Havana Deluxe

I like to think of Havanas as my little secret downtown hangout. It’s got an unassuming exterior so the door is easy to miss, but it’s right next to some of the busiest parts of South Glenwood. If you’re not comfortable inhaling cigarette/​cigar smoke, then this bar is definitely not for you.
It’s one of the most chill places downtown and awesome for a couple of drinks and playing a round of darts or watching the game on the projector screen. They’ve got plenty of seating and comfy couches to hang out on and even a special menu from a local food truck for philly cheesesteaks that you can text and they’ll deliver straight to your seat in Havanas. The crowd is a little older usually so there’s no drunk rambunctiousness found at the other clubs/​bars nearby.
Word of caution: try to use the bathroom elsewhere.

Havanas? More like HAVE-​FUN-​AS
First let me start by saying that I am a classical trained mixologist with over 20 years in the business and have opened PBR cans in both an informal and professional setting for a long time. Now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way…
What can I say that hasn’t already been said about Havana Deluxe? The head bartender Matt Reid has earned his spot as one of the best in Raleigh and the newcomer Mike has his eye set on employee of the month for sure. Normally a non-​smoker giving a cigar bar a review would only leave 1 star but much like the musk of the Kraken in full rut, the scent of cigar and whiskey brings out the Ron Swanson in me and I want to bare-​chest arm wrestle one of the fabulous libations Havana has to offer. I found the PBR to be sublime and rarely has a grape vodka bomb every been poured with such care and attention to detail. The staff has the perfect level of interaction here. They pop the top and then get out of the way, letting their handiwork speak for itself. Thank you Havanas for sending my palate on a journey that won’t soon be matched or forgotten!

Great place! Good cigar selection and good bourbon selection. Bartender was awesome!

The staff is friendly. Cigar selection is mediocre. I came in on a Saturday night. Thinking it was going to be a classy lounge like I’m used to and it simply isn’t. Then as I’m sitting down observing the bar, I see what appears to be some bikers with cut off leather jackets/​shirts. Then one of them greets the other with the Nazi «Hail Hitler» Salute. By this time I’m growing ever uncomfortable. Maybe it’s just a one time thing. However they seem to be regulars by their demeanor. Also, I came dressed pretty nice thinking it was going to be a more mature feel to it, but naaah!!! I could’ve come in sweats or shorts and a ball cap. I can’t say I’ll be returning. The culture is as casual as another pub. That’s what it should be called. The Cigar Pub! Ehhh! Not impressed.

Best bar in Raleigh
–You can smoke inside, but its never super smoky
–the pours are generous and reasonably priced
–its never too loud to hear the person sitting next to you, or across from you for that matter
–TV’s but not too many TVs.
–Dart board.
–Comfortable leather chairs and couches
–the lighting of a dive bar youd see in a movie
And most importantly;
–its never too crowded to find a seat, even on the weekends
Now, that last point is important to preserve, so DONT ANY OF Y’ALL START COMMING HERE! Actually, disregard this whole review! The place is terrible! Stay away! STAY AWAY!
Seriously though, best damn bar in Raleigh.

I try to stay away on Friday & Saturday nights as I actually enjoy being here when it is less packed. Every bartender will answer to the name Mike, even the female LOL! Great scotch available, cigars on hand, leather couches… What more could you ask for?

Very cool cigar bar. The selection is not huge, but is good and the dude is very knowledgeable. Full bar. The ventilation system is great, which is huge for a cigar bar. It is also pretty much the only cigar bar in the area.

Best kept secret in Raleigh. If you don’t like this place you’re probably not the type of person the crowd enjoys…
TIP YOUR BARTENDERS. The owner and bartenders here are some of the best and the bourbon selection unparalleled.
The regulars will call you out if you don’t tip. (I know I will anyways… 20% minimum)
Low key. Relaxing. Family environment.

If you are into cigar smoking, this is a great place. The drinks are excellent, and we met some very nice folks. The atmosphere is cool and relaxed here, a bit less hectic than the surrounding places on Glenwood Avenue. We enjoyed it very much.

This is a great place to relax with a cigar. The people are friendly. The prices of the cigars are extremely reasonable and not much above retail. The alcohol is plentiful, well priced and the bar is well stocked. The crowd is friendly. Strike up a conversation. The ventilation system is on point for a cigar bar so there isn’t an oppressive amount of smoke hanging around. The only thing I’d say is that using kitchen matches to light your cigar is not the best idea. I wish they had nicer table lighters and professional cigar lighting equipment. That being said I bring my own and am very happy.

I don’t actually want anyone to know about this place beyond the appropriate number of customers required to keep them highly profitable, so that they can happily continue to exist.
Situated just off of the bro-​fest and «WOOOOO» girl land that is Glenwood Ave is this sketchy looking (on the outside) haven of delicious whiskey, good bartending, smoke, and black-​walled cigar lounge cool. I was very skeptical until I actually walked in.
Others have mentioned how down-​to-​earth they are — yes, this place is the real deal. Forget the trendy speakeasies being ushered in by the agents of gentrification, these guys would have been the best darn speakeasy in town.
They make a mean old-​fashioned, too, and are excellent at riffing off that theme of drink.

Stopped back in to one of my old stomping grounds a couple weeks ago and all those great memories came back. The smell of cigars and sipping on a delicious martini ahhh so good. Well except this visit I was sipping on beer and the cigar smoke was a little too much for me, what can I say I’m getting old:)
Havana’s just rocks it’s one of the places I first remember going to on Glenwood South and I’m so happy to see that they are still there. I love the bar, it’s dark and spacious and never too crowded. It’s also one of the few places you can still smoke cigarettes inside if that’s your thing. They have a decent beer selection, wine, and of course some yummy cocktails, and bourbon.
For a laid back night out Havana’s is your place. Want to grab a drink before or after dinner well then don’t forget Havana’s it’s the perfect spot to chill or bring a date.

Straight up… one of my favorite cigar bars ever. Down-​to-​earth, no bullshit, actually really good bullshit going on at the bar, and great service and atmosphere. Plus I love the place who’s biggest sign on their door and entrance reads no handguns allowed. Brilliant.

So… the bartenders rock. Mike and Mike kill it. Best in town. Also, if there’s a bar after the bar, then it’s this place. It seems to be the finishing point point for a lot of folks. But don’t let that stop you from letting it be your starting point as well. It’s a classic spot for most all occasions.

Excellent place for a cigar! It’s a lounge bar not a cigar store so the selection wasn’t huge, but still pretty good. I usually smoke Ashton or Monte Cristo, but they didn’t carry those. We always ask about LG because they are difficult to find and it never hurts to ask. While they didn’t carry them, they had at least heard of them. The bartender knew his cigars and we trusted his recommendations. A Fuente short story for me and a Casa Blanca for my husband. The Fuente was great and the Casa Blanca was good.
We sat down at the bar and got waters, my husband never drinks and it’s rare if I do. The bar tender was attentive and kept the water topped off all evening. I’ve ran out of water while smoking and to keep my water full the whole time is a huge plus. The ventilation is good, the music fairly low, and we could carry conversation without problem.
The bar tender was telling us how they usually have a mellow crowd, when a group of not so mellow men came in. They were a little loud, but not rude and ordered old fashioneds. I’m used to cigar bars where the bar tender looks at you funny for ordering something offbeat, but he made them up properly without flinching. I was impressed, ordered one myself, and was even more impressed.
We will definitely be returning when we need to relax with a cigar.

Do you smoke? This is as good as it gets.
All the bartenders are named Mike. Even Heather is named Mike. If you want to talk about post-​punk bands we’ve seen and vaguely remember, Dr. Who, pairing good Scotch or lousy Bourbon with a cigar, 3D printers, bit-​coin exchanges, hockey, Canada or any number of sundry important and topical subjects… and if you can hold your own… and don’t come across all douchey… you’ll have a ton of fun here.
The clientele is… varied…Spider Robinson might have written Calahan into Havana’s. Many nights there’s Jeopardy… followed by hockey… football in season… rarely baseball…
The couches are over-​rated.
If the phone rings and Mike answers he won’t tell your wife if you’re there… or if you’ve been there… or that you’ve just left. He won’t tell her anything. He just wants you to be happy…

Last night, my friends and I were discussing where to watch the Canes game. We were tired of sports bars. I sent a tweet to Havana Deluxe to see if they would have the game on and they responded very quickly! As promised, the game was on the big screen when we arrived. We were thrilled with the scotch selection as well. The bartender and the other patrons were friendly.
This is a cigar bar, so be prepared for the smoke. I didn’t partake, but just being their caused the smell to stick to my clothes and hair. Small price to pay for a good time though. We will definitely return!

This place was super dead on a Saturday night. Maybe this is a place to end up when you are tired of dancing. Will have to return and check it out another night.

If you want a nice cigar and a glass of bourbon to go with it, you can have this and more at Havana Deluxe. A private club, it has an exemption to the no-​smoking policy for all bars and restaurants in North Carolina.
While this might be enough to get any smoker into the joint, I like this place because of the service. Our bartender and tobacco specialist was great at helping me pick out a cigar and kept my glass full.
They have the required leather couches to sit and chill in. The ventilation seems good. If you’re on Glenwood South and looking to do something a bit different, then I’d recommend Havana Deluxe — assuming you like cigars of course.

Remember the days when cigars and cigar bars were all the rage? Well Havana Deluxe is one of the few spots in Raleigh (Amras is the other choice) where you can still light up your stogie, down a scotch and have a chill conversation without screaming over to your table-​mate! It’s tucked away off of Glenwood so Havana Deluxe attracts a slightly different crowd which is a good thing. On Saturday night, the place was half-​full with a 25 — 40 crowd enjoying cigars and some cocktails. There are a handful of TV’s to keep you up with the latest scores but otherwise it was a relaxed, cigar bar scene.
Best part of Havana Deluxe were the bartenders. They poured their drinks well and were friendly, a nice plus! So what can I say but it’s a nice little spot to start or end your evening. Just be prepared for a bit of cigar smoke! And while I have definitely smoked some cigars at times, it’s not always an easy thing to inhale somebody ELSE’s cigar smoke!