All roads lead to Xaman Bar Mexico City: an eclectic speakeasy in the capital
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If you walked over Copenhague street, you would never expect there to be one of the best bars in Mexico City hidden under the ground.
Xaman Bar Mexico City is located right around the street from Reforma Avenue, but youโd really only be able to get there if you knew exactly where to look.
There is no signage or even a name written on the door, but if you look a little closer at the bell button, though, youโll see it: the name โXamanโ written in tiny letters.
Ring it if youโre in for the night of your life.
We got the chance to hang out with Luis Enrique (bar manager) and Eduardo Ramos (manager), who let us in on all the nits and grits of one of the trendiest (and somehow most eccentric) bars in CDMX. For those who know the real Mexico City nightlife scene, that is.
Despite it being considered a pretty classy spot, the ambiance at Xaman Bar feels very relaxed and informal.
โWe aim to treat our clients like theyโre our friends. We want them to come here and let themselves looseโ, says Luis Enrique.
โI see them up there on the tables, dancing their lives away even if it looks silly to the un-drunk and all I think is: โWow! Theyโre having the time of their lives!โ, added Eduardo. โIt makes me so happy to see the smiles on their facesโ.
The magic of Xaman lies in that itโs not just a bar you come to drink at and hang out with your friends, itโs an overall experience in itself. Youโll realize as soon as you start seeing the decoration of the place as you walk down the stairs.
Thereโd be no light here if it werenโt for the lights that pop up from behind craft masks, skulls, and all sorts of decoration meant to highlight the mysticism behind prehispanic culture and shamanism.
It doesnโt end with the decoration, though. Every effort made to craft their signature cocktails is meant to create a well-rounded experience.
โOur current menu is focused on botanicals. We use a lot of herbs and plants in our recipes,โ Luis Enrique tells us.
โPeppermint, wormwood, cinnamon, and cedar are some of our favorite ingredients and we also enjoy mixing in fruits.โ
The music tends to be house and rather underground Mexican music. You may hear tunes here youโve never heard before, which only adds to the barโs intrepid vibe.
Much akin to its cave retreat theme, Xaman also makes sure to add to the experience through aromas. Expect a night of absolute sensorial delight, be it through your ears, your tastebuds, and even your nose.
Cinnamon and copal are their go-to for aromatizing and making guests feel as though theyโre in a mystifying locale.
Xaman attracts clientele both local and foreign usually between the ages of 28-35 keen to explore the lesser-known nightlife of Mexico City and prefer to frequent spots with an eclectic offering.
โWe let our clients be themselves without pretensionโ, Luis Enrique shares with us.
โWe never really have problems with clients getting too drunk or out of control, they always keep things tasteful while also having lots of fun.โ
When asked for cocktails to try, Luis Enrique highly recommends the Viaje Astral. Its name translates into โastral tripโ and thatโs pretty much what you can expect from this drink!
Itโs the most emblematic cocktail at Xaman and both our favorite as well as Luis Enriqueโs. Viaje Astral is made of whisky, apple Jack Daniels, Apperole, Absinthe, orange juice, maracuya syrup, and lime.
Another classic for mezcal-enthusiasts is Calabacito, made of watermelon juice, Strega, mezcal, Himalayan salt, lime juice, and rosemary.
If you want something completely out of the ordinary, order yourself a Chilchili. Itโs a sweet but spicy gin-based infusion of cinnamon and chili.
If youโre visiting in a group, order your cocktail of choice in a โcayucoโ. You can share it with your friends (using metal straws, of course) for a really funny experience. I wonโt tell you more so I donโt spoil it for you, just trust me on this one.
Xaman is open from Wednesday through Saturday. If you want a quieter atmosphere where you can have a chat or a date night, Wednesdays and Thursdays tend to be more low-key.
Come Friday, guest DJs are invited to Xaman and music tends to get a lot louder and the atmosphere is meant for dancing. Bar manager Luis Enrique recommends visiting on Fridays.
Reservations are highly recommended as space is very limited. DMing them on Instagram is usually the most surefire way to get a spot.
I also recommend grabbing seats at the bar if itโs possible. The managers and mixologists here are incredibly friendly and fun to hang out with.
Plus, itโs a whole vibe to see them creating such unique drinks.
โ๏ธ Ready for your trip to Mexico City? If you need more information about Xaman Bar Mexico City, weโd be happy to update this post โ just leave your questions below!