Want to know what the best bars in Mexico City are? After living in the city for more than three years and enjoying fun nights out all over the place, I thought I should share some of my favorite finds.
Most of the bars on this list are in Polanco, Roma, and Condesa.
There are a few in the Centro Historico and others in Coyoacan and Navarte. All are relatively close to the downtown area and you can easily use the Mexico City metro or Uber in Mexico City to get around.
The Best Bars in Mexico City
1. Limantour
No list of the best bars in Mexico City would be complete without Limantour.
If you love cocktails, you absolutely cannot miss this spot.
It consistently makes the list for the top ten bars in the world and regularly ranks as the number one bar in Latin America.
The menu is more like a novella with more than a dozen pages, organized by type of alcohol, filled with different cocktails. My personal favorites are the mezcal and tequila cocktails, but they also have whiskey, vodka, rum, and gin.
It gets very busy on weekends, so be sure to get there early or be prepared to wait for a table.
2. Falling Piano Brewing Co
If cocktails aren’t your thing and you prefer a really good beer, it doesn’t get better than Falling Piano.
Falling Piano are one of the only breweries located in the downtown Mexico City area and that are also brewing on-site.
You walk into the bar on the ground floor where you’ll be able to see all of the beers being brewed. Head up the stairs to the bar area where the beers they’re making are available solely on draft.
This is one of the only places that you can actually have their beer and they are constantly brewing different things, so you can come more than once and try completely different beers every time.
3. Tasting Room
Another great beer bar is the Tasting Room. This bar isn’t making their own beer, but they do curate more than 20 taps with different Mexican and international craft beers.
The taps change weekly and they also do some nice snacks. It can be pretty quiet here during the week, but on weekends it gets very busy.
4. Meroma
Another spot for the cocktail lovers, Meroma is home to some of the most delectable cocktails in the city.
From the front, it looks only like a tiny little bar, but head up the stairs at the back to an open patio area where you can sit and sup your cocktails. If you get hungry, don’t miss out on the fish crudo, it’s unlike any crudo I’ve ever had.
One of the great things about Meroma, unlike other main-stay cocktail bars in the city, is that they change their menu for the season. In winter, they have hot mulled wine and in summer there are ice-cold spritzers to enjoy on the patio.
5. Jardin Chapultepec
Jardin Juarez Location and Hours
This is the closest thing you’re getting to a beer garden in Mexico City.
This bar is built on an empty building lot and they simply know how to keep the punters happy.
The beers on draft range from local craft beers to icy-cold Modelo Especial. They have a huge selection of craft beers by the bottle and they make surprisingly excellent cocktails.
They also serve up really great bar food – German sausages on fresh bread rolls, thick and juicy burgers, and the best fries in the city.
They have a second location (linked above) which is called Jardin Juarez. This is a larger space, but on weekends has more of a club vibe than a bar vibe. If you enjoy live music, you may prefer this on a weekend.
6. Traspatio
This hipster spot has been made to look like you’re outside when in fact you are very much inside.
There is a retractable roof inside the bar, which adds to the feeling that you are enjoying your beers al fresco. The bar space is filled with plants and roughly finished wooden tables.
They have a few different foods on offer, but I really think this is better as a bar in Mexico City and not a restaurant. They have everything from Mexican craft beers to cold local beers. There’s a large selection of Mexican and international wines and they make seriously great cocktails.
7. Bar La Opera
While some call this a cantina, it’s so much more than that.
It’s located right in the Centro Historico and is a little slice of the luxurious past of this part of the city (there aren’t many reminders left!). The interior is retro without feeling outdated. It’s simply a part of history that I love revisiting whenever I can.
The service here is excellent and the drinks are delicious. I usually come here for cold national beers and plenty of snacks. They also have a full food menu which looks pretty good.
8. El Palenquito
For a really great mezcal bar, head to El Palenquito.
Right on the main street of Roma Norte, El Palenquito is a little hole-in-the-wall spot that attracts both locals and tourists for its wide selection of Oaxacan mezcals (it helps that the waiters all speak excellent English, too).
The menu is pretty confusing, especially if you’ve never had mezcal before. Ask the waiter what they recommend based on the sort of flavors that you like (smoky, sweet, dry, etc). Start with a small glass (30ml) and if you like that one you can always order more.
9. La Lavanderia
If you prefer a good mezcal location in Condesa, at the other end of the same street you’ll find a collection of bars. While many people rave about La Clandestina (it’s good and you get free pumpkin seeds which I also love), I still prefer this bar which is directly to the left.
La Lavanderia is the better option if you want more drinks options. They have more beers on offer, more cocktail options, and still offer plenty of mezcal options.
Both have a great ambiance and friendly (English-speaking) staff, so pick one and enjoy.
10. El Deposito (Condesa)
This is a chain bar around Mexico City. There is basically one in every neighborhood, but my personal favorite is the Condesa location.
It’s slightly smaller here and they always have better draft beer options. They have several televisions to watch different sports at the same time and they always show the big games.
They have a few bars snacks, but this is definitely a bar, not a restaurant.
As the name suggests, they are also a bottle shop. So if you are self-catering or simply want a few drinks back at your hotel room, you can choose a few different Mexican craft beers from their fridges and take them to-go.
11. Jules Basement
Jules Basement is one of the few places in Polanco where I enjoy a tipple after dark. There are countless bars and restaurants lining Masaryk, the Fifth Avenue of Mexico City, but none are particularly, well, cool.
Except for Jules Basement. This is the place to head for great live jazz music and delicious cocktails. I usually head here for a few drinks if I’m going to be having dinner in Polanco.
It has a sort of prohibition vibe about it that makes it feel cool and “underground,” but it still fits in perfectly in Polanco with its swanky interior decor and decadent cocktails.
It’s recommended that you make a reservation, especially if you want to come on a Friday or Saturday night. You can do so through their website.
12. La Azotea
This rooftop bar is one of the best bars in Mexico City. It’s the perfect spot to end a day of touring around the Centro Historico.
Located in the stylish Barrio Alameda building where you’ll find mezcal bars, tattoo parlors, and clothing boutiques, head all the way to the top (sorry, there’s no elevator).
La Azotea allows you to take in the views of Parque Alameda, the Torre Latino American building, and the surrounding church spires that seem to pop up above the trees in every direction.
They have nice mezcal cocktails or have a glass of the good stuff straight up. They also have bottled Mexican craft beers, a nice Mexican wine selection, and cheaper national beers, too.
They do have a small food menu of pretty delicious options, so if you feel peckish while you drink you can always have a little something to go along with it.
13. Cervecería Polanco
La Cervecería de Barrio is a chain that you will literally see all over Mexico City. They have at least one, if not two in most neighborhoods.
It’s known for it’s seafood and large cold micheladas, but the quality varies depending on which location you head to.
In my opinion, the best Cervecería is in Polanco (followed closely by the location in Roma at Fuente de Cibeles).
I think if you’re looking for a good lunch spot with nice beers on draft and top-class seafood at a reasonable price, this is a perfect spot.
The decor is stylish and it feels upmarket inside even though the prices are the same as any other Cerveceria around the city. If you find yourself thirsty for a cold michelada while wandering around Parque Lincoln, definitely make a stop in here.
14. Beer Bros
This isn’t in one of the central suburbs of Mexico City, but the Navarte neighborhood still isn’t too much of a trek from Roma or Condesa.
It’s worth traveling to this place, which I would consider one of the best bars in Mexico City for its wide beer selection and great local vibes.
Beer Bros is a tiny little bar with only a few stools inside and a few tables outside. But on a busy Saturday night, people pour onto the sidewalks with their pints and enjoy lively conversation.
If you get hungry, head into the convenience store which is right next to the bar and grab a bag of chips or popcorn to have with your craft beers.
The other reason to have a few drinks here at Beer Bros is so that you are close enough to walk to one of the city’s most famous taco spots, El Vilsito. It’s been on several different TV shows, including the Taco Chronicles on Netflix. Be sure to order the pastor tacos.
15. Centenario 107
If you find yourself thirsty for a local craft beer while in the Coyoacan neighborhood, be sure to check out Centenario 107. It’s not far from the Frida Kahlo Museum and makes a great pit stop before heading back to your hotel.
Much like Traspatio mentioned above, this bar tries to make it feel like you’re outside in a huge garden, but really you’re inside a cozy bar.
There are plants everywhere and tons of natural light. There’s also really delicious food options and tons of craft beers on offer. They have both draft beers and bottles to choose from and all of the craft beers are from around Mexico.
16. El Hijo del Cuervo
The other best bar in Mexico City in the Coyoacan neighborhood is El Hijo del Cuervo.
This bar is located right in the main square of the old town of Coyoacan. I love getting a table outside with a glass of mezcal and a cold bottled national beer and watching the world go by.
The little plazas in Coyoacan are always full of families and couples strolling around, especially on weekends.
In addition to being a bar, it’s also a full-service restaurant, so feel free to head here for lunch and some delicious food with your mezcal cocktails.
17. Comedor Mata Cantina
This recently opened bar is inside what appears to be an old cellar. It has been beautifully redone and is now open as a seriously cool cantina.
It’s not really what I imagine a cantina to be (old school bars full of old men and saloon doors). It’s more like a high-end restaurant with great food and a well-curated drinks menu.
Don’t feel like you have to come here for a meal, though. You can simply head to the bar and pull up a stool. The bartenders can make any type of cocktail or pour you a cold craft beer. There is a small bar menu too if you want to have a few share plates with your drinks.
18. DrunkenDog
This is another recently opened craft beer bar that is perfectly located on the edge of Condesa and Roma.
The bar interior has been decored to look and feel like a cozy British pub. Head for a tall table, a cozy booth, or pull up a stool at the bar.
There are four fridges full of bottled craft beer from around the world and there are over a dozen taps with Mexican craft beers on draft to choose from. The tap list changes almost daily, especially on busy weekends.
19. Gin Gin
This is, as the name suggests, a gin bar. The majority of the cocktails on this menu are gin-based, but they do also have other options if gin isn’t your thing.
The main reason to come here is for the great music and almost club-like vibe. It’s a young 20-something vibe on Friday and Saturday nights.
If you want to enjoy gin cocktails while also enjoying a conversation, head to their second location on Alvaro Obregon. They also have a full food menu here to enjoy.
20. Le Tachinomi Desu
I only recently learned about this very cool wine bar. It’s definitely for the wine lovers and it’s definitely not where to come for local prices, but the wine selection is unparalleled in the city.
It’s been set up as a standing-room-only, Tokyo-style bar. You’ll be able to choose from different organic and natural wines as well as a few types of saki and beer.
The bar is also well known for its omakase menu (Japanese-style tasting menu), but you can simply enjoy wine or order a few snacks off of the a la carte menu.
21. Cicatriz
I recently visited this bar and instantly fell in love. It’s located in the Juarez neighborhood, a part of the city that is quickly becoming one of the coolest places to hang out.
I love coming to Cicatriz for boozy brunches, but it’s also a really cool bar after dark.
They have natural wines, craft beers by the bottle or can, and a full selection of liquors to have mixed drinks or cocktails.