Jazz Café
Galerías Paseo, Calle 1ra, e/ Paseo y A
Admission: 10 CUC
Open 11pm-1am
Tel. +53 (7) 838 3302
Mellow, sophisticated and freezing due to extreme air conditioning, the Jazz Café is not only an excellent place to hear some of Cuba's top jazz musicians including Chucho Valdés but the open plan design also provides for a good bar atmosphere if you want to chat.
La Zorra y El Cuervo
Calle 23, entre N y O
Admission: 10 CUC
3 CUC matinées
Open 10pm-2am
Tel. +53 (7)833 2402
Probably the most well known venue for jazz in Havana, the 'Fox and Crow' offers an intimate environment in this basement venue notably marked by a red English telephone box at its entrance. Top jazz players perform here on a nightly basis. More Ronnie Scott's than Pizza Express, don't expect to chat too much.
Ali Bar
Avenida Dolores, esquina Lucero, Arroyo Naranjo
Admission: 5 CUC
Open 9pm-2am
Tel. +53 (7) 55 8011
You are unlikely to be in the neighbourhood for this bar since it is far out of the loop in the South West outskirts of the city. If you do get a chance, however, it is worth a look for the nice ambience and service and to see the cabaret which was immortalised by Benny Moré, the legend of Cuban popular music.
El Gato Tuerto
Calle O, entre 17 y 19
Admission: 3 CUC
Open noon-4am
Restaurant noon-4am
Tel. +53 (7) 833 2224
The one-eyed cat reopened a few years ago after being closed through most of the 1990’s. Good post modern deco and a generally pretty full house make this an excellent place to catch bolero. This is where people in the know pop into on a regular basis. Less good if you prefer not to smoke.
El Mesón de la Flota
Calle Mercaderes #257, entre Amargura y Brasil (Teniente Rey), Habana Vieja
Admission: 10 CUC
Open noon-midnight
Tel. +53 (7) 862 9281
863 3838
Although it might not seem so at first glance, flamenco is very popular in Cuba. This place has a tablao flamenco (wooden stage), where dancers and musicians, such as the Havana Flamenco Company and Ecos, perform daily.
Salón Bolero
Complejo Dos Gardenias, Avenida 7ma, esquina 26, Miramar
Admission: 3 CUC
Open 10. 30pm-1am
Tel. +53 (7) 204 2353
Dos Gardenias is not to everyone's liking being a little posh for someone who has come to Cuba for a more traditional image. It is, however, probably Havana's best venue for bolero and filin with a long record of the genre's greatest names having played here. It was named after the the beautiful song 'Dos Gardenias', written by the late, great bolero singer and composer Isolina Carrillo. There are also different shows on in the Piano Bar daily.
JAZZ CLUBS
TANGO / BOLERO
| Havana Guide, Havana Jazz Club |
| by CubaAbsolutely Team |
| |
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