What are the best bars for cocktails and mezcal in Mexico City?
Mexico City's bar scene is split between high-concept cocktail lounges in Juárez and Roma Norte, and traditional mezcalerías scattered across the city. For cocktails, Handshake Speakeasy and Rayo in Juárez are leading the charge with complex, clarified drinks. If you want mezcal in a darker, more intimate setting, Bósforo in Centro offers an unmatched selection of small-batch agave spirits poured by people who genuinely know the producers.
What locals actually do
Chilangos often start their evenings late. A typical night out might begin with a casual beer or paloma at a neighborhood cantina around 19:00 before moving to a dedicated cocktail bar closer to 22:00. The true local drinking culture, however, revolves around the sobremesa—drinks that naturally extend from a long afternoon lunch. Places like Salón Ríos in Cuauhtémoc or traditional cantinas in Centro are packed on Thursday and Friday afternoons with groups seamlessly transitioning from food to tequila and mezcal. When we want a focused night out, we stick to neighborhood spots like Café de Nadie in Roma Norte for vinyl records and excellent martinis.
Spend an evening at Bósforo in the historic Centro. Arrive around 21:00, order a wild agave mezcal from Oaxaca or Michoacán, and pair it with their toasted chapulines.
Practical notes
- 01Reservations for top cocktail bars like Handshake and Licorería Limantour need to be made weeks in advance.
- 02Traditional cantinas often serve free snacks called botanas as long as you keep ordering drinks mid-afternoon.
- 03Stick to Roma, Condesa, and Juárez if you want to hop between multiple bars safely on foot.
Good to know
- ✗The altitude at 2,240m makes alcohol hit harder and faster—drink water alongside every cocktail.
- ✗Many old-school mezcalerías and cantinas operate cash-only, so always carry a few 500 MXN bills.
- ✗Tipping 10% is standard, while 15% is generous for exceptional table service.