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TimetableCafés are open every day, especially in the city, often from 8am until early evening. Bars open in the late afternoon and may stay open until 1 or 2 am. However, since they also serve food, cantinas usually open at lunchtime and do not close until 11pm or midnight. Some bars offer a happy hour when they open, especially on weekdays.
Budget & TipsLike food, drinks are cheap in Mexico, although prices are higher in tourist areas. For a beer, expect to pay between $20 and $50 (local and craft beers are the most expensive). For a fresh fruit juice: around $30. For a coffee: $20 for a black coffee, $50 for a cappuccino. For a cocktail: around $170. In bars, beach clubs and cafés where the waiter comes to your table, it is advisable to leave a small tip of $20 per drink (or 10% of the bill).
Age restrictionsThe legal drinking age in Mexico is 18. You will not automatically be asked for your ID card in bars unless you look younger than your age.
What's very localYou can't get much more local than the cantinas, bars that were once only frequented by men who came here to drink alcohol, eat botanas (small dishes to nibble on, similar to tapas) and play dominoes or cards. The days when women were forbidden to go there are fortunately over, but the cantinas have kept their old charm and popular atmosphere. The capital Mexico City alone has several hundred of them, some of which have remained faithful to tradition and others which have been modernized to attract a gentrified clientele. For an authentic experience, El Tío Pepe, La Faena and Salón Tenampa are all located in the historic centre of Mexico City.
KidsParents may bring their children to places that serve alcohol.
SmokersSmoking is not allowed indoors, either in bars or cafes. Don't try to light a cigarette on a terrace either, it's not something that is done in Mexico. Cigar bars are the only places where it is still possible to smoke indoors.
Tourist trapsAlways check your bill before you pay, especially the number of drinks, and make sure that the tip has not been automatically included.