Opera Catedral
Opera Catedral fills a two-level building at Jose Miguel de la Barra 407, near the corner where Lastarria meets the Parque Forestal. The ground floor operates as a restaurant-bar with a long counter, exposed brick walls, and a menu that covers Chilean and Italian dishes. Upstairs transforms into a lounge space on weekends, with a DJ playing house and electronic tracks at a volume that allows conversation. The layout includes a smaller bar, couches, and a few tables near windows overlooking the street. The transition from dinner to drinks happens naturally; the downstairs crowd thins as diners leave and the upstairs fills with people who came for the later hours. Total capacity across both floors is about 250 people.
What to Expect
A two-tier evening. Downstairs is a civilized restaurant-bar. Upstairs adds music and a lounge atmosphere. The transition between the two is seamless, and you can spend the entire evening in one building.
Polished and warm. Casual enough to relax, refined enough to feel like you made an effort.
Upstairs: deep house, nu-disco, electronic lounge. Downstairs: background jazz and pop.
Smart casual. The Lastarria standard applies.
Date nights, small groups who want dinner and drinks in one spot, and people who like their music at conversation volume.
Cards and cash accepted.
Price Range
Cocktails 6,000-9,000 CLP, beer 3,500-5,000 CLP, wine 4,000-7,000 CLP, mains 10,000-16,000 CLP
Cocktails ~-9/~5.50-8 EUR, mains ~0-16/~9-15 EUR
Hours
Tue-Thu 6 PM to 1 AM, Fri-Sat 6 PM to 3 AM
Insider Tip
Start downstairs with dinner and a bottle of wine, then move upstairs for drinks and music. The upstairs window seats are the best spots. Friday night is the strongest DJ booking.
Full Review
Opera Catedral is the kind of place you go when you want a full evening without the logistics of moving between venues. The ground floor handles dinner, and it does it well. The menu is Chilean-Italian, with pasta dishes and risottos alongside Chilean staples. A bottle of Carmenere from the house list costs about 15,000 CLP and pairs with everything.
The upstairs lounge opens around 9 PM on weekends and fills gradually as the dinner crowd downstairs finishes. The DJ plays deep house and nu-disco at a volume that lets you talk without shouting, which is increasingly rare. The couches and window seats create a lounge atmosphere that's comfortable for long stays.
The crowd is late-20s to 40s, professionals and couples who want more than a bar but less than a club. The age range is notably older than Bellavista's student-heavy venues, which changes the energy considerably. Conversations are longer, the music is a complement rather than the main event, and nobody is in a rush.
Service is attentive on both floors. The bartenders upstairs make solid cocktails with standard efficiency. The wine list is smaller than Bocanariz but well-selected. Compared to the Lastarria wine bars, Opera Catedral offers more variety: food, drinks, music, and ambiance in one package.
The Neighborhood
The bar is on Jose Miguel de la Barra, at the edge of Lastarria closest to the Parque Forestal and the Mapocho River. The Museo de Bellas Artes is a 2-minute walk. Bellavista is across the river, about 10 minutes on foot.
Getting There
Metro Bellas Artes (Line 5) is the closest stop, about a 3-minute walk south.
Address
Jose Miguel de la Barra 407, Santiago
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