Havana Central

What Havana Central does

Havana Central is a privately held, multi-location Cuban restaurant group founded in 2002 by Jeremy Merrin with restaurant consultant Arlene Spiegel. The company's flagship operates from 151 W 46th Street in Times Square, New York City, with additional locations on Long Island and in Central New Jersey serving the tri-state market. The business offers dine-in service, takeout and delivery, off-site catering, private event hosting across multiple configurable spaces, and a recurring calendar of branded dining specials (Happy Hour, Sunday Brunch, Taco Tuesdays, $49 Pre-Theater Menu).

The underlying technology stack is composed of off-the-shelf restaurant SaaS rather than proprietary platforms: BentoBox powers the website and CMS, ToastTab handles online ordering, gift cards, and loyalty integration, Tripleseat manages reservations and event inquiries, and standard payment rails (Google Pay, Apple Pay) plus Google reCAPTCHA round out the infrastructure. Revenue is generated primarily through in-restaurant food and beverage sales at menu prices (entrees $13-$43, $49 pre-theater prix fixe), recurring daypart specials, off-site catering packages (family bundles, Cuban Feasts, pharma luncheons, boxed lunches), private event buyouts for 20-250 guests, prepaid gift cards, and the Rewards Club loyalty program. Customer segments span theater-goers and Times Square tourists, local leisure diners, corporate and pharmaceutical clients requiring catering or event space, and social event hosts (birthdays, showers, anniversaries), with no single enterprise anchor disclosed. The company is founder-owned and operated, with no institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent-company structures identified.

Name

Havana Central

Legal name

Havana Central

Website

https://havanacentral.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Havana Central is a privately held Cuban restaurant group operating a flagship Times Square location and additional tri-state sites, serving theater-goers, tourists, corporate clients, and private event hosts through dine-in, catering, and online ordering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cuban Restaurant Services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)

Keywords

• Cuban restaurant dining
• Off-site catering services
• Private event hosting
• Happy hour specials
• Cuban cuisine takeout

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Full-service Cuban restaurant offering dine-in experiences including à la carte menu items, prix fixe pre-theater menu ($49), brunch specials, and daily specials. Revenue generated from food and beverage sales at menu prices.
2. Catering Services: Off-site catering for corporate events, office lunches, pharma luncheons, family celebrations. Includes party trays, family bundles, full-service catering with staffing, and pharma packages. Delivered as tray/platter sales or full-service events.
3. Takeout and Delivery: Takeout and delivery orders for Cuban family bundles (feeds 4 or 10), individual menu items, and catering orders. Processed through ToastTab online ordering platform.
4. Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift card sales through ToastTab platform, providing prepaid restaurant credits to customers.
5. Loyalty Program: Rewards Club program offering points for spending, birthday rewards ($25 credit, free flan and fedora), and $10 credit for every $100 spent. Drives repeat customer visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Havana Central is a Cuban restaurant and rum bar in Times Square, NYC, founded in 2002, serving authentic Cuban cuisine in a 1950s vintage Cuba-inspired atmosphere. The business offers dine-in service, takeout and delivery, off-site catering for corporate and social events, and hosts private events across multiple semi-private and private spaces (Glass Room, VIP Section, Mezzanine). It also runs recurring dining specials (Happy Hour, Sunday Brunch, Taco Tuesdays) and a $49 Pre-Theater Menu for Broadway patrons.

Product overview

Havana Central is a single-location Cuban restaurant and rum bar operating in Times Square, New York City since 2002. The business operates as a unified restaurant concept offering dine-in service, takeout and delivery (via Toast Tab platform), and off-site catering. Key product lines include: core dine-in dining with a full Cuban menu, the Rewards Club loyalty program, and a comprehensive private events and catering division with multiple venue spaces (Glass Room, VIP Section, Mezzanine) and catering packages (Cuban Family Bundles, Cuban Feasts, pharma lunch programs). The restaurant also runs recurring dining specials including Happy Hour (Mon-Fri 3-7pm), Sunday Brunch with boozy options, Taco Tuesdays, a $49 Pre-Theater Menu for Broadway patrons, and birthday celebration packages. A partnership with the Buena Vista Social Club Broadway show offers bundled dining and ticket discounts. Live Latin music is featured on weekends featuring the band Son Con Tres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dine-In Service Traditional sit-down restaurant service featuring authentic Cuban cuisine (Ropa Vieja, Pernil, Arroz con Pollo, Cuban sandwiches) in a 1950s vintage Cuba-inspired atmosphere, located in Times Square, NYC. Designed for individual diners, groups, theater-goers, and tourists seeking an immersive Cuban dining experience.
• Takeout and Delivery

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Buena Vista Social Club™ (Broadway)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHavana Central partners with the Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club for cross-promotional marketing. Theater patrons receive 15% discount on show tickets using code HAVANA2 and 15% off their meal when showing same-day ticket. This partnership drives pre-theater dining traffic and provides exclusive entertainment value for restaurant guests.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Rosa Mexicano: Upscale Latin-inspired restaurant group with multiple US locations and a strong bar/cocktail program. Overlaps with Havana Central on full-service Latin dining in NYC and a high-margin beverage-led P&L.
• Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar: Multi-location Cuban/Latin concept with rum bar emphasis and nightlife positioning (Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Orlando). Overlaps directly with Havana Central's rum bar and live music differentiators at greater scale.

Direct peers

• SOBs (Sounds of Brazil): Manhattan live music venue with full-service Latin/Caribbean food and beverage program. Comparable on the entertainment-driven dining model, though leans more heavily into ticketed concert revenue.
• Calle Ocho: Cuban/Latin restaurant on the Upper West Side offering prix fixe dining, brunch, and a cocktail program. Comparable in cuisine authenticity, daypart structure, and NYC full-service positioning.
• Tacuba: Mexican/Latin restaurant and bar in NYC offering casual full-service dining with live entertainment and themed nights. Competes for similar Latin-cuisine casual dining occasions in the same metropolitan market.
• Victor's Café: Long-standing Cuban restaurant in NYC serving authentic Cuban cuisine since 1963. Direct head-to-head competitor for Cuban dining occasions, private events, and pre-theater diners in the same addressable market.
• Guantanamera: Multiple-location Cuban restaurant in NYC with classic Cuban menu, mojitos, and live music. Most direct competitor on the cocktail/rum bar plus live music combination Havana Central relies on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/havanacentral
• Instagraminstagram.com/havanacentral
• TikToktiktok.com/@havanacentral
• Xx.com/havanacentral
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/merrin-group

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Havana Central