35 Best Bars in Lima, Peru

Ayahuasca

Barranco

The refurbished 19th-century mansion that houses Ayahuasca would be worth visiting even if it wasn't Barranco's chicest bar. The wild decor—it is named for the hallucinogen used by Amazonian tribes—and light menu only adds to the allure.

Bar Hotel Maury

El Centro
This handsomely wood-paneled hotel bar is where the pisco sour took on its definitive final form. The man responsible, Don Eloy Cuadros, has learned his trade well: after 60 years on the job, he still whips up refreshing cocktails that are a perfect break from sightseeing in El Centro.

Barra 55

Barranco
This stylish lounge has quickly become Lima's hippest night spot. The décor is Nordic; the drink of choice, gin and tonic; the cuisine, tapas. There's no sign outside, but the super-cool welcome from the bartenders makes it clear you're in the right place.

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Barranco Beer Company

Barranco

Bored with Peru's beer selection? This microbrewery a block north of Barranco's Parque Municipal not only offers several house brews, but also has sandwiches on home-baked bread, empanadas, and blue-corn pizza.

Bitter Cocktail Club

The bartenders at this hipster grotto have really nailed the speakeasy vibe: you need to request a password through the bar's website to be allowed to enter. What awaits you inside are some of the most delicious drinks in Lima, as well as red curtains, leather sofas, and a generally cool vibe.

Brisas del Titicaca

El Centro
Run by a nonprofit cultural association, this supper-club theater showcases Peru's colorful danzas folklóricas, especially those from Puno, near Lake Titicaca. The music, costumes, and virtuosic footwork evoke the joyous frenzy of the region's Virgen de la Candelaria festival. Take a cab when you go; the theater is a bit hard to find.

Carnaval

This posh cocktail emporium is the brainchild of Aaron Díaz, former beverage director at Astrid y Gastón and expert mixologist at high-end bars throughout Latin America. Using ingredients such as green Chartreuse, elderberry juice, and mescal, he whips up drinks that have Lima's smart set raving. The snacks are outstanding, too.

Chocolate Bar

Above the restaurant Como Agua Para Chocolate, Chocolate Bar has the best selection of tequila in Lima and serves a great margarita.

Cocodrilo Verde

Miraflores

Two blocks west of Parque Kennedy, Cocodrilo Verde features some of Peru's best musicians, plus visiting acts that play everything from jazz to salsa and bossa nova. Shows start anytime between 9 and 11 pm, depending on the night.

El Bolivarcito

El Centro

This popular bar just to the right of the Hotel Bolívar's entrance overlooks the Plaza San Martín and makes a wicked pisco sour. Or step inside to the main bar and restaurant, which offer tables on an elevated terrace and a more subdued setting.

El Tayta

Miraflores

On the second floor of an old building across from Parque Kennedy, El Tayta has live guitar music (mostly Latin pop) performed by duos or trios.

Huaringas

Miraflores

Occupying several floors of a lovely old house next to the restaurant Brujas de Cachiche, Huaringas is a pleasant place for a drink, though it can get packed on weekends.

Jazz Zone

Miraflores

It's easy to miss the Jazz Zone, hidden in a colonial-style shopping complex called El Suche. Head up a bright-red stairway to the dimly lit second-story lounge for performances of everything from Latin jazz to blues and flamenco, with salsa or other dance music on weekends. Shows start at 10:30.

Juanito

Barranco

Facing Barranco's main square is one of the neighborhood's most venerable establishments, though the premises definitely veer toward the bare-bones and bohemian. Built by Italian immigrants in 1905, the former pharmacy is packed nightly with limeños drawn by the cheap drinks, historic setting, and ham sandwiches.

La Candelaria

Barranco

Drawing a mix of locals and foreigners, La Candelaria is located in an attractive art deco building a couple blocks east of Barranco's Parque Municipal. The restaurant, where food and drink are à la carte, opens at 9 pm, and shows (there's a cover charge) combining the folklores of the coast, mountains, and jungle start at 10:30 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

La Cuina de Bonilla

Miraflores
One of a dozen bars on Calle Manuel Bonilla, La Cuina is known for its ample selection of tapas—from mushrooms sautéed with garlic to tortilla española (Spanish omelet)—and selection of microbrewery beers, but the tables out front are a nice spot for a drink.

La Dama Juana

Barranco

The most tourist-friendly peña, La Dama Juana offers 90-minute shows in an atmospheric Spanish-colonial-style building in Barranco. Performances start at 8:30 pm, and a traditional Peruvian buffet is served from 7:30 to 10 pm. There's also a Sunday show that starts at 2:30 pm; the buffet opens at 12:20.

La Noche

Barranco

La Noche is in a funky old house at the far end of the pedestrian street lined with bars known as El Bulevar de Barranco. The building includes a concert hall with a separate entrance (and admission fee) where local rock, Latin pop, and jazz bands perform. It's a great place for a drink even if you don't see the show.

La Oficina

Barranco
This lively peña is one of the most famous in the city. Weekend shows of Afro-Peruvian music from the country's south coast culminate with a brindis (toast) around 2 am, when hundreds of pisco-sour glasses are raised.
Cl. Enrique Barrón 441, Lima, Lima, Peru
01-247–6544
nightlife Details
Rate Includes: Closed evenings Mon.–Wed. and Sun. all day

La Posada del Ángel

Barranco

La Posada del Ángel is decorated with a wild collection of antiques and art, including statues of angels. It's one of the few bars in Barranco suited to conversation, and guitarists perform Latin American classics from 10 pm to 2 am. The bar has two more locations just down the street at Prolongación San Martín 157 and Avenida Pedro de Osma 222.

La Posada del Mirador

Barranco

When you're in Barranco, a pleasant place to start off the evening is La Posada del Mirador, at the end of the path behind La Ermita church. The bar has a second-story balcony that looks out to sea, making this a great place to watch the sunset or enjoy a nightcap.

Legendaris

Miraflores

With its big dance floor and convenient location a few blocks west of Parque Miraflores's southern end, Legendaris is a popular weekend spot, drawing a young, mostly gay and lesbian crowd. Open Thursday through Sunday.

Lima 27

This popular restaurant also features a low-lighted lounge in front, and a lively back patio.

Lima Bar

Miraflores

Down several flights of stairs from the lower level of the Larcomar shopping center is this cavernous dance club, a see-and-be-seen destination for Lima's beautiful people. The club and the shopping center are built into a cliff, so if you need a break, step out back for a sweeping view of the Lima coast. The bar is open Friday and Saturday from 9 pm to 6 am.

Museo del Pisco

El Centro
Artisanal cocktails are what's on tap at this atmospheric saloon patterned after an Ica bodega (winery).The classic pisco sours are formidable, but even better are the ginger-ale-based chilcanos and the citrus-and-berry-laced frutales. The expert mixologists are happy to make recommendations.

Nuevo Mundo Draft Bar

Miraflores
This laid-back pub in the heart of Miraflores sells draft and bottled beers from several microbreweries. The food is also unusually good.

Picas

Barranco

In a remodeled old building under the Puente de los Suspiros, Picas is the hippest spot on the Bajada de los Baños. There are usually DJs on weekends, when it gets so crowded you'll feel like you're dancing in an elevator. It also has a decent kitchen, perfect for a late-night snack.

Piselli

Barranco

This lovely little bar in an adobe building one block south of Barranco's main square is a memorable spot for a drink, with its high beamed ceilings and glass cabinets filled with liquor bottles. Nights draw a substantial crowd.

Rústica

Barranco
In the back of this restaurant on the Parque Municipal is an airy bar with a big dance floor that gets packed on weekend nights, when DJs spin Latin and international hits.

Sachún

Miraflores

With more than three decades in business, Sachún's mix of Andean folk dancing and música criolla draws a predominantly older crowd. The food here is a cut above that at other peñas.