35 Best Bars in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

A breath of fresh air in the nightlife scene of Puerto Vallarta, Act2PV is a multigenre theater, cabaret, and sophisticated bar all in one. On the top floor of a little shopping center in Zona Romántica, it offers a great diversity of shows, both on the Main Stage and in the more intimate Red Room. Altogether, it's an excellent option for a different kind of night out in Puerto Vallarta. 

This oceanfront bar is just the way a beach bar is supposed to be—small, hip, and laid-back—making it a real pleasure to enjoy a beer while watching the waves of Playa Camarones. There's live music on Friday night and a DJ on Saturday. There's always a good vibe, and if you feel like having a bite, you can always ask the waiter to bring you some food from their next-door sister restaurant, El Barracuda.

The trendiest club in town and a favorite of locals and foreigners, La Santa has two different dance floors, one playing electronic and house music and the other mixing a variety of pop and rock in English and Spanish. There is a stylish swimming pool in the second room, where things can sometimes get a bit out of control. It has some great parties, but can get a bit too crowded.

If you love a good beer, Los Muertos Brewing Company is for you. The first craft brewery in Puerto Vallarta offers a relaxed atmosphere and the best beer on tap in town. It's a mix between a typical cantina and a traditional sports bar and they have a selection of rock and pop both in English and Spanish. Young gringos love it, and it's also getting attention from locals who come for the pizzas and stay for the beer.

Puerto Vallarta's only rock house is a very energetic club that features live music every night at 11 pm. Roxy is an institution and one of the few places that attracts all kinds of visitors—you'll find nationals and foreigners of all ages on the premises, and they're not afraid to sing and dance. 

This stylish nightclub can seem a bit small, but it features an enormous dance floor. The light and sound systems are state-of-the-art, which is highly appreciated by the world-famous DJs that come here to mix it up. They play mostly electronic dance music (EDM), but, as the night goes on, you'll also hear some '80s and '90s pop-rock hits. 

PV's original martini bar, Apaches is the landing zone for expats reconnoitering after a long day, and a warm-up for night owls. When the outside tables get jam-packed in high season, the overflow heads into the narrow bar and the adjacent, equally narrow bistro. If you're traveling alone, this is the place to make friends of all ages.

In addition to its famous beach scene, Blue Chairs, at the south end of Los Muertos Beach, has the popular Blue Sunset Rooftop Bar, which is the perfect place to watch the sunset. It has daily late-afternoon and evening entertainment, and is open to the public between 3 and 11 pm; after that, it's hotel guests only.

Right on the sand across from Parque Lázaro Cárdenas, this restaurant-bar has bargain brewskis and equally inexpensive fruity margaritas by the pitcher. The seafood is less than inspired, but nachos and other munchies are good accompaniments to the drinks. Watch the waves and listen to Bob Marley and the Gipsy Kings among lots of gringo couples and a few middle-age Mexican vacationers.

A classic of the Olas Altas/Zona Romántica scene, Café San Angel used to be the place where one would go for a coffee, grab a book (English or Spanish), and enjoy the slow pace of Vallarta’s afternoons. Today it has evolved into a lively mix between a breakfast spot and a trendy burger grill. They still have books and sofas, but the pace is not as slow as it used to be.

Cheleros Bar is the perfect place to have a beer and watch the sunset in a nice and comfortable setting. 

This popular bar by the beach shows most live sports events, features a pool table, and plays good dance music until 4 am every day.

El Soñador is a small but cool and unpretentious bar where you can have a cold beer or a fancy cocktail, and play pool downstairs or dance on their rooftop terrace. 

This isn't necessarily the kind of place where you'll strike up a conversation with the guy on the next barstool; rather, it's an upscale place to go with friends for a sophisticated, air-conditioned drink or two. A musician plays piano or gentle jazz on weekend nights during high season, less often the rest of the year. Garbo, renowned for its martinis, is primarily a gay club but is straight friendly.

Live music is played in this simple but fun grill. You can also enjoy burgers, steak, salads, and tacos here, as well as blues and good rock.

Originally located in the Hotel Zone, JB has now moved, with all its Latin rhythms, to the Zona Romántica. It's the best club in town for salsa, hands down. The crowd varies but tends toward the 30s–40s age group, and because JB is serious about dancing, it feels young at heart. It's a favorite of locals and upbeat expats alike.

People of all ages come to salsa and drink mojitos made with Cuban rum at this wonderful Cuban bar and restaurant with a friendly vibe. The small dance floor fills up as soon as the house sextet starts playing around 9:30 pm. There's no cover.

A cool—although a bit posh—bar with the largest TV screen in Puerto Vallarta, it attracts locals for "pre-copa" (pre-drinks) and to watch big soccer or boxing matches.

This charming martini lounge has red walls and a huge, eye-catching chandelier. Gringo-owned, it attracts a crowd of gay 20- to 40-year-old men (a mix of foreigners and Mexicans). Electronica and house music are the favorites. But, to get back to the martinis, the house makes excellent cocktails, and they're not too expensive, either. Make sure to visit the spectacular rooftop garden. 

Talent at this karaoke spot varies; it's open Monday through Saturday (except during low season, when the schedule is less consistent) after 9 pm. Come practice your standard Beatles tunes or hip-hop before your next official recording session.

La Vaquita is arguably the hippest of all the El Centro clubs. A mostly young crowd packs the place every weekend, dancing to the rhythms of house, techno, Latin, pop, and rock music. The location is outstanding, with great ocean views. Here it's customary to enjoy your favorite drink in a litro, a 1-liter Styrofoam glass, with a straw. 

If you were to choose just one of the malecón nightclubs, Mandala may be a good choice. It's the most stylish club in the whole El Centro area, and throws some of the best parties. The music is mostly electronic, with lots of house and techno. The cover varies according to the night of the week and the season of the year, but it's in line with the rest of the nightclubs along the malecón.

This gay, adults-only beach club located right on Los Muertos Beach is one of the best party spots in the Zona Romántica. Featuring a gorgeous infinity pool, restaurant, bar, several Jacuzzis, and stunning views of the Banderas Bay, Mantamar has it all. A flying pool and private areas showcase how extravagant this place can get. It closes early in the evening, but it's a great place to start the fiesta.

Mr. Flamingo is an LGTBQ+ tiki bar with a long history in Puerto Vallarta. Widely popular among locals and tourists alike, it's a nice open-air bar perfect for a night-starting drink, but many people also come here to spend the whole night as it has great music and a large dancing floor. 

Keeping with the glamorous style of Café des Artistes, this small but classy bar is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail or martini before heading to the theater or to a nightclub. P'yote Lounge is a celebration of the Huichol, the Indigenous people of the Jalisco/Nayarit region, and is named after the psychotropic cactus central to the Huichol vision of the world.

Players is the best sports bar in the Zona Romántica for tourists and expats alike to gather together to watch football, basketball, and even hockey games. 

"Reinas" means "queens" in Spanish, and this place is about making everybody feel like a queen. It's owned by a Dutch entrepreneur who found in Puerto Vallarta his home and an LGBTQ+ scene that was looking for a bar like this one. Come here to have a drink and make some friends, before going somewhere else for a dance.