30 of the Best Bars in Puerto Vallarta for Nightlife Lovers

Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Kirsten Raccuia

If you are looking for the best bars in Puerto Vallarta, you are in for a treat, or in this case, a cocktail.

I take research very seriously, and this blog has been a long time in the making. After living in Puerto Vallarta for two years, I am uniquely qualified to write about the bars in this area. By the way, I am an A+ student. 

So, unlike all the incorrect or outdated blogs about the bars here, your party is finally in good hands.

This is an epic guide. You might as well grab a pre-game cocktail, beer, tequila, whatever’s your poison, and then start reading. 

I’m drinking Centenario tequila reposado; thanks for asking.

The best bars in Puerto Vallarta

What I love about the nightlife in Puerto Vallarta is the variety. There are young spring breakers doing shots at nightclubs, senior spring breakers (what we affectionately call some of the retirees here) dancing on the tables to live music, and everything in between.

Since we don’t fall into either category, we’ve found all the best bars in Puerto Vallarta that are just right, like Goldilocks. And I’ve categorized them into:

• Beach bars
• Dive bars
• Sports bars
• Cocktail bars
• Gay Bars
• Craft beer bars
• Piano bars
• Live music bars
• Rooftop bars
• Nightclubs
• People watching bars

Like I said, it’s a pretty huge guide. You’re sure to find exactly what kind of bar or club you are looking for in Puerto Vallarta.

Let’s go…

Map of Puerto Vallarta’s nightlife

Here is a map of the below bars so you can plan your night on the town accordingly. Happy bar hopping!

Since you have so many options for Puerto Vallarta nightlife, let’s start with the best places to day drink.

Best beach bars in Puerto Vallarta

Sometimes, day drinking is the best drinking! Something about having your toes in the sand and a cocktail in your hand is just… vacation-worthy! Even though we lived here a couple of years, sitting on the beach with a drink still feels like I’m on holiday.

El Solar

• Neighborhood: Cinco de Diciembre (5D)
• Hours: 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily
• El Solar Facebook page

El Solar is one of my favorites and just so happens to be a 7-minute walk from our rental apartment in Cinco de Diciembre.

It’s directly on the beach, and you can sit with your feet in the sand (if you can snag a table). They also have an upstairs area with killer views. If you are here from December through March, you can easily watch the whales from here.

It’s cash only, but if you don’t have enough, there is a Santander bank a couple of blocks away.

Either way, you are in good hands because these bartenders know their way around a margarita, mezcalita, or any kind of drink you are in the mood for. 

They play a lot of reggae, my happy music, and they have live bands and DJs from Thursday to Sunday.

They share a kitchen with Barracuda, their sister restaurant next door, which makes killer octopus tacos and tuna poke. You can easily stay all day (or so we’ve been told ;). It’s one of the best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta that’s on the beach.

Favorite drinks:

• Mark’s favorite drink is the jalapeno mezcalita, a perfectly balanced spicy-smoky number.
• I love their paloma.

Swell Beach Bar

• Neighborhood: Old Town (Romantic Zone)
• Hours: Daily from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
• Swell Facebook page

Swell is also directly on the sand but on Los Muertos Beach, the busiest in town.

It’s squeezed between some of the chichi beach clubs, but unlike its neighbors, there is no minimum spending requirement — as long as you drink or eat, they are happy.

But because it’s free to spend all day, it gets super busy. During high season, make a reservation. Yes, a reservation for a beach chair. I mean it. They are hot commodities. 

Swell is the kind of place where you can sit all day, and by the end, you’ll be friends with your neighbors.

If you’re feeling flash, you can get a massage from one of the beach vendors walking by. Wait for Rosie or Hal. They are the best.

Unfortunately, they start kicking people out around 4-ish. In fact, most of the beach clubs do. If you want to keep the party going, grab a bottle of something at Oxxo or Vinos Americanos, plop yourself in the sand, and continue, you party animal.

Best dive bars in Puerto Vallarta

I love a good dive bar. They are always quirky, affordable and the people you meet… oh the people you meet.

El Anzuelo

• Neighborhood: 5D
• Hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 daily, but they’ll stay open later if it’s busy.

Mark and I stumbled across this place one day as we were walking back from El Solar. We heard a live guitarist crooning away, and we had to stop. There was no room, but the people inside saw us looking in and playfully shouted for us to join the revelry.

Not one to say no to an offer, we joined, and the next thing we knew, Miguel, the owner, was drinking tequila with us. 

Ever since then, it feels like Cheers when we walk in. It’s a small space, so it doesn’t take long before you’re chatting with the people at other tables.

Last time we were there, we shared a plate of delicious homemade food with a couple of strangers. It’s that kind of place.

The Gusto Lounge

• Neighborhood: Cinco de Diciembre
• Hours: Daily from noon to 2 am
• Gusto Lounge Facebook Page

Gusto’s is a special kind of place. It’s a cool dive bar that caters to Kansas City Chiefs fans.

If you know me, you are probably thinking, what the heck is Kirsten doing in a Kansas City Chiefs bar? And that is a mighty good question since I don’t even know what sport the Chiefs play. But I digress.

The bottom line is this funky little upstairs bar is downright divey, which I love. It’s got graffiti all over the walls, they age their own tequila, and the owners, Sergio and Naomi are full of great stories.

They have all-day happy hours and reasonable prices, so KC or not, Gusto’s is a cool place to chill.

Best Puerto Vallarta sports bars

I told you above I’m not a sports fan. So, how in the wild-wild world of sports would I know a good sports bar from a bad one?

I don’t.

But I have friends, people. 

And they told me two places, Americana Sports Bar and El Sonador.

I’ve been to the latter several times (clearly, I didn’t know it was a sports bar) and really liked it. Upstairs, they have DJs, a bar, and a bunch of TV screens. 

Downstairs, they have two pool tables. It didn’t feel very sporty to me, but I did end up watching a UFC fight, so that’s saying something. 

Best cocktail bars in Puerto Vallarta

Cocktail bars are my jam. They make signature cocktails, have cool decor, and can make something for even the pickiest of imbibers.

The Tasting Room

• Neighborhood: 5D
• Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 5 pm – 12:00 am
• The Tasting Room website

What I love about the Tasting Room is that every single spirit they use is made in Mexico. Before this place, I had no idea Mexican vodka or gin existed.

The bartenders know their shizz here and can set up raicilla, mezcal or tequila tastings. We’ve done proper formal ones with a group, but we’ve also just grabbed a few seats at the bar and had a tasting right there.

If you’re not into a tasting, no prob. They are the craft cocktail superstars of 5D. 

Must try drinks:

• I’m a huge fan of the Flamingo 77: gin, Fresco 77, grapefruit liqueur and fresh juice. 
• Mark’s fave is a Batanga: El Tequileño Tequila Blanco, a pinch of salt, and some lime juice, all topped with glass-bottled Mexican Coca-Cola. It sounds horrible, but it tastes delish. We’ve made believers out of all our visitors.

El Colibri

• Neighborhood: Centro
• Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 8 pm to 2 am; Friday and Saturday, 8 pm to 3 am
• El Colibri website

If you love a speakeasy vibe, you will love Colibri as much as we do. All you can see from the street is the round sign with a hummingbird, or colibri, on it. But once you enter, you walk into a moonlight jungle. The space is gorgeous. Plus, they make the best cocktails Puerto Vallarta.

On the weekends, they have DJs spinning everything from acid jazz to deep house, so it’s great for a bit of dancing.

If there is a group of you, make a reservation. This place is pretty small and gets packed. For special events, you can rent out the whole space.

Our favorite drinks:

They constantly create new craft cocktails, but at the moment: 

• Mark’s drink is the Papu’s Sazón, a mezcal-based drink with green tomatillo jam and pineapple juice.
• I’m into the Black Manhattan, Mexican whisky infused with Maraschino cherry, coffee, and a touch of sweet vermouth.

Bar La Playa

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: noon to midnight daily
• Bar La Playa Facebook

This is our go-to cocktail bar in the Romantic Zone. Maybe it’s because we are creatures of habit, but most likely, it’s because they make the best cocktails. And we have a great time every time.

They are, however, very slow at making these drinks, so be prepared to wait. If you can’t wait, ask for a watermelon jello shot made in a wedge of watermelon.

In all fairness, great cocktails entail a lot of fresh ingredients. There’s no pre-mixed anything here. It’s why their drinks take a minute.

With a name like Bar La Playa, it would be easy to think this bar is on the beach (la playa means beach in Spanish). It’s not. It’s a few blocks away on the famous tile park.

This is one of the best bars in Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone for good cocktails and a chilled vibe.

Family favorites:

• Me: Mexican mule with mezcal or tequila and homemade ginger beer. 
• Mark: Red Hot Chili Peppers – Mezcal with crushed peppercorns, jalapeno, fresh basil, orange and lime juice. 

Twisted Palms Rooftop Lounge

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 4 pm to 12 am daily
• Twisted Palms Facebook page

Here’s the thing: The term rooftop lounge is indeed true, but don’t expect insane city or ocean views. This is on the second floor of a building overlooking a courtyard of other bars—nothing to write home about.

But what it lacks in views, it makes up for with Martini Madness Mondays, Tiki Tuesdays, Wine Down Wednesdays, and Tequila Thursdays. The special drinks mainly cost 75-85 pesos ($5), except for the Tiki drinks, which are around 105-145 pesos ($6-8.50).

We like to go on Mondays because they show old James Bond movies on the big screen. And it’s martini madness—always a good idea.

The seating consists entirely of couches and lounge chairs, creating a friendly living room vibe. This is one of those fun bars in Puerto Vallarta if you want something different.

Best gay bars in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is the LGBTQ+ capital of Mexico and has a ton of hotels, bars, and clubs that cater to the LGBTQ community. The Romantic Zone is the heart of it and is often called the Gayborhood.

Mr. Flamingo

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: Daily from 2 pm to 3 am
• Mr. Flamingo’s Facebook page

This crazy Tiki bar is always hopping, especially on weekends. It’s on a corner and wide open, so the music spills out onto the street, as do its partygoers.

They have happy hour daily from 2 to 7 pm, which is a lot of hours to get happy!

Top Sky Bar

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 7 am – 11 pm daily
• Top Sky Bar Website

Top is a sky bar and restaurant with panoramic beach views below. It is housed in the only LGBTQ luxury beachfront hotel in Puerto Vallarta, the Almar Resort.

From Thursday to Sunday, as the sun sets into the Pacific Ocean, the Top Sky Bar starts to heat up with drag shows and all sorts of live entertainment. Wear your swimsuits because watching the sun disappear while sitting in a rooftop hot tub is pretty epic.

Although it’s known as a gay bar, Almar Resort, Top Sky Bar, and Mantamar, their beach club, are also straight-friendly.

La Noche

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 8 pm to 2:30 am
• La Noche Website

La Noche is a pretty famous gay bar in Puerto Vallarta. It’s part rooftop lounge, part nightclub, and 100% legendary. Think GoGo dancers, drag queens, insane acrobatic performers, and pole dancers spread over three floors.

It started in 2002 as a small martini bar and grew into this iconic LGBTQ bar in Puerto Vallarta.

Best craft beer bars in Puerto Vallarta

You probably know I’m not a beer drinker, but our friend Gary is quite the aficionado. The first year we lived here, he came down almost monthly, so we made our way to a few breweries in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

Below are my very non-scientific thoughts about two of the breweries here…

Los Muertos Brewing

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 11 am to 12 am daily
• Los Muertos website

Los Muertos is the first and most famous brewery in Puerto Vallarta. It’s not my favorite, and clearly, that’s an unpopular opinion because it is ALWAYS packed, and they have two locations. I’m not a beer connoisseur or even a beer-liker, so what do I know?

Monzon Brewing Co

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 12 to 12 daily
• Monzon website

Gary and I are totally on board with this brewery. I don’t even like beer, but they had a couple of brews that really hit the spot. When they say this beer tastes like grass, with hints of pineapple, they mean it. So, for me, that’s a win.

Plus, their beer-tenders are lovely and knowledgeable. And they have really good food. Not just bar food good, but really good. Try the spicy peanut chicken tacos.

Monzon is the best option for beer lovers with friends who aren’t. Their friendly staff will let you taste things until you find one you like — but don’t be obnoxious and try them all.

Best Puerto Vallarta piano bar:

Drummmmrolllllll please! The winner of the best piano bar in Puerto Vallarta is Garbo’s. The runner-up goes to… Garbo’s.

There is only one piano bar here. Luckily, it’s a great spot, and they make a really good martini.

Garbo piano bar

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 6 pm -12 pm daily

Walk into Garbo’s, and you’ll be greeted by a dark room, a smiling waiter, and a blast of cold air — all very welcoming, especially in summer.

There are so many martinis and cocktails on the menu that the sound of the cocktail shaker is almost like a percussion instrument accompanying every song played.

I’ve seen a lot of great musicians here. They have a pianist crooning oldies early in the evening, and there is always a rotation of fabulous live entertainment.

I’ve seen a Mexican opera singer who nearly brought me to tears and a 4-piece string band complete with a washboard boxy thingy-ma-bob used for percussion (besides the shaker).

Looking for more blogs to help plan your trip to Puerto Vallarta? These posts will help.

Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta: Best Areas & Places {2024}
Is Puerto Vallarta Safe? 25 Insider Tips for Staying Safe
Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta: A Complete Guide
11 Best Tequila Tours in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Sip Happens

Best Puerto Vallarta live music bars

You can listen to live music in Puerto Vallarta every night of the week. It just depends on what you are in the mood for.

Roxy Rock House

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 8 pm – 5 am
• Roxy Rock House Facebook page

This place is all rock-n-roll all the time. Nuff said.

Awaysis

• Neighborhood: Emiliano Zapata (just behind the Romantic Zone)
• Hours: 2 pm to 12 am daily
• Awaysis website

A bit off the beaten path, but it’s a perfect place to see fun live acts. And they have food if you’re hungry.

Check their website for their monthly schedule. But I def recommend going on a Thursday to see Bobbi and the Others. They’re a little bit country (and a little bit of rock and roll 😉 – see what I did there? I’m showing my age.)

On Sundays, Las Mambas play. They’re an all-badass chick band who sing every genre in their own badass way.

La Bodeguita del Medio

• Neighborhood: On the Malecon in Centro
• Hours: 11 am to 4 am daily

This place is all things Cuban. If you want to learn to dance to real Cuban music, eat Cuban food, and drink good rum, this will be your new favorite live music bar in Puerto Vallarta. It’s always buzzing, and sometimes, the happy dancers spill onto the Malecon.

Live music bar honorable mentions:

Pour Favor is another excellent live music bar in Puerto Vallarta. It’s a tiny hole-in-the-wall in the Romantic Zone and dancing room only when the music starts. Expect a loud music vibe with dancing on the sidewalk.

Also, La Catrina Cantina has loads of live entertainment, from drag shows and impersonators to music bingo and live bands. It’s a nice big space on the second floor and never gets overly crowded.

Best rooftop bars in Puerto Vallarta

It doesn’t get much better than a sunset cocktail with friends at a rooftop terrace bar, especially when the sunsets are as brilliant as the ones in Puerto Vallarta. I’ve never seen so many hot orange skies fade into pale purples and pinks. Truly breathtaking.

So, back to what I was saying writing, you need to go to these Sky Bars and watch the sun drop into the ocean.

Chictini by Pinnacle

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 1 pm to 8 pm daily
• Pinnacle website

Our favorite and most visited rooftop bar is Chictini by Pinnacle. There is something magnificent about having cold drinks with a 270° infinity pool view of the coast. 

Add in the daily 2-for-1 happy hour from 5:30-8 pm, and I’m a happy camper.

Chictini is on top of an adults-only luxury rental building. You can buy a day pass to spend the day lounging at the pool, but otherwise, just go for the sunset.

There are three buildings by Pinnacle. Chictini is at 179 Pulpito. But if you accidentally go to 220 Pulpito there is a lovely sky bar there as well. And they, too, have an excellent happy hour option. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Top Sky Bar

This is another fantastic bar with killer views. See the best gay bars above for more details.

Best Puerto Vallarta night clubs

Ready to get your late-night party animal on? Then, the dance floors at these hot nightclubs in Puerto Vallarta are playing your song.

La Santa

• Neighborhood: Hotel Zone
• Hours: Thursday through Saturday night, 10 pm to 4 am
• La Santa Facebook

Head to La Santa for a night of live DJs spinning techno and house music and entertainment ranging from the bizarre to the over-the-top. Think clowns with firecrackers and Money Heist masks with shots on chandeliers.

It’s a bit smaller than some of the other well-known dance clubs on this list. Keep that in mind when determining your vibe for the night.

La Vaquita, Mandala, Zoo

• Neighborhood: On the Malecon in Centro
• Hours: La Vaquita and Mandala are open daily from 6 pm to 4 am. Zoo is open from 11 am – 6 am.

Right in the middle of the Malecon is Puerto Vallarta’s nightclub row—a handful of clubs with different themes where you can let your hair down and get crazy. The best part is that they all have ocean views.

La Vaquita has a flying cow in front and cow-themed décor inside, which sounds a bit cheesy, yet it’s always packed. There are girls dancing on platforms out front and a swing that soars above the Malecon for all the IG snaps you want. This is the perfect spot to get your dance on if you want R&B, hip hop, and reggaeton in a relaxed atmosphere.

Mandala is massive and has giant Buddhas out front. It’s got an upscale vibe with DJs spinning EDM, Pop, and Top 40. If you are in a group, pre-reserve a table and bottle service.

Zoo takes themes to a whole different level. Every day, a person in a gorilla suit stands outside and tries to lure people in. Just writing about a person in a hairy gorilla suit in the summer heat of Puerto Vallarta makes me sweat. 

They have animal parties, glow parties and foam parties and serve food until 10 pm.

The dress code for these nightclubs is generally a bit more upscale than the rest of the bars on this list. More dress to impress and less dress for the beach. So, for guys, no flip-flops and tank tops; think casual button-downs and nice shorts.

You can buy tickets for tables ahead of time on their websites or pay the cover charge when you arrive. But because these are the best clubs in Puerto Vallarta, it’s best to reserve ahead, especially during spring break and high season.

Best bars for people watching in Puerto Vallarta

These bars are in the perfect location and have the best views to sit back and watch the madness.

Devil’s Bar

• Neighborhood: On the Malecon in Centro
• Hours: Daily from 10 am to 2 am
• Devil’s Bar Facebook Page

This is our favorite bar on the Malecon (the boardwalk that runs parallel to the beach). It’s open to the madness of vacationers walking by, making it a great place to people-watch.

It’s small, family-run, and we make friends every time we’ve been there.

They make a mean mezcalita, but with only about 20 chairs, you might have to take it to go.

Andales

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 7 am to 2 am daily
• Andales website

This place has been around since 1980 and tends to have a more senior spring break crowd. They have daily happy hour from 2-4 pm.

It’s a little bit of everything — restaurant, bar, dance club, and donkey bar.

Yes. You read that right.

Every night, a donkey sits outside the bar, just waiting to go inside. I know that sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it is true. 

If you want to make a grand entrance, you can ride a donkey from the street into the bar and onto the dance floor. Then, the donkey returns to its spot on the street.

It’s weird. I don’t get it, but people do it.

I do, however, pet and feed the donkey, which has THE softest hair I’ve ever felt on an animal. Or most humans, for that matter.

That is why Andales is on this list of the best bars for people-watching.

Blondies Slush Bar

• Neighborhood: Romantic Zone
• Hours: 11 am – 2 am
• Blondies website

There are a few Blondies locations, but the Slushbar on Pulpito is perfect for a cooling, boozy slushie. They blend fresh fruit and juice with top-shelf spirits to create the perfect summertime drink. The menus change often, so you can keep going back from more.

And since the location is on a corner and wide open, you can just sit and be the neighborhood watch.

FAQ

The last round at the best bars in Puerto Vallarta

After reading this blog, I realize you might think I’m a lush. But I did it for you, my friends. A lot of hard-core research was done for this article, and I certainly hope you’ll come here and try out some new places. Help the local economy, like we do.

Have you been to Puerto Vallarta? What’s your favorite bar? Leave me a comment below, and I’ll check it out. Let’s make this list even longer.