Bars and nightlife in Havana, Havana by night, jazsz clubs in Havana, traditional Cuban music in Havana, tango & bolero in Havana, Havana comedy, where to go at night in Havana, salsa clubs in Havana

Taberna de la Muralla
San Ignacio, esq Muralla Plaza Vieja

This is a great place to drink beer which is lucky given that this Austrian joint venture micro-brewery does not serve any other alcoholic drinks. It is located in the wonderfully renovated Plaza Vieja, which provides ample ambience to accompany the beer. Food is available and while being entirely unexceptional, grilled bbq chicken or pork after 5 pints tastes pretty good.

Café París
San Ignacio, esq Obispo

Although about as Parisian as Middlesbrough, Café Paris remains one of the highlights of any bar crawl around Old Havana. It is also somewhere you may fund yourself coming back to again and again. If first appears are underwhelming its real charm is in the brilliant house band along with a consistently good small intimate atmosphere where you cannot fail to meet interesting characters.

Bar Dos Hermanos
San Pedro no 304, corner Sol

This is the sort of bar that one day could be an ultra chic bar masquerading as a working man's saloon bar. Today it is quite true to its roots and, while interesting inside, its location (opposite the cruise ship terminal) places it outside of the loop and with a disjointed clientele.

Bar Havana Club
San Pedro e Sol y Muralla

This is attached to the rum muesum and as you might expect from Havana Club is excellently done with a wide range of well prepared cocktails and a nice general decor. Unfortunately it is slightly out of the loop being by the docks a hundred yards in the wrong direction to attract much of a passing crowd. Occasionally there is a big party held here which is fabulous, otherwise a little lifeless.

Bar Monserrate
Ave de Belgica, Corner Obrapia

Before you come to Cuba and if you had only seen Buena Vista Social Club this is how you would imagine every bar in Cuba. Slow whirling fans above, an old Cuban group playing traditional Cuban music and a saloon style. An excellent place to start with and a good place to finish a night, try not to forget how many drinks you have had since drink inflation can be rampant. Also a place where a few local Cubans make their base of operations—a good place to meet them, not so good for a quiet romantic drink.

Café del Oriente
Oficios Corner Plaza San Fransisco

Café del Oriente is actually a lot less snooty than it appears and if you are looking for a romantic late night drink, it offers the best service in Cuba in a beautiful setting with an exceptional house bolero singer. Downstairs is split between a bar on one side and restaurant on the other, all within a fabulous building right on the square. It can get pretty chilly and they don’t like rowdy but if you have someone to impress take them here. The crepe suzette is to die for (and served with real style).

Centro Cultural Cinematográfico ICAIC ‘Fresa y Chocolate’
Calle 23 #1155, entre 10 y 12

Across the street from the ICAIC (Cuban Film Institute), this lobby-turned-bar offers a very pleasant place to get a pre or post cinema drink with lots of film memorabilia around. The weekend offers good live entertainment beginning on Friday with La Tanda (a mixture of trova and various art forms), Saturday features a blues band followed by comedy and Sunday sees a young jazz evening with aspiring jazz artists playing.

El Floridita
Monserrate, corner Obispo

This is basically a Cuban coffee shop which looks like a coffee house should look, all real coffee, saloon doors and lots of people. This is a very pleasant Cuban café which is a great pit stop if you are in Old Havana and want to avoid the tourist bars.

El Louvre (Hotel Inglaterra)
Paseo del Prado, no 416, corner San Rafael, Parque Central

This is one of the great terrace watching-the-world-go-by bars in Havana given that it is situated right on Parque Central and a lot of the world does swing by on a regular basis. Ideal for a drink pre or post theatre, it also is another good pit stop on a sight-seeing tour of Old Havana.

La Maison
Calle 16 #701, entre 7ma y 9na, Playa

Since the 1970s La Maison has been best known for its fashion shows, but these days it also has a small cabaret and a piano bar with comedians and karaoke. The Saturday and Sunday matinées feature two live sets from Los Kent, one of the first bands to play rock in the island.

Lluvia de Oro
Obispo, Corner Habana

This is consistently busy and looks like it should be a great bar. Given this the atmosphere tends often to be a little disappointing, the band is not quite as good as many others and widely spread tables seem to mitigate a more intimate atmosphere of somewhere like Café Paris. Worth a pit stop on Obispo but not a destination place.

Mirador de la Bahía
Plaza de Armas

Located on the roof of the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural this is all about the view of the square and the bay which is outstanding. The actual bar itself is pretty average with limited atmosphere and people.