Licorería Limantour — Restaurant in Mexico City

I must say, this experience was notably better than the other two cocktail bars I’ve visited one of which, despite being ranked among the world’s best, turned out to be quite a disappointment.

This time, however, things were different in the best way. The staff were truly exceptional, and I’m sincerely grateful for their warm and attentive hospitality. One of the most impressive aspects and something that justifies this bar’s place among the World’s 50 Best was the fact that the drinks were crafted fresh, right in front of us. Watching the preparation process added a sense of authenticity and artistry that, unfortunately, was missing from the previous two bars I visited.

This visit reaffirmed something I’ve observed over time: many bars or restaurants strive for excellence before they gain fame, but once recognition arrives, the consistency often fades. At that point, they rely on their reputation more than the quality of their offerings.

That said, the cocktails here were very good though I wouldn’t say they were truly outstanding or unforgettable. Still, we were very grateful for the thoughtful service, lovely music, intimate atmosphere, and overall experience.

When a bar is recognized among the top 50 in the world, it’s only natural to expect something exceptional. While this place may not have completely blown us away, among the city’s better-known bars, it currently stands out as the best.

Some of my friends who had visited before shared that the quality used to be significantly higher. I truly hope the team continues to evolve and regains that previous level of excellence or even surpasses it.

With the utmost respect and...

Firstly, the service is next to none in the city. For a group of 6, we had no reservation and our whole party was not present. Two of us approached to make a reservation for later on in the evening when our whole group would be present. The host said he had room now and that we were welcome to wait until they arrived. The rest of the group didn't make it until almost 3.5 hours later. We were never made to feel bad or unwelcome despite occupying a large table. We were moved a few times but never told to leave or told off for not having a full party. Throughout the time there we had continuous service and attention, so reading the other reviews about the service being poor, really confuse me.

The atmosphere is solid. Nothing out of this world but not terrible.

The food was delicious. There mushroom al pastor tacos were better than any other taco I head in the city. The guac and fries were super tasty as well. The menu has an extensive list of craft cocktails that predominantly employ clarification as a part of the creation process. Most people don't know or care to know the amount of work clarifying drinks require and there for lack the appreciation for how amazing the menu is. They will complain that the drinks are "too sweet" or "too syrupy" which is typical of clarified drinks. Drinks like the Oregano and Margarita al Pastor are phenomenal and so tasty and unique. The seasonal menu was interesting with a few standout interesting options but, their legacy menu has all the winners.

All in all, one of the best experiences I've had in Mexico City. Definitely recommend checking out Limantour over Handshake if you must pick...

This bar has AMAZING cocktails. Out of this world. If there was a “50 best cocktail programs” in the world, this cocktail program would be on that list.

It’s unfortunately unclear what makes this a 50 best bar (#4 at the time of our visit) other than the cocktails, but maybe that’s enough!

Our server was inattentive, disinterested (almost annoyed?) and slow. I thought, “Am I the problem here?” a couple times. It’s sort of a bummer to have those thoughts when you’re at one of the best bars in the world. My wife and I both spent over a decade in the industry at nice places, I think we’re really patient and kind guests. Our server might have been having a tough night, because several tables around us were doing that thing where you sort of look around and wonder where your server is because everything is taking so long. The cocktails understandably take a long time, but our check took 15 minutes to arrive after we asked for it. Empty cocktail glasses and no water left on the table, just waiting for the check. The staff had no ability to manage this super disruptive table of four that arrived visibly hammered, spilled drinks everywhere, screamed across the room to each other, and kept getting served.

We still tipped 20% and tried to be super positive because we’re on vacation! But on this night, the bar was underperforming for having such a high distinction from San Pellegrino. Probably would return with lower expectations...