By day, Departamento is a laidback hangout with a rooftop terrace that overlooks the picturesque Colonia Roma. By night, it’s a veritable party spot. With an interior that mimics a stylish home (the name is “apartment” in Spanish) and top-notch DJs spinning house and disco, it feels like a loose, casual house party that’s been kitted out with club-level sound. Come for the tunes and fashionable crowd, stay for the passionfruit mezcal cocktails.

Opened in 2017 in the heart of bohemian Colonia Juárez, this cavelike club has rapidly become the city’s definitive spot for electronic music connoisseurs. A laundry list of underground heavyweights has manned these decks (Mexican collective NAAFI, Detroit techno pioneer Juan Atkins), working crowds into a frenzy with thumping hybrids of house, jungle, techno, industrial, and beyond.

This renowned basement spot in Condesa recently made Resident Advisor’s Club of the Week—and it’s easy to see why. A rare blend of underground intimacy (the dance floor is capped at around 300 people) with mega-club trappings (excellent sound and a sophisticated mix of lasers, strobes, and LED lights), it draws an impressive roster of techno A-listers; recent headliners include Job Jobse, Recondite, and Shanti Celeste. Queer ravers flock to the beloved Disco Fetish parties every Thursday.

If sweaty raves aren’t your thing, check out this old-school dance hall in Narvarte that’s known among locals as “Palacio de la Salsa.” After almost being forced to shutter during the pandemic, the family-run venue has bounced back stronger than ever, bringing an increasingly broad range of artists to its intimate stage. Enjoy food and cocktails while you practice your salsa and merengue, or catch performances from local stars like rancheras singer Estela Nuñez or Latin pop group Elefante.

What could be better than open-air clubbing with panoramic views of Mexico City? This Instagrammable Zócalo rooftop, perched on top of an old hostel, draws local and international DJs who spin techno, house, and disco to a packed house. Clubgoers sip on beer and mojitos while taking in the skyline, sunset, and views of the Metropolitan Cathedral. The terrace usually closes around midnight, so bookmark this as a spot to meet up with friends and get the night started.

This sleek, tastemaking club in Roma Norte—hidden behind an ice cream shop in a house once occupied by the founder of the Mexican Communist Party, its namesake—was designed by Franco Mexican architects Emmanuel Picault and Ludwig Godefroy. The interior is a work of art, with double-height timber beams and gleaming copper tiles that form a pyramid around the DJ booth. It bills itself as private or “members only,” but there are always exceptions. Don’t even think about going before 2 am.

Dance under the stars at this trendy Juárez club, housed in the location of the old Bar Cícero. The interior is a blend of old and new CDMX: custom banquettes and a DJ booth made out of repurposed wood from the former tenant, while neon signs, tropical plants, and a large, glittering disco ball make the space feel primed for Instagram. Dua Lipa was spotted partying here during her 2022 Future Nostalgia Tour, dancing with friends underneath the club’s retractable glass dome roof.

If you’ve still got some gas in the tank, top off your weekend at this sunset dance party held on a rooftop with spectacular views of CDMX. Perched on the sixth-floor terrace of an unassuming building in the city center, these weekly sessions, held every Sunday afternoon, are a favorite among expats and visitors. The catch: It’s notoriously pricey. Buy tickets ahead of time if you can; parties featuring international talent (DJ Tennis, John Talabot, Ash Lauryn) often sell out.

The strobe-lit pinnacle of Mexican soundsystem culture, “El Patrick” is known for its free-spirited atmosphere...and lack of air conditioning. Ravers of all stripes—locals, tourists, club kids, and beyond—pile in for a variety of adrenaline-pumping parties that span campy disco nights, ’80s tributes, and heavy-hitting showcases of techno and house. It all goes down in a warehouse in Roma Norte that, as of 2023, is open only on Fridays and uses a cash-to-tokens system for buying drinks.

This kitschy Chilango treasure first opened in 1937 and quickly became a staple in Mexico City’s live-music scene. These days, it’s a beloved time capsule—a glimpse into the golden age of cumbia, mambo, swing, and danzón. Offering a sense of novelty and nostalgia, it's located a few minutes from Tlatelolco’s extraordinary Plaza de las Tres Culturas and featured as a location in classic films such as Esquina Bajan (1948) and Cantinflas (2014).

Initially conceived as a goth and punk temple, this legendary alternative club spent years holding down a heady scene in Roma Norte. Then, in 2020, it expanded to a spot eight times larger in Coyoacán, where it serves food and hosts artist bazaars and cultural activities. The tunes have also expanded beyond goth and industrial (although those sounds are still in play), and now include techno, coldwave, UKG, and noise.