A hearty Sunday Roast, lively outdoor setting, and standout live music make Havana Bar & Grill a compelling reason to revisit Changkat Bukit Bintang.
Changkat Bukit Bintang is consistently one of Kuala Lumpur’s most popular areas for dining and drinking, but perhaps like a lot of local residents – particularly those who don’t live in the area itself (or nearby) – we just don’t find ourselves there all that often. So when we recently visited Havana Bar & Grill for their alluring Sunday Roast, we were reminded of why it’s all so appealing, and ended up staying on well into the night. The great food and drinks were certainly part of it, but really, it was just the ambiance and the outstanding live music at Havana that kept us there.
Every Sunday, a live band takes the stage on Havana’s expansive outdoor patio, which can be covered or uncovered in a near-instant as the weather changes from hour to hour. It’s a great excuse to go in the mid-afternoon and just linger. The Sunday Roast is offered from 1 to 9pm and believe us when we tell you – the food is terrific. You can choose from a menu full of main course options from roasted lamb or fish and chips to the classic prime roast beef or a tempting steak-and-Guinness pie. There’s even a ‘big breakfast’ option if that’s your afternoon fancy.
The prices vary depending on your choice, but they’re all in a tight range from RM58 to RM64, and you will definitely not go away hungry. In addition to the generous main course, the roast is accompanied by cheesy cauliflower, roasted veggies, and an endless supply of outstanding Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes, and some of the best herbed gravy we’ve had in recent memory.
We call it a Sunday Roast, perhaps because that’s just the traditional name, but really, this is a weekend affair, as the roast is offered on Saturdays, too (from 2 to 6pm). But Sundays see the addition of live music, starting from around 4:30 or 5pm, and by nightfall, the place is jumping. We had an absolute blast. The bands are on a rotation, so you may get rock classic covers on one Sunday and some jammy blues the next. The talented local band Take Five was on the bill when we visited, and they were definite crowd-pleasers.
Service at Havana is absolutely top-notch, too, likely owing to a combination of long-time staff and the fact that there are plenty of them – enough to take good care of everyone. Friendly, welcoming, and if you are a regular in any sense of the word, they will surely remember you, too. It’s just a fine ambiance all around, among the very best in Changkat. We will point out that drink prices at Havana have long been on kind of the high end of bar prices along the street, but to us, you get what you pay for. The beers are fresh and cold, delivered with a bit of personality, there’s no 10% service charge added, and from the colours and décor to the plentiful plants to the general vibe itself, the whole atmosphere at Havana is second to none.
We had such an enjoyable time, we could only wonder why it had been so many months since our last visit. It’s not a mistake we’ll be making again. Havana Bar & Grill deserves to be top of mind anytime you’re looking for a good time out. And if you’re trying to wrap up a weekend with a genuinely fun evening, we recommend dropping by – come for the Sunday Roast, stay for the live music. Good times are guaranteed!
Location and Details
Havana Bar & Grill
2 & 4 Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur
T: 011.5587 6956
W: havanakl.com
Reservations accepted, walk-ins welcome
