LA JUGADA
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La Jugada Club House
Calle del Colegio, 34-25. Centro Historico, Cartagena call 321 5875983 click lajugada Wed - Sat (plus public holiday Sundays) 9pm to late Good for: Colombia's clique partying in a beautifully appointed space |
From the people that brought you Cartagena's A-list fave, La Movida, comes a new player; La Jugada. Consisting of 3 levels plus tropical rooftop delight (and secret VIP room) La Jugada provides another much needed alternative for fun and games in a town sometimes starved of action.
La Jugada is perched a ring-toss from the Clock Tower in a street already populated by some of the best restaurants in the city (Don Juan, Maria) and across from our beloved rum bar, Alquimico, making it perfectly located for pre-dinner, after-dinner (and instead-of dinner) drinks. There is a real attempt to put expert cocktail making on show and the menu and presentation is certainly top class. However so far the cream of Cartagena clientele seem reluctant to move beyond the staple of Gin and Tonic to properly allow the leading bartenders to strut their stuff.
The space is gorgeous. Marble and wrought-iron and gold and art-deco and mirrors and teetering balconies and exclusive hide-aways. It stretches up, not out. 3 petite floors, plus a balcony and a stunning moonlit terrace. On high-season weekend nights and special events, things can get pretty packed with a energetic party vibe, but if chill is more your scene it's still very possible to find a nook more removed in one of the 3 outdoor spaces. Expert tip: reduced volumes also make this the best places to flirt/pick-up if that's on the agenda.
The house DJ/Sax/Drum combo is a complete hit. Electro and house music blended with cross-over favourites elevated to goose-bump-giving levels by the nomadic sax-player who teams up with a traditional tambor drum player to work the crowd into a big-smiled state of ecstasy. Win!
The door policy can lean a little more towards the demanding, so dress-up and/or have a list of people to name-drop. We (Cartagena Connections) can also be contacted to reserve tables.
In summary: if you fancy yourself something of a player, your Cartagena nightlife definitely needs to include a round or two at La Jugada.
La Jugada is perched a ring-toss from the Clock Tower in a street already populated by some of the best restaurants in the city (Don Juan, Maria) and across from our beloved rum bar, Alquimico, making it perfectly located for pre-dinner, after-dinner (and instead-of dinner) drinks. There is a real attempt to put expert cocktail making on show and the menu and presentation is certainly top class. However so far the cream of Cartagena clientele seem reluctant to move beyond the staple of Gin and Tonic to properly allow the leading bartenders to strut their stuff.
The space is gorgeous. Marble and wrought-iron and gold and art-deco and mirrors and teetering balconies and exclusive hide-aways. It stretches up, not out. 3 petite floors, plus a balcony and a stunning moonlit terrace. On high-season weekend nights and special events, things can get pretty packed with a energetic party vibe, but if chill is more your scene it's still very possible to find a nook more removed in one of the 3 outdoor spaces. Expert tip: reduced volumes also make this the best places to flirt/pick-up if that's on the agenda.
The house DJ/Sax/Drum combo is a complete hit. Electro and house music blended with cross-over favourites elevated to goose-bump-giving levels by the nomadic sax-player who teams up with a traditional tambor drum player to work the crowd into a big-smiled state of ecstasy. Win!
The door policy can lean a little more towards the demanding, so dress-up and/or have a list of people to name-drop. We (Cartagena Connections) can also be contacted to reserve tables.
In summary: if you fancy yourself something of a player, your Cartagena nightlife definitely needs to include a round or two at La Jugada.