Best Bars in Mexico City for Cantinas, Pulquerias, Mezcal, and Casual Nights

Guide: Cantinas, Pulquerias & Mezcal Rooms

A casual Mexico City nightlife guide for cantinas, pulquerias, mezcal rooms, mariachi nights, old Centro bars, and Roma-Condesa drinking rooms that do not require cocktail-award choreography.

• BosforoBosforo is the Centro mezcal room for people who want low light, serious bottles, and a night that feels less engineered than the cocktail circuit. It is small and moody, so use it as a focused stop rather than a giant group plan.
• Tio PepeTio Pepe is the old Centro cantina where wood, neon, and history matter more than mixology. It belongs in the casual bar guide because Mexico City nights should include rooms that have survived fashions; go early enough to enjoy the neighborhood walk.
• La FaenaLa Faena is a bullfighting-themed cantina with a fading museum quality, cheap drinks, and a room that feels stranger than the guidebook version of Centro. Go for atmosphere, keep the order simple, and understand the theme before bringing squeamish company.
• Salon TenampaSalon Tenampa is Plaza Garibaldi's mariachi cantina, noisy in the way a room full of trumpets and requests should be. It is not a quiet drink; go when the whole point is music, tequila, and a Centro night with edges.
• La ClandestinaLa Clandestina is a Condesa mezcal bar that stays approachable without turning the spirit into a lecture. It is useful before or after dinner nearby, especially for travelers who want tasting flights, snacks, and a room less precious than the speakeasy circuit.
• Pulqueria Las DuelistasLas Duelistas is a Centro pulqueria for cured pulque, murals, plastic tables, and a daytime-to-evening crowd that feels gloriously unpolished. It belongs here because not every Mexico City drink should be distilled, shaken, or dressed up.