Monterrey/Western suburbs

Animal Calzada

Lively nightclub that's an odd mix of family friendly and hip nightclub with loud music and extravagant jungle motif decor. Menu includes steaks, burgers, tacos and more.

Daily 13:00 - 01:00·M$1000

Atope

Upscale Spanish restaurant that's a great date spot because they have live flamenco dancers during dinner and some shareable plates like paella, served in a traditional large shallow pan, or you can choose your own mix of cold and hot tapas (small plates). The house sangria is a good choice, or they have an extensive wine list and a full bar serving large cocktails.

Mon-Sat 13:00 - 01:00, Sun 13:00 - 18:00·M$300

Bestia Brasa

Upscale Argentinian steakhouse with large cuts of grilled meats and a tempting array of appetizers and side dishes. Full bar with some creative house cocktails.

Daily 13:00 - 01:00·M$700

Bistro Bardot

Offers a delightful collage of seafood and red meat, heavily influenced by French cuisine, it stays in touch with Mexico through their slight spices. Escape the noisy city and enjoy some fine wine.

Cenacolo

Elegant dining room with rustic Mediterranean feel. Italian food with homemade pastas, pizzas, and a full bar with creative house cocktails.

Open now · closes 11 pm

Chipinque Ecological Park

Chipinque is one of the white-faced mountains towering over Monterrey, this one over the suburban municipalities of San Pedro and Garza Garcia. Drive up to the mesa where you can picnic while your kids enjoy the playground. Go hiking or mountain biking on the rugged trails that go up through the mountains to a fire-spotting station, or onwards toward the reservoir near the outlying town of Santiago. There is a rustic mountain lodge offering affordable family lodging and a restaurant serving traditional Mexican cuisine in a setting with unparalleled views of the city below.

Cuerno Calzada

Upscale restaurant featuring grilled, marinated meats and seafood. Full bar with innovative cocktails.

Mon-Sat 13:00 - 01:00, Sun 08:00 - 00:00·M$1000

Cumbres of Monterrey National Park

Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey is the northernmost of Mexico national parks and one of the largest, with more than 1,770 hectares (680 square miles) of rugged mountain terrain. It has become a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The park includes several of Monterrey's landmark mountains, along with sheer cliffs, rushing rivers, hidden caves, and even some lions, tigers, and bears. Okay, maybe not tigers, but they definitely have mountain lions and bears, and they do have coyotes, bobcats, and jaguars, along with snakes, birds, and lots of other things. The park can be accessed from various points in Monterrey, Santa Catarina, Guadalupe, and San Pedro Garza Garcia.

free

Fashion Drive

Connects to Plaza Fiesta San Agustin. Adjacent to Camino Real hotel.

Open now · closes 9 pm

Gallo71

Traditional northern Mexico cuisine, specializing in grilled meats. The ribeye is a whopping 500g (about 18 ounces). The tostadas are grilled the way abuela used to make them. Good selection of artesanal tequilas and local craft beers.

Open now · closes 12:30 am tomorrow

Koli

Regional cuisine of northeast Mexico, modernized and taken up to the level of fine dining. Awarded a Michelin star. Very small intimate dining room, welcomes reservations but charges M$1800 per person for no-shows (so make sure your plans are firm before reserving).

Tue-Sat 13:00-16:00 19:00 - 00:00, closed Sun Mon

Los Curricanes

Casual seafood restaurant with full bar, outside terrace dining.

Open now · closes 11 pm

Major Tom

Popular bar with cheap drink prices, featuring live rock bands.

Open now · closes 1 am tomorrow

Mapache

Comfortable, low-key bar with good selection of beers and mezcals. Roof top terrace.

17:00 - 01:00 (til 02:00 Fri and Sat)

Mar del Zur

Delicious fusion of Mexican and Thai cuisines which the chef describes as "Mexithai". Served in an elegant space with top-flight service. One of Monterrey's top restaurants, so reservations are well advised.

Mon-Sat 13:00-01:00, Sun 13:00-18:00

Maverick

Cocktails and different music styles each night are the success formula here: jazz (Wednesday), blues, DJs playing 80s hits, and if that's not enough, there's Happy hour 7-9pm each day.

Closed · opens 6 pm

Metropolitan Center

Several nice restaurants, Epic Cinemas, virtual reality sports (baseball, golf), adjacent to Safi Metropolitan hotel.

Open now · closes 9 pm

Mochorros

Part of a chain of elegant, upscale restaurants throughout Mexico. This location is a sleek, modern dining room serving grilled steaks, chicken, seafood and more. The sides are generous and creative. Service is top-notch.

Daily 12:00 - 01:00·M$1000+

Mon Paris

Local chain of French coffee shops, another location is near Fashion Drive in Metropolitan Center. Pleasant outdoor dining area, casual atmosphere and a more affordable option compared to the myriad nearby restaurants that cater to the expense account crowd. Crepes for breakfast (or anytime), panini sandwiches at lunch.

Open now · closes 11 pm

Museo La Milarca

Eclectic museum with a collection that began as an 18th century "Cabinet of Curiosities". The collection includes natural science objects, historical relics, and artistic objects including a large collection of coins from Mexico's colonial era. See the head of a T-Rex, one of Cortez's swords, shrunken heads from the south Pacific and many other cool things you didn't know you needed to see. The building itself resembles a medieval chapel in spirit, but is obviously new.

Tue-Fri 14:00 - 19:00, Sat-Sun 10:00 - 20:00, closed Mon·M$100

Museo de los Antiguos Mexicanos

Monterrey's first museum dedicated to pre-Hispanic Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica is based on the personal collection of Mauricio Fernandez and exhibits from the now defunct Planetario Alfa. Fernandez spent decades visiting archaeological sites and studying once great civilizaations. It's a fairly large museum and very modern with well-designed displays, good lighting, and even some labels in English (though the Spanish-speaking visitor will get the most out of a visit). Major cultures each have their own gallery (salon). Most of the relics are artistic ceramic sculptures, as that material survives centuries underground in inclement conditions. A visit will probably not take much more than an hour (unless you're intently curious about Mexican archaeology). Many of the exhibits are temporary seasonal displays, so if you come back in a year or so, you may get an entirely different perspective than your first impression. Occasional live classical music.

Tue-Sun 10:00 - 19:00, closed Mon·Free

Nirvana Rock Joint

Features 1980s, 90s and some recent music. Good selection of beer, liquor, and appetizers. Free breathalyzer test -- ask the bouncer for a safe taxi if you can't drive. Odd location for a club, in the Plaza Fiesta San Agustin mall, next to Sears.

Pangea

Upscale dining, contemporary decor, modern Mexican cuisine meets steakhouse. Awarded a Michelin star. Reservations recommended.

Open now · closes midnight tomorrow·Expensive: M$500 for fish of the day, M$1700 for the Wagyu New York strip

Parque Arboleda

Mixed use center built around a central park area with playgrounds and walking paths. Shops are in two buildings (Oriente and Poniente) and include an Apple Mac store, jewelry stores, furniture stores and many restaurants. The JW Marriott hotel is here.

Open now · closes midnight tomorrow

Parque El Capitan

Meandering urban park with jogging trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, and dog parks. Popular for early morning workouts or yoga.

Daily 06:00 - 22:00

Paseo San Pedro Centro Comercial

Big shopping center anchored by Palacio de Hierro, Cinemex, Hotel NH.

Open now · closes 11 pm

Plaza Fiesta San Agustin

Multi-level mall, food court with some cheap fast-food, Soriana. Across the street from Quinta Real hotel.

Open now · closes 5 pm

Principia Monterrey Taproom

Cerveceria Principia

Contemporary craft brewery serving a variety of different styles with several flavored beers (like peanut butter s'mores stout). Brick oven pizzas.

Tue-Sat 12:00 - 02:00, Sun 15:00 - 22:30, Mon 17:00 - 00:00

Rio Mississippi 105-B

Enjoyable atmosphere with a specialization in mezcal cocktails. Smoky atmosphere is a turn-off.

Thu-Sun 19:00 - 02:00, closed Mon-Wed

Rufino Tamayo Park

Parque Rufino Tamayo

Rolling hills with hiking/biking trails, exercise stations, and shady patches. Popular place for early morning joggers and afternoon dog walkers. Parking available on Av. Eugenio Garza but it has a complicated payment system requiring obscure apps.

Daily 06:00 - 22:00·Free