The best bars in Mexico City

Architect-designed club — red lights, house beats, beautiful crowd. No tourist energy

Specialty: House, funk and disco DJ sets — bottled cocktails, multi-sensory design

Pro tip: Entry is selective — dress well and don't arrive in godín mode. Thu–Sat only

Historic Roma mansion turned club. Piano bar, DJ room, 80s/90s nostalgia — all under one roof

Specialty: Live piano sets, DJ nights, classic cocktails — feels like a stylish house party

Pro tip: Get on the list — entry is exclusive. Even the bathrooms are worth a photo

Tiny Italian-style standing bar. No laptops, no rush — just coffee, drinks and good chat

Specialty: Cortado, espresso martini, vermouth, carajillo — shifts from café to bar at 5pm

Pro tip: Stand at the bar. That's the whole point. VW van outside is the "terrace."

First speakeasy in CDMX. Hidden entrance, red leather stools, zero signage outside

Specialty: Rotating signature cocktails — World's 50 Best Bars. Enter through a taco shop

Pro tip: Reserve weeks ahead — address only revealed on booking. No walk-ins

Tropical jungle bar by day, sweaty dance floor by night. Palm trees, passion fruit energy

Specialty: DJ sets, reggaeton, salsa, electronic — banging acoustics in an open-air garden

Pro tip: Get on the list in advance — entry is by reservation only on weekends

Dimly lit, underground cocktail bar energy. Hipster-cool without trying too hard

Specialty: Creative cocktails, natural wines, craft beers — and world-class pizza next door

Pro tip: Grab a stool at the bar. Opens at 5pm — ideal first stop before a night out

Historic cantina since 1876. Carved wood booths, gilded ceilings, Pancho Villa's bullet hole

Specialty: Classic margaritas, tequila, chamorro — old-school and proud of it

Pro tip: Look up at the ceiling — legend says Pancho Villa shot a hole through it during the Revolution

Hidden behind a curtain, no sign outside. Candlelit, jazz, cult mezcalería. Standing only

Specialty: 40+ small-batch artisanal mezcals, blue corn quesadillas, chapulines with lime

Pro tip: Go on a weeknight — weekends are impossible to move. No reservations accepted

Festive, loud, and unapologetically Mexican. Banda music, full tables, great energy

Specialty: Cantaritos in clay jars — tequila, citrus, soda. Quesabirrias and mariscos

Pro tip: Book ahead for weekends — capacity 160 but fills fast. Ask for the cantarito for two

High-end cantina, buzzing atmosphere, live music, dominó tables. Modern but Mexican

Specialty: Mezcal cocktails + tlayuda oaxaqueña + escamoles. Guanábana-mezcal mojito

Pro tip: Open Mon–Sat until 2am. Book a table for weekends — it fills up fast

Porfiriato-era mansion turned cantina. Antiques, trios, mezcal — time-warp energy

Specialty: Author cocktails with mezcal and tequila — Filomeno (squid ink + mezcal) is unmissable

Pro tip: Sit at the bar before dinner. Open till 2am — perfect pre-night-out spot

Cozy, candle-lit natural wine bar; romantic, intimate bistro setting

Specialty: Natural wines, gnocchi Parisienne, beef tartare, roasted chicken

Pro tip: Reserve ahead; limited seating (4 tables + bar). Pet-friendly terrace

Rooftop jungle bar above Mercado Roma. Palm trees, tropical energy, Afro house all night

Specialty: House & electronic DJ sets, creative cocktails — mezcalitas are a must

Pro tip: Smart casual dress code. Roof closes if it rains — still worth it every time

Casual seafood-bar, lively crowd, TVs for sports. No-frills local staple

Specialty: Tacos de pescado + pulpo cholula (off-menu) + margaritas. Cold beer always flowing

Pro tip: Open daily from noon. Good spot before or after Parque La Mexicana

Art déco bar near Parque Lincoln. Relaxed, cosmopolitan, world-class mixology

Specialty: Mezcal Stalk, margarita al pastor — World's 50 Best Bars. #32 globally

Pro tip: Smaller and calmer than the Roma location. Best kept secret in Polanco

Mezcal gastropub tucked behind San Juan church. Lively, local, unpretentious

Specialty: Artisanal mezcal flights, guacamole with chapulines, Oaxacan caldo de piedra

Pro tip: Ask the mezcalier for a tasting — they know every bottle. Salsa on Sundays

Floor 41 of Torre Latinoamericana. 360° views of the entire city. Best at sunset

Specialty: Margaritas, mezcal cocktails, Aperol Spritz — go for the view, not the mixology

Pro tip: Come at sunset — watch CDMX light up from above. Arrive right when they open to grab window seats

Taquería-bar hybrid, sports TVs, full bar. Santa Fe's late-night essential

Specialty: Carajillos + margaritas + tacos USDA prime. Caldo Taquearte as starter

Pro tip: Open until 3–5am on weekends. Best late-night option in the entire zone

Jazz club inside a former bank vault. Art Déco building, original vault doors still in place

Specialty: Live jazz Wed-Sat, classic cocktails, intimate setting — the CDMX Village Vanguard

Pro tip: Reserve ahead — it fills fast on weekends. Check their schedule online before going

Legendary mariachi cantina on Plaza Garibaldi since 1925. Murals, papel picado, pure folklore

Specialty: Tequila, mezcal — surrounded by competing mariachi bands. Unmissable on a Saturday night

Pro tip: Go after 9pm on a weekend — that's when Garibaldi fully comes alive. Tip your mariachis

Cult cultu-bar since 1983. Terrace on the plaza, rock en español, bohemian crowd

Specialty: Draft beer, micheladas, mezcal cocktails, Cuervo ice tea

Pro tip: Grab a terrace table — ask to join the waiting list when you arrive

Kitsch cantina owned by Diego Luna. Ground floor chilled, upstairs full party

Specialty: Mauricio Garcés (mezcal cocktail), quesadillas de jamaica, mezcal + chela promo

Pro tip: DJ on weekends upstairs — arrive early or queue. Rockola gratis downstairs