- makmak
- First Reviewer
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 3
- Reviews
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2
- Photos
El Floridita
- December 23, 2004
- Rated 5 of 5 by
fizzytom from Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Plush surroundings of red velvet seats and an elegant bar greet the visitor to El Floridita. This was by far the most sumptuous bar we visited in Havana, with prices to reflect that. This is where Ernest Hemingway came to sip a daiquiri (or three), and they don't let you forget it! There's a bronze statue of him (do the touristy thing and have your pic taken standing beside him) and plenty of photographs on the wall. There's also the chance to buy t-shirts advertising the connection between this place and the author. While drinks are more expensive here, the surroundings make it worthwhile, and even the musicians are better. Complimentary fried plantain chips also help to take the sting out of the prices. Service is swift and attentive, and the red-liveried staff are perhaps the best in Havana—a far cry from the indifferent service you'll get elsewhere. If you're not eating here, take a look behind the red velvet drapes into the rather charming dining room—very 1950s and very evocative! There are usually coach parties here during the day, but for a bar in Habana Vieja, this is surprisingly roomy, and you can sit at the bar or at a table. Whichever you choose, this is an unmissable sight. I almost didn't bother, but I am so glad I did!
From journal Havana, A Great Time!
Ernest Hemingway Cafe
- January 29, 2003
- Rated 4 of 5 by
spanishflea from Red Deer, Alberta
It was interesting. You can see the exact stool that Ernest Hemingway sat on...wow. Do not expect a life changing experience from this bar, it is filled with tourists cooling off from the heat with a beer in hand and tips about the Havana that they have seen. Great place to meet other travelers but not a real Cuban experience.
From journal Havana
El Floridita
- June 6, 2000
- Rated 4 of 5 by
makmak from new york, New York
Supposedly the birthplace of the daiquiri, it was by far the best daiquiri I have ever encountered (and I have had a lot!). El Floridita was another of Hemingway's haunts on the island. The décor is very ostentatious and had a Czarist-Russian feel. Much more mellow. There is a restaurant in the back.
From journal Americans in Cuba