First clue that the owner of this establishment is NOT Cuban, the typo. Also, caipirinhas are from Brasil....and tacos from Mexico. Not a truly Cuban restaurant. The flan was, however, delicious. The bartenders took care of us. And the lechón (advertised as Cuban roasted pork on the menu) looked great. Mojitos were too sweet for my tasting. read more

Havana Grill - Huge typo - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We got this vegetarian vegetable dish and it was not filling for how much it is , while it was good it's a bit disappointing how few vegetarian options they have. I wish they'd have a few more options read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I give it four stars and it's because I love the ambiance, the staff, the prices, and the drinks. The mojitos are my favorite, and you can even get a mojito flight or pitchers. The atmosphere makes you feel like you're in Miami with the music and decor! I also love their outdoor sidewalk patio. However, the food isn't great, so I'd just come for a Cuban sandwich if I wanted something to accompany my drinks. read more

Getting some good vibes from this place with the atmosphere not to mention the good ass drinks and food. Havana had got it going on for sure. If you like Mexican food it's not a big stretch getting Cuban stuff. A lot of pretty similar items. There's lots of the menu from meaty stuff to healthier and lighter options. Even though it was busy the stuff came pretty fast. It's expensive compared to some places but for River North it wasn't so much. The menu is a combination of Cuban and Mexican classics, and some of these blend together. Cocktails include margaritas. It's $8 for the Signature Margarita, which has cucumber jalapeño tequila. As for the food it's got the Cuban, the classic ham sandwich. There's also a few things for vegetarians. I got the Veggie Parillada. It's about $15 for a plate of seasoned vegetables. This had a pretty spicy chimichurri sauce to go on a pile of green peppers, jicama, mango, portobello, red peppers, squash, and zucchini. It actually made a pretty good meal. The coworkers liked their Cubans and whatever else they got so it turned out good even though it's pricy. Hot flavors as well as atmosphere. It gets busy and loud so it's for sure a hip spot to be seen. They still manage to get drinks and food out fast though. read more

Havana Grill - Signature Margarita - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Nice little spot in the River North neighborhood. The food and cocktails were so good we ate at this restaurant twice during our stay in Chicago. I can't wait to come back for the Vaca Fritas and Mojito sampler. Oh, don't forget the chips and guac!!! read more

See all

Loved this place so much! Was visiting family in Chicago and ate dinner with my friend here. Perfect choice. Quick service and we were able to be seated outside on a nice afternoon. Food was delicious and seasoned and tasty. We especially loved splitting the mojito flights we shared. I enjoyed the shrimp tacos and rice. So yummy and I would definitely recommend it. So glad I found this awesome spot for a fun night out. read more

See all

We've eaten here a few times over the years and it is always authentic and delicious. I've had their tacos previously, very tasty, and their Cuban, which had a crisp bun, salty ham (in a good way), gooey cheese, and tangy mustard. Loved the Cuban. And the golden fries! They have a variety of sandwiches, beef/steak dishes, pork dishes, seafood, and more. The star here are the drinks--amazing mojitos, caipirinhas, and margaritas, as well as a few other cocktails. The restaurant is decorated in dark toned wood and earthy colors. There is a beautiful set of glass doors that open onto the sidewalk and outdoor dining areas. Service is laid back, yet super kind and attentive. Perfect vibe. read more

See all

Our second time coming to this authentic Cuban restaurant. I had the Cuban old fashioned made with zon zacapa 23 and Bacardi, which came out really well. My wife had the spicy margarita, which she enjoyed. My main course was the carne asada, which I truly enjoyed. The meat was cooked to perfection, melted in my mouth. Flavored very nicely, and tangy. The crab cakes were done nicely as well read more

Tiny Cuban spot, BIG flavor! I stumbled upon this gem while researching Chicago restaurants (a.k.a. drooling over food pics online) and found a Groupon deal. Being Valentine's Day, I wasn't sure if they'd let me use it because, you know, love is expensive. But they did, and let me tell you, the food was chef's kiss. We kicked things off with a tequila flight, because what's better than one drink? Three drinks. Paired with my already perfect margarita, I was basically one sip away from salsa dancing on the table. For the main event, I had the Cuban steak, and I'm pretty sure it whispered, "I love you" before I devoured it. My husband got the churrasco, which he claims was amazing but honestly, I was too busy having a moment with my own plate to notice. Moral of the story: Do NOT skip this place. It's got fantastic food, great service, and enough tequila to make you think you are Cuban. read more

I get that I ordered my meal for delivery and that often the"tasty" level depreciates, but it shouldn't be to the level where it has NO flavor at all. I ordered the steak jibarito and the flavor was non-existent. I didn't receive any mango chutney, which I like to think would have boosted the flavor. The steak was pretty tough, and the lettuce and tomatoes were sparse. The best thing about my meal were the fries and the hot temperature. I really wanted this to be good because jibaritos are one of my favorite sandwiches, but there was nothing redeemable about this. read more

Havana Grill - Steak Jibarito. Don't order this to go. Zero flavor. - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The service was good and the ambience did feel reminiscent of a nice Caribbean vibe. While my daughter enjoyed her steak sandwich, I tried my first jibarito and was singularly unimpressed. The key lime pie was portioned pretty small as well. read more

Food was great. Service sucked. It so disappointing because I know that Rick would be furious that a staff member was so lazy.

Havana Grill never disappoints. I have visited Havana more times than I can count and they are always consistent. I always rave about Havana and recently introduced some friends to the place so it's finally time to write a review! I stumbled upon Havana many moons ago when the waiting time at a nearby place was too long. Back in 2017/18 when I found out about Havana my group was able to easily get a table but I don't think that would be the case today. I cannot say this louder but you must make a reservation if you want to avoid a long wait. It's been times when I was midway making a reservation and all of the decent times were snatched up. Unless you want to eat dinner with the early birds (4pm) or the night owls (8pm-10pm) make the reservation a few weeks in advance. Now to the actual food... Havana is the one place you can go with a chatty group and when the food comes the whole table is quiet. I always get the Havana steak sandwich when I visit. I've tried the sandwich Cubano and other things but the Havana steak sandwich knocks it out of the park. The steak is cooked to perfection and the fries are a mix of sweet potato and yucca. The serving size decent enough that you will be able to take something home. I normally can get one and a half and sometimes two meals from my Havana visits. I really like the mojitos. I recently tried the mojito flight with mango, berry, and guava flavors. I liked the guava because it was subtle and I struggled to tell the difference between other two flavors. The mango and peach were on the sweeter side. I will probably stick will the more subtle flavors. I would highly recommend visiting Havana Grill! If you struggle to book a reservation from their site call them up. I was able to get a reservation for a group of 7 more easily over the phone. read more

See all

I LOVE coming to this restaurant for lunch. They have a lunch menu that has great prices. My favorite dish is the steak jibarito with fries. It's essentially a steak sandwich between 2 fried green plantains. I get my steak medium rare, and it's juicy and flavorful. The fries are also are so yummy and the green sauce they serve with the dish is delicious. I recommend dipping your fries in the sauce. The tacos are also great here. They come with guac which is a plus. In the summer, they have a patio with umbrellas, and it's really nice to sit outside. During colder months, sitting inside is still very nice. The inside of the restaurant is clean and elegant-looking. read more

Havana Grill - Tacos - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Havana Grill is simply standard. Neither overwhelming good or bad. I have not been back since my original visit, but I would not be against trying it one more time before I make my final decision about how I feel about this place. We got the plantains and split the dish below (forgetting the name) and a salad. The mojitos were good. read more

Havana Grill - Pollo! - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped in a Monday around 2:00. No worries on seating. The waitstaff sat us quickly and our food came so fast. Water refills no problem, friendly all the things you look for. We all enjoyed our food. We started with the plantains and dipped into a whipped black bean sauce, mango salsa and guacamole. All three separate were amazing but we stayed to mix them on our appetizer plates and that was even better. The calamari- fried to a perfection ! I got the crab cakes for my meal and they were lovely. On the side more mango salsa and a nice sauce drizzled on top. Overall I don't give 5 stars often but they deserved 5! read more

See all

AMAZING INCREDIBLE DIVINE I would fight wars for these chimichangas. I have never had anything better than these in my life. Chill vibes in the restaurant. I had some drinks too but can't say they were my favorite. Staff was friendly but service was pretty normal. I'd go back for a chimichanga, but I'll be skipping the drinks next time. read more

Stopped into Havana Grill on a whim. My wife and I were walking through the high rent districts of Downtown Chicago and saw the Havana Grill. We love Cuban food (see my south Florida reviews) and thought even though we had eaten already, we needed to go in for a tasty libation or two. Havana Grill is quaint, and has a well stocked bar. You literally feel like your in Cuba while drinking here. The smells, the sounds, the language, all that was missing was a cobbled together 55 Oldsmobile out front. I ordered a classic mojito and my wife got a coconut mojito. Both of the drinks were refreshing with tastes that were out of this world. The coconut was fresh and crisp and the regular mojito was equally as good. If ever in the area, please, stop in and sit down for a bite or a drink, tell them El jefe Enrique sent you, you'll be glad you dropped in. read more

See all

Initially wanted to come try their pitchers of mojitos (as famously shown on TikTok), but boy let me tell you that their food is just as tasty! The Havana Steak Sandwich was a flavor bomb--meat was juicy and the onions were so sweet. As for the mojitos, easily finished 2 pitchers (guava & mango flavors) bc they were that good. read more

Havana Grill - Havana Steak Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Unique, tasty Cuban cuisine right in the middle of Chicago downtown. I've been living just a short walk away for years so I'm disappointed I didn't try Havana Cafe earlier. The interior is artfully decorated with Latin music playing that really sets the atmosphere. I started with a pisco sour which was very reasonably priced at $11, and my girlfriend and I split a ceviche mixto. The seafood was fresh and I liked that it's served with both tortilla and plantain chips, but it could've been tastier and the portion wasn't that big. For my main I got the Havana roasted pulled pork, recommended by the server, and for good reason as it was the best dish of the night. The pulled is tender but packed full of savory spicy flavor, beautifully presented on a tower of jalapeno mashed potatoes and roasted corn sauce. My girlfriend got the pollo horneado (marinated chicken baked in plantain leaves served with sweet potatoes and plantains). The chicken was a bit dry but the marinade was surprisingly rich and spicy. We also got a side of yucca fries which were nice and crispy outside but still fluffy inside. Chicago doesn't have a ton of Cuban food, so it's great to have a great reasonably priced one sitting right in the heart of downtown. It's not the biggest place so try to make reservations, it's definitely worth a visit whether you're a fan of Cuban food or you've never tried it! read more

See all

Great outside seating for June. Strong mojitos and I was able to share a sandwich cubano. read more

Havana Grill - Mojito and key lime pie - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Made a quick stop here for lunch. Right away, you get. Since Latin bar vibe (wish it had been a cocktail lunch). The bar boasts a wide selection and their cocktail list is fairly extensive with plenty of Cuban influence. I chose to go with the Alambres, which had a nice pepper, spice, and coconut flavor. The rice might have been a tad inconsistent as some of it was cooked perfectly and a little of it wasn't... but overall it was a very solid little dish. read more

Havana Grill - Alambres de Camaron - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything was phenomenal. The service, food, ambience. I ordered the Churrasco which is a skirt steak. It was cooked perfectly. Perfect char, and perfectly paired with the plantains and chimmichurri. read more

Impromptu dinner with friends. To be honest, we weren't In love with the pitcher of jalapeño caipirinha. Our friend who got their before we did ordered 1 jalapeño caipirinha and that tasted great! Not sure why the pitcher version was lacking oomph. Some of the stand out dishes were the carne with tequila and the seafood paella. We were disappointed that they did not have the coconut flan or coffee as the machine was broken. Overall, a nice outdoor seating with some delicious entrees. If you stop by, definitely get the carne tequila. read more

See all

Came here for a Happy Hour and I'd say the drinks were pretty good and the pricing was fair. It was a last minute situation before a concert but I'd say if you can catch them for HH like we did before going to The House of Blues then I highly recommend. I can't comment on food. read more

So delicious and worth the price! I tried going here with a friend a few years go during restaurant week and it was so packed we couldn't get a table. But I was able to finally try it with my boyfriend a month ago and it was so good! I got the Havana steak sandwich and it was so delicious!!! The bread, meat, and the chimichurri was mouthwatering!! The crisp on the bread made it so yummy and I had to dip my sandwich with chimichurri every bite! Also I loved the fries too and how proportionate of an amount we got. I always feel bad leaving a heap of fries when restaurants give us too many. My boyfriend got the Sandwich Cubano and he loved it so much as well. I guess we have our own tastes since he said he loved his more than mine and I loved mine the most lol! We also had the cheesecake afterwards which was delicious. The price for the food quality was amazing and I can't stop thinking about the sandwich!!! Funny enough it turns out my boyfriend's step dad, Ken, said he eats here all the time and looooves the food and the family! And of course, he also raved about the Havana steak sandwich because it is THAT GOOD! Can't wait to come back! read more

Used to be our favorite restaurant 20+ years ago when it was called Mambo Grill. The food is still flavorful and pleasing. We were seated right away but the server didn't show up for 25 minutes to even check on drinks which was upsetting but be more than made up by bringing the kids freshly squeezed OJ which was really nice. They had indoor and outdoor seating but was rather chilly to sit outside without heaters or a tent. The door to the restaurant was open Which made the air circulation good. All the staff were wearing masks and some even wore gloves .We ordered the shrimp and chicken chimichanga appetizers which were both delicious. I had the plantain crusted halibut, daughter ordered chicken tacos, son had the Cuban sandwich and hubby had the grilled chicken which was smoked in a banana leaf. Everything was excellent!! We will back soon to have my favorite mojito. read more

Havana Grill - Lunch! - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The outdoor patio transports you to Cuba- the decor, music, and food items all add to the experience. We went on a Friday evening and it was very busy. It took a while for the food and drinks to come out, but we enjoyed the patio weather. The veggie enchilada dish was good but nothing too special. I was disappointed with the lack of topping options and the fact that they charged me extra for guac when I was told it comes with the dish. The rice and beans were also pretty bland. The drinks were good- def get the flights as they are worth the price compared to getting a single drink. read more

Havana Grill - Veggie Enchiladas - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walked past this restaurant on Clark, it had awesome music playing outside and cozy vibes inside. Probably one of the best Cuban spots in Chicago. I recommend anything pork! read more

See all

Let me start by saying this place wasn't our first choice for dinner but it ended up being quite the delight. Clark St is a gem of an area, filled with several restaurants/bars. Stopped in on a week night around 6 and for 5 of us there was no wait (other restaurants in the area had long waits). They have a great selection of drinks & an extensive food menu. If you love mojitos, this place is for you! They have "mojito flights" and although I've had more fresh tasting mojitos, these do the trick. Beware they are super sweet and stay away from the berry flavored- it has a cough syrup consistency and is not pleasant. The coconut was my favorite but it was really sweet. Food wise we started with the chimichanga appetizer and let me tell you the poblano cream sauce was to die for! I based my dinner selection off of that sauce alone. 3/5 of us ordered the "rollitos manchego" and no regrets were made. Chicken stuffed with spinach & manchego cheese AND that glorious poblano cream. So good. Service was great, we were well taken care of and suggestions from our server were appreciated. Side note- would have given 5 stars if the drinks had tasted more fresh. Then again, this location is not in Cuba or Miami. Will def come back for those chimichangas. read more

See all

Always amazing service! Great drinks and wonderful food! I eat there at least once a week. Very very good! read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The BEST Caipirinhas! They are soooo yummy, you don't even need to eat. But you should. Their guacamole is delicious and just the right amount of spice. Not too oniony like some can be. Plus it comes with a pico and a smoky salsa. Both great! Their cubans are fantastic as you would expect. But the Ropa Viejo is to die for. It comes with plantains that are cooked just right. Empanadas are also delicious. When the weather is nice, they have patio seating, but that might be limited now that Clark street will not be closed for the summer. Bummer. But we'll come back here again and again. Love it! read more

The Havana Steak Sandwich was excellent. The fries were good too. The Red Sangria was great - very flavorful. read more

Havana Grill - Havana Steak Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I'm no longer in Chicago. I had the pleasure of dining here in the spring while the streets were blocked, so our table was in the street. Sun, music, and food took me on a vacation. It was also pet friendly so I had my Corgi as my travel buddy. Food: delightful, savory, fulfilled the cravings, satisfying Atmosphere: outdoor dining in the street was perfect Service: quick and attentive Improvement: Host. Me and another party were awkwardly waiting at the front to talk to someone about getting a table while no one else we there to greet us initially. We were confused as to if we grabbed our own table or would have to continue to wait. Eventually someone came to assist us. read more

Havana Grill - Steak Jibarito, steak cubano by the pretty lady - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been wanting to come here for a while, but I will admit their service deserves a 3, but sometimes, the taste of the food overweighs their service. That was the case with Havana. My wife ordered their Ropa vieja sandwich, and I ordered their Cuban sandwich and "Arroz congri." I love Cuban sandwiches, but I don't like them without pickles. So when I called in my order, I had asked for no pickles. They explained to me that they couldn't make it without pickles, because it's already assembled with pickles. I was like huh? Is this sandwich already frozen like Starbucks breakfast sandwiches and they just microwave it? The sandwich is very simple to make. I cook at home sometimes, but I'm. It restaurant professional, but I would assume that a sandwich like a Cubana would be constructed fresh upon ordering. You know...the bread, the cheese and then place the pickle, and the roast pork and then ham and some mustard and then the bread on top. I thought that's how it was assembled, but apparently in Havana they're fresh but already coke prepped? Still very confused about this to this day... The Ropa vieja sandwich was tasty as was the Cuban sandwich with pickles that I had to take out. The roast pork was delicious. Both sandwiches were served with fries & sweet potatoes fries along with a side of chimichurri sauce, which was a nice touch. It added some additional flavor to an already delicious sandwich. Unfortunately when I arrived to pick up my food, I was told that they no longer had arroz congri, and offered me their side of black beans and rice with plantains. I am not one of those customers that expects everything free, but maybe the restaurant could have offered this side at no charge to make up for everything else. The food was delicious l, and I wouldn't mind returning to dine in and have some drinks, but if their service continues to be mediocre, then the next time will be my last. read more

See all

Pros: the guacamole and salsas were really amazing. Like, no joke, it was potentially some of the best guacamole I've ever had. The beans that were served with our entrees were also really freakin good. Cons: entree turned out to be meh. There's not many vegetarian options, so we both ordered enchiladas with mushrooms. The flavor was really good, but they were a little one-note. You know that weird, texture-y feeling when every bite is the same? It was awesome on the first few bites and then like... I need something else in there. Bless that side of beans and rice for their acts of service and all their hard work. It was a little dingy, too, but to be fair it was a busy Saturday night, and it wasn't ~dirty~ Cute little spot in a busy neighborhood with many options. We were visiting Chicago for an event on a Saturday. It was a quick trip and we didn't have much else planned, so we just kind of stumbled upon Clark St. We chose Havana because it looked like it was the most chill option without a wait. We were definitely not disappointed, and would go back again, even if only for the guacamole. I just wish the enchiladas had more than the mushrooms. read more

Another favorite cuisine of mine is Cuban food. Who am I kidding I love them all. Seriously I do love variety and was craving a Cuban sandwich. I found Havana Grill and figured it would be a great lunch spot. It was a beautiful day and there was outside seating available. Grabbed a table and waited to place my order. I ordered a Cuban sandwich with plantain chips. Pretty basic but filling that craving. My sandwich came and looked good. They provided regular plantains which wasn't all that bad. The sandwich was ok, not the best that I have ever had. Let's be honest, we aren't in South Florida or Cuba for that matter. The plantains were really good. Service was ok. Again not the best that I have had, it not the worst. Overall it was an ok experience. Not sure if I would return as there are so many good food options in Chicago. read more

Havana Grill - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here on Saturday and it was super packed so we had to wait a while for a table. We had already had dinner but wanted to get some appetizers and drinks. We had tostones and the coconut shrimp. I'm Dominican and very picky about my plantains, these tostones were cut really well but too thin or thick and perfectly fried. The coconut shrimp was also very good. What we enjoyed the most was the great music and that everyone was dancing. read more

See all

We came here for drinks and had a great time! The music definitely creates a fun Cuban vibe. They have outdoor dining and the drinks were well done! My husband had the jalapeño habanero caipirinha and I had the classic mojito. Both were very flavorful and not too sugary. read more

See all

-overall Romantic vibes, friendly staff, and good Covid protocol -drinks Big cocktail menu! Even have mojito flights and caipirinha etc. We had wine, caipirinha with passion fruits, and pisco sour. Loved all of them! -Jalea de marisco Fantastic! Sauce was delicious and not heavy. All seafood are fresh and tasty. Serves in a cute mini paella pan. The kitchen even catered to my request of putting less cream sauce because I'm lactose intolerant. Thank you! - pulled pork with rice Delicious sauce. Impressed by the fried yuca and flavor of rice and beans. Highly recommend this place! Great place for a date. Even the least special items on the menu are delicious and worth trying read more

Havana Grill - Jalea de marisco - Cuban Near Me - Chicago, Illinois