Mambo Café
Mambo Café
Mambo Café (Plaza Hong Kong, Loc 31, Sm 20, El Centro, Cancún) – as the name implies, this nightspot drums up a lot of Salsa, Merengue and other tropical Latin music, booking such orchestras from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia and Venezuela. A popular draw among young Hispanic-American vacationers.
Dady’O
Dady’O
Dady’O (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – with an interior that resembles a cave, Dady’O is one of the oldest discos in Cancún. Nevertheless, it still draws in a crowd looking for a place to drink and party, playing a musical mash-up, from the 80`s and 90`s to Dance and Hip-Hop. Dady’O and other Cancún nightspots pride themselves in not needing big-name dance music DJs to draw a crowd.
The City Nightclub
The City Nightclub
The City Nightclub (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – if you’re looking for a sedate hangout spot, this is not that place. The City has a beachside spot during the day (known as the “Playa Cabaña Beach Club”), which turns into a disco at night, with plenty of bars to serve the often packed crowds here. Along with dancing, live shows are a major attraction here (such as Dutch Electro House DJ Hardwell). There’s also a Tuesday night beach party and bikini contests.
At the Playa Cabaña Beach Club, travelers can enjoy the full resort experience without booking into a hotel. (It’s also the only beach club open to the public.) Facilities include 32 beach cabanas, each equipped with misting machines and a personalized sound system. The $10 entrance fee also includes access to the multilevel swimming pool, sundeck, restaurant, and sushi bar.
Sweet Club
Sweet Club
Sweet Club (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – the interior of this Cancún nightpot is reminiscent of Studio 54, complete with a huge strobe light, lasers & mirrors all over, and high-energy dance music. There’s an outdoor lounge and VIP areas for high rollers. Even though much of the crowd is in their 20s, more mature partygoers 30 & above don’t feel out of place there.
Señor Frogs
Señor Frogs
Señor Frogs (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – You can’t get more touristy than Señor Frogs. Famed for its over-the-top drinks, Señor Frogs is best-known for its foot-long funnel glasses filled with margaritas, daiquiris and beers (which become a souvenir unto itself). A natural hit with the Spring Break crowd, complete with dancing on the bar, Conga lines, shot girls, balloons, confetti and craziness throughout.
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood (Plaza la Isla, Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 12.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – a popular sports bar during the day, this Planet Hollywood outpost turns into a disco at night, complete with bartenders juggling liquor bottles (like Tom Cruise in that “Cocktail” film he made in the late 1980s).
Mandala
Mandala
Mandala (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – a popular venue for the high rollers set who are looking for a trendy nightspot, as opposed to the oversized bars that double as a disco. This club has an India-inspired interior, a huge dance floor, and VIP areas. Given that some of the high rollers are actually locals, the dance music played there is as likely to be Latin-flavored House music and Latin pop tunes (like Juanes and Shakira – in Spanish) as it is dance music in English.
El Rincón del Vino
El Rincón del Vino
El Rincón del Vino (Av. Náder 88, El Centro, Cancún) – given that this is a wine & tapas bar, it naturally attracts a mature crowd that wants a break from the seemingly non-stop discos in the tourist strip. As opposed to dance music, El Rincón offers live trova, rumba, flamenco, and jazz music for its patrons. The bar boasts 250 varieties of wines from the world’s major wine-making regions. It also hold occasional art exhibits.
Coco Bongo
Coco Bongo
Coco Bongo (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9.5, across street from Dady’O, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – this 1,800-capacity venue nightclub has a stage where celebrity impersonators show up to perform classic hits (such as Michael Jackson). There’s also an acrobatic show, and even the bartenders and wait staff join in on the festivities to sing & dance as well.
Carlos ’n Charlie’s
Carlos ’n Charlie’s
Carlos ’n Charlie’s (Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 9, Forum by the Sea Mall, Zona Hotelera, Cancún) – this hangout spot is a bar with its own party atmosphere – right down to the waiters (who find themselves singing and even performing comical skits).
