Havana Social Club

By LESLEY T+LLEZ / Quick

Membership at Havana Social Club has its privileges.

For $3,000 a year, visitors to the Victory Park cigar and rum bar receive a private, engraved cigar locker; a $1,250 credit to spend on drinks and smokes; a leather cigar case and accessories; and access to a table anytime.

If the place is crowded, nonmembers are stuck staring longingly at the reserved signs.

People who aren't cigar fans might be intrigued enough to try one. There are chocolate and vanilla flavors, and a special house blend made by a cigar roller who visits on weekends.

The place is small, so expect to stand if you arrive late.

On a recent Friday around 10 p.m., we found two seats at the bar and a patient, friendly bartender.

He indulged my rum-tasting whims - Havana has more than 45 types - and offered me a sip of Matusalem 15. It was smooth with a hint of vanilla. A hefty glass on the rocks wasn't cheap ($15), but when in Havana ...

The bar isn't overtly Latin-themed, so it feels somewhat authentic. Brassy salsa horns blared from the speakers, and images from Cuban neighborhoods were projected onto one wall.

Low black-leather couches and deep-red walls give the place an upscale look. A flat-screen TV broadcast that night's Mavericks game at American Airlines Center next door.

The cigar-loving crowd appears to be quiet and mature. Most folks we saw were 25 and up, and they sipped and talked and puffed.

The smoke factor is manageable. Just be prepared to take your coat to the dry cleaner the next day.

Plan your life

WHAT TO WEAR: It's pretty open. The bar aims for an upscale atmosphere, so you may want to ditch the T-shirt.

WHAT THE MUSIC IS LIKE: Merengue, salsa, Latin jazz

SMOKING: Yep.

PARKING: Valet is available next to Victory Tavern. With validation, it's $8.

COVER: None

Published in The Dallas Morning News: 01.18.08