The dark streets of Los Angeles at night can be daunting. Walking with friends through
the unpaved roads, strangers at every corner, and police sirens blaring every half hour. You
need an escape, a place of community where you feel at home, with a drink in hand and a friendly, hospitable host. You enter CDMX, a brand-new bar in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. You find precisely this. With a passionate wave of workers, fresh drinks, and a cool, low-key basement bar, it’s everything one needs to find refuge from the busy streets of downtown.
Noah is an LA veteran who knows a thing or two about the bar scene in LA. After
working previously at Arts District Brewery, Noah was asked to jump on board to help open and put together CDMX. “They kinda pushed me into it opening—same company. I told them, ‘I’m giving you guys one interview. That’s all you get.’ It worked out.” Despite initially hesitating to join the new venue, he agreed because of the change of scenery. “Art’s District is outdoors. Very open. It’s more calm down here. Because you don’t feel the heat either, so I’m not as tired. That’s a huge difference right there! The whole walking around [at Arts]. Here, I am tired, but it’s a different type of tired.”
The inspiration for the bar came through the inspiration of Mexico’s culture. Noah
believes fresh food and hospitality are two essential parts of Mexican culture. “When people
think of Cuidad de Mexico, you think of how good and fresh the food is. Our drinks are made to resemble that. Our cocktails are good and fresh. They’re made in-house on the day. What
Cuidad de Mexico, or Mexico, means to me is the customer service. Right? What do people
think about when they think of Mexico? For me, it’s the hospitality. I don’t want to be a typical
douchey bartender.”
One of the main drawing points of CDMX is the Mexican art and music culture. Noah
thought it was vital to play Spanish rock music, as Mexico City is notoriously known for its
underground Spanish rock scene. What’s a better place to incorporate underground Spanish
rock music than an underground Mexico City-inspired bar? “Rock en español is big everywhere throughout the world. I want the newer stuff, the older stuff. I especially like presenting people with the newer shit.”
If you want to get put on to some new wave of Spanish rock, get some fresh cocktails, or
just chill at a low-key bar where the bartenders promise to take care of you, I don’t know a better place to visit than CDMX.