Salon Malaga

A vintage place full of Tango history. Very traditional and old. You can meet artists, intellectuals, and politicians. The atmosphere is cozy. It's like stepping back in time a 100 years.

Everyone is so friendly in here, they must get 100s of tourists coming in and trying to salsa when I say try I mean completely insult a whole culture. But yet the local still offer help and guidance. (When the right song comes on you will be witness to some of the most amazing dancing)

Really good authentic Colombian bar, with live music and dancing. Great place for a beer or two after the free walking tour. Nice to experience a drink with the locals rather than fellow tourists.

Definitely a cool place for a cold beer when in downtown Medellín. The beer is cold and inexpensive and the place is full of cool memorabilia and interesting stuff. I will have to go back and check it out one evening as I'm sure it would be a lot of fun

Great place to travel back to the past!

The most traditional bar we visited in Medellin. The place has been around for a long long time but there is such a great mix of the older generations and the new. It's nothing fancy but a great place to experience some local culture, enjoying the drinks, atmosphere and sometimes there is live music!

Lovely vintage place where you turn back in time.

Great place to step back in time.

The style is a matter of taste, but I love it. Tango and Salsa music, with some dancing, this captures the atmosphere of Colombia quite well. Everybody comes together and celebrates the night like they haven't a worry in the world.

Great place. It's an old-fashioned themed bar in Medellin with tango music. There are live shows on weekends.

Great place to go and listen to music and get some drinks. Friday nights are great since they play colombian tropical music. The other days you will usually hear more tango music.

The venue is fantastic, very old school, fascinating. It's almost like making a jump in the 70-80's. You can have a drink with locals for very reasonable prices. The music was very good, predominantly cumbia and some salsa. There is space for dancing. The waiters ware kind and also pretty. We didn't eat (it was Sunday afternoon), we just had some peanuts with our drinks.

These old nostalgic cafe's have the same feel everywhere in the world. They transport you in time. Like magic!

Awesome bar with amazing salsa music! Being in this place feels like I’ve time traveled a few decades backwards - in a very good way of course! Sitting with the locals and watching a grandpa DJ going though piles of vinyl records and picking his favorite one - that’s just one of a kind scene you don’t find easily elsewhere. So if you want a real local experience with super chill vibe, you should go there.

Salon Malaga is a family owned neighborhood fun place. They have been around since 1957. I stumbled into this place on a Friday night. Most customers gathered around a small stage. The performers were Oskar Rivera and Mile Rua. The performance was fantastic. The food and drinks there were simple. Most people just enjoyed a beer or two. I liked this place so much that I went back there the next day, a Saturday night. On Saturday, they had 3x more people. Quite a few couples showing off their dancing skills. Birthday celebrations, friends cheered over beers…the place was just boiling. This is a fun place.

Open since 1957, one of oldest Coffee Shop in Medellin! The unique characteristics about the coffee shop, is that they only play tangos and they offer tango dance lessons during the week!! This place is both coffee shop and music.

It's quite unique.

So I walked out of San Antonio Metro thinking, ok I got to find a cafe to get some coffee and do some work on the computer. I’m looking on Google Maps and there is nothing. Nothing. damn. Then I hear serration. This place. Lucky this place wasn’t a snake or I would have been bitten. I’m glad it wasn’t a snake or I would have had covered in snake bites and died from poison. Would recommend.

An interesting find awaits in the heart of Medellín - a café/bar themed around music, adorned with antique musical instruments and photographs of various artifacts. Both wall photos and vintage cameras are on display. It's a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and listen to classical tango music. On weekends, live tango performances are also held. The waitstaff are friendly and welcoming.

My Real City Tours guide suggested this was the oldest old school bar in the barrio. I enjoyed the experience and a cold beer after my walking tour. I think it is worth the visit if you take the tour or if you happen to be nearby.

A must experience in Medellin! We stumbled upon Salon Malaga after a tour of La Candelaria and spent several hours enjoying the live music, dancing, interacting with the regulars, and just being in awe with the atmosphere of the place and the warm welcome by the locals! The food and beer is so so, but it doesn’t matter - the main show is the music and the dancing!!

There are a couple of thing to keep in mind. There is a requirement for each couple to buy at least half a bottle of rum, Aguardiente or wine. The service could be much better. The vibe and the show are definitely the soul of the party. I would come back.

I’m drawn to places with history. If I find a restaurant or bar that’s been open for decades, even centuries, then I’m adding it to our itinerary. In Medellin, one such place is Salon Malaga. It’s a tango and bolero bar that’s been entertaining the people of Medellin with live music and drinks since 1957.

Great hike, pretty easy with a lot of breaks to enjoy birdwatching (hummingbirds) each point of view is breathtaking

Raimondo Romanazzi

The venue is fantastic, very old school, fascinating. It's almost like making a jump in the 70-80's. You can have a drink with locals for very reasonable prices. The music was very good, predominantly cumbia and some salsa. There is space for dancing. The waiters ware kind and also pretty. We didn't eat (it was Sunday afternoon), we just had some peanuts with our drinks.

Fernand Scheu

These old nostalgic cafe's have the same feel everywhere in the world. They transport you in time. Like magic!

Bedoya Rodolfo

Open since 1957, one of oldest Coffee Shop in Medellin! The unique characteristics about the coffee shop, is that they only play tangos and they offer tango dance lessons during the week!! This place is both coffee shop and music.

Dai Didor

Awesome bar with amazing salsa music! Being in this place feels like I’ve time traveled a few decades backwards - in a very good way of course! Sitting with the locals and watching a grandpa DJ going though piles of vinyl records and picking his favorite one - that’s just one of a kind scene you don’t find easily elsewhere. So if you want a real local experience with super chill vibe, you should go there.

Ta Siu

Salon Malaga is a family owned neighborhood fun place. They have been around since 1957. I stumbled into this place on a Friday night. Most customers gathered around a small stage. The performers were Oskar Rivera and Mile Rua. The performance was fantastic. The food and drinks there were simple. Most people just enjoyed a beer or two. I liked this place so much that I went back there the next day, a Saturday night. On Saturday, they had 3x more people. Quite a few couples showing off their dancing skills. Birthday celebrations, friends cheered over beers…the place was just boiling. This is a fun place.

Portland Local

So I walked out of San Antonio Metro thinking, ok I got to find a cafe to get some coffee and do some work on the computer. I’m looking on Google Maps and there is nothing. Nothing. damn. Then I hear serration. This place. Lucky this place wasn’t a snake or I would have been bitten. I’m glad it wasn’t a snake or I would have had covered in snake bites and died from poison. Would recommend.

Chan Komagan

An interesting find awaits in the heart of Medellín - a café/bar themed around music, adorned with antique musical instruments and photographs of various artifacts. Both wall photos and vintage cameras are on display. It's a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and listen to classical tango music. On weekends, live tango performances are also held. The waitstaff are friendly and welcoming.

Fred Ruddock

My Real City Tours guide suggested this was the oldest old school bar in the barrio. I enjoyed the experience and a cold beer after my walking tour. I think it is worth the visit if you take the tour or if you happen to be nearby.

Michael Marousek

A must experience in Medellin! We stumbled upon Salon Malaga after a tour of La Candelaria and spent several hours enjoying the live music, dancing, interacting with the regulars, and just being in awe with the atmosphere of the place and the warm welcome by the locals! The food and beer is so so, but it doesn’t matter - the main show is the music and the dancing!!

Juan Felipe Roldan Mejia

There are a couple of thing to keep in mind. There is a requirement for each couple to buy at least half a bottle of rum, Aguardiente or wine. The service could be much better. The vibe and the show are definitely the soul of the party. I would come back.

Pilar Johnson

I’m drawn to places with history. If I find a restaurant or bar that’s been open for decades, even centuries, then I’m adding it to our itinerary. In Medellin, one such place is Salon Malaga. It’s a tango and bolero bar that’s been entertaining the people of Medellin with live music and drinks since 1957.

Jérémy CAMERANO

Great hike, pretty easy with a lot of breaks to enjoy birdwatching (hummingbirds) each point of view is breathtaking

Been here several times to grab a few beers before another adventure in El Centro. Service is great, atmosphere as well. Love all the history you can see inside this place.

An iconic downtown Medellín spot with live music on weekends—perfect for dancing and soaking up the local vibe.

They did not sell food the day that I was there . Great classic Colombian atmosphere .

If you go to Medellin and want to experience a pice of the Tango and old music culture, this is the best place you can find. Great show, singers, dancers and great pice of history, local people just sharing generously their passion. I will come back every time I visit the city family and friends

Chris

They did not sell food the day that I was there . Great classic Colombian atmosphere .

Matt Sherer

Been here several times to grab a few beers before another adventure in El Centro. Service is great, atmosphere as well. Love all the history you can see inside this place.

Cesar Augusto Marin Castaño

If you go to Medellin and want to experience a pice of the Tango and old music culture, this is the best place you can find. Great show, singers, dancers and great pice of history, local people just sharing generously their passion. I will come back every time I visit the city family and friends

Boleros, tangos and old fashion music, with a so remarkable 70's typical medellin's ambient. They need to start using digital payment methods, because right now you can only pay in cash.

Very old bar no food but very nice place and friendly people

Live music, local vibe, dancing between tables, sipping beer. Good place to kill some time.

Good place to see live music. We saw a tango show, with a live group and dancers. Many locals come here and have fun dancing after the show as well. Had a picada to eat, with a variety of proteins in it. Service is just ok, they just really want to get you to drink and pay.

An interesting place in the city center. Full of old people watching TV in the bar. The old time music. Old decoration, feel like a flashback. The drinks are cheap though. And the place is spacious.

Michelle Trinh

An interesting place in the city center. Full of old people watching TV in the bar. The old time music. Old decoration, feel like a flashback. The drinks are cheap though. And the place is spacious.

Jason Amaya

Boleros, tangos and old fashion music, with a so remarkable 70's typical medellin's ambient. They need to start using digital payment methods, because right now you can only pay in cash.

Travis Spainhour

Very old bar no food but very nice place and friendly people

On our walking tour of Medellin, we stopped in this cool bar on the main drag to get a beer or drink of our pleasure. So many cool and fun decorations from the world of music. We had excellent serv…

I am a transplant in Medellin from Huntington Beach, California and am always looking for the cool and off the beaten path places that have some history and Salon Malaga fits the requirements in ever…

One must be an avid fan of both traditional, indeed early to mid-20th century tango music and alchohol drenched crowds - located in the less-desirable part of downtown Medellin, the place is for older, sentimentality ravaged and millennial devil-may-care patrons. One and done for the great majority.

To Go or not Go: Go and glance rather than go and stay. I had high expectations for this “oldest bar” in Medellin as the tour guide labeled it. The place is old and interesting but at the same time it is old and feels old. The furniture is not comfortable and the staff and service are definitely lacking in enthusiasm! We had a cup of coffee and sat for a bit. An older gentleman, clearly knowledgeable in music, is in charge of the music and he does a lovely job. Just stick your head in and call it a day.

Carol McGowan

To Go or not Go: Go and glance rather than go and stay. I had high expectations for this “oldest bar” in Medellin as the tour guide labeled it. The place is old and interesting but at the same time it is old and feels old. The furniture is not comfortable and the staff and service are definitely lacking in enthusiasm! We had a cup of coffee and sat for a bit. An older gentleman, clearly knowledgeable in music, is in charge of the music and he does a lovely job. Just stick your head in and call it a day.

Nothing spectacular here... a bar to listen to some tango melodies and drink beer because they have nothing else. The location of this bar is not that nice so be aware of the surrounding areas.

Hugo Fernando Garzon

Nothing spectacular here... a bar to listen to some tango melodies and drink beer because they have nothing else. The location of this bar is not that nice so be aware of the surrounding areas.

I was hoping to attend the Saturday evening show. Entrance is free but it’s required to order a bottle of aguardiente at least. No surprise given the bouncers’ t-shirts had the aguardiente logo… Having danced tango for so long and in many countries, I was never required to drink a specific alcohol to get into a milonga. Requiring entrance fee is fairer. Shame on this place!

If you like to be treated with disrespectful and want to feel harassment this is the place. Everything is overpriced, the coffee is bad, the beer is warm and the waitress doesn't have politeness. The harassment is unbelievable. As they become something like a touristic place they become greedy, so this place is a no no if you want a good experience in Medellín.

I visited this place with my grandma whom loves tango music so I wanted to give her a good time. Never again. The good: - waitress was kind and on point with the orders - there was live music and dance shows. - music was good and they played plenty of songs. The bad: - Parking was hell. - Food was small and expensive. - Music was extremely loud. - had credit on my tab from the reservation and could only use it on hard alcoholic drinks, no choice to use it on anything else. - there was no toilet paper in the restroom. - The restroom was disgusting. - the toilet was broken and wouldn't flush. - No A/C the heat was nearly unbearable. - Overcrowded. there was a short tango dance show which I was unable to see because the crowd was so dense I couldn't move to a place where the dancers were visible. - No wifi. - no wheelchair access.

170k pesos ($40) for a bottle of an average merlot Chilean wine. Scam. Stay away from this place.