El Chanchullero

El Chanchullero, Havana: Worth Booking?

El Chanchullero earns a direct yes for food and wine enthusiasts willing to seek it out on Teniente Rey in Old Havana. It sits in a category of Havana paladares (privately run restaurants) that punch well above Cuba's state-restaurant baseline, and for travelers prioritising character over polish, it delivers. If you want a dressed-up dining room with a concierge to hold your hand, look at La Guarida instead. El Chanchullero is for the explorer who wants the real thing.

The Venue

The address on Teniente Rey, between Bernaza and El Cristo, puts it deep in the historic core of Old Havana, a neighbourhood where the architecture does the scene-setting without any help from the restaurant. Paladares in this part of the city have expanded and improved considerably over the past decade as Cuba's private restaurant sector has opened up, and El Chanchullero has moved with that shift. The room is informal in the way that well-worn family-run spaces tend to be, which is an asset here rather than a deficit.

On wine: Cuba is not a wine-producing country, and any paladar's wine list is shaped almost entirely by what can be imported under the island's supply constraints. El Chanchullero, like its stronger peers in Havana, tends to work with what is available rather than curating a depth-first cellar. For the wine-focused traveler, this is worth knowing before you arrive. Manage expectations on selection breadth, and focus instead on the food-and-drink pairing logic the kitchen applies to what it has. Rum, by contrast, is where Cuba genuinely excels, and any serious visit should factor that in alongside the food. If wine program depth is your primary driver, Havana as a destination will consistently underdeliver compared to, say, a trip to Buenos Aires or a meal at Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler.

The food format is Cuban paladar cooking, which means generous portions, local ingredients, and dishes that reflect what the market allows on any given week. That unpredictability is part of the experience rather than a flaw. Travelers who have eaten at places like Emeril's in New Orleans or Le Bernardin in New York City will notice immediately that the operational model here is categorically different. El Chanchullero is not trying to be those restaurants. It is trying to be a good Cuban paladar, and on those terms it succeeds.

Booking is easy by Havana standards. Walk-in availability is realistic at most times, though showing up early in the evening reduces any wait. No website or phone number is publicly confirmed in our data, so book through your hotel concierge or a local guide contact if you want certainty. For broader planning, see our full Havana restaurants guide.

Practical Details

• Location: 457 A bajos Teniente Rey, between Bernaza and El Cristo, Old Havana
• Booking difficulty: Easy. Walk-ins are viable; hotel concierge booking adds certainty.
• Dress code: Casual. Old Havana heat and informal room mean smart-casual at most.
• Leading for: Solo diners, couples, small groups, food-and-culture explorers
• Wine note: Cuban import constraints limit selection. Rum is the stronger local choice.
• Nearby: El Patio, La Bodeguita Del Medio, El del Frente
• Also consider: Our full Havana bars guide for post-dinner rum options

Quick reference: Easy walk-in paladar in Old Havana, casual dress, limited wine list, strong local character.

FAQ

• Can I eat at the bar at El Chanchullero? Seating configurations in Havana paladares are generally flexible and informal. El Chanchullero's layout is typical of Old Havana paladar spaces, where bar or counter seating is usually available alongside table seating. Arriving solo and asking for bar seating is a reasonable approach, though the specific layout is not confirmed in our data. Solo diners at Havana paladares rarely have trouble being accommodated.
• Does El Chanchullero handle dietary restrictions? No confirmed menu or contact details are in our data, so we cannot verify specific dietary accommodation policies. In practice, Havana paladares operate with limited advance communication options compared to restaurants in cities with open internet access. If dietary restrictions are serious, carry a written card in Spanish explaining your needs. Cuban paladar kitchens are typically small and flexible but cannot guarantee separation of ingredients the way a restaurant with a large brigade might.
• Can El Chanchullero accommodate groups? Small groups of four to six are a practical fit for most Old Havana paladares. For larger parties, contact through your hotel concierge is the most reliable approach since no confirmed direct booking method is available in our data. Groups wanting a more confirmed private-room option should also consider La Cocina de Esteban, which has a slightly more formal setup for larger bookings.
• What should I wear to El Chanchullero? Casual. Old Havana in the heat means most visitors are in lightweight clothing, and the paladar format does not call for anything more formal. Smart-casual is more than sufficient. There is no dress code to navigate here in the way you might at Atomix in New York City or a Michelin-level room.
• Is El Chanchullero good for solo dining? Yes. Solo dining is one of this venue's stronger use cases. Paladares in Old Havana are generally welcoming to solo travelers, the informal setting removes any awkwardness, and the neighbourhood gives you plenty to explore before and after the meal. For solo visitors who want a broader evening, pair dinner here with a stop covered in our Havana bars guide or check what's on at Cabaret Tropicana for the full Havana experience.