Hola’s Authentic Cuban makes you feel welcome. Hola means “hello” in Spanish, and as soon as you enter this eatery on Glendale you’re greeted by the smiling faces of the waitstaff and aromas from the kitchen.
Owner Tina Negrin recently opened the restaurant with her husband Pedro and his family. Pedro’s entire family is Cuban, and the restaurant’s recipes are developed with their help.
Tina explains that through her work in the restaurant industry, she always wanted to own her own business. Working along with her mother and her husband’s family, she opened Hola’s in August 2021.
A delightful meal
Authentic Cuban describes the menu, filled with traditional dishes like ropa vieja and tres leches cake. All offerings are available for take-out or to enjoy in the roomy dining area, adorned with Cuban-inspired decor.
Our carry-out meal, shared between two people, began with a handful of starters and sides. The empanadas ($3.50 each) are available filled with chicken, chorizo sausage, ham and cheese, or beef. The deep-fried pockets, crispy on the outside and packed with flavorful fillings, are accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce. Pork tamales ($3.75 each), thicker than usual in our area, were filling enough to split a single one between two people.
Sizeable sandwich
A stand-out side dish, the sweet maduros ($3.50), are fried sweet plantains, crispy and near-creamy on the inside. While tostones (a more savory version of this dish) are listed on the menu, they were not available on our visit due to lack of ingredients.
The star of our meal, a traditional Cuban Sandwich ($10.99), absolutely dwarfed the plate. Accompanied by a small side of fries, this sandwich is quite tasty with pickle, ham, roasted pork, mayo, mustard, and gouda cheese all in one bite.
The portions at Hola’s are impressive. Everything we tried tasted great, and was still delicious a day later, reheated as leftovers. Stop by and enjoy Hola’s Authentic Cuban Food and bring your appetite.
Hola’s Authentic Cuban Food
3320 Glendale Ave, Toledo, OH 43614
419-515-5590
11am-7:30pm, Tuesday-Saturday
11am-4pm, Sunday
Closed Monday
https://holas-authentic-cuban.business.site/
