The evening, at a glance
- What it is
- A tango show with empanadas and a drink, or with a three-course Argentine dinner and unlimited drinks, inside an 1890 café restored as a two-storey theatre
- Where
- Av. Rivadavia 2100, at the corner of Rincón, Balvanera — two blocks from the Argentine Congress
- How long
- About two to three hours, with dinner (if booked) before the 21:45 show, which runs about 75 minutes
- Cast
- More than twenty artists — a five-piece orchestra, two singers and six tango couples
A café that outlasted the tango craze
Bar Rivadavia, before it was Los Angelitos
The building opened in 1890 as Bar Rivadavia, on the corner of Avenida Rivadavia and Rincón in what's now the Balvanera neighbourhood. It was renamed Café de los Angelitos in 1920, and the name stuck through more than a century of Buenos Aires nights.
The café that heard Gardel first
Carlos Gardel, the singer who did more than anyone to turn tango into a national art form, was a regular here before he was famous for it — part of why the café has kept its place in the city's tango history rather than becoming just another old bar.
Closed, then rebuilt, in 2007
The café underwent a full restoration completed in 2007, bringing back the stained glass, marble and mirrors of its belle-époque room and adding the two-storey theatre where the dinner and show now run nightly.
Not preserved behind rope
Despite the history, it's a working nightly show with a fixed 20:00 dinner and a 21:45 curtain — the room functions as a theatre every night rather than a museum piece you look at from a doorway.
The show, in three frames
These are genuine shots of a tango orchestra, singers and dancers in Buenos Aires — they capture the evening's feel rather than this exact performance.
Side A, side B
Two sides to the night, the way a 78 used to have two: the orchestra and singers open on Side A, the six couples take Side B, dinner turns between them.
Side A
- A1 Piano, bandoneón, guitar, bass, violin
The five-piece orchestra opens the night alone, the same combination that has carried tango arrangements since the 1920s.
- A2 The first singer
One of the show's two singers carries the earliest numbers — the register Gardel himself worked in, up the street from here.
- A3 Toward Piazzolla
The second singer and the orchestra move the set from the 1920s toward Astor Piazzolla's sharper, later tango.
- A4 A touch of modern
The orchestra closes Side A with newer arrangements before the floor opens for the dancers.
Side B
- B1 Six couples, not one
The show's six dance couples share the floor across the set rather than a single pair carrying the whole night.
- B2 Salon tango
The close-embrace style that's been danced in Buenos Aires cafés since long before this one reopened.
- B3 Stage tango
A more theatrical, wider-figure style, built for a room watching from tables rather than a milonga floor.
- B4 The full company
All six couples return together for the finale — more than twenty artists on stage at once before the lights come up on Rivadavia.
Dinner is served from 20:00; the show doesn't start until 21:45, so the record only needs flipping once — nobody eats through the dancing.
Dinner, then the show
With the dinner option, a three-course Argentine menu and unlimited drinks, served before the tango starts.
Three courses
The Cena & Show ticket includes a three-course Argentine dinner, seated from 20:00, ahead of the 21:45 curtain.
Unlimited drinks with dinner
On the dinner ticket, drinks are unlimited rather than sold separately at the table.
Show-only, without dinner
A cheaper show-only ticket seats you for the 21:45 show with two empanadas and a glass of wine or a soft drink, if the three-course dinner isn't what you're after.
Dietary requests
Tell the operator when you book — one fixed kitchen sitting means changes are easiest arranged in advance, not at the table.
Getting there, and what to wear
How the evening unfolds
One fixed schedule, the same for every guest.
- 19:30 Arrival
Hotel pickup isn't included, but it can be arranged with the local operator for an extra charge; either way, aim to be seated by this time.
- 20:00 Dinner begins
On the dinner ticket, the three-course menu and unlimited drinks start as the room fills for the night's single seating.
- 21:45 The show starts
The five-piece orchestra opens Side A; the six couples take the floor for Side B once dinner is cleared.
- 23:00 Curtain
The show ends and the room empties back onto Avenida Rivadavia.
Rivadavia at Rincón
The café sits at Av. Rivadavia 2100, on the corner of Rincón in Balvanera, about two blocks from the Argentine Congress building.
Pickup is extra
Hotel pickup isn't included in either package (it can be arranged with the local operator after booking for an extra charge), so plan to be seated before dinner begins at 20:00.
Dinner 20:00, show 21:45
Dinner runs until the show starts at 21:45, and the show itself lasts about 75 minutes.
Smart casual
There's no strict dress code — smart casual is the norm, though the belle-époque room is elegant enough that plenty of guests dress up for it.
Find a date for your evening
Per person — for the show with empanadas and a drink, or with dinner and drinks if you choose that option; the final price in your own currency is shown before you pay.
More Buenos Aires experiences
Each of these Buenos Aires evenings books through GetYourGuide, tonight's seats and price converting to your own currency as you check.
Café de los Angelitos vs Rojo Tango vs a milonga
| Café de los Angelitos | Rojo Tango | A public milonga | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | An 1890 café's own dinner-and-show: three courses plus a company of twenty-plus artists | A cabaret show inside the five-star Faena Hotel, Puerto Madero | A social dance night — you dance, nobody performs for you |
| Price & style | Show with empanadas and a drink, or dinner with unlimited drinks; smart casual is fine | From around A$364pp, dinner optional, a dressier crowd | Usually a cover charge only, sometimes a short lesson first |
| Length | About two to three hours; hotel pickup is extra | About two hours, one fixed seating a night | Runs for hours; guests come and go |
| Best for | Watching a full company — orchestra, two singers, six couples — over dinner | A luxury night out inside a landmark hotel | Actually dancing, not watching |
Planning a tango evening in Buenos Aires
Café de los Angelitos questions
Where exactly is Café de los Angelitos?
At Av. Rivadavia 2100, on the corner of Rincón in Balvanera, about two blocks from the Argentine Congress.
What time does the show start?
Dinner is served from 20:00 (hotel pickup isn't included, but can be arranged for an extra charge); the tango show itself starts at 21:45 and runs about 75 minutes.
Is dinner included?
The Cena & Show ticket includes a three-course Argentine dinner with unlimited drinks. A cheaper show-only ticket skips dinner and comes with two empanadas and a glass of wine or a soft drink.
How many performers are on stage?
More than twenty — a five-piece orchestra (piano, bandoneón, guitar, double bass and violin), two singers and six tango couples.
Is there a dress code?
No strict one. Smart casual is fine, though many guests dress up for the belle-époque room.
How old is the café?
It opened in 1890 as Bar Rivadavia and was renamed Café de los Angelitos in 1920. It was fully restored and reopened in 2007.
Did Carlos Gardel really drink here?
Yes — the café was one of his regular haunts before he became tango's most famous voice, part of why it's kept its place in tango history.
What if I have a dietary requirement?
Let the operator know when you book. The kitchen runs one fixed sitting a night, so changes are easiest arranged ahead of time.