Habana Soco Restaurant

I had the pleasure of enjoying a really fabulous lunch here. It’s an adorable little restaurant with cozy, covered cabana tables out front and a lively interior within. I ordered the sandwich de ropa vieja with a side of maduros, and I was far from disappointed with my meal. First off, the sandwich was absolutely massive, and I was stuffed after eating half of it. The bread was perfectly toasted and well-​suited for the sandwich. The meat, or ropa vieja, was slow cooked beef made tender by a fabulous tomato based sauce with plenty of seasonings. A strictly meat and bread sandwich may sound plain, but this was far from it! Next, the maduros were a sweet little side to pair with the dish. Plantains lightly fried in a carmel sauce, they were deliciously sweet and tender. I could have eaten an entire meal of just them. The feelings of my friends about this place were mutual. They enjoyed the shrimp salteado, the cuban sandwich, and a slow cooked pork sandwich I can’t remember the name of, along with fried yuca and plantain chips as appetizers, and were all extremely pleased with their meals.

I ordered the Shrimp from the lunch menu. It was great! Cuban spices are rich in flavor but it was only medium spicy.

Born and raised in Cuba, moved to Austin about a month ago from Chicago and decided to try this place out even though I prefer homemade cuban food. Well this definitely exeeded my expectations, loved everything i tried, food, drinks, appetizers. I definitely recommend it!

Yeah, not much to say about Habana. We both ordered seafood dishes and we were not impressed. Everything was overly salty and dry. Maybe seafood isn’t their thing, but if it isn’t you shouldn’t have it on the menu. Probably won’t be back.

I’m not super familiar with Cuban food. But anywhere with fried plantains is okay by me. Especially when you get guacamole to dip them in!
Habana Soco Restaurant is a kitschy, fun restaurant on a busy strip of South Congress. It’s hidden behind the trees and if it wasn’t for their bright, neon sign, you might not notice it was there.
They have cabanas and a spacious patio and inside tons of seating and a cute bar. We sat outside and the covered patio was the perfect place to dine and avoid the rain.
The portions are huge! Like, too much food and I’m not just saying that because I’m tiny. The fried chicken is half a chicken and the piccadillo is a solid ½lb of ground beef. The food was spiced perfectly, not spicy, but still interesting.
The portion sizes are proportional to the prices. It can get expensive. You can always split an appetizer, but they have a $ 2 fee to do so, which is a little lame.

**Pork let-​down in Austin?!? For shame.**
Everyone talked about how great the lechon asado was, here. Everyone. Even in the poorly-​rated reviews, people said, «but the pork was awesome.» Um. No.
LOCATION. Nice spot, actually. Cool, spacious thatch huts with nice tables, line the front of the restaurant. Great touch. They have a private parking lot, which is a great thing to see, especially for a road-​weary traveler, like myself. The inside of the place was clean, but there was nobody at the reception desk.
SERVICE. When someone did notice me waiting at the front, she told me my take-​out order was available in the bar area. And there it was, sitting alone, just like the bar. Nobody manning the bar. Oooooookaaaaaay. Apparently, people don’t man their posts when it’s not so busy, here. The girl who eventually showed up, rang me up, and left.
FOOD. I couldn’t decide what to get, so I got both the Ropa Vieja and the Lechon Asado. Also, tacked on an order of Maduros, since it doesn’t come with the meal. Photos of the lechon asado seemed to show that it was served with marinated onions; well, mine had none.
Lechon Asado. This is a dish I’ve come to love. I cannot make it, so I’m not going to give them cooking tips, but I AM a cook, and I know what’s missing. «Marinated overnight,» it reads on the menu. Well, the pork I got was BONE DRY and completely flavorless. You all ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I’ve taken note of the manager, Erik, who does a good job giving lip service to Unilocalers, but hey, Erik, your pork sucked. Epically. I’ve never had such a poor take on lechon asado. Your cooks really shat the bed. No moisture, whatsoever. It was terrible. YOU claim to handle problems, but this was absurdly bad. I’m going to go to a store, buy some goodies (and you bet there will be lemon, bay leaves, and garlic on that list) to flavor this bland, dry mess you’ve given me. (Fail)
Ropa Vieja. Did this really come from the same kitchen??? It was great! Juicy, tender, stewed, shredded beef. Bell peppers, tomatoes, and just the right amount of seasoning… This was a winner. Not the best I’ve ever had, but in sharp contrast to the desert-​dry pork, this dish shined.
Maduros. Plaintains, quickly fried. The flavor was good, but they were so goddamn oily that I had to drain them, myself, because apparently the cooks are too lazy to drain them. These cooks are REALLY testing my patience. I thought Austin prided itself on its food. Apparently not.
«White» rice. It didn’t look so white, but, again, I’m not sure about their cooking process. In my opinion, the rice was downright awful. Dry, and in some cases, crunchy. What the hell? «I feel like I’m on crazy pills.»
Black Beans. Decent, but not good enough to save the rice, which I like to mix with the black beans, a dish commonly referred to as, Congri. The rice was… just not meant to marry these beans.
OVERALL. I wouldn’t suggest this place for the lechon asado. I don’t understand why I’m the only one who sees that the pork here is a goddamn disaster. The pork should ooze with juices, which should make you both salivate and slightly pucker. The absence of mojo was the ultimate insult. This place is lucky to get a second star, and the only reason is that the pork sucked SO hard that the beef seemed like an oasis, in the middle of a pork desert. Get your shit together, guys. I drove 3,000 miles for THIS?!? For shame.

I grew up in south Florida and so I know my way around Cuban food. This was as close as I can get here in Austin but still never even close to what I get back home. If you have never had Cuban food before, this is going to be awesome. I would probably go back as a reminder of the good old days.

The ceviche is amazing! This tucked away gem on South Congress is a great place for strong drinks, especially during happy hour, and the atmosphere automatically transports you to Cuba. Wonderful for a ladies night out or to unwind after a long day. Great food accented by rich flavors and culture.

Wonderful And authentic food and atmosphere. We had Paella and a cubano. Black beans n rice were delicious. Portions are very generous. Sangria was perfect. Not overly sweet Have to come back. The wait staff and management were warm and inviting

This is a great Cuban restaurant. Very authentic cuisine. Being from a Nicaragua, I found the food to properly capture the flavors in Caribbean cuisine. I recommend to the ceviche and the Maduros Frito as appetizers as this the first place I’ve eaten in the US that tastes like home. On a nice day, sit in one of the huts out front.

From Maryland, visiting Austin this weekend for my birthday. I love Cuban food so we were definitely going to try out a Cuban restaurant. I’m so happy that we decided to stop in here.
The service was awesome — pleasant, quick and helpful. The décor was simple but relaxing.
I’m from the Caribbean originally, so I do know authentic island food when I taste it. The food was flavourful and the serving was just right.
I wish there was a place like this in MD.
If you have never been here, I would highly recommend giving it a try. I’m so glad I did!

I was so excited about finally having Cuban food in Austin, so I rounded up a large group of friends and visited this place last Saturday night.
As I was talking to my friends and took a bite into my cuban sandwich, I realized I was biting into a really long hair. It was quite embarrassing, and I had to try really hard to avoid making a scene and throw up in front of them. Everyone was disgusted and started checking for foreign objects on their food too. I brought this up to my server, who literally ripped the plate out of my hand and without any sort of apology brought me a new sandwich about 20 mins later. We didn’t get any sort of comps for the sandwich on our bill, which was quite high — though no one enjoyed their food. None of us (locals to the area) would return to this establishment. What a shame!

Being from Miami and a huge fan of cuban food, i had to try this place. I can pretty quickly say that their food is pretty great by both austin and texas standard, having found few cuban places better than this one in Texas. The pork is clearly marinated as stated and it’s very juicy and flavorful, and the rest of the ingredients in the cuban sandwich work well too. Only downside is the bread is not as toasty as I’d like, but it still feels like real cuban bread.
Now to the downside, and I honestly didn’t discount for this, but it’s worth noting: COST. A basic cuban sandwich is $ 10.50 as of today, and it includes NOTHING ELSE. As it stands, you’re better of getting the ropa vieja or roasted pork, since then it’s a full entrée for the same or lesser price. Honestly a bit ridiculous pricewise, but worth it for a treat.

This place was recommend by a co-​worker & I have to say, a choice well worth it. If your not pay attention you can miss the sign but the sign worth seeing. The night I went I just missed Faizon Love aka Big Perm enjoying some great Cuban food. Since being in Austin, I’ve always tried to find some great Cuban food and this place I would recommend to others as well. The service is hometown Austin but the food is true the test of Cuba. The price is a little higher than what I’m expected to pay for Cuban food but I would pay for this delicious food. All in all, please experience this place for yourself & enjoy great Cuban food in Austin.

With my Cuban family-​in-​law we’ve sampled the various Cuban food-​places in Austin, and this is definitely the one that wins the prize. Huge and tasty Sandwich Cubano loaded with delicious pulled pork, great tasting tamales, nice Tres Leches cake, and so on. The place in Austin for those with a longing for Cuban food.

Great atmosphere, fabulous food! Habana has a great outdoor seating area, perfect for a leisurely dinner with plenty of cocktails. Their specialty mojitos are great, well balanced with the just the right mix of lime and mint (I recommend the Zacapa mojito). Food is fantastic, we’ve tried a lot of different things on the menu (Cubano sandwiches, Arroz con Pollo, Tostones, Yucca frites) and everything has been awesome.

Hi Erik, this was on Oct 18^th. Since then we tried again and brought a friend on Jan 8^th and the service matched your food. Both were great though the restaurant was a bit empty since it was close to closing. We didn’t feel rushed and has a great night

Best Cubano in Austin, maybe ever. Awesome service. Good prices. If you’re in the mood for some good Cuban food in a relaxed environment, go to Habana.

Love this place! The food is top notch and so is the service. My friends and I don’t ming driving from Round Rock to have dinner at Habana Soco.

I LOVE this place. Everything I have ever had here has been amazing. Their pork is so tender and flavorful there are no words to describe it. I often crave their yuca con mojo. The Cubano sandwich is delicious. The tres leches cake, well, let’s just say I order it to go because it is spectacular and I’m always stuffed by the time I get to dessert. Great staff and very tasty mojitos and margaritas. Come here!

Absolutely hands down, best Cuban restaurant in Austin! This was my 4^th visit to this joint on SoCo and still blown away by their food! Best black beans I’ve ever had, red beans on point as well. Their lechon is cooked with love, low and slow. My wife now loves this place for their killer Cubano sandwich! Service is great, very friendly and they are informative about their food! So, do yourself a favor and give them a try. If you happen to like quality cigars they have a nice selection on their bar menu. No worries, only outdoor smoking allowed of course.

I love this place! I used to frequent this restaurant when I lived in Austin. Hadn’t been back in 5 years and it was the one place I HAD to eat at while I was there. Everything was so delicious and full of flavor! My friend and I enjoyed our meal so much! They literally have the best tres leches I’ve ever had! I can’t find Cuban like this in Houston, the couple of places I’ve been have been very bland. If you haven’t tried them you must!

One of my friends saw mostly good reviews on Unilocal hence we came here. Upon entrance there it has a dark setting, nice. They also have outside seating (heated I believe) but it was too cold for all that. We sat near the bar which is a bit small but comfortable. We all ordered appetizers and some drinks. I was not a big fan of their sangria, mojito, and their specialty drinks. So I go in the safe route and order my vodka tonic. I tried my friends’ drinks and the specialty drink was okay, a bit sweet for me but she seemed to enjoy it. Apparently on the menu it says two drink maximum for a couple of specialty drinks but I didn’t get, neither did she since it didn’t taste so strong. The sangria just was not cutting it for me; I don’t think my friend finished it. As far as the mojito, I’m used to the drink having a fresh sugar cane stick displaying in the cup. I also like to chew a bit of the sugarcane.
For the appetizer I had an empanada and some maduros. The empanada was pretty good! I also had Cuban nachos and it was pretty good too. One of the girls ordered a tamal Cubano and it was not good at all. You couldn’t taste the flavor of the pork and the masa had a sweet taste to it, almost like they added sugar. I’ve never heard of that. For our entrée we all ordered something different and tried each other’s meals. My friend ordered the fricase de pollo, the other Lechon asado, and then alitas fritas. Two of them had rice with their entrees and sent it back because it was hard. Now I know there’s «bottom of the pot» rice where all the flavor is at, but that didn’t have any flavor. I wanted to try the café con leche but alcohol and coffee more than likely would not be a good mix.
The service was okay. When we got another waitress’s attention she was sure to let us know that she was not our waitress. She didn’t say those exact words but her demeanor of letting us know she will let our server know what services we needed was very clear. Our waitress was nice, just not as attentive. They were not busy either. There was one guy at the bar, two groups to include us, and a couple at the end and one family on the other side. The prices in this Cuban Restaurant are ridiculous. Living in Miami, I can get a vaca frita at Casa Habana for way cheaper and bigger portions. Again I try not to compare the Cuban places I’ve tried here in Texas to Miami but I can’t help it. It just does not taste the same or similar. I can get better food at El Pollo Tropical. C’mon now, a Cuban sandwich is $ 10.50 and that doesn’t include papas. Really? Confused face. Empanada was $ 4? Still confused. I did get referred by a fellow Unilocaler about an authentic Cuban restaurant so I will be trying that. I miss my Miami Mom and Pop Bakeries.

This isn’t that great. I forget what my entrée was, but it seemed expensive for what it was. It tasted good but not worth the money. I drank the comandante, an expensive drink that was good. The place is on groupon. But in a city like austin, there are many better options.

Hidden in plain sight and palm trees. No one’s ever been to this place and it’s been here for years. Kind of like Cuba
I kinda like this place. I’d go on a weekend when it’s nice out.
We had a Cuban waiter named Germán (Hermán) and he gave us tips on where to go on a Wednesday night when we visit Havana in a couple months.
The ceviche was good. They have some unique rum jranks. Food is aiyt, kind of greasy.

For months now, I have had to listen to my husband rave on and on about how great the black beans are at this restaurant. I now understand why. Usually black beans are kind of a «throw away» item on a plate, not here.
We stopped for dinner the other night, and I ordered the Cubano sandwich and my husband ordered a pork dish that came with rice and beans. Oh my gosh, I don’t think I have ever had such tender pork in my life. They are also not stingy with the amount they give you on the sandwich. The sandwich was so huge, I had no prayer of being able to finish it.
I also had to order a side of the aforementioned black beans. I am so glad I did. They were amazingly good, probably the best I have ever eaten in my life. I would quite honestly go back just for a big bowl of the black beans.
Definitely awesome!

My fiancé and I came here for his birthday for drinks and dinner. The restaurant has such a nice and relaxed environment. There is also a nice patio!
It was a very slow night — Monday after a holiday weekend– so we got very prompt and polite service.
For starters we ordered the fried plantains. Highly recommend! Went along great with my «lime in a coconut» drink! Which was so so so delicious. They also have a beer that St. Arnold’s brews specifically for Habana!
Cuban sandwich and Carne con Papa for our entrees. The sandwich was huge! And goodness it’s the best Cuban sandwich I’ve ever had! The carne was tender and flavorful.
The prices are on the higher side, but this isn’t some run of the mill boring restaurant. We had a wonderful experience and I hope to visit again soon!

Went with my girl here. Service was satisfactory. I ordered seafood paella and my girl got a pollo dish. Seafood paella was really overpriced and yes, I know paella takes time to make but it’s overpriced even after including labor costs.
Seafood paella was really soggy and seafood didn’t taste fresh… pollo dishes were good though.
At least they had their own parking lot.

Came in for Mojitos, and stayed for the Lechon.
Mike Q made us yummy Mojitos at the Bar,
After a few of those, some tostinos and Lechon plate.
a few more Mojitos.
There are not many Cuban places in town, at least any that I know of with good food.
So knowing we can come here is always a comforting thought.

All around bad experience, except for the décor of the restaurant.
Food: 1 star
Service: 1 star
Ambiance: 3 stars, extra points for the Celia Cruz painting
5 of us (colleagues from work) arrived at 11:30am. Our waiter took quite awhile to gather our order, though there were only a few more tables of patrons at the restaurant. Once we ordered, and our food came, one person didn’t touch theirs (inedible dry, tough, strange beef sandwich– the menu should have said beef jerky sandwich to be more accurate). I split the veggie meal with the boss (who happens to be Dominican and knows her Latin Cuisine) and it was not good. We were excited b/​c it had all the classics… Mofongo, tostones, yuca frita… None of which were good and the mofongo was disgusting. It was dry, tasteless, crumbly, and such a dissappointment. Did I mention my boss was of latin heritage?
About the service: We think our waiter was Roberto –that was our translation…(see pic of receipt below that says «Rubber –Toe.») We had to ask to order. We never got any water or tea refills. We could not get him to come to our table… After receiving our food, it was obvious that three of us weren’t touching ours, but no one came by to ask if they could help. My colleague with the inedible plate would have liked to have orderd something else, but the two guys who got edible sandwiches (the Cuban and a chicken sandwich) had finished theirs by the time we practically got up from the table a tackled our waiter to get him to respond to our stares.
Once we finally begged the waiter to come over to us (especially about that one dish that went completely untouched) and he seemed mostly confused and certainly unresponsive. We had to ask for the check. He had one pen in the whole restaurant. We watched, helpless, as other tables sat with their menus in front of them for 30 minutes plus…
No manager or owner was anywhere to be seen or heard and we left, grateful just to leave. Lunch sat in our stomachs like stones and we have all sworn not to return.

This review seems like Deja Vu. I actually had to go back through my history, to see if I had already reviewed Habana. Mainly because I haven’t been there in three or four years. Yet, I had the same complaints, and the same praises, from eating there yesterday. I’m going to tackle this in order of occurrence.
Let’s start off with the mojitos. Well, I have to admit, I am not a bartender, but I know the difference between «muddled», and mint leaves thrown in the glass with the drink. Regardless of what type of rum you use, the mint leaves being mudddled, to release the flavor, is a major component.
We had the Crojuetas as an appetizer. They were delicious. They truly were. Yet, for $ 6, you could throw maybe one more on the plate. I mean it seems a little skimpy.
I always feel bad for this next statement no matter where I eat. Yet, after talking to a co-​worker, and realizing that we had the same waiter, i don’t feel as bad. The waiter was less than desirable. He was pushy, unhelpful, and a bit nosy. Trust me, I understand the up sell from working in service for a while. Yet, he was almost condescending, and rude when we didn’t bite. Slacker bourgeious, if there is such a term.
Lastly, the main dishes. They were delicious. We stuck mainly with the beef and pork because I remember the chicken being a bit bland. Which, even my grandpa, who was Cuban, told me, that Cuban chicken os normally a bit lame on spice. The Viejo sandwich was excellent. As was my girlfriend and her daughter’s beef dish. My son got the Platano Loco, I believe. It was all very well done, but luke warm. Even the beans and rice were luke at best. That was a little bit of a turn off.
P. S. The maduros were excellent. Yet, if a waiter tells you, Puerto Ricans eat them with sour cream. Don’t listen to him. First, you’re at a Cuban restaurant. Secondly, it’s not as good as just eating it stand alone.

This place needed a little more spice. It wasn’t as spicy as I’d come to expect from Caribbean food. Had a Lechon asado. Hubby had the chicken fricasee.
The lemonade cocktail was nice. It seemed more orange than lemon to me.

I have been to Habana a few times since living here. The most recent visit was for a friends birthday and there were about 15 of us. The table started out smaller and the staff was kind enough to add more tables as more people showed up.
We started off with drinks and I had the mojito martini. It was good and strong, which was just what I was looking for. If you are looking for something a bit stiffer than a regular mojito then I would recommend it.
The table had several appetizers. My favorite was the ceviche served with yuca chips. It had a good flavor and was fresh. I also liked the touch of the avocado on top. Some of the other appetizers here hit or miss and just ok. The plantains I tasted were not the best I have had and needed a bit more of something.
My main entrée I ordered was the beef milanese, which is like a chicken fried steak almost with a slice of ham, tomato based sauce and cheese on top of that. It kind of reminds me of an inside out cord on blue. It is good and I have actually gotten the dish more than once here. I had the rice and beans mix (can’t remember what it is called) and it was just ok.
The end of the meal ended on a bang! We ordered Tres Leches cake around the table and it was soooo good! It was my favorite thing for sure!
If you are looking for a place to accommodate a large party they definitely have the space here!

It is a great place to eat the authentic Cuban food!
I like frojito which is a frozen mojito. It is really good.
Ropa vieja y the Cuban sandwich are my favourite food.
I think that the manager should think about live Cuban music some days. It can let customers enjoy this experience better.