Backroom Bar — Restaurant in Providencia

I had high hopes for this place, given that we heard from it from Benfiddich’s visit (our favorite bar in Tokyo). However, the expectations didn’t live up to the experience.

The Good:

1. Food was good. I think they had good variety, though some of the plates were not properly explained (e.g. the babbaganoush was mostly mushrooms instead of eggplant).
2. Ambience was nice as well. I think the music lend itself nicely to the experience, and it wasn’t too loud that didn’t allow you to talk amongst your friends

The Not Good:

1. Service was slow and didn’t pay attention to details (e.g. plates for sharing, straws for drinks that needed them, etc). I know this is a new place, so there are probably kinks to iron out, and that’s fine, but for a high end cocktail bar, one would expect these details to be sorted out from night one.

2. Most importantly (and the reason I won’t be back), cocktails were not great (and sometimes just flat out bad). I found most cocktails to be unbalanced, and the variety was also lacking. I think they’re trying an innovative concept (ala Double Chicken Please, the famous NYC bar), but with much less success. After trying two of their signature cocktails and being disappointed, I ended up ordering a Negroni with Aperol instead of Campari. This is a small thing, but Aperol and Campari are basically equivalent spirits price-wise (Aperol being actually cheaper than Campari). I never had any bar upcharge for this change… and no less than 35% of the cost of the drink. The server did mention this upcharge, and I said it was fine (at that point, I just wanted to have something I liked), but it’s just baffling that a cocktail bar would upcharge that.

Long story short, I wouldn’t recommend the bar mainly because the drinks are not enjoyable, and that’s why you go to a cocktail bar like this one. Hope they can tune up their menu and come up with better combinations. For now, it’s a no from me, and I’ll keep looking for the best cocktail bar...

The place is beautiful, beautiful lighting, furniture, food, everything is very aesthetic. They have a physical menu which is rare and Santiago and I really appreciate. We also loved that the serve water and refill it without needing to ask, really lovely. The waiters are very attentive without being invasive and even gave a great suggestion for a cocktail for me. There is live music every night that also very nice. My only "complaint" if you could call it that is that I would prefer a lower volume of the music in between the live shows. (Bajar el volumen de la música envasada)

Overall a beautiful...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Backroom Bar in Providencia, Santiago, and it was very good experience. The moment I stepped in, I was captivated by the warm, inviting atmosphere. The staff were attentive and friendly. The cocktails were carefully crafted. The live jazz music added a sophisticated touch, creating a perfect blend of music, hospitality, and culinary art.

Whether you're a local or just visiting, the Backroom Bar is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to indulge in exceptional cocktails and ambiance.

Highly...