Bar La Junta sits on Jose Victorino Lastarria, on the boulevard that runs through Barrio Lastarria, a casual bar that the Barrio Lastarria association lists among its member venues. The draw is cheap beer poured from tanks, shared plates and a karaoke room rather than a serious cocktail counter.
Who would love it: groups who want easy prices, tank beer and a song at the end of the night. Who would hate it: anyone after a quiet, design led cocktail bar, since the room runs loud and social.
The beer is the signature. Reviewers note that Bar La Junta stores its beer in tanks connected straight to the bar, which is the detail locals use to set it apart from the other rooms on the Lastarria strip.
The cocktails keep it simple. The list runs to well made classics such as a vodka tonic, a passion fruit mojito, a caipirinha and a raspberry daiquiri, which suits a casual round rather than a tasting menu.
The kitchen runs to share plates. Tripadvisor reviewers point to pizzas, a tapa riojana and a Patagonian sandwich made with lamb, so the food holds a table through a long evening.
The karaoke is part of the pitch. A karaoke zone sits inside the bar, which makes it a fit for a small group of friends looking to end the night with a microphone rather than a nightclub.
The prices are the other draw. One Tripadvisor reviewer calls it the cheapest option on the Lastarria boulevard, which is a real distinction in a neighbourhood that has grown pricey.
The timing rewards a plan. Reviewers say the patio fills early, though there is usually room inside, so an early arrival is the safest way to claim a table on the terrace.
The Lastarria setting frames the night. The bar sits among the galleries, cafes and cocktail rooms of the neighbourhood, which makes it an easy first or last stop on a longer Lastarria route.
Bar La Junta suits a casual group night, a cheap round before dinner, or a karaoke finish. Compare the pisco list at Chipe Libre in Santiago and the wine room at Bocanariz in Santiago, then read the guide to the best cocktail bars in Santiago and browse more rooms in Barrio Lastarria.
Sources: Barrio Lastarria association member listing; Tripadvisor reviews of Bar La Junta; Santiago Turismo listing; Bar La Junta on Facebook.
