Entertainment in Argentina
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A
Notorious
This intimate jazz venue attracts all ages – devoted locals and curious travelers alike – with nightly gigs of serious jazz and world music. Book ahead and visit the record shop before settling in for a show.
reviewed
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B
Café Tortoni
While tourists tend to outnumber locals at this landmark cafe (the oldest in the country), it still has a special place in the hearts of older porteños nostalgic for the good old days. Tango shows are held in a separate salon most nights at 9:30pm and 11pm.
reviewed
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C
Bar 6
A stylish neighborhood classic, Bar 6 is open all day – you can drop by for eggs and coffee in the morning or show up at night to lounge on a red velvet couch with a bellini or a beer. The contemporary design, soaring ceilings and foxy crowd make up for the indifferent service.
reviewed
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Av Arístides Villanueva
For a great night on the town, walk down Av Arístides Villanueva, where it's bar after bar; in summer, entire blocks fill with tables and people enjoying the night.
reviewed
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D
Paseo del Buen Pastor
Paseo del Buen Pastor is a cultural center/performance space, which was built in 1901 as a combined chapel/monastery/women’s prison. In mid-2007 it was re-inaugurated to showcase work by Córdoba’s young and emerging artists. There are a couple of hip cafe-bars in the central patio area where you can kick back with an Appletini or two. The attached chapel (which has been desanctified) hosts regular live-music performances – stop by for a program, or check Thursday’s edition of the local newspaper La Voz del Interior for details.
reviewed
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E
Boca Tango
What makes Boca Tango unique is the preshow theatrics. A minirepresentation of La Boca’s colorful conventillos (old tenements) has been set up outside the main theater, and performers act out the barrio’s history while interacting with guests. Dinner is set up at a nearby casual dining room in antique surroundings, while the main act takes place on an intimate stage. Unlike at some other shows, children are welcome here. Transport is included, which is fortunate since La Boca isn’t the safest neighborhood.
reviewed
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F
Señor Tango
The most outrageous of them all, Señor Tango is the closest you’ll get to a Las Vegas show in Buenos Aires. With dozens of performers, live horses, two tiers of balconies and over 1500 seats, this granddaddy of tango shows is – for good or bad – an unforgettable experience. As long as you take it for what it is (that is, not authentic tango) you’ll be fine, and can join with Sting, Salma Hayek, Ivana Trump and Hillary and Bill Clinton in saying that you’ve spent an evening here.
reviewed
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Puente Pexoa
Corrientes is the heartland of the lively music and dance known as chamamé, and seeing a live performance is memorable. This relaxed restaurant features chamamé dances every weekend and it can be outrageous fun when the dancing starts. Men and women show up in full gaucho regalia, and up to four conjuntos (bands) may play each night, usually starting around 11pm. A taxi costs around AR$25 or grab bus 102.
reviewed
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G
La Peña del Colorado
This lively spot – which many porteños swear is the best peña (folk music venue) in the city – puts on live folklórica shows. After the musical set, the performers pass around guitars and country-style instruments so the happy-go-lucky crowd can get in on the singing and strumming action. Diners can order a set menu ($50) or from the a la carte menu.
reviewed
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H
Vines of Mendoza
This friendly, central wine bar (where everybody, down to the security guards, seems to speak English) offers flights (tastings of five selected wines) and top-shelf private tastings. It also offers wine-appreciation classes which give you an idea of how to taste wine – a great idea before hitting the bodegas.
reviewed
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I
London City
This swank and classy cafe has been serving java addicts for over 50 years, and claims to have been the spot where Julio Cortázar wrote his first novel. Your hardest work here, however, will most likely be choosing which luscious pastry to consume with your freshly brewed coffee.
reviewed
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J
Van Koning
When the barrio’s generically stylish bars leave you longing for something more, head to this Dutch-style pub. Rustic dark-wood booths, candlelight and frosty pints of Otro Mundo (a local microbrew), draw a lighthearted crowd.
reviewed
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K
La Puerto Rico
Cafe-hoppers with a sweet tooth shouldn’t miss the freshly ground coffee and homemade chocolate at the charming La Puerto Rico. Dating to 1887, the place features huge picture windows, pretty woodwork and a long zinc bar.
reviewed
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L
Esquina Osvaldo Pugliese
Also called Recuerdo Café, this casual venue has a small stage in more modest surroundings, with just a few performers doing the fancy footwork. Shows Friday and Saturday.
reviewed
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M
Vines Park Hyatt
In the superformal surrounds of Mendoza’s best-looking hotel, this is a relaxed and intimate wine bar offering wine by the glass, cheese platters and tapas.
reviewed
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N
La Bomba de Tiempo
For one of BA’s biggest and most unique parties, check out La Bomba de Tiempo; it’s at 7pm every Monday at Ciudad Cultural Konex.
reviewed
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O
Sala Leopoldo Lugones
In Teatro General San Martín. Often show retrospectives, documentaries, foreign film cycles and art-house movies.
reviewed
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P
El Cubo
A hip small Abasto space, it hosts gutsy theater pieces and offbeat performances such as queer musicals.
reviewed
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Q
0800-Vino
The bustling barrios of Abasto and Once, while a little dodgy at night, are part of the ‘real’ Buenos Aires that’s largely unaffected by the tourist trade. Walk west from Congreso along Av Corrientes, or take a quick taxi or Subte ride, to reach this cultural melting pot and commercial district crammed with colorful fabric shops and family-run Jewish and Peruvian eateries. The neighborhood’s centerpiece is the historic Mercado de Abasto, previously a massive fresh produce market and now a beautifully restored structure that houses the shopping mall called simply El Abasto. Nearby, on a gentrified street off Av Anchorena is the former home of tango legend Carlos…
reviewed
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R
Centro Region Leonesa
The venue is off the beaten path, but true tango enthusiasts shouldn’t forgo a trip to El Niño Bien, one of the city’s most atmospheric milongas. Held on Thursday nights at the Centro Region Leonesa, the event sees porteño couples embracing and twirling dramatically around a spectacular wooden dance floor as strains of Carlos Gardel’s ‘Mi Noche Triste’ (My Sad Night) crackle through the antique sound system. El Niño Bien is charmingly local – in other words, not designed for tourists – so if you’re just going to observe the scene, don’t blind the dancers with your camera flash. Just grab a table for two and play it cool with a bottle of Cabernet. Consider booking…
reviewed
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S
Jet
Dedicated clubbers know BA is firmly positioned on the global clubbing map and will want to hit the clubs along the river on Costanera Norte, a 10-minute taxi ride from Palermo. Most clubs only open on Fridays and Saturdays from around 1am, don’t get going until 3am, and don’t close until 9am, so take your sunglasses. The best are Pachá, BA’s oldest and best superclub boasting big-name DJs and a riverside terrace; Rouge, big on Friday nights for progressive house with lounges on a waterfront terrace; Jet, playing more mainstream sounds; and Caix, which starts to heat up around 9am Sunday morning! During summer most clubs move to the coast or to fashionable Punta…
reviewed
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T
Pachá
Dedicated clubbers know BA is firmly positioned on the global clubbing map and will want to hit the clubs along the river on Costanera Norte, a 10-minute taxi ride from Palermo. Most clubs only open on Fridays and Saturdays from around 1am, don’t get going until 3am, and don’t close until 9am, so take your sunglasses. The best are Pachá, BA’s oldest and best superclub boasting big-name DJs and a riverside terrace; Rouge, big on Friday nights for progressive house with lounges on a waterfront terrace; Jet, playing more mainstream sounds; and Caix, which starts to heat up around 9am Sunday morning! During summer most clubs move to the coast or to fashionable Punta…
reviewed
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Rouge
Dedicated clubbers know BA is firmly positioned on the global clubbing map and will want to hit the clubs along the river on Costanera Norte, a 10-minute taxi ride from Palermo. Most clubs only open on Fridays and Saturdays from around 1am, don’t get going until 3am, and don’t close until 9am, so take your sunglasses. The best are Pachá, BA’s oldest and best superclub boasting big-name DJs and a riverside terrace; Rouge, big on Friday nights for progressive house with lounges on a waterfront terrace; Jet, playing more mainstream sounds; and Caix, which starts to heat up around 9am Sunday morning! During summer most clubs move to the coast or to fashionable Punta…
reviewed
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Alquimia
Alquimia was the hot club at the time of research - it may still be there by the time you arrive.
reviewed
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Vinoteca Borbore
So how to know which wines to try? They say there’s a perfect Argentine wine for every occasion and a good vinoteca (wine boutique) will help you find it. There are over 150 dedicated wine shops in Buenos Aires, and this number is growing fast. You’ll find plenty all over Palermo, Recoleta and San Telmo; in the center there’s the Winery, with many branches throughout BA. If you are willing to travel to the outskirts of the capital, however, you can find an excellent specialist in Vinoteca Borbore, which stocks over 1500 labels.
reviewed