Best-of list · Latin America Bars
The best bars in Monterrey for 2026, from the San Pedro speakeasy Bartola to the Barrio Antiguo cantina El Jonas, verified open with what to order.
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.