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SOMA Cultural Center (4-27 11 Calle 2, Zona 1, Guatemala City) – located in a trendier part of the capital, this bar attracts both locals and expats who listen to 90s grunge rock, and 80s New Wave rock acts like The Clash, Depeche Mode and David Bowie. To no surprise, live rock acts frequently perform […]

Por Que No? (Casa 9, 9ª Calle Oriente, Antigua) – this street-level bar, housed in a colonial building, is one of the venues favored by ex-pats passing through Antigua. Along with its “at home” setting and cold beers and tequilas, light snacks are also served there. This quirky bar also lets patrons write their names […]

Monoloco (5ta Avenida Sur 6, Antigua) – this is another favored watering hole for the young ex-pat set. The bar food here is very popular (including tacos, burgers and pizzas), as well as the cold beer and other liquors served here. Patrons can watch international (especially American) sporting events here. Parties are often thrown here […]

Las Vibras de la Casbah (5ª Avenida Norte, Antigua) – located near the Santa Catalina arch in Antigua, this is a great venue for those in a mood to dance to electronic and other forms of dance music like House. The trendy décor and deep blue lighting contribute to this club’s ultra cool vibe. There’s […]

Las Cien Puertas (9a Calle entre 6ª Avenida y 7ª Avenida, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this is another historic bar in the capital. It’s a great place to have a good chat over some music and a few icy cold local (Gallo brand) beers. The drinks menu is decent, the bartenders are friendly and there’s […]

La Sala (6a Calle Poniente 9, Antigua) – for those in a mood to party, La Sala is the way to go. Salsa, Bachata and Reggaeton music dominate the dance floor (attracting mainly a 20-something crowd). A nice mix of ex-pats and locals. Salsa lessons are occasionally offered. There’s also a terrace for those wanting […]

La Bodeguita del Centro (Asia Mall, 13-88 Calzada Roosevelt, Zona 7, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this Cuban-themed venue is a bar as well as a cultural center, which means that there are poetry readings, debates, art exhibits, and film screenings (usually during the day), as well as live music (from jazz to rock and salsa) […]

Karma (Via 5, esq. 1a Avenida, Zona 4, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this is a trendy gastro-bar, with not only a wide array of liquor options, but wine as well (along with food). Because this place serves wine & fine cheeses, it attracts an upscale local crowd. There are also some live jazz evenings.

El Portalito (entre la 6ta y 7ma avenida de la zona 1 en el interior del pasaje Rubio, Ciudad de Guatemala) – this is an old school local watering hole that has been around for generations. Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara frequently hung out here when he lived in Guatemala. Aside from that, this bar is […]

Café No Se (1a Avenida Sur, Sacatepéquez, Antigua) – this venue is reputed to be the first mezcal bar outside of Mexico. This bar’s rustic setting would fit in well in a Robert Rodriguez or Quentin Tarantino film, which means that it has a lot of character (confirmed by YouTube video clips of this bar). […]