Bella Cuba

If you come here, definitely try the popular chicken dish and add a mixed salad. This is great for large groups and the ambiance is fun and casual. This place would make an even better venue if it opened up for dancing after 9pm with the customers. A good choice for all types. The food is flavorful, the bread is tasty and you go home happy.

GO HERE. YOU WILL THANK ME LATER.
We ordered:
*A pitcher of delicious red sangria
*Sautéed Oxtail
*Shrimp in a garlic butter sauce
*Fried Plantains
*Beef empanadas
Cons:
1. Nothing. Literally everything was perfection
Pros:
1. Amazing customer service! They had great suggestions on what to order.
2. The food came out really quickly. Not sure if that was because we were there at 11 on a Sunday, but I’ll take it.
3. The food and sangria were both great! And the pitcher we ordered was huge.
4. There is outside seating and the breeze was a really nice addition to our meal.

Ok, what the hell was THAT?
Drove over an hour to try their stuffed plantains, and
for almost $ 12, I got 4 SMALL round hard things filled with meat. Yeah, the meat tasted good but they were very SMALL (unlike the normal banana size), and they didn’t taste like plantains at all… more like overcooked hard pastry!
I learned my lesson after trying a few L.A. Cuban spots… don’t even bother. Nothing is like the Playa Café in South Beach, Miami!!!
(AND, theirs are only $ 5 for a BIG plate, and they’re open till like 4am! Man, I wish I lived closer to Florida!)

We decided to check this place out for dinner on a Friday night a few weeks ago. The restaurant was lively and bustling but there was no wait for our party of 3. I ordered the chicken and pork combo and it was soooo much food but all very delicious! I especially enjoyed the roasted pork and would just go for that next time. The chicken was a bit dry on the inside but the garlic chicken flavor was good. I tried a bit of the sauteed beef tongue and it was very flavorful and tender as well. Both winners in my book! I wasn’t a huge fan of the black beans but the plantains were a great additional to the meal. I would definitely come here again and check out some of the other menu items…(sangria?! hehe)

Very good Cuban food in a clean setting. It’s nice to walk in and feel like we’ve been transported into an international destination.
Food was delicious and the plantains are on point. The garlic chicken and pork were savory.
I’d check this place out if you’re craving goodness.

LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Been here over a dozen times and each time my family and I fall in love with it more and more.
Our last visit was in April this year for my husband’s father’s birthday. The staff was really sweet, very generous, and foods was excellent!!!
I think there was over 15 of us so we ordered almost everything on that menu.
My favorite is their bread with their house sauce for appetizers.
The garlic chicken also with their special sauce for entrée.
Definitely get their sangria… get the pitcher, not the glass. So worth it!!!
But if you don’t feel like alcohol try their smoothie there mango is their best.
I have tried other Cuban places that are very very good but this trumps all because of the family environment that it has. And it also helps that it’s not as expensive as other Cuban place. Party of 15 cost us a little over $ 350 (tip not included)… well worth it if you’re on a budget.

Not for Vegetarians
Seems like a nice little place with a courteous staff and an old-​world attitude, but sadly, the options for vegetarians are quite limited. There are literally only two entrees on the menu for vegetarians and both of them are some combination of rice, beans, yucca, and plantain.

I just learned of Bella Cuba recently and I’m so glad I did!
I’ve only had their garlic chicken plate but it is AMAZING! Their food has a very home-​y feel to it and very authentic.
It’s usually pretty busy and lively inside but the wait isn’t long for your food. I was able to walk in and order for takeout and waited less than 15 min.

Caribbean spots are hard to find in orange county, scratch that California in general. I’ve been to 2 spots in the 3 years I’ve been here. One is Señor Big Ed’s in cypress which I try to go at least twice a month because its awesome and Mofongo’s in LA which I thought was meh so I only went once. Happy I found this spot with the girlfriend, the food was amazing and what’s even better it’s close by. It made me miss home that much more. The girlfriend got Bacalao with maduro’s, white rice and beans. I got the beef stew with potatoes, maduro’s, morro of rice and let me tell you it was awesome! For drinks the Sangria was on point and the papas relleno were really good. No complaints on the wait staff and the place overall was very nice with great prices, it’s a no brainier that me and the girlfriend will be regulars here.
A well deserved 5*‘s!

Wow, this (not-​so-​little) Cuban restaurant never fails to amaze me. It always hits the right spot and I always end up leaving 5 pounds heavier.
Came here for a friend’s birthday dinner last night and was surprised to see how busy it was for a Wednesday night. We were sat and handed menus promptly and our server immediately brought us our drinks. We ended up ordering the Chilidron De Cordero Sauteed Lamb ($ 15.95) and Rabo Encendido Sauteed Oxtail ($ 17.95). Our server also brought over a basket of garlic bread. It looked like it was one of those frozen garlic breads straight out of the freezer, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good it actually was. It could be because I was starving, but I loved how it came out warm and crispy. Of course, I asked for seconds.
On to our meal… the lamb was extremely tender and had a very deep flavor. The oxtail, on the other hand, had a much stronger, evident flavor (cuban spices). Both came with white rice, plantains and a side of beans that were soup-​like. I wasn’t a huge fan of the beans, but my friend seemed to enjoy it. However, I thought the plaintains were a perfect complement to the meat.
Of course, a birthday dinner is never complete without a birthday song! As a small surprise, the restaurant came by with a small dessert (flan) after clearing our dishes. They encouraged the entire restaurant to sing along which was pretty amazing. The flan was soft, creamy, and full of cinnamon-​y flavor. Although I would have liked it better if it wasn’t so intense, I felt that it balanced out the overly meaty meal that I just had.
Overall, big thank you to Bella Cuba’s staff for being so attentive and accommodating!

Chicken and Rice and Peas … Oh my!
This is a nice little lively spot! The food is excellent and Roxie rocks! Thanks girl! We had a blast.

This place is a great example of solid Cuban food in Orange County and one of the best places to grab lunch this side of Bristol.
I had the pork sandwich off the lunch menu and it was a thing of beauty. The bread was the perfect balance of soft and toasty with a hint of sweetness, and it was filled with a generous heap of tender roasted pork and and grilled onions. Complimented with a cold glass of modelo negra on tap, it made for a mighty fine meal.
If you’re in the mood for some casual and authentic Cuban dishes, come check this place out. It might make you a bit sleepy after lunch, but it sure as hell beats having a salad for lunch.

Very few Cuban places around but my guess is this is going to change soon. New places will pop up and the old ones will get better and nicer. Bela Cuba is in the second category, since it’s in a great lunch location and it’s pretty busy. The place is big, bar and all and even tables outside, but it deserves some updated looks. The food is good enough but not great and a little too salty, I got the stew with rice and plantains. The service is friendly and right on the money.

Besides cuban sandwiches and pastries from Portos, I have never had Cuban dishes before… until now.
The wait at a nearby ramen place was too long so my bf suggested Bella Cuba. Good call, boyfriend. We entered this plaza (near South Coast) to the inviting sounds of lively music. «Just get the chicken, trust me,» he said. Fine.
For $ 13/​plate, we both got their garlic chicken dish — you get HALF a chicken, pile of rice, some sweet plantains, and a small bowl of beans.
OMG. Where has this chicken been all my life? The skin was thin and crispy, but the meat inside was juicyyyyyyyy and tender. It sat in a layer of lemony, garlicky sauce that I wanted to drench everything in. The plantains were soft, sweet, and had crispy edges. The beans were flavorful, perfectly seasoned and delicious. Roasted chicken… so simple, but so tasty.
On top of all this, the service was AMAZING. Waters always filled, server was attentive and friendly, and I even saw the manager walking around talking to people. I was really impressed by the environment, food, and hospitality. Neither of us were able to finish our food, so we got it to go, and they even gave us a small container of the sauce! The other half of the chicken made for a great lunch the next day.
Now I will have to alternate between Chicken Maison and this place depending on how I feel. Mediterranean or Cuban? HMmm.

A few words — MACITAS de PUERCO FRITAS (pork chunks)! Do it – you won’t regret it … and ask for extra Mojo sauce (it’s citrusy, tangy, salty, goodness).
I can’t believe having lived so close by that my fiancé and I never thought to come by here until recently. Our server was incredibly friendly, and the fried plantains were the most delicious I’ve ever had (and I even have a slight allergy to the starchy fruits).
This is definitely an authentic Cuban restaurant and in comparison to Felix (in Orange), there really is no comparison. The atmosphere is vibrant and the food is incredible. I am so glad that this is easy to find and is next to South Coast — so when I’m done walking around I can come in and enjoy a great lunch or dinner!

We stopped by on a Wednesday evening before watching the show Wicked down the street. It’s a little hidden place across from South Coast Plaza. There is a good amount of parking, but you might have to park far as there are other restaurants in that same complex.
We didn’t have time to go to a restaurant for a couple hours nor did we want fast food. This place became a perfect solution to our dilema. It is a sit down type of place, but with a quick pace. We were seated quickly (Place was packed too). The servers were pretty attentive. I think they had others there also going to the show. We started out with some Potato balls. They were alright. Porto’s and Tropicana have better ones in my opinion. Their homemade Sangria’s tasted great.
On to the main course! We had the «Ropa Cucia» and «Arroz con Pollo.» Both were excellent! My chicken was well cooked and the yellow rice was not overwhelming with a sodium after taste.
We were in and out in about 45 minutes, which was perfect! We made our show in good time and with full and satisfied stomachs.

Can here for the father in laws birthday on a Sunday night. Got seated right away. Wait wasn’t too bad.
Food: I got the #20 beef dish. Ropa Vieja. Shredded beef with rice and beans. Very good dish. Well made.
Wife got the #10 steak. Bustec de Palomina. She loved it. Not overcooked or dry.
The appetizer empanadas and potato balls were also very good. He whole table scarfed them down. Their bread at the beginning is so so. Just rolls but with butter on them.
Didn’t drink alcohol. So can’t comment on that.
Service: very good. Waiter was constantly checking up on us as well as the other staff.
The ONLY THING I didn’t like was how they don’t have a «special sauce» like you see in most ethnic restaurants. Like a special hot sauce or green sauce. I like sauce on my food. Not everyone does though. I think they want you to eat the food as is.

I had been wanting to try Cuban food for a while. Last week, hubby and I were doing some last minute Christmas shopping at South Coast Plaza and he decided to surprise me to a nice Christmas Eve dinner. He had been to Bella Cuba before and really liked it so he brought me here. I loved the ambiance, it’s a cozy family restaurant. There were larger groups having dinner there. We actually had a gathering to go to that night so we decided to share a plate of milanesa de pollo (chicken milanese) it’s actually a breaded and fried chicken breast and they serve if with Cuban mojo sauce for dipping. The dish came with fried plantains, rice and beans. It was delicious!
It reminded me a lot of a Cuban Restaurant in Miami, so this place is legit Cuban food for a very good price. $ 12.00 for a huge plate that was big enough to share. Their café con leche is also really good.
I also had an Arnold Palmer and I loved it! I think they used tropical tea instead of regular one so it gave it a nice flavor.
I will definitely be back ready to eat more food and try some dessert.

Who likes garlic?
I do!
If you’re a fellow garlic lover, make sure you get the lemon garlic sauce stuff on the side. Goes great with the rice and stews!
I got the Carne con Papa a la Cubana beef and potatoes. Best believe I drowned it in the garlic sauce.
Tip — Don’t over indulge in the garlicness if you’re going for lunch hour. Mints and gum will not help you.

Por la cantidad de opinions que este restaurante tiene, me parecio una muy buena idea tratarlo. El lugar es relativamente comodo y el ambiente es vivo, pero eso es lo unico bueno que tiene. La comida es una mala representacion de la comida cubana. El plato de aperitivos variable fue pesimo. com mucha salt y como acabado de sacar de un microhondas. Ordenamos cuatro platos, El Pecado De Mahi, El Bistec esebollado y el pollo con tostones. Todos los platos tuvieron pesimo sabor y Estremo uso de salt y vinagre. No lo recomiendo.

It was my choice for «Bookmark Saturday» night and I was feeling «spicy,» so it ended up being a choice between Indian and Cuban food with the latter winning out in the end. So the better half and I took our appetites to Santa Ana and Bella Cuba.
Bella Cuba is in a nicer strip mall right across the street from Costa Mesa and South Coast Plaza. The parking situation wasn’t too bad if you don’t mind walking a couple hundred extra feet (
) to the restaurant. Upon entry (
), we were greeted and immediately shown to a table by the window next to the entrance.
The menu consists of Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Entrees (with the choice of Pork, Chicken, Beef and Seafood), Vegetarian Specials, Side Orders and Desserts. They also have Sangria, Beer and Wine and non-​alcoholic drink choices.
Our waiter came over after we were seated, took our drink orders and dropped off some complimentary bread (
) at the table. I believe there was a garlic butter on top of the bread, but the garlic flavor (or any flavor at all) was missing from the crostini. I don’t recommend befuddling your taste buds with this empty carbohydrate.
Rohlinism: I never met a carbohydrate I didn’t like …
Until now. I was done after one crostini and after my less than enthusiastic endorsement, my lovely wife decided to pass on these carbs. The basket was pushed to a corner of the table and sat there until the server cleared it from the table.
Our waiter returned and we were ready to order. We started off with the Papa Rellana (
)appetizer and my better half went with the Bistec de Palomilla (
) which comes with Plantains and a side of Arroz y Frijoles (
) on a separate plate. I opted for the Pollo En Salsa de Barbacoa (
) which comes with the same aforementioned plantains and Arroz y Frijoles.
The Papa Rellana came out first and neither of us were impressed with the potato balls. My better half said it wasn’t here thing. I liked the potato balls a bit better, but was a bit confused by the mojo sauce. It reminded my of Italian vinaigrette, it was missing the citrus element and was mostly just olive oil, garlic and some seasoning. The potato balls could have had a better meat to potato ratio, seemed a little light on the meat.
The entrees came out in a reasonable amount of time, but neither dish really blew us away. My better half’s Bistec de Palomilla was surprising tender, but the mojo sauce was lacking citrus and could have used a little more garlic as well. The fried plantains weren’t her thing, so she was done with those after a bite. She was impressed with the black beans, which had a nice kick from the jalapenos. There was also a very generous portion of onions on the plate.
The Pollo En Salsa de Barbacoa was a mixed bag as well. I agree with the better half’s assessment of the black beans and the rice … well … it was rice. The barbecue sauce (much like the mojo) was missing the citrus kick. I was expecting a mango barbecue sauce and what I got was a sweet and tangy sauce I would find in just about any American barbecue joint. The chicken itself was cooked well (juicy, not dry) and the portion matched the price point.
I generally try not to get hung up on authenticity, my rule is if the food is good, I don’t really care about the ethnic roots. At the same time, I was so surprised by the lack of citrus flavor in the entrée sauces, I was compelled to address the issue. This is pretty much the same as walking into an Italian restaurant and finding a menu devoid of garlic. Had the food been exceptional, I probably would have been more inclined to overlook the issue.
The service was friendly and enthusiastic, but a little slow at times. Considering the establishment, the service was acceptable. Everything here seems on the pedestrian side and this definitely not destination dining, but if you are in the area, you might want to drop in and try it for yourself.