sinclair's Review

I went to 977 on a Thursday night around 23:00. The club is just a door that says “Marcelo T 977” on it. The club has no official name; it just goes by its address. It usually opens up around 22:30 or so. A bouncer will be standing or sitting outside the doorway. Once inside you are presented with twenty stairs that lead down to a long and somewhat narrow basement. On the left side is a bar with about eleven or twelve stools. On the right side are the washrooms. The rest of the space is filled with tables and chairs. The beer selection is weak: Quilmes, Stella Artois, Corona. I went for a Corona, which was 250 pesos, or around $12.80. The bartender was an early 40’s, big-racked blonde with tattoos all over her back. She and most of the staff could speak a little English if you do not know Spanish. The same music and video was looped over and over.

The way 977 operates is that it is a bar with working girls that makes its money by selling overpriced drinks. Patrons socialize with the hookers in the pub, then take them back to their hotel, residence, or a transitorio for adult fun if an agreement can be negotiated. There are no exit fees paid to the bar when you take an escort out of there. I am not sure how the club decides which escorts are allowed to come work inside, but they make money when guys buy overpriced drinks for the escorts. From what I understand, the drinks are priced the same for both men and women. Most of the escorts will start chatting with you, then ask for a drink. It is kind of a way to see if you are seriously interested and not broke. Most of the escorts only speak Spanish, so you may have trouble here if you do not speak the local language. I was not overly impressed with the chicas. Most seemed to be in their 30’s. This establishment does not get going until about 01:00. If you come before midnight, expect it to be dead.