People having a good time at Café Brazil. Photo courtesy of Café Brazil
During distinct times in my life, I´ve had distinct favorite places to go and dance. When I was VERY young, I liked to go the now-extinct Teatro Carrera, and as I became more of an adult, El Túnel — especially when in the mood to hear good music on a Thursday — and now that I´ve taken a liking to tropical dance music, Café Brazil has become the favorite.
Popular is the word. Café Brazil is a place that is PACKED every weekend, and where you will experience what´s popular, folk and socialism — it´s premise, "Another Chile is possible"— in a familiar and very Latin American atmosphere.
Based on the fact that Chileans are famous for going out quite late at night, I would recommend in this case that you go earlier, as around 8 p.m. there are dance classes and after, the students and instructors stay—for the delight of the mere mortals, who, open-mouthed, watch them dance—so the place fills up fast and early.
Those who don´t agree with the leftist parties need not be frightened, as the most political statements are on the posters and graffiti on the walls, dating back a long time ago. But the mood is relaxed, cheerful and all people share together, as if they´d known one another forever. Here, it doesn´t matter if your brown, blonde, Chilean or a foreigner, nor whether or not you´re young; what´s important here is DANCING.
The entrance is $3,000 CLP, which includes a drink: a hard drink (pisco or rum) or a liter of beer. Chorillanas (a dish consisting of French fries, eggs, meat, onions and often cheese) are $5,000 CLP and very filling and tasty. The truth is, that every time I go with a few friends (four), I never spend more than $5,000 CLP, and that´s including a chorillana, so in my opinion, that´s VERY cheap.
If you want to dance to Latin American rhythms, not spend a lot of money and be in a truly authentic environment, Café Brazil is without a doubt the best option for this weekend.
Details:
562 Av. Ricardo Cumming, Barrio Brazil
Telephone: (56 2) 698 21 96
