Ricardo’s Hideaway

Tucked away off Calgary’s trendy 17th Avenue S.W., this intimate Havana-inspired rum bar is the perfect escape every night of the week. With just over 775 square feet of interior space, Ricardo’s is bursting with tropical energy that quite literally spills out into the street.

In the summer months, the bar expands onto a sun-drenched patio, allowing the scents and sounds of this quirky, playful cocktail lounge to mingle with the streetscape outside.

Havana inspirations continue in the mint-coloured plaster walls and coloured glass valance over the bar which features cane webbing and a reclaimed marble counter. Striking flamingo and banana wallpaper in the washrooms create an Instagrammable moment, while the dining room walls are interspersed with Cuban-inspired dark color blocking and unique accent wallpaper.

Ricardo’s is designed to feel like it has been there for decades — slightly retro, slightly nostalgic, slightly trendy — and a hidden secret that only the most adventurous know about.