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    HandShake

    4.4 (161 reviews)
    PriceyBars

    HandShake Photos

    HANDSHAKE ATMOSPHERE

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    Marta B.

    One of the best cocktails in my life. I had the pina colada and it was excellent. It's hard to get recreation and is quite pricey for cocktails but would recommend it if you are in CDMX

    Krystal L.

    Honestly, I totally understand the hype! You definitely need to make a reservation because it gets booked up QUICK. Reservations open 2 weeks in advance so make it as soon as they open! I didn't realize this, but Handshake is in the lobby of a hotel. Check-in was smooth. There was a hostess that greeted us at the hotel entrance and we were escorted inside to our table. The ambiance was very dark and moody to resemble how it felt during the prohibition era. We had 2 servers and both were so fun and playful! On to the drinks. They were delish! I ordered the Thai-inspired drink and my friend ordered the olive oil martini. Both were great and totally inspired me to make more savory cocktails! Now something to note...they serve you a bowl of trailmix when you sit down. There are roasted grasshoppers in this trailmix! It was certainly a shocker, so just be aware of that as you're munching. Great conversation starter for sure, haha! You get 90 minutes before you're booted from your table which I felt was plenty of time to enjoy. There was a little mix up with our bill, but it was resolved quickly. I'd say this spot is worth checking out while in CDMX! I can see why it was voted the world's best bar in 2024!

    Banana Split
    Allie G.

    Handshake Speakeasy is worth the hype! I managed to snag a Friday night reservation in the basement room. The interior was dimly lit and moody, and the staff would yell a welcome every time patrons entered the space. They also did the same once people started leaving. For my first drink, I chose the Mexi-Thai. Handshake is known for their clarified cocktails and I was shocked by how complex the flavors were in this clear beverage. It was almost savory with makrut lime coconut, tomato, and basil oil. For my second drink, I chose the Banana Split. This one was much sweeter with rum, banana, and a blend of sherries. It came topped with a chocolate lego filled with banana ganache, which was insanely decadent and tasty. Our reservation was limited to 90 minutes, which was enough time for me. Overall, loved this spot!

    Mini espresso martini
    Maddi W.

    What an incredibly experience! If you can, I would absolutely snag a reservation to HandShake when you are in CDMX. Walk-ins are also possible but the wait can be quite long. We luckily had a reservation and were seated right away. I will save the surprise of what happens when you first walk-in (and leave) but we were warmly treated. My favorite drink was the Pina Colada and the Orange Blossom. The drinks are delicious, and the bartends are just WOW! You can see why this bar is rated one of the best bars in North America! Handshake is also stunning!

    Ashley J.

    I made a reservation here right as they opened 2 weeks in advance. When we got there, we had to wait in line to be let in for about 10 minutes, so make sure to arrive early. The speakeasy itself is shockingly small, so not many people can dine at the same time. Service was extremely fast and great, and everyone we spoke to spoke English. The drinks were good. My favorite was the banana split, which came with a banana chocolate shaped like a Lego. This was a really cool experience, and I would come again.

    Kenneth H.

    Memories! A show! The drinks, well #1 for a reason! Service really good, but We thought and two other customers thought the yelling from entire when coming in and departing, well cheesy - sorry. Not Disney..... For a speakeasy, and a world class one... Your service, quality and the ambiance should "speak" for itself .... Than having to scream when arriving and departing. Also, they had some special guest.... Not sure the capacity, but they took the one on one experience away from the other guest. They served speciality (new working on) drinks off the menu to them and spent time explaining the drinks. 33 years in the hospitality industry... Myself. Operations, regional and corporate.... And other customers felt the same. Again, the service and quality, off the charts! And a MUST stop. You have to make reservations way way a head of time.

    Fig Martini
    Jake B.

    This was, far and away, the best bar I've ever been to. It's hidden by the hotel entrance, and is an adventure in itself finding the spot. We got extremely lucky and managed walk in with a party of 4, split up into two tables of 2. The drinks were amazing; my favorites were the cookies and cream and the salt and pepper. But all of the drinks I tried across the four of us were the best versions of those drinks I've ever had. The service and staff executed everything perfectly. Can't overstate how great this place is!

    Antoinette P.

    Love this speakeasy! The vibe is upscale and grown. We made reservations for a party of 7 and were sat on time. The hosts and servers were so great! It's definitely a must try if you're in Mexico City. The drinks are all craft cocktails and so unique. My favorites are the Cariño, Olive Oil Gimlet and Lychee Highball. The sandwich de rib eye was amazing!

    Mexi-Thai, not well balanced at all.. actually hard to enjoy
    Lisa E.

    The least pleasant experience, bar, cocktails that I've ever had. I am usually a 2-4 cocktail gal and I could not get out of here quick enough. The entire process, from lining up in a hotel lobby, to being led down dingy steps to sitting on a tiny toad stool..there are so many fabulous cocktail bars in CDMX, do not be upset if you could not snag a reservation here, you are doing your self a favor. A speakeasy should be smartly disguised and fun to figure out, not a painted black basement. Should be called Hype-shake

    Cocktails
    Anne C.

    Definitely worthy of being the top bar in the world - the ambience, the service, the skills of the mixologists and the types of drinks they had! We loved the peanut butter and jelly which was so unique and loved that all the drinks were so nuanced. We couldn't resist and got 3 cocktails each and loved them all. They were all so unique and never too strong or too flavorful and just perfect. Highly recommend the PB&J!

    Banana Split
    Matt H.

    I get it. I am not usually one to come to places blown up on social media however Handshake is WELL worth it. I think I can say these were the best cocktails I have ever had. I had both the Peanut Butter and Jelly and the Banana Split and both were wildly good. I have never had cocktails like these before and they were worth every penny. I liked the PB&J one more but both were wonderful. Its a very cool experience and the bar tenders were super friendly and talkative. Overall I would without a doubt recommend anyone in CDMX pay Handshake a visit.

    Justin J.

    Currently distinguished as the #2 rated bar in the world (January 2026), expectations were high. It's great to get a reservation, but once reservations open, the spots are taken almost immediately. You can do walk ins and, if people don't show up, the walk ins are given those seats, but you may be waiting for some time, and you are given a one got know for walk ins to drink. We were about to get a reservation so, with that done 90 minutes of time inside. Obviously expectations are high, but can those expectations me match the reality of the drinks? In this case, yes. First, the service, impeccable. You are walked in to your seat from the outside, water is brought and the baby is explained. And, when drinks are brought, each drink is explained in detail from ingredients to the thought process behind the drink. The flavors? Amazing. So much goes in to each drink, and you can really taste the nuisances in each digital. From the forward notes, to middle notes and backend flavors, it's really like drinking art but with so much flavor. You really can't go wrong with any cocktail at Handshake. From the ambulance, you the service and the whole vibe. Even the nuts with crickets mixture they bring you to snack on, yes, crickets, tasting like seasoned little pumpkin seeds. Just a phenomenal bar, absolutely try to get a seat when visiting Mexico City.

    Gab G.

    Played the Opentable notification game and got a reservation one day before. Good, not amazing - wouldn't go through a lot of effort to go. I'm sure it was incredible back in the day. Salt + pepper was my fave.

    peanut butter and jelly

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    Licorería Limantour - Platas bravas and carnitas tacos

    Licorería Limantour

    4.1(129 reviews)
    0.2 kmPolanco
    $$

    Amazing bar in Rosa Norte part of Mexico City! Every cocktail we had was exceptional and they had a…read morefew special cocktails when we were there like a mango con chile which is a take on the street mango with chamoy and tajin. Reservations are definitely hard to come back so would recommend to book early. We had a late reservation but they actually were so nice to accommodate us early since we finished dinner early. Suggest sitting at the bar because the bartenders are great to talk to and get more insights into the place and drinks!

    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

    Photos
    Licorería Limantour - Downstairs

    Downstairs

    Licorería Limantour
    Licorería Limantour - Stairs to the 2nd floor

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    Stairs to the 2nd floor

    Jules Basement - Barra Jules Basement

    Jules Basement

    3.9(69 reviews)
    0.3 kmPolanco
    $$$

    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.

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    Jules Basement
    Jules Basement - Jules Basement

    Jules Basement

    Jules Basement - Live jazz @ Jules Basement

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    Live jazz @ Jules Basement

    Baltra - Martini Classic

    Baltra

    4.3(77 reviews)
    3.9 kmCondesa
    $$

    Made a reservation here on a Friday night. It was busy so I'd say definitely make a reservation if…read moreyou plan on coming. The service was very quick and our server spoke English, which was very helpful. There was indoor and outdoor seating. We sat indoors and had happy that it wasn't too loud. The drinks were good and there were a good amount of options. I would come back here.

    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.

    Photos
    Baltra - Old George Sour

    Old George Sour

    Baltra - Old George Sour

    Old George Sour

    Baltra - Gigi

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    Gigi

    Tlecan - Inside

    Tlecan

    4.4(59 reviews)
    3.8 kmRoma Norte
    $$

    Overall, liked my experience here. Came here with a friend on a weekend night and it was packed,…read morebut we didn't have to wait more than 5-10 minutes to get "seated". I say seated with parenthesis because most people end up standing here but we got lucky that a couple was leaving as we were right next to them after being asked our drink orders. It's kind of a weird system that they have and I think the staff didn't realize we didn't have our drink orders taken yet and asked the people behind us for theirs which was slightly annoying. It was a bit chaotic so I can see why it happened, but I do think they need a slightly better system. Anyways, the drinks were excellent and I love that they gave us a little small snack that included crickets (which I hadn't tried before yet). The vibes in here are really nice too. I love the dim lighting and the almost rock/clay atmosphere. The bathroom area is smaller than I was expecting but it was ok. I'd definitely return!

    This ranks among the top ten bars in North America and as a group of 6, we probably waited for 25…read moreminutes to get in. There are no seats, this is a standing bar except a few uncomfortable bar stools. Drinks were good, but I expected more. I got the colada and it was good, not too sweet. Almost clarified colada. Everything was very spirit forward which few of our friends really liked. This felt like a one time visit for me in CDMX

    Photos
    Tlecan - Bar area quite packed

    Bar area quite packed

    Tlecan - Ocelóyotl (mezcal based)

    Ocelóyotl (mezcal based)

    Tlecan - Bar area

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    Bar area

    HandShake - bars - Updated July 2026

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