We enjoyed a cheap meal in the fully air conditioned La Bonita Restaurant in Centro Havana for $17.95 CUC, including Pina Coladas. Service was really good and no extra 10% tax or extra’s added to the bill.
On our walk to the Malecon we often passed La Bonita Restaurant with the very friendly waiter standing out front trying to get customers in by waving his menu at us and explaining there is no extra 10% tax.
One day we decided to go in and take a look, it was freezing in there, better take some warm clothes if we come back. Took a look at the menu and it was cheap enough.
A few days later we decided to try out the meals at La Bonita Restaurant. The menu is farily similar to a lot of other restaurants which is fine so long as the food was nice.
Seating
La Bonita is a small restaurant with 3 round tables seating 4 plus 2 booths in the front, then tucked around the corner right under the air con are another 3 booths. As the other tables were full we went around the back and asked for the air con to be turned off which they had no hesitation in doing.
We asked the waiter what the 10% tax that other restaurants charged was for, and was it a government requirement, he said no requirement, there is no extra tax they have to pay. It’s just another way the restaurants can get an extra 10% out of you for absolutely no reason.
Eating Experience
I ordered the breaded chicken and Garry got the lemon fish. We ordered 2 local national beers and instantly got asked if wed like to try the very best Pina Colada’s in town instead.
At $3 each we decided to try them. Sometimes for this price they come in a really small glass but not today, it was a decent sized glass and tasted great.
My breaded chicken was very much like Schnitzel, quite tender and heaps of it, I had to give Garry some. It also came with what they call black rice which is cooked in red wine with some beans in it. This was great to. Garry enjoyed his fish.
Our Opinion
We would go back to La Bonita Restaurant, great cheap night out. Cost of full meal, Breaded Chicken – $5.95, Lemon Fish – $6 with 2 Pina Coladas came to $17.95 CUC.
Restaurant Photos
