Radio Habana Social Club

An old and wacky spot in the Mission, serving tasty sangria and wonderfully homey cuban food. I had the meatballs, which are stupidly delicious. Of course, a big part of the draw is the décor. I see something new every time I’m there.
I also love coming here because I take any chance I can get to patronize older Valencia street restaurants. If we keep visiting them, then they’re less likely to go out of business and be taken over by yuppy places that serve a fleck of gold-​crusted bread for $ 15.

The décor is weird af haha! Super quirky, random stuff just hung all over the ceiling and walls. You know that weird broken baby doll in Toy Story? Yeah, many of those in this place.
It’s extremely small here too so it can’t fit many people. Probably not the best place to come here with a large group of people but you can get lucky with a table or two, like we did. The owner (?) was this sweet oldish lady who was accommodating to our large group and finding chairs for us. So nice!
We got sangria here and it was SO GOOD. I downed that too quickly.
Overall, I gave this place a 3 star because weird décor is not really my thing personally and the space was too small.

Ropa vieja was delicious! As was the picadillo. Ambiance was phenomenal; always had something interesting to look at. Very small, cozy place. Definitely be back.

Great little spot on Valencia great service best sangria I have ever had I had the chicken breast with lentils yummmmm and my boyfriend had the «tops vieja» super good! And again the sangria is to die for!

I still like Radio Habana as a quirky bar and a good chill place to hang out.
But I do *NOT* recommend going here for the food, especially if you’re hungry. The quality is fine, but you will wait forever for your food. They do have a very limited, small kitchen: one guy, one microwave, one stove, very little space. But I wish I’d gotten a heads up of the long wait when I ordered my food around 9pm and didn’t get it til almost 9:45pm (on a Thursday night). I was really upset by the time I finally got my food.
There’s also only one woman running the bar and taking all the food orders. They’re just really understaffed and maybe just shouldn’t serve food during the post-​dinner rush.
See my photos as well for additional details.
DINNER PLATES
* Albondigas Legendarias (four mediterranean meatballs in sweet herbed tomato sauce. $ 9.95) — 4 stars
These meatballs were actually really good. They were textured, had plenty of flavor, and were in this deliciously tangy tomato sauce. The rice and beans fell a little flat, the rice being a bit loose and the black beans a little undercooked.
DINNER PLATES SPECIAL
* Pork & Chicken Sausage Pot ($ 10) — 3.5 stars
This was solid but the meat wasn’t as flavorful as the meatballs. Same comment about the rice and beans as for the meatballs.

You know when you see a really, really attractive person or just a very odd phenomenon, you do a double take? My friend and I saw Radio Habana on our way to the Make-​Out Room and did like a double double take. No visible store front sign that we could see. We just stared into the window creepily, asking each other, «What in the world is this place?» That’s the thing about Radio Habana, you have no idea what you are looking at, yet you can’t tear your eyes away.
After the Make-​Out Room, we decided that Radio Havana Social Club had to be the place for our night cap. It just had to be; some force just pulled us there. It’s like going into the rabbit hole. You never really want to come out. Just know this, your eyes will not be bored and you and whoever you bring for company will never run out of things to talk about. Quirkily eclectic doesn’t even begin to describe what this place was. I remember… doll heads. I imagine it is a cross between where like Van Gogh would have come to drink & sketch or where the Lost Generation of 1920 would come to have intellectual conversations into the night, you know, except like Alice in Wonderland.
Just come inside. I saw so many people doing the same double take we did. Seating is limited, but just grab the most delicious sangria and stand, usually a table opens up. You will not regret the day you stepped into the mystical space that is… the Radio Habana Social Club, dun dun DUN!

I brought some friends from out of town to this amazingly quirky restaurant that is full of character. Radio Havana Social Club is pretty small and the first thing you notice once you open their nondescript door are all the crazy trinkets! The interior is as if a hoarder decided to get organized in a fanciful and cluttered way. The service is attentive and the sangria is good. The food itself isn’t anything amazing to write home about, but it’s truly the ambience that you’re coming for. On some nights they have a live band playing music in the dining area. Anyway, bringing my friends here was the perfect way to introduce them to how fun eating out in SF can be. They were blown away by RHSC and can’t wait for our next SF culinary adventure!

This is such a little gem of a restaurant. The décor is fun, quirky and thought provoking. The food is reliable cuban tapas that is made fresh and with good ingredients. The music is my favorite part… lots of good latin jazz. And I mean good. If you want a place that is as unique as San Francisco, this is the place.

Wanted to come to this place for a long time, and we finally did!!! It provides an amazing atmosphere:) The place looks small from outside, but it can hold quite many ppl. People both workers and customers were so friendly and definitely coming back. We tried the special of the day which was something called Tofu Curry and it was delicious. We will try other dishes on the menu soon:)

Had delicious beef Chilean empanadas and a side of maduros. The place is cozy. The sangria was good but not the best I ever had. Service was great and friendly. Not sure about the décor. Good place to experience once. It’s different and unique.

It’s a small place with funky decoration and delicious, ample portions of food. The staff are gentle, friendly folk. Honestly, I think we were lucky to get a table though we did get there around 8:30pm on a Monday night. For 3 entrees and 1 side plate plus 2 glasses of sangria, $ 50 incl/​tax.

Wow this place is weird. But that’s the what draws you in. I’ve walked by it many times and thought what a strange little place until finally I decided to wonder in for a drink.
When you walk in it’s like your in your crazy aunts kitchen and she has a hoarding problem. It’s kind of cool to see all of the stuff on the walls but at the same time it’s pretty creepy when you look closely. It reminded me a lot of the creations Sid from Toy Story would create. Also it smelled like dirty cats, but don’t worry you get used to that after a few minutes… ew.
I was honestly shocked to see there was a food menu. Just judging on the smell of the place I would never even consider ordering food here. Not to mention when looking around it is difficult to find a kitchen… and after reading through previous Unilocal reviews it sounds like most of it is canned and microwaved. We sat in the back and had two glasses (more like goblets) of sangria. The sangria is definitely good and the portion size is good, but you can get good sangria at a lot of places. There was nothing incredibly special about it. I know they have some live music here on occasion which could be cool to check out, but I don’t really see myself coming back.

Simply put… THERE IS NO KITCHEN. ALL of their food comes out of a microwave. The ropa vieja is canned meat and the albondigas are frozen meatballs. NEVER COMING BACK.

Amazing space and the staff was great. Now the food itself was average at best. My cuban parents taught me to cook better & I’m no chef.

Who doesn’t love this place? The people are so nice, the food is solid, and the sangria is delish. I love coming here with a few friends before or after a show. Not ideal if there are more than four of you, though, as the quarters are tight.

One of my favorite spots in SF! Definitely requires a sense of humor to enjoy the quirky, irreverent décor; I personally love it. The vegetarian plate is usually awesome, featuring a samosa-​type dumpling, beans and rice, plantains, and salad. However, one night, they were out of samosas, and served lukewarm veggie-​tater-​tots instead… not so great. The sangria is sweet but potent. It’s very small inside; perfect for a date with someone with a sense of adventure.

For someone who is already confused by the busy streets of SF, this little hole-​in-​the-​wall is not the place to be relax and have a dinner date with your other half. The décor in itself is just a little bit of everything from everywhere, and the word «eclectic» is a nice way to put it. The restaurant is small, almost suffocating. I think using the words «social club» is definitely pushing it. The food was sub-​par… when I think of Cuban food I think of passion-​filled food with lots of MOJO! And yet I feel that the seasoning fell short. The patrons definitely meant well in regards to the menu and gave the best service they could given the small space.
Overall, Radio Habana has room for improvement. Had they had better food (or a well-​built kitchen), a bigger place, A LOT less décor, and actual entertainment I would make an effort to come back.

Delicious Cuban Tapas Food. Small, cute restaurant with a gypsy table mish mash and alternative art hanging from the ceilings and in every nook and granny. Loved the atmosphere! My friend and I also luckily got there right when they opened there doors around 7. By the time we left there was a crowd of people waiting for tables. Small, intimate tables mean waiting for yummy food on most other occasions, so get there early.
From what I could tell, it was an older husband and wife running the place with a tiny kitchen off to the side.
My one recommendation, you should feel comfortable with taking service into your own hands here.
Once my friend and I sat down we weren’t really checked on again and had to switch a dish out for something else because there was a miscommunication with the dish ordered and it’s meat vs. chicken availability. Which wasn’t a problem, once we were able to get the cook/waiter’s attention. So just don’t expect to be pampered with service.
I got up later to get my friend and I water and also to grab the check from the sweet women behind the small bar.
I myself, don’t mind taking things into my own hands. It was a very relaxed and pleasant dining experience otherwise.
I just think it can be jarring to go in without those expectations.

* Albondigas Plate — 3.5 STARS ($ 8.95): Enjoyed the meatball flavor (comes with about 4 small medium pieces) except that there were some odd textures thrown in. The side salad was refreshing and the dressing was tasty. The rice was a necessary complement to the beans and saucy meatballs.
* Sangria — 3 STARS ($ 6): for a large cup, $ 5 for a regular cup. Available in carafes. Sweet and tasty and undeniably an amazing deal. Maybe I’m a heavy weight but it tasted more like sugar and juice than alcohol.
* House wine — 1 STAR ($ 5): Perhaps the worst house wine I’ve ever had. Stick with the sangria: P
Affordable place to grab some comfort food but don’t expect quality sangria or alcohol.

At first glance, you might think Radio Habana Social Club is intimidating. To be fair, from the outside, it looks more like a crazy person’s apartment than an actual restaurant. I don’t think anyone would fault you for completely missing this gem in the Mission, but if you’ve got a somewhat adventurous spirit, I suggest you open that door on Valencia and let yourself escape to Cuba. You will not regret it.
Just to give this review a little context– Cuba is, in many ways, like a real-​life time machine. Because of Cuba’s history and the US embargo, Cuba is saturated with old cars and buildings, and has the same aesthetic it did in the 1950’s.
Much like Cuba itself, Radio Habana Social Club is kept at a balmy 75 – 80 degrees (F), and is adorned with colorful relics of the past; It really conveys the feeling that you’ve stepped out of reality and into someplace special– possibly the island of Cuba. The artist (and owner) has taken items we would normally discard as ‘junk’, and turned them into evocative pieces of art. I’ve noticed a general trend of babies portrayed in interesting ways, exploration of anatomical forms, as well as some distinctly ironic pieces and tributes to historical figures and celebrities from the past. One of my favorite pieces is hanging on the right-​hand wall when you’re facing in from the door, and features an angry male doll with the bottom half replaced by an electric drill– to me this seems like a literal representation of the saying, «i’m going to drill that girl». Fascinating.
You can (and should) easily spend hours here exploring the resident artwork, as well as the photo collections on the back wall that change every month. And to assist you in that task, I recommend you enjoy a large princess cup (copa de reina) of their fantastic sangria. It is delicious, refreshing, and cheap, without being cloyingly sweet. I’m no aficionado, but its the best I’ve had.
The food, on the other hand, is only ok. The plantains are standard, but the empanada and ropa vieja were both disappointing. The empanada felt stale, and the ropa vieja lacked flavor and seasoning. I don’t mind though, because the food was reasonably cheap, and I was more than content enjoying my sangria and admiring the amazing atmosphere of this place.

This is a small place with a simple menu. So if you poke your head in and it is full, keep walking down Valencia.
But if you want to take a closer examination of all the «stuff» on the wall and off the ceiling, squeeze in and order a goblet of delicious sangria.
It is really ran by a couple of older ladies that will make sure they take care of you, but they do run out of food since their kitchen is only 6’x8’. They ran of rice and bean once, but they filled up my goblet which gets no complain from me.
Food are generally less than $ 10 per plate, your usual Cuban affair, all fresh and just like eating at my Cuban friend’s house. Flan is a must.
Drop in and enjoyed a fun relax night in Habana!