The Haven

The Haven is a huge space with a stage, several pool tables, large c shaped bar and high top tables. The mood is set by neon bar signs, christmas lights and bright stage lighting that illuminate old band posters and peelings stickers. The service was just okay, I felt the girl at the bar definitely favored her regular customers over helping me. They carry a typical selection of cheap beer and booze and offer sugary shots like the pb & j. Warning– you will undoubtedly take home with you the stench of cigarette smoke and spilled booze that has built up in here over the years. They constantly have local bands rocking out and the place can get pretty crazy. If you’re in the mood for a night out at a local dive bar this is the place to go!

Nothing wrong with The Haven. It’s a dive bar and I don’t have a problem with dive bars. It’s clean and the bathrooms aren’t bad. There’s pool tables and good beer. It’s smokey though and I try not to frequent smoking bars out of personal preference. But, when friend’s bands are playing or there’s a birthday party like last night, I don’t mind going and I have fun.

The Haven! Divey as hell, but the fun just keeps flowing, like the taps! I regularly haunt this place when I’m in O-​Town visiting my boyfriend.
Well, first of all… a dive is a dive is a SMOKY dive. Is the Haven one? You betcha, doncha know! (So for those Unilocalers out there who consider smoke a deal-​breaker, don’t go.)
Do they have great drink prices? Yes! Especially on beer pitchers and shooters/​shots, but this lady isn’t a beer drinker. Are the bartenders amazinnnnnng? Absolutely. Love you, Josie and Marina. Don’t cross these wonderful women and they’ll take care of you.
Karaōke on Tuesdays, pool tournaments on Wednesdays, live metal bands throughout the week. Awesome, really. The owners are a married couple who are there almost every night and they’re cool. Just pop in one night, ask for them, and you’ll know.
Bring a male friend or travel in a gaggle of gals if you’re female, because the regulars will surely hit on you. Pete, the co-​owner, will take care of business if needed, though. Nonviolently, even though the man is a bear.
Three pools tables, good music, a few arcade games and dart boards are the cherry on top of this divey lounge sundae.

The description of dive bar is definitely apt here, but I’ve been a few times and the music is always loud and the bartenders serve up libations very quickly. Check out local acts and experience the ‘flavor’ lol.

only real plus is that they get solid live bands playing there. tile floor in front of the stage where pits form? horrible idea. i have seen spilt beer, sweat and blood turn that shit into an awful slippery mess. moderately priced drinks… nothing special on the beer or liquour side… pretty standard fare. decent sound system. weird lounge area with nasty ripped worn down couches near the back if you want to just chill out. overall this place is awful, but i will give them a slight bump for doing all that they do for the local orlando metal scene.

OK… It depends on the rating scale. This place should get 5 stars for being the epitome of a dive bar. However, for me, the enjoyment factor was a 1 star. Evened out– gave it a 3.
An 18 and up establishment, located on the side of a strip mall, looks so seedy it took me 20 min to gather the courage to go into the place! As scary as it looks from the outside, it’s not all that bad on the inside. Run down? Yes. Dark? Yes. SMOKEY? YES! Patrons look to be mostly between the ages of 18 – 25, except for the one old drunk guy talking to himself.
Drinks are very reasonable, with perhaps the most expensive being $ 4.50. They had a bunch of beers, including Yuengling, on tap.
The Haven has live music almost every night, including an open mic night!
If you can stand the smoke, want to drink cheaply and see some local talent, head over to The Haven.

I have never been to dive bar before but I was more than enthusiastic about showing up this past Saturday and supporting my friend’s band (DTI) on their first debut show.
Since this is my first dive bar ever, I don’t really have much to compare it with but I can tell this is where regulars hangout to find a new band to support.
Once again, the crowd is friendly (and slightly creepy… the oggling *shudder*) but they are definitely here because they are supportive. I also found the bartender to be relatively attentive. I mean, it wasn’t exactly prompt service and she looked like she could care less. The shots were decently priced — almost a double shot for $ 3 :)
If you are looking for a place to find some underground artist to support — hit up Haven, they know what’s up.

While walking up to the entrance of The Haven, the first thing I encountered was a drunk couple fighting and their daughter trying to break up it. When we didn’t respond to the daughter’s screams to «call the police,» she turned on us asking if we wanted to fight. I’m not sure why we continued to go in after that, but we did.
It was a Friday so they were having live metal. The stage is in kind of an awkward location, but I wasn’t really paying attention to the band anyway since my friends were playing pool. The bartenders seemed OK and there was a lovely shot girl walking around offering shots. I did not, however, like all the smoke. It seemed like every person in there was smoking.
I suppose The Haven is good for live music and local bands, but I doubt I’d be back.

This is a great local dive bar!
I’ve been there for 2 completly different events, and I’ ve enjoyed the venue both times!
A bunch of work friend and I met up to watch another friends local metal band! The singer of the band climmed on the lights and hung himself from the back of his knees! Awesome show!!!
The other time was a new years eve party ’09 for a drum and bass event! It was $ 25 at the door, all you can drink draft and well and a midnight toast of champagne!
The other people there were very friendly and seemed to be having fun too!!!
Awesome dive! But it’s a smoking venue! I’m a reformed smoker so I tend to be sensitive to the smoke :(
Overall good vibe! Good people! Good place to meet up with friends and catch a show!

Ahhh the Haven! This is that place you love to hate. It’s dark, dirty and loud. I used to DJ here on Friday nights for Hidden @ the Haven back in 2002. It was one of the last surviving break beat nights. They also have a good Goth night… I think it is Monday’s. I would call before heading there to be sure. The bartender/​owner has been there forever. Drinks are cheap and you can always catch good live music. This place isn’t up to par with The Social, but it’s good enough if you live near by.

The Haven is nothing to write home about, save for the local music that comes through the doors. This storefront turned music lounge is neatly tucked away in a strip mall on Forsyth. Walking inside, you enter a sea of black T-​shirts, which blend in nicely to the all black walls and tile ceiling.
Half the bar is pool tables, big screens from the 90s, and dart boards; the other half is reserved for the stage, which is quite a nice setup: light grid, PA, and video camera simulcast.
It’s obviously set up for live shows, any and every band in Orlando has probably played this place at least once in their careers, so it’s a good spot to check out who’s up and coming, and conversely, who needs to get back in the garage and practice.
However, if you’re looking for anything other than local music at the Haven, you might as well stay at home. The full liquor bar is nice, the Golden Girl turned Shot Girl is not. Seriously.