Cafe Havana
Cafe Havana
4
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Tuesday
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Wednesday
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Thursday
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Friday
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Saturday
8:30 PM - 3:00 AM
Sunday
7:30 PM - 3:00 AM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
960 within 3 miles
Attractions
191 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Ewan PBogota, Colombia20 contributionsSalsa dancing CubaGreat night out with fantastic live salsa music from two excellent bands. $60.000 cover charge. Not much in the way of food and limited selection of beers. The artesanal was good. Large selection of expensive $50.000 cocktails. Great place to dance and learn some salsaVisited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 8, 2024
- FrankKansas City, Missouri20 contributionsHigher Prices, less local patronsMusic is great. The cover is now COP 60k and drink prices also have increased proportionally (Jan 2024). With the rising cover and cost for drinks you see less local patrons which is a minus. Much like for all Cartagena, the great appeal has worn off more than just a bit. I think Cafe Havana has gone from must-see to nice-to-see.Visited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 11, 2024
- Megan NOakland, California542 contributionsThe best money spent in CartagenaThe best 17 bucks that you will pay in Cartagena. I went there with my partner and we had a great time. The quality of music and the energy that this place brings in, will linger in you for a long time. It is mind blowing that most English speaking and Americans are complaining about the price where a simple ticket to a movie and popcorn cost more than that in their country. Yes, this place may not be for locals but brings a lot of business for them. Put your best dress on ladies, grab a few drinks elsewhere and head to this place, you will not regret it. Another tip: don’t order food. This place specializes in music not a destination for foodies.Visited January 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten January 21, 2024
- marctrombleHobart, Indiana318 contributionsGreat Salsa Music and DanceWalked by this place because it was always the busiest place in Getsemani. Came here on a Thursday and the place was packed. The night I came in the cover was $60,000 Colombian pesos. They had two bands that played this night. The music started right around 9:30 pm. By 10:00 pm the whole place was completely packed with travelers and locals. The music alone was fantastic but everyone salsa dancing was great to watch. I don’t Salsa dance but I was pulled up to the dance floor by a nice lady to dance. Even though I don’t Salsa we stilled had fun dancing. I wish I would have taken salsa dancing lessons before I went to Colombia. It comes in handy when you’re in Colombia. This was a great place and fun time with good drinks. a definite must if you are in Cartagena.Visited February 2024Traveled soloWritten February 17, 2024
- JasonNew York City, New York50 contributionsGreat music and salsa dancingwe stopped here on a weeknight while visiting getsemani area. Cover charge was 30$ per person. Drinks were decent. Food options were limited to some snacks. Music started around 7:30 pm and they had two bands playing that night. We got there around 7 so didn’t have any trouble being seated. The place wasn’t packed that night and there was no line to get in. Quality of music was great and it was fun to watch couples doing salsa ! I think the cover charge was totally worth and would recommend this experience to anyone visiting CartagenaVisited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
775 reviews
Excellent
323
Very good
243
Average
95
Poor
52
Terrible
62
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
Michelle L
Philadelphia, PA7 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
My boyfriend is Cuban so he was super excited to come here after hearing so many people rave about it, but unfortunately this place is a tourist trap. They do not play Cuban salsa and don’t have Cuban rum- despite having a wall full of Havana rum- which after inquiry were all empty. You can find this rum all over Cartagena, so why they didn’t serve it, we have no idea aside from cutting costs. We had a couple mojitos which were weak and not made proper with crushed mint and lime. They threw a few mint leaves in and put a lime/sugar mix in. They serve house made rum which we tasted straight and it was not good. This place cuts corners in quality to save and is expensive with a cover of $15 for two. The ladies on stage really put their hearts into dancing so I give an extra dot. If you’re thinking this is an authentic Cuban spot- it is not.
Written December 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
michaelinDC
washington dc6 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
OK. We are just back from Cartagena. It’s an amazing city to visit first of all. And, if you want to do the full experience, then I think you need to go to Casa Havana. There are many naysayers here because it is.” touristy”, and yes it is, but if you want to have a really fun night out of listening to a great Cuban band, fun, dancing in the aisles and between the tables, then there is no other place in Cartagena where you can be guaranteed to have all of those things.
A few words of caution, however. The site says it’s open every night but of course it’s not. Thursday, Friday and Saturday I know it is open. I’ve been unable to determine the other nights, but we went on a Tuesday night and it was definitely closed. The cost of entry is now 50,000 Colombian pesos and most of the reviews online say 20,000 or 30,000. However, remember that 50,000 pesos is approximately $10. A small price to pay to see a great band.
You can actually walk there from inside the wallEd Centro , but it’s less safe than within the walled city. That said we walked home at 2 AM without any problems, and we certainly looked like gringos!
You can also take a taxi to and from Casa Havana, but remember they’re going to try to cheat you. The price should be approximately 12,000 pesos each way at the most. I gave them 20,000 just because it seemed fair. But, they try to charge 50,000 each way.
I’ve heard that the band doesn’t start till nine, but we didn’t arrive until later so I can’t comment from personal experience. Enjoy it
A few words of caution, however. The site says it’s open every night but of course it’s not. Thursday, Friday and Saturday I know it is open. I’ve been unable to determine the other nights, but we went on a Tuesday night and it was definitely closed. The cost of entry is now 50,000 Colombian pesos and most of the reviews online say 20,000 or 30,000. However, remember that 50,000 pesos is approximately $10. A small price to pay to see a great band.
You can actually walk there from inside the wallEd Centro , but it’s less safe than within the walled city. That said we walked home at 2 AM without any problems, and we certainly looked like gringos!
You can also take a taxi to and from Casa Havana, but remember they’re going to try to cheat you. The price should be approximately 12,000 pesos each way at the most. I gave them 20,000 just because it seemed fair. But, they try to charge 50,000 each way.
I’ve heard that the band doesn’t start till nine, but we didn’t arrive until later so I can’t comment from personal experience. Enjoy it
Written March 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gilberto b
Armenia, Colombia27 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
This place is the antithesis of a salsoteca. They charge a cover of 60 thousand non-consumables. The drink is the most expensive I have ever seen, like 40 thousand for a small cocktail. The service was regular. It does not have a dance floor but rather small corridors that fill up quickly, mainly with gringos standing chatting with cocktails in hand and making themselves dance (not offensive), it is their culture.
But they advertise it as a place to dance, not just to listen to salsa.
The music is nothing out of this world, almost all Cuban salsa. No heavier salsa. I can only explain its success because of the place where it is, because of the decoration, which is very nice, and because they have a live Cuban salsa group.
The true salsotecas in my humble opinion, after knowing many in various cities (mainly in Cali), almost out of conviction that they are more "elegant" (so to speak) do not have such exorbitant and exclusive prices even if it is Cartagena. They have a dance floor and they play real salsa "to hit the tiles" even if it's not all the time.
It is an excellent place for many tourists, mainly foreigners. But don't let it be said that "it is a must-see place for the true salsero" as other people commented.
But they advertise it as a place to dance, not just to listen to salsa.
The music is nothing out of this world, almost all Cuban salsa. No heavier salsa. I can only explain its success because of the place where it is, because of the decoration, which is very nice, and because they have a live Cuban salsa group.
The true salsotecas in my humble opinion, after knowing many in various cities (mainly in Cali), almost out of conviction that they are more "elegant" (so to speak) do not have such exorbitant and exclusive prices even if it is Cartagena. They have a dance floor and they play real salsa "to hit the tiles" even if it's not all the time.
It is an excellent place for many tourists, mainly foreigners. But don't let it be said that "it is a must-see place for the true salsero" as other people commented.
Written April 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jennifers1980
Minneapolis, MN68 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
We were so looking forward to seeing live music and dancing but I was incredibly underwhelmed with, well, everything.
There was a cover to get in even though we arrived two hours before the music started.
The drinks took forever to order and weren’t very good.
And the staff... why do you all hate your lives?! Man, they were just full of attitude.
Once the music started we were basically ready to go if that tells you anything. I’m sorry to say that there’s another Cuban spot in the walled city that was ten times better and that’s where I would spend my time.
There was a cover to get in even though we arrived two hours before the music started.
The drinks took forever to order and weren’t very good.
And the staff... why do you all hate your lives?! Man, they were just full of attitude.
Once the music started we were basically ready to go if that tells you anything. I’m sorry to say that there’s another Cuban spot in the walled city that was ten times better and that’s where I would spend my time.
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie C
Moorestown, NJ67 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
It’s an authentic place for salsa dance. The door entry seems a bit high we had to pay $50k just to get in but the drink and food prices is not bad at all. The dance floor is very tight I wish they provide more space for people who wants to dance. The performances are great. There’re live bands, dancers. We had a great time there we danced the night away. Definitely recommend for couples.
Written November 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Faithalicious_x
London, UK740 contributions
Mar 2022 • Solo
There is live salsa music here from Thursday to Sunday, usually starting around 9. The earlier you come the more likely you are to be able to get a seat as it’s super popular.
I loved the live music, full band, 3 singers, great sound. A lot of dancing. I came alone but this was no issue at all - I had so much fun.
Definitely come here on one of your evenings in Cartagena.
I loved the live music, full band, 3 singers, great sound. A lot of dancing. I came alone but this was no issue at all - I had so much fun.
Definitely come here on one of your evenings in Cartagena.
Written March 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Megan N
Oakland, CA542 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
The best 17 bucks that you will pay in Cartagena. I went there with my partner and we had a great time. The quality of music and the energy that this place brings in, will linger in you for a long time. It is mind blowing that most English speaking and Americans are complaining about the price where a simple ticket to a movie and popcorn cost more than that in their country. Yes, this place may not be for locals but brings a lot of business for them. Put your best dress on ladies, grab a few drinks elsewhere and head to this place, you will not regret it. Another tip: don’t order food. This place specializes in music not a destination for foodies.
Written January 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcelle G
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Friends
On my last night in Cartagena, I decided to visit the famous Cage Havana to listen to some good music and enjoy my last night. I was truly disappointed and would have been better off walking around in the lively streets and spending time at one of the numerous bars and restaurants in Getsemani.
I did not have a reservation and didn't know I could make one. We arrived a bit after 9pm and the bar area was quite full. There were multiple empty tables but they all had reserve signs on them. I'm not sure what the process was for getting a table as I saw several people come in after us and were seated. It appeared that it was on a preferential basis on who you were but I cannot honestly say so. Maybe we weren't the right colour.
There were some very small barstools with one stool open here and there but very tight and people didn't seem to keen on wanting you to sit next to them. The staff was not too accommodating either. We did find one seat so my friend sat down and I stood for the entire time there. I did order a drink which was overpriced and I had to practically yell at the bartender to get both the bill and my change back.
The best part of this place was the music, the band was awesome. It was one of the main reasons I went but couldn't enjoy it. I ended leaving after an hour and walked around the lively Getsemani neighborhood.
I would not waste my time going back unless you're Latin and know how to salsa. Otherwise spend your money else where. The party bus seemed like a lot more fun that here!
I did not have a reservation and didn't know I could make one. We arrived a bit after 9pm and the bar area was quite full. There were multiple empty tables but they all had reserve signs on them. I'm not sure what the process was for getting a table as I saw several people come in after us and were seated. It appeared that it was on a preferential basis on who you were but I cannot honestly say so. Maybe we weren't the right colour.
There were some very small barstools with one stool open here and there but very tight and people didn't seem to keen on wanting you to sit next to them. The staff was not too accommodating either. We did find one seat so my friend sat down and I stood for the entire time there. I did order a drink which was overpriced and I had to practically yell at the bartender to get both the bill and my change back.
The best part of this place was the music, the band was awesome. It was one of the main reasons I went but couldn't enjoy it. I ended leaving after an hour and walked around the lively Getsemani neighborhood.
I would not waste my time going back unless you're Latin and know how to salsa. Otherwise spend your money else where. The party bus seemed like a lot more fun that here!
Written September 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ivana D
1 contribution
Jan 2023 • Solo
I can’t believe anyone would leave a bad review here. A 10 dollar cover charge is well worth it and I’d pay a lot more for the incredible experience. People expect to come to South America and get everything for little to no money. Back home for something like this you’d be paying hundreds of dollars.
Amazing performances, such high energy, great cocktails and service. Yes it gets crowded but most people know how to dance and can use a smaller amount of space to get their dance on. Antony at the bar is super professional and awesome. I am a solo female traveller and everyone was super friendly. I got invited to dance a bunch of times.
Amazing performances, such high energy, great cocktails and service. Yes it gets crowded but most people know how to dance and can use a smaller amount of space to get their dance on. Antony at the bar is super professional and awesome. I am a solo female traveller and everyone was super friendly. I got invited to dance a bunch of times.
Written January 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
F_L_PoA
Porto Alegre, RS264 contributions
Sep 2024 • Family
A good place to know the night of Cartagena. Several bands/songwriters turn around during the night. Joyful and fun Caribbean musical styles. From a certain time the attendees start dancing, which ends up a little annoying because the environment is small between the tables and the bar. Worth the experience. Slightly higher values of food (restricted) and beverages. Worth the experience.
Automatically translated
Written November 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Como hago una reservación?
Written May 20, 2023
Nelson
Medellin, Colombia
buenas ¿ me recomiendan cafe havana para ir solo y conocer gente (chicas locales o extrangeras) es buen sitio o solo van parejas alla , (prostitutas cartageneras no) gracias.
Written January 25, 2020
Gostaria de saber se funciona todos os dias
Written April 11, 2019
Funciona de quinta a sábado a partir das 21:00 hrs.
Recomendo chegar antes das 22:00 para pegar um bom lugar, no balcão em frente ao palco. Não aceitam reservas. Buen baile , que desfrute !
Written April 15, 2019
What is the address for Cafe Havana, Cartagena, Columbia?
Written March 24, 2019
Corner of Calle Media Luna and Calle del Guerrero | Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia
Written March 25, 2019
Creio que não reservam mesa pq está sempre lotado. O melhor é chegar cedo e aproveitar de sentar perto do palco. Demais!
Written February 23, 2019
Neste bar, cobram entrada ou cover artistico?
Written February 11, 2019
Sim, cobram! (Vale a pena reservar mesa antecipadamente)
Written February 12, 2019
Are children allowed here? We have a 9 year old with us on our trip.
Written November 26, 2018
precio de entradas ?
Written July 20, 2018
Showing results 1-10 of 16
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing