Milión

Milión has been a fixture of evening life in Recoleta since it opened in 1999. It combines a bar, a restaurant and a cultural space, and it aims for a relaxed, informal atmosphere across all its rooms, encouraging the kind of long, sociable evening that suits Buenos Aires well.

The drinks list centres on cocktails, with a separate cocktail menu, and the kitchen serves Argentine dishes and tapas, with new options introduced each season. Menus are available in Spanish, Portuguese and English, which makes it an easy choice for visitors. It works as a place for a drink before dinner, a light meal of shared plates, or a late cocktail after an evening elsewhere.

Music is a big part of the experience. Milión plays live and recorded music through the day, ranging across jazz and its variations, soul, funk, bossa nova, tango and electronic music. Over the years it has hosted performances by major Argentine names such as Charly García, Juana Molina and Babasónicos, which gives a sense of its standing in the city's cultural scene.

The venue has also had an arts programme since it opened, with painting and photography exhibitions and competitions, performance cycles, theatre and film. Artists who have exhibited there include Marta Minujín and León Ferrari, both of whom are also represented in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, so art lovers may enjoy the connection. Milión can also be booked in whole or in part for private parties, weddings and corporate events.

It suits couples, groups of friends and anyone who prefers conversation and good music to a nightclub. Prices are in the upper-middle range for the city. Reservations can be made through the website, and the venue's phone line takes messages only, so use the website, WhatsApp or the email address [email protected] to get in touch. Opening times are not published on the home page, so check them when you book.

Milión is at Paraná 1048, in Recoleta. It is a good place to end a day spent around Recoleta's museums, the Teatro Colón or the cafés of the district, and the cocktail bar Florería Atlántico in neighbouring Retiro makes a natural alternative or second stop.