Bar entertainment in Central America
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A
Coco's Bar
reviewed
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B
I&I Reggae Bar
I&I is the island’s most hip-hop happening spot after dark, when its healthy sound system belts out a reggae beat. Its three levels each offer a different scene, with a dance floor on one and swings hanging from the rafters on another. The top floor is the ‘chill-out zone, ’ complete with hammocks and panoramic views. Great place for a sunset drink.
reviewed
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C
Pool & Beer
An excellent place for some drinks and a few games of pool. At the time of writing, the tables hadn't been trashed and the cues were straight.
reviewed
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D
Bar Chavelona
Nestled amid a row of auto body shops on the west side of town (in other words: take a taxi), this renowned bar, which dates back to 1927, was the spot where Costa Rican author Carlos Luis Fallas (1909–66) once enjoyed happy hour in the company of the local intelligentsia. The bohemian atmosphere is long gone – replaced by an ’80s decor that screams Duran Duran – but it remains a pleasant Tico spot for beer and bocas (savory bar snacks).
reviewed
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E
Las Cien Puertas
This superhip (but not studiously so) little watering hole is a gathering place for all manner of local creative types (and a few travelers) who may be debating politics, strumming a guitar or refining the graffiti when you show up. Tasty snacks such as tacos and quesadillas are served. It's in a shabby colonial arcade that's said to have a hundred doors (hence the name) and is sometimes closed off for live bands.
reviewed
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F
Bird’s Isle Restaurant
Located at the end of Bird’s Isle, a park-like oasis on the southern coast of town, this open-air restaurant is one of the prettiest settings for an outdoor bar you’re likely to find in Belize City. In addition to beer, wine and cocktails, the restaurant serves well-prepared burgers, snacks and Belizean fare. Thursdays from 8:30pm to 1am is karaoke night; the bar also has live music occasionally.
reviewed
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G
Mondo Taitú Bar
You're guaranteed a good time at the Mondo Taitú Bar. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the party-loving owners entertain their guests with a variety of themed events, though the creative cocktail list and hookahs make Mondo a good choice any night. If you're feeling brave, order a tequila suicide - a snort of salt, a squeeze of lime in the eye and a shot of bad tequila (at least it's free!).
reviewed
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H
El Atrio
Once in the thick of things, this longtime favorite moved to a quiet street several blocks east of the bar scene. Alternative films are shown under the stars every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (free); Friday entertainment varies from live music to concert videos to just setting up telescopes to check out the stars. Also screens films at 19:00 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
reviewed
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Drive Inn El Molino
When it gets going, this is one of Santa Ana's best nightspots, with drink specials, great music and late-night table dancing. When it's dead, though, it's really dead. You'll need to take a taxi there - ask the driver if he knows if there's much movimiento (action) before heading out. It's located on the old San Salvador highway, behind a Texaco gas station.
reviewed
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I
Zona Hippo's
Wanna go where everybody knows your name? Globalization has arrived and it's called Hippo's Grill & Tavern, with nine different burgers, next door to affiliated Woody's Sports Bar, with 15 different types of hot wings. Both have Caesar salads, plenty of 'flair,' nonthreatening rock music and very full bars. There's another outlet by the Santo Domingo mall.
reviewed
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J
Les 3 Diables
A lively bar attracting a diverse crowd of disaffected university students, professionals taking the edge off and Peace Corps volunteers cutting loose. There's no dance floor, but a great mix of old-school pop and alternative rock gets people moving wherever there's space. Look for drink specials from Monday to Thursday and live music on Wednesday.
reviewed
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K
Monkey Bar
In Tamarindo, all you really have to do is follow the scene wherever it happens to be on that night. On weekends especially, cruising the main drag has the festive feel of a mini Mardi Gras or spring break. But, for a start, the Monkey Bar inside the Tamarindo Vista Villas is usually a good bet, and it has a ladies' night on Fridays.
reviewed
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L
Barco Hundido
Most nights in Bocas end at the Barco Hundido, an open-air thatched-roof bar that's affectionately known as the 'Wreck Deck' - the name comes from the sunken banana boat that rests in the clear Caribbean waters in the front. A short boardwalk extends from the bar to an island seating-area that's perfect for stargazing.
reviewed
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M
Los Horcones
A classic dive bar in the heart of Santa Ana, complete with palapa (thatched palm-leaf roof shelter) and gnarled tree trunks for tables. Balconies overlook the main park and have incredible views of the Gothic cathedral next door. Disco beats and Saturday-night beer specials provoke occasional table dancing.
reviewed
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Habibi's
The open patio is a scenic spot for Lebanese cuisine, while the upstairs is a colorful lounge resembling a sheik's tent where you can imbibe cuba libres (rum and cokes) after taking a few hits off the hookah. A belly dancer often appears on Friday and Saturday nights to add a splash of color to the scenery.
reviewed
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N
Max Bar & Grill
A number of restaurants around town stay open late on weekends for bar service. A good place to start out the night, Max Bar & Grill has cheap beers and rum and tequila drinks, plus late-night food service if you get the munchies - pizza, sandwiches, even Sloppy Joes. It's a short walk from the other clubs.
reviewed
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O
Pickled Parrot
This thatched-roof Caribbean-style bar and restaurant a block from the ocean has been a popular spot for locals and tourists alike for 15 years. Happy hour – with half-priced rum drinks – runs from 5pm to 6pm, and Tuesday night is darts night, with bar-tab credit being awarded to high scorers.
reviewed
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El Animal Desconicido
Really the only bar in town, this gets very happening on weekends, with happy hours, cocktails and excellent music. Comfy seating fills up early out front, and the rest of the place starts rocking around 23:00. To find it, go down the main street 'till you hit the beach, then walk 200m to your right.
reviewed
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Bukut Bar
It’s hard to say exactly when the transformation takes place – certainly well after sundown – but when PG is dark, its hippest new eatery, Earth Runnins’, becomes its coolest new bar, where homemade cocktails are served and local music (sometimes live) heard.
reviewed
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Disco Bohemio
Almost always packed, this hot spot, close to Don Señor, is popular with locals and tourists alike. Nearby, Salon Estrella may be an Old West-themed casino, complete with staff in ten-gallon hats, but mosey on past the slot machines to the popular bar in the back.
reviewed
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Bar-Restaurant Los Ídolos
A small, dark, and impossibly hip restaurant, fronted with the aforementioned idols and packed to the wide and sparkly brim with mariachi musicians on their tequila break, this is the rock upon which Bello Horizonte's party scene was built. The pizza's good, too.
reviewed
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P
El Toro Loco
El Toro Loco gets packed on reggae nights, while Chapo's Bar & Grill, the new hot spot, serves steak, allows smoking in the open-air bar and hosts all-night reggae parties on weekends, conveniently right next to the budget hotels.
reviewed
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Q
Riki's Bar
Behind Café La Escudilla, this old favorite gets packed every evening with Antigua's young, international scene of locals, travelers and language students. For quieter moments, slip through to the low-key Paris Bar in the rear.
reviewed
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El Barrio
This cozy little bar on the path between the two docks has one of the most happening happy hours in town, food till midnight and drinks till one. There's a good cocktail and snacks list and a couple of chilled-out outside areas.
reviewed
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R
Tipsy Tuna Sports Bar
Occasional live bands spice up the program at Placencia’s shiniest bar, with pool tables, big-screen TV and a concrete apron spreading onto the sands. A fun-loving crowd gathers most nights. Happy hour is 7pm to 8pm.
reviewed
