try! read more

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Was driving thru old St.Peter's and noticed a Cuban Restaurant that recently opened. Havana 1961. I'm not very familiar with Cuban food, but boy did Havana 1961 deliver an experience. Havana 1961 is a restaurant with a total home cooked meal vibe. Nicely decorated with Cuban fanfare as well as music to compliment the experience. Our server was quick to get drink orders while we reviewed the menu. We tried the Tostones a delicious fried plantain and was excellent. For our entrees we went with the cubano sandwich and ropa vieja a delicious pork dish served with black beans and white rice. Both dishes were served hot and perfectly seasoned. I will caution portions are large and easily able to serve two people. Service was awesome and very patient in answering questions about the menu. Prices were reasonable and so much more great food to try for our next visit. Highly recommend Havana 1961, give them a try. read more

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We came on Saturday about 730 after they had been closed from storm damage and they were already out of food. The owner was super nice and apologetic. We will be returning. I think that says a lot and how great this place is! read more

Havana 1961 - Entry - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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Selected this restaurant for a birthday celebration dinner. Slightly disappointed there were no alcohol drinks allowed to be ordered. This information would be most helpful on their website. Decided to stay and try the fare. Ordered two plantain appetizers, Cuban sandwich, beef oxtail entree and a cheese quesadilla for the young one that they happily made. Tostones were served and the "sauce" was smeared lightly underneath and very limited. Would possibly be better with a small container of sauce. The maduros were very tasty and flavorful. Cuban sandwich was also very tasty and a large serving. The beef quesadilla was ordered as tacos but clearly showed up as a quesadilla. The oxtail entree was very good. There were many tables and a bar area but no bar. Our table was close to the door and it was cold when the door opened. Our meal was ok but not sure we will return. read more

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I first want to say that this review comes with a bit of a heavy heart. I wanted so badly to love this place--it's charming and clearly a small family business. I ALWAYS want to support these kind of places, but unfortunately I just did not have a great experience. There was one other table when we arrived, and another couple came in by the time we were leaving (three tables in total). The couple sitting closest to us seemed to really enjoy their food, so I do want to preface with that! I got a sweet tea, which was served in a very small styrofoam cup. I could see that tables who had ordered from the cocktail menu had real glasses, so I did not understand why I did not. Same for my food, which as you can see in the photo, was served on a disposable plastic plate. For $17, I'd assume I would get a real dish... which again, I could see nearby tables had. If the food was amazing, I'd easily overlook this. We started with the empanadas, the order came with two. The flavor of the filling was very good, however the dough was raw inside. I ordered the tamale, nothing was hot--very slightly warm at best. I wasn't blown away by the flavor either--just okay. I would not order it again. My boyfriend's burrito looked and tasted amazing, however. Based on the neighboring table and how they liked their food, I'd definitely like to give this another try. A lot of the other food in the room certainly looked much better than what I received. read more

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The drinks were good, if a bit pricey ($13). My cuban style tamale was described as an open face tamale, very soft rather than steamed until firm. The flavor was good but not much meat for $16. The side of rice and black beans paired nicely. Owner came over and chatted with us on the front patio. We talked about gf and she said she was thinking of adding corn tortillas - I know I'd like to try the pork tacos with gluten friendly tortillas! The pressed sandwiches looked amazing too (sigh, i miss being able to eat bread!) Would definitely go back again - the cuban tamale, on a cold night, seems like comfort food. read more

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This is such a cute restaurant. We were warmly welcomed by the owner (who is also the talented cook). The decor was fun, as was the music and the scenes from Cuba on the TV. After much debate, I had the shrimp tacos and they were delish and huge. I also ordered a small side of rice, which was flavorful and large enough for left overs. I sampled my friend's Cuban sandwich and you will not go wrong ordering that. The appetizer, Croquetas de Jamon were crispy and fantastic. We were disappointed that the Papa Rellena were not available, but maybe next time. I am looking forward to trying some dinner entrees! read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban White Rice and Shrimp tacos. Photo does not do them justice. - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

It's been years since I've had authentic Cuban food, and I'm not aware of any other Cuban restaurant in St. Charles County--so I was excited to see Havana 1961 open! My wife and I stopped in for lunch just five weeks after they opened, and we were impressed. The decor brings a Caribbean vibe that immediately sets the tone. We shared the Cuban sandwich, black beans and rice, and sweet plantains. Everything was delicious! The sandwich came beautifully plated, with spices artistically swirled around the edge--perfect for dipping into or mixing with the beans and rice. Service was quick and friendly, and we even had a chance to chat with the owner/chef when she stepped out of the kitchen. She was so kind, and we were glad to tell her how much we enjoyed everything. There are still plenty of dishes on the menu we'd love to try, so we're already looking forward to our next visit! read more

Havana 1961 - Papu's Cuban Sub, beans & rice, and maduros (sweet plantains) - delicious! - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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I've been seeing this appear on my feed so I knew it was worth checking out. I came today a little after 4 and walked in to all things Cuban! There was a huge Cuban flag draped on the wall in the back, Cafe bustelo cans on every table, the lovely aroma of spices, and best of all, Latin music playing in the background. It made me want to bust out dancing right there, but I remembered I was there to eat. I was greeted by one of the servers and she escorted me to the two-top by the window. The menu offers several dishes to choose from ranging from appetizers and sandwiches to full entrees. I chose the small maduros (comes in two sizes) for an app and got the mojo pescado for my main. Since the mojo pescado didn't have a description, the server said it came with rice and beans. Drink wise I chose to stick with water. They said they just got their license but still had a few alcoholic drinks on the menu. After a little wait my maduros arrived and I couldn't wait to dig in. The outside was perfectly crispy, while the inside was sweet and soft. Shortly after devouring my maduros, my main course arrived. The chef came and said I was the first person today to order it and asked that I tear open one of the pieces to ensure it was fully cooked since it was a thicker than the other one. I was surprised but def. appreciated her asking. I did as she asked and everything was fully cooked. The first bite was heaven. All the spices were packed in the fish AND the rice with each bite tasting better than the next. I noticed I didn't have any beans but I was enjoying my dish too much to say anything. I ate as much as I could and then settled for the check. The service was stellar, the ambience is relaxing, and the food was divine. I can't wait to come and try more dishes! read more

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We ordered takeout, and it was delicious! As a tostone fan I had to have the tostone nachos, and they did not disappoint. Mounds of flavorful, tender pork, black beans, cheese and sauce on top of a crispy tostone. The tacos, 2 in a small order, were huge. They were very communicative and friendly. I ordered the Papa Rellena, but they were out. They called me almost immediately and asked if I wanted something else, so I opted for the Croquetas de Jamon, which were a fried appetizer filled with a creamy ham mixture. I wasn't disappointed! read more

Havana 1961 - Toston Nachos - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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I've heard a lot about Havana 1961 and wanted to give it a try. Cuban sandwiches are one of my favorites, so of course I had to try one.I also ordered Arroz de Papu. I was at a table of four. There were only about four other table while we were there. It was about 15 minutes until we were brought the Arroz de Papu. I waited for the others to get their food, but about 10 minutes later we were told that there was a photo shoot going on and that they were making dishes for them to photograph first, then they would get ours right out. Needless to say, the Arroz was finished before the others even got their food. That was disappointing. When I did finally get my Cuban, it was greasy and falling apart - when it was cut, the ham was hanging off one side and the pork off the other, so I had to re-stack the whole thing. The ham and pork had a good flavor, but it was so cheesy that it overpowered the whole sandwich. I couldn't taste the mustard tang at all. We'll have to give Havana 1961 another try, because obviously something happened this day. read more

Havana 1961 - Papu's Cuban Sub - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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Yummy! We can't wait to come back. I could live off the rice and beans...everything was delicious, and the service was exceptional! read more

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Rating: I stopped by Havana 1961 as part of my St. Louis bucket list before relocating to Baltimore, and I am so glad I did! I'm a huge fan of Cuban food, and this place absolutely delivered. I ordered a Cuban sandwich, tostones, and a piña colada -- everything was outstanding. The Cuban was flavorful and perfectly pressed, the tostones were crispy and seasoned just right (honestly reminded me of how I make them at home!), and the piña colada was one of the best I've had in a long time -- creamy, tropical, and just the right amount of sweet. What really stood out, though, was the atmosphere and hospitality. I expected a quick takeout spot but found a beautiful dine-in venue with indoor and outdoor seating, warm energy, and wonderful owners. The owner even came out to thank me for visiting, which made the experience feel so personal. I also learned they host cooking classes on Sundays and plan to start salsa lessons in November -- such a fun touch! Sadly, I'll be moving before I can attend, but if you're local, definitely check it out. Fantastic food, friendly people, and a lovely setting -- Havana 1961 is an absolute must-try in St. Louis! read more

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Yum!!! Best mojito in town plus some really good food to follow. Cute space divided into two rooms. Can't wait to try the famous cuban! read more

Havana 1961 - Voodoo shrimp tacos - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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What are you waiting on???? You want flavorful Cuban food take yourself to 100 Main Street, St. Peter's and be prepared to immerse yourself with some of the most delicious and flavorful Cuban food found in Missouri! We stopped in about 1:30 on Saturday and were promptly seated. The restaurant is clean and colorful with the ambiance of Caribbean look. After looking over the menu we both decided upon ordering Papu's Cuban which comes with Cuban Black Beans & Rice. We also got an order of Yuca Fries and a side of Maduros. The sandwiches came out exactly as they promise : "Layers of slow-roasted mojo pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, crisp pickles, and their secret sauce are stacked inside fresh Cuban bread, then pressed to a golden perfection." As you bite into the sandwich your taste buds are greeted into a heavenly mixture of textures and tastes that explode in your mouth with the most gratifying pleasure. The Cuban Black Beans & Rice are flavorful and very authentic in their accompaniment with sandwich and worked well with it. The Yuca Fries were hot and Crispy on the outside, yet soft and fluffy on the inside served on top of their traditional and delicious Garlic Aioli with extra on the side to dip into for absolute garlic bliss! If you like garlic this side is a must! We also split a side of their Maduros which were pan fried. At first bite into the golden cooked plantains we both agreed we were both instantly transported back to 2017 when we were at a "Mom & Pop" restaurant in Havana Cuba having fried plantains! The sweetness, the richness, the texture, the flavor was just as amazing at Havana 1961 as it was at our stay while in Havana, Cuba. Also, let me say the play between the Maduros and the Yuca Fries with its Garlic Aioli played on each other that was so unexpected, yet so enjoyable and each added to the experience and flavor of the other, I highly recommend you try them together with your meal. Will we go back again? Yes! Again, just as the Cuban restaurant we went to in Cuba was a "Mom & Pop" , so is Havana 1961. We have always preferred going to these restaurants verse large chains due to the fact at the local restaurants you get real food cooked in real time verse the chains which ship in frozen and/or prepared meals. What amazes me how I will be sitting in a local restaurant with a wait people will come in but refuse to wait 20-30 minutes for home cooked food yet they will go to a chain restaurant and wait an hour for prepackaged food. Our biggest problem coming up? Trying to decide what we order on our next visit, for we will be back. read more

Havana 1961 - Yucca Fries with Garlic Aioli. If you like garlic this is a must (As you can tell I dove in before taking the picture.) - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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If you are looking for a truly authentic and delicious keeping restaurant.... This is it! The Cuban sandwich is the one of the best I have ever had. And even though I want to order it every time, I eventually plan to try everything on the menu at some point as well. read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban sandwich - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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One of the best Cuban sandwiches I've had! Authentic Cuban atmosphere and a charming location tucked into the historic part of St. Peter's. Great food. read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

The food was fantastic. Seems very genuine. The service was decent I do think that the food was a little pricey and large, but what isn't now. read more

Ever have something so good you immediately post a review. This is IT! Wow, what a wonderful treat for the taste buds. Cuban bread was the perfect mix of pressed crunch and soft. Pork was flavorful and tender, ham , cheese and pickles perfection all with some sauce that was just the right favor punch to complement it all. Yuca fries were great and if you love garlic, you are gonna love the dipping sauce. Portions are ample I now have half a sandwich for tomorrow's lunch as well. Decor is cute and homey honoring the Cuban heritage. Service was attentive. The owners came out to speak with me, and get my feedback. very nice. I can't wait to come back and try more. Don't miss out on this new hidden gem. read more

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Such a delicious hidden gem in St. Peter's MO! We were greeted by Maria who is the owner and cook. She explained the menu to us and made recommendations. We all loved our dishes along with our cocktails and deserts. Yes, there is a bar :). Check this place out-you will not be disappointed. We had: wings with mango tango sauce, empanadas, Cuban sandwich, Cuban Tamale & a voodoo burrito. All were excellent! read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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From the outside, this is a cute little house/store on Main Street. Decorated very cute and a few tables for seating out front. We stepped inside and was greeted by the hostess and also the smell of a very old building. It definitely had a particular smell to the building. The waitress was very nice and the owner came by to speak with us and welcome us to her restaurant. I ordered the. Tamale Tacos$8.99 this was two Traditional pork tamales served taco-style - topped with shredded cheese, crisp lettuce, and fresh tomato. These were tasty and definitely different. I'm not sure if I could definitely have told you that they were tamales. But they were tasty and enjoyable. They came with a cup of something. I'm not sure what it was called, but it was very good. It had garbanzo beans and pineapple and a little soupy. Very tasty. The thing that was odd was there were four of us at our party and one of the people got their food a good 15 to 20 minutes before the other three of us got our food. It made it a little awkward and we kept telling them to go ahead and eat it while it was hot but it's a shame that we didn't all get to actually eat together. read more

Havana 1961 - Tamale tacos - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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Best Cuban sandwich I have had! Cute little restaurant with great ambiance! Service was wonderful got my meal and to go order fast! read more

Havana 1961 - Picture of Papu's Cuban Sandwich from menu - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

Oh wow what a surprise to find this hidden gem in St. Peter's! This place is delightful. The service is attentive and the ambiance is lively. We had the Cuban sandwich and the arroz de Papu and they were amazing. The Cuban sandwich was the best I've ever had. We will definitely be back. read more

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This place is a family owned gem. Altogether we tried the Ropa, the Pernil, the empanadas, the fries, the croquettes, the Cuban sandwich, and the Philly Cuban. We loved them all. The accompanying rice and beans were flavorful as well. Portions are huge. Drinks from bar were great Everything was well worth the wait at this busy little restaurant! Loved it and will be back. Didn't hardly get any pics cause we were too busy eating! read more

Havana 1961 - Awesome tropical Chica Mala rum drink with fun topper! - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

Seems they are consistently out of food(Facebook posts admit to this) they also complain when staff calls in (even though they close early consistently ) Owner suggested calling ahead of time to make sure food was available? Why is it my responsibility as the customer to make sure the business is ready for business? Also seems they make rude remarks to anyone to has an issue with how they run a business. read more

Always wanted to go here. The establishment has seen a hard time perhaps? No alcohol 5 or 6 dishes not available. I had them select a dish for me. A generous helping of yummy beef with rice and beans. I drank water. The bill was $28 for lunch. This place has tons of potential. I hope they get their place back to what I saw on the website. Eat Local! read more

It just wasn't for me. The yucca fries and plantains were ok. Everything seemed lacking in seasoning. My father ordered something that was not available because the meat was still cooking. It was lunchtime. I just think the restraunt needs better planning and execution of its menu. read more

So, we went on the opening day, arriving just after 11:00. It's very cute. We were seated right away. There were three other people already seated. More people came in but still nobody came to take our order or bring us water. I understand that opening day can have some glitches, but water is a basic thing. It was very cold inside and when the waitress finally arrived, we asked to sit outside. It was a beautiful day. I wanted Tamales but they were out. They only had water or Pepsi or Dr. Pepper to drink. We sat outside for quite a while. We had arrived at just after 11:00. It was 12:09 when I went inside and observed that everyone had water glasses. I went to the bar and asked where our water was (I had ordered water with our food). The waitress asked if I just wanted one glass of water. I said No, four. Shortly after, they brought the two tuna sandwiches that my brothers had ordered. Then I finally got my tuna and black beans- they still didn't have any rice. I had to remind the waitress that we had ordered both maduros and crispy plantain. The maduros came pretty quickly. My brother asked about his Papa Rellena. The Tostones finally came and then the Papas. We kept asking about the wings that our mom had ordered. She had been sitting there watching us eat the whole time. They kept saying they were working on it. Finally the wings came. (They had already dropped off my Tres Leches earlier). We'd ordered the large so we could share. I grabbed one and while the mango flavor was good, the heat was like a thousand fire ants on my tongue!! I'm glad I had ordered something else and not just the wings. That was the best Tres Leches I've ever had!! The tuna salad was enjoyable and the maduros were perfect. I'll return but in a few weeks to let them work out the kinks. Sad that picadillo wasn't on the menu. Apparently it's only served on the weekend. We left at 1:15 with the wings and Tres Leches in to go boxes. (We had observed a man leaving with takeout right after we sat down outside). read more

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Cute and quaint , love the decor. Service was fine and welcoming. We tried the Cuban and Cuban Philly, both had plenty of meat and the toasty bread was delicious . The only negative was we had a couple flies that would not leave us alone. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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Casual family restaurant in a decorated home in old St. Peter's. The food was wonderful with huge portions. Friendly service and the chef/owner came out to greet us. Will definitely be back. read more

We tried Havana 1961 today for the first time, and it did not disappoint! We started with the croquetas de jamón and the empanadas, both of which were excellent. I had the Papu's tacos, which are fried mini shrimp with lettuce, tomato, and cheese and a yummy sauce. I would 100% go back to try the wings - the service was great too. The owner wears many hats and was even waiting tables the day we went. Check on this small business and give them some love! read more

New restaurant in old town St Peter's featuring authentic Cuban food. The owner Maria is so sweet and I hope this is a promising experience for her. The interior is appropriately decorated and the menu has many great choices. They are waiting on the liquor license and plan on new events and offerings in the future. The empanadas 4 in an order were absolutely heavenly, light flakey pastry filled with a savory beef filling then deep fried and covered with a garlic lime sauce(yummy)The highlight was the Cuban Sandwich, loads of ham, beef, pickles , cheese and mustard on a crisp Cuban bread and pressed to perfection, this makes the drive so worth it. Husband had the small 2 taco order and they were huge and filled to the top with succulent meat, tomatoes, onions and cheese. If you like trying new places and great food please help support this family owned restaurant and your stomach Will thank you. read more

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Worst service EVER Most of our party was seated and we had to wait five minutes for a chair Then we sat for 15 minutes with no service We decided to leave The menu said if anything was wrong to say so So we did and the bartender was rude as we left Food might be good but we will never know Disappointing because we were excited to try it Save the trip and go elsewhere The owner decided to respond below Let's be clear My wife calmly (and I heard her) said "We are giving up the table since no one has come to take our order" That's not being a Karen An apology for the poor service would have done wonders especially after having to stand and wait for a chair Oh and multiple people turned and walked out BEFORE being seated Amazing first impression here read more

Great authentic Cuban food! Loved the Cuban, rice & beans and empanadas! Great patio right in the heart of mainstreet St. Peter's next to Hobos. read more

Havana 1961 - Empanadas appetizer - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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Best Cuban food I've had outside of Miami or Tampa. Sandwiches are incredible. That pork is REALLY GOOD. Ask for hot sauce. It had great flavor. Only thing I've had I wouldn't recommend was the tamale. It tasted good, but it reminded me just of grits. It tasted good, but not necessarily what I like when I'm getting Cuban food. read more

My wife and I ate here tonight. I can't rave enough about this place. I want them to do well. If you want to feel welcome and eat amazing food that isn't served on every corner like most of the area and support a family owned business that just started? GO HERE! Start to finish amazing atmosphere. Fun and inviting place. We had the Taste of Cuba. Had an appetizer, meal that served both of us, a soda, and two desserts. Walked out for a good price. I want to go back tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I cannot have another meal cheat day. Seriously love this place. I can't wait to try their sandwiches next! read more

Havana 1961 - The "taste of Cuba". And me. The food is amazing. Seriously. - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

We tried this place and it was just amazing. The food was authentic and made with love. It's family owned and momma came out to welcome us and tell us about the menu. I can feel the love in the atmosphere here. We recommend and will definitely be back. read more

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I ordered the pork sub and it was amazing! The meat was super tender, flavorful and moist. The portion size was huge. The black beans and rice were also very flavorful. We also tried cassava fries and tostones. I loved the garlicky goodness of both. I look forward to my leftovers tomorrow and coming back to try other menu items! read more

Absolutely amazing. Great portion sizes for the cost too. Truly authentic cuisine. It is my new favorite place and can't wait to go back on my birthday read more

Stopped in a week ago to try it out. The Cuban sandwich is phenomenal - the sauce on it just melted in my mouth! The side of beans and rice went perfectly. Everyone was so kind, offering recommendations when requested. We can't wait to go back! read more

Havana 1961 - Cuban sandwich with rice and beans - Cuban Near Me - St. Peters, Missouri

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