Top Rated Nightlife in Oaxaca

This trendy microbrewery is a great little hot-spot for those looking for homemade beer. There are usually several microbrews on tap, and bartenders with a passion for beer who serve them. Grilled cheese sandwiches and burger sliders dominate the smallish menu, but shrewd patrons know that the bar connects to the Gourmand deli next door, where they can order freshly prepared salads, sandwiches, and charcuterie plates. The place has a homespun look to it, with warehouse-sized ceilings, ladders, and visible beer-making operations behind the counter and above it. In some ways the place recalls all the new and suddenly popular microbreweries, but there is a definitely an Oaxacan feel to it.

Producers and distributors of the finest traditional mezcal in the city, the products found at Mezcaloteca are a cut above most of the others you would find in the city. Intimate, quaint and almost always filled with excited mezcal enthusiasts, this is where you should head to if you want to have a shot at Mexico's premier alcoholic beverage. Taking pride in its Maestro Mezcaleros heritage, this store honors its inherited tradition through the use of age-old distilling methods, techniques and recipes. The maguey plants are hand picked by experienced staff to ensure a flawless batch of mezcal.

La Divina is situated just across from the Templo de Santo Domigo in the Centro Historico of Oaxaca City. This bar, although not very large, hosts live music various times throughout the week. Other nights they screen movies. This bar with a warm and friendly atmosphere is a great place to start out or finish up your night on an up note, and if the interior gets too stuffy, just step out the from door to the incredible sight of Santo Domingo illuminated at night.

Head to Zandunga for a gastronomic experience unlike any other. The vibrant eatery offers authentic Mexican favorites such as tamales chambray, molotes, chileajo, toasted corn mole, mole shrimp, baked cochito and salads. Decadent desserts pamper the sweet tooth as well as add the perfect finishing touch to a wholesome meal. A variety of mezcals perfectly accentuate the exotic flavors of the food served. Located in the heart of Oaxaca, the lively ambiance of the restaurant attracts tourists and locals alike. Affordable prices welcome people of all budgets to come in and experience Mexican hospitality at its finest.

The owners of this bar will guide patrons through comprehensive tastings of the mescal and dark micro brews available. It’s a small place, colorfully decorated, and more than suitable for a casual date or a pit stop for drink and snacks. In addition to the mescal and microbrews, La Mezcalerita offers pulque, an alcoholic drink rarer than mescal made from fermenting sap from agave trees, and craft beers, wines, and mead. Indoor and outdoor seating, and drink prices that are more affordable than nearby restaurants in the historical center make the bar popular with locals and tourists.

The fermented agave alcoholic spirit, mescal – also known as maguey, or peyote – is Oaxaca’s drink of choice, and the Mezcalerìa Los Amantes is one of the best places in the city to sample it. The small establishment feels bohemian, with just a few seats, educational mescal tastings, and shelves teeming with old bottles and traditional clay pots. The four or five-course tastings are paired with knowledgeable staff who give lessons on the history of Mexican spirits and the particular, labor-intensive processes for making them. The name “Los Amantes” derives from an Aztec legend about Mayahuel, from whose remains watered with Quetzalcoatl’s tears would grow the maguey plant.