Havana Sandwich Shop

(404) 633-7549

3979 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30329 33.8334 -84.3403

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Hours:

Mon-Sat 10:30am-9:30pm

Sun 11:30am-6:00pm

Price:

$

Last updated 2.02.10

Category:

Restaurants, Ethnic Food Markets, Delis And Delicatessens

Payment Methods:

American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Hidden Find, Lunch Spot, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Latin American, Cuban

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Havana Sandwich Shop

Featured Review

Jonathan Baker

Contributor

In Short – After the original location burned down in 2008 to the dismay of their massive and loyal fanbase, owner Debbie Benedict re-opened Havana in a new location on Buford Highway in 2010. And lucky for Atlantans, they didn’t miss a beat. The line still goes out the door at lunch, you’re still expected to sit with a neighbor if there aren’t enough seats and beverage options still include glass bottle Jarritos. Piled high with ham, pork and gooey Swiss cheese, the signature sammie looks like a NY deli sandwich doing a Cuban impression. It’s hands down our city’s best Cuban sandwich.…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
You can pick up exotic Cuban sauces and canned goods at the small side grocery and experiment at home.
What to Drink:
To finish, try a Batido, a milkshake flavored with papaya, mango or guanabana.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “After a long year since the fire that destroyed old location, me, eddie the girls and the same great cuban food for over 32yrs.”
  2. “It has a great atmosphere and the food's taste is very consistent.”
  3. “Decent location, too, right off N. Druid Hills and Buford Highway”
food quality
87.5% positive
  1. “did an "injustice" to the best sandwich in ATL.”
  2. “This is like being back in Hialeah at my favorite sandwich shop.”
  3. “haven't tried either of the dueling havana's but whoever is responsible for the unbelievably bad sandwich I had there back in 2006 or 2007 might need to revamp abuela's recipes.”
  4. “The black beans and rice are my favorite and to top your meal off you must get a little banana milkshake.”
  5. “but for the price, I think they have the best Cuban sammy, yucca fries and BB's.”
  6. “we just left our food on the table and went over to Coco Loco for a halfway decent milanesa.”
  7. “can give you 3 authentic Cuban restaurants in Atlanta but it's not Havana Sandwich shop”
  8. “There are 3 authentic cuabn cooking restaurants in Atlanta, Las Palmeras, Palomillos, and Havana South.”
  9. “the best food at the best price with an awesome staff.”
  10. “It has the the best Cuban sandwich and the prices are so affordable.”
  11. “have as much right as anyone to try to serve you the best Cuban food available.”
  12. “the Cuban sammy is good, the rice and beans are good and everything is sooooo cheap that you can forgive the other reviewers issues.”
  13. “It is about good food and plenty of it, and I have never been in the place when it wasn't busy.”
  14. “Havana is such a yummy place!”
  15. “The bread was good however.”
  16. “We order the sandwiches with pork, and the fried steak.”
  17. “You don't have to be in Miami for great Cuban food”
  18. “The food is great, service is fast and prices very cheap - in every way it's just cool.”
  19. “guess you could say this is the best place in Atlanta to get a cuban sandwich, but does not even compare to Miami or Tampa.”
  20. “Not impressed, although I wanted to be because I love Cuban food.”
  21. “Being a Miami native, I was thrilled to find an authentic Cuban restaurant.”
  22. “The place needs a makeover bad, maybe add a dollar onto the price of the sandwich, and get some new paint and lighting.”
  23. “Great sandwiches--NOT!”
  24. “The price is right and the food is excellent.”
  25. “couldn't eat it every day, but this place is a welcome change from burgers and tacos when you want great carry-out food.”
  26. “One of those places where everything is good, especially the beans and rice, empanadas, and Cuban Sandwich.”
  27. “good food”
  28. “The cuban sandwich was tasteless and as best we could tell used a processed swiss.”
  29. “It kind of looks shady from the outside, but it is a clean restaurant with great food.”
  30. “It has a great atmosphere and the food's taste is very consistent.”
  31. “Tasteless sandwiches with a pickle.”
  32. “After a long year since the fire that destroyed old location, me, eddie the girls and the same great cuban food for over 32yrs.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “guess you could say this is the best place in Atlanta to get a cuban sandwich, but does not even compare to Miami or Tampa.”
  2. “It is about good food and plenty of it, and I have never been in the place when it wasn't busy.”
service
75.0% positive
  1. “The food is great, service is fast and prices very cheap - in every way it's just cool.”
  2. “The restuarant was not clean, tables were dirty from previous customers and the staff were chatting as though they were at home in the family kitchen, while the customers were just bystanders.”
  3. “The staff is always friendly.”
  4. “the best food at the best price with an awesome staff.”
value
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. “It has the the best Cuban sandwich and the prices are so affordable.”
  2. “but for the price, I think they have the best Cuban sammy, yucca fries and BB's.”
  3. “The price is right and the food is excellent.”
  4. “The place needs a makeover bad, maybe add a dollar onto the price of the sandwich, and get some new paint and lighting.”
  5. “the Cuban sammy is good, the rice and beans are good and everything is sooooo cheap that you can forgive the other reviewers issues.”
  6. “The food is great, service is fast and prices very cheap - in every way it's just cool.”
  7. “the best food at the best price with an awesome staff.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “After a long year since the fire that destroyed old location, me, eddie the girls and the same great cuban food for over 32yrs.”
2 Star Rating: Below Average

05/04/12

Cuban food???? Be real

by jet1011

Ok, I'm Cuban and that was no food that a Cuban would call decent or even mediocre Cuban food. A bad imitation with central American flavor (all the employees are from Central America or Mexico). Was it good? Tasted good.

Wast it Cuban food? No, it tasted good but it's no the type of food that a Cuban would eat.

Black beans had no flavor; yellow rice had no flavor; the boliche had no flavor and was hard. If it had not been for the cooked onions and bell peppers, it would have been a disaster. My daughter's Cuban sandwich was a really bad imitation of a real one. Burned on the bottom, not toasted on the top.

Recommended to it? Yes. Recommended as a Cuban food restaurant? No. more lie Mexi-Guate-Cuban food.

The staff was mediocre, the place is not attractive. I actually did not wanted to eat there, but my daughter insisted. My wife held back and did not eat. My son-in-law left 3/4 of his sandwich. An I eat it all because I was hungry and frustrated at not getting what I was expecting.

1 Star Rating: Poor

06/24/11

Not worth the trip

by aksimpso

I was disappointed with my experience at Havana Restaurant.

I found the food to be adequate, but unremarkable. I had a Cuban sandwich which was dry and a little bland. The tostones were good, but I prefer the sauces at other places.

Unfortunately, the food can't make up for the rude service and the poor management. It took a long time for the woman at the counter to acknowledge us and, when she did she was brusque and rude. I had decided to try the restaurant because of an online coupon. However, I was told that they were no longer accepting the coupon. If the management has decided not to honor the coupon, they could have contacted the site and had the coupon removed. There is no excuse for them not to have.

In the future, I will not be returning to this restaurant and will encourage others not to go.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/18/11

Havana sandwich shop/havana restaurant

by havana restaurantatlanta

the review posted by Stop Drug violence is referring to the co/owner of Havana Grill...Shafiq Matani is NOT associated with Havana Restaurant/Havana Sandwich shop located at 3979 Buford Hwy in the Crossroads Village shopping center. The owners are Debbie Benedit and her son Eddie Benedit.

Please DO NOT confuse the two restaurants. Havana Grill is located in Northeast Plaza shopping center and has no affliation with the original Havana that was destroyed by fire in Oct.2008.

1 Star Rating: Poor

10/02/10

NOT CUBAN FOOD!!!

by JAMORENO

What a disappointment...I took my parents thier for cuban food and atmosphere and I got Mexican music and food...the cuban sandwich was just a sandwich the black beans were from a can with bits of onions and I just did not understand why they were playing Mexican music...I have nothing against Mexican people or music but they need to change the name of this place, and the price was CRAZY we ordered 2 1/2 cubans with rice and beans...tostones and a turkey sandwich during lunch time and it was $$$$$ 29 ....what a crock of crap....never NEVER EVER will go thier again and I am CUBAN!!!!!!!!!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/27/10

It was okay!

by Dannythe man

First time I went there i was amazed; i thought it would be so-so, but the food was great!

The Details on Havana Sandwich Shop

Place Categories:

  • great carryout food
  • authentic cuban restaurant
  • best prices
  • best cuban sandwich
  • tasteless cuban sandwich
  • great cuban food
  • great sandwiches
  • warm cuban snadwiches
  • yummy place
  • favorite rice
  • recommend definitely
  • favorite black beans
  • warm cafe con leche
  • always friendly staff
  • warm batidos
  • warm plantains
  • good cuban sammy
  • fast service
  • love empanadas
  • best yucca fries
  • good plenty
  • great atmosphere
  • good bread
  • halfway decent milanesa
  • favorite sandwich shop
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