The Twelve Best Craft Beer Bars in Cartagena

Cartagena's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These are where locals drink. A working editorial ranking, refreshed every quarter.

Cartagena's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These are where locals drink. This is barsforKings's editor-curated list of the 12 best craft beer bars in Cartagena — a working ranking we revisit every quarter, kept tight enough to actually use on a Friday night. Every room here passes our four standing tests: drinks made with intent, atmosphere worth sitting in, service that respects you, and a sense of Cartagena you cannot get from a hotel concierge.

Cartagena rewards drinkers who scout neighbourhoods, and the spread below reflects that. You'll find spots in Centro Historico, Getsemani, Bocagrande, and beyond — each picked for what it does best, not how loud its marketing is. We focus on rotating taps, IPAs, sours, hyperlocal microbreweries, cellar lists; we ignore venues that prioritise volume over craft. The order is a working ranking, not a leaderboard — number one isn't always your number one. Read the notes and pick the room that fits the night you're planning.

Best for: tap explorers, hop-heads, rare-beer hunters. Most rooms here run from late afternoon until 1 or 2am; the busier ones lift their door policy on weekends and we've flagged those where it matters. Save the page, send it to whoever you're meeting, and let the rest of Cartagena take care of itself.

The Ranked List

Twelve bars, ranked

A working editorial ranking. Numbers are guidance, not gospel. Pick the room that fits your night.

No. 01
Cervecería del Puerto
San Diego · $$
Craft brewery taproom in San Diego pouring twelve house taps and the city's most adventurous local beers.
No. 02
Cervecería La Fábrica
Centro Historico · $
Microbrewery in Centro Historico with a long communal-tables hall and a young engaged crowd.
No. 03
Cervecería del Puerto
Getsemani · $$
Beer hall in Getsemani with thirty rotating taps including the city's best local craft brewers.
No. 04
Bar de Tapas
San Diego · $
Heritage dive bar in San Diego. Cheap pours, regulars-only feel, and the most authentic working-class drinking in the city.
No. 05
El Tigre
Centro Historico · $
Tiny corner bar in Centro Historico pouring the city's cheapest stiff drinks. Cash only.
No. 06
La Puerta Cerrada
Manga · $$
Hidden cocktail room in Manga reached via an unmarked door. Reservations only. The cocktail-industry's regular spot.
No. 07
Alquimico
Centro Historico · $$$
Cartagena's most awarded cocktail bar.
No. 08
El Baron
Centro Historico · $$$
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar inside a colonial palace.
No. 09
Cafe del Mar
Centro Historico · $$$
Sunset cocktail terrace built directly into the city walls.
No. 10
Townhouse Rooftop
Getsemani · $$$
Boutique hotel rooftop with a long pool, sunset DJs, and Cartagena's most photographed view.
No. 11
Demente
Getsemani · $$
Open-air courtyard tapas-and-cocktail bar in a converted colonial house.
No. 12
Bazurto Social Club
Getsemani · $$
Cuban-Caribbean live-music bar with house bands every night.
By Neighbourhood

Where to find them

Craft Beer Bars cluster in specific corners of Cartagena. Plan around the neighbourhood, not the bar.

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Photos via Google Places. Editorial selection by Bars for Kings editors. Source