NEW YEAR’S EVE AND CHRISTMAS IN BUENOS AIRES

Spending New Year’s Eve in Buenos Aires comes with one thing worth knowing before you improvise: on December 24th and 31st, the city does not work like it does on any other night.

In Argentina, the holidays are a family affair held behind closed doors. The vast majority of restaurants shut down, the few that open do so with a fixed menu and advance booking only, and downtown streets are all but empty between 9pm and 1am. Add to that the fact that it is high summer in the southern hemisphere, with temperatures usually around 30°C (86°F), and that finding a taxi after midnight can take a while.

For a traveller, that leaves very few real options. The most popular one, and the only one that solves the entire evening in a single place, is the tango dinner show: dinner, drinks, the performance, the midnight toast and, in most cases, hotel transfers.

This guide covers the 17 special Christmas and New Year’s Eve shows available this season, sorted by price, with what each one includes and what time it starts.

How a holiday show differs from a regular one

Tango houses run shows every night of the year, but on the 24th and the 31st they put together something quite different:

• The menu is special and longer. Instead of the regular à la carte selection, you get a three to five course holiday menu, almost always with an Argentine sweet table: pan dulce, nougat, candied peanuts and dried fruit.
• The drinks improve. Some venues switch to an unlimited open bar all night; others add champagne and premium sparkling wine to the dinner wines.
• There is a midnight toast with champagne and party favours.
• The night continues after the show. Almost all of them add a DJ and a dance floor, with the party running until 3am and, in some cases, until sunrise. A regular show wraps up around midnight.
• Transfers are often included. Several venues throw them in at no cost on these dates, when the rest of the year they are optional and paid separately.

That is why the price is different. A regular dinner show starts at around US$30 or US$40, as we explain in our pricing guide. A holiday show starts at US$155.

New Year’s Eve in Buenos Aires: 11 options for December 31st

What each one is like

El Aljibe · US$170. The most affordable option on the circuit, set in a restored conventillo on Balcarce street in San Telmo. A three-course Argentine dinner — bife de chorizo, criollo empanadas, homemade pasta — with a tango and folk show that includes a boleadoras act. At midnight, a toast with petit fours, party favours and dancing. It is also the earliest start of the night: transfers leave at 6:00pm from Palermo and 6:30pm from downtown and Recoleta, dinner is at 7:00pm and the show at 8:15pm. If you prefer an early dinner and an earlier night, this is the one.

Piazzolla Tango · US$220. The venue sits inside Galería Güemes, a 1915 art nouveau building in the heart of downtown. The show is audiovisual, with musicians, dancers, singers and actors. Three-course dinner, sweet table at 11:00pm with pan dulce, nougat and candied peanuts, and a French champagne toast at midnight followed by a DJ party with party favours. Transfers are included from hotels in downtown, Puerto Madero, Recoleta and the Cruise Port. This is the best value on the list: for US$220 you get transfers, French champagne and the party.

El Viejo Almacén · US$235. The most historic venue on the circuit, founded by Edmundo Rivero in 1969. A full gala format: welcome cocktail with canapés at 8:00pm, tango show at 8:40pm, three-course dinner with Trapiche Reserva wines at 10:00pm, champagne toast and sweet table at midnight, and a DJ party from 12:10am. Transfers included, with returns from 12:30am. For travellers who value authenticity over production values.

La Ventana · US$235. One of the city’s most traditional tango houses, in a San Telmo basement. Three-course dinner with Salentein Malbec and Chardonnay, beer, water and soft drinks included, live show at 10:00pm and a midnight toast with petit fours and party favours. Transfers leave at 7:30pm, optional and paid separately.

El Querandí · US$265. The most themed proposal on the list. The venue dates from 1920 and that night it stages a 1920s gala: a reception with costumed characters and, on arrival, keepsake souvenirs — a fedora, a scarf, mittens, boas and headbands. Gala dinner at 8:45pm, show at 10:15pm and a premium open bar all night with Colomé, Trapiche and Salentein. Transfers included, with returns every 30 minutes from 12:30am. If you are travelling with a group and want costumes and a party, this is it.

Michelangelo · US$275. Our highest-rated show, in a historic San Telmo building. The structure of the night is the same as La Ventana — three-course dinner with Salentein wines, show at 10:00pm, midnight toast — with the room and the production as the difference.

Tango Porteño · US$294. The most central tango house on the circuit, steps from the Obelisco, in an art deco theatre that recreates 1940s Buenos Aires. The show travels through the genre’s golden age via the great orchestras — Canaro, Troilo, Pugliese, D’Arienzo, Piazzolla — with the costume and set design that are its signature.

Madero Tango · US$320. The biggest night on the list and the only one with a dress code: all white. Reception at 9:00pm facing the Puerto Madero docks, a five-course signature dinner with vegan and children’s options at every course, unlimited open bar all night, a midnight toast with a light show over the river and a live DJ party until sunrise, closing with churros and hot chocolate for breakfast. Transfers included, returning every 30 minutes until 3:00am. One thing to keep in mind: in the Dique 1, Terraza and Río sections, the tango and folk show is shown on high-definition LED screens.

Café de los Angelitos · US$329, or US$429 with a private VIP table. The historic café founded in 1890. The night starts at 8:00pm with a VIP welcome cocktail that is a full gourmet station: carpaccio, ceviche, sushi, oysters, cheeses and cured meats. International-level show at 9:15pm, gala dinner with Salentein wines at 10:15pm, the toast, and then dancing with surprises and a sweet table until 3:00am. Transfers included, with returns every hour from 1:00am.

Gala Tango · US$330. The premium option in San Telmo. A three-course gourmet dinner of high-end Argentine cuisine — beef carpaccio, bife de chorizo, gourmet empanadas, signature desserts — with wines and champagnes from one of the country’s most exclusive wineries. Dinner at 8:30pm, show at 10:00pm and a midnight toast with petit fours, party favours and dancing. Two add-ons are available beforehand: a tango lesson or a wine tasting. Transfers are paid separately: US$20 from downtown, US$30 from Palermo.

Rojo Tango · US$799. The most exclusive celebration in Buenos Aires, at the Faena in Puerto Madero. The format is Open House: access to the hotel’s restaurants and bars with signature gourmet stations and the country’s finest labels — Angélica Zapata wines, Baron B sparkling, signature cocktails. The show is cabaret style, with a live orchestra, singers and six tango couples, at 9:45pm. Midnight countdown with a sweet table, then DJs and live shows until 3:00am. Private round-trip hotel transport included.

Christmas in Buenos Aires: 6 options for December 24th

In Argentina, Christmas is celebrated on the night of the 24th, not on Christmas Day. Dinner starts late, the toast is at midnight, and at that moment fireworks go off across the whole city. It is the night when the city’s shutdown is most noticeable, and the options for a traveller are considerably narrower than on the 31st.

All six keep the same structure as their New Year’s Eve show — same menu, same performance, same schedule — with a Christmas toast instead of the New Year one. The price difference in favour of Christmas Eve runs between US$15 and US$121, so if your trip lets you pick the date, the 24th is considerably cheaper. Madero Tango is the starkest case: US$199 against US$320.

How to choose based on who you are travelling with

As a couple. Rojo Tango if the budget allows, for the scale of the room and the cabaret format. Otherwise El Viejo Almacén or El Querandí, which have smaller rooms and a more intimate feel.

With children. The best child rates are at Piazzolla Tango, which charges half price (US$110 against US$220), and Madero Tango, which also has a children’s menu designed for every course — nuggets, sorrentinos, a dulce de leche mousse cup — and charges nothing for ages 0 to 3, with 75% of the rate for ages 4 to 12. Watch out for La Ventana, Michelangelo, Gala Tango and El Aljibe: children pay full price there.

In a large group. El Querandí, for the themed party and the souvenirs, or Café de los Angelitos, which has the largest room. Keep in mind that several venues use shared tables for up to 10 people.

First time in Buenos Aires. Madero Tango, for the river view and the midnight light show. If you are planning the rest of the trip, we have a complete city guide.

On a tight budget. El Aljibe for New Year’s Eve (US$170) and for Christmas (US$155). If you can stretch another US$50, Piazzolla Tango adds included transfers, French champagne and a DJ party.

If live tango is non-negotiable. Every venue has a live performance except the Dique 1, Terraza and Río sections at Madero Tango, where the show is projected on LED screens. If that matters to you, check our guide on where to see tango before deciding.

When to book

Holiday shows have fixed capacity and it is never topped up: each venue runs a single service that night, and once it sells out, it is gone. In practice, the smaller rooms and the higher-priced ones go first, usually during November. The larger-capacity venues tend to hold until mid-December, but by then only the less sought-after seats are left.

Booking ahead carries little risk: with 24 hours’ notice you can change the date, although the rate is non-refundable. If you do not show up, the option to change is lost as well. Full details are in our cancellation policy.

Getting there, what to wear and other practical details

Transfers. Included at no cost by Piazzolla, El Viejo Almacén, El Querandí, Madero Tango, Café de los Angelitos and Rojo Tango, the latter privately. At La Ventana, Michelangelo, Gala Tango and El Aljibe they are optional and paid separately: at Gala Tango, for example, US$20 from downtown and US$30 from Palermo. This matters a lot on the 31st: getting transport on your own between 3am and 4am is difficult. Pickups run between 6:00pm and 7:45pm depending on the venue and the area, and returns leave every 15 or 30 minutes from 12:30am.

Dress code. There is no strict formal code, except at Madero Tango, which requires all white. Elsewhere, smart casual works well: it is a gala night and most guests dress up. Keep the heat in mind, as these are summer nights, although the rooms are air conditioned.

Dietary requirements. Almost every venue offers several choices at each course. Madero Tango has the most explicit menu, with a vegan alternative at every course: sweet potato and leek cream with almond milk, chickpea terrine, roasted aubergine with carrot risotto, and a citrus and chocolate tart. If you have a specific restriction, mention it when booking.

Language. The shows are music and dance, so there is no language barrier. Our customer service works in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Bookings. Confirmed by email within 24 hours of payment, under the customer’s name and our agency’s. To enter, just show the voucher on your phone. Table locations are assigned by each venue on the day of the show.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Buenos Aires on December 31st?

New Year’s Eve dinner happens in family homes and most restaurants close. For a traveller, the options that stay open are dinner shows, some hotels, and nightclub parties, which only get going after 2am. Tango dinner shows are the most popular choice because they cover dinner, the toast, transfers and entertainment in one place.

What time do New Year’s Eve shows start and finish?

Transfers pick up at hotels between 6:00pm and 7:45pm depending on the venue and the area. Dinners start between 7:00pm and 10:15pm, shows between 8:15pm and 10:15pm, and the toast is always at midnight. The party follows: most venues close at 3:00am and Madero Tango runs until sunrise, with breakfast included.

Are drinks included?

Always, although the scope varies. Madero Tango offers an unlimited open bar all night and El Querandí a premium open bar. The rest include the dinner wines — Salentein or Trapiche Reserva depending on the venue — plus beer, water and soft drinks, and the champagne for the toast. Rojo Tango also includes signature cocktails and Nespresso coffee.

Can I attend the show only, without dinner?

Not on Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Unlike regular performances, these nights are sold exclusively as dinner plus show, because each venue runs a single service with a gala menu.

How much do children pay?

It depends on the venue. Piazzolla Tango charges half price, Madero Tango charges nothing for ages 0 to 3 and 75% of the rate for ages 4 to 12, and El Viejo Almacén, El Querandí, Café de los Angelitos and Rojo Tango have reduced child rates. At La Ventana, Michelangelo, Gala Tango and El Aljibe, children pay full price.

Are there fireworks?

In Buenos Aires, fireworks go off from homes and buildings across the whole city at midnight. Madero Tango additionally stages a light show over the Puerto Madero river during the toast.

How much does New Year’s Eve in Buenos Aires with dinner and a show cost?

This season, New Year’s Eve shows run from US$170 to US$799 per person, and Christmas shows from US$155 to US$290. The most popular range sits between US$220 and US$330.

Can I cancel?

With 24 hours’ notice you can change the date, but the rate is non-refundable. If you do not show up, the option to change is lost as well.