La Boa
La Boa is a corner bar on Carrera 70 that embodies the no-frills Laureles drinking culture. The setup is minimal: a counter with stools, a handful of plastic tables on the sidewalk, a speaker system that runs louder than the space justifies, and a refrigerator full of cold beer. The drink menu is short. Aguardiente by the shot or bottle, Club Colombia and Aguila on tap, and a few basic rum-and-Coke style mixed drinks. No cocktail menu, no craft beer, no pretense. The crowd is local to the core, mostly men in their 30s and 40s from the neighborhood who treat the bar as an extension of their living room. On busy nights the sidewalk tables fill first, then people stand along the curb with drinks in hand, watching the La 70 foot traffic pass. The music swings between vallenato and reggaeton depending on who got to the speaker last. La Boa isn't a destination; it's a neighborhood fixture that happens to be on one of Medellin's most popular nightlife streets.
Where to stay near La Boa
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
A loud, simple corner bar with plastic furniture and cold beer. The vibe is purely neighborhood, with groups of friends drinking and talking over loud music. You'll be the only foreigner most nights.
Loud, casual, and authentically barrio. It's the polar opposite of a tourist-oriented cocktail lounge.
Vallenato, reggaeton, and cumbia. Whatever the regular crowd requests.
Come as you are. T-shirts, jeans, sandals. Nobody cares.
Cheap drinks, local atmosphere, and a genuine Laureles corner-bar experience.
Cash only. No exceptions.
Price Range
Beer 5,000-7,000 COP, aguardiente shot 4,000 COP, aguardiente bottle 90,000 COP, rum and Coke 10,000 COP
Beer ~$1.25-1.75/~1.15-1.60 EUR, aguardiente shot ~$1/~0.90 EUR, bottle ~$22.50/~20.50 EUR
Hours
16:00-02:00 daily, until 03:00 Fri-Sat
Insider Tip
Order a bottle of aguardiente to share and you'll blend in with the locals immediately. The sidewalk tables are the best seats but expect to share space. Don't order cocktails; stick to beer or aguardiente.
Full Review
La Boa is the kind of bar that doesn't try to impress anyone. The plastic chairs are mismatched, the music is too loud for the room, and the bathroom is exactly what you'd expect from a corner bar that charges 5,000 COP for a beer. But that's the point. This is how a huge portion of Medellin socializes, and experiencing it is worth more than another night at a polished Poblado lounge.
The economics are hard to argue with. A bottle of aguardiente at 90,000 COP splits four ways to about 22,500 COP per person for a full evening's drinking. Add a few beers at 5,000-7,000 COP each and you're looking at a total night out for under 40,000 COP. That's a fraction of what the Parque Lleras clubs charge for cover alone.
The crowd is the experience. These are neighborhood regulars, guys who stop by after work, groups of friends who've been meeting here for years. As a foreigner, you'll get curious looks and probably a few questions in Spanish. The reception is friendly if you engage. Having even basic Spanish changes the experience completely.
Don't come here expecting service, ambience, or variety. The fridge has beer, the shelf has aguardiente and rum, and the speaker plays whatever it plays. What you get in return is the most authentic slice of Medellin bar culture available on the La 70 strip. It's not for everyone, but if you're curious about how Paisas actually drink, La Boa is an honest answer.
The Neighborhood
On Carrera 70 in the thick of the La 70 nightlife strip. Other bars, restaurants, and salsa clubs are within steps in either direction.
Getting There
Walk along La 70. The bar is at a corner intersection between Calles 44 and 50. Estadio metro is a 10-minute walk. Uber from Poblado costs 15,000-20,000 COP.
Other Venues in Laureles / La 70
Son Havana
Salsa bar and dance club on the La 70 strip with live bands on weekends. Popular with local salsa dancers. A good place to practice if you know the basics.
Bendito Seas
Casual neighborhood bar on Carrera 70 with cheap aguardiente and beer. A local favorite for pre-gaming before hitting the bigger venues on the strip.
La Tienda del Gordo
No-frills corner spot that's become a Laureles institution. Cheap drinks, plastic chairs on the sidewalk, and a genuine barrio atmosphere free of tourist markup.
El Social
Craft beer bar and casual hangout on La 70 attracting a younger professional crowd. More curated than the typical corner tienda, with Colombian microbrews on tap.
Panorama Rooftop
Rooftop bar with views across the Laureles rooftops. Cocktails and house music on weekends, more relaxed midweek. A step up from the street-level beer spots.
El Tibiri
Classic salsa club on La 70 with live orchestras on weekends. The dance floor fills with serious salseros and the energy is authentic, not performative.