Selva Oaxaca Cocktail Bar — Restaurant in Oaxaca

Oaxaca #10 (Cocktail bar #1): friends recommended we stop by here after we ate at Los Danzantes. This was our favorite cocktail bar in Oaxaca and a holistically wonderful experience.

If you only order one thing: Miahuatlan (or Pasillo de Humo (or Selva)) :D

We ordered: Garden martini 🍸 & Miahuatlan (negroni meets manhattan meets mezcal) $230/pz.

The space upstairs is gorgeous. It reminded my partner of the LA Athletic Club. It feels very masculine/smoking room and just very cool. The music from the time to when we entered to when we left was excellent. Just perfect vibes the entire time.

The bartenders, Pepe and Carlos, were awesome and took great care of us. When Pepe heard it was my partner's birthday, he poured us shots of mezcal. Pepe also let us taste a sample of their Passilo de Humo (and it was delicious). The Selva (drink) they were making also looked great.

Selva is unique in that the vibe is wonderful, the drinks actually all taste great, they have a menu with plenty of interesting drinks, and everyone is so friendly. I find a lot of World's 50 Best Bars to be so stuffy (mamones/fresa), but this was not the case here at all. I felt like I was at a friend's (really cool) house hanging with friends drinking excellent drinks.

Other cocktail(s) (bars) in Oaxaca to try: -Labo Fermento (some of the best cocktails we had in a restaurant setting) -Sabina Sabe (another well-known cocktail bar but less personal than Selva) -Florería Macarena bar (recommended by multiple bartenders and baristas) -El Espacio (Monday is industry night) -Mucho Mucho (great Mexican...

Our evening commenced on a positive note with prompt seating and engaging descriptions of the cocktail menu. The drinks themselves were undoubtedly exceptional, showcasing a unique and inventive approach to mixology. Unfortunately, our evening was overshadowed by an extended period of neglectful service.

We were completely ignored for 45-60 minutes, having finished our first drink and wanting to order more. Our initial attempts to catch the attention of a server failed, watching as other patrons were receiving timely service and they never turned to make eye contact. We made repeated efforts to flag down someone, even calling out loudly.

Finally, after my husband had to physically stand up at our table, we managed to capture the attention of a passing staff member.

By this point, our enjoyment of the evening had been significantly diminished. Instead of ordering our second round of drinks, we decided to get the cut and run.

Given the bar's reputation, this lapse in service was particularly disappointing. While the cocktails were undoubtedly world-class, the complete disregard for customer satisfaction left a lasting...

I was here visiting from Chicago along with some of my best friends to celebrate my birthday. Unfortunately, we had a horrible experience. This place is pretentious and is trying so hard to be something it simply isn’t achieving: a top tier mixology bar/exclusive drinking experience. The service was terrible even though they have plenty of staff. We were moved from our original seats to make room for a party of ten. The area we were moved to was horrible. The couches we were moved to sank in way too much and I couldn’t hear what my friends, who were sitting across from me, were saying. And every-time we wanted to order a drink the servers were nowhere to be found. It’s a shame because I had high hopes for this place. I was hoping it was the type of place where everyone has to be seated to be served. It’s not. It very much feels like a night club after 11PM. If that’s what it’s going for then great. But don’t pretend to be a mixology bar or a speakeasy if that’s not the vibe you’re going for. I’ve had much better drinks elsewhere in Oaxaca. You’re paying for beautiful decor, not amazing cocktails or...