Sabina Sabe is a popular restaurant and bar located in the city center of Oaxaca. It was recently…read moreon the list of North America's 50 Best Bars. I thought it was funny when I got the menu and the food menu was only one page while the drink menu was five pages. The outside of the restaurant is blue-ish and the restaurant has multiple rooms. The ceviche del dia ($190 MXN) was a little sweet and not as tart or sour as others I've had. The tacos de sirloin ($170) were really good and were our group's favorite. The taquitos dorados de mole negro ($140) were okay; there was no meat just in case you were wondering. The aguachile rojo de camaron ($190) were good. The esquite con tuetano ($100) was not like a typical corn in a cup but it was closer to a corn soup. For drinks I had the pequeño gigante ($210) which was good. The paloma madura and paloma margarita were both favorites among our group. We went during the day and it wasn't that busy but supposedly it gets way busier and livelier at night.

I came here for the renowned drinks but also ended up loving their food! It's a super cute spot…read morewith tiles and open balcony doors. We were able to get a seat right away and the servers were super helpful. My friend wanted to try some mezcal and they let us taste a couple before choosing. We sat at the restaurant instead of the bar because it was cuter and I wanted food too. I tried two of their fruity mezcal drinks and loved both. I forget the names but one had watermelon, and the other had coconut and lime. I ordered cheese stuffed plantains with mole and this was soooo good. It was very filling too!

If you visit Oaxaca and want a standout cocktail bar, Selva is a must. It might not be all over…read moreTikTok, but after spending a week exploring the city, this was the place I kept coming back to. The staff is effortlessly cool and welcoming, and the space itself is clean with plenty of seating. An absolute must!

Stay away- they don't deserve your money. The owner shushed our friend who was taking a picture of…read moreour group- and the owner snobby WHITE lady said rudely to her- "this is not a public place, Keep it down!" My friend quickly said okay not understanding what had just happened until it hit her that she had shushed her. We had reservations and were ready to drop a lot of money for drinks but we asked a server who that lady was and he explained that it was the owner so we got up and left! Many of us were Mexican, others American but we were not about to be support such a place and be treated like that. Super super rude! The servers were nice and respectful though. So- again- don't come here. We weren't even loud but apparently the owner wants a library type of place- lame.

We had an enjoyable stop here. The cocktails were well mixed although the whole menu wasn't on…read moreoffer the night we visited. The bar was busy and the bar itself is small so I think the limited set made sense. It was fun to join the lively crowd for a bit and watch a parade go by.

It's an amazing and unique place, small. Focused. Mezcal only with a few mixers. Guitar player the…read morenight we were there. Magical! I'd not trade the evening we spent there for 100 other nights in other standard, predictable bars in 100 other places. And that's the twoof!

There was a gaggle of congenial regulars. There was ping pong. There was absinthe. Even the basic…read morecocktails were lovingly prepared. On a cold night in hot Oaxaca, we chose the best dive. Thanks to the amazing bartender Hania for keeping the good stuff flowing.

Love the drinks, service, vibes, and the area. Owner and staff make you feel welcomed and at home.read more

This small establishment is one of many local places that hosts weekly "salsa" and bachata lessons…read moreand dancing - with expectation that those who come order several drinks (instead of paying a cover charge). The "salsa" taught us actually rueda de casino - danced to Timba music. The two-man live "band" plays a variety of "Cuban" music (like Danzón and Chachachá) - which most who took the group lesson seem not to know how to dance to. Anyway, this was not my favorite place to come, but it's popular.

Loved the place, very creative and delicious drinks , the ambience is lovely , when I visited there…read morewas a party going on, with live music and karaoke, it was dope. The only thing it has to be improved is the service from bartenders and waitress, it's slow.

Very fun place with inexpensive beers (40 pesos). I ordered a michelada and the mix was another 20…read morepesos, it wasn't great honestly so I would probably recommend just sticking with the basic drinks. The music was a good volume and was catchy, lots of people were dancing. It was busy but not overly crowded around 2am last night. They closed up pretty much right at 3am but were a little lenient about letting us finish our drinks. The bartenders were nice enough. No cover when I went although there was security at the door. They do allow smoking inside so if you're sensitive to the smell it's something to be aware of, although it's fairly spacious and they had the outside door open so it didn't get aggressively pungent. Will return!

Great night club for music and dancing. They have 3 different floors to suit anyone's taste! When…read morewe went they had a DJ that played a great mix of music!

This is a rooftop restaurant by Plaza del Danza. It is located in a hotel. You would walk in and go…read moreup the stairs (keep walking as you pass by the seats and hotel amenities). Note: make sure you place a reservation ahead of time. We didn't but we decided to wait (the estimated wait time was 25 minutes, but we were seated within 5-10 mins). We ordered the cocktails (tasted good - the mezcal mule could have been stronger but the mezcal old fashioned was strong). Food tasted great! I loved being able to watch the kitchen work and send out food. It felt like one of those high end restaurants. There is an english and spanish menu. Staff was attentive and made sure we were good with our orders. You can also pay by credit card. The restrooms are by the kitchen.

Lovely unassuming spot in the center of Oaxaca. Service was good and great prices considering the…read morebeautiful rooftop experience + deliciously prepared food. Most memorable for me was the soup -- don't remember the name but the broth was delicious and has a piece of corn on the cob in it. They had the traditional Oaxacan staples but what I loved is that they rolled the Tlayuda. A good spot to add to the list while visiting Oaxaca.

If you're going to Oaxaca, check on their website to make a reservation as soon as possible! The…read morespots fill up quickly! Jim G. and I were lucky enough to find one pop up on a very convenient day for us, so off we went! When you find the spot, there's a little buzzer you'll need to press so they buzz you in. Then head on up to the bar for your (mostly) private educational tour through mezcal. We spent a little more than an hour with Bastian, who was great! He asked both Jim G. and me many, many questions about what we do and don't like to drink and why. Doing this allowed him to tailor a tasting for each of us; and, if you read any of my reviews, you know we enjoy our libations, so of course we went with the 5 mezcal tasting (you can do 3, 4, or 5). As we were tasting and learning, Bastian asked for feedback and even changed what we were going to taste mid-journey. In a couple cases, he gave us some options (not that we knew what they were by name, but things like 'more bold' or 'same plant, different process,' etc). We learned a lot about mezcal, enjoyed ourselves, and walked out with three bottles--one for the room while we were in Oaxaca, and two to take home. I would go back again if in Oaxaca!

We had friends who made reservations for our large group to attend a tasting here. They give you a…read morechoice of 3 tastings; 3, 4, or 5 mezcales of 1 oz pours. Pretty standard for the area. The establishment is very clean and smartly decorated. Our server was very knowledgeable and friendly. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and how much I learned about the distillation process. There was a large variety of mezcales.

Had to try a mezcaleria before leaving Oaxaca... La Mezcalerita was one of our bartender's…read morerecommendations, conveniently located near our Airbnb. We walked in about an hour before close, and the bar was as lively as ever. While downstairs had more of a lounge vibe, the rooftop bar was buzzing with locals and loud music. Overall a bit grubby, but nothing unexpected of a typical dive bar. Staff are a bit brusque but well-intentioned. PULQUE: I could only dream that this was more popular in the US. Sweet, almost fruity, and smooth. Almost like a light, pulpy, alcoholic orange juice. New to pulque, but this was a delicious and great start. Impressively vast selection of craft beers, wines, and liquor. You're bound to find something for everyone.

Los cocteles se llevan 3 estrellas, no estaban mal pero en cuanto a sabor y presentación están…read morebásicos. Pedimos dos curados de pulque que sabían mas a agua que a pulque o la fruta. La comida fue lo mejor pero las porciones son muy pequeñas. Yo le daría el chance a otro lugar, este es caro por lo que ofrece.

There's not much to say. I wanted a late night snack of grasshoppers, cheese and beer and I found…read moreit here. It felt good to find my reward.

Cómala is a great bar to grab a beer with friends. They have an extensive menu including a comida…read morecorrida every day plus snacks (nachos with quesillo - yum!). I like to sit at the bar and chat with the bartenders but it's also lovely in the courtyard, especially if you're with a group.