Sastrería Martinez, Bar oculto — Restaurant in Lima Metropolitan Area

Finding the bar was not too difficult but it has a great masking concept - hiding behind a bespoke tailor shop facade.

On entering I was greeted with a lovely smile and a real warm welcome. I knew immediately this place was going to be something special - something that deserved the exceptional reviews it gets. The lady who took me from the ‘tailor shop’ to the bar was so lovely - she knew my name before I arrived as I had reserved and was one of the few people who pronounced it correctly. Moreover, she gave me an encouraging nudge to say the secret code required to enter in Spanish - I tried getting away with it by translating it into English but I couldn’t get away with it. I couldn’t turn down her encouraging nudge to say it in Spanish and only yen was I chaperoned to the bar. A super friendly start to the evening.

It continued in that same way as the night progressed. Mauricio greeted me at the bar and introduced himself and explained the speakeasy concept (not knowing these are the bars I actively search for when I travel). We then proceeded with an interesting chat about speakeasies in different countries before moving on to choosing cocktails. I was spoilt for choice and asked him to make my life easier by just recommending one.

The night began with a lovely, chocolatey Remus - absolutely delicious! Next cocktail recommended maintained the chocolatey theme and that was the Emienda 21 - not a chocolate cocktail per se but it is accompanied by a chewing gum sized stick of delicious chocolate.

Next on the cocktail list was the Olmstead which was paired perfectly with my ceviche (by the way one of the best I have ever had - the roasted Peruvian corn kernels worked so well with it).

Having had three lovely cocktails - all very different I wondered what Mauricio would be able to come up with next. He didn’t disappoint - he made me a beautiful, smoky Cuban Connection. If you are a whiskey drinker and like Smokey malts like Laphroaigh, you will love this.

OK, so what is the bar really like. It’s chilled, laid back, non-pretentious and has a cool atmosphere. The music is easy on the ear though tbh I knew hardly any of it until a little later in the evening.

Three tips - book in advance, try the food (real quality) and tell the bartenders what you like and let them choose a...

During my last trip to Lima, I had the pleasure of visiting Sastrería Martinez, and it was truly a top-notch experience particularly due to the exceptional cocktails they offered. The classics like Old Fashioned and Manhattan were expertly crafted and, in my opinion, the best in Lima. Each sip was a testament to the skill and dedication of the bartenders. The author cocktails were more than amazing as well, Sastrería Martínez truly has an outstanding collection of spirits that catered to every palate. The concept of the speakeasy added an extra layer of delight to the evening.

The jazz nights at Sastrería Martinez come highly recommended. The ambiance created by the live music was simply enchanting and added to the overall experience.

What truly stood out was the food. Despite not having a vegan option on the menu, the staff went above and beyond to create an absolutely awesome vegan dish for us. Their attention to detail and willingness to accommodate dietary preferences made me feel incredibly welcome and at home.

The staff, including the knowledgeable bartenders and maitre d', were attentive and friendly, enhancing the overall experience. I would rate my experience at Sastrería Martinez a solid 10/10 and will definitely be returning on my next...

The atmosphere 5 out of 5. The service wasn’t bad at the beginning but because of our experience and the response to our experience I’m giving the service a 2 star. The drinks were lousy. We were 8 adults and we all ordered different drinks and they were all lacking alcohol and the actual taste was terrible. 2 of us didn’t even drink our drinks. We had 2 maximum 3 small sips to try and see if we could drink and we ended up leaving the drink. So much so that the waitress asked us what had happened and we told her that we didn’t like it. And here is why the service got a 2 star. There was a lack of trying to remedy the situation. Offer to whip a new one up or even discount the bill. Nothing, not even an “I am sorry the experience wasn’t pleasant”. We were then told by our Uber driver that they are known by locals to watering down the drinks after a certain time. Not sure how true it is for most but in our experience it seemed to be the case. Also please note that they will offer you water at the very beginning of your seating, they charge you for...