Entertainment in Mexico City
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Love
Socialites line up for Love, upstairs from the fusion restaurant Ixchel, in a typically ornate Colonia Roma mansion. You’re unlikely to get in without reservations, and even then it’ll depend on your looks. Once inside the velvet-draped lounge, order an apple martini and party like it’s 1983 – the DJ will help you remember what that was like.
reviewed
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B
La Botica
Like an old apothecary, La Botica dispenses its elixirs from squat bottles lined up on the shelf. Available varieties are suitably scribbled on pieces of cardboard – try the cuesh, distilled from a wild maguey in Oaxaca. La Botica has opened other branches with similar hours at Campeche 396 in Condesa, and Orizaba 161 in Colonia Roma.
reviewed
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C
La Bodeguita del Medio
The walls are scribbled with verses and messages at this animated branch of the famous Havana joint. Have a mojito, a Cuban concoction of rum and mint leaves, and enjoy the excellent son cubano combos that perform here.
reviewed
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Cinemex Palacio
One of over 30 multiplexes in the capital, Cinemex is the largest chain of movie theaters in Mexico City. It was founded back in 1993 by three astute Harvard college students (majoring, naturally, in Business Studies) after regulations were lifted with the new Cinematography Law. Known for their bigger screens, plush carpeting, well-lit interiors and US-style food and drink vendors, back in the mid-’90s this was also the only chain in the world with 100% digital sound. Cinemex is well-represented throughout all districts. To find the most convenient location, check the easy-to-navigate website (in Spanish), scrolling down on the complejos (venues) box.
reviewed
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Centro Cultural Ollin Yoliztli
Regular year-round free concerts of chamber ensembles and string recitals are held at this Cultural Center’s Sala Herminio Novelo, with music students and professionals consistently delivering polished performances. Admission is free and, at the time of writing, the concerts took place weekly at 8pm on Thursday (although confirm, if possible, before setting out). This Cultural Center is one of the most active on the classical music scene, however several other similar centers, as well as museums, in the city present occasional classical music performances; check Tiempo Libre or Friday’s La Jornada for listings.
reviewed
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Sala Nezahualcóyotl
This impressive concert hall with the impossible-to-pronounce name is located at the heart of the University’s Cultural Center. The design emulates Amsterdam’s late-19th-century Concertgebouw theater, with the seats extending to the sides and rear of the orchestra platform, creating the ultimate surround-sound experience. This is further accentuated by the ‘canopy’ over the stage. The university has its own UNAM Philharmonic Orchestra, which regularly stages concerts here. The Nezahualcóyotl is also a respected venue for world-renowned musicians, along with the Palacio. The concert season runs from September to June.
reviewed
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Cantina la Jalisciense
One of the best reasons to make the trip down to Tlalpan, this always lively neighborhood cantina is frequented by the arty characters who populate the southern district, though it has a distinctly down-to-earth atmosphere. In operation since 1870, in the revolutionary era it was a parting stop for gun-toting bandidos bound for the hills. Gregarious owner Miguel Ángel Fernández carries forward the legacy with his homemade sangría and toothsome bacalao sandwiches. But take heed: swearing is strictly prohibited.
reviewed
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Filmoteca
UNAM’s two cinemas screen films from its collection of over 35,000 titles, selected from an archive (founded in 1960) that has played a pivotal role, not only in Mexican but in international film culture. Among its activities, the Filmoteca actively seeks long-lost films for preservation. It has also played a vanguard role in international film culture, organizing the first Mexican film festival in Paris back in 1963. You can catch the Festival Cinematografíco de Verano (Summer Film Festival) between June and August.
reviewed
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Teatro de la Danza
The Centro Cultural del Bosque complex behind the Auditorio Nacional features six theaters, including the Teatro de la Danza, established in 1969 and dedicated to modern dance. There are just 340 seats in this elegant auditorium, so advance reservations are recommended for the higher-profile performances. As with classical music, Mexico City’s cultural centers frequently stage classical and contemporary dance performances. Watch out for announcements in Tiempo Libre and Friday’s La Jornada.
reviewed
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National Music Conservatory
The country’s most important music conservatory was founded at the beginning of the 20th century and still produces some of the country’s top classical musicians, like current golden boy José Antonio Espinal, recognized as one of the most talented young conductors, pianists and musicians in Mexico today. The Conservatory holds regular free concerts, but is not famed for its publicity or advance notice. Keep a close eye on the local press, stop by or telephone the information office.
reviewed
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Patrick Miller
People-watching doesn’t get any better than at this throbbing disco founded by legendary Mexico City DJ Patrick Miller. With a clientele ranging from black-clad ’80s throwbacks to colorful cross-dressers, the fun begins when dance circles open up on the floor and working-class regulars pull off moves that would have made Tony Manero of Saturday Night Fever proud. You can dance to the ‘Hi-NRG’ and Italo disco mixes if you want, but most outsiders tend to stand back and watch.
reviewed
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Auditorio Blas Galindo
This good-size auditorium in the south of the city has a regular program of classical music concerts performed by the Carlos Chávez Symphony Orchestra, and visiting international youth orchestras; check listings in the local press. The auditorium is also one of the main venues for performances by musicians participating in the Foro Internacional de Musica Nueva (International Competition for New Music), an annual event since 1977.
reviewed
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Casa de Cultura Jesús Reyes Heroles
This cultural center is set in a gorgeous colonial-style building, with arches, patios and bubbling fountains. The modest theater stages plays (free), as well as small concerts featuring local musicians. There’s also an exhibition space; pick up a copy of the monthly Cartelera Cultural Coyoacanense, which includes a theater program. The center is located in Santa Catarina’s pretty main square.
reviewed
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Bengala
This low-lit concept bar evokes a desert trek, with decor influenced by Casablanca and The Sheltering Sky, though disco-friendly DJs may put you on an entirely different plane. Its slightly out-of-the-way location only adds to the conspiratorial air. Have a ‘Module’ (a green cocktail of cucumber, Pernod and mescal) and mingle with the film and TV figures who customarily pop up here.
reviewed
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California Dancing Club
More popular (low-brow) than the Colonia Roma clubs, this old-fashioned hall has marathon dance sessions, with half a dozen bands on the bill. Hundreds of couples bounce around a vast tiled floor flanked by stout mirrored columns as groups like Los Escorpiones de Durango keep the cumbias (Colombian dance music) coming. Beer and soft drinks are dispensed from two humble bars.
reviewed
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Contempo Cinema
To see current Latin American and international films dealing with gay themes, check what’s playing at Contempo Cinema. Located inside the Zona Rosa’s Plaza del Ángel shopping center, the Contempo screens contemporary Mexican and international films, with an emphasis on gay and erotic themes, as well as staging occasional theater and cabaret productions.
reviewed
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Rioma
Once a restaurant owned by Mexican screen star Cantínflas (the name is a jumbled version of the actor’s first name), Rioma is now an exclusive lounge attracting a sexy 20-something crowd. The below-street-level space retains the restaurant’s original mahogany paneling, with the red polka dots contributed by Japanese designer Yayoi Kuzama. Star DJs fire up the turntables.
reviewed
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Go Go Lounge
The honeycombed decor in this antro over a sushi bar seems lifted from Kill Bill, and features what is supposedly the largest mirror ball in Latin America. Merengue, reggaeton and pop keep a post-pubescent crowd bouncing in a series of packed salons. When it gets too sweaty, make your way to the terrace bar and order a Takeshi (sake and mango ice cream cocktail).
reviewed
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Sala Miguel Covarrubias
This contemporary dance venue programs exceptional and diverse performances. Recent shows include performances by La Rossignol, an Italian company that delivers an evocative show of Renaissance music and dance. The auditorium also serves as the venue for the Festival Internacionál de Musica y Escena (International Festival of Music and Scenery), an annual event since 1998.
reviewed
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La Casa de Paquita la del Barrio
Located in the rough-and-tumble Guerrero district, this bastion of popular culture is the frequent venue for TV and recording star Paquita La del Barrio. The corpulent chanteuse customarily performs a sublime set of plaintive ballads, almost all of which express disdain for her suitors – her asides are deliciously bitter. Phone ahead to see if Paquita herself is performing.
reviewed
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Buttergold
Buttergold (aka Butterflies, aka El Butter), across the street from metro Salto del Agua, is an airplane-hangar-sized space that still manages to get densely packed. The funhouse features five bars, a snack bar and a big stage for elaborately choreographed drag shows. It’s fun for straights, too, as long as you don’t mind crowds, thick smoke and loud, loud music.
reviewed
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Ballet Folclórico de México
The Ballet Folclórico de México is a two-hour festive blur of costumes, music and dance from all over Mexico. At the time of research, the Museo Nacional de Antropología was hosting the Ballet Folclórico while the Palacio de Bellas Artes’s main theater was being renovated. Tickets are usually available the day of the show at the Palacio or from Ticketmaster.
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Patio de Mi Casa
This low-key venue is a new addition to the clandestine club zone on the east edge of Colonia Juárez. Minus the exclusive attitude of some venues, it’s simply a gathering place for fans of electronic music that has managed to attract such globally prominent figures as Alan McGee and Jeremy Scott. After a few Mezcal Sunrises, the warped decor begins to make sense.
reviewed
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El Nivel
The country's first cantina proudly displays its license (No 1), dating from 1855. Inside the building that once housed the hemisphere's first university, it's within shouting distance of the Palacio Nacional. Since then, every Mexican president except Vicente Fox has stopped in for a trago. The botanas (drinking snacks) here are particularly fine.
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Teatro el Galeón
One of several theaters within this vibrant cultural center, the Galeón stages evocative thought-provoking plays by primarily Mexican writers. Most recently, these have included the acclaimed Rashid 9/11, written by Jaime Magnus, which obtained first prize in the Premio Nacional de Dramaturgia Victor Hugo (a national playwrights’ competition) in 2006.
reviewed