Lima Nightlife

The array of establishments offering nightlife entertainment is as varied as the types of people who live in the capital. From student watering holes and backpacker haunts, to throbbing clubs and discothèques, to sleek and affluent bars, Lima has it all. A tried and true sampling of all these categories, from less to more formal, is detailed below.

The Mochileros Pub Bar (Av. Pedro de Osma 135, Barranco) is run next to the long running backpacker hostel of the same name (mochilero is backpacker in Spanish); this easy going pub is very popular with young tourists and locals alike. Featuring multiple drinking ambiences (including tables in the garden), local rock/reggae bands and DJs, and a colourful crowd, this laid back bar is a great choice for a local style, inexpensive night out. Typical drinks are handle beers and simple mixed drinks, though they successfully pull off an array of classic cocktails.

El Dragon (Av. Nicolas de Pierola 168, Barranco) is another bar for young and bohemian minded people. If you are looking for somewhere to have a cheap beer or mixer and dance along to late 80s and 90s rock/punk classics (and current bands who emulate the style), then Dragon is definitely your ticket. Almost every night features some organized event, and increasingly you will find the music branching out into disco, electronic or blues themed nights. Be sure to check the nightly drinking special. There is a small cover charge on weekends.

You would be hard pressed to find a bar with more history than the Bar del Hotel Bolivar, (Jirón de la Unión Nº958, Lima Centro). Located in the heart of downtown Lima, in front of the attractive Plaza San Martín, both bar and hotel are officially part of Lima’s Historic Cultural Patrimony, and considered by most to make the best pisco sour in the city. Among the famous names that have been attracted to the bar’s charm are writers William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, as well as actors Cantinflas and Ava Gadner, who reportedly once surprised patrons with a sensual bar-top dance after numerous pisco sours. Today the bar maintains its old world elegance, and a drink there is a very effective way to transport oneself to 1950s Lima.

For those who adored the 80s, Bizarro Bar (Calle Francisco de Paula Camino 220, Miraflores), is a great option; equipped with a large space, ample bar and dance floor. The crowd is generally 30-something plus and fashion conscious, and the drinks menu include a range of local and imported beers, wine, and spirits. There are multiple ambiences, comprised of a lounge like area near the entrance, a large, noisier area where the DJ is situated, and a private, loft type space overlooking the dance floor. There is a cover charge of approximately S/.50 ($17) here on weekends.

Two popular gay-friendly bars in Lima are Bobo Bar (Manuel Bonilla 109, Miraflores), and Lola Bar (Calle Bolivar 197, Miraflores). While Bobo (as in bohemian bourgeois) is slightly smaller, both have a warm vibe and play great music. Well prepared and presented cocktails are on both venues’ drinks menu, and hence are great places for a boogie while sipping your mojito in a totally non-discriminatory atmosphere.

The ultra funky Ayahuasca Bar (Av. Prolongacion San Martin 130, Barranco, Telf: +51 (01) 981044745) is housed in a superbly furnished colonial casona, bringing to life the antique charm of Barranco on its exterior while creatively displaying the raw beauty of Peru’s Andean and contemporary art. This is one of the most popular venues for Lima’s youthful and hip crowd. Expect an almost overwhelming variety of drinks: all well presented and delectable, imaginatively created with national fruits and spices as their inspiration. Nibbles here are also delicious. Ayahuasca is the ideal place to rub shoulders with Lima’s urban elite in an eclectic, unimposing atmosphere. You can guarantee yourself a couch or two by making reservations.

Tucked away in a discreet Miraflores residential area is Huaringas (Calle Bolognesi 460, Miraflores, Telf: +51 (01) 4457154), a handsome and vibrant bar is characterized by its inviting vast array of drinks prepared with Peruvian pisco and a vibrant atmosphere. It is the connected to and associated with the restaurant Brujas de Cachice next door, and shares the same elegantly rustic décor. There are 2 stories available to patrons, as well as a semi open-air loft type space affording views down onto the neighbouring fountain. The ambience is that of large groups of friends catching up while comfortably sprawled out on low couches, therefore reservations must be made if you plan on finding a seat.

If you are looking for a big night out with the young and energetic limeño crowd, then clubs Aura and Gotica are two very convenient and compatible options. Located nearly side by side in the seaside mall complex of Larcomar, these large multileveled discotecas provide all the necessary ingredients for a long night ending at 6am: crowds of Lima’s affluent youth (or young at heart), music at volumes not intended for conversation, and a short inexpensive drinks list. Both venues have a relatively high cover charge every night.