Review – Revolución de Cuba

Cuba is cool. They smoke cigars, the cars are old, and they hate America. This bar on Mappin Street is pretty cool too.

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Price: ££££

Atmosphere: 4 stars

Likelihood of flamboyant shirts: High

Revolución de Cuba is as rebellious as sounds. It serves rum in teapots. It serves burritos the size of shoes. And it’s open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s enough to make Fulgencio Batista turn in his grave.

Louis Armstrong once asserted that it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. Fortunately, Rev de Cuba does have that swing. And it’s live. Every Wednesday. The music is great. And it makes you feel dead classy. If you’re into dancing, you can do some of that too. Or you can just sit and watch the regulars who are, undoubtedly, better than you at it. But don’t worry, with a free salsa class every Thursday, you’ll be ready to rumba in no time.

Barrels instead of tables – quirky, but where do you put your legs?

The drinks aren’t exactly cheap. So keep an eye out for the discount cards offered by some clubs and societies. Otherwise you’re looking at £5-7 for a rum cocktail. But they’re really nice. And they pack a punch. The flavoured rum shots are good too.

It’s a far cry from the other revolution happening across West Street – Vodka Revs – best avoided at all costs unless you like waiting 15 minutes for a cocktail and smears of orange down your favourite flowery shirt.

So stick to Rev de Cuba. Bring your date here, flip open the cigars, go back outside to smoke them, and fool them into you’re cooler than you really are.