Handshakes all around for Handshake! I was determined to get a reservation for this bar considering…read moreit's one of the best bars in North America that I even put a reminder on my phone when reservations were released. Honestly, I couldn't find the place at all. In fact I had to call my friend to see where it was. It's hidden inside a hotel and there's construction going around so it was definitely hard to find and walk through especially with heels on. Luckily we had a reservation because there were plenty of people waiting for seating! The man directed us downstairs to the actual speakeasy. What a super cool neat spot! It was quite dim, but we of course got the best seat in the house because of our party size. The music was top 40 which was an interesting touch considering the ambience of this place, but I wasn't complaining. Onto the drinks. I got the infamous - Peanut Butter & Jelly 100000/5 - I honestly think this is the drink that put them on the charts! The different flavors coming together within the drink and the little sandwich. The 'peanut butter & jelly' sandwich cookie was made from white chocolate and jam. I was honestly thoroughly impressed. I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't think it was going to be THIS good! Cookies n cream 5/5 - I'd still give this a 5/5 because it was also a great cocktail, but not as great as the peanut butter & jelly. I love that a lot of the bars have a little sweet treat to 'chase' the cocktail with. It definitely helps to add the uniqueness of the cocktails you're sipping on!

I really wanted to like this place a lot more. It's not a hard to find speakeasy, located in the…read morelobby of a hotel. My highlights were the welcome of every one of their team as you walk in and the goodbye you get. I also liked that they gave you towel to wipe your hands. The drinks were a bit lackluster. They sat us at the bar in front of the mixologist so we expected to get drinks mixed right in front of us but instead we got them poured out of containers where they had already been pre-batched. Not the crafted cocktails I was looking for. The dim lighting, bubbles for birthdays and friendly service was what I loved. The drinks left me wanting more. Worth going once to see if it's your vibe. Happy Munchies, @JaeGreens

Cool vibes the old books give the place character. We had a few beers, some shots and mixed drinks…read more The drinks were good. They had a few TVs with some sports on which is why we chose this place. Service was friendly, and quick to take your initial order but after that it was kinda hard to order a second or third drink you really had to flag them down. We came back on a second visit and they were out of some of the beers we ordered the previous visit. On the plus side the beers were ice cold. Much colder than out of the refrigerator which made it so easy to drink.

Stopped in here for a brief pre-dinner drink. The ambiance is really nice and the service is…read morefriendly. The bar area is stunning with plenty of seating. There was no live music when I was there but I did see a stage presumably for that purpose. Prices are decent, domestic beers in the $60-70 pesos range. Lots of tapas on the menu as well but I didn't partake in any food. Bathrooms were clean and spacious. They take Apple Pay which is a nice convenience (I lost my card). They were very accommodating about this. English-friendly too if it matters. I heard lots of English being spoken among the patrons and the staff was all fluent.

Loved this little cocktail bar! The drinks were very very unique and our server was so sweet,…read morefriendly, and knowledgeable. While it ran on the pricier side, it was absolutely worth it. Would return! Just keep in mind that it's small, so seating is very limited if it's busy.

Dark little cocktail bar, high on vibes and volume. Drinks are solid, but not amazing compared to…read moreother nearby cocktail places. Cool spot to start or end an evening, but I probably wouldn't want to stay too long given how loud and crowded it is.

Loved the special birthday note, the cocktails were also incredible. Definitely recommend for those…read morevisiting CDMX.

Mexico City has a reputation for having some of the world's best bars. Their location in Roma,…read moreMexico City, was ranked #52 in the world and in the top 10 in North America. While we didn't book the acclaimed Roma location, we sought out their sister location located closer to our hotel in Polanco. We were required to purchase an appetizer to go with our drinks (maybe it's a local requirement for bars?). Got a quesadilla, which had nice flavor from meat, chile morita, and cheese, but it was tiny. Drinks were liquor forward, but balanced. We were impressed to get clear flavors from each of the ingredients of the cocktail. Was it a vibe that I'd want to enjoy again? Probably not - I personally prefer restaurants with really strong entrees and cocktails to support the food than the other way around. Nevertheless, I'm glad that I was able to visit this world renowned bar close to where I was staying. Drinks were creative, flavors were clear and assertive, but balanced. If you are looking for interesting cocktails, this is a great option for you

Such a cool cocktail bar! The inside was warm and inviting but we got a table outside which was…read morealso nice with a lot of people watching. The servers were super friendly and brought out our drinks fast. I went with the avocado based cocktail and it was SO GOOD. I've never had anything like it and I'm glad it caught my eye on the menu 10/10 recommend.

This was a smaller mezcal bar that had been recommended to us time and time again so we decided to…read morestop in. We quickly found a table in the main bar area at a small high top so we lucked out with that! The vibe was sexy and very cool for a stop in the evening. I'm not a huge mezcal person and don't like spicy flavors so struggled to find something I loved but my boyfriend tried a mezcal flight and a spicy cocktail and he loved it all! The staff was also very friendly and happy to try to recommend a cocktail that would fit my preferences. For the vibe alone, this is worth a visit!

Cool environment and had a majority of locals hanging around here. The drinks were more of the…read moreaperitif variety so while we didn't get food when we were here, I'd recommend picking something from the menu. Our waiter did seem a little surprised we didn't so maybe we ought to have . Second in my line of bars where I felt like the emphasis was less on a heavy hand but more on the light delicate notes that encourage you to sit and talk around a bit more with the homies.

I really liked the mezcal drinks and the espadín. I had an amazing time and the service was good.read more

Not easy to find, but a lot of fun when you do!…read more One of my favorites spots, among many, in the heart of Polanco.

Jules bar is advertised as a hidden speakeasy in Polanco that is located underneath a taqueria. The…read morebar is tourist friendly and cocktails are reasonably priced. Come early as there is usually a line before entering the bar. Atmosphere: to enter into the bar, you have to go downstairs through a refrigerator. In contrast to the bright colors of the taqueria upstairs, Jules was adorned with leathered walls, studded ceilings, and skeletons as table centerpieces. While trendy, it did come off as a little cheesy. Nonetheless, decor did reflect the vibe it was going for. There was limited seating, so if you have a large party would recommend going there early if you have a big party. Later in the night, there is a DJ who plays techno/dance music tends to draw in large crowds of people. Brings in a mixed crowd. Service: Service at the beginning of the night was good, although servers were less attentive as the night got later and more people were entering the bar. Cocktails: The bar offers a good variety of drinks and cocktails--which I can see why people would want to go back to Jules again. My group of friends and I tried about 8 different cocktails and the only one I enjoyed was the Low Key. The Low Key is comparable to a whiskey soul with mezcal garnished with tamarind candy. I did not care much for the other drinks, as some of them were overly sugary.

Normally I would find this sort of place via yelp, but apparently nobody here had heard of yelp…read moresomehow, so I actually don't remember how I even found out about it (I would have had to - it's not like you'd ever know it was there from the outside, being a little sign on a door in the inside of the lobby of a small hotel). I'm really glad I did, though, because they absolutely *need* to be on yelp so more people like me can find it, because it was a. absolutely fantastic, some of the best cocktails I've had, and for a great price, and b. literally empty all night the night I was there (which was, to be fair, a Monday, but still - we were literally the only people there other than the two bartenders, both for like an hour earlier in the day, and then when I came back around 10:30 that night for another drink because I was leaving the next morning and I really wanted to try one more drink because they were that good). English is spoken haltingly at best, though (at least when I was there), which could partially explain the lack of fame among tourists (my wife speaks a bit of Spanish, but the Google Translate app was also helpful in both directions.) It's a cozy sort of place, and they were playing great music. too - neat blend of like 80s music and remixes of 80s music. Awesome decor, too. Most cocktails on the pre-defined menu are $130 (so under $8 US), and I did start with a couple of those, to confirm they knew what they were doing, which they totally did. First the Free Verte - basically a traditional absinthe ceremony in a glass, with ice with a flower frozen into it. Tastes fantastic if you like absinthe (you can taste the flame!), and it's a show to make. Then the El Santo, with a liquor base of "pox", which I'd never heard of, so he gave me a little to try - it tastes sort of like a cross between mezcal and white rum. The drink was a typical (dangerous!) tiki type drink, super creamy and delicious, plus I love the glasses they use for it. I also tried one of their 50-peso "shots" cause I was curious, with rum, coconut cream, mango/pineapple juice, melon liquor and india nut. Sort of like a painkiller, but flavor up to 11 with the nutty kick. (I obviously didn't actually shoot it - that would be a waste of deliciousness.) Having confirmed the overall quality of the place, I then tried their custom cocktail ability ($140!). This is where Google Translate really helped, obviously. Started by asking for a custom mezcal drink that really brings out the mezcal and wasn't too fruity. Not exactly what I meant, but an amazing drink nonetheless, and I could still taste the mezcal pretty well. Fresh berry (strawberry, cranberry, raspberry) juice, jamaica, mezcal, and a rosemary lit on fire. It was fan-freaking-tastic. That as all the drinking I was planning on doing that day, but that creation was so good, I had to try a second experiment - I told them mezcal again, and this time, do what you like, but make it spicy. They gave me a drink with mezcal, simple syrup, lemon and a house-made spice/cinnamon liqueur. It was really good, but I said please make it a little spicier, so they pulled out an unlabeled jar with jalapeno slices infusing in it - heck yes. That and a couple dashes of scrappy firewater bitter, all poured over a mango-infused ice ball with an actual slice of fresh mango frozen in the middle. This is a fantastic place, did I say that yet? So anyway, I cut myself off at that point, but on the way out, I asked what all the little cubbies by the bar were, and they said they all contained little packets of different herbs and stuff, including saffron(?). So later that night, I said to my wife, I *have* to go back and see what they can make with that saffron, so I did. Anyway, it was actually safflower, not saffron, but it was still a fun drink. Received a drink with lemon, vermouth flash-infused with safflower (turned a gorgeous bright yellow) and gin of my choice from their selection (I said Hendrick's - most of their gin was traditional dry gin, and I prefer bolder gins), plus lavender bitters, still just 140 pesos. It was pretty delicious - almost tasted a bit like really good bubblegum(?). There were two guys bartending when I was there earlier, but just one was there when I was back at 10:30 (thankfully for me, the one who spoke a bit of English). I didn't think to get the first guy's name, but they were both awesome bartenders. I did ask when I came back - the second guy's name was David. They were both awesome, though. Only weird thing is, for some reason, even though they said they were open until 1 AM, at 11 they closed the POS system and said it was going to be cash only? Not sure why. Anyway, this place needs some serious attention from craft cocktail lovers, because it is awesome. (Or maybe it doesn't, so if I'm ever back in CDMX, it'll still be crazy cheap for the quality!)

It's a beautiful bar. Very unique, small and cozy but their cocktails leave a lot to be desired. If…read morethey are marketing themselves as a specialty cocktail bar they should at least have fresh juice and not store bought carton juices. A little turned off unfortunately.

Baltra menu offers an amazing flavor profile and very smooth drinks. I'm very impressed by the…read moretea-forward aftertaste on their themed cocktails, such as the nilgiri. The baltra classic tomate y ruibarbo was also very smooth, almost indiscernibly blended but the sweet rhubarb comes in at the end. The bartenders are great and seating at the bar was pleasant. Great music and ambiance and I would definitely visit again to try their tea cocktails. The menu is a delight to look at, it's beautifully and thoughtfully designed with flavor profile descriptions. Not to mention the dill spa water is a very nice sip. I'd come here for breakfast if I could.

On our most recent trip to CDMX, our hotel had recommended going to Baltra for cocktails, not to…read moremention they are noted as a favorite on a variety of lists and considered one of the best bars in the world! So needless to say we had high expectations. The space itself is very cute offering a small bar, some indoor seating as well as some nice patio and outdoor seating. Overall it's not large, but it has a cozy vibe. We didn't have a reservation, though they are encouraged, but we went shortly after the opened and were able to be sat at the bar. The bartender was super friendly and happy to offer rec's. The menu is so fun, but primarily in Spanish. Some of their most popular cocktails have some fun doodles and imagery to go wuth them and we really enjoyed perusing the menu. We both started with the Ultima Duda or Last Doubt, which is their spin on an espresso martini that is mezcal based. Presentation was very fun and the cocktail was lovely. For my second round I went something a bit fresher and opted for the Sumi, which was gin based and had a lovely egg white foam, my favorite. Overall, the vibes were good, cocktails were solid, prices reasonable and service was good. Neither cocktails blew me away, but it was a very fun visit if you happen to be able to get a table or opted for a post dinner nightcap.

We tried 4 different mezcal cocktails at this cute little bar, which is located on the second floor…read moreabove the famous restaurant Azul. We had a very nice bartender who was new at making cocktails she said, but nevertheless made some very tasty cocktails. Our favorite was the Morena, and we also liked the mezcalina a lot. They have two little tables on the verandas looking out at the street below. Most of the cocktails were well priced at 79 pesos, so if you're in the mood for a beer or a mezcal, you should give it a try

Hidden gem near the chaotic historic center. Hidden away within a hotel building, it was quite a…read morechallenge to find this place from the entrance, there is no sign for it until you go upstairs towards the shops. Get a table at the balcony to look out on the street, there are outlets to charge your phone. Great place to take a break from the historic center action. The 2x we went there a handful of people.