1175 Bar (aka ex El Alamo) is an ex-pat-owned American-style sports bar that is to some a beloved refuge for the young and homesick and to others, a loud, drunken expat nightmare.
El Alamo (or ‘Shoeless Joe’s Alamo’ as it also became at one point) was once known as the mecca of American-style hedonism in Buenos Aires.
Reminiscent of the dive bars you can find along the highways of any major American city they hosted bikini contests and a ‘free beer for girls’ policy that continues today.
A sign on the wall in Spanish said, “What happens in the Alamo, stays in the Alamo.”
It was a place where you could find older American men throwing down pitchers of beer from plastic cups and having confused, barely bilingual conversations with their Argentine, erm, ‘girlfriends’ at six in the morning.
Now called 1175 Bar has toned it down a bit, the management has changed hands and it is no longer open 24 hours a day.
They also did away with their popular American breakfasts.
Overall, this Recoleta bar is a less seedy version of its former self, which is good or bad, depending on whom you consult.
Games on TV: NBA, NFL, Football (⚽️) & more
The ground floor has ample bar space and is one of the most reliable spots in the city to catch an American sports game, as well as international rugby and soccer.
El Alamo’s remodeled smoking section upstairs has expanded table seating and an infinitely more attractive environment.
Both the upstairs and downstairs bars serve up cheap pitchers of lager and a menu of American fare (wings, Philly cheese steaks and even nachos).
Despite its excessively ‘Yankee’ vibe, the majority of the customers at El Alamo are Argentine these days.
It particularly draws younger locals who come to practice English with foreigners (and consider it a bonus if their conversation partners are of the opposite sex).
During play-off season (NBA, NFL, La Liga) expect game days to fill up the bar with English-speaking students and ex-pats.
Looking to play sports in Buenos Aires?
➡See our list of pickup game locations and sports groups
Singles at the Bar
The best night for young singles on the hunt is Thursday — the continued ‘free beer for girls’ policy seems to help achieve a high success rate.
A nominal cover charge starts after 10 p.m. but is redeemable at face value for food and drinks.
—by Daniel McGrath
1175 Bar and Lounge/ Shoeless Joe’s/ El Alamo-$$
Uruguay 1175/77
Recoleta
Tel: 4813-7324
• Hours: Mon-Sun, 2:00p.m.-4:00a.m.
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