Must-see nightlife in Central America

  • Antigua Brewing Company

    Antigua

    Put your Gallo beer down for one moment and get to the forefront of Guatemala's craft-brewing revolution at the Antigua Brewing Company. Sup its signature…

  • Café Bohío

    Jacó

    Farmed and harvested in Tarrazú and roasted in Jacó, this is some of the finest-tasting coffee in Costa Rica. The small artisan coffee shop in Jacó has no…

  • DeLaFinca Cafe

    Managua

    No self-respecting coffee connoisseur should miss out on visiting this altar to the coffee bean, whose owner comes from generations of coffee farmers and…

  • Stella's Sunset Wine Bar & Restaurant

    Ambergris Caye

    Stella's is a classy but unpretentious wine bar set in a lovely garden on the edge of the San Pedro Lagoon that affords fine sunset views. Sit on lounge…

  • Hole in the Wall

    Roatán

    There's a party going on, way out in the mangroves at this over-the-water bar only accessible by boat (including on mangrove tours). Slip onto a stool…

  • Samudio´s Sunset Restobar

    Jacó

    The best place to sip on artisan mixed drinks and watch the sunset is this mellow, palm-tree-fronted place with minimalist airy design and pops of…

  • Costa Rica Craft Brewing

    San José

    Just when everyone thought it would be Imperial versus Pilsen forever, this artisanal brew pub paved the way for craft beer in Costa Rica. The brewery's…

  • Rayuela

    Guatemala City

    This small spot for craft beers and cocktails is dedicated to the author Julio Cortázar, as aficionados will know from the name Rayuela (one of the author…

  • Honduras Brewing Company

    Tegucigalpa

    The Honduras brewery crafts five beers that would thrive in any beer-loving city. Each is named after a passage of the Honduran national anthem. The India…

  • Salón Tecún

    Quetzaltenango

    On the plaza end of the elegant Pasaje Enríquez, alive day and night with a healthy mix of Guatemalans and foreigners quaffing Cabro by the liter, the…

  • Cadejo Brewing Company

    San Salvador

    Craft beer has landed in El Salvador! This popular brewpub offers seven Cadejo beers on tap; a sampler of six costs US$5. Try the Suegra (mother-in-law) –…

  • Casa House of Beers

    San José

    On the other side of Av Central from the rowdier college bars, this two-level house has about two dozen beers on tap to satisfy the thirstiest of hop…

  • Estación Central

    Managua

    The pick of the neighborhood bars, hip and relaxed Estación Central is your first port of call for the best range of Nicaraguan craft beers, from the…

  • Driftwood Beach Bar

    Hopkins

    Ever-popular Driftwood has moved closer to the center of the village but still has a great beachfront location, Hopkins' best drumming nights, and pizza …

  • Treetanic

    Utila

    Owned by Neil, an eccentric American artist, this psychedelic mango-treetop bar is somewhere you just have to see while visiting Utila. It always draws a…

  • Blue Bayou

    Ambergris Caye

    Tucked away from the louder bars and restaurants, this is the locals' favorite at Secret Beach, mainly for the picnic tables partially submerged in the…

  • Castro's

    San José

    Chepe's oldest dance club, this classic Latin American disco in Barrio México draws crowds of locals and tourists to its large dance floor with a…

  • Four Brothers

    Caribbean Coast

    Dance up a storm to dancehall, country and reggae on the wooden dance floor at this legendary disco ranch, comfortable in the knowledge that your dignity…

  • Stiefel

    San José

    Two dozen-plus Costa Rican microbrews on tap and an appealing setting in a historical building create a convivial buzz at this pub half a block from Plaza…

  • Café La Luna

    Quetzaltenango

    For chocolate aficionados, this is a shrine. Made from scratch on the premises, the chocolate is velvety smooth and served in a variety of beverages: the…

  • Bird's Isle Restaurant

    Belize City

    Bird's Isle may be the best that Belize City has to offer. An island oasis at the southern tip of town, it manages to defy the urban grit that lies just a…

  • La Selegna

    Liberia

    Liberia's best sabanero (cowboy) hangout is this family-owned cantina, serving cheap Pilsen since 1970. It's a fun place to watch sports or people, there…

  • Café Literario Eluney

    El Salvador

    Juan José and Marisol have fitted their small, artsy coffee shop with books to browse, and use the space to host live poetry readings, literary…

  • Café Téjas

    Western El Salvador

    Retro furniture, chunky wooden decking and jungly gardens help create a chill vibe at this sprawling cafe, where vinyl records provide the tunes. Come for…

  • Darrien's

    Corn Islands

    This all-wood open-air bar, right by the road just south of the airport, pulls a crowd when everywhere else is empty and is generally held by locals to be…

  • Parlour

    San Juan Del Sur

    A great addition to 'gringo street', this small tiki-style bar serves really good cocktails – the passionfruit mojitos and the watermelon margaritas, in…

  • Isla Coco's Bar & Grill

    Puntarenas

    This social hub near the ferry port ticks a lot of boxes: it offers a tiki bar, bountiful seafood, a tour desk, live music (Thursday to Saturday) and…

  • Occalli Cafe

    Western El Salvador

    Offers a fine selection of gourmet local beans brewed using a variety of methods, plus breakfasts, sandwiches and cakes.

  • La Rana Dorada

    Panama City

    Replete with brass fixtures and polished wood bars, this gorgeous low-lit brewpub serves its own award-winning small craft beers, alongside tasty thin…

  • Crossroads Café

    Panajachel

    This cafe has made Panajachel a major crossroads for coffee aficionados. When he's not roasting beans, the Bay Area owner/head barista spends his time…

  • Tántalo Bar

    Panama City

    Though it serves casual lunches, this ultra-hip cafe-bar is best known for sunset happy hours on its rooftop deck. Pair your cocktail with fusion-style…

  • Café La Mancha

    San José

    Hidden away in a courtyard within the historical Steinvorth building, this new third-wave coffee shop is the passion project of a local photographer with…

  • Banana Beach

    Mal País & Santa Teresa

    What began as a few tables and a hut in the sand has blossomed into Santa Teresa's liveliest sunset bar. Grab a fruity cocktail and plop down in an…

  • Por Qué No?

    Antigua

    This alternative cafe is a vertically oriented space that takes up an absurdly narrow corner of an old building (grab the rope to reach the upper level)…

  • PuddleFish Brewery

    Jacó

    Stationed in the glitzy Jacó Walk, this microbrewery is the city’s first. Try PuddleFish's own rotating brews, like Fatty Knees IPA, The Nut Smuggler…

  • Roca Mar

    Mal País & Santa Teresa

    Tucked away at the Blue Surf Sanctuary hotel at the northern end of town, this pretty perfect beach lounge attracts a local expat crowd. Beanbags are…

  • Bar Relic

    Panama City

    Wildly popular with travelers and hip young Panamanians, this cavernous hostel bar is a hit. Service is friendly and patrons easily mingle in the ample…

  • Drift Bar

    Mal País & Santa Teresa

    Part cocktail bar, part vegetarian restaurant, part art gallery, Drift bar is wholly satisfying. Drinks are made with cold-pressed juices and are best…

  • Wilk

    San José

    Named Wilk (Wolf) in honor of its former life as the Polish embassy, this Escalante pub attracts a mixed Tico/gringo crowd who share an appreciation for…

  • Reilly's en la Esquina

    Antigua

    Holding a key corner of Antigua's nightlife corridor, Reilly's packs in both Guatemalans and gringos on weekends. The sprawling pub has several bars, but…

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