El Mingus

Chillout Restobar + Tuesday & Sunday Jazz

Montevideo

Bar Food, Live Music

By Karen A Higgs

This is a Guru’Guay Top Pick

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Bar El Mingus is a hidden gem. One of the best restaurants in Montevideo–cool, contemporary, with the intimacy of an old-school bar from this part of the world (Buenos Aires – Montevideo). You’ll love the great food & live music.

Tucked away in the residential Palermo neighbourhood, since it opened in 2010, the tiny restobar has become a mainstay of the Montevideo scene. It’s particularly known for its Tuesday and Sunday Jazz nights which feature some of Uruguay’s best young jazz (and candombe influenced) musicians, and attract an international and multi-generational crowd.

Yet it’s not just the music and ambiance that is special at El Mingus. The food is also a big draw, the menu featuring dishes bright with seasonal vegetables. Traditional Uruguayan bar food classics are in play too, but with a fun twist–for example, the entree list includes gizzard with garlic and guava chutney and their huge steak with chimichurri sauce, roasted sweet potatoes and toasted nuts.

What you should know

Live music on Tuesdays and in 2022 Sundays A classic venue for music lovers, El Mingus provides a showcase for some of Uruguay’s most innovative musicians specialising in candombe infused jazz. Reservations recommended. Limited seating.

Come ready to enjoy a drink The drinks menu includes house-made liqueurs (including a Uruguayan favourite, honey-infused grappa known as grappa miel), local artisan wines and a gin & tonic menu. Note, this is not a cocktail bar. You can only order the drinks on the menu.

Many of the dishes have sweet touches mixed with savoury, which is something to keep in mind when ordering. Our helpful servers had no problem leaving an ingredient off a plate, however.

This is a fun place to share things. The “tapas” are generous, and there are many options to choose from, as well as weekly menu options.

In Spanish, Mingus is pronounced MEEN-goose 😉

They have their own store with homemade products such as seasonal compotes, homemade dulce de leche, chutney, Grappamiel and Limoncello. These are some of the Mingus flavours you can take with you.