50 Best Bars in Guatemala

Guatemalans and foreigners alike enjoy the contemporary elegance of La Sala. Tuesday is movie night, live music is on tap Thursday to Saturday night, and Sunday is salsa night. They close their doors around midnight, but the party continues inside until the wee hours of the morning.

A packed salsa club with a gin-and-tonic, 1920s speakeasy feel, La Sin Ventura frequently has live bands on the weekends.

Up above the fray of Calle Santander, La Terraza has an open-air, casual elegance perfect for early-evening cocktails. They also have a good menu focusing on continental favorites like rabbit and fondue Bourguignonne.

You can dance Wednesday through Sunday night at La Casbah. Latin rhythms make the place popular. Wednesday is Ladies' Night, with no cover, and even free manicures.

Feast on pub grub with a friendly expat crowd at Micho's Pub, either in the tiny indoor area or the back patio.

Root for your favorite team at Monoloco, where soccer matches are always on the TV. Wash down one of the giant burritos with a pint of one of the microbrews—Brown Porter and Chapín make nice changes from Guatemala’s ubiquitous Gallo beer.

Otelito Season Lounge located in the Otelito hotel, offers an intimate, modern space where the color scheme changes with the calendar.

Dance to a variety of music at Pala Life Klishé. Tuesday is reggae night; Friday means disco.

The Pana Rock Café has live music many nights, and wins Panajachel's loudest-bar award.

Pasaje Aycinena, along the Pasaje Rubio, a convenient, relatively safe pedestrian zone, is the best bet for tourists. The atmosphere is "alternative," with lots of young people (including many Europeans). Among the establishments you'll find here are the venerable Cien Puertas (the oldest bar in the neighborhood), Bacabes (which features live rock music in Spanish and English), La Luna (Trova), and Capuccino (Spanish-language rock).

Pasaje Rubio, adjacent to the Pasaje Aycinena, is another popular pedestrian zone. It has a bohemian feel, with a variety of establishments for every personal and musical taste. A highlight is El Portalito, once the hangout of Guatemala's Noble Prize-winning author Miguel Ángel Asturias.

If you're homesick for a true Irish pub, head to Reilly's, where pub grub and Guinness are served in a relaxed atmosphere. Its Sunday-night pub quiz is an Antigua institution.

A mixed crowd dances the night away at Rouge.

Right off the central square, Salón Tecún is a small pub inside the Pasaje Enríquez building on Parque Centro América that is popular with students.

Sangre serves wine and bocas (appetizers) for your noshing pleasure each evening.

The best place on the island to watch the sun go down while sipping on a mojito, this rooftop bar also has a full menu, including nachos, pizza, and burgers. Check out the happy hour deals, and their large selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Solomon's Porchá screens films several nights a week.

You can enjoy good Mexican food at the aptly named Sunset Café. There's live music almost every night.

The Ubafu, a Rasta-inspired shack (note the Bob Marley posters) on the main street, is Livingston's most famous and enduring bar, and the best place to see punta rock music as the locals enjoy it.

Despite its name, William Shakespeare Pub doesn't exactly evoke an English pub, but is a convivial place to stop for a drink.