An Evening of Mariachi Music in Plaza Garibaldi

As many visitors to Mexico City already know, Plaza Garibaldi is the place to go for live Mariachi music in the city. In recent years the plaza has undergone extensive renovations and a lot has changed since I first visited back in late 2008. The kiosk that used to sit in the center of the square has been replaced by agave plants, a tourist booth has opened up on the east end of the plaza and Mexico City’s newly opened Tequila Museum is housed in the building on the plaza’s west end. Weekend nights are the best time to visit when Plaza Garibaldi is crowded with locals and tourists out to have a good time.

Despite what you may have heard, an evening visit to Plaza Garibaldi is perfectly safe — assuming of course, that you take the normal precautions you would in any big city and don’t go wandering off alone into unfamiliar areas or along dark sidestreets late at night. I’ve visited on numerous occasions and have yet to experience any problems. In fact, Plaza Garibaldi is one of my favorite spots to spend a night out in Mexico City and, in my opinion, a must for visitors. Here are some of my tips for enjoying an evening out in the square beginning with dinner at the Mercado San Camilito.

The Mercado San Camilito is a food market located on Plaza Garibaldi. The entrance to the market is on the left side of the square next to Salon Tenampa. You’ll enter into a long hallway lined with food stalls offering a variety of Mexican fare including pozole, tacos, tostadas and alambres.

Vendors are anxious to do business and do their best to attract customers with all kinds of special promotions and promises. Don’t be surprised when menus are thrust into your hands and specials recited as you walk by — especially common later in the evening. Take some time to wander the length of the market and check out a few menus before deciding on a place to sit down and eat.

After dinner it’s time to head out into the middle of all the action in the plaza. If it’s your first time visiting you may want to take in a show of regional Mexican music and dance at Guadalajara de Noche located toward the far end of the plaza. Otherwise, head directly for the center of the square stopping along the way to grab a michelada – just 25 pesos ($2) - from one of the vendors.

As it gets later in the evening the plaza fills up with people. Bands that haven’t been hired away to play a private party roam the square offering up their services and customers can often be seen singing along with the bands. The going rate for a song in the plaza is around 40 pesos ($3.20) but prices vary depending on a number of factors and quality is usually not one of them. A little negotiating is common and it doesn’t hurt to have a song in mind to request — though by no means is it necessary. If you’re interested in taking in the atmosphere and don’t mind hanging out outdoors and watching as the bands perform for others, you can easily spend an entire evening in the plaza without handing over a single peso.

After spending some time out in the square, make your way back over toward the far left side of Plaza Garibaldi and grab an indoor table at Salón Tenampa. Located next door to the market entrance, Salón Tenampa is quite possibly the most well-known cantina in the plaza. With tall wooden booths, suited waiters and a bar stocked with tequilas, it’s a traditional Mexican-style restaurant and bar that employs its own mariachi bands to entertain guests (at twice the cost of the bands out in the square). The interior of Salón Tenampa is covered in large murals depicting some of the country’s best musicians and most memorable historic events. And if you’re still hungry, the restaurant serves a variety of Mexican specialties including Molcajete con Arrachera, Chamorro Adobado and Cabrito Norteño as well as shared portions of quesadillas, tostadas and guacamole for snacking — all at fairly reasonable prices.

Salon Tenampa begins to fill up with customers around 11pm and the atmosphere inside is a lot of fun. If you’re not a fan of the spicy micheladas out in the plaza, try the michelada at Salon Tenampa. It’s a more traditional recipe without the hot sauce and spices — just lime juice, salt and Corona.

After Salon Tenampa consider stopping into one of the nightclubs located around the plaza for some Latin dancing or negotiate your taxi fare at the sitio in front of the plaza and call it a night.

Getting There
Plaza Garibaldi is located 5 blocks north of the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) on Avenidas Lázaro Cárdenas and Republica de Honduras. The closest Metro station is Garibaldi and the metro stays open until midnight so you can easily arrive via metro and return home in a taxi. The walk from metro Garibaldi along Lázaro Cárdenas is busy and well-lit, although it’s unlikely that you’ll want to spend any amount of time in most of the cantinas that you’ll pass along the way.