Havana

[jtdraig]

Anyone want to weigh in on how Havana is doing?

[Bogie Shooter]

go here:
https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19328&highlight=havana

[handieman]

Havana is a delightfull restaurant. Wonderful ambiance and wonderful food. Prices reasonable, service excellent
Handie

[Mallory]

Very happy with Havana, especially since that blowhole Stella is gone.

[Muncle]

EVERYONE who has been to Havana speaks very highly of it. Heaven doesn't get the uniformity of positive reactions that Havana has gotten.

Personally I thought it was okay, but I'm not all that demonstrative.

[GatbTester]

My wife, and guests ate there just last week and the food was just mediocre at best. Had to send two dishes back due to not being finished correctly, the menu has changed and so has the wait staff, some not for the better.

[dillywho]

Several of us went there on Monday for lunch. We won't be going back. Our waitress was very good but that was all. The lady sitting next to me ordered a burger well done. It came out just above rare. She sent it back and it came back burned. One had ordered coffee and it came with a lipstick cup. She sent that back and either got the same one or another one just like it. Yes, it was lipstick because you could rub it off with your finger. My food was not even mediocre and I am not a picky eater. Another lady ordered the same thing I did and was of the same opinion. Those are just some examples. Bottom line....we will go elsewhere. I'm just glad we went for lunch and not for dinner (cost).

[Golf-Tinker]

I and my friends must be dining at some other Havana. Food and service have been excellent. The nightly specials, in particular, have been superb.

And in a few weeks, Havana will be open for breakfast and Sunday brunch.

I wonder why some feel obligated to speak ill of this welcome addition to The Villages' dining experience. Perhaps, a hidden agenda lurks?

[jtdraig]

I don't think there are any hidden agendas. From both my own experience, both a few months back and more recently, you should go to Havana and eat in the dining room with no more than four or six in the party. Odds are, you'll have excellent service, excellent, or at least, good food, and a decent experience. If however you go as a large group, then all bets are off. I think Havana has come a long way from it's early days and still has a journey ahead but at least it's making progress. :beer3:

[ohiogolf]

I took my out of town relatives there on Saturday for lunch and the service was great, the manager visited to ask how everything was going and the food was very good. My 84 year old mother who NEVER eats her meal in a restaurant nearly cleaned her plate. We will return.

[dillywho]

Golf-Tinker, I did not intend to offend anyone by stating what happened at our Monday luncheon. Unfortunately, we never had a manager stop by our table, even after the problems. I understand that groups are often more difficult than smaller tables, but that should not mean that their food, etc. be inferior. When one is not satisfied, that is no really big deal. However, when several are not at the same time, then I think it is. Just my opinion, you understand. Perhaps it was because we were outside, but I wouldn't think that should matter. No matter what, there is no reason that cups cannot be checked for lipstick residue before use. To be fair, not everyone at the table was dissatisfied....just enough to raise the issue. I had to leave early, but I did call back to the restaurant. Unless management knows something is amiss, they cannot possible address it.

[borjo]

Ate there last week with neighbors for the first time. I was very pleasantly surprised at how varied the menu was with reasonable prices, many meals/sandwiches in the single digits. The quantity was perfect, not too huge nor tiny. Good service, wonderful Spanish decor.

[Sgt Mac]

Golf-Tinker,
Do you work at Havana or are you the Manager of their PR dept Maybe it would be good to get a add in TOTV
especially after your PM you send me :ohdear:
? ? ?
Da Sgt

[KathieI]

I had a lovely lunch there yesterday, the decor is really great and the staff seems much more mature and accommodating. I had a wonderful salad and the dressing was excellent. We couldn't sit outside as it was such a glorious day and there was a 1/2 hour wait, so we decided, inside would be fine, and it was. I will definitely return, I think its a lovely place.

[graciegirl]

I am not picky. I enjoy going out to eat. Maybe a little picky because I love clean and pretty and good, but don't require spectacular food.

I ordered Havana's version of the Cobb salad and was served it without avocado, bacon and onion. It did have bean and corn relish and chicken and also bleu cheese which I don't remember listed as an ingredient. I had ordered it with ranch so it was palatable but not WONDERFUL. I asked the server about it and he shrugged his shoulders and said, "You're right, it is supposed to have those things, maybe they were out of them". Then we heard him offering the next table a salmon BLT sandwich as a special.(Hope they found the bacon for that) We had to laugh. It wasn't the last meal we will have. It was annoying to be charged three dollars extra for the mixed greens that came with Helene's chicken strips. We discovered it after the fact.

Hopefully soon they will get it all together there.

[KathieI]

I ordered Havana's version of the Cobb salad and was served it without avocado, bacon and onion. It did have bean and corn relish and chicken and also bleu cheese which I don't remember listed as an ingredient. I had ordered it with ranch so it was palatable but not WONDERFUL. I asked the server about it and he shrugged his shoulders and said, "You're right, it is supposed to have those things, maybe they were out of them".
Hopefully soon they will get it all together there.

Oops GG, that's what I ordered. I hope you weren't there yesterday afternoon, cause I probably got your bacon, avacado and onions.... Sorry about that. It was actually good with those ingredients, LOL! But your right, you had to ask for dressing (?) Sorry about stealing your food!

[Golf-Tinker]

Sgt Mac

We are residents of Hadley who eat out often and enjoy the convenience of rolling down the hill in our golf cart to a nearby quality restaurant: Havana. We also enjoy many other restaurants in and around TV and thus have, we beieve, a legitimate basis for comparison.

Havana has had problems from time to time, but management (who read this forum regularly) have acted quickly to correct them. My advice to any who have been unhappy with their Havana experience is to ask to speak to a manager. The waitstaff or kitchen may make mistakes with your order. Bring it to someone's attention and get it right.

Sgt., it is my understanding that you spoke with a partner as a follow-up to your previous post and that things were resolved to your satisfaction.

Finally, I do not work for Havana. I simply want this convenient, quality place to succeed. Can't wait for summer to get here so our golf group can experience the joys of dining on the patio after twilight golf on the Havana course.

Jim

[sunshinegirl]

It seems to me Havana is doing well. We were their on Valentines Day and they were very busy and they went the next step to give the ladies roses. I thought that was wonderful. I have been their a few time for lunch and dinner and the food has always been wonderful. The service has gotten alot better. I think this resturant will be a huge success. It is moving in the right direcetion. Way to go Havana!

[Fourpar]

I have eaten at Havana 4 - 5 times. Each time the food has been quite good. The service, however has been mediocre at best in terms of the time it took to get the food to the table. Sunday my foursome waited almost long enough to forget what we ordered! But it was good, and we'll be back, with the hope that its just a learning curve thing. :shrug:

[MMC24]

We have had several Lunches and Dinners at Havana since they have opened and have not been disappointed. Service and Food has been very consistent and their specials are reasonable.

The Nancy Lopez is still our favorite of all restaurants in TV. They have been the most consistent over the past 2.5 years we have been here.

[SusieQ]

We ate at Havana last night after golf and all 4 of us were very pleased. We were surprised that it was not full to capacity on a Sat. night. We will go there again.

[Mallory]

Eight of us had dinner last night (Friday) at Havana. Arrived around 8 PM and left at about 10; no wait. By chance, each of the eight ordered something different from appetizer to the prime rib special. No problems with anyone's serving. Service from Hank was excellent - explained the wine list, menu items, specials, etc. for the newcomers.

They're working hard to make it a good experience.

[Indy-Guy]

I was by there yesterday and a sign on the door said that they are serving breakfast starting Monday and a Sunday brunch. We need good breakfast place on this side of The Villages I hope it is good in a reasonable amount of time. Time is important if you stop before golf I hope they know that.

[Hawkwind]

All they have to do is copy the all you can eat breakfast buffet at Katie Belle's in price and quality and they will have a winner.

[Skip]

All they have to do is copy the all you can eat breakfast buffet at Katie Belle's in price and quality and they will have a winner.

Katie Belle's no longer has their breakfast buffet. Just Sundays. :sad:

Skip

[The Great Fumar]

katie belle's no longer has their breakfast buffet. Just sundays. :sad:

Skip

just saw an add in the paper a couple of days ago....

Katie belles breakfast buffet....

Sat. $6,95
sun. $10.95

PS HAVANNA IS A GREAT PLACE TO EAT.............

[Hawkwind]

In Dec Sat. was $6.95 and Sun. was $7.95. I was told that they use to have it every day of the week but cut back to the weekends over the slow summer months and have never gone back.

[Skip]

just saw an add in the paper a couple of days ago....

Katie belles breakfast buffet....

Sat. $6,95
sun. $10.95

PS HAVANNA IS A GREAT PLACE TO EAT.............

Sorry - Meant to say Saturday & Sunday. A slip of the fork!

Skip

[mikerr42]

4 of us tried Havana for breakfast after golf today. It was not good at all, overgooked eggs, lack of service and a manager that just didn't care a bit.

[chuckster]

It's easy .........send the order back until they get it right. Seems easy to me. Manager will eventually get the message.

[imageinthesky]

So I went and had dinner at The Havana Country Club Last Night and Found out that Executive Chef Greg Torrech has left.Their new chef is a guy by the name of Eric Reed Formally of Bourbon St.,and Arnold Palmer.:coolsmiley:

[bobfl]

Mikerr42:

Had a similar experience at Havana. The week before we had a pretty good breakfast there. The second time we went was without a doubt the worst breakfast experience I have ever had. Waited 45 minutes for overcooked, cold food. Service was terrible! There were more employees than customers but no one really seemed to know what was going on. The kitchen help finally brought the food out but it was awful! Have found Havana generally inconsistant which I'm sure is a training problem. Hope they get their act together soon.