Cafe No Se

1a Avenida Sur, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

“No visit to Antigua is complete without stopping in Cafe No Se!” I was told this several times, by different people, before and throughout my trip to Guatemala. Unfortunately, my itinerary left me with very little time to spend drinking “Illegal Mezcal” at this quite-literal hole in the wall joint on the far edge of town. But I managed to squeeze in a few hours, during which I learned they were right. On the night I went, the barely-lit spot, with not-an-empty bar stool in sight, featured live piano played by the founder of the San Francisco concerto orchestra (unbeknownst to most people there), with travelers from all over the world imbibing on local beers and very potent, locally sourced liquor. The vibe was friendly, and time seemed to stand still. It was clear no one had anywhere else to be, or if they did, they didn’t care. On most nights, the party rages into the wee hours, with reports of debauchery happening throughout, though the doors close shortly after midnight to avoid trouble with the police. So, really, only the strong make it in on time and survive. Sadly, I did not take this photo upon leaving at sunrise the following day, but rather on my way out of town to remember the cafe that was...or, rather, was not. Si?

More Recommendations

Yo No Se!

“No visit to Antigua is complete without stopping in Cafe No Se!” I was told this several times, by different people, before and throughout my trip to Guatemala. Unfortunately, my itinerary left me with very little time to spend drinking “Illegal Mezcal” at this quite-literal hole in the wall joint on the far edge of town. But I managed to squeeze in a few hours, during which I learned they were right. On the night I went, the barely-lit spot, with not-an-empty bar stool in sight, featured live piano played by the founder of the San Francisco concerto orchestra (unbeknownst to most people there), with travelers from all over the world imbibing on local beers and very potent, locally sourced liquor. The vibe was friendly, and time seemed to stand still. It was clear no one had anywhere else to be, or if they did, they didn’t care. On most nights, the party rages into the wee hours, with reports of debauchery happening throughout, though the doors close shortly after midnight to avoid trouble with the police. So, really, only the strong make it in on time and survive. Sadly, I did not take this photo upon leaving at sunrise the following day, but rather on my way out of town to remember the cafe that was...or, rather, was not. Si?

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com.

Nearby highlights
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.
More From AFAR