Caracas is a big, cosmopolitan city, and your nighttime options are many and varied. It's advisable to stick to the more upscale and relatively safe neighborhoods such as Altamira, El Rosal, and Las Mercedes, or one of the popular malls.
The Juan Sebastián Bar, Avenida Venezuela, El Rosal (tel. 0212/951-5575), is a popular restaurant and bar -- and the most consistent place in the city to catch live jazz. Rockers head to Greenwich, Avenida San Juan Bosco, Altamira (tel. 0212/267-1760), a small place with live bands; or Little Rock Café, Avenida 6 between 3rd and 4th Transversal, Altamira (tel. 0212/267-8337), a knock-off of the Hard Rock chain that also has live bands on most nights. And there's even an official franchise of the Hard Rock Café (tel. 0212/267-7662) located in the huge Centro Comercial Sambil.
El Maní Es Así, Avenida Francisco Solano and Calle El Cristo, Sabana Grande (tel. 0212/763-6671), is one of the more popular salsa and Latin dance spots. Open every night except Monday from 5pm until around 5am, they charge no cover and always have a live band. La Belle Epoque, Avenida Leonardo Da Vince, Bello Monte (tel. 0212/753-1342), and Masai, Centro Commercial San Ignacio (tel. 0212/267-1290), are two other good dance spots, with more modern musical selections.
Located just across from the Caracas Hilton, the Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex (tel. 0500/673-7200 or 0212/574-9122) and the Ateneo de Caracas (tel. 0212/573-4400) are the places to go for live performances. Top-notch popular and classical concerts take place in the Teresa Carreño, while film series and modern theater are often on tap at the Ateneo. The Trasnocho Cultural, Centro Comercial Paseo Las Mercedes (tel. 0212/993-1910; www.trasnochocultural.com), is a popular option with a beautiful theater and a couple of cinemas offering a steady diet of live music, theater, and avant-garde cinema. They also have a hip little bar and cafe. Check the local papers or ask at your hotel for a performance schedule. Ticket prices range from 2,500Bs to 40,000Bs ($1.15-$19).
