Bars in Laureles
Poblado performs its nightlife for visitors. Laureles just has nightlife, and lets you join in. Here is where to start, and how a night here is actually structured.
Laureles has two distinct drinking geographies and they are not interchangeable. There is La 70, the loud, sprawling, deeply local strip near the stadium. And there is Transversal 39D, a compact block of neon-fronted bars and restaurants that is newer, tighter and easier to do on a weeknight. Which one you want depends entirely on what kind of evening you are after.
The one bar to pick if you only get one night
Son Havana. It is a Cuban-themed salsa bar near La 70 that pulls dancers of every level onto its floor, and it is the single most memorable night out in the neighborhood. You do not need to know how to dance. You need to say yes when someone offers to show you, which someone will.
If you have never danced salsa: go early, order a drink, and watch for twenty minutes before anyone asks. Nobody in the room is judging your footwork; the whole point of a social floor is that it absorbs beginners.
La 70: the strip
La Setenta (Carrera 70) is not one bar, it is hundreds of them — restaurants, bars, cantinas and fondas running from midday to early morning along the edge of Laureles by the Atanasio Girardot stadium. The music is gloriously chaotic and moving between places is the entire activity. Beers come in buckets; aguardiente comes in medias for the table.
On match nights, when Atlético Nacional or DIM play at home, the strip becomes the pre-game and post-game for tens of thousands of people. It is one of South America's great football atmospheres and you do not need a ticket to be in it. We wrote the full breakdown in the La 70 guide.
Transversal 39D: the neon block
Ten minutes away, the Torre Gourmet strip is where a lot of locals actually start their evening, because you can eat properly and then drink without moving the car.
Área 11 announces itself with green alien neon, stacked between La Baguette upstairs and Galeón below. It is the most photogenic sign on the block and a solid first stop.
emojis cocktail is pink-and-blue neon with an open front and cocktails handed out toward the sidewalk. Zero pretension, high energy. If you want to know what the strip looks like at 10pm, it looks like this.
A night that is not a bar at all
Teatro de Laureles is a 250-seat comedy theater running since 2006, which also hosts regional musical acts. The shows are in Spanish, which is exactly why it is worth doing: it is a genuinely local evening rather than a visitor-facing one. Check what is on before you go.
How a night in Laureles actually runs
- Eat first, drink second. The food places close earlier than the bars, and dinner here is early by European standards.
- Weeknights and weekends are different neighborhoods. Tuesday is a relaxed dinner with a drink after. Friday and Saturday run until dawn.
- Nobody dresses up. There is no door policy to satisfy. Dressing low-key also means blending in, which is the practical safety habit that matters most.
- Phone in your pocket, drink in sight. Standard rules, same as any city's nightlife district anywhere in the world.
- Ride-hail home after midnight. Not because the area is dangerous, but because walking twenty blocks at 3am is an unnecessary decision.
Thinking of staying right on La 70 for the convenience? Read the noise warning in Where to Stay in Laureles first. Visit the party. Do not sleep inside it.
Quick answers
Where is the best salsa in Laureles?
Son Havana, a Cuban-themed salsa bar near La 70 that welcomes dancers of every level. It is the single night out we recommend most often to visitors.
Are the bars in Laureles cheaper than El Poblado?
Generally yes, and noticeably so. Laureles is a residential neighborhood with a local crowd rather than a tourist district, and the pricing reflects that. See the full Laureles vs Poblado comparison.
Is it safe to go out at night in Laureles?
Yes, on the busy, well-lit strips, with normal city precautions: phone away, drink in sight, and a ride-hailing app home after midnight rather than a long walk.
What night is best for going out in Laureles?
Friday and Saturday for the full experience, and any home-match night for the football atmosphere on La 70. Weeknights are quieter and better if you want a table and a conversation.
While you're here: the neighborhood directory
Every spot in this guide is one we've been to ourselves. 42 places in Laureles, each one tap from directions.