La Playa

Frommer's Review

As young restaurateurs scramble to open the next "it" gourmet restaurant on Cerros Alegres and Concepción, the La Playa restaurant, located on the edge of downtown's Plaza Sotomayer, keeps drawing in a steady clientele of diners and drinkers just like they have for more than 100 years. It is one of Valparaíso's oldest bars/restaurants, and no other establishment in this city oozes more old-world, bohemian charm, with its long oak bar, dusty marine memorabilia, lofty ceilings, and antique mirrors rescued from the Seven Mirrors brothel that shut down decades ago. While digging into an inexpensive meal of crab soup or steak a la pobre, it's easy to sense the ghosts of sailors past who frequented this restaurant during the city's heyday, in search of nighttime adventure. After 10pm the restaurant converts into a pub popular with young adults and college students, with live jazz or blues music kicking off around midnight and shutting down at a respectably late hour for a bar like this -- 5am.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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