Don Ricardo

CA2
Style of food: Irish
Cost: Moderate
Type of place: Paladar (private)
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for: As close to an Irish pub as you can get (in Havana) at present
Worst for: Not actually much that is Irish (& no Guinness!)
Cuba No. 102-108 esquina a Chacón
(+53)7860 - 5080
Open noon-11pm
  • On for a good Irish pub in Old Havana where you could get a meat pie and a pint of Guiness. Don Ricardo is an Irish restaurant, but how Irish is a little debateable. The place recalls the founder of the eminent O’Farrill family, of Irish origin, who lived in the building where Palacio O’Farrill Hotel stands today. One of Palacio O’Farill Hotel’s chief attractions is the mix of 18th, 19th and 20th-century architectural elements in the decoration of each of its three storeys. As part of this atmosphere, there is an interior courtyard before the restaurant, which stands out because of an old, skylight-shaded well.

    In terms of the menu, this is supposed to be an inventive mix of meat blends with fruit sauces and vegetable garnishes. I remain somewhat unconvinced although this is one of those places perhaps best tried for yourself.

    
  • Club Habana – El Chelo

    Club Habana – El Chelo  LH 4

    Cuba Absolutely Review: December 2012 Club Habana has a long and distinguished history as a beach club for the well heeled. Today it is the one and only beach club left which caters mostly to the expa …

    La Terraza de Cojimar

    La Terraza de Cojimar  LH 4

    Ernest Hemingway lived in Cojimar for some years and this was his favorite restaurant there, as evidenced by the many pictures of the American author here, including one with Fidel Castro. In one of t …

    Los Nardos

    Los Nardos  LH 5-

    The Sociedad Juventud Asturiana is a Spanish cultural society from the province of Asturias, which has a special legal status in Havana. Essentially, the society functions as a cooperative which means …

    Habana Libre Hotel – Sierra Maestra

    Habana Libre Hotel – Sierra Maestra  LH 4

    Of all the views in the entire world, this is the place. Well perhaps that is overstating things but the view is certainly spectacular from the 25th floor of the Habana Libre Hotel. You have a 180-deg …

    Tien Tan

    Tien Tan  LH 4+

    Tien Tan (Temple of Heaven) must be a very hated restaurant from the other Chinese places in Chinatown. It is at the end of the Chinese restaurant strip and every time that we walk down here, the tout …

    La Cocina de Lilliam

    La Cocina de Lilliam  LH 4

    Cuba Absolutely Review: December 2012 La Cocina de Lilliam is set in the gardens of a beautiful villa in Miramar. This is right at the top of the list of many visitors’ dream list. It is easy to see w …

    La Pachanga

    La Pachanga  LH 4

    Havana was needing a cafe that, while keeping the celerity and simplicity of a fast food joint, gave the food a gourmet touch to such dishes as Pollo Pachanga (Pachanga chicken), the delicious smoothi …

    La Bella Habana

    La Bella Habana  LH 4

    La Bella Habana lives up to its name. It is beautiful, tastefully designed and meticulously maintained with attentive staff that is engaging without being overbearing. Above all it is a calm place whe …

    Bom Apetite

    Bom Apetite  LH 4

    Walking in on a rainy night to Bon Appetite was like walking into an oasis. We had tried a few other places nearby which were all deserted, dead. We had put it down to the weather and planned to head …

    Marina Hemingway – El Pabellón del Tesoro

    Marina Hemingway – El Pabellón del Tesoro  LH 4

    There are only two good Chinese restaurants in Havana and this is definitely one of them. In many ways, it is the Yin to Tien Tang’s Yang. Instead of being located at the end of a busy scruffy Central …

    « 3 of 14 pages »