Review Havana Vancouver - Vancouver

Can’t recommend Havana enough!!! Absolutely loved the atmosphere inside, and I’m sure outside seating on the patio would be just as enjoyable on a nicer day. Great music (in my opinion), awesome decor (we even got to contribute to the wall). Staff are super friendly & knowledgeable. All the food was phenomenal as well!!

Delicious food served in an exotic embiance. Our server was very kind and patience with great recommendations and suggestions. Awesome choice for a weekend get-together and an even better choice for special celebrations! Thank you for an amazing and memorable experience! :)

One of my favorite spots in "the Drive" area of Vancouver. The ambience whisks you away to what I could envision what it's like to be in Cuba. Lively, energetic, and of course the food that people must try if you aren't hooked already. I've been many times and whether it's breakfast, brunch, or lunch those are my times to be here. Sit on the patio, have great conversation with friends, and people watch. As far as cuisine. The Cuban Old Fashioned is a hit! The tostones are delicious and how can you not have a Cuban sandwich here? I'll definitely keep coming back...

We stumbled here by accident. The place is super cute, definitely has ambience of Cuba but I wished they played Spanish songs! The food was so satisfying. We started off with ceviche and it was so good. The chips were crispy and crunchy. The show stopper was the octopus. Grilled to perfection and the potato wafer thing that came with it was genius. The carnitas tacos and mussels are good too. Lots of flavours and highly recommend.

I love coming to Havana. Their patio is amazing, it has such a great ambiance and it is well covered and heated! Their happy hour is a great deal! They have many good options and the food is delicious. They also have many good drinks and pitchers of margaritas and mojitos which are delicious. Every time I have been here the service has been fantastic. The waitresses are so nice and super helpful. Can’t wait to visit again!

My second time here at Havana Vancouver. HAVANA Vancouver is inspired by the colors and culture of old Havana, Cuba. ❗️Size of the food is small compared to the price. ✅ The atmosphere is really nice and vibrant with a lot of colors. You’ll have a good time there. 🤵‍♀️ The staff is friendly and agile. They are a little busy but take care of your order properly. ⏱ You have to wait a little longer than usual for your orders as they are overcrowded most of the time. Recommendations: * Ceviche for the table is perfect for appetizer ** Tacos are good if you are a fan *** Paella is a must. But, not perfect. Enjoy!👌

Picked this cute place randomly. It was a decent choice for my friend and me after eating nothing for 8+ hours. Cubano is almost the best sandwich I ever had. The cheese inside is stringy!!! First time to try Sangria and the sparking one was amazing. I will come back to try the rose one. Btw, the waitresses are super cool! 😆😆

This is a great spot for drinks before the fun improv shows that they host here. Highly recommend checking out one of the shows here! I also visited for brunch and the food was pretty good too. Came here with a party of 4 and the service was excellent. I ordered the enchilada brunch skillet and my partner ordered the croque senora

So disappointed in the new brunch. The renovation is great, the service was good and friendly and the food was fine, but there is NOTHING LEFT of the old menu. Not even the general flavor. It's basically a brand new restaurant using the Havana name. We used to go once a month or so, but we live too far away to bother going back any time soon.

Not only a great drive favourite for food, the service here is exceptional. Had a small problem with my meal and the server involved the manager; both of who went above and beyond to address the issue. Delicious brunch!

Went there to try to eat. They wouldn’t even sit me and told me to have to wait 40minutes to get a table which is actually a lie when there was lots of empty tables. They say first come first service which is false advertising. The place is a dump and the manager is rude and disrespectful and prejudice to me because I’m not Cuban maybe and that’s why she wouldn’t sit me. Don’t ever eat there they are a dump better places to go eat and spend money and the manager and the staff are rude people also.

We came here a year ago and Havana had amazing food, value and service! However now they are under new management with a completely new menu. The portions are tiny, overpriced and not nearly as good as they were before. Would probably not go back. What a shame!

Love the food and service – both are outstanding. The 5th star is held back for one simple reason – the presumptuousness of ONLY putting 20% as an option for tipping on your mobile payment machine. Every other restaurant we go to gives a range of choices that often include 10, 15, 18, and 20%. When we tip 20% or more it's because the food and service was particularly good, but when you don't give other options it comes across as expected and arrogant, and was quite annoying to everyone at our table.

Was going to see a matinee show in the theatre so came here for brunch. Great place to visit on the Drive. The plantain chips are amazing...i would come back just for them, and some sangria, and maybe some Tres Leches cake. Service was fantastic. Place was packed but our food came out promptly.

I thought it was awesome food and and was a warm n comfortable place to eat n chill how ever ig seemed our server couldn't give us the bill fast enough and the company I was with including myself was not in a hurry . It turns out we were her last table n she wanted us to pay her it felt a bit akward cause she didn't offer coffee tea or dessert. .... and we had to ask to see a dessert menu from another sever.... not my best first impression ..... I don't like to be rushed out the door .....

Under new management and a new renovation too. The place looks more airy with the open kitchen and still had the same Cuban vibe and graffiti wall. Food after 3:00 is tapas so sharing dishes, which with our group of 5 was fantastic! Everything really fresh and really delicious. Can’t wait to go back. I hear they do a wicked brunch and lunch too. If your thinking about visiting GO!

This restaurant sucks if you think your having Cuban food u are by far mislead this restaurant is not even owned by a true Cuban. My husband is Cuban and we went there...the beans are basically like the cheap beans in a can you can get at superstore. Would never recommend this place. Over priced for such low quality of food.

Great food & great service. Sat outside, under the heat lamps, the sun was shining and I was with wonderful company. Fabulous spot!

Your restaurant is decent. Location is amazing. I get that the restaurant game is tough, but, just maybe once a year (November 11) you can shut down your patio until after the Remembrance Day ceremony is done. This is the second time I’ve been to the Grandview cenotaph and your customers have been talking through the ceremony, and it’s unacceptable.

It was awful. We usually have such a great time there it pains me to say this. Our server was very sweet but my husband’s short rib was all fat. The manager tried to explain that this is what short rib is but the first 4 slices were all fat and completely inedible. She then tried to argue with us which was horrible.

Most amazing quesadillas I've had in my life. My boyfriend brought me here for the sangria which we also very much enjoyed. The chips and guacamole were out of this world. I'd eat here everyday if he would let me !

Had French toast was insanely delish. Partner had the pulled pork breakfast taco. Loved it. Young guy serving was a delight. And it was perfectly priced.

Fantastic food and atmosphere! Highly recommend to check out if in the area.

Loved it! Had tacos and layer dip. Tasty food! plenty of it for the 2 of us. Our server Dawn was great. Definitely want to return!

Love this place! The food is great and Patrick O gives us a fab small theatre!!!

We haven’t had a Cubano since our first time in New York. It was delicious then; and it is delicious now. Simple ingredients – house porchetta, honey ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, yellow mustard – all pressed inside a house Cuban bun. The eating experience was like we were on the set of the Chef movie.

Located on the Drive across from Grandview Park, Havana is a little more 'hip' than we are but everyone is made to feel comfortable here. I expected it to be packed but then I remembered we were eating Saturday brunch and not Sunday brunch. I'm sure it makes a difference! We started with a couple of my Latin favourites namely Patatas Bravas and Tostone.The tostone were served with an avocado-lime dip which was truly awesome. The plantain slices themselves (twice cooked ) were crispy and hot. This was the best $6 I have spent in a long time. I am definitely going to try to make this at home! And the Patatas Bravas were in the same sphere. Served with what is presumably Bravas sauce and garlic aioli, these were also crispy and hot and it is all about texture. We ended up going home with a lot of potatoes (more to come) which seems kind of cheap-assed but we thought they would reheat well and it is evil to waste food! We shared two mains, one of which was Croque Senora. Here is where my lunch menu desires bumped up against the brunch menu and survived. The sandwich is a Cubano which was a large part of our seeking out Havana. Porchetta, ham, and cheese are a part of it but the mustard and pickles make this thing! All melted together on the grill to become something amazing. More potatoes you will notice, and a sunnyside up egg. Now, this is the kind of brunch that I can endorse! We also shared a Cuban Skillet. The braised white beans were what drew us to this. The beans had more bite (not cooked too soft) than I expected and that impressed me. The Two Rivers chorizo was also impressive being on the mild side and still tasty. Cuban Fry bread is what exactly? Well, it was salty and not too doughy so authentic or not, we enjoyed it! And a couple of perfect poached eggs.Truly, there is room for a lot more people than the Saturday brunch crowd. We love the decor and are sure that the Mojito / Marguerita people could have a great time here.We love open kitchens too.<br/><br/>If it's not already (and we are probably the last ones who haven't been) this place should be on your list, especially if you are brunch people.

Once a month I meet up with some of my closest girlfriends for some drinks and a catchup. Life gets busy, and even though we don’t see each other as often as we used to, when we get together it’s like we were never apart. I always look forward to our monthly get togethers and we always try a new restaurant, so it really is the perfect combination in my book!

This place may be known for great Cuban food but it’s actually well known for top class Cubanos!<br/><br/>Cubanos here are filled with luscious sliced ham, roast pork, pickles, cheese & sandwiched between a toasted Cuban bun painted with mustard on the inside. <br/>Accompanied by plantain chips with this zesty aioli that packs it’s own punch in its own. <br/><br/>Be prepared for this experience- it’s a memorable one. <br/><br/>My recommendation- the Cubanos & get extra plantain chips. Try the deep fried cassava root fries too.

Quick stop for brunch before we go hike.  Found Havana on the map and was attracted by their colorful food.  Ordered one of their brunch bowl.  I have no idea what I ordered.  Couldn't read the menu anyways.  But it was delicious.  Basically all vegetables.  Full of flavors.  I can eat this all day long if I can.

It’s the new Havana! Newly recharged with actual Cuban food on the menu, courtesy of the group behind Postmark, Belgard Kitchen, etc. I stopped in for a Cubano to see what Andrew Morrison was raving about. In a nutshell: very good except the pickle element rolled over and died. Plantain chips were excellent.

They charged whole menu, a lot good surprise! Both of the salad were tasted great! Flat steak were so tender, tasted surprisly good! They keep my favorite sangria in the menu, still love it!

Our friends from the island invited us to meet with them at this place. We had heard about this place and seen it before but never been there till November this year! The place seems to be very busy in summer. Great location for sure!<br/><br/>The fried chicken & waffle and Chorizo Hash were our choices. Both of us agreed that the fried chicken & waffle was one of the best we’d ever had in town. The Chorizo Hash was delightful really enjoyed the Chorizo sausages!

Beautiful interior that remind you of hot Cuban nights. Patio outside is popular and provides good people watching, a public park and a busy sidewalk is across the street. You can never go wrong with their drink selection and brunch items. My friend and I frequent this restaurant weekly in the summer. Love their sangria pitchers and mojitos. Their chorizo plates are great choices. <br/><br/>We arrived for dinner this time around. Mussels with the havana sauce was quite salty, it wasn't my favourite. The bread that it comes with is served warm and toasted. Portion size is great. My friend ordered the cod tacos, was delicious but the refried beans were lacking. Next time, I'd like to order the mussels again but in their garlic butter sauce instead.

Very disappointed, exclusively came to have the tostones (smashed plantain medallions) and they brought out straight up plantain chips. Ordered a mojito as well and wasn't impressed with it. The only decent thing that I ordered were the truffle fries, at a CUBAN Restaurant! Smh

Havana makes seriously delicious Tuna Tacos and their patio is one of the nicest places to drink away an afternoon. The servers have always been attentive and knowledgeable!

Not many Vancouver restaurants get passed 2yrs, let alone 20. Great patio, reasonable prices and nice staff. Decent alcohol list if you skip the sangria pitcher that you see on most table.<br/>

I liked the breakfast here! Would love to come back and try more of the breakfast items. This place will probably make it into my top 3 for breakfasts. I got the veggie hash with poached eggs. Very good. Lots of flavour, and the feta cheese was an interesting addition! I'd eat it again right now.

This isn't Cuban food despite what you gringos like to imagine. It's a mish mash. It's <br/>a really stupid policy to insist on a minimum number of characters. Ghdtfhjjfhkdhyfhohjkggbkogvjhfgjjvfbnhvvbodjhbjvgukvgjjbcbnik

Coming here is like stepping into Havana, packed full of hungry patrons, friendly staff and serving up spectacular Latin and Caribbean food and drinks. A unique feature is the theatre in the very back where patrons can dine, enjoy local artwork and also catch a comedy play. What other restaurant in Vancouver serves up such a unique blend?

We are on the hunt for paella in Vancouver, decided to give Havana a try. A long with the paella, we ordered the corn bread to start, and the Carribbean fried chicken. The corn bread came with a chilli butter, it was very good! Unfortunately, that was the best part of our meal. The paella was alright, but it was more of a risotto than paella. The chicken was very dry and didn't have much flavour, and the mashed potatoes that came with it were equally flavourless. Havana does have a lot of positive reviews so maybe we just ordered the wrong items.<br/><br/>The service was good and prices are fair given the big portions.

Tasty and authentic food. Lots of choices for those with special diet restrictions. Good presentation. Always busy so get there early. Some options are incredibly overpriced though so choose wisely.

Great brunch and great service. Really love the veggie hash: hearty and delicious. The French toast is amazing: more of a dessert than breakfast. <br/><br/>Always friendly and fast service. Can get busy at times, but always had decent service here.

Very good for breakfast or brunch. In the summer is one of the best patio on commercial drive. It is one of a few places in Vancouver where my baby can choose a good and "healthy" meal to eat. They also have high chairs and carioca to make him play with and in the washroom there is a change table!!! Definitely my favourite Sunday brunch with my family!!

The food is so-so. The staff were nice, the price is a bit high for the food and the location. Apparently, they are good for drinks and appies and not for food.

Amazing fish tacos and great atmosphere inside and out. Customer service was very good as well and the art gallery in the back was pretty cool too. Prices are good.

This restaurant has been a staple on The Drive for 19 years. In a city like Vancouver that’s known for opening restaurants in the blink of an eye (and closing them just as fast), it is obvious that Havana is doing something right. I came here for Richard Wolak’s Vancouver Taco Challenge to try their Pacific Cod Taco – The creation of Chef Jeff Grant, this is panko crusted pacific cod served with sundered tomato aioli, pickled cabbage, lettuce, fresh guacamole and finished with gherkins for a nice bit of crunch.   The Taco Challenge might be over, but there are so many tasty dishes to try at Havana this summer, like their Tostones ($8.95) which are perfect for sharing. Tostones are a typical Latin snack food. Plantain chips served with chipotle mayo for a bit of heat. I should mention that Havana does a great job with their cocktails. They have a fantastic sangria that’s guaranteed to clench your thirst this summer, or you can opt for a delicious Mojito like I did. This has got to be one of the best mojitos I’ve ever tasted. And that includes the ones I had in Cuba! I highly recommend this next tapas: the Garlic Chili Prawns ($13.99) with green onions, chilies and cilantro. I’m salivating as I write this. They were so good. Such a good blend of spices and the prawns were cooked perfectly. For what I hear, this is a crowd favourite and one of Havana’s signature dishes.Another dish we tried was the Crudo ($13.99) – Albacore tuna with garlic, lemon, jalepenos with crispy tortilla chips. This was my least favourite dish, not that it was bad, but there wasn’t much flavour to it. I think if we had it before the prawns, the experience would’ve been better? The prawns were so spot on and so full of flavour, so by following them up with a much milder dish, we missed the mark.Overall, the patio experience at Havana in the summer time is something that must be experienced. They have such a great patio and such a great cocktail list, it’s worth it to spend an evening with a friend people watching on “The Drive”. Their menu is on the moderate price point, but the tapas portions were good for two people. Between the two of us we left with happy tummies.

This restaurant has been a staple on The Drive for 19 years. In a city like Vancouver that’s known for opening restaurants in the blink of an eye (and closing them just as fast), it is obvious that Havana is doing something right. I came here for Richard Wolak’s Vancouver Taco Challenge to try their Pacific Cod Taco – The creation of Chef Jeff Grant, this is panko crusted pacific cod served with sundered tomato aioli, pickled cabbage, lettuce, fresh guacamole and finished with gherkins for a nice bit of crunch.   The Taco Challenge might be over, but there are so many tasty dishes to try at Havana this summer, like their Tostones ($8.95) which are perfect for sharing. Tostones are a typical Latin snack food. Plantain chips served with chipotle mayo for a bit of heat. I should mention that Havana does a great job with their cocktails. They have a fantastic sangria that’s guaranteed to clench your thirst this summer, or you can opt for a delicious Mojito like I did. This has got to be one of the best mojitos I’ve ever tasted. And that includes the ones I had in Cuba! I highly recommend this next tapas: the Garlic Chili Prawns ($13.99) with green onions, chilies and cilantro. I’m salivating as I write this. They were so good. Such a good blend of spices and the prawns were cooked perfectly. For what I hear, this is a crowd favourite and one of Havana’s signature dishes.Another dish we tried was the Crudo ($13.99) – Albacore tuna with garlic, lemon, jalepenos with crispy tortilla chips. This was my least favourite dish, not that it was bad, but there wasn’t much flavour to it. I think if we had it before the prawns, the experience would’ve been better? The prawns were so spot on and so full of flavour, so by following them up with a much milder dish, we missed the mark.Overall, the patio experience at Havana in the summer time is something that must be experienced. They have such a great patio and such a great cocktail list, it’s worth it to spend an evening with a friend people watching on “The Drive”. Their menu is on the moderate price point, but the tapas portions were good for two people. Between the two of us we left with happy tummies.

Good place for drinks an appies, but not for dinner. The food here is very mediocre and over priced. They do have amazing sangria though and the staff are super friendly and attentive. Lastly this is the patio on Commercial. So overall, get a seat in the patio with a pitcher of Sangria and some appies and you will be satisfied.

Good food, a bit on the expensive side for the size of the portions. Amazing cocktails and when I say amazing, I mean it.<br/>This is a great place for summer people watching on The Drive, Their patio is one of the best in the city.

I was curious to see what they have to offer for breakfast/lunch. We got seated on the patio with great sunlight and breeze which was a big bonus.

Brunch was great!. I had a delicious and very satisfying pulled pork hash. So happy when a meal is exactly what you want, and even better than expected.

...I like the decor. The scratched out walls and the mural and the Cuban photos make the umbrella drinks go down a little easier, so I gave it another try. And this time around the Cuban sandwich was delicious.<br/><br/>Roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, and pickles on super soft Cubana bread, it was flavourful and tasty. I had the soup to accompany it, a spicy chicken and orzo dish that was flavourful and balanced and makes me want to get back for the chicken and chorizo penne and huevos rancheros.

Great customer service. We went in a group of 5 to have dinner in Havana. There's a misunderstanding about the amount that we paid for the dinner and the tips, we ended up paying a bit more. We decided to write a letter to Havana about this to ask for a refund. Havana replied promptly and agreed to give us the refund. But, it's not just the amount that we over-paid, Havana gave us twice that amount. We're very impressed and happy with their customer service, thanks! We'll come back for sure!

'Media noche' (cuban sandwich) sadly not recommended.. I was jones-ing for a cubano so we went to check out 'Havana' on Commercial Drive. Sadly I cannot recommend this sandwich. The pickles were great and the rest of the fillings were solid. Better bread could have saved this sandwich. The bun used was basically a standard supermarket hamburger roll - dry and tasteless, not the rich brioche roll that you get in Cuba. The sandwich was not pressed - something I would have thought was essential to the taste. Also, the sandwich was swimming in the pulled pork liquid, making it a drippy mess to pick up. I would have thought it would not be difficult to make this sandwich, considering the ingredients are easy to find, it is the bread and the pressing that require a little extra effort. The tomato-fennel soup was boring and tasteless. My companion had the Bocadillo sandwich which seemed fresh enough, but would have benefitted from sautéing the onions, and a little mustard. The basic coffee was terrible (unlike what you normally get in Cuba). The ambiance of the restaurant seemed fun and lively and Commercial Drive is always a fun place to people-watch. The service was great. If you are expecting authentically Cuban food, you will be disappointed but this seems to be a happening place with a broad range of items on their menu. In fact, if I could give some advice to their management I would suggest that they are trying to do too much on their menu - consider simplifying menu to your best sellers. This might give you more time to source the brioche and press the sandwiches!

Don't judge a book by its cover. For a tropical island, I always found it odd that Cuba has a bad reputation for its cuisine. True, you expect bright colours and exotic flavours from a country like that, and this certainly doesn't describe Cuban Food. That doesn't mean that it's bad, however, it's just not what you expect. <br/><br/>Havana does a good job of offering authentic choices along with some safe ones. You really should go for the Cuban side of the menu. It doesn't look like much but tastes great.

Restaurant was okay, went there for improv. My bf and I decided to try this place out on a Sunday night before we went to watch the street fight improv that started at 7:30pm. We had looked at some of the reviews on urbanspoon and most of them liked the place. I ordered the fried chicken. My bf decided to get the paella. I enjoyed my dish, the fried chicken was tasty but a bit on the dry side. The gravy helped with the dryness. The mash on the bottom was very good. My bf didn't really enjoy his dish as I did mine. He said it was okay, but had expected better tasting food for the price.<br/><br/>After our meal, we went to see the street fight improv. That was great and really hilarious. I would go back to Havana for the improv and maybe for a drink since it has a nice hangout vibe but not for dinner.

BRUNCH. Come for brunch. DELISH

We ordered: tapas plato - great! Jambalaya - great! Paella - not so great, I expected more tomato flavor, too much coconut milk I thought (not sure why it has coconut milk actually). I wish that the desserts were more Cuban, i wouldve otherwise ordered some. Pricey but I noted that they source locally and they grow their veggies on the rooftop; I think it's fair since they share the love.

Came here for breakfast and another day for fries. I liked both!

Regretted it.. This review is for dinner, I've never had brunch there. I ordered grilled salmon, which tasted like a a dry, microwave-reheated frozen piece of salmon on rice. The accompanying veggies were two strips of waterlogged red pepper and two overcooked green beans. For a twenty-dollar entree, this was really a disappointment, especially given the availability of fresh salmon and fresh vegetables for this basic meal. The cocktail that I ordered was great, but nothing could redeem the food.

Meh. There was a fly in my drink, and when I got it replaced there was STILL a fly in it! Food was pretty average. I won't be back.

Viva havana. Great food, great service, amazing portion sized and always a good time! we ordered the pulled beef on cuban rice and it was divine! Great spot for a good night out!

I don't know!.... Well I have a boyfriend who is Cuban and I called to make sure they had someone to speak to him about the menu in spanish. We showed up and none of the severs were from canada at all but were nice... sadly had to give back his meal but I showed a good face for my meal that I could have got from any other restaurant. I thought it was a good drink but Cubans must have it differently but we are so-so till we have a good Cuban restaurant in Vancouver!

Chorizo Hash at Havana. I eat lunch at Havana about 3 times a month. They have a great patio on Commercial and the service has been above average, in my experience. Most items I've tried from the menu have been pretty good, but the Chorizo Hash is really, really tasty. The combination of textures and flavors make this dish one that you'll crave. <br/><br/>The Chorizo is crumbled and pan fried with onions and green peppers then placed over perfectly crispy hash browns. The spice and heat of the sausage adds a nice kick to balance the smooth, rich and creamy flavor of the Hollandaise, which is lightly drizzled over 2 poached eggs - I like mine soft. <br/><br/>The entire combination is ridiculously good!

Drinks over food. Alike the ambiance, the drinks here are flavourful and exciting. The food is overpriced and sub-par.

Not that great and overpriced. Haven't been to Havana's for a while; I found it really overpriced. Had a salad that was pretty mediocre. It was served in a long plate that made it really hard to eat and it lacked any dressing that I could discern. Also, they really need to do something about the acoustics of the place; when it's busy which it was when we were there, it's really hard to hear anything. All in all, it was pretty disappointing. I won't be back.

Bad Service Ruins it Again. So this is my second time here, and yet again I receive bad service. I don't get why this restaurant keeps hiring rude waiters/waitresses. The food itself was mediocre. The only thing I like about this place is it's atmosphere.

Hecho totalamente a mano. Havana isn't just about food which isn't bad, just getting a little dated since I don't think they have made many menu changes in five years. Havana is about the scene baby! You get served by cool interesting youngsters with ego just spilling out over their slightly overfed couture. Where else do you get served by such budding young things, Why would you expect people like that to care about your little drink order! Your luck they even talk to you worm!! I digress. Where else can you get something interesting to eat at 10:00pm after the opera / symphony that is not gross hotel food. Havana. Just like the real thing, worn out, lazy, but damn so much better than the alternatives. Giant pitchers of Champagne and OJ for Breakfast with strawberries made me smile whilst I watched the gliteratti dine on their morning repast.

Ordered the chicken tacos. Took about an hour plus to get my order. Server never checked to see if I liked the meal once I got it. Came out cold like it's been sitting out for awhile. Poor service, not impressed. Sat out on the heated patio, which seemed like a good idea only to listen to a rattling vibrating heater above, could hardly hear the music. It was nice to sit out on the patio in November watching people go by. That's my only positive feedback unfortunately. First time and definitely last time at Havana.

Bad Food/Expensive/Bad service/Good atmosphere. I went to the restaurant last night for dinner for first time with my girlfriend.The restaurant was very busy and looked very nice.<br/>The menu was not very large and when i saw Paella in the menu I was very excited to order the dish.I was very dissapointed because the Paella did not look like the typical dish, the taste was not very good and it had some imitation sausage that had a weird consistency and taste, just awful!!.We also ask for ceviche and it anything like ceviche that all.It was tuna with a prepared mayo and the portion was so small that look ridiculous.The sangria was ok..The bill was close to 70 dollars for the two of us and not worth it.My girlfriend and I felt upset stomach after a few hours and we had to miss work.We had to call the waitress a few times and the service was bad.Very dissapointed..Looked like a good place to go but I was not impress that all!!

Mediocre food, terrible service. Just moved to commercial drive, so my roommate and I decided to try Havana restaurant the first night we arrived. I ordered a chicken wrap or lack there of and a salad. Portions are very small, and the food was just decent. Our waiter was extremely rude and treated us like we were stupid. Would not recommend and will not return!!

Bad value, will never come back. Ordered Truffled Fries ($9.95), small basket covered in Kraft-style Parmesan cheese and didn't taste any truffle oil. Way over priced. Could get tastier and cheaper fries from Rogers Arena.

Good food soured by bad service. We ordered the several tapas which included Havana mussels, truffle fries, big salad, calamari, deep friend pickles and many drinks. The food was good, not great. Unfortunately, the hostess and waiter were unpleasant and very rude. This place has such potential, but its poor management is too obvious. I'd never recommend this place.

Good tacos. Title says it all. I liked their tacos.

Bad food crazy prices meah service. Mussels were tiny, this is Vancouver but we got a bowl of mussels which were far from succulent, they were miniscule albeit the broth was tasty. The truffle fries were overpriced and served slightly soggy, we ordered 2 other tapas, 2 glasses of wine, 1 beer and this came to almost $100! Ludicrous ridiculous much? Yes. We could have had a bottle of wine, a pair of steak and appys at many other nice restaurants for the same price. I was very mad to have paid so much for below mediocre food. Bad experience, will never return.

Sad arrogant service and bad food. We arrived at five to six and the hustle was on.They were asking us for drink orders before we had taken our coats off. The food was mediocre at best. Veggie burger unseasoned with mass produced fires and no seasoning. Paella was a dirty mound of food, a bit like eating turkey stuffing with raw spice. Constant push from the staff and your plates removed before you had finished chewing. We will never return.

What I liked at Havana: 1..... What I liked at Havana: <br/>1. The truffle oil fries - the were actually good. However, the price for a small order of fries. Are you seriously kidding me?<br/>2. The gallery space. <br/><br/>What I didn't like: <br/>1. The price for food and alcoholic drinks. You are overpriced! <br/>2. Your spiked lemonade lacked alcohol and contained too much ice and water. Good job on water down the booze.

If you're tired of the Main st 'I'm too cool to smile or look you in the eye' vibe, head to the friendly faces of the Drive. This food has FLAVOUR. Drip coffee is excellent, service is lovely. One thing though... Tables are VERY close together. Tough to get in and out and your neighbors hear the entire conversation.

Ensalada es muy delicioso!. Havana is heaven for salad lovers. I had the Roots salad with shrimp added. I can't remember ever having a better salad.

Walk on the wild side. Was over on Commercial Drive recently and had a chance to grab dinner and a glass of wine at the Havana Cafe. First time I'd been there in awhile. I wish I lived closer and could be a regular. It's the kind of cool, neighborhood place one wishes was around the corner from one's home. (And I guess for some lucky people, it is.)<br/>I had the paella and it was very good. Tasty, spicy (but not too crazy) and filling. The ambience here is funky and relaxing, and the service - both from the waitresses and the bar - was very good.<br/>Hope I can return soon. Keep it up, Havana!

Great play !. My wife and I had tickets to a play there and they still won't ensure you a table for dinner, really? When we arrived there was a 20 minute wait for a table. If we waited we would have missed the start of the play. We sat outside and ordered dinner. I had jerk chicken, it was pretty good. My wife had a green salad, no kidding 10 pieces of lettuce and 4 grape tomatoes for $7. The staff should be embarrassed serving it! I have no reason to return to eat. I will watch for upcoming plays though, really fun venue.

Killer Brunch. Went to Havana with some buddies on Sunday and the place was bumpin'!! Had a bunch of pitchers of Mojitos and the best chorizo hash in the city. The service awesome (and gorgeous) and will definitley be back next weekend to do it all over again.

One of my faves!. Best mojitos in town, available by the pitcher; heated patio overlooking Grandview park, great for people watching; everything I've ever eaten there has been delicious and there's an art gallery and a theatre that regularly holds plays and other performances. One of my fave spots in Vancouver!

My GO-TO Spot. This is a past review (although I've been to Havana many times.) Food is always delicious albeit on the pricier end for The Drive but you do get what you pay for. I've had great service many times, particularly with the bar staff. On one particular occasion, we started with drinks at the bar while waiting for our table. The bartenders were quite entertaining, recommending their favourites along with popular concoctions. When we sat at our table, I had ordered a second drink but was disappointed to find that it wasn't similar to what I had last. I did not imply directly but just asked our server if it was a single. She said she'd double check then later returned with another drink in hand and replied, "Our bartender said this was one is on the house." I couldn't hold back my smile and made a trip to the bathroom. On the way over, I slipped a big tip into the tip jar and said my thank-you. He just returned my smile with a, "I didn't forget your drink." <br/>It's definitely the little things that make the experience. Great bar staff, excellent food, and one kicka$$ patio in the summer. Definitely my go-to spot with friends when we can't make a decision. <br/>This is also a quintessential date spot. Heck, it was so good my friend even took me here for a mock date.

Rotten grapes. I would pay 19 dollars for a good paella- but this wasn't it. roba vieja was marginally better-but only barely so. two glasses of overpriced wine tasted like they came out of bottles opened last week. the only redeeming feature was a cheerful server who was willing to agree that the wine stank. too bad she did not warn us about the food as well.

I will definitely not go back because of the horrible service! First, They got my order wrong. While waiting for my server, anothet server asked if we are doing okay. I said I guess the food is not what I ordered. This server frowned and asked me to check the food one more time. (and even said she actually saw one little shrimp in the benny, its actually just some tomato). Our server came after and said its her mistake and apologised. Later on, the horrible server refilled everyone's water but not us. She noticed our glasses were empty and turned around and gave the rest of the water to the table next to us. (and never came back) The food is just mediocre. Dont understand why there's always a line up there. Disappointing experience.

This place has improved a lot over the years. the quality of the service and food is much better then 10 years ago. it's a great date spot or simple place to enjoy the mojitos and sangria with friends...

As much as i would like to say how expensive this spot is, it was quite an enjoyable dinner. 6 prawns for 14 bucks?? No no no, prawn skewers 4 for 5 bucks. Truffle fries were good, all spice was a bit unexpected in the mayo dip and gave it an original kick. Jerk pepper spiced short ribs were good too. Also 5 buck pints of angry scotch ale were on sale and complimented dinner nicely. Great commercial dr spot, not exactly latin american fare, but a great take on NA fare with a tad of cuban flare

Too rich for my blood. Yikes! $14 for a basic sandwich? Really? By the time I added the tax and tip to that I was looking at an $18 sandwich and I haven't even ordered a drink yet. Granted the sandwich tasted pretty good (minus the borderline stale bun), but it definitely was not worth the price. <br/>It was difficult to catch the "vibe" in this place because it was so loud at lunch I couldn't even have a conversation without yelling.<br/>I'll take a pass on this place.

I've been here a few times now. The services and the food always great!!! Good work, guys!

Good stuff. Guacamole was damn good. Good dating place

Meh, been there a few times, good breakfast, but dinner is nothing special and it's always stupid busy.

Blah.... If it weren't for the patio, i don't think there'd be people. drinks were good, food was mediocre and overpriced.

BREAKFAST. Best French toast in the city. My girlfriend and I go once a week just for it. Capncrunch is a great touch. I go for the charizo hash. And great americanos. Service is great 80 percent of the time. Very welcoming. I'm going there today!!!

Food is good, atmosphere always good, the whole experience is always consistant. Sangria is tasty!!

Great atmosphere and food. Best dish ever: Mussels in havana broth. Couldn't get enough of it. Great place to go on a hot summer night for a mojito with many flavors to choose from.

Only for the sangria and burgers. I came here in the afternoon and ordered the mussels, burger and sangria. No doubt the sangria is awesome. the burger was alright but i find it slightly expensive. The mussels were rather dissapointing. it was soOOO salty, i couldn't taste the other elements making up the broth.

I still like. This place, even though, every time I go and am seated at the bar, I find a snippy jerk behind it. (Really, if you were that busy you wouldn't find time for all those personal calls, you pretentious buncha wackjobs.)<br/><br/>Other than that, the staff is great, the food not to bad (it was better) and the atmosphere very nice.

More than just a cafe.. The outside heated patio is the best. the prices are pricey, the pitcher of mojitos was good. <br/>you must try the fried plantains when you go there. <br/><br/>service was awesome. <br/>inside it's very much like an authentic Cuban cafe like in Cuba.. <br/>the beer is good if its on special otherwise it's expensive.<br/>if you have a group of friends this is the place to go. <br/>the bathrooms were clean and interesting.<br/>they have like an art space/gallery in the back with is really cool.<br/><br/>had a conversation with some of the chefs on the night bus one late night and they seemed really cool too. <br/><br/>if your in the mood for some great decor and fried plantains .... go here.

Two words people..."chicken wrap". Although i gotta say the food here is in no way authentically Cuban, if you know what to order it's amazingly good. The chicken wrap is beyond words. Chicken pieces and grilled wrap and chipotle sauce, oh my. The sangria is the best in town, it's not cheap, but it is delicious. And the taquitos are delightful, with the red cabbage. Repeated visits are required.

My favourite patio.... A great place to spend some time watching the Commercial Drive crowd

Good sangria!!!. Love Havana's, but only for the sangria on the patio and people watching...Other than that, the food should not be categorized as cuban food.

Great Dinner!. The mojitos are truely good. We celebrated our 28th anniversary tonight and could agree that it was the best dinner out since Cartagena! We grabbed some business cards and will spread the word back home in Washington. We loved the eclectic neighborhood, too. Thanks.

Great food, great atmosphere. I like the place, the food and the atmosphere at Havana. However, i do think that the food is a little bit overpriced.

Mediocre at Best. I've given Havana at least three tries, and I have to say, they've struck out. From breakfast (where I swear the bland scrambled eggs were, er pre-scrambled) to lunch and on, I had to wonder where the defining tastes were. It might be fine for a diner where undefined flavours and a slipshod approach to preparation and presentation is expected, but I think it's important to ramp up the level of verve and piquancy in Vancouver's Latin joints. Havana is just too middle of the road to do it. It's got a prime location and pleasing feel inside. Are those ever-present bottles of catsup on each table a portent of too smooth and undistinguished to come?

Great Late dinner spot. Wonderful drinks, good food and great vibe. Everytime I go I wonder why I don't come more often

Really like this place for breakfast. Always bring out of towners here for brunch. Great scene, great space, great people watching and good brunch.

Great sangria. The sangria is all I can say is good about Havana.The food I think is overpriced ,, small portions and not very good.They do have a great patio for the summer but that is about it .

Mixers by the Jug. Havana's is a great place to relax on a hot day, they serve fantastic drinks by the jugs like Mojito's & Sangria's these also come in different flavors. The menu is a little limited but it is still tasty and the atmosphere is great and staff are inviting

Mmm, sangria. I'm not sure about the rest of the food, desserts, or drinks at Havana, but I do know that they have an awesome Sangria, worthy of coming back to!

It's you want to be trendy and been seen, go there. The food is like the food in Cuba, yuck. Save your money and don't go to Cuba to eat the awful food there, go to havana cafe.

Pleasant Patio Persona. I like eating here on the patio for brunch or a chicken salad. Often frequented by Drive neighbours and film industry types.

Fond memories on the patio eating with my love. Great atmosphere. Food is above average. Service was great.

Meh. I don't know - I find the food here wildly mediocre. BUT - I will say that some of my best Vancouver summer days are spent drinking sangria on the patio. THAT is the brilliant thing about Havana.

This popular patio is practically an institution on the Drive. Mid-October meant nothing to its patrons, with the heaters cranked up the patio was full when we arrive. We were somewhat lucky to get a table for 2 inside without a wait. It didn’t take long to notice the pitchers of Sangria on almost every table, each holding the largest wooden spoons we had ever seen. Dean was glad his parents didn’t have access to wooden spoons this size when he was a child...

Imagine for a moment the backdrop of Old Havana, Cuba. Old cobble stone streets lined with buildings from a 50s American time capsule and the sound of Rumba music all around you. A cocktail or a cigar only a step away wherever you go. Havana first opened its doors in September 1996 and since then it’s been a little piece of Old Havana right here in Vancouver. Not only a restaurant, Havana is home to a gallery and a theater all in one building. The recipe for a perfect night of theater, art, good food and drink. Today I found myself at Havana as a way to put a cap on a busy summer day.  The restaurant is spacious and its walls are adorned with memories of other countries. Its patio spans the length of the restaurant and it’s a bustling venue on summer days.  A beautiful mural is painted on the left exterior wall of the restaurant – adding to the rustic atmosphere. Despite it being a very busy day and the patio being very full, a table happened to open up and we were seated immediately u

Housing a theatre, gallery, and restaurant all in one, Havana is one of the most diverse buildings you can dine in. Serving a mix of Neuvo Latino and Cuban cocktails, Havana was worth the wait and turned out to be a beautiful restaurant for dinner along Commercial Drive. Food: Judging from the photo above, you can guess Team First Week and I enjoyed a number of tacos from Havana. For myself I ordered the Pulled Steak Taco and man was this scrumptious! Once this little masterpiece arrives and you grab the taco by the rim, it is literally about to burst from the inside; you get two choices: let the toppings fall out one by one or take a delicious chomp of happiness. Most opt for the latter, and the pulled steak (really it’s just beef) combines with the melting cheese and smothers your taste buds. Another great thing is that the tacos all come in pairs so it’s easy to split, share, and swap with other taco aficionados at your table. We looked around at what others were ordering and everyo

We originally had chosen this as our destination for their patio, a well recommended choice when searching up “the best patio in the Vancouver”, and a Commercial Drive staple 18 years strong. Without reservations and their unwillingness to take any unless your party has six of more, we gambled on being first to come and first to be served. Though given the chill of the early night and the whisper of wind, we instead opted for indoor seating with no wait, compared to the 30 minute turnover for a patio seat. I have been once years before, but I usually shy away from places that require a lengthy wait, no guaranteed reservations, or are too noisy. I consider my time valuable and want not to wait for a seat to only have to wait for the food I am paying for. And dining out for me is as much about the food and the experience as it is the company I keep. I attend such outings with friends and therefore each visit requires the ability to communicate and the possibility to converse. And here bo

Unfortunately, I found this sandwich to be a huge disappointment. I was tempted to replace it, but the waiter already had a poor attitude, so I didn't want to deal with him.   The bread and the coating was a bit too tough and had too strong of a beer taste which just didn't work this sandwich. There was no recognizable cheeziness in the filling and was too sweet when accompanied by the beer-battered bread. The filling by itself was good, but in this so-called grilled cheese sandwich, it just didn't fit. I think they should chan

Hello everyone! So last week I went to Havana's for the first time with my friends and obviously Phil. I heard many things about their awesome Sangrias so I was really excited to give this place a try. This restaurant is located on the busy street of Commercial. Parking was not too bad but during busy hours it might be difficult, so I recommend car pooling with your buddies if you are planning to go. My friend mentioned that it usually gets extremely busy during 6 but we were lucky enough to beat the rush and was able to get a table right away.     We ordered a Pitcher of their Strawberry Lemonade Sangria . I was actually really disappointed because it was extremely bland and we all felt like we were drinking water. My friend told me last time she ordered it, it was way better.   So for appetizer, we decided to order the Truffle Fries to share ($9.95). Which is not any normal dish of fries, it consists of classic fries, truffle oil, parsley & parmesan cheese. OMG, the love I have for t

I would have to say, the food is decent. But for the price I am paying for, I just really don’t know if it is worth the price. I guess the decor makes up for it. It was quite a busy morning, so service was a little slow and we waited for a bit for the food and the bill. If you are down for a quick breakfast in the area, or you want to visit the gallery you should give this a try. But I wouldn’t expect too much.

Another one of my favorites is Havana. They first opened in 1996 and interiors are pretty rad: inspired by the faded glory of Old Havana in Cuba. All the scribbles on the walls reminds me of Jim Carrey horror movie The Number 23. Good thing this place comes with one of the best Sangrias in Vancouver! My favorite is the Champagne Sangria: bubbles and fruits.

I had to try the famous Strawberry Ginger Mojito (~$7-8) and it definitely did not disappoint. It's made with Bacardi Superior Rum, strawberries, mint, fresh lime juice, and ginger ale. Definitely one of the best strawberry mojitos I've had. I think it's because of the addition of ginger ale (I like myself some bubbly :D). These Truffle Fries ($9.95) were absolutely to die for... The combination of parmesan che