Our Take on 878 Bar
When 878 opened on Thames in 2005, Buenos Aires was drinking Fernet and soda and not much else. The bar changed that. Founders Fernando Cunha, Fede Cuco, and Tato Giovannoni created something the city had never seen: a serious cocktail bar with no exterior sign, a door that looked like someone's home, and a drinks programme that treated Argentina's native botanicals with the same reverence European bartenders gave to gin and vermouth.
Twenty years on, 878 remains the benchmark. The room holds around 40 guests across mismatched chairs, exposed brick, and low amber lighting. Giovannoni has since become one of South America's most decorated bartenders and his influence on the menu is still palpable: expect house-distilled spirits, fermented local fruits, and cocktails that reference Argentine terroir without announcing it on the menu.
Walk in off Thames without a reservation and you may find a queue. Book ahead, arrive by 8pm before the room fills, and ask the bartenders what they are excited about that week. They always have something off-menu. For a complete picture of Buenos Aires cocktail culture, pair an evening here with a visit to Florería Atlántico across the city.
What to Order
