Habana Café
The café has a 1950s wannabe air to it. It's decorated with American classic cars (a Chevy, a Pontiac and a Buick), pictures of Hemingway and loads of pre-Revolutionary memorabilia. Live traditional music is played here on and off all day long and there's a show at 10pm from Monday to Saturday. Sunday nights feature first-rate bands such as Azur Negra, NG La Banda and Los Van Van. (These concerts usually start around 11pm.) Due to the high cover charge, this is pretty much a non-Cuban environment. The food is trying to be Hard Rock.

Havana's answer to Planet Hollywood, Planet Havana loses its soul in favour of polished American 1950s pastiche. The suave New York lounge-style seating area is furnished with a centrepiece replica Air Cubana jet. The tassle-shaking cabaret show kicks off from 2100. The vibe is inevitably touristy, owing to the pricey cover and the crop of Mélia guests not venturing off base. The bar serves overpriced, 6 CUC, poorly executed, cocktails. If money is no issue, Sunday is the best night, 25 CUC cover, when top local bands, including NG La Banda, draw a more impassioned audience.

Address: Hotel Meliá Cohiba, Paseo, entre 1ra y 3ra. Havana Vedado
Tel: 7 8333636
10 CUC min
Open: noon-4am daily

Hurón Azul/UNEAC
The Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) hosts various weekly cultural events in the patio and garden of its beautiful mansion headquarters. (The name, incidentally, means 'blue ferret'.) Saturday is bolero night (9pm-2am); Wednesdays (5-8pm) alternate between nueva trova and rumba; and Sundays (from 5pm) feature son or rumba. All events can be highly recommended, although the rumba seems to be the most popular. Quite apart from the music, you might want to check out the scene in the Hurón Azul's bar, which attracts an eclectic mix of local artists, intellectuals, tourists and jineteros.

This is the legendary bar of the Writers and Artists Trade Union of Cuba. It is still animated. It has a tranquil terrace where you can see many culture celebrities.

The headquarters of UNEAC (artists and writers union) is housed in a majestic, colonial mansion. An inviting intelligentsia hang-out, the lovely, welcoming bar hosts regular upbeat afternoon peñas. Wednesdays alternate between nueva trova and kicking rumba, 1700-2000. Sundays feature son or rumba from 1700, and Saturdays get more sultry with bolero 2100-0100. Popular with aspiring local bohos and visiting artistic talent, this is a very civilized spot for the meeting of minds and musical energy.

Address: Calle 17 #351, entre Presidentes (G) y H. Havana Vedado
Tel: 7 8324152
Free
Open: 5pm-2am daily

Imágenes Club
A perfect post-theatre, -movie or -cabaret venue. Live traditional and bolero music is played from 11pm onwards and light snacks and drinks are offered in the bar area. More substantial meals are also available in the restaurant.

A chi-chi French restaurant during its pre-revolutionary belle époque, this intimate, classy piano bar is a great place for a low-key evening. Kicking things off on the smooth side, 2130-2300, is local pianist maestro Mario Romeu, followed by nuevo imagen – the showcase for budding musical talent – and call-the-talent-police karaoke until 0130. The raunchy salsa disco until 0300 makes for a fun evening climax. Bargain 1.50 CUC cocktails.

Address: Calle Calzada #602, esquina a C. Havana Vedado
Tel: 7 8333606
5 CUC consumo mínimo
Open: noon-3am daily

Casa de las Infusiones
An all-female son group and a classical string quartet play on alternate days from noon to 5pm, and there's also often a son or salsa group (at 7pm Tuesday to Saturday, and from noon on Sundays). The Casa de las Infusiones is also known as La Columnata Egipciana (Egyptian Colonnade).

Just off Plaza de Armas, the tea house provides around-the-clock musical beats from old time maestros, and up-and-coming talent, to a happy crowd of tourists and local devotees. With plenty of seating, this is a great, unpretentious and relatively hassle-free place to mingle and relax.

Address: Calle Mercaderes, entre Obispo y Obrapia. Old Havana (Habana Vieja)
Open: 10am-10pm daily

Ipanema Club
If you're looking for a standard club with good air-conditioning, a reasonable cover, decently priced drinks and a good mix of Cuban and other beats, this is where you want to be

Address: Hotel Copacabana, Avenida 1ra, entre 44 y 46
Open: 10pm-4am daily

Irakere Jazz Club
In March 2004 the Rio Club-disco gave up its former name and concept to get back to its real vocation: the world of Jazz! Those who visited the island in the seventies might remember a club named Johnny's dream. Now its program offers again magnificent performances, mainly soloists and group releases which origins swift from national Cubans, international and jazz latino. The afternoon shows are dedicated to promote young talents (countless in Cuba). At night, "jam sessions" are performed by already well established artists. In Havana, Jazz addicts don't get to sleep!

Address: Calle 0 nº 314 entre 3ª y 3ª A, Havana Miramar. La Habana.
Tel: (7) 8293389