Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines

1. Licorería Limantour

An institution among Mexico City’s cocktail faithful, Licorería Limantour isn’t just one of the best bars in CDMX, it’s one of the best bars on the planet. Don’t expect white tablecloths and prissy attitudes, this multi-floor icon delivers good times and relaxed attitudes alongside perfectly crafted cocktails. Edison bulbs light the gray stone bar where about a dozen individuals rotate between smoky Oaxacan old fashioneds and rounds of shots. A revolving menu includes twists on classics that elevate various local or regional ingredients. You can always find a new way to enjoy yourself at this Roma staple.

2. Handshake Speakeasy

While some cities long ago surpassed their speakeasy limit, Mexico City continues to offer some of the finer examples of the secret bar done right. Case in point, Handshake Speakeasy. Today, it's one of the busiest bars in town with its Hollywood Golden Era-style attracting visitors from across the globe. Renowned Dutch bartender and owner, Eric van Beek, crafts cocktails with unique flavors that propel the simple into the spectacular. This is especially noticeable in the bar's most famous cocktail, Mexi-Thai—a combination of coconut-washed blanco tequila, coconut, makrut lime, clarified tomato cordial, and basil oil.

3. Hanky Panky

Another bar you’ll likely recognize from lists of the world’s best bars, Hanky Panky sits inside a former burned-out and abandoned Cuban restaurant. Dimly lit and decorated in welcoming neon signs, the bar began as a members only club, but eventually turned into one of the hippest spaces in trendy Juarez. Named after Ada Coleman’s famous gin, vermouth, and Fernet-Branca cocktail, the menu updates semi-annually and focuses on local ingredients and balancing flavors from sweet to savory.

4. Brujas

The sister bar to Hanky Panky, Brujas features a female-led staff and takes its name from the iconic House of the Witches building (Casa de las Brujas) in which it’s located. The frequently changing cocktail menu offers drinks rooted in Mexican herbalism, and visitors will find a variety of classic offerings featuring herbal twists that are prepared in-house. One of our favorite potions is the Yerbera (Havana Club 7 infused with caramel, Armonizados vermouth, and Kalakas Red Mixe endemic chili pepper liqueur).

5. Baltra Bar

Baltra Bar comes from the same owners as Licorería Limantour, giving it immediate credence in the CDMX cocktail scene. The theme here is evolution as the bar takes its name from one of the Galapagos Islands Darwin visited. Located in bohemian Condesa, the bar is warm and friendly, but a serious shrine to mixed drinks. They approach cocktails here from the less-is-more/Sasha Petraske school, offering big flavors through classic structures. On Tuesdays, the bar hosts gatherings for industry professionals focused on making the perfect martini.

6. Xaman Bar

Hidden down a set of basement steps in the heart of Roma, Xaman Bar delivers a sense of pre-Hispanic Mexico with its hanging plants and shamanistic vibe. While it might look a bit like a jungle, the bar is decidedly upscale and at the forefront of CDMX’s cocktail scene. The drinks celebrate the botanicals, and you’ll find concoctions featuring tea, wild herbs, and fresh juices alongside perfectly mixed classics. Well-heeled locals and cocktail enthusiasts pack the bar giving it an extra layer of beauty and allure.

7. La Ópera

You come to La Ópera for the history. Known for its classic tequila serves, the bar first opened its doors in 1876 before moving to its current location in 1895. Dark wood, red-and-white tablecloths, and high ceilings with intricate detailing speak to a space full of stories, which includes General Francisco “Pancho” Villa firing a bullet into the ceiling in 1910. This is not a place for cocktails, so check your ideas of drink decadence at the door. Instead, order a shot of blanco tequila with a traditional sangrita on the side.

8. Cantina Tío Pepe

Open since 1869 and situated on a corner in Chinatown, Tio Pepe has served tequila shots and cervezas to every walk of life, from politicians and artists to average joe locals. The red bar top and dark wood interior give the space a sense of depth and excitement, but don’t expect to order complicated cocktails. This is the kind of place where you keep things simple. Fun literary trivia: William Burroughs is said to have included the cantina in his novel Junky.

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9. The Bar at San Ángel Inn

Located next door to the Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo house, San Ángel Inn was originally built as a Carmel monastery in 1616. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that Jeanne Roux and Magdalena Cabassut opened the hotel and named it after the surrounding residential area. The bar carries the kind of old school elegance you'd expect from a place of its age and stature. White tablecloths, wood chairs, a large open courtyard pair perfectly with margaritas and must-try steak tacos.

10. La Botica

In a city packed with mezcal bars, La Botica is one of the originals. It’s done so well, in fact, that there are now six located around town. But if you’re looking for the original no-frills establishment that started it all, head to this one in Condesa. Small circular tables and foldable metal chairs with beer brand labels lend a sense of authenticity to the space. Over 50 different bottles of mezcal are on offer, mostly from brands you’ve never heard of as the bar is known for supporting small, independent distillers.

11. La Faena

Like face tattoos, bullfighting, and punk rock, La Faena delivers the kind of old-school Mexico City vibe that one might be looking for in this authentic part of the historic city center. You’re here for good tequila, fresh cut limes, cheap beer, and more than a bit of matador memorabilia. A favorite among locals, the place has just started to attract a bit of a younger crowd.

12. Maison Artemisia

Located directly above Loup Bar, Maison Artemisia is all about absinthe. Decorated like a swanky 19th-century brothel àla New Orleans—velvet couches, candles, and gold frames all lend a sense of opulence to the traditional absinthe-poured-over-a-sugar-cube service. Those not into the green fairy will be pleased to find skilled bartenders stirring up a list of sublime signature cocktails that changes by the week. It’s worth noting the bar serves a house absinthe sourced directly from France.

13. Le Tachinomi Desu

This standing room-only Japanese bar and restaurant focuses on natural wine and rare sake—with Mexican variety on the list. There's only enough room for a dozen or so people, so you’ll spend most of your time here pressed up against the bar (not in a bad way). The rotating menu features modern plays on Japanese classics, and guest chefs come through weekly. Swing by Le Tachinomi Desu toward the end of your evening for a look at the well-dressed Polanco locals and industry professionals enjoying a local favorite.

14. Felina

If you like rum-based cocktails and obscure soul music, then Felina is the place for you. Thanks to superb cocktails and groovy tunes, the bar feels less like a Condesa hipster hangout and more like a longtime hidden gem. Stylish mid-century furniture and bold art deco wallpaper add to the character. The cocktails bend to the classic side, and it’s best to stop by early before the place gets filled to the gills as it does most weekend nights.

15. Kaito del Valle

The all-woman team at Kaito del Valle mixes up a variety of Japanese-inspired cocktails. Taking its name from Japan’s famed female pearl divers, “kaito,” the bar also offers an impressive sake collection to go with its post-punk attitude. Maneki-neko—the iconic Japanese lucky cat—serves as the bar’s mascot, which adds to the bar’s playful attitude and ever-changing cocktail menu that's previously featured drinks named after characters like Godzilla and Pikachu.

16. Fifty Mils

Named after the bartender’s favorite measuring tool, the jigger, Fifty Mils sits inside the Four Seasons and is as plush as one might imagine. There's an outdoor courtyard with umbrellas and a torch-lit fountain. Inside, the interior is finished with velvet furniture and enough dark wood to make any former churchgoer rethink their crisis of faith. This idol to lavish cocktails features a drinks menu that matches its physical ethos, including the on-fire Fenix (toast-infused Ketel One, honey and bacon syrup, ginger extract, casein, and turmeric) and Bugs Bunny (Tanqueray Ten, carrot juice, lemongrass syrup, lime juice, Tres Chiles bitters, all perfumed with fernet).

17. King Cole Bar at The St. Regis Mexico City

If you’re looking for luxury, make your to way to King Cole Bar at The St. Regis Mexico City. The hotel has not only imported the opulent vibe of the bar’s New York namesake, but also its famous bloody Mary. Live music comes from the piano in the corner or a jazz quartet adding to the laidback but buttoned-up atmosphere. The cocktails are well-crafted, while velvet seats give a sense of smart relaxation to this top-floor space in Cuauhtemoc.