I'm having a hard time making a call for Havana's because each floor seems to be a different venue and I'd mark them each with a different rating. The regular Havana's floor is a bit of a nightmare, typical ancient nightclub in Cork and can draw a bit of a rough crowd. That one gets no more than a two star. On the other hand the two floors above that are completely different in vibe and music and everything. The middle part is the Hidden Attic and it's a bit hipster and the vibe is a little dull. Great place to sit around with a drink and still listen to the same kind of music that's playing in the other two floors without the pressure to be up and dancing, but I'd prefer a quiet pub if you're not going to dance.
Then the third floor is the golden egg, the Secret Garden. It's a super cool venue, part beer garden, part old fashioned sitting room. The key night is a Monday-- very studenty but a great vibe. It's not massive and it gets a bit rowdy on the dancefloor by the end of the night-- plus the bar is always three deep at least. However the music is by far the best I've ever heard in Cork, total mix of oldies stuff, hip-hop and the decent chart stuff- no ridiculously long dance intros and no cutting the songs off before the best part. I had an absolutely brilliant night here.
So I'm giving a three star for the overall venue but definitely check out Secret Garden for their Monday nights. read more