Mojito Mojito: Lunch near Plaza Vieja in Havana, Cuba

When I travel to new destinations, I rarely walk into a restaurant without doing some prior research or reading reviews. Additionally, even though I am a tourist myself, I tend to avoid eating at establishments that cater mainly to tourists. Therefore, when I came across Mojito Mojito, located near Plaza Vieja in Old Havana, Cuba, I had my reservations about the place.

While I don’t consider myself a foodie who enjoys fancy or costly cuisine, I tend to assume that eateries located in touristy areas will be underwhelming and overpriced. To make matters more complicated, visiting Cuba, my access to the internet was all but none. This made it difficult to look up reviews of restaurants on the fly.

Nevertheless, I approached the situation with an open mind and decided to give the restaurant a try. And I’m glad I did, as in the end, it turned out to be an excellent dining experience.

Interior of Mojito Mojito

The interior of Mojito Mojito was bright and airy thanks to tall ceilings, colorful walls, and large windows. Since it was a beautiful day in Havana, the doors and windows were open, allowing in a cool, fresh breeze. There were also fans hanging on the walls, ready for those hot and humid days.

The restaurant’s decor, featuring tiled floors, wooden tables, brick walls, and stone arches was quintessentially Cuban. The ambiance was both inviting and relaxed, making it the ideal spot to enjoy a meal and drink.

Additionally, there was outdoor dining available on the street in front of the restaurant. Outdoor dining would be great for people watching on a nice day.

Towards the rear of the dining room was a large bar serving cocktails, beer, and other drinks. While I did not sit at the bar on my visit, it seemed like a great place to enjoy a drink.

Another great thing about Mojito Mojito, as with many restaurants across Havana, was the band playing live music. There was something truly special about enjoying a cold drink on a beautiful day, eating great food in good company, and listening to the music.

Mojito Mojito Menu

As with many restaurants in Havana, the menu at Mojito Mojito was large with many options to choose from. While I usually post photos of the menu here, it was too large. So, to make things easier, you can view the entire menu at https://qrco.de/Proyeven.

For food, there were endless options to choose from. This included appetizers, meat dishes including chicken, beef, lamb, and pork, pasta, rice dishes, seafood, chef specialties, side dishes, and desserts.

For drinks, you had mojitos, cocktails, liquor, beer, wine, coffee, water, soft drinks, juices, and more.

And, as is customary in most restaurants in Havana, a 10% service charge was added to the final bill.

Fresh Chicken with Shrimp and Fruits (Pollo Fresco con Camarones y Frutas)

While there were many great options on the menu, I settled on the Fresh Chicken with Shrimp and Fruits (Pollo Fresco con Camarones y Frutas) (1275 CUP or about $8.23). The unconventional combination of ingredients caught my attention and made me curious to give it a try.

There were a few things I noticed before I took a bite. First, the portion size was larger than I had expected. Second, the dish was bright and looked appetizing. Finally, I was surprised to see everything on the plate covered in a thick, gravy-like sauce.

The sauce turned out to be curry based, which was unexpected in Cuba. It was rich, buttery, and delicious while coating each piece of chicken, shrimp, and fruit.

Surprisingly, the most basic component of the dish was the fresh chicken. Instead of being grilled, the large chunks of chicken breast were seemingly braised, resulting in a simple yet tender and moist texture. Equally delicious and simple were moist and tender pieces of fresh pink shrimp.

Mixed in with the shrimp and chicken were vegetables and fruits including papaya and starfruit. I found the large chunks of papaya to be creamy with a sweet, tropical, almost funky flavor. The starfruit had a crunchy yet tender texture with a sweet but tart flavor. Also mixed in were sautéed sweet onions and a root vegetable that reminded me of a potato, but thicker in texture.

Served on the side was a simple yet fresh slaw of cabbage, carrots, and cucumber. The crunchy texture of the slaw provided a refreshing contrast to the richness of the gravy and the sweetness of the fruits.

This dish is not something I would usually order. In the end, the combination of flavors and textures somehow worked out.

Service

I found the service at Mojito Mojito to be both friendly and efficient. While the staff, who were dressed in green, spoke limited English, they went out of their way to provide menu recommendations. And, the servers were always around when needed. Additionally, my food and drinks were delivered accurately and promptly.

Conclusion

Despite being located in a touristy area near Plaza Vieja, and without any prior knowledge of the restaurant, Mojito Mojito turned out to be a great choice.

While the Fresh Chicken with Shrimp and Fruits (Pollo Fresco con Camarones y Frutas) seemed like a strange combination, it surprisingly worked. The fresh chicken, tender shrimp, and sweet and funky fruits complemented each other to make a fresh and colorful dish. And, with a name like Mojito Mojito, the mojitos were top notch.

If you’re having trouble finding an affordable yet casual restaurant in the heart of Old Havana, with fresh, colorful dishes and live music, then Mojito Mojito is an excellent option.

Pros

• Fresh, delicious, and colorful plates
• Affordable for its great location
• Live music
• Outdoor dining

Cons

• None

Hours

Monday-Sunday: 10:00AM-11:45PM

Address

Muralla #162, Havana, Cuba
GPS Coordinates: 23.13546,-82.35062

Map