In this post we select the 10 best bars in Medellín for all kinds of tastes. Here you will also learn which are the areas with the most nightlife, so if you are looking for a place to drink and have fun, either alone, with your partner or with a group of friends, read on.
The old saying for toasting drinks “pa’ arriba, pa’ abajo, pal’ centro y pa’ dentro” applies perfectly to the large number of bars in the city, because no matter which way you go, you will always find somewhere nearby to have a drink.
And just as they are abundant, they are varied. We have bars dedicated to the most popular music genres (reggaeton, rock, salsa, etc.), and they also change according to their theme, public or location: there are sports bars, karaoke bars, gay (LGTB), swinger, pubs, fondas, cantinas, rooftops and much more.
Next I will tell you about some areas to explore that have stood out for their numerous and diverse offer of bars. And, finally, I’ll leave you with a list of recommendations of incredible places where, like me, you’re sure to have a great night out.
Bar areas in Medellín
Farrear, rumbear, go out to party… regardless of how you say it in your country, I assure you that in the capital paisa you will find plenty of places to do it. So much so that outside of the sectors best known by tourists such as Pobladothere are other places in the city with their own pink areas.
For example, in the commune of Belén is La Villa, a plaza with the style of Madrid’s terraces, very popular among rockers. Or in Manrique there is 45th Street, a street that became legendary for its tango bars, but today it rumbles with the flow of reggaeton, just like 92nd Street in Aranjuez.
However, the above spaces may not be so attractive for tourists who only stay a few days in Medellin. That’s why I’m going to tell you about my 3 favorite places (Poblado, Laureles and Downtown) so you can take with you the best of our nights.
Village
In previous posts we have already talked about the many attractions that Poblado, the most popular area of Medellin among tourists, has. One of them, of course, is its nightlife, so abundant in bars, discos and restaurants of all kinds.
Within Poblado there are 3 different areas, all with excellent establishments but differentiated, if you will, by their ambiance in a broader sense. Provenza gives you a bit of everything, while Lleras is all about partying and Manila is quite intimate and relaxed.
Provence
This area located between the Lleras and the Vizcaya Shopping Center is currently the most sought after in the city in terms of nightlife, because it stylishly mixes the tree-lined atmosphere of the area with a wide range of stores and modern establishments with a multicultural touch.
The Lleras
A couple of decades ago it became Medellín’s pink zone par excellence, but over time it has also become a meeting and entertainment place for tourists from all over the world, who want to experience firsthand what the city’s party is like.
Laureles
This is a very traditional neighborhood in Medellín, where middle and upper class families settled in the middle of the last century. There are vast green areas and tranquility.
But beyond its residential character, it also has one of the most robust gastronomic offerings in the city around two of its parks and along Nutibara Avenue. As well as two other iconic streets of the rumba paisa: 70 and 33.
The 70
This street, which could well be described as a boulevard full of bars, restaurants and nightclubs, stretches from the Atanasio Girardot Stadium to the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. You can easily walk all the way and feel like going to different places.
For the most part, the bars here are divided by musical genre and you’ll find plenty of reggaeton, salsa, tropical music and vallenato. My favorite in this sector is the Tíbiri Bar, a salsa dancehall where the real experts go, so it’s a great place to go if you want to throw down the steps or learn from the pros.
La 33
Although 33 is a very long street, the stretch that interests us here goes from Cerro Nutibara (where the Pueblito Paisa is located) to Av. 80, which is still a considerable distance that I do not advise you to walk in its entirety. The best thing to do is to go to the fixed route and arrive by car to the place of your interest.
Here you can find everything from the typical corner stores (where liquor is cheaper) to fondas and discotheques. But if you want something a little off the beaten path I recommend the erotic pub Secret Gardena place to leave taboos aside and discover other forms of sexuality.
The Center
La Candelaria or Downtown is undoubtedly the most vibrant daytime spot in Medellín and, since this is where most of our historical heritage as a city is located, you should get to know this area for all its sites of interest.
To name a few The Museum of Antioquiathe Museum of Memory, the Palace of Culture, the Palace of Tennis with its art galleries, La Alpujarra, the commercial corridor of Carabobo and the entire theater district. theater districtwhere in addition to seeing artistic works you can spend a pleasant time having a drink.
When night falls the Centro is not as lively as Poblado or Laureles (and can even be a bit unsafe), but it definitely has charms like the Mercado de La Playa, the bars of the Bomboná Towers, La Pascasia and, of course, the Salón Málaga.
Best bars in Medellín
Since tastes, like the types of bars in the city, are so diverse, it is impossible for us to crown just one bar as the best in Medellín. What we will do is give you a list of the best rated or most popular in each category. Here we go!
El Botánico – Best gastrobar
El Botánico was nominated for ‘Best bar in Colombia’, ‘Best signature cocktail bar in Colombia’, and ‘Best bar in Medellín’ at the Cocktail Awards. This makes it one of the must-visit places on our list.
It is a natural and cozy space, like an urban greenhouse with industrial touches that revolves around celebration and science. There, the native, the authentic and, above all, the pleasurable, for its cocktails characterized by fresh notes and bright colors are a real delight.
I recommend you try the Spicy: a blend of Altos reposado tequila, agave honey, angostura and mango chile de arbol with grapefruit juice.
Address: Carrera 33 #7-41
Networks: @elbotanicomedellin
Siete Pulgadas – Best ambience
This choice is the most personal of the list, because defining what a good atmosphere is depends on each person. In my case, I believe that a good bar atmosphere should have an authentic decoration in a comfortable space, very good drinks and varied music at the right volume for conversation.
Siete Pulgadas has all that. The concept of the bar comes from the old EP or 7-inch vinyl records, because the music here is always a mix on vinyl, made by excellent DJs who can be noticed by far the melomania and are able to create very enveloping atmospheres.
Among their drinks, I highly recommend the Viche Sour (made with an artisanal drink typical of the Colombian Pacific).
Address: Carrera 43C #10 – 60
Networks: @sietepulgadasbar
Chiquita – Best Gay Bar (LGBTQ+)
This is a different, diverse and fun place, as its great slogan suggests: “Puta desde Chiquita” (Whore from Chiquita). Its extravagant and colorful facilities have a perfect terrace to have a drink and share with your friends in the evenings, as well as a theater where the real party takes place.
Chiquita is known for its stand up comedy shows, karaoke, concerts and many other talents brought to you by its fabulous drag queen hosts. They are open every day but only from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., so if you want to top it off you can go to Querida, another iconic LGBTQ+ bar in the city.
Address: Carrera 37 # 8a – 88 (on Via Primavera, by Lleras Park).
Networks: @bar_chiquita
El Blue – Best Rock Bar
In Medellín you can also dance to rock! That’s why the best place to have a good download of music, drink beer and cocktails is the bar-disco Blue.
Here the usual genres are indie rock, alt 90’s, retro 80’s, house, dance and others. A great advantage over other rock bars is that it has a fairly large space, ideal for its concert program in which there are usually tributes to great bands of the genre.
Like any disco, the Blue is for moving and singing at the top of your lungs. If you want something more relaxed and just have a conversation with good food and beers, I also recommend Bar Berlin, located on the same street a few blocks down.
Address: Calle 10 #40-20 (going up through the 10th street between Lleras Park and Parque del Poblado)
Networks: @bluemedellin
El Cacique – Best vallenato bar
Vallenato is Colombia’s native musical genre and, although it has changed a lot since its birth in the Caribbean region of the country, it is still very popular among the people here, who continue to vibrate with the songs of musicians such as Diomedes Díaz, nicknamed “El Cacique de la Junta”.
The Cacique Bar honors all that tradition and is the favorite place in Medellín to drink some good guaros (aguardiente, a typical paisa drink) and sing nostalgic, happy, sarcastic and humorous songs to the sound of the caja, the guacharaca and the accordion.
Patrick’s Irish Pub – Best sports bar
In Colombia, soccer is the thing that rules the parade. One of Medellín’s favorite pastimes is going out to watch the games of one of the city’s teams (Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín), whether it be visiting the stadium or going to a sports bar, where there is usually a good atmosphere.
The great thing about this Irish bar is that, in addition to soccer, they also show other sports more familiar to foreigners, so it is a very popular place for tourists. And you can accompany the NFL or NBA games with a variety of craft beers and American-style food.
Address: Carrera 37a #8A-43 (located at Parque Lleras)
Networks: @patricks_medellin
Salón Málaga – Best tango bar
The Malaga is the tradition of yesteryear that is still alive, since the establishment with more than 60 years old mixes the old bohemian coffee and social gatherings with the atmosphere of modern bars. The main attractions of this space are its ambience with old photographs and its immense collection of vinyl records.
Its music turns it into a portal to that city of the past, with streetcars, mules, pianolas and an exquisite soundtrack of boleros and tangos. In addition, if you are lucky you will be able to see live performances by musicians and dancers who continue the beautiful heritage of the arrabal art.
Address: Carrera 51 #45-80 (located downtown near the San Antonio Metro station).
Los Patios – Best Rooftop
Los Patios is another of the great jewels of the Manila neighborhood. Entre maravillosos restaurantes, bares y cafés, sobresale este hostal, muy bien calificado por los usuarios de internet debido a su ambiente familiar, excelente servicio al cliente e instalaciones dispuestas para encontrarse con los demás.
Aquí siempre hay algún plan para hacer y compartir con otras personas. Dentro de su programación puedes participar en todo tipo de actividades, desde clases de yoga y baile hasta tours de ciudad. Además, podrás parchar en su rooftop con bar, piscina y buena fama ya entre los turistas por sus increíbles fiestas.
Address: Carrera 43E #11 – 40
Web: https://www.lospatioshb.com/
Secret Garden – Best Swingers Bar
Secret Garden defines itself as an erotic pub, which I consider much more interesting than the mere exchange of couples, because here the proposal goes towards an exploration of eroticism as art, in which sex and its unconventional practices are demystified.
Having been there I can attest that above all it is a safe space, where consensus matters and no one will do anything to you that you do not want. So you can go quietly alone, as a couple and with friends to have fun with their shows and games to expand your own limits.
Address: Calle 33 #76-124 (located on 33rd Street near Los Almendros pump)
Web: https://thesecretgarden.pub/
0 Comment