Reviewing Handshake Speakeasy CDMX, the Best Bar in the World

It is located in the Juárez neighborhood of CDMX, one of the coolest areas (that’s not quite as busy as Roma and Condesa). It’s also close to Centro Histórico.

It’s a 10-15 minute drive in Uber or InDrive (the latter is cash only) from any of these neighborhoods.

There are also public transport connections, such as the Metrobus that runs along Insurgentes (a road running through Condesa and Roma before reaching Juárez then Centro).

The only slightly dodgy place nearby is Gloria de los Insurgentes, a circle where several roads meet including some pedestrian underpasses. It’s just around the corner from Handshake; don’t walk through it in the dark. Cross Avenue Chapultepec anywhere else if walking back to Roma Norte.

Read next: where to stay in CDMX

Who voted Handshake Speakeasy the best bar in North America?

The award for Handshake came from the World’s 50 Best Publication. They review establishments based on the quality of drinks, ambiance, and service.

See the complete list of top bars in 2025.

Mexico City also bags 3rd, 9th, 14th, and 20th place for the following bars: Tlecan (a moody mezcal bar), Licorería Limantour (famed for their al pastor cocktail, pictured below left), Bar Mauro (a new addition I’ve not been to yet), and Baltra (sweet cocktails in a Darwin-themed bar, pictured below right).

The above bars are all in Roma Norte or Condesa.

What are the drinks like at Handshake?

Long before Handshake got its award, I would have told you they make my favorite cocktails in the city.

I love how creative the drinks are. Each drink on the menu is a unique, crafted concoction the bartenders have dreamed up. They won’t be found elsewhere.

Some of the drinks I have tried include:

• Mexi-Thai with tequila, coconut, lime, tomato water, and basil oil (tart and fruity)
• Matcha Yuzu with matcha, whisky, yuzu, and vanilla (zesty and herbal)
• Coco Bongo with gin, coconut, lemongrass, and pandan (fresh and sweet)
• Fig negroni with gin, fig leaf, vermouth, and lemon (aromatic)
• Mushroom old fashioned – this was the only drink we weren’t wild about but perhaps it’s just an acquired taste, featuring bourbon, brown butter, mushroom, maple, walnut (complex, nutty).

I’m sure the menu changes so I don’t know if all the drinks will remain available forever. But they were all great, so I hope so!

I also like the option of their miniature classics for 100 pesos ($5) so you can sample a few. However, there are only four: a mini martini, vesper martini, espresso martini, and mezcal negroni, most of which can be found elsewhere rather than being house concoctions.

Presentation

Something my friend and I discussed when we first visited Handshake back in 2022 was that all our drinks were clear. Initially, we thought that was strange and not the most presentable, but then we considered perhaps part of the speakeasy theme to resemble water.

We commented it was impressive to even make all these colorful ingredients clear!

When I’ve visited more recently, I’ve noticed that not all the drinks are clear anymore. For example, the fig negroni is red. Sure, this is more presentable (and Instagrammable) but the clear drinks definitely enhanced the speakeasy vibe.

(Unless it’s just a coincidence I happened to order clear drinks on early visits and not recent ones. I could be wrong!).

About the ambiance

Inspired by the Great Gatsby and prohibition era, you can expect muted colours, low lighting, and black marble. It’s cozy, stylish, and everything a cool bar should be!

Experience and service

Although it’s still a great experience visiting Handshake, it has changed as the bar has become more popular (although that likely won’t matter if it’s your first visit).

When I first visited, it was genuinely hard to find the entry. We asked people on the street and an elderly security guard for the hotel next door who had to put his glasses on to look at my phone screen (was he part of the plot?). Eventually, after looking online, we worked out we should knock at an unmarked door and hope for the best.

We were ushered into a dark box and waited there a few minutes before being shown into the bar that resembled someone’s living room with just a few tables.

Nowadays, it’s nothing like that! Last time I visited, there was a huge line of foreigners and a dedicated English-speaking host outside. You sit in a bar that’s still dark and cosy but without the living room feel of the old place.

Also, you have a 90-minute limit per table these days. The experience of visiting Handshake Speakeasy is unrecognisable from how it once was. Still, I understand any business wants to grow!

Is Handshake Speakeasy still worth visiting in 2025?

I would say yes. Its popularity and title of the best bar in the world have undeniably changed the experience, and I prefer how it used to be. However, it’s still worth visiting.

The drinks are fantastic, the service is excellent (though I am a Brit, thus don’t care much about service so maybe Americans and Mexicans should be the judge of this haha) and the ambiance is impressive. I also like the free bar snacks served with your drinks.

Expect to pay around 300 pesos ($16) per cocktail. Yes, it’s expensive for Mexico City but typical for a cool, famous bar like this.

GO VISIT, but don’t forget to book on OpenTable (ideally a couple of weeks in advance).

What else to do in the area?

Juárez has plenty of great restaurants and coffee shops, plus a few museums including the Chocolate Museum which is well worth a visit!

One idea is to spend the afternoon here visiting museums and cafes, then eat dinner at one of CDMX’s best restaurants before or after your trip to Handshake. There are even two theatres here, although shows are in Spanish only.

Places to eat include cult classic, Taqueria Orinoco, the busy food court of Comedor Lucerna, famous Masala y Maiz known for fusion Indian-African-Mexican food, vibey pizza restaurants Cancino and Dr Pizza, and delicious French-Indian food at Maza Bistrot.

No, there are a handful of speakeasy bars in Mexico City but Handshake has always been my favorite.