Salsa Clubs in Bogotá

One thing is for sure, there is a lot of good dancing and music of every type in Bogotá. There are the upscale clubs playing American hip-hop mixed with reggaeton in La Zona T-bouncers and lines and all. There are the underground techno parties that pop up in abandoned buildings in Chapinero. And one of my personal favorites, especially when I want to show out-of-town friends a true Latin scene, is getting a big group together to go salsa dancing. A night out salsa dancing nearly always requires sharing a bottle of aguardiente or rum, meeting strangers, and getting a workout. Here are a few fantastic options:

Quiebra Canto: Like its sibling in Cartagena, this is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike (which means people will definitely ask you to dance!). Quiebra Canto is in a house built in the 170o´s in La Candelaria, you can feel the history in the wooden floors and fireplace. The cover is low, beer is cheap, and the salsa is pure and old-fashioned. Don´t expect a wide range of music, but prepare to hit the dance floor (skills not necessarily required) until the wee hours.

Tel: 243.1630
Carrera 5 no. 17-76
Bogotá
Cover: Depends on the night and the live band, check website for calendar

El Goce Pegano: In an old colonial building in front of Universidad los Andes, el Goce Pegano is known for its pure, traditional salsa and a friendly atmosphere mixed with locals and backpackers. It´s only opened on weekends but never gets so packed that the dance floor is prohibitive.

Tel: 317-501-61 7
Clalle 20 ( Av, Jímenez-Eje Ambiental) no. 00 - 06 este
Bogotá
Cover: 6,000 pesos that can be used toward consumables at the bar

Date-night: Best places to take a date for a drink in Bogotá

There are a number of cozy bars that are atmospheric and quiet, perfect to relax and lose time on a romantic night or afternoon out. Here are two of my favorites:

At Café Mágico, you can snuggle up on cushions on the floor in a number of dim, candle-lit rooms on two levels. Cocktails are creative and purely Colombian, using a number of different types of alcohol and tropical juices. The walls are covered with murals depicting archangels and saints, and drippy candles grow in alcoves, all which evoke a chic underground café in Mexico. I´ve never seen her, but apparently there´s even a tarot card reader who can predict a future of love...

Another, equally romantic spot that evokes more of a Swiss mountains vibe, is the Café de la Montaña in northern Bogotá. A restaurant that is actually open for meals all day, it has been voted ¨most romantic cafe¨ and ¨best place for a first date¨ numerous times. With a half price happy hour between 4 and 7, you also don´t have to break the bank to impress your date. Sit at dark tables or cozy up on pillows on the floor and warm up by one of the two fireplaces drinking a tropical cocktail or hot wine (vino caliente). But maybe stay away from the Eukasoluc, a drink that contains almost every imaginable liquor and is restricted to ¨one per customer¨...unless you really need to loosen up!

Devachán Café Mágico.
Phone # 313-1542
Carrera 9, no. 69-16


Cafe de la Montaña
Phone # 214-5312
Diagonal 108a No. 8-11
Parking and live music on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays

Best Place to Party on a Tuesday Night in Bogota

Bogotá is a city of at least 8 million people and any night you want to go out there is surely a number of fun things going on. The key is simply figuring out the rhythm of where to go on which night. If you want to party with the cool kids on a Tuesday night, come to the unassuming bar on the second floor of a music shop, Invitro.

If you just want to party, don´t show up until sometime after 11pm when it starts seriously filling up. If you want to catch a bit of culture, show up before 9pm to when you don´t have to pay cover and watch one of the Colombian short films they play.

On Tuesdays Invitro usually has a good DJ who mixes Latin music with techno and hip hop, and a hip, alternative young crowd of actors and artists who stay around after the screening of short films earlier in the evening and anyone else who doesn´t seem to worry about waking up at 8am on Wednesday. Buy a beer or a bottle of aguardiente to share, check out the smoking room and the dance floor, and make some new friends!

Calle 59, no. 6 – 38
Bogotá
COP$ 15,000 cover after 9pm

Cocktails in Las Zonas G & T

While much of Bogotano nightlife revolves around shots of aguardiente or ron medellin as a mere side dish to live music and fantastic dancing, there are a few places that are known for their fantastic cocktails (or cocktail ambience) and are perfect to begin the evening or cap off the night. Here are a few, all of which are on the (much) more expensive side of the Bogotá scale...


Harry´s: If you want to go to where Bogotano elite consider ¨the best,¨ head to Harry´s Restaurant in La Zona G. Since it is known more for the atmosphere than for its culinary delights, go for a drink and light appetizer off of the bar menu--chorizo sausage with a lot of fresh squeezed lime and french mustard, Spanish style patatas bravas, or maybe the 100,000 peso chorizo if your pockets are burning. They have a full bar, an extensive wine list, and a beautiful, important-looking clientele. The tables on the outside patio are most atmospheric, but if you are sitting down to eat be sure to make reservation.


RSVP Phone #: 321.3940
Calle 70, no. 5-57
Bogotá


La Famiglia: With average Italian fare in the middle of La Zona G, this is the spot to go to for a drink (or two) before heading out on the town. Make sure to sit on the rooftop, where the heaters keep you warm and cozy and the fantastic music gets you amped to go without being so loud that you can´t hear your drinking partners.

Phone #: 248.1053
Carrera 5, no. 69-34
Bogotá


Pravda: Known as the place with the best martinis in Bogotá, I would recommend ordering the lychee martini and chilling out to the music (they often have a live techno DJ spinning inside) on the outside patio. From there, you can people-watch both shoppers and late-night revelers cruising La Zona T and get ready to head to one of the many clubs within walking distance. Go early if you want to get a table on the patio and not inside where it is often vacant.

Phone #: 257.2088
Calle 83, no. 12-24
Bogotá