Havana Restaurants

Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote

#413 of 413 things to do in Havana

#49 of 49 cuban restaurants in Caribbean Islands

2 reviews | Write a review

Good for: feeling like to be scammed

Not good for: everyone, Everything else

  • Address
    • Amistad No 211 btwn Neptuno & San Miguel
  • Phone
    • 07 863 6172
  • Hours
    • noon-midnight

Correct these details

Lonely Planet review for Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote

Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote charges CUC$6 for most meals. The portions are large, the staff speak English, and you can enjoy your pork and rice amid the cheerful clutter of crowded Centro Habana.

 

Traveller reviews for Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote (2)

  • Avatar
    To write a review sign in, register or   Connect_light_large_long
    Recommend
     
    Add your experience “ ”
    Say more…
  • Avatar

    Beware of fraud!!

    szaki does not recommend this,

    I have to agree with 'erlkonig'. Good only if you miss feeling like to be cheated in Cuba. We have been charged CUC$5 instead of 10 what still accounted for 50% of our small bill and exactly as it was described above - the owner suddenly forgot foreign language when we tried to argue...
    What is more there was no water in the toilet, hence not possible to use is. The toilet was very sleazy.

    Good for: feeling like to be scammed

    Not good for: everyone

    report
  • Avatar

    A deliberate rip-off. Greedy and dishonest

    erlkonig does not recommend this,

    First of all, the place is not cheap anymore. The cheapest meal out there is now CUC$15. The prices of drinks are now on-par with the prestigious Paladar La Guardia, though they provide only local drinks but charges import prices (e.g. CUC$2 for a small bottle of water). The food was mediocre as well. I can live with all those as they're marked as such on the menu and I wouldn't expect great food from a typical paladar.

    The ultimate surprise came when we got the bill - they decided instead of adding 10% service charge as some higher-end paladares (though it's nowhere to be posed as one) usually did, they charged us a hefty CUC$10 instead - for the food and drinks we have ordered that amounted to 30% of our bill. First I asked the owner why charging so much for service, he first claimed that it's a tax that every paladar customer has to pay. I replied that it must a joke because for the whole week I travelled across the country I have never charged an extra tax for food. He then became as if he no longer understood English and showed me the "bilingual" menu that I used before. At the bottom written in SPANISH ONLY, that to be charged "10" for service. Yes I understood Spanish, but wasn't that 10% that some restaurants usually charged? Surprise surprise! That "10" actually means CUC$10. An American tourist sitting at the opposite table caught off guard by the bill as well (and I think he was forced to change USD at predatory US$1 = CUC$0.80 as well because he didn't bring enough convertibles to cover this very service charge)

    I guess it's just another sad combination of fame brought up by travel guides like LP and owner's greed. The owner would probably think that he would make extravagant money just to rip off travellers once as long as travel guides keep recommending them to fall into him, plus many of them would travel to Cuba/Havana only once anyway. He has neglected the fact that the Internet has become the most powerful word-of-mouth now - like the Thorn Tree forum and the user review page here (it isn't surprising since it's very difficult for average Cubans to go online, if ever possible). I trust LP (and other respectable guide books) is responsible and this paladar will soon drown among the sea of hundreds of unknown restaurants and paladares in the city.

    Good for: feeling like to be scammed

    Not good for: Everything else

    report