At first we couldn’t understand what all the hoopla was about this place. Thursday through Saturday there are hoards of locals congregating outside the doors as well as several blocks within the vicinity of Gabbia. And after dipping our heads in on a crowded weekend night, the initial feeling was that this was just your typical, run-of-the-mill Ecuadorian dance club playing every cliche song that one would expect. To be fair, there was a diverse mix of all the Latin flavors, as well as all the imported pop songs we’ve all come to hate — an A+ for diversity? Not exactly.

Gabbia’s Facebook page bravely claims to be “one of the the most outstanding clubs in the East Coast of South America,” and while they’ve obviously invested a lot of money into modern and minimalist decor, you have to really seek it out, as upon first arriving it doesn’t necessary feel to be a cream of the crop venue.

For further investigation we recently went on a Thursday night, and although not crowded or too happening, we were introduced to the top floor (the only floor with music/dancing on Thurs.), which we had never ventured up to before. The second floor manages to pull off a more upscale vibe, with a long, beautiful bar, several dancing areas, VIP rooms, minimalist decor with plenty of modern-esque couches to rest your dancing shoes on. There is also a separate DJ booth upstairs, which is at ground level, giving it a more personalized feel.

Due to the club’s attempt to cater to the upper-crust of Cuenca, you won’t find local beers here, only Heineken and Coronas, which will run you $3.00 for a regular sized bottle. Cocktails are $4.00 and up. However, unlike other discotecas around town, Gabbia runs a nice promotion for foreign visitors: free cover for all tourists, all the time.

For a semi-upscale experience with semi-affordable drink prices (for those of us on South American salaries or backpacker budgets), Gabbia almost lives up to its hype.

Check GoGo’s FB page and Calendar for updated Gabbia Events!

Gabbia is located on 5-58 Presidente Cordova @ Hermano Miguel