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Mexico City Guide, No Reservations w/ SEANWICHES


Mexico City is chaos and beauty wrapped into one place. It grabs your senses from the moment you wake up to the sounds of the street. “Se compra colchones, tambores, refrigeradores, estufas, lavadoras, microondas, o algo de fierro viejo que venda.” Once you hear it, it becomes part of the CDMX experience. The hum of a city that never stops moving reminds you just how big this place really is. Bring your walking shoes and curiosity, because the city is packed with history and culture at every turn. You can start your day in a museum digging into the stories of ancient civilizations, move to a castle balcony where an emperor once looked out over the valley, and end the night yelling with everyone else at lucha libre. And then there is the food. If you love to eat, CDMX will ruin you in the best way.


The city is massive, but it rewards anyone willing to step beyond the usual tourist zones. Art, parks, and museums hide in every neighborhood, little pockets of history waiting for you. On my first visit, I stayed in Santa María la Ribera, one of the oldest areas northwest of Centro Histórico. I explored the city by bike, and every ride made me want to understand more about the Mexica, the valley, and everything that came before modern CDMX. So plan your own little adventures and get out into the city. I have a few pointers that can help you find your way.



Move like a local and keep your head on a swivel. The city moves fast and traffic will not wait for you. A one way sign can feel like a suggestion. Motorcycles, bikes, and the occasional car will take any shortcut that keeps the flow. Honking is not anger, it is sonar. Once you learn the rhythm it starts to make sense.


Getting around is simple once you understand the game. Uber and DiDi are reliable. The metro and buses are cheap and useful, but pickpockets are good at what they do. EcoBici, the city bikes, are perfect for short trips. Twenty five dollars a year gives you access to bike stations throughout the city. On Sunday morning, Paseo de la Reforma closes to cars, which turns it into a long, beautiful ride past the Angel of Independence and toward Chapultepec Park. It is one of the best ways to see the city wake up.


Learn some Spanish, even a few basics. Nothing kills a vibe like a tourist who does not try. At the grocery store it is customary to tip the person bagging your groceries, something small as a thank you. Expect service to run on unhurried time. Your food arrives when it is ready, and if you do not ask for la cuenta, you may sit happily ignored while the evening drifts by.


Try the street food and drop any hesitation. It is one of the best parts of the city. Some of my favorite meals have been tacos off the back of a bike or homemade ice cream from a small stand in the park. Drink mezcal with sal de gusano and a slice of orange, then try it as a mango mezcalita. And try the guacamole con chapulines. The salty crunch might make you pause for a second, but it becomes a great story for the rest of your trip.


CDMX is the kind of place where every day feels full. From ruins to castles to late night food runs, the city moves fast and gives you plenty to chase. There is no way to see everything, but you can start with a few standouts. Here are some of my favorites.



The pyramids are the moment Mexico City stops being a dot on a map and turns into something unreal. These are actual ancient pyramids rising out of the valley, massive and commanding, sitting just beyond the edge of a modern city. Walking the Avenue of the Dead and looking up at the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon feels electric. You cannot climb them anymore, but it doesn't matter. Being there is enough to hit you in the chest. And if you want to go big, you can take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the pyramids. Watching the valley wake up from above is as wild as it sounds.



The Torre Latinoamericana has seen earthquakes, protests, and parades, and it still stands tall in the middle of Centro Histórico, a reminder that this city endures just about anything. Skip the museum line and head straight for the bar or the restaurant at the top. Order a mango mezcalarita and watch the city stretch out in every direction.



In the heart of Chapultepec Park sits the National Museum of Anthropology, one of the absolute musts in Mexico City. The building is iconic and the collections are incredible, especially the Mexica and Maya halls. You walk out feeling like you have only scratched the surface of Mexico’s history.


Right outside, you can watch the Danza de los Voladores. Five men climb a massive pole, one drums at the top, and the others spin toward the ground on ropes. It looks terrifying at first, then suddenly beautiful. It is one of the most unforgettable traditions in the park.



After exploring the museum and catching your breath under the shade of the trees, keep wandering deeper into Chapultepec Park and you’ll eventually spot something towering above the canopy: Castillo de Chapultepec. Yes, it’s one of the biggest tourist draws in the city, but it’s worth it. The castle sits high on a hill and has been home to emperors, presidents, and cadets. Now it stands as a museum filled with murals, artifacts, and echoes of history in every room.


I love standing on the balconies and looking down Reforma at the Ángel de la Independencia gleaming in the distance, the chaos of the city framed perfectly below. It’s one of those views that reminds you how much story this place holds, from ancient civilizations to revolution and everything in between. Give yourself time to wander here, to walk the stone terraces and gardens, and to just take it in. The castle, the grounds, the views are all spectacular.



After a day of museums and castles, it is time to trade history for chaos. Lucha libre is part circus, part theater, part sport, and completely addictive. Every match is técnicos versus rudos, the heroes against the villains, and the crowd treats it like life or death. Pick a side, grab a beer, and get ready to yell.


Arena México is the heart of it. Sequined masks, flying kicks, kids in costume, vendors tossing snacks, the whole place buzzing. My ideal night is a burger at Hamburguesas a la Parrilla, a quick mezcal at Mezcalería Tlachiquero, and then the arena. It is one of the most unforgettable nights you can have in CDMX, and once you feel that rush, you are in for life.



Now We Feast!

Mexico City is a playground for anyone who loves food. Every neighborhood feels like its own little universe, with street carts, taquerias, and restaurants all fighting for your attention. You could eat somewhere new every day and still barely make a dent. I already mapped out my favorite street tacos in my bike tour, so think of this as the extension of that ride, the spots I reach for when I hop off the bike and want something a little different. These are a few of my favorites, the places that feel like the city one bite at a time.


María Ciento38 is one of them. Tucked into the quiet streets of Santa María la Ribera, it looks like it belongs on a magazine cover. The backyard patio is beautiful, the service is warm, and the Sicilian food delivers every time. The fresh pastas, wood fired pizzas, and simple vegetable dishes all hit the mark. Dinner here turns into hours of conversation and “just one more” plate, the kind of night where you lose track of time under string lights with good wine and a crowd that never seems in a hurry to leave.



This little Oaxacan restaurant was one of the first places I visited when I moved to CDMX, and it instantly became a favorite. The food feels familiar but exciting, with rich moles that taste like they have been simmering forever and memelas loaded with beans, cheese, and heat. They pour a bright red tejate in a shallow clay dish, sweet and earthy, and the tlayuda steals the show, a crisp oversized tortilla stacked with beans, meat, cheese, and avocado that rivals Tlayudas El Negro in Oaxaca. The place has real character, with colorful tiles, rustic tables, and a constant hum of the neighborhood.



Russian food in the middle of Mexico City sounds unlikely, but that is exactly why Kolobok stands out. I always end up at the Santa María la Ribera location, right across from the park where the neighborhood comes alive at night with families and kids running around the plaza. After dinner, you can take a slow walk and grab an ice cream from a vendor circling the square. The food is pure comfort, with hot pelmeni splashed with vinegar, bright borscht with sour cream, and cutlets that hit perfectly on a rainy day.



Pizza Félix is the kind of place you wander into and immediately feel good about your decision. The wood fired oven alone tells you they know what they’re doing, and they absolutely do. It is one of the best pizzas I have had in any city. If this were Italy or New York, I would still be a happy man. The music sets an easy vibe, the room feels good the second you sit down, and everything about the place just worked for me.



Mexico City never runs out of bakeries and coffee shops, and Forte is one I am glad I tracked down. A friend from an old chapter of my life runs it, and you can feel that pride as soon as you walk in. The food is excellent, the pastries are made with real care, the coffee is spot on, and their pizza and burrata still live in my head. Go for breakfast, bring your laptop, or drop in for lunch and end up staying longer than planned. It is a warm, stylish café that makes the city feel smaller in the best way.



Chicago Bernie’s is one of those curveballs that makes Mexico City even more fun. This city gives you tacos, moles, pizzas, mezcal, and then suddenly you are eating something that tastes like you are in Chicago getting ready to watch Da Bears. Sometimes you just crave a juicy double cheeseburger or an Italian beef stacked with giardiniera and a cold beer or an ice cold Coke. They nail it.



Why I Keep Recommending CDMX

Mexico City is huge and a little overwhelming at first, but that is part of the charm. Lean into it. Try new things, talk to people, stretch yourself a bit, and take in as much as you can with whatever time you have. It is the kind of place you end up telling everyone else to experience once you have had your turn. Go see the pyramids, grab a mezcalarita at the Torre Latinoamericana, wander until your feet complain, and let the city handle the rest. CDMX gives back more than you expect, and it always leaves you hungry for one more adventure.



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