Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Washington, D.C. The Cuban Embassy's Hemingway Bar
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

The Cuban Embassy's Hemingway Bar

When it opened during the final years of the embargo, all the drinks and cigars were free.

Washington, D.C.

Added By
Elliot Carter
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The embassy.   Difference engine/CC BY-SA 4.0
The embassy.   Elvert Barnes/CC BY-SA 2.0
The embassy.   Map Data © Google 2017
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Cuban Embassy on 16th Street in Washington, D.C. has repeatedly found itself on the front line of our foreign relations with the island nation over the past century. During the Cold War it was the site of several acts of anti-Castro terrorism. With the recent easing of tensions, a new mixological addition has accompanied the restored diplomatic relationship.

The Embassy has continued to reflect the tone of U.S.-Cuban relations. As tensions between the two countries thawed in 2011, the embassy offered up some "Daiquiri Diplomacy" and opened an exclusive bar on the top floor dedicated to Ernest Hemingway.

Hemingway, revered in both countries, once lived in Cuba and had a good relationship with Fidel Castro. In an interview with CNN, Ambassador Jose Ramon Cabanas described how as a child, "when we learn English in Cuba, we learn it through what [Hemingway] wrote, his pieces of literature." The gesture was a peace offering of friendship.

The Hemingway bar has terracotta floors, traditional wooden fans, and is lined with photographs of the famous author. When it opened during the final years of the embargo, all the drinks and cigars were free because money couldn’t change hands between Americans and Cubans. Unfortunately, the bar isn't open to the general public.

The diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Cuba didn't always go down as smoothly as the cocktails served at the embassy's bar. Though U.S.-Cuban relations prospered in the first half of the 20th century, the relationship deteriorated after the Cuban Revolution, eventually resulting in an embargo. Official diplomatic relations terminated in 1961 and the Cuban ambassador packed up and left Washington. Comrades from the Czechoslovakian Embassy thoughtfully served as house sitters over the next decade. During this tenure, the Post reported that, “shrubbery in front was damaged by Molotov cocktails allegedly hurled by Cuban veterans of the Bay of Pigs fighting.”

In 1974 a string of airplane hijackers demanded to be flown to Havana, and the two countries recognized the need for some base level of cooperation. The Cuban diplomats again returned to their DC location, but this time with limited privileges. The building was technically an Interest Section, described by The Atlantic as a “sort-of-embassy,” and the diplomatic staff weren’t allowed to travel beyond the Capital Beltway or the Dulles corridor.

The Cuban Interest Section building was bombed twice more by anti-Castro terrorists in 1978 and 1979. Luckily, no one was injured and the damage was limited to broken windows and a mangled air conditioner.

Architectural firm Macneil & Macneil designed the stately three-story embassy building in 1916, two decades after Cuba gained its independence. Before that, the Cuban diplomats occupied a smaller brownstone mansion at 1750 Massachusetts Avenue.

Related Tags

Embassy Cuba Architecture Mansions Alcohol History Government Ernest Hemingway Food

Know Before You Go

Unfortunately, the bar is not open to the public. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Elliot Carter

Edited By

Collector of Experiences

  • Collector of Experiences

Published

August 28, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
The Cuban Embassy's Hemingway Bar
2630 16th Street NW
Washington, District of Columbia
United States
38.92419, -77.036888
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Warder-Totten House

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Washington Family Church National Cathedral

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Serenity Statue

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

United States

Places 285
Stories 50

Nearby Places

Warder-Totten House

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Washington Family Church National Cathedral

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Serenity Statue

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

United States

Places 285
Stories 50

Related Places

  • Mexico City, Mexico

    La Casa de los Azulejos

    Once home to an aristocratic family and a workers' organization, this intricately tiled building now houses a chain restaurant.

  • Sethi House Complex

    Peshawar, Pakistan

    Sethi House

    A rare instance of a historical Peshawari mansion restored and opened to the public.

  • Bishop’s Palace.

    Galveston, Texas

    Bishop's Palace

    This private mansion turned Catholic bishop’s home is an iconic Galveston building.

  • Pune, India

    Vishrambaug Wada

    Spread across an area of 20,000 square feet, the grand mansion is a fine example of Peshwa architecture.

  • View to the manor house

    Ungurmuiža, Latvia

    Ungurmuiža Manor

    One of the best-preserved wooden manor houses in Latvia, decorated with painted interior walls.

  • Sigtuna, Sweden

    Sigtuna Rådhus (City Hall)

    A tiny town hall—in Sweden's one-time capital—might be the smallest in Europe.

  • Filoli mansion.

    Woodside, California

    Filoli

    This old-world mansion with lush gardens is a gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.

  • The guest room.

    Gaziantep, Turkey

    Nazaretian House

    A beautiful 19th-century Armenian mansion is preserved above an unassuming cafe.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.