Salón Tenampa

Founded in 1925 on Plaza Garibaldi, Salón Tenampa is where mariachi music first found its stage in Mexico City, cementing the genre's place in the capital's cultural identity over the past century. The cantina's main hall fills with the sound of multiple mariachi groups and jarocho trios performing simultaneously — mariachis charge around 200 pesos per song, jarocho trios run about 100 pesos.

The menu covers Mexican cantina staples like melted cheese (queso fundido), chicken tacos, snails, and chapulines (grasshoppers), plus garnachas and dry pasta (fideo seco) for the table. Expect a lively, crowded atmosphere on weekends with guests singing along, bottles of tequila flowing, and the occasional electric shock vendor making the rounds for 20 pesos. The place gets packed Friday and Saturday nights — arrive early or be ready to wait.