Yelp reviews

A recurring joke throughout the semester has been the creation of a Cuba Yelp page with reviews of restaurants, paladares, bars, venues and clubs. Usually our hypothetical ratings are low in the category of consistency, but high in ambiance. Cuba’s capital has only recently become a bustling city of privately-owned businesses; only a few years ago the state controlled almost every venue frequented by the many rum-drinking night owls of Havana. Of course, there are still parties and events staged and controlled by the state, such as the gay party El Café in the basement of the National Theatre, but more and more small, upscale bars are opening up around the city, such as King Bar in Vedado and Hugo’s in Miramar. Spaces like El Café and other gay bars with drag show events like club Las Vegas have opened up in recent years in an effort to control and monitor gay parties (in contrast to the previous underground drag shows that occurred in far out neighborhoods of Havana), as well as to get populations deemed subversive off public streets like la Rampa, where many gays and others still gather to drink a bottle of Havana Club on the Malecon. For those with money, concerts abound at upscale venues like Café Miramar and the Corner Café, as well as in larger spaces like the Bertol Brecht. Musicians from known bands like Habana Abierta and Interactivo often appear at many of the venues, playing solo shows and inviting others to jam with them for certain numbers. Another opportunity for going out is to chase the concerts and parties hosted by various universities around the city. Students at the Instituto Superior del Arte (ISA) often host shows to premiere their art and music, many of which end in raucous dancing around the pool at the center of campus. The University of Havana also hosts many events and parties for different occasions in their stadium, or at the nearby Playas del Este. Either way, it’s hard to be bored and without something to do every night in Havana. What’s interesting is to note what is private and what’s state-owned, compare their drink prices and atmosphere, and of course write your imaginary Yelp review for future visitors to consult.