Entertainment in Chile
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A
Teatro Municipal
This exquisite neoclassical building is the most prestigious performing-arts venue in the city. It's home to the Ballet de Santiago and also hosts world-class opera, tango and classical music performances.
reviewed
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B
Etniko
Etniko is the in place of the moment - and boy, does it know it. It is pretty funky, mind you, with a sleek, low-lit central courtyard, a DJ at the turntables, and the atmosphere abuzz with media gossip and goings-on. Being hip comes at a price, of course, and being seen with the in-crowd ain't cheap.
reviewed
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C
Las Lanzas
Neon lighting and no-frills furniture that hasn’t changed much since the ’70s are part of the charm of this Ñuñoa mainstay. Rock-bottom prices mean it’s usually full right up to closing, especially in the summer, when revelers spill out onto the sidewalk terrace.
reviewed
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D
El Huevo
Ask any heavily made-up 20-year-old where they’re going on a Saturday night and this behemoth of a building will be their answer. For some, its shaking floors are a meat market; for others, they’re dance heaven.
reviewed
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E
Cine Hoyts
Modern multiplex showing mainstream movies. Also in: Estación Central (Exposición 155; Estación Central) and San Agustín (Moneda 835, Centro; Santa Lucía).
reviewed
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F
Estadio Nacional
On the whole, Chileans are a pretty calm lot – until they step foot in a soccer stadium. The most dramatic matches are against local rivals like Peru or Argentina, when 'Chi-Chi-Chi-Lay-Lay-Lay' reverberates through the Estadio Nacional. Tickets can be bought at the stadium or from the Feria del Disco. Equally impassioned are the hinchas (fans) of Santiago's first-division soccer teams like Colo Colo, Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica.
reviewed
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G
El Barómetro
This place got too cool for its own good, expanding into a larger space housing lacquered Alerce tables, mismatched leather couches and polka-dot curtains, but with a crowd that has become a tad too rife with cuicos (Chilean yuppies) from the salmon industry. There are DJs Thursday to Saturday and an eclectic bar menu that includes hummus and tilapia, but the see-and-be-seen cachet has worn somewhat thin. That said, everyone still goes.
reviewed
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H
Sherlock
It doesn’t take much investigation to find out that Sherlock is one of the better places to hang out in town. Based on the fact that Detective Holmes was supposed to have paid a visit to Puerto Montt, this bar-restaurant has a touch more style than the cookie-cutter competition. It has nearly the full gamut of Kunstmann and Austral beers, and downstairs sees live music most nights of the week.
reviewed
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I
Casino de Puerto Varas
As far as Chilean casinos go, this could be filed under ‘boutique’ with its dark hardwood skin and industrial-chic shell, but it’s still home to a corny knot of slot machines, desperate retirees and wannabe high rollers. It was adding a new five-star hotel during research. If you go, Puerto Varas legend says that you will have better luck if you enter through the doors that face the lake.
reviewed
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Kaweshkar Lounge
This newcomer prides itself on indie cool: the retro furniture and industrial vogue vibe would be right at home in New York’s East Village. Music is one-part Blur, one part Velvet Underground (DJs visit from Santiago in summer). There’s food, too. The menu features several vegetarian choices and some edgy entrees for Chiloé (salmon crepes with béchamel!).
reviewed
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J
OK Corral
A barn of a place serving up hamburgers and sandwiches that are big enough to impress a real Texan, the OK is outfitted in pseudo Old West-style replete with big screen TVs showing ESPN. It's a relaxed place by day that gets crowded, smoky and energetic at night. The bar has a wide choice of drafts and cocktails to help you forget about the decor.
reviewed
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Chill-e
Painted bright red and green like the colors of a spicy chili, this multiroomed lounge would be hip in Santiago, let alone Puerto Natales. Come chill out on a couch (in your own side room if you have an entourage), sample Mexican snacks, sip cocktails or fine wines, and listen to a variety of DJs on the decks. Only open on weekends in winter.
reviewed
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K
El Bosque
This chic bar-restaurant is Pucón’s most stylish address for a cocktail. There’s a sultry vibe, both in its design (hanging cylindrical rust-hued luminaries, artsy B&W volcano photos) and the music (Faithless, Massive Attack – you get the idea). Mixed drinks easily approach CH$5000 here, but when have you ever known cool to come cheap?
reviewed
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L
Boule Bar
Old Rolling Stone covers and other musical propaganda dot this multi-roomed bar lit with candles and featuring several tables and a bar rack made from tree bark. The perfect-volume music jumps from, ‘Hit the Road, Jack’ to hip-hop. It’s a good spot to carry on late into the evening with a crowd that appreciates a smart soundtrack.
reviewed
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M
Club Hípico de Santiago
The main racetrack is the grand Club Hípico de Santiago, where views of the Andes compete for your attention with the action on the turf.
reviewed
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N
Bar Constitución
Bellavista's coolest nightspot hosts live bands and DJs nightly – the bar's eclectic (but infallible) tastes include electroclash, garage, nu-folk, house and more, so check the website to see if the night's program suits.
reviewed
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Teatro de los Sueños
For a peek inside Antofagasta’s underground art scene, visit the funky art cooperative Teatro de los Sueños, which has occasional live shows and does ‘art actions’ to protest everything from feminocide (a real problem in Chile) to littering (another real problem). The dream train at the end of the alley leads the way.
reviewed
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O
Mama’s & Tapas
Known simply as ‘Mama’s,’ this is the most popular place to go out in Pucón. The bar has an impressive lineup of draft beers, including Kunstmann Bock, which fuels an interesting dilemma when two drunks try to navigate the swiveling bathroom door at the same time. The Mexican food here is worth a try and is discounted 30% before 9pm.
reviewed
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Trianon Club
One of the coolest dance clubs on the Santiago scene at the moment, this unpretentious up-for-it newcomer mixes electronic beats and trance with a more eclectic groove to cater for the many students that come here. There were rumblings that the venue would be shifted, so check the website before you put on your dancing shoes.
reviewed
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P
Don Giacomo
Going strong since 1920, this wooden-furnished old joint has been shaken but not stirred by several earthquakes; now its floor vibrates to a salsa beat on several nights of the week. Alternatively, misspend your youth on the many pool tables. Inexpensive lunchtime specials are also available, although drinks are pricey.
reviewed
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Q
Café Toro Bayo
This popular student watering hole heaves with good-natured revelers on weeknights and weekends alike. Pictures of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley oversee the pitchers of beer, and the Escudos and piscos are sunk deep into the night, accompanied by healthy measures of banter and buena onda (good vibes).
reviewed
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R
Krater
If you poke around Pucón you can find some quality dive bars, but most cater to inebriated (and sometimes belligerent) Chilean truck drivers. If you are feeling a little less brave, the volcanic-themed Krater is a divey spot that welcomes inebriated (and rarely belligerent) international visitors.
reviewed
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S
Indiana
Indiana (Jones, not the state) may be the Chilean version of a Daytona Beach nightclub. Where else can you get drunk and dance to Snoop Dogg until dawn with a gaggle of vacationing students? It's dingy and loud and guarantees to party hard. The drinks keep flowing and the DJ keeps it going late.
reviewed
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T
La Taberna
This dark and elegant subterranean bar, with polished wood fixtures and cozy nooks reminiscent of an old-fashioned ship, is a classic old-boys’ club. The rooms fill with cigar smoke later in the evening, but the opportunity to sip pisco sours in the classy Sara Braun Mansion shouldn’t be missed.
reviewed
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U
Lumière
This restaurant/bar offers an extensive cocktail and beer list under the watchful eye of classic cinematic scenes. The four-sided bar in the center of the room makes a nice spot to plant yourself. They serve the usual fare (mains CH$2500 to CH$5500), plus popcorn, just like the movies.
reviewed