Havana's Cuban Cuisine — Restaurant in Cooper City

Awful experience. I went in to pick up an order for my kid (an entrée and dessert for $25) and I presented a $25 gift certificate, which was signed by the owner. Santiago (at the front) said he would not take the gift certificate because it was from years ago and they changed them. I politely asked why their decision to change their gift certificates affected my ability to utilize my gift certificate. I asked to speak to the manager, and he said he was the manager. Then I asked to speak to the owner, which he denied.

Santiago said they were no longer honoring the gift certificates because they were old. I told him that Florida law prohibits this type of behavior, because gift certificates do not expire in Florida. I offered to show him the law (Florida Statute 501.95) on my phone, and he said he knew about it, but did not care.

The food was already in the bag waiting to be picked up. There were other customers around listening. It was very embarrassing and sad for my kid and I to walk away so late at night, without food. I drove all the way over there, and waited the 30 minutes that they said it would take to prepare. And even though my daughter was hungry and looking forward to the experience, it felt wrong to be forced to give another $25, when they had already received $25 for the gift certificate. It is very clear that the food we ordered, which was packaged in the bag on the counter, could not be sold to anybody else. So it was essentially going to be eaten or taken home by Santiago, or another staff member, or maybe even thrown out. Very sad to think they could have done the right thing, and honored their gift card, especially considering the food was already made, but instead chose to waste the meal that was specifically prepared for my daughter, unless we were forced to give them another $25. Sad to be treated...

It was my mother’s 78th birthday and she wanted Cuban food. Rather than visit another chain restaurant like La Carreta, we decided to try this place. I was pleased that for a party of 9, we didn’t have to wait to be seated, but that was the only good part about this visit. Shortly after being seated, the waiter rushed us through our order as if there was a fire in the kitchen he needed to run back and put out. He didn’t even bother to introduce himself, or ask us if we wanted appetizers or drinks like wait staff normally do. Our food came out, and my father didn’t get his order. We waited for about 10 minutes, then spent another 5 minutes trying to get someone’s attention. When he finally came, there was no apology or explanation. When he came back with the food, he didn’t even bother to put the plate in from of my dad. He set it on the table without a word and rushed away. Not once did we have anyone refill our waters, ask us if we wanted any other drinks, or ask us if the food was ok or if we wanted anything else. I was so upset I got up and asked him what the deal was, were they short staffed? He indeed said yes, but sadly we could have worked with that. I would’ve gladly traded patience for better service. I handed my wife the charge card and went to Publix to get my mother a cake. There was no way I was going to have the rude waiter and staff bring out a birthday dessert for my mom. They offered to comp my dads food, but I refused and they charged for it. I gladly paid for it because it’s the last time I will ever spend another dollar in this establishment. Also, their menu states an 18% automatic gratuity for parties of 5 or more, but be aware it’s...

Avoid This Establishment: Terrible Experience

My girlfriend and I visited the restaurant around 2:30pm on a weekday. Upon arrival, there was only one occupied table, but things quickly went downhill from there.

Initially, a staff member brought us water, and despite my attempt to place an order, we were blatantly ignored. It wasn't until the waitress finally approached us that we were able to order an appetizer.

However, when it came time to place our main orders, the experience turned sour. My girlfriend's order went smoothly, but when I inquired about a variation of a dish on the menu, I was met with resistance and a flat-out "no." The manager, who was called over to address our concerns, displayed a shocking level of apathy and rudeness. When I expressed my dissatisfaction and threatened to leave, his response was dismissive and confrontational.

Feeling unwelcome and appalled by the unprofessionalism of the staff and management, my girlfriend and I decided to leave. The situation escalated further when the manager followed me outside, displaying aggressive behavior.

In conclusion, I strongly advise against patronizing this establishment. The staff and management demonstrated a lack of professionalism, rudeness, and an utter disregard for customer satisfaction. Our experience was nothing short of appalling, and we are relieved we chose...