34 Best Nightlife in Colombia

Armando Records

Fodor's choice

One of Zona Rosa's hottest late-night destinations, Armando spreads over three levels and has something for everyone. Ground-floor DJs play Latin rhythms, while the middle floor tends to be retro or indie. Live bands sometimes play in the open-air garden area, while the top floor serves as chill-out area, with smooth, retro tunes.

Delirio

Fodor's choice

Cali's (and arguably Colombia's) greatest show, this four-hour spectacle of music, acrobatics, and dance is an explosive expression of salsa caleña. The experience begins when you enter the marquee tent, which bounces with good energy, and where entertainers mingle with the crowds. Each group has its own table and there's food and drink service throughout the show.

Reserve tickets well in advance of your trip as there are few performances every month. If you manage to get tickets, it would be reason enough to visit this southern city.

Demente

Fodor's choice

At night, all roads in Getsemaní seem to lead to Demente. Helped, in part by its perfect location on the Plaza de la Trinidad at the heart of the neighborhood, but the trendy interior, particularly the open-air garden courtyard, makes for a handsome locale to spend the evening. Great tapas, local craft beers, and a smart cocktail menu draw a reliably good crowd, and the low-key, funky soundtrack makes Demente the best spot in Getsemaní to start off a night out. Thin-crust pizzas, fresh from the oven out back, are among the city's best.

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El Baron

Centro Fodor's choice

A great location on Plaza San Pedro Claver will draw many in, but it is the serious, top-quality cocktail menu that will keep visitors drinking far later into the night than intended. Cartagena-style speakeasy decor, with exposed stone walls and heavy wooden beams as well as a laid-back soundtrack provide a cozy respite, but El Baron is really all about the bar at the far end. Talented mixologists will mix a drink to your taste, and here, finally, you might actually get the best mojito in town. No need to leave for dinner as the food menu is no slouch either, with a simple, modern menu that includes some great gourmet sandwiches. Reservations, through the website, are advisable. There's no lunch on Sunday and Monday.

El Bembe

Fodor's choice

Cuban salsa and spirit is embodied in this colorful Macarena club, which throbs to a tropical beat deep into the night. Great mojitos and a live salsa band on weekends make this one of the best nights out in the city.

Envy Rooftop Bar

Fodor's choice

The best views in town are from the rooftop terrace at the Charlee boutique hotel. It regularly draws the city's beautiful people for evening drinks around the brightly lit swimming pool. Wednesdays are salsa night, while DJs keep the crowds moving Thursday through Saturday.

La Topa Tolondra

Fodor's choice

The walls breathe salsa here, with live bands keeping feet and hips moving deep into the night. The crowds are a mix of locals and foreigners and the vibe is always friendly and energetic.

Punto Baré

Fodor's choice

Latin Jazz, big band, and salsa---Punto Baré offers live-music nights with a flavor for everyone. This cozy bar is the perfect spot to sit back, enjoy a drink, and listen to the smooth Latin rhythms. Wednesday is jazz night, while Thursday and Friday are all about salsa. There is a cover charge (10,000 pesos) every night but Wednesday.

Son Havana

Fodor's choice

A bit off of the usual tourist track, this is a pure salsa bar with low ceilings, simple decor, and lots of positive energy all around. Live bands kick off at about 11 pm, but arrive an hour or so beforehand to warm up and sample the mojitos.

37 Park Medellín

A couple of blocks away from Parque Lleras, 37 Park is set on a slightly more tranquil green space with rustic log tables and seating spread over the grass and fairy lights strung between the trees. Great for afternoons and early evening with friends, the drinks menu is solid and the food decent. Service is often sluggish, but the cool outdoor space makes it worthwhile.

Alquimico

Centro

A beautifully restored colonial home spread over two stories has been transformed into a cocktail bar and hangout for the trendy speakeasy-style crowd and is becoming a firm fixture on the Cartagena nightlife scene. The focus here is on well-crafted, punchy cocktails made from in-house rum infusions and local fruits, served up from an impressive four-poster bar dominating the low-lit first floor. Music tends to funky, international hip-hop and R&B grooves, and on Friday and Saturday the terrace opens up as a dance floor. It's closed on Tuesday.

Apache

Set on the top floor of the Click Clack Hotel, this cozy bar has spectacular views, great drinks, and delicious burgers. A DJ spins Thursday through Saturday night.

Babar

Centro

In the Ciudad Vieja, close to the Charleston Hotel, is Babar, a two-story colonial building that packs in the beautiful and the wealthy. If all the dancing makes you hungry, step outside and feast in one of the elegant neighboring restaurants.

Black Sheep

Thursdays to Saturdays, this trendy nightclub fills up with the well-heeled of Bogotá who dance to live DJs playing an international dance set. For a more relaxed atmosphere, head to the sister bar next door, Bier Market.

Blind Tiger

The clandestine speakeasy phenomenon didn't pass by Bogotá, as the Blind Tiger, ostensibly a small, open-air patio restaurant, reveals its true depths as a cocktail bar hidden behind a bookcase at the far end. Those who make a reservation via WhatsApp are given the password to enter the secret world, offering patrons a touch of intrigue, jazzy tones, and quality cocktails. Drinks are a mix of Prohibition-era classics---most notably the old-fashioned and the Sazerac---and much-loved house gin drinks. The kitchen serves up well-made bar standards like burgers, steaks, and nachos.

Bogotá Beer Company Usaquen

This is the story of a craft brewery gone big. Now with several bars around the city and 11 different beers, the Usaquen venue is always lively, with plenty of good brews on tap and a decent snack menu.

Bruto

Stylishly modern, with exposed brick, heavy ceiling beams, and a bright, plant-filled terrace, Bruto is one of the coolest spots to start your evening. Equal parts tapas bar and live-music venue, the food is superb and smacks of Spain, and is backed up by a solid wine list and excellent cocktails. There are live bands Thursday to Saturday. Reservations advised.

Café Havana

The English sign over the entrance announcing the "world-famous" Café Havana may put you off, but great salsa and Cuban music (not to mention mojitos) await, along with the chance to dance. The club was a pioneer in the reviving Getsemaní neighborhood back in 2006; now it's been joined by many others. Check ahead for shows and hours; there's a cover charge of 20,000 pesos.

Cervecería Libre

In the industrial district near the Medellín Modern Art Museum, this brewpub offers some of Colombia's best craft beers on tap, as well as a number of their excellent house microbrews. A popular fixture on the Medellín nightlife scene, they stay open till 2 am on weekends and occasionally host live bands on Sundays. There are some top clubs nearby, making this a great spot to begin your evening.

Crab's Bar

This old-school rock-and-roll bar has hit just the right note with locals and tourists alike. Great music, bright red-painted walls packed with rock memorabilia, and a good selection of cold beers make this a sure thing for a night out.

Donde Fidel

Centro

A Cartagena icon, this popular salsa bar spread out under the arches next to the Plaza de las Coches is the place to go for people-watching while you enjoy a cold Aguila beer and a little hip-shaking. Simple wooden tables fill the place, and the walls are covered with photos of famous patrons. Go to chat, meet new people among the mix of locals and tourists, and just maybe to get up and dance between the tables like everyone else.

El Bar del Sur

A local favorite, thanks to a good beer selection, which includes local craft label BBC (try the Septimazo IPA) as well as the owner's own brews. Also offered are fantastic Venezuelan-style stuffed arepas. Low-lit and eclectically decorated with retro posters covering a floral printed wall, this is a no-frills bar to pass a pleasant evening just steps away from the Plaza de la Trinidad.

Kukaramákara

Kukaramákara packs in the customers Thursday through Sunday; everyone is ready to enjoy live Colombian music, rum, and rumba. Arrive early (around 10 pm) to ensure a table.

La Movida 2-14

Centro

If you're looking for the young and beautiful crowd as the night draws on, the odds are you'll find them all here, mingling around the bar while sipping pricy cocktails, seeing and being seen while gently bobbing to an international mix by the in-house DJ. The place fills up regularly, so come in early, grab a table, and order some tapas to warm up and wait till the party arrives.

Malagana Cafe & Bar

The nightlife in Getsemaní keeps getting better, and Malagana's rooftop terrace is an essential stop, preferably at sunset. Casual and lighthearted, it is charmingly lit with tealights on the tables. This is a simple spot to end the day with a cold drink and good company. If you're hungry, the menu has a broad range of international favorites, from fish tacos to an excellent ceviche and varied wraps that hit the spot as dinner time approaches. It's closed on Sunday.

Miko

Set on the pier next to the yacht club, this second-floor terrace is a great place for sunset cocktails and expansive views over the bay. As the evening winds on, chilled electro gives way to more danceable rhythms that continue deep into the night.

Mister Babilla

Mister Babilla is a busy bar with good food and a live salsa band on weekends.

Quiebra-Canto

Unobtrusive on a side street in La Candelaria, just a few blocks away from the historic center, lies one of Bogotá's great salsa institutions. Live bands play from Wednesday to Saturday and the party goes on deep into the night. Check the website for upcoming shows and prices.

Quiebracanto

Centro

The live salsa hot at this busy spot on the second floor of a building with a balcony overlooking the plaza and convention center. It gets crowded on weekends, but this is a good place to dance on the tile floors—and it's open until 4 am.

Restaurante Bar Burukuka

Resting on a rocky peninsula that juts out into the sea, the views from Burukuka are the best in town---make sure to arrive in time for sunset. The seafood-heavy menu is decent, but it is from Thursday to Saturday as the city's elite comes to party till early morning that the locale really shines. It is a little out of the way, but most taxi drivers will get you here with no issues.

Colombia

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