10 Best Nightlife in Havana, Cuba

This time warp of a restaurant was known to have been a hangout of Ernest Hemingway and prides itself as being the "cradle of the daiquiri." In 1953, Esquire even dubbed the bar one of the seven most famous in the world. It's always jam-packed with tourists dancing away to a hot Cuban band any time of day or night. The atmosphere is dark and austere, with oversize waiters dressed in undersize red-and-white formal wear plying away daiquiris or other cocktails. A life-size sculpture of Hemingway overlooks the bar eternally.

This 24-hour standby usually offers entertainment by one of the city's excellent trios. No matter how many times you have heard "Guantanamera," these performers always give it new meaning. If you can't find much else going on in Havana Vieja at night, you can guarantee something will be happening here. This place has become so popular, in fact, that it's hard to find a seat either inside or out.

Named after its one-time owner Juan Bautista Taberna, this was Havana's first café when it opened at the very same spot in 1772. The rhythms of in-house band Conjunto Roberto Faz and their guests are some of the best you'll hear in Havana Vieja. The tall ceilings, retro atmosphere, and impressive wooden cocktail bar give this resto-bar a notable place among Havana Vieja establishments.

Tickets for a dinner and performance must be booked in advance.

Located next to the Museo del Ron, you'll step back in time when you walk through the door, and get the feel for life along the wharf. This, too, was once a Hemingway haunt, and it was also frequented at one time or another by Marlon Brando and Federico García Lorca.

Havana's best-known bar is a great place to hoist one for Hemingway. It's always packed with tourists looking expectantly toward the door as if Papa himself were about to swagger in and belly up to the bar. According to the man himself, this is theplace to order a mojito, as seen by the author's quote written on the wall "My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita." In reality the mojitos are no better here than anywhere else, but it's the atmosphere that counts. There's also an upstairs restaurant serving up typical criollo fare. Walls here are pasted with visitors' notes and pictures of the many notables that have passed through over the years, including Nat King Cole and Harry Belafonte.

This is one of your best bets for late-night entertainment in Havana Vieja, even though these days it's mostly full of tourists. It's also always full of life and is a good starting point for a night on the town. Impromptu salsa dancing often breaks out here later on in the evening, too.

This place hops all evening long, usually to the tune of a hot trio. Just across the road from here you'll see the Castillo del Farnés, where Fidel Castro used to hang out during his student days. It's not particularly notable for food or drinks, but is worth a look for historical reference.