Café Habana — Restaurant in New York

Big Bro and I pulled up to Habana at 1:24pm coated in sweat after the mile walk, as it was the first real hot day of the summer. Even my all linen fit was futile against the heat.

We entered the non-descript 39 seat hole in the wall cafe with tiled floors, a handful of barstools and faux leather booths for seating, and ceiling fans being the only weapon against the heat. It was JUMPIN, but we got a seat right away as they turnin tables quick.

The interior is a little beat up, and I mean that in the best way possible. I've never been to Cuba, but Cafe Habana is authentically Latin American. It reminds me of small places in Mexico or Puerto Rico that don't look like much when you enter, but the food BANGS.

It’s a no frills place. Not like Tacombi though, don't get it twisted. Tacombi plays on Mexican culture, talking about the balmy beaches of the Yucatán and sharing the beauty of authentic Mexican culture with the world and then looks you dead in the eye as they charge you $6.98 before tax and tip for a tiny little fish taco with no sides. Don't get me started on Tacombi. Tacombi is like big pharma to me.

Enough about the opps, my b.

We ended up ordering the world famous corn, plantains, the cubano sandwich, and the marinated roast pork. The grilled corn, dressed in mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chili powder & lime was actually insane… I was initially like “damn this Equinox trainer has me paying $5 for some corn” but thank GOD I did. I forgot one of the few absolutes in life… CORN MAN GETS PAID!!

The cubano sandwich ($18.95) came with fries, which is a rarity in NYC these days. It consists of Citrus marinated roast pork wrapped in ham with swiss cheese, chipotle mayonnaise & pickle on a toasted roll. The pork was so juicy that little pork juice was squirting down the roll on every bite… that visual is crazy lol but it was delicious.

If you're reading this and don't live in NYC you're probably like "damn that's expensive he's trippin..." but this is par for the course in the city, and absolutely Nolita/Soho cheap.

I'm fascinated that a place like Cafe Habana exists in the Nolita/Soho area. I would expect it to be deep in Alphabet City or Union City. Idk. Cafe Habana is just so unpretentious, right smack in the middle of one of the most pretentious places in the world. New York City continues to surprise me everyday.

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Title: Café Habana: A Cozy Nolita Spot with Standout Grilled Corn

Review:

After a demanding workday, I recently dined at Café Habana, a quaint Cuban-Mexican eatery nestled in Nolita. From the exterior, the establishment appeared closed, but a quick peek through the windows revealed its doors were open.

The interior is compact, exuding more of a bar or tavern ambiance than a traditional restaurant. This cozy setting contributes to its unique New York City charm. The service, while not particularly swift, was satisfactory; however, I noticed that staff didn't check in during the meal, a touch often appreciated in dining experiences.

For my meal, I chose the grilled chicken cutlet plate accompanied by rice and black beans. The dish was enjoyable, aligning with standard offerings at similar Cuban establishments. The highlight, undoubtedly, was the grilled corn—a delightful combination of mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chili powder, and fresh lime—that lived up to its acclaim. It's no surprise that many patrons rave about this signature item.

One aspect that stood out was the absence of dessert options, which was unexpected. Additionally, the music selection leaned towards hip-hop and other genres, differing from the Latin rhythms I had anticipated. While it didn't detract from the experience, it was a notable deviation from the traditional ambiance one might expect.

In summary, Café Habana offers a cozy atmosphere with standout dishes like their renowned grilled corn. While some elements, such as music choice and dessert availability, differ from traditional expectations, it's a spot worth revisiting to explore more of their...

This place was OK. I will do my research first before coming to this restaurant. The name is a little deceiving as is not a fully Cuban restaurant. They don’t have many of the typical Cuban food cuisine, however, we were surprised to find the food was good not the most delicious but it wasn’t bad. It had a good flavor I will say that this restaurant is more of a Mexican cuisine than Cuban. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the corn on the cob was on point. We will definitely come back when we need a quick bite, but not when we need a full meal. The service was OK, but they seem to be overwhelmed by the amount of customers that the restaurant can handle we had to ask for napkins like three times also getting the attention of the servers was a difficult as they’re moving around a lot. The bathrooms are very tiny, the lighting is very dim, There is lots of posters and graffiti, but it goes with the neighborhood , I did not feel an AC running inside the restaurant so I am not sure if they run the AC during very hot days .Overall, not a bad place but again make sure you do you your research and check the menu...