The Havanna Lounge
Paramaribo's Cuban-inspired late-night hideaway where salsa, rum, and cigar smoke keep the night rolling past 1am.
Why Go
Tucked onto a quiet stretch of Van 't Hogerhuysstraat in Beekhuizen, The Havanna Lounge trades the noisy strip for something more grown-up ΓÇö a chic, dimly lit room that leans hard into Havana's rum-and-cigar mythology while pulling in a mixed crowd of Surinamese regulars, expats, and travelers who want a real night out rather than a tourist show.
The Experience
You slip in from a residential street and the room shifts key ΓÇö warm lighting, Latin rhythms threading through the speakers, a bar stocked deep with rum, and just enough polish in the crowd to make you glad you swapped the flip-flops for something smarter. Early evening it plays as a lounge: low tables, cocktails, conversation, the odd cigar drifting past. Then the DJ leans in, the tempo climbs, and by late Thursday or the weekend the floor is a proper mix of salsa, reggae, and hip-hop with locals dancing like they mean it. It's less a club and more a night that keeps unfolding ΓÇö the kind of place where one drink turns into staying till closing without quite noticing.
What to Try
Order a rum flight or a classic Cuban cocktail ΓÇö a mojito, daiquiri, or an old-fashioned built on aged rum ΓÇö and settle in with a cigar if you're inclined; that's the DNA of the place. If you're here on a Thursday, plant yourself near the floor before the salsa set that runs to 1am, then let the DJ pull the room into reggae and hip-hop. Weekends bring the strongest live-music and DJ nights, so time your visit accordingly.
Insider Tip
Thursdays are the local secret ΓÇö the salsa crowd shows up early and the vibe is more authentic than the weekend tourist mix. Come around 10pm to grab a good spot at the bar or a small table before it fills, and dress smart-casual (no beachwear or shorts) ΓÇö the room reads as upscale-lounge, and the staff and regulars notice. Cash in SRD moves faster than cards, and there's onsite parking if you're driving in.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Van 't Hogerhuysstraat 13, Paramaribo (Beekhuizen neighborhood), Suriname. Phone: +597 402258. Style: upscale lounge / nightclub with cocktail bar and cigar culture. Peak nights: Thursday (salsa till 1am, then reggae/hip-hop) and weekends (live music and DJs). Dress code: smart-casual. Parking: available on site. Best reached by taxi from the historic center ΓÇö it's a short ride but the street is quiet and easy to miss. Bring cash (SRD) as a backup.
Pair It With
- 'T Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Classic Paramaribo pre-game ΓÇö grab a Parbo beer and bitterballen on the terrace at Waaggebouw before catching a cab over to Havanna once the night gears up.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Solid dinner nearby so you can line the stomach with a proper meal before switching into cocktail-and-cigar mode at the lounge.
- 101 Suites Guide — Convenient walk-back-to-bed option in the same corner of town if you'd rather not worry about a late-night taxi after closing.