Havana 1920 Reviews

We sat upstairs and loved the decor and the atmosphere. Our appetizer came with a cute little Cuban flag on it. Food was very good. Ordered the guava cake for desert and it was fantastic! Our compliments to the pastry chef!

Amazing service, great empanadas and coffee, nice seating all around great time, the waitress was very friendly and down to earth it’s not high in price.

Really enjoyed lunch here. Nice casual atmosphere. Service was super friendly. I had the Cuban sandwich with Cuban bread (thin and really good), sliced pork, sliced ham and cheese. Delicious! My wife had the Lechon Asado which was marinated pork, rice, black beans and plantains. She also really enjoyed it! We will definitely return and highly recommend.

I had previously posted a good review of this restaurant, but must say that I was shocked to see a 3.99% fee added to the bill just for using a credit card. I do not believe card processors charge merchants that much to process a credit card transaction, and find it very questionable for a restaurant to make money this way. This is very unfortunate as this might turn off some customers.

I am a Cuban food perfectionist. I'm always nervous about trying new Cuban food locations. Havana 1920 is onto something. Their media noche sandwich was delicious. The highlight of that sandwich was the quality of the meat: so clean and no fat. I'm usually picking apart these sandwiches because they throw in big slices of pork, fat and all. Havana 1920 uses clean, shredded pork. Really tasty! Some appetizers were new to me (I think they are the chef and owner's concepts because they're not traditional), but they were tasty. The mariquitas, yuca fri a and dipping sauces were a nice touch. I love the small outside dining area with domino tables as dining tables. The awesome "grandma's house" touches like most matched silverware and chairs was nostalgic and fun. Give them a try! I included some pics. Buen provecho!

What a fun little find during Comic Con!! I saw this listed at the Convention Center and had to explore. The food was delicious and the service was beyond great! Love the ambiance, the retro feel and great little pieces from glory days gone by. My only bummer was I wanted to order something that wasn't available during the day but was listed on the menu. This could have been due to Comic Con weekend so I'm giving them a pass because it was all delicious and the service was exceptional!

Amazing Cuban delectable food in the heart of Gaslamp area close to Market Street. The service out of this world. ask for Keren - she's the bomb.

After having several meals of seafood, I was looking for a change for lunch. While I’m the Gaslamp district, I found Havana 1920 which serves Cuban food. I wanted something to take back to my hotel room. I ordered two empanadas- a Cuban and a ham/ cheese. Both came with dipping sauce. Both were yummy! The outside was fried to a flaky perfection. I wish I had time to try them all as well as some of the other items on the menu. If I’m back in San Diego, you can bet I will!

Not our first time there, but this was our first time for dinner. We did not get disappointed. The food is good, service is friendly, and the atmosphere has a great Cuban vibe. Great coffee too. Only regret is that we had to leave and we missed the live music. We'll try again another time.

We went there for dessert / coffee, and to just sit outside and do people watching. The setting was nice. My coffee was excellent (of course it's Cuban!). I just wished I had more! Would go back without hesitation.

Finally an authentic Cuban spot in the heart of the Gaslamp. Dominos to play outside you can even smoke cigars. Or if you want to buy Cuban pastry or coffee you can. Just opened a few weeks ago. Love band you can salsa dance. Small place, you may need to make a reservation. Food is good. Owner is super friendly and makes sure everything is good. Nice environment I can see this place succeeding. Go out, celebrate or want to hear some good music which is Thursday- Sunday I believe starts past 8:30 pm? Check it out. Definitely coming back and letting my friends know about this place.

A great place to either have lunch or get a bite to eat after drinks on the town. Great service, authentic and flavorful finger food from Cuban sandwiches to ceviche. The fried yucca is a must!

I went on a weeknight and it was pretty busy and popular, it seems. Food was good, service was good. Everyone very friendly.

Great Cuban food and the live band is amazing!! Great getaway from the young crowd on the main strip

We are locals, and actually found out about this restaurant in San Diego magazine, in an article about great sandwiches. We have a family member who is Cuban and we feel like we do have some experience with authentic Cuban food. With that being said, we were not disappointed. We have been twice in 2 weeks, we had to come back to celebrate our son's birthday and our boys loved it as well. Fantastic Cuban sandwich, croquettes, salad, wow! The service is great, Christoper was so attentive and made us feel like family. He remembered us the second time and took great care of us. Andrew came by and checked on us, Chelsea was very helpful and the busboys were so great. Food is awesome , service great , atmosphere fun. Definitely recommend this place!

It was one of the best restaurants in the TASTE OF THE GASLAMP 2024, with its Cubana SANDWICHES!!! I want to compliment them for taking their time in preparing the food. It made for a delicious sandwich. I had never had one before, but it now won’t be my last!!! It is a little unassuming from the front, but there is an UP STAIRS, with an elevator for the disabled.

Great atmosphere and the deserts are wonderful. The fried ice cream is a two for one. The outside is a churro! The brownie is is heavenly.

This very small place shares it's space with El Chingon so it's Mexican on one side and Cuban on the other. Both places were part of the Taste of Happy Hour Event on Saturday June 8. Picadillo Empanadas was the food being handed out and the daiquiri was the special $5 price. It was a popular spot for the event.

Our group of 6 thought that the food was TERRIFIC (and I have a history in Miami - where the best Cuban food north of Havana is found.) The Drinks are excellent. The hostess (possibly the owner??) was incredibly helpful and got our group seated quickly. The ambiance took me back to South Florida. We were early for live music, but still very much enjoyed this dinner. It is indeed small but very charming - the wait staff is outstanding as is the food.

Stopped here on a work trip with a few other folks. Some had never had Cuban or any Caribbean-type foods, but everyone enjoyed it. Food was great and the wait staff was excellent. The food did come out a bit slow, but it was worth the wait and we weren't in any hurry anyway. Overall a great place to eat and will be back if I'm in the area again.

I have been to Havana and this restaurant is as close to authentic as I have seen anywhere outside of Cuba! I highly recommend it for your San Diego trip!

Surprisingly bigger inside than it seems... thanks to upstairs seating. Pleasant young ladies hosting and welcoming. I was there earlier than my party, and they gladly seated me upstairs. Server was personable and excellent. My badd that I don't have his name, because I didn't pay bill... was being treated to dinner. Was patient with giving us room to settle in before taking orders. Made great suggestions and explanations. Addressed a couple of mishaps quickly and pleasantly. 1) kitchen had forgotten my plantains. He instantly got me a double order. 2) My friend wanted to take her leftovers home. When he took the plate back to box, the bus team quickly took the plate to wash, when his head was turned (so I guess I have to give credit for fast service team there as well). He boxed a half portion to-go. Two of us had the roasted pork with black beans and rice. One of my friends also has the beef hash. We were all full from the healthy portions. The chips for snacking were not regular tortillas. Can't describe them, but they were good. No problem switching out the hot salsa for a milder flavor, which ended up tasting good for dipping plantains in (had a honey mustard flair). Excellent all the way around. 2 BURPS from me!!!

Justin was our waiter. He was great! We wanted to try all the small plates and he helped us pick the best ones.

The food isn't great. But the live music is ! So go here to get a drink and dance to the music. The place is small and it gets stuffy quickly. The music was so loud we couldn't understand half the things our waitress said or we said to each other while deciding what to eat. I also prefer to sit in comfortable chairs for my dinner - which wasn't the case here. The chairs were set against tables with huge base, a little inconvenient for short people. Again as I (and many other folks said before) : Go here for the live music and a drink or two. The food is way underwhelming.

We stopped in for a late night dinner. We sat upstairs the bar has a great selection of spirits and the waitress was happy to get my sister a selection of the best rums to try before deciding on a drink. Great cocktails. Lots of food when it arrived very big portions. Food was ok i would probably return for the drinks rather than the food.

What a treat! Cuban food in San Diego. We went here after planning on going elsewhere for supper. The food and surroundings have such a relaxed Cuban feel. Nicely done. Almost a hole in the wall type place but don’t miss it - it’s worth going.

In wandering Gaslamp and wondering where to eat, we stumbled upon Havana 1920. We tried to go there when they first opened but they were closed for a private party that night. My husband told the host to try to sell me on why we should eat there and he was delightful, so I reluctantly said okay. While small, it has great atmosphere, the music is fun and the wait staff were all very attentive and efficient! The plaintain chips and chile sauce were complimentary and excellent. My husband ordered the Cuban pork sandwich and loved it. I had small bite empanadas which were quite tasty. It was such a pleasant experience, we asked if they did private events there as we are considering it for a 100th birthday celebration! We'll definitely be back!

Showed up tonight after the main dinner rush (after 8 pm) but was told no possibility to get in without a reservation unless we were willing to take an outside table on the patio (next to the traffic, without any of the atmosphere, and without a decent view of the band, but at least we can hear them upstairs, from behind, and they aren't bad) Since the atmosphere out here is kind of lame, we decided not to do a real meal here, and just ordered cocktails and an appetizer -- tostones rellenos (stuffed plantains) She (Taylor, according to receipt) said "Just the tostones then?" I said... "Yes, the tostones RELLENOS. The stuffed ones." "Okay, the stuffed tostones." She goes away, we get our cocktails, they are decent (which is the reason I left a 10% tip instead of ZERO... at least the bartender did his job, I hope he gets some of it) Eventually (15-20 minutes?), they bring out our tostones... NOT stuffed. Just plain old plantain cakes... after I SPECIFICALLY double-checked and she confirmed the order. So they fixed it,and brought some out with meat a few minutes later... Then a couple minutes after that, brought us empanadas... which we did not order (it was supposed to go to another table) Then, a fight suddenly almost broke out right next to our table, between the doorman and a would-be patron on the street. I didn't catch the entire cause of the exchange, but it appears they were denying him entry, on the grounds that he didn't meet their "dress code" -- no jeans allowed, apparently! (Guess they won't be getting elite clientele like Mark Zuckerberg or the rest of Silicon Valley!) Anyway, the guy also seemed inebriated (this wasn't even very late in the evening, but in the evening all of the Gaslamp feels like Bourbon Street in New Orleans), because he got very belligerent and started threatening / getting ready to rumble, so they called over security and also threatened to call the cops. Anyway, a pretty bad experience overall. I don't even know why they bother having tables out on the patio -- they don't seem to know how to serve them, you lose all atmosphere and the live music (instead you get the drunken chaos and noise going on in the street) I am only giving +1 star because the food and drinks were not bad (not a great bargain, though.)

We were in the gas lamp district as part of our tour when we happened across this place. I noticed that it was a Cuban place, and we never miss an opportunity to check out their empanadas. They offered a walk up service, so we went into the front door and picked up a couple to go. They were $5/each. We both had found them to be very tasty and a little different twist on what we normally see in empanadas on our travels. Money well spent and recommended.

My husband made the mistake (in a good way) of ordering too many bocaditos and plantains to start his meal and then was a bit full when his entree came. We both made the mistake (again, in a good way) of eating too many of the crispy wonton-like chips that they serve you with a really spicy red dipping sauce. For our entrees we had the garlic half chicken and the Cuban pork loin. Unfortunately we had filled up on the appetizers and could not finish our entrees. I was disappointed that I had no room left for dessert. It was great to find such a good Cuban restaurant outside Miami.

First of all let me start by saying that this is not authentic Cuban food. Being from South Florida, we are very familiar with Cuban food and this is another culture’s take on Cuban food. The place was very disappointing in all aspects. It is small, dark and very noisy. The food was very poor quality and overpriced for Cuban food which is normally quite inexpensive. The presentation was also poor. Food was served in a plastic basket. The service matched the food. We will not return to this restaurant. There are too many choices of restaurants in the Gas Lamp district to settle on this restaurant. I question the validity of the previous reviews. Everyone in our party was very disappointed with this restaurant.

The garlic chicken was amazing! We were with a large group and took up most of the place. Service was good, though the music was a little too loud for everyone to hear each other!

One of our favorite stops on a food tour. There is a neat story behind the place. The empanadas were amazing, particularly the ham and cheese. Coffee was very good too.

Cubano sandwich and bocaditos appetizer platter we we shared were the perfect compliment to the coconut mojitos. Yes, the food was outstanding. We enjoyed an open air seat next to the 'happening' street on the second floor, and it was fun for people watching, yet peaceful. The place is unpretension, with great service and atmosphere.

UNBELIEVABLEfood...we walked up and down the noisy bustling of The Gaslamp district in search of the perfect meal, and found it here. The appetizer platters are amazing, but the main dishes (...madre de dios!) were nothing short of phenomenal. The Angus steak platter was incredible and between the refreshing libations (mojitos were the best ever) and the signature hot sauce (their own brand of proprietary blends) this late night feast was last-meal worthy. I am sold. This is my new spot for any future SD outing fosho. Please support this gem of a business, with reasonable prices and excellent service (ask for Preston), you cannot go wrong. Happy eating!

We still connect with a group we went to Cuba with 3 years ago, and got 9 of the 18 folks together to reconnect. Dining is upstairs and service was just excellent for a group. We had a round of appetizers and they were great. Drinks are traditional Cuban ones and the bartender was very good. Drinks are $12 a piece and dinners run around $20. I had the salmon special (Grilled salmon, rice and beans). I do have to say it needed a little spice lift. Lucky there was some on the table. Wife had a classic Cuban pork dish, and it was a hit. I would definitely get it next time.A couple of the folks ordered the sandwiches and they looked good. All in all, drinks and food were excellent along with lovely live music.

The food is amazing!!! My husband and I sat at the bar. We asked the bartender what he recommended and it did not disappoint.

Awesome atmosphere and very centric restaurant to enjoy a conversation as well to enjoy the view from its own window.

Havana 1920 is atmospheric, attractive named after the prohibition era when booze was smuggled from Havana 2 United States. My amazing server Chris by the way one of the best I've ever had recommended the Cuban national dish and their signature entree the ropa Vieja. The Taste was outstanding of the shredded beef combined with the delicious rice and beans and extremely filling on a chilly night. The Brownie dessert made in house with ice cream was probably the best I've had this year was amazing. additionally this is my first time having plantains and now I'm a huge fan. Overall, Havana 1920 after only two years r a t e s as one of the best restaurants in downtown San Diego. well done team.

Good food and friendly service in a small, quiet restaurant. Lacked atmosphere though compared to other surrounding restaurants. Didn’t really get the authentic ‘Cuban’ feel we expected to experience from their website.

Really wanted to like this charming Cuban restaurant. Delicious daiquiri flights. Friendly service that accommodated us when we were very late for our reservation due to parking problem. Mediocre food. Very loud table of 3 children seated next to us with parents that ignore restaurant etiquette. Not the restaurants fault.

Don’t be fooled by the outside of this place . The food here is fantastic, great Mojitos and the ambience is great Will definitely return on next trip to SD

My husband and I have celebrated various occasions here and we always leave feeling happy and satisfied. In the warmer months we sit outside where people watching is entertaining. Last night it was crispy outside so we opted for the cozy upstairs dining room. Ricky was our server and bartender and his service was outstanding. The drinks (el Presidente & daiquiri flight) were tasty and the food was delicious and memorable! The prices were fair for the warm and cozy experience. We will continue coming back again and again! Oh, I almost forgot…the complimentary churros and cinnamon ice cream were a lovely birthday surprise! Thank you!

While I have not eaten at a lot of places in San Diego, this one tops the list as one of my favorites - so much so that we stopped in twice in five days! It is an absolute gem! Both times, we started with the Daiquiri Flight - Guavo, Banana and Mango. Delightfully Delicious! Then on to the empanadas and croquetas! I'm so glad I do not live in San Diego - I would visit at least 2x per week! The CROQUETA DE JAMÓN Y QUESO and CUBANITA EMPANADA and EMPANADA DE CARNE were all served hot with two sauces. Absolutely divine. And the CUBANO - big enough to share and again - absolutely delicious. Pair all of these things with live music and a wonderful atmosphere - what more could you ask for?! If you are looking for an authentic cuban food experience, Havana 1920 is the place! I'm looking forward to returning soon!

The food was generally good, although my Havana salad with chicken didn’t have chicken, because they goofed. There is an extensive rum menu, with maybe 100 rums from various countries, but my waiter didn’t know much about them — I described generally what I was wanting and asked for his suggestions, but he just didn’t know. The restrooms are in the adjacent building — follow the footprint decals on the floor.

Went in the morning around 10 am very excited for some Cuban coffee. (hometown: Miami). Ordered a cortado and toast, but received a drink that was way too sweet and four little slices of toast drenched in butter with some burnt bits on top. The service was subpar and the quality of the food inedible. I let the waitress know and she offered to pack it to go?? Then she offered to remake the drink. Finally, I asked to speak to a manager and they refunded the bill without apology. Whoever came up with the waitress (Alexis?) did not even acknowledge me. Will be taking my business back to Azucar!

Authentic atmosphere, music, food. I recommend trying a lot of the little appetizers or bites to get a good variety.

Their food and presentation are everything. Their black beans are tooo die for! their service is amazing.

Went for lunch and had an excellent Cuban Sandwich. Just far enough by one block to not be overcrowded by Convention Center traffic, but recommend you make the extra one block walk. Recommend they put Vaca Frita on their menu. That would have brought me back for dinner.

Went an extra block or two to get away from the convention centre hordes & found this place. Glad we made the effort. I honestly don't know if this is an authentic take on Cuban fare but I really enjoyed the Cuban sandwich & the yucca fries. My decaf latte was nice & I wasn't charged for a second. The service was fast & friendly. Sitting on the tiny sidewalk patio is a great place to people watch. Though those hard little chairs are uncomfortable! Nothing is cheap in this part of San Diego but this is a nice little place & well worth a visit.

We had an opportunity to try this place while strolling down in the Gaslamp Quarter on Sunday morning during our stay at the Kimpton. It was only a couple of blocks from the Kimpton Solamar and they opened at 8 am daily. The exterior was very eye catching with two level design including an open air veranda on the second story. We ordered at the counter for breakfast and coffee. Then we went up to the second story for a unique and quiet breakfast experience surrounded by the charm of old Havana. It had a cozy and intimate vibe, especially with the slider door open that gave us a view of the hustle bustle and vibrant scene of the morning farmer's market. Although service was slow, we enjoyed our private dining floor as we were the only diners there upstairs at around 9:30 am. We hung out a while and enjoyed the delicious Cafe Con Leche, Grilled sandwich, and desserts. We will go back for more if in the area.

The daiquiri flight is a great idea and you get to choose the flavors. I had coconut, passionfruit and mango. The passionfruit one was the best hands down and all of them were pretty strong. I also had a cubanita empanada, and a croqueta de pollo. The empanada was very good. I ordered plantanos maduros but never got them. The waitress was nice, but she didn't write anything down, so I'm assuming that's why the plantains got missed. The 3.99% fee to use a credit card is ridiculous and not disclosed until it's time to pay the bill.

I expected it to be good based on the menu, but it far exceeded our expectations. Everything was excellent. The pork was incredibly juicy and flavorful, the chips they brought were highly addictive & just delicious, & the empanada "bite" we ordered was incredible & came with delicious house made sauces. Everyone was friendly & our service was fantastic. Highly recommend!

We ate dinner here on recommendation of our hotel concierge and were not disappointed. It was a lively, noisy place to be with a party atmosphere, not so good if you are looking for intimacy but the food was excellent from the limited menu.

Our first time in San Diego, Downtown, we went for Spanish food, Cuban and we went to Havana 1920, very close to our hotel, the service was great, our server very enthusiastic, we order to Bistecs meant Steak, the menu said Skirt steak, surprisingly the food came fast and it wasn’t Skirt steak, instead we have Flap meat or something else, the half chicken was not flavorful at all, obviously we don’t recommend it to travelers.

We sat outside for lunch and were greeted right away. Great server (oops forgot his name but he's from Puerto Rico) You can also eat upstairs overlooking the street. Great quality Cuban food, Cuban drinks etc. We all lived in Miami and laughed that San Diego has a cool Cuban vibe restaurant. This restaurant is also attached to another of their restaurants which is Mexican food.