Don Cangrejo

CA4
Style of place: Live music venue
Cover: CUC 5
Style of music: Contemporary fusion
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service
Best for: Love it or hate it this is where the party is. All the beautiful people…good contemporary bands.
Worst for: Crazy design with swimming pool in the middle. Don’t talk to be about the bathrooms…
Avenida 1ra between Calles 16 & 18
(+53)7204 - 3837
11pm to 3am

  • Don Cangrejo has over the past couple of years become the Friday night party venue of choice/last resort. The Friday night party crowd originally was the beautiful young Cuban crowd who were always looking for a different to party. Then either I stopped getting the memos of the latest place or everyone simply came to agree to Don Cangrejo. In any event on any given Friday, this is the place to be seen if you want to impress people you both have money and are cool.

    The dynamics of the place are to the ridiculous side of whimsical since there is a huge swimming pool occupying most of the space which leaves you to play chicken getting to the bar the quick way along the pool’s edge. The gentleman’s preferred toilet is into the sea which on a windy night sends spray from waves crashing over the back of the disco floor giving a bit of atmosphere to the place (ladies go before you go!) While many may moan at the line outside or the crowd inside actually there is a reason people keep going back apart from the it factor and that is provided by the live musicians (David Torrens, Kelvis Ochoa & the gang) who play contemporary fusion music with passion.

    [Note that the swimming pool has now been covered which is a big improvement although not perfect]

    
  • Tropicana Cabaret

    Tropicana Cabaret  LH 5-

    Opened in 1931, the Tropicana has played host to Benny More, Nat King Cole, Jack Nicholson and ‘Lucky’ Lucian–and many, many more. This is a Vegas-style extravaganza with seating for 1,400 people and …

    Madrigal

    Madrigal  LH 4

    Café Madrigal is the sort of place that Hemingway would have liked in his Paris phase–intellectual, intense, artistic. A gathering point, a meeting place rather than simply somewhere to get something …

    Salón Rojo

    Salón Rojo  LH 4

    It is a little hard to see nowadays that the Hotel Capri used to be a luxury hotel and a key center for gambling. It is seems to have been in a process of refurbishment forever. We look forward to the …

    La Bodeguita del Medio

    La Bodeguita del Medio  LH 4+

    Back 1942, this well-known restaurant was a small grocery store. Its owner, Ángel Martínez, began to sell food as the number of customers increased. One day, journalist Leandro Garcia, a regular costu …

    Somavilla Bar

    Somavilla Bar  LH 4

    Somavilla is catering to a young and hip crowd. This opened in August 2013 with a bang as the location for the first presentation of American Dj Derek Turcios in Havana. The bar itself is spacious but …

    Factoria Plaza Vieja

    Factoria Plaza Vieja  LH 5-

    This is a great place to drink beer, which is lucky given that this Austrian joint venture microbrewery does not serve any other alcoholic drinks. It is located in the wonderfully renovated Plaza Viej …

    Casa de la Música de Centro Habana

    Casa de la Música de Centro Habana  LH 4+

    This really is the place to go if you want to see the very best Cuban salsa bands. The Galiano venue quickly gained a reputation as the best venue for salsa after its opening in 2003. There is much mo …

    River Night Club
    La Casona de Línea

    La Casona de Línea  LH 3

    This beautiful Vedado mansion is the headquarters of the renowned theatre troupe Teatro Estudio. Almost every Sunday night, its courtyard hosts well-selected concerts by trovadores, singer-songwriters …

    Habaneciendo

    Habaneciendo  LH 3

    To call Habaneciendo a piano bar is somewhat akin to giving my local fish and chip restaurant a Michelin star. Located literally opposite Casa de Musica, Galliano this place that also serves food (not …

    « 4 of 8 pages »