Zona Hippos is one of the better-known entertainment complexes on the Carretera Masaya strip, an outdoor collection of bars and food stalls centred around a large open-air terrace. It is a loud, sociable place aimed at a younger Managuan crowd — rum cocktails, loud music (usually a combination of reggaeton, cumbia, and salsa), and the kind of energy that starts slowly around 9pm and peaks well after midnight.
It is not a subtle evening out. But if you want to see how middle-class young Managuans spend Friday and Saturday nights, this is as good a place as any to observe it. The cover charges are modest, the drinks are reasonably priced, and the crowd is friendly toward foreign visitors. Arrive relatively early to get a table; by 11pm the space fills up.