OLD HAVANA'S SAN JUAN BAR & GRILL
A great place to grab a bite to eat on your Cuba Tours
2018!
Old Havana is full of touristy, overpriced restaurants that are best avoided, whether they’re private or state owned. This place isn’t one of them! From the modern and nicely appointed interior, to the quality of the food and service, this place would be considered a great restaurant anywhere, but it’s a standout in Cuba. The food is very good, with typical Cuban dishes and a few with some Cuban/international fusion. Try the tamales and mariquita tapas, and then move on to heavier dishes like pork chops and grilled fish. They’re all great!
As the name states San Juan is a bar and grill, and the bar is almost right on the street, and though it’s not big, it is nice and well stocked. The drinks are mixed well, and the beers are cold. We’ll see how long it stays open! Prices here are average for this type of private restaurant in Old Havana, with a typical full course lunch with drinks costing about $15 CUC.
San Juan Bar & Grill is on San Juan de Dios Street, between Habana and Aguiar. You won’t need reservations, at least not yet, and the phone number is 7 864 7422. It’s a couple of blocks from La Bodeguita del Medio and just across the park is Helado d’Oro on Aguiar Street, which has the best ice cream in Cuba.
By Frank Gonzalez