Bars in Medellín
Bars: the best places in and around Medellín, verified one by one.
- 15 places
- 8 zones
- average
- AlambiqueEl PobladoAlambique defines itself as laboratory, kitchen and bar, and the name is not decorative: the house works by distilling flavours and ideas down to the minimum version of each thing, at the bar as much as on the plate.
- El Eslabón PrendidoCentro / Parque del PeriodistaFounded in 1993 near the bohemian Parque del Periodista, El Eslabón Prendido is the undisputed temple of live salsa in Medellín. In an intimate, warm space with brick walls covered in posters of the Fania All Stars and Celia Cruz, live orchestras light up the party every Tuesday and weekend with descargas of timbales, congas and son, drawing the best dancers in the city and travellers from all over the world.
- Os MiradorAsomadera / LoretoOs Mirador sits in the upper Las Palmas area, the road climbing from Medellín towards the east, and its argument is the same as every place on that road: the city seen from above, lit up.
- Sanpetersburgo BarBelloLong-established bar-restaurant in the centre of Bello with a rustic atmosphere decorated with art. It serves artisan burgers, crêpes and grilled meats, with billiards for customers only, live music on Saturdays and 2-for-1 cocktails on Wednesdays. A Bello nightlife classic.
- Son HavanaLaurelesSon Havana is the mecca of Cuban son, timba and Latin jazz in Laureles. Founded to recreate the nights of music and mojitos of Old Havana, it is famous for its Thursday descargas and full live brass orchestras at weekends, as well as its social dance classes for beginners at the start of each night.
- Uva Café BarBelloSpecialty café-bar since 2012 and a landmark of the Gran Avenida neighbourhood. It blends coffee culture with a quiet night-time atmosphere, and is known for its artisan filter methods (Chemex, V60) and live music nights.
- El Tibiri BarLaurelesLocated literally underground on a corner of the iconic Carrera 70, El Tibiri has been a legend of salsa partying since the 1990s. It is a dark basement with dim red lights, fans that barely ease the heat from the sweat of the dance floor and a strict music selection of hard salsa, guaguancó and boogaloo playing without a break. There is no pretension or fancy table: you go exclusively to dance.
- La Tienda de la 70LaurelesLa Tienda de la 70 is a fonda in the full sense of the word: long tables, aguardiente, deep-plate paisa food and music that never drops in volume.
- Public House MedellínLaurelesPublic House is a pub in the literal sense: a long bar, craft and local beer, food to share and screens.
- Varsovia BarCaldasCaldas's go-to rock bar for more than two decades; a meeting point for hanging out with good music.
- Fonda La Vecindad La 70LaurelesLa Vecindad is one of the taverns on the Carrera 70 corridor, on the Bulevar Libertadores de América, and works on the same code as its neighbours: big-plate paisa food, aguardiente and popular music at party volume.
- La Octava BarEl PobladoLa Octava sits on Calle 8, in Provenza, and its appeal is that it does not settle on one mood: one floor goes for rock and the other for reggaeton and salsa, so a group with different tastes does not have to negotiate.
- Salón MálagaLa CandelariaSalón Málaga has been open since 1957, when Gustavo Arteaga founded it on Carrera Bolívar, and it is the tango venue with the longest continuity in downtown Medellín.
- VintrashEl PobladoVintrash occupies a multi-storey house in the middle of Provenza and its signature is recycling: much of what you see is built from reclaimed material, over an aesthetic that looks to the sixties.
- Zendaya Retro HouseSabanetaRetro-style bar linked to the Yazen Coffee Studio brand in Sabaneta. It serves craft beers and cocktails in a space with its own visual identity. Open from late afternoon into the night.
Before you go
A bar in Medellín can be many things: a fonda playing heartbreak songs over aguardiente on Carrera 70, a downtown salon where tango and old-time music play, a rock bar in the centre of a town in the south, or an electronic spot in Provenza. This category gathers that range, and most places sit between $ and $$ on our scale.
To choose, start with the mood you are after. Laureles, especially La 70 and around it, is the land of neighbourhood bars and fondas, with a local crowd and lower prices than El Poblado. Provenza concentrates the most tourist-oriented and the most expensive options. Downtown holds the bars with the most history, such as Salón Málaga, and Bello or Caldas have bars with loyal regulars in the town centre.
Nights start late, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the big ones; on weekdays many places are quiet. Carry ID, since the door may ask for it. To get home, order a taxi or a ride-hailing car from the bar instead of hailing one on the street, and if you go downtown at night, arrive and leave by car.
