Havana Sol Restaurant and Bar

I’ve only been here once, and despite the fact that my food came out cold (more on that in a minute) I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day I get to go back.
They had a good selection at the bar and two very professional and friendly bar tenders. I asked for a suggestion on what to order, and was pointed to the braised ox tail stew.
Uhhhhh Mazing.
It was really really freakishly good. The oxtail came out cooked, but definitely cold in the center. I ate it without any fuss because it was delicious, it was hot out that day, and I was stoked on the bartenders.
At the end of my meal, when the bartender asked how everything was, I mentioned the temp of the meat, but assured him it was delicious and that I was happy with my meal. He apologized profusely and much to my surprise and enjoyment, my beers were absent on the check. It wasn’t my mission to get free drinks, but I like the fact that he handled the situation.
Great food, awesome service, and bangin’ hostess.

Yes, they are closed. It wasn’t the greatest place and always smelled of ammonia but it is a big loss as the only Caribbean restaurant in the area. The building was foreclosed on, that probably had something to do with Havana Sol closing as well.

After some friends suggesting that I try this place out I decided to stop by for dinner one evening. They have a lot of tasty sounding menu options, but most of the dishes fell short on flavor. They start you with some wheat bread at the table, but nothing special. All of the entrees come with a choice of a soup or salad and two sides. It sounds like a lot of food, but the portions are actually pretty small. I’m not sure what the soup was, but that was definitely the best thing they served all night. The jerk chicken was bland and the side of rice and beans was awful. They even managed to make sweet potatoes taste like nothing. I appreciate the fact that Vallejo has such a unique restaurant, but I was definitely underwhelmed by the quality of the food we received. Service was awesome though! They were super nice and attentive.

The food ROCKS at this joint. It’s the beef ribs marinated in coffee and served with sweet potatoes and collard greens that brings me back repeatedly. Costillas de Reyes — Yummy! The marriage of flavors in this particular dish is incredibly wonderful and satisfying.
I have also eaten their saffron prawns, the pork ribs, the lobster salad and all of the appetizers. All of the food I have tried I have enjoyed A LOT. Do not order dessert! They have a chef but NOT a dessert chef. Nothing on the dessert menu warrants the price. Stay away from the dessert and drinks and 2 people can eat for about $ 50 – 60.
Delicious dinner in a romantic-​ish setting. I like this place!

Yay for Havana Sol!
I would never expect this place to be in Vallejo. The food is yummie! (i suggest pollito asado!) The menu offers a variety of Cuban food, and I love their black beans!
The bar is awesome. Try any of the mojitos!
Nice live music played and very clean.
I’m a fan!

I love this restaurant! :) At first my boyfriend and I were a little speculative of the place because downtown Vallejo is just… ghetto. We got to the place, and the place was deserted. We saw no living soul up and down the streets in downtown.
But when we finally went inside, were taken aback. The place was nice and clean. THE FOOD WAS GREAT! The bread and butter that they give you as an appetizer was very tasty. The butter was not your ordinary store-​bought butter.
I suggest ordering the lamb with mashed potatoes that has a garlicky taste. IT IS SO DAMN DELICIOUS!
Also their chips and guacamole called «JOJO”S GUACAMOLE» is really good.
The host was really nice and also their servers.
ALSO BIG KUDOS FOR LIVE BAND. It’s a cuban restaurant so of course expect something of that sort of performance!
It was very pricey for my boyfriend and I’s budget but it’s a great place for a date :)

I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous about eating at a restaurant in Downtown Vallejo. Not exactly the most family friendly part of town. Luckily, we have Havana Sol to help change that negative perception of this part of the V.
I went for Sunday brunch and ordered the ropa vieja. The shredded beef with onions were cooked just right. The right amount of spice mixed with the tender beef resulted in awesomeness! This meal also came with rice and beans plus plantains. My brother ordered the shrimp and grits. He was happy about his order. For an appetizer, I ordered the coconut flan. I like to eat dessert first sometimes. It was good stuff! Portions are just right. Not too much, not too little. Prices are reasonable.
The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. It reminds me of some of the restaurants you would see in Miami beach, sans the beautiful people and beautiful beach! The bar seems to be popular in the evening time. Can’t wait to come back next time and get a drink!

After sleeping on it, I am still totally disappointed in my first and probably last experience here. I’m taking it kinda hard because I had high hopes for a unique dining experience in Vallejo. Here’s the details:
What was so horrible you say? Two things. 1-​The Food, 2-​The Prices!
–5 dollars for a Small cup of unseasoned liquid vitamin purée they called «Spinach Soup» B-​l-​a-​n-​d! I ate half of it only because I need some more nutrients in my life.
–Appetizers of a corn salsa over fried plantains were clearly pre-​fried — perhaps the day before — again no flavor
–Main course of the havana sampler had the following: two tiny BURNT ribs — i dont mean chared, i mean crispy critters. three huge no favor wings — again OLD. The only thing good on the plate probably cost under two bucks to make – tiny potato like tamales filled with pork and cheese and the plantain chips– 17 bucks for this? highway robbery!
–dining companion had the paella — smellled so FISHY (bad sign) and had empty mussel and clam shells? where did they fish for these? at the waterfront I’m guessing.
There were only two good things about coming here (besides great company)
–The waiter Collin — sweet, funny and easy on the eyes. He seemed to be oblivious that we didnt really eat our food or want to take it home but he was so nice we didnt place any blame on him. He seemed to be the only one holding it down. Everyone else was too busy waking around trying to look fancy. I am so over restaurant management not putting up their sleeves and taking one for the team when they have to!
–The other great thing was the Mango Cheesecake. I’m not gonna lie, this was good stuff that makes you wanna lick your plate.
I think I will come back for dessert but thats about it. I cant deny the ambiance and music is sexy.

We had a rocky start, but Havana Sol recovered quite nicely!
My first beef was that 3 times I called to make a reservation and 3 times I was put on hold for waaaay too long. It was only out of sheer desperation for a mojito that I decided to bite the bullet and try again. This fourth time I called back and told them I had been put on hold for too long and wanted a reservation. It worked.
When I walked in I realized why this was happening. The guy answering the phone is a shmoozer. He picks up the phone, sees someone he knows and puts the phone call on hold to talk to the person he sees in front of him.
We were seated in a relatively empty restaurant for a Saturday night (c’mon Vallejo — this place has GREAT food!!!). It took FOREVER to get the drink we ordered. In fact, we were completely done with our appetizer before our first drink arrived.
Here’s where they redeem themselves. Our server alterted her manager and he came over and comped that first drink. Very generous of them.
Things were great after that. Yummy food, strong coffee, and a great jazz band playing.
I can’t wait to go back! I just hope that more locals start visiting the establishment. It’s reasonably priced and has a very upscale ambiance despite that. You can’t beat it. Step it up Vallejo!!!

I LOVE IT! Jazz nights, happy hours, concerts… the list goes on and on.
My partner and I checked out this spot in search of some great happy hour and alas, we found our oasis…
Great customer service, delicious & devish drinks, yummy FREE appetizers during happy hour, & exciting events to come back for. Very inexpensive happy hour drinks! LOVE that!
I love how the interior is decorated and excited to try out the dinner scene in the future!
Definitely will be back again soon!

went here for an associates b-​day. Place was packed ambiance was cool. Service was a lil slow, we had a big party. We were waiting so long, owner gave us a bottle of Patron, party is starting now. Location will b better once construction is finished. Good look for downtown Vallejo. Flavored Mojito’s were on point. We ate a variety of food, mostly from the appetizer section. Calamari, Chicken Wings, Short Ribs, few other items. Good flavor. will visit again.
Weekends = Live Band

Now don’t get me wrong, this is a pretty nice restaurant for Vallejo. The interior is cute with nice tables for large groups. Here’s my take on the food I tried…
Calamari — kinda like breaded fish sticks
Costilla de Res — Beef Short Ribs, braised in Coffee and Caribbean hard spices & Sweet Potatoes — Highly recommend this dish… loved the sweet potatoes and the meat was really juicy and tender!
Pollito Asado — Grilled Breast of Chicken, pure cane, chili glaze, Black Beans and Rice, Sautéed Collard Greens — Just OK for me. The chicken was a little dry and the sauce didn’t do much for me.
Coconut Flan — Delicious! It had a similar consistency to panna cotta, which I love.
The service was quite nice, but the food took about 20 mins to come out. I guess it could be much worse, but I was starving.

Don’t go here if you’re hungry, that’s my big takeaway from dinner tonight.
We got:
— $ 5.50 for literally 12 yucca fries off their appetizer menu. If there was a polite way to leave at that point we would have but we’d already ordered.
— $ 15 for a vegetarian dish that was *maybe* $ 3 worth of veggies with cold marinara poured over them (and included eggplant, which was NOT listed as an ingredient on the menu).
— $ 15 for a icecream scoop full of shredded beef and a scoop of black beans (which did not come with fried plantains as it was described on the menu).
Verdict: If you’re into spending big money on fancy alcohol and tiny plates of overpriced food but don’t want to go all the way into the city to do it, Havanna Sol is your spot. Otherwise, it’s a great way to spoil a wedding anniversary dinner and leave feeling cheated.
Me? I stopped at safeway on the way home and paid $ 1.50 for a couple plantains which I fried myself since I didn’t get ‘em with my dinner as promised. They were better then anything I got at Havanna Sol.

Thanks to my friends Kiki I. and Carmela T., we discovered this Cuban restaurant in a secluded, construction-​ridden area of Vallejo. It possesses the qualities of a sports bar and a romantic restaurant in one, depending on where you sit.
Their happy hour (Tue, Wed, Thurs & Sunday 4−6pm and 9-​closing) is generous: $ 3 beers, $ 4 well drinks, $ 5 specialty drinks and various $ 5 appetizers. We had the Havana wings which had a cripsy, honey glaze and the dried red pepper gave it a nice kick. We also got some chips and guac, costillas (Cuban spare ribs), papas rellenas (potatoes stuffed w/​cheese & sausage) and marquitas.
Wes, the bartender, was awesome. He hooked up a MEAN coconut mojito! It was ridiculously good. So good, in fact, that I could not tear myself away from it to order another kind of drink, although Kiki’s peach sangria looked oh-​so-​tasty. We left at 9pm just as the DJ was setting up.
I would definitely come back for happy hour because there’s so much to choose from and their drinks are delicious. Plus, it’s not terribly crowded so you can feel free to spend hours here — like we did :)

You MUST go to
and get the coupon to this place. I got $ 25 to this restaurant for $ 5. I don’t know if that deal will be going on forever, but check for the deal if you plan to come here.
I went for Sunday brunch – a good time to go because they have live music. The food was great and so was the service. Also, the restaurant didn’t have that many patrons when I went at 11:30AM so don’t worry about getting a table. I’d recommend getting the Steak and Eggs or the Cuban Breakfast.
If I came back here, it would be for drinks, but probably not for food even though it was good. The happy hour seems pretty legit. I’ll have to check it out sometime.

Who knew vallejo had a sexy, hip spot? Went here with the bff on a recommendation from my inlaw and i liked this place a lot. the food was very good. everything on the menu looked so great and i couldn’t decide so i copped out and got the havana sol sampler: cuban ribs, havana wings, mariquitas, and papas rellenas. all of it was very food! she had pollito asado, grilled chicken breast with black beans and rice and collared greens. there was nothing left on the plate.
this is a good place to go on a week night, not too busy. there is a full bar and they aren’t skimpy on the alcohol. i plan to visit there again soon!

Based upon my first visit to Havana Sol, the restaurant deserves 3.5 stars. A group of my girlfriends went out for dinner and drinks at Havana Sol on a Friday evening. The space is very nice, festive and spacious. Parking is available in the lot across the street. The drinks were delish.
For the most part, everyone in our party was pleased with their entrée. The only comment I heard about the Paella was that the saffron rice was a little dry. However, our waiter graciously resolved the issue by bringing some nice tomato based soup. The restaurant is lite on vegetarian entrees, so I only had one option: the Portabella Mushroom dish. The dish was tasty and well seasoned. Nonetheless, I think the restaurant should offer more than one vegetarian dish.
I also ordered the plantains, which wasn’t to my liking. But, I think its simply a matter of preference. I like the moist plantain, not the hard fried type. I will return, not sure what I would eat… but I know I would definitely order a couple of mojito’s and dance.

So I finally have gone from flying solo to having a boy. Thing is he’s all the way in motha effin Vallejo. But Havana Sol makes up for this 1 hr. commute. And makes up for all the other horrible restaurants I’ve been to in the area. Either I’m extremely spoiled living in San Francisco or Vallejos’ Restaurants are effing up.
I digress. This place is my favorite. Hands down. Bar none. The apps are delish and sharing 2 is enough to fill you up. The House guac is amazing and extremely chunky. The chicken wings and jicama with the cilantro dipping sauce is so great too! We always share that.
I’ve had the paella before except the safron rice seemed really dry. The pollito asado is so great and juicy. And the fish taco plate can easily be shared with two people.
The service is great. Hostess and wait staff is always attentive and friendly. And I always get the cuba libre mixed drink. TO DIE!

I went there on a Friday night for dinner with my girlfriends. The ambiance and music was nice. I still remembered how Baci’s interior looked so they didn’t have to do too much renovation when they moved in.
After perusing the menu for about 10 minutes I got the closest thing to Arroz Con Pollo that they had which was the Pollito Asado which is grilled chicked served with their version of collard greens and yucca fries and I also ordered a side of fried plantains. We were served bread while we waited for our entrees which took about 20 minutes to arrive.
There was nothing great about my dish. I’m not a big fan of white meat so I was disappointed. Two other people at my table ordered the same thing but I ended up getting served sweet mashed potatoes instead of the yucca fries. One of my girlfriends ordered the Lomo de Puerco which was their pork chop in some guava sauce. Now, that was delicious and made me wish I ordered that instead.
Their house cocktail was the mojito (of course) and it was okay.
We skipped dessert since what we wanted (some guava dish) was not available.
Overall, the place was just okay to me. Nothing to boast about.
Would I come here again? I’d have to be in the mood for it after passing on sushi, pasta, or korean BBQ as my other options first. (Which would be rare.)

Are you kidding me??? Did you guys hear that in Cuba, la vida es la noche!!! How the fuck do you close the kitchen at 10 PM without warning us? This place held so much promise, but the abrupt end to our meal was such a huge faux-​pas that it cannot remain unanswered.
Most certainly, I’d say we arrived on the later side, around 9:15 PM. Then already, we should have been told that the kitchen was closing at 10 PM so we could have either hastened our pace or gone elsewhere. Of course, not knowing that, we decided to grab a drink at the bar before moving on to the dining room. I went with a Mojito and my sister-​in-​law ordered a Mulatta, which is normally made with Meyer Dark Rum, Kahlua, and half and half. In this case, though, it turns out they ran out of Meyer Rum so they substituted Bacardi 151. Nice touch, if you ask me, but my sister-​in-​law was not too pleased when she was not told this fact until she was completely obliterated by her second drink.
As far as food is concerned, I can only say the appetizers we shared were tasty but not exceptional. As I said before, we didn’t get to taste any main course since we were told at that point that the kitchen was closed and the only 2 desserts available were sorbet and some other equally tragic selection. We all headed to Taco Bell to finish our dinner.
I see this one going the way of Baci, I’m sorry to say…