The 10 Best Bars in Punta del Este

This is a lively bar and nightclub in Manantiales, a popular region of Punta del Este. You can get food until 12am and then dance the night away. Stocked full of enough classy cocktails and bottled beers to take you through to the morning, this bar is a guaranteed good time. Like many on this list, La Casita is a seasonal bar that starts pumping in the summer.

A bar with many faces, Soho doubles as a luxurious restaurant during the day and a vibrant nightclub at night. If you don’t feel like dancing, it’s the perfect place to sit out by the popular port of Punta del Este and enjoy the waterfront with a drink. No matter what you came for, whether it’s their incredible seafood platters or exciting music, you are destined to stay much longer than you anticipated when you first sat down.

This pub is one of the most approachable and renowned bars in Punta del Este. Moby Dick is located on the waterfront right next to the port, making it a great place for sunsets and watching fireworks. Though it is nautically themed, the design has been heavily influenced by the Irish and English pub culture and fittingly hosts live music nights during most of the summer.

Bigote, Spanish for “mustache”, always seems to have an event on that you don’t want to miss. Whether it’s a charity fundraiser, giant jenga, ping pong tournament, or a range of music events, Bigote provides another reason to draw you to the cosy beachside region of Manantiales. In recent years they have expanded around the city and they even have a food truck that keeps a range of international beers flowing late into the night.

As one of the most popular bars on this list, CAPI is open all year round and always seems to be busy. It specializes in its wide variety of delicious international and local artisanal beers that you can enjoy in a friendly atmosphere alongside some great music and even better food. CAPI has two fantastic locations, one in the epicenter of Punta del Este’s peninsula and the other in the laid-back region of La Barra.

This is a well designed, quirky bar named after the “Two of Cups” tarot card. From the outside, the building is sky blue with wooden tables and chairs that appear as if they were stained by sea salt. Inside it’s even more unique: distorting mirrors hang on the walls alongside a collage of pop culture references that extends to the tables and chairs. They serve local artisanal beers and colorful cocktails.

Keep Rolling is exactly what you’d expect from a beach bar in Manantiales: relaxed, colorful, and airy. The wooden exterior emphazises its rustic beach hut atmosphere, with a thatched roof awning outside and beautiful paintings inside. By day you can enjoy the sun with a nice meal and by night it becomes electric, transformed by the people, colorful lights, and music.

The Garage Bar of Punta del Este is every motor head’s dream. While you sit down for a meal or enjoy a cold drink you are surrounded by all sorts of paraphernalia from engines, machines, and other vehicles. The tables are oil drums, the bathroom taps are fuel hoses, and outside there are antique collectable cars for your viewing pleasure.

This gorgeous two-story bar serves excellent beer and sublime pizza. The spacious outdoor seating area is lively and the overall atmosphere matches the friendly style of the decorations and warm colors of the interior. No Me Olvides means “Don’t Forget Me” in Spanish, and this bar is best enjoyed with a group of friends you want to share a lasting memory with.

Unlike many of the conventional bars in Punta del Este, El Viajero is attached to an international travel hostel so you’re sure to meet some interesting and chatty people. The bar is nestled in the central peninsula of Punta del Este near other bars, restaurants, and beaches, so you’re right in the middle of all the action. They serve artisanal beer and pub food that’s comparably cheaper than its neighbors.