Polanco Bars & Nightlife

Inspired by the trend for speakeasy bars in NYC, Jules Basement jumped on the bandwagon and brought the concept to Mexico in 2012. And like its NYC predecessors, there are rules here: You must make a reservation in advance, you must enter through an industrial refrigerator door at the back of a taqueria, and once inside the striking, leather-clad, subterranean bar there are no Jägermeisters, bad beers, or Red Bull-based drinks allowed. All of this makes for a pretty civilized evening enjoying both classic cocktails like Manhattans and Martinis and some pretty amazing riffs on these, like the mezcal laced Campari cocktail. Tuesdays are the best night to make a reservation as there's always live jazz.

The highlight at this trendy, upscale mixology bar/restaurant is the terrace bar, where groups of dressed up friends, and suited up colleagues wind down the work day late into the night. While the restaurant does serve up a solid panini or croque monsieur, people come here for the drinks. As in a lot of city bars of the moment, gin is in, and their Tuka's Flamingo, made with watermelon juice, is the one to try. It's located in upscale Polanco, with its own valet parking, a bouncer at the door, and several trendy, dimly-lit eating and drinking lounges inside.