The Havana Grill

Travelling the cultural mecca that is Buford Highway, you will run into many pockets of ethnicities and their respective culinary specialties.  Pockets of Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese areas, among others are well represented and have a plethora of restaurants to choose from (and I mean... plethora).  Unfortunately, Cuban food is something that you don't get a lot of exposure to on Buford Highway or even in all of Atlanta.  One restaurant stands alone representing authentic cuban cuisine and has a reputation of being one of the best restaurants (regardless of ethnicity) on Buford Highway serving up cuban sandwiches, dishes and specials - The Havana Grill. 

Located in the Northeast Plaza Shopping Center (same as Panhar, El Mercado, and Fun Times Bowling Alley), The Havana Grill has been in business since 1976 (although it used to be at the intersection of Buford Highway and North Druid Hills).  We have been here many times, but this particular Saturday afternoon was quiet so we had a chance to really get the scoop on what's good on the menu from the staff.  The dining room is always clean and service is always sharp.  Take some time to look at the pictures of the family on the wall - it really gives you that "family owned" business vibe.  Don't be afraid to ask about the menu, they always have great suggestions and can help explain if you have never have tried Cuban before.

Malory ordered the Milanesa sandwich combo ([above] comes with rice and black bean soup).  The sandwich was grilled to perfection with fried steak, swiss cheese and onions providing a wonderful combination.  The steak is always cut thin but stays juicy.  The black bean soup has a great seasoning to it and is a nice complement to the sandwich (I love dipping the sandwich in the soup, don't judge me).

 I chose to go with the empanada plate and a native Cuban drink, Materva (above).  The Materva is like a super sweet herbal tea.  I had a beef empanada and one of the recommended specials - the chicken cheese jalapeno.  The beef empanada was well seasoned and flavorful, but a tad bit dry for my taste.  The chicken cheese jalapeno, however, was amazing.  The shredded chicken was perfectly cooked with the cheese adding a rich creaminess to each bite and of course, the jalapeno adding a well deserved kick.  I probably should have ordered 10 of these and taken them home for lunches and snacks, but I only had that thought just now, damn.  But these were very good if you're not catching my drift here.  The picture below doesn't do it justice, but you can see the filling. 

If you've never tried Cuban food before, this is your place.  They have a wide variety of native sandwiches and dishes and you're sure to find something you like.  And with a friendly staff and great food, this has turned into one of our favorite lunch spots.  With a slogan like, "A delightful Cuban experience"... I think we'd have to agree.