El Gallo Altanero

I recently found myself at El Gallo Altanero in Guadalajara, and let me tell you, it was like meeting the Ryan Gosling of cocktail bars—smooth, effortless, and downright irresistible. Every drink I tried was so well balanced and crushable that I had to resist the urge to make inappropriate sounds. Seriously, if these cocktails had legs, they'd be running marathons with ease. The atmosphere? Laid back. The staff? Hospitality wizards. If you're in Guadalajara and don't stop by El Gallo Altanero, you're doing life wrong. Trust me on this—your taste buds will thank you.

Limited drink selection and slow service at this famed two-story bar. There was some confusion at check-in with the hostess, and we were told that since the main part of the bar was at capacity, we would wait in a “stand-up bar” before being allowed upstairs. Even for that, there was a wait. We spent about 15 minutes waiting before we were allowed in. Once seated, we were given a menu with very few drink options. It wasn’t clear if the menu was the same throughout the bar, but the cocktail and beer selection was limited. I ordered a Paloma, only to be told they had run out—quite surprising. I chose something else, but it wasn’t good and tasted like it had barely any alcohol. Flagging down a server took some time, though the drinks didn’t take long once ordered. The “stand-up bar” had very limited seating, but we managed to grab a table. However, in the hour or so we were there, we were never moved to the main part of the bar as initially promised. Eventually, we asked for the bill, which also took a while to arrive. Overall, the music was decent, but the drinks were disappointing and the overall vibe of the bar was just decent.

Amazing tequila, mezcal, agave selection and beyond. Incredible hospitality and such a unique and cool atmosphere. Amazing cocktails are just the tip of the iceberg. I’ll definitely be coming back next time I’m in Guadalajara 🔥🔥🔥

Amazing bar. Great cocktails and food and really nice and welcoming staff. All the cocktails we had were delicious along with the food. Both of which were very affordable. It gets quite busy so I'd recommend going early to get a seat. Lovely decor. Small menu to pick from but it clearly focuses on quality over quantity. Will definitely be back

I recently visited El Gallo Altanero, and I must say, it exceeded all my expectations. The staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive, making sure every guest felt at home. The tequila selection is outstanding, offering a wide range of options that will delight any enthusiast. The environment is cool and vibrant, perfect for a night out with friends or a casual evening. The music added a great touch to the overall ambiance, making it an enjoyable experience from start to finish. If you're looking for a great spot to enjoy good drinks, fantastic service, and a lively atmosphere, El Gallo Altanero is the place to be!

An amazing bar, and on the weekends, you could be looking at long waits. The bartenders rotate and sometimes have guest appearances from other countries. The cocktail menu changes regularly, and creativity is excellent. The Manhattan is my favorite 😍 Corazón, Christina, Alex, Jasmin, and the other staff - Thank you, You guys are the best!

Can’t stress this enough… GREAT DRINKS! The vibe in this place is amazing, I would suggest getting there a bit early 800-900pm. Since there’s limited sitting areas. Staff is friendly and make great recommendations. Never did I have an empty cup.

Worth the hype! Fantastic and creative cocktails, amazing service and a great vibe, especially on mariachi Sundays. Go for the classics first, a paloma or a margarita, and spend a merry few hours working though the menu. Big shout out to Eduardo for his suggestions and kindness 😊

I've been to a ton of the top rated bars in the world and so naturally when I was coming to Guadalajara I was excited to see this place as a recent addition to the 50 Best Bars list. I'll start with the positives: the cocktails are fabulous, inventive, affordably priced, and showcase tequila/mezcal nicely. In particular we really enjoyed the Superbueno ($155 MXN), which was complex yet refreshing and nicely balanced. They also have well-priced tequila and mezcal flights. The atmosphere (for the most part, more to come) was great and we loved the music. Bathrooms were clean. We did not order any food but it looked great from what we saw around us. Now the negatives: I'm not sure how much of this is due to increased hype after the new 50 Best list, but it was insanely busy and they did not have a great system for managing the influx of people. After waiting outside for 20 or so minutes, we started in a standing room area, which set the evening off on the wrong tone. Certain things were a bit confusing; for example, they clearly serve food but there was nothing listed in the menu. Perhaps you're meant to ask for a separate menu, but this was unclear. Service was overall decent, but just a bit discombobulated. Unless they develop a system (eg reservations) for handling busy nights, I would not go back, which is a shame because the cocktails really were excellent.

The Unyielding Rooster, this bar pays homage to agave from famously known distilled spirits for Tequila and Mezcals to lesser known agave spirits, Raicilla. They showcase about ~8 main drinks in their menu as well as a couple of house cocktails they always have ready. The space is super casual, I was thinking that this place made it into the Best 50 Bars, it might be fancy, but it's laidback, chill and friendly. Most of the seating is stools, with 1 corner for a bench, good place to meet up for a drink. It's located on a walkup, open air, small courtyard/rooftop. Personally for me, it felt hot despite it being Feb in Mexico, but that's just me, someone coming from Chicago. Prices for drinks are pretty reasonable, if not good for the area. Definitely has a explorative menu for local spirits unique to this area.

The little girl at the front had the worst attitude and acted like she was the owner. Only letting in a few people she knew and completely ignoring everyone else. Came all the way from Los Angeles CA as this place was highly recommended in the Tequila community. Clubs/Bars in LA aren't even as bad. I wouldn't attempt to come back if you paid me.

I've been to many of the top bars in the world, and this is the first one where I've thought oh wow this is deserving. There is a dining area, followed by a tall staircase that opens up into a small bar, some small tables, and then an open roof section where you can look down or up. The collection of cocktails with relative Mexican ingredients is small but meaningful. Pineapple, cinnamon, rice, jalapeño, habanero, coconut and more or charcoal throughout the cocktails. There is a DJ to set the mood, in the bartenders speak English very well.

This is a tiny bar with a great atmosphere. Owned by a Swedish man and an Australian man. They love Guadalajara and want to showcase the alcohol found in this region. Their menu seemed to change since the last time I came in 2019. Our group did a shot of Tromba tequila. So good! Also, we each got a different drink and tasted it all. Such different flavors but all delicious. I've only been to Guadalajara twice, but both times I'm glad I stopped by The Gallo Altanero.

Great drinks. The music is fantastic. A DJ that actually plays vinyls. Sunday's are the best. Get in early because there is a line and they don't take reservations.

Cute bar. Tried Vino de Coco & San Diablo. Both drinks were good; I personally liked San Diablo better :)

This is a fun tequila bar where you can find the sorts of traditional tequilas that are sought after by purists. They have a simple but great food menu as well. It can get kind of noisy, but that's part of the charm.