Bar Liguria

It was more than a decade ago when I walked into Bar Liguria for the first time. It was the first restaurant I’d experienced in Santiago. I’ve been to Liguria in each location many times since, including the new location in Barrio Lastarria.

Not much has changed in a decade, other than the expansion on Providencia and the opening in that new location.

The décor is uniquely Liguria. Traditional in a very contemporary way. The barmen and waiters haven’t changed much either. Service is generally pretty reliable. I almost always sit at the bar … along with another twenty or so people. And I frequently make a new friend while I’m sitting there.

Sometimes I have a sandwich. Sometimes a traditional stew. I always eat the entire basket of bread and sopapillas, a habit I acquired on that very visit a decade ago.

Bar Liguria is an anomaly. It’s steeped in tradition, yet trendy and very “in vogue” with a high-energy vibe. It’s a bar. It’s a restaurant. It’s the one place you can always count on. My guess is, that a decade from now, when I update this review, it will still be there and be very similar to what it is today.

Despite being obviously casual, everything, including the tableware and napkins seems stylish and a bit sophisticated. No matter what you choose from the menu, it will be done with Liguria flare. It’s no bargain. But by the same token, it’s not expensive.

Bar Liguria is and will always be … the quintessential Santiaguino restaurant, and the quintessential Santiaguino bar.