Going out in Buenos Aires is nothing like going out in most cities of the world, and especially unlike the United States. The hot nightspots are everywhere, the people are uncommonly beautiful, and the clubs stay open until sunrise. So the question is, how do you navigate this nighlife-lovers’ paradise?
For starters, you have to get used to the schedule. Argentines dine late, the local restaurants don’t start to fill up until about 10pm, and eating all that delicious steak and salad is a leisurely process so that it’s not uncommon to leave the restaurants around midnight. For great places to eat I would recommend the Puerto Madero and the Palermo Viejo areas.
Luckily for you, midnight will still be too early to visit most clubs, so at this point you have plenty of time to hit up the local bars and get a good buzz going. There’s plenty of great bars all around the city where you can sit with your friends and your liter-sized bottles of Quilmes and your eyes on the beautiful people of Buenos Aires, who are getting ready to go out just like you. A great area for bars, once again, is Palermo Viejo.
At this point you have a choice to make. Many people will finish their evenings out at the bars, most of which stay open until about 4am and some of which have dancing. The pretty people that you were looking for are already there, there is no cover charge, and you will get a few more hours of sleep which might prove useful before your full day of sightseeing.
The real nightlife junkies, however, opt for the clubs. From 2 - 3am the streets crowd with cars again (and many a drunk driver, so be careful) as the beautiful people head out dancing. The dance clubs in BA don’t usually open before 1am, but once they are open, they stay that way until the early morning.
You’ll have your choice of music styles, though the clubs definitely follow the trends, and in 2007 most of them are playing techno and house music. There are also options for hip-hop, Latin Rock & Pop, and Salsa & Cumbia (though not many). As a first time tourist, I would recommend sticking to better-known clubs at first ( Opera Bay, Asia de Cuba, Mint, and Azucar ) and also arriving early. Orderly lines and friendly bouncers are a rarity in Buenos Aires, and it’s no fun getting stuck outside.
At this point, I’m sure there is still one burning question that remains on your mind. How do you meet one of these hot locals? If you’re a woman, you’re in luck. Argentine men are direct and aggressive, and one flirtatious glance will likely be enough of an invitation for them to talk to you. As a foreign man, you might have to work a little harder. Argetine women are defensive by nature (because of Argentine men) so it may take more work on your end to strike up a conversation. If you speak some Spanish, your accent and your foreigner status are both in your favor, so smile and say “Hola.” You need not be as aggressive as a porteρo (BA native), but don’t necessarily mistake “hard to get” for “not interested.”
In then end, you are virtually guaranteed to have a blast going out in Buenos Aires, so grab your phrasebook and your Quilmes, and go and have some fun.
Read a more in-depth article on Buenos Aires nightlife as well as other advice and anecdotes from travelers like you at