We are fresh back from one of our favourite cities, Mexico City. It had been nearly two years since we had last been and we were amazed by how much growth there has been in the city in terms of new bars and bartenders popping up. The city was alive with enthusiasm for everyone drinking better drinks and we quickly fell in love with that energy. We do already have a Bar Hop Mexico City on the website. Let’s consider this a continuation of that one. Here are the new spots in CDMX that you really ought to check out.
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1/ Café Ocampo (Plaza Melchor Ocampo 14, Cuauhtémoc)
Start your Bar Hop at Café Ocampo. This place opens at 9am and stays open late. Throughout the day and evening, their menu evolves from coffee and lunch to aperitivos and snacks to boozier cocktails. The space is minimalistic and sleek and is the perfect place to have that pre-dinner drink.
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2/ Elly’s (Hamburgo 310, Juárez)
After your aperitivo, go on a little walk to Elly’s for dinner. It is recommended to make reservations (but not necessary). Elly’s is divided into parts. You walk into the bar. Then through a door is the dining room which is also divided into different seating areas. In the centre of these is where their record players spin which really sets a tone for the space. The food here is excellent and the service is top notch. Upon finishing your meal, you then have the option of having dessert or an Amari on the second floor which opens into a casual lounge where you just won’t want to leave.
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3/ Yellow Bird (Tabasco 304, Roma Norte)
There have been a handful of speakeasies that have recently opened in Mexico City. They all have various ways of getting in and of just what they are trying to do. Yellow Bird was the most accessible and approachable that we found. A short walk from Elly’s, you make a reservation by sending them a WhatsApp message. A doorman greets you and then you are ushered into the room. This bar is great. The bartenders are incredibly friendly and hospitable. While they have only been open for a couple of months, they have a bunch of barrel-aged classic cocktails on offer. Apparently as soon as they started working on the bar, the first thing they did was barrel up these bad boys so all of them have been aged for at least six months. They also have a variety of house mezcales straight from the palenques. In one corner there is self-serve draft beer. In another is a fridge full of pre-batched cocktails. In addition to all of that, Yellow Bird has a great cocktail list and you shouldn’t hesitate to order any (and all!) of what is on offer.
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4/ Waikiki Tiki Room (Orizaba #115, Roma Norte)
Waikiki Tiki Room is a beautiful space and a fun place to finish off your night. It’s loud. The decor is bright. The cocktails are boozy. The bartenders are enthusiastic. Their menu features a section of drinks created by some friends and contemporaries. It is EXACTLY what you want in a tropical themed bar. All of it means you are in for a good time. And be sure to say hi to bartenders David and Luigi!
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These are not new bars but we wanted to give shout outs to both Kaito del Valle (Calle J. Enrique Pestalozzi 1238, Col del Valle Centro) and Ladina Bar (Colima 333, Roma Norte). Both are bars that have been open for sometime but we had not yet had the chance to visit. When we were in CDMX, Kaito was celebrating their 3rd Anniversary and it was a whole lot of fun. It’s a cool space located above a restaurant and it also has a secret karaoke room (heck yes!). Their bar manager Claudia Cabrera is running a great program here. Ladina Bar has that local bar feel. You settle up at a bar stool and instantly feel like you are home. This is a room that I never want to leave. (While there, say hola to Andres!)
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Do you have any bars in Mexico City to add to our list? Comment below.
Note: As with all Bar Hops, we are not encouraging getting inebriated. This is a list of great cocktail bars that we suggest visiting while in Mexico City. We want you to have fun and play safe. Check out How to Do a Good Bar Hop for some hot tips.
