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!)
