Handshake Speakeasy is worth the hype! I managed to snag a Friday night reservation in the basement…read moreroom. 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!

Hard to see why this has been getting top speakeasy when I feel I've been to better... Pretty easy…read moreto find - it's in a hotel and there is sure to be a super long line waiting, so make sure you check in with one of the waitstaff especially if you haven't booked a reservation. Although our group did not book ahead, we got there right as they opened and only had to wait about 30 min to get seated - but it was also a Monday so maybe that had something to do with it... Aside from the entrance being anticlimactic compared to the bars I have been to, I think the drinks were quite delicious. I got the Earl Grey and the Once Upon in Oaxaca. The first one was honestly my favorite. It was such a refreshing drink that was a really fun take on Earl Grey tea. I really liked the lemongrass straw as well. Drinking out of the straw vs drinking the drink directly made a huge difference in flavor, which I thought was particularly unique. The Once Upon in Oaxaca was slightly smoky and definitely a more liquor forward drink. Perfect for a second cocktail. I would have liked it to be just a tad more smoky with a thicker mouthfeel. Overall, however, it was a pleasant experience, but there are definitely some other bars I'd recommend over this one...

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

Mezcal focused cocktail bar. Lighting is fairly dim but warm, lit mostly by candles except for the…read moreoutside seating which is exposed to the streetlights and traffic. Honestly the openness is welcome on this cool autumn day although the sounds of cars and people was sometimes a touch distracting. Music was fun but not particularly heavy, maybe more of a casual date than something velvety. Service was quite attentive and prompt although I did arrive quite early and there weren't very many people there. Not all the waitstaff are very fluent in English but they are happy to bring someone who is if you have questions. They are the sister bar/restaurant to La Clandestina which is literally right next door which also focusses on Mezcal. Honestly, I don't really know what the difference is between the two aside from the people who are literally mixing the drinks and serving you as the house mezcals are also under the La Clandestina name. Ordered their Habanero house cocktail which was a mix of their Espadin Joven Mezcal, orange liqueur, and a raspberry/bluebery/habanero syrup garnished with a dehydrated orange slice and rimmed with salt, chili, and maybe some more habanero. Note, the menu doesn't actually mention the syrup, I dragged that out of them since I was wondering why the cocktail was so pink and also tasted like it definitely had more than mezcal and orange liqueur in it. The end cocktail is a light and fruity affair but not particularly sweet or acidic and actually balanced out with the body and smoke of the mezcal. I normally despise salt rims, finding it overpowering on first sip and nonexistent on the next but theirs toned down the salt levels enough that each sip around the rim was actually quite pleasant. The habanero in the syrup maybe offers a smidge of vegetal notes and a little bit of spice if you're particularly sensitive to it but the rim itself was actually a delight, giving a light tingle to the lips with each sip. I wouldn't say the cocktail was particularly spicy but more tingly which I found myself actually preferring over other chili included cocktails I've had in the past. They do offer a variety of bottles of tequila and mezcal to sell and take home with you, notably the ones under the Clandestina name that are made just for the bar. Not all of these tequilas and mezcals are available to try directly but the bartenders will offer you a shot of the closest one that is available on the menu (mind you, trying a shot is just paying for an ounce/35 ml of the stuff but that's all on the menu). I decided to give that a shot before biting the bullet on a whole bottle of mezcal. The shot of mezcal comes in a glass wider than a traditional shot glass so you can actually sip the thing comfortably and they also give you a few orange slices with tajin to chase/nibble on. Apparently they offer a flight of mezcal which I'd honestly recommend, especially if you're here with some friends. Definitely recommend coming by for well executed cocktails but particularly for the chance to try Mezcal of varying regional origin, age, and abv.

We loved the vibe of this cocktail bar! It does not actually say "Felina" on the outside of the…read morebar, so we didn't realize we were in the right spot until the host overheard us chatting about where the bar was located. It is a very chill vibe and the drinks are strong. It was fun to come here with my husband and enjoy a leisurely cocktail!

Perhaps the darkest bar I ever encountered, Felina would be perfect for a clandestine meeting. I…read morecouldn't see anyone's faces, and Felina was packed with people. The bartenders take mixology very seriously and work so hard, they have no time to engage. I'm a gabber and enjoy talking at a bar. That was impossible at Felina. However, if you're planning on having an affair, meeting someone you don't want anyone else to know about, having drinks with a group of ugly people you don't want to look at, Felina is the perfect spot.

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

Generous servings, friendly service, and inspired menu. Highly recommend the torta Cubano and their…read moretacos. Elegant setting.

Wow! Top notch service keeping it casual and friendly; but they don't miss a beat. From A to Z,…read morefantastic service staff. The place feels, looks, and is high-end, but the cuisine feels very homemade. Their Forte is traditional Mexican dishes, but they were amazing. It is located within Samara Shopping Mall, steps away from Hilton Santa Fe. So paid parking lot is available. We tried a set of drinks and food items, and everything was flawless. I'll be back many times.