There's an abundance of cheap comedores around the market, such as Cafesama and El Punto , although the Restaurant Fogón Porteño , close by on 6 Av and 9 C, has a nicer setting. One of the best places in town is the Rincón Uruguayo (closed Mon), which does meat cooked South-American style on a giant parrilla (grill), plus vegetarian dishes like barbecued spring onions and papas asados - it's a ten-minute walk south of the centre at 7 Av and 16 C. For fish and seafood there's plenty of choice: try Safari , ten minutes north of the centre on the seafront at 5 Avenida, which is good, if a little pricey, and serves huge portions; Mar Azul , also right on the seafront, at the end of 6 Calle, which is a little cheaper; or La Caribeña , 4 Av between 10 and 11 calles, which does a superb caldo de mariscos (seafood soup). Finally, there's the unique period charm of the Hotel del Norte restaurant.

Puerto Barrios also has more than its fair share of bars and nightclubs , offering the full range of late-night sleaze. None of these is hard to find - a lot of the action is centred around 6 and 7 avenidas and 6 and 7 calles. Reggae and punta rock are the sounds on the street in Puerto Barrios, and you'll catch a fair selection at weekends in the Bric a Brac Disco on 7 C and 7 Av.