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Fun but crowded

After getting boozed up at Soi 4, everyone heads to Soi 2 to dance at DJ Station. It can get incredibly crowded - as in pushing and shoving to make your way through. That said, the music is fun and you'll feel like you could be at any gay dance bar in the world.

Call on Telephone for a good time

Years ago, Telephone used to have actual phones at each table so you could call exotic strangers and make friends. These days, the telephones are gone, but the friendliness remains. A great place to start the evening before heading out dancing. Be sure to arrive early and grab and outdoor table and watch the gay world pass you by.

Real Tango Milanga, not a show

This is THE place to go and watch the young locals meet, greet and Tango. Housed on the second floor of an old warehouse, adorned with funky paintings and old couches, Catedral is an off the radar spot to soak up the Porteno culture. I've been a few times with friends and enjoy ordering a Malbec and observing the dancing. The crowd is young, mostly straight (it is dancing after all) and serious about having fun through tango. Arrive around 10:30 or earlier to get a seat. At midnight, an old beat-up piano is dragged out for a live music performance. (They also have a light dinner menu if you want to arrive earlier.) Beginner's lessons early Tues nights. Don't tell anyone or this place will be ruined!

Not to be missed

After being in PV for 5 days and being generally underwhelmed with the food, we were recommended by a local to this restaurant. At first, I thought it was going to be another overpriced, overhyped tourist restaurant. I was wrong. This, by far, was the best food we had. Fresh off the boat seafood is lovingly prepared in a tiny, open kitchen by the owner and chef, an American. He actually trained in Thailand, so he has added some interesting spice to some menu items (try the spicy thai green bean seafood salad). Also not to be missed is the tuna poke. Frankly, all dishes our party of 8 had were wonderful and very reasonably priced.

Stay up and dance, dance, dance!

This is the gay club to hit if you want to stay out all night dancing. It doesn't even get going until 2 am or so. It very gay only two nights a week - Thursday and Saturdays (I think). It does charge a hefty (by Argie standards) cover charge, so be prepared to see lots of foreigners and locals looking to meet them. Drinks are also tourist priced - stick with the beer as the locals do. Not necessarily a locals bar anymore, but very fun nonetheless!

Magical and Romantic

This is the "splurge" restaurant to go to in PV. Perfect for a quiet date, but not necessarily for a raucous crowd. Crowd skews towards older and straight, but enough gays around to feel comfortable. Food was of excellent international design, quality and preparation - with prices to match. Be sure to sit in garden out back, gaze up at the stars and toast your sweetie.

An Ode to Charcuterie

Oh Charcuterie, we’ve been dating for going on ten years now. I see you a few times each year, when the weather is warm and the rolling, golden hills of Sonoma call for windows down and breeze in face as I drive an hour north from San Francisco for a leisurely visit. Your namesake charcuterie plate, full of rich pates, brie, olives and other cured meaty delights start my lunch on the perfect note. I know I am predictable, but I can’t help but order the Smoked Chicken Salad, full of crisp, local greens, citrus, pine nuts and grilled chicken (which I substitute with blackened chicken for a little extra spicy kick). It’s a good thing I can wander around the square, searching for the perfect antique, as I walk off lunch and that delicious, featured Sonoma “wine of the month” that always surprises and warms me with each visit, as you do, Charcuterie.

Relaxed, Sidewalk Dining

My bf and I were tired of all the tourists and mark-ups at the guidebook recommended restaurants and stumbled upon this parrilla in Palermo Hollywood. Occupying a cute corner in a slightly gritty/up-and-coming part of town, the candlelit sidewalk tables full of locals gave this restaurant an edgy, yet down-to-earth vibe. The large cuts of buttery, grass-fed beef are big enough to split and go down well with a bottle of Malbec and salad. Prices are half of some of the more well known, touristy restaurants. Don't miss the cool, hidden outdoor patio bar on the second floor overlooking the street - a great place to have a drink while waiting on your table or taking in the scene.

Romantic Oasis

From Springbok to Sushi, Beluga has it all. Outdoor dining in the middle of an old, brick foundry's courtyard surrounded by trendy South Africans who look like they just stepped out of a magazine. The pepper crusted beef fillet and slow braised lamb shoulder were so good that my bf and I returned two days later for more. Reservations are a must, a short walk from Waterkant gay bars and hotels. Tip: ask for one of the restaurant's snuggly blankets as you and your honey toast each other over a very reasonably priced South African wine.