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Tres Monos

Buenos Aires

An intimate dive bar with a big heart

One clue attached to the black façade gives away what really goes on at this bevelled corner building in Buenos Aires – neon pink lights depicting the savvy primates' heads behind the old adage Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil.

Despite the indie-meets-punk attitude, the team behind Tres Monos (whose name translates from Spanish as Three Monkeys) takes its craft seriously. In 2023 the establishment was awarded the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award in 2023, proof that this dive bar goes above and beyond monkeying around.

Helmed by a trio of bartenders – Seba Atienza, Charly Aguinsky and Gustavo Vocke – Tres Monos is an intimate space for 11 seated at the bar plus four tables. Sparsely illuminated by more neon, the walls are covered in graffiti and stickers, while the soundtrack blares rock from all the eras; a live DJ also often plays and the energy is high. Two years ago, they took over a storage room to create a second walkthrough bar, El Garage, additional space with a two-sided central bar to cater for more guests.

Argentinian product sourcing is key, the bar partnering with distillers to create in-house spirits such as a bourbon-style whiskey with local grains, sake and even wines, including sauvignon blanc and pét-nat used in cocktails. Order Julep de D10S – a cheeky tribute to football legend Diego Maradona that's the perfect mix of the house Licor del Norte (a liqueur made with three Argentinian herbs), amaros, strawberry miso and grapefruit.

The Monos' social conscience also plays its part: your server might have graduated from La Escuelita, the bar's hospitality training academy for those from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

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