The yearly 50 Best Bars in North America list, announced on April 29, includes an incredible sampling of the great cocktail bars across Mexico, as Mexican winners once again stud the final shortlist.
Want to know more about these impressive bars in Mexico that made the list? Here is a peek into the histories that have made these bars the exquisite experiences that they are today.
Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City – No. 1
“We needed to find our DNA,” says Rodrigo Urraca, co-owner of Handshake, “and Erik helped us find it.”
Urraca is referring to Erik Van Beek, one of Handshake’s four partners and the master behind its mixology. Urraca and a friend originally opened Handshake in 2019, but after a short closure during the pandemic, they brought on Van Beek, and it’s been glorious ever since.
There is little wonder Handshake has been named both No.1 in North America and No.1 in the world, as winning a spot on the list has been a top priority from the bar’s inception. In fact, the original plan for Handshake — named for the handshake deal that started it — was cooked up between Urraca and partner Marcos di Battista during a 50 Best ceremony. They were dreaming about how cool it would be to win a spot on the list.
They are thrilled to be ranked in first place, but being the best bar in the world also comes with pressure.
“We’re doing our very best to continue spoiling our clients just as we have from the beginning,” Urraca says. “The best bar in the world can’t have an off night, you know?”
Their menu includes steadfast versions of classics, like the butter mushroom old-fashioned, and newly minted cocktails from the masterminds behind the bar. The bar’s exclusivity — it’s almost impossible to get a reservation — combined with its notoriety — this is its fourth year in the top two spots on the North America’s 50 Best list — as well as a sexy Art Deco speakeasy ambience have skyrocketed Handshake Speakeasy to success during its short life.
Tlecān, Mexico City – No. 3
Newly opened in 2024, Tlecān has been making waves in the Mexico City scene as a high-end mezcalería with excellent craft cocktails. Its focus on agave spirits and its incorporation of local herbs and plants into its menu makes Tlecān one of the few places in the capital where you can get craft cocktails made with sotol, raicilla, bacanora and other regional specialties.
Owner Eli Martínez won this year’s Altos Bartender’s Bartender Award, the only peer-voted award on the 50 Best Bars list. Tlecān is the first mezcaleria to make it on the list, a meaningful milestone for Mexican spirits’ international recognition.
El Gallo Altanero, Guadalajara – No. 8
From the beginning, El Gallo Altanero has been a locals’ bar, says co-owner Freddy Andreasson. That, he says, can mean pushing back against adopting a certain aesthetic or a feel common among bars that win spots on these kinds of international lists.
There are no reservations at El Gallo Altanero, no exclusivity or secret handshake, and staff pride themselves on knowing the names and faces of the regulars who have made the bar what it is. This ethos can be felt in the loose and easy vibe you’ll find at this Guadalajara bar, whose menu highlights small-batch tequila and other Mexican distillates. The bartenders are just as geeked out on spirits as other spots, but the crowd is lively and fun and it feels like stepping into an unfussy fiesta that you never want to leave.
Licorería Limantour, Mexico City – No. 9
Licorería Limantour is part of Mexico City’s old guard: When the bar opened in 2011, no one was making their own bitters or participating in special ice programs. The minds behind the bar were pioneers, and according to owner José Luis Limantour, they haven’t sat on their laurels over the past 14 years.
“I think Limantour is defined by evolution,” he says. “We have changed constantly, and I think that’s what keeps us current. There’s obviously a global cocktail movement happening right now, and the fact that we continue to be included in these lists means something.”
This hospitality group, now with two Limantours and four other spaces, has provided a training ground for many of the city’s bartenders and bar managers. Ask around, and you’ll find that many of Mexico City’s young talent worked at least briefly with Limantour.
Bar Mauro, Mexico City – No. 14
Brand new and already making waves, I knew when I visited last fall that this bar would end up on the list— it just has that vibe. Brothers Ricardo and Eduardo Nava have completely revamped the ground floor of a turn-of-the century house on a block in La Roma with so few establishments that you might miss it if you’re not paying attention.
The bar is named after the brothers’ uncle Mauro, who was a consummate host and cocktail lover, and they try to provide an atmosphere that would make him proud. Low-lit corner tables, a lively back bar and some excellently crafted cocktails are what you can expect in this mid-century hang-out, though right now, post-win, it’s impossible to get into.
Baltra, Mexico City – No. 20
“When we opened, there were people that knew about negronis or martinis or old fashioneds as part of their bar vocabulary, but no one knew anyplace where you could drink them. I think now more people know more about cocktails, and they also know places to find them,” says José Luis Limantour.
One of those places is Mexico City’s Baltra, part of the Limantour group, whose kitschy nautical décor reflects its namesake — one of the islands visited by Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle.
Their current menu includes “Eight Pieces of Advice You Didn’t Ask For,” featuring drinks with names like “How to Survive a Party Where You Know No One” and other such gems.
Aruba day drink, Tijuana – No. 22
Along with Tijuana’s skyrocketing popularity as a foodie paradise in the last decade, it’s also home to one of the 50 Best Bars of North America — Aruba Day Drink.
With a menu full of electric-colored cocktails and small plates that reflect the local cuisine — seafood tacos, Japanese sandos, tuna tostadas, Asian fried chicken — the party atmosphere is complete thanks to DJs spinning and a lively crowd.
Opened in 2021 by Kevin Gómez, Aruba has been listed on the 50 Best list since 2023 and prides itself on its “vacation vibes.”
Believe it or not, that’s only about half the list of Mexico’s bars that made it onto the 2025 list of the 50 Best Bars of North America. To learn about the other bars that made it onto this list, stay tuned for the second part of this article, coming soon!
Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based out of Mexico City. She has been published widely both online and in print, writing about Mexico for over a decade. She lives a double life as a local tour guide and is the author of Mexico City Streets: La Roma. Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at www.mexicocitystreets.com.
