Buenos Aires Recoleta

A very upscale, wealthy neighborhood, Recoleta isn’t known for partying until dawn. There are, of course, a number of bars, though they are spread out throughout the barrio and don’t compose any real nightlife district. It is worth noting, however, that Recoleta’s southern regions host a number of GLBT bars and clubs , the beginning of a long district that continues through the northern regions of Balvanera and Almagro and southeastern Palermo.

Buller, Presidente RM Ortiz 1827 (☎4808 9061). S Callao. It’s slightly overpriced and crowded with tourists, but this small pub is worth a visit—it’s one of the city’s only microbreweries, churning out six varieties, from a basic lager and Oktoberfest to an IPA and stout. Pints AR$14-18. Pitchers AR$34-42. Entrees AR$19-38. Happy hour 7-9pm. Magic show Tu and Th 9:30pm and midnight. Open daily noon-late. AmEx/MC/V.
Milión, Paraná 1048 (☎4815 9925; www.milionargentina.com.ar). S Callao or Tribunales. If you’re looking for a swanky night out on the town, head to this classy, sleek former mansion-turned bar and restaurant. The entrees (AR$31-80) can be a bit steep, but you can always indulge in the cheaper appetizer trios (AR$18) or tapas (AR$25-28). Beer AR$7-10. Wine by the bottle AR$32-196. Mixed drinks AR$15-28. Open M-F 11:30am-3:30am, Sa 8pm-4am, Su 8pm-2am. AmEx/MC/V.
Shamrock, Rodríguez Peña 1220 (☎4812 3584), between Juncal and Arenales. More chic bar than Irish pub, Shamrock’s sea of tables seat BA’s younger crowd, as well as a fair number of foreigners. Mixed drinks AR$9-18. Beer AR$7-26. Guinness AR$24. Happy hour until midnight with AR$6 shots and 2-for-1 beer. Open M-W and Su 6pm-4am, Th 6pm-5:30am, F-Sa 6pm-6:30am. Downstairs, the small, sweaty Basement Club spins electronica. Open Th 11pm-close, F-Sa 1am-6am. AmEx/MC/V: AR$20 minimum.

It’S A Drink, Not A Drug. “Speed” means energy drink in Argentina, so if you see it on a menu in BA, it means vodka and Red Bull, not the illegal drug. The word for “speed” the drug is amphetiminas.

Sitges, Av. Córdoba 4119 (☎4861 3763; www.sitgesonline.com.ar). From cabaret to karaoke, this lively pre-club bar always has something going on. Well-dressed gay men sit at the tables, each equipped with occasionally working phones for drunk dialing the stranger across the room. The specialty drink, “Love” (vodka, strawberry, Sprite, and cream) is (deliberately?) just a bit too sweet. Mixed drinks AR$14-18. Beer AR$10-12. Fast food AR$5-35. AR$12 min. F all-you-can-drink AR$25. Sa drag night. Su karaoke. Open W-Th and Su 10:30pm-2:30am, F-Sa 10:30pm-5:30am. Cash only.
Contramano, Rodríguez Peña 1082 (☎4811 0494; www.contramano.com). This all-male nightclub caters to a laid-back, slightly older clientele. The mirror on the dance floor, which beats with house, pop, and techno, is perfect for subtly scoping out the man-candy behind you. Smoking lounge upstairs. Beer AR$5. Mixed drinks AR$10-30. Cover Th AR$10, F and Su AR$20, Sa AR$25. Open Th midnight-5am (only in summer), F-Sa midnight-6am, Su 10pm-5am. AmEx/MC/V.
El Living, M.T. de Alvear 1540 (☎4815 6574; www.living.com.ar). S Callao. Between Montevideo and Paraná. Outfitted to look like a living room (assuming that the standard living room includes 8 TVs and a huge projector screen), El Living starts off with comfort food for dinner, followed by well-priced drinks. Recent rock and pop favorites blast over the speakers, while the disco ball makes the back room more club-ish. Menú AR$37. Mixed drinks AR$8-16. Wine by the glass AR$5, by the bottle AR$11-38. Open Th 7pm for drinks, F-Sa 10pm-1:30am for dinner; continues as a bar late.