Editorial
Monterrey drinks hard and late, split between the polished cocktail rooms of San Pedro and the old cantinas of Barrio Antiguo. We checked the field and kept only the bars we could verify as real and currently open. Generic or unconfirmed names did not make the cut, so this is a short, honest list.
Bartola is a hidden speakeasy in San Pedro, the moneyed side of Monterrey, with no obvious sign and a short, serious cocktail list. The bartenders work classics and agave-forward drinks with care, and a reservation helps on weekends. Go early before the San Pedro crowd fills the small room. Order whatever mezcal drink the bar is pushing that night. The cocktail bar locals name first.
El Jonás is an old-guard cantina in Barrio Antiguo, Monterrey's historic quarter, the kind of room that has poured for decades. Cheap beer, strong pours, and a crowd that mixes regulars with students. No cocktail-bar polish here, and that's the appeal. Go late on a weekend when Barrio Antiguo comes alive. Order a beer and a tequila back. A real cantina, not a concept.
The two above are where Monterrey actually drinks, one a San Pedro speakeasy, one a Barrio Antiguo cantina. They bracket the city's range, from careful craft cocktails to cheap cold beer. For the wider scene, the San Pedro rooftops and the Barrio Antiguo strip are the places to wander next.
What is the best cocktail bar in Monterrey? Bartola, a hidden speakeasy in San Pedro Garza Garcia, is the room locals name first, with a short, serious list leaning on agave spirits.
Where do you go out in Monterrey? Two districts lead: upscale San Pedro for cocktail bars and rooftops, and Barrio Antiguo, the historic quarter, for cantinas and late-night strips.
What should you drink in Monterrey? Northern Mexico runs on beer and agave spirits. Order a cold cerveza with a tequila or mezcal back at the cantinas, or an agave-forward cocktail at the San Pedro bars.
Is Barrio Antiguo worth visiting for bars? Yes. El Jonás and the surrounding streets are the old heart of Monterrey nightlife, busiest late on weekends.
James Harlow tended bar for a decade before he started writing about them. He grades every room from its worst seat and would rather name two real bars than ten he cannot stand behind.