El mani Es Asi... has the best live salsa in Caracas and the poeple there are just fantastic. Did you know that this place has been going for 21 years under the same management and ownership, and in the same format! I think it is so important to go to local places when you are visiting foreign countries because this is where you see what the poeple are really like. I have always had a good time at El Mani, been asked to dance plenty, always very respectfuly and you don't have to worry about the guys getting carried away either (unless you want them to get carried away that is!). The music is vibrant and true to its genre-salsa (you won't get any merengue there), the atmosphere is electrical!, just like being in a village fair of sorts and the place itself is like an underground place - you get the impression you are priviledged to know of the place or even be there. The service is good and I cannot fault the Veneuzelan Polar and Solera, yum yum! A definite must for anyone visiting Caracas, and for all music lovers. Be warned, you will end up dancing :o)

We found this place just before New Year 2005, as our friends in the Backpackers'Hostel were leaving for the islands. We wanted a good night out, and we had seen it during the day. There were at least eight of us, from all over the world, and we were made very welcome: this is a *locals* salsa bar, in Sabana Grande, and many tourists don't even *consider* leaving Las Mercedes. The music was marvellous: early-ish (by early I mean midnight), a salsa band and their front-man (a cool, elegant sexteganarian) played grat music and we all danced. Everyone danced! Old and young - no moody looks. When my friend became "emotional", and decided - foolhardy as it was - to venture out for air, I was worried...no matter, as the regulars in this bar helped, and various people went off into the night to try and find him. We found him later. This is a *great* salsa bar, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. You can get a cab from Las Mercedes or Altamira, and it might give an insight into nightlife and custom otherwise shrouded from view...

This is the best place in Caracas to dance the typical music, and to share with everybody... Plus, live bands and it closes late in the morning.