Reviving the Bohemian Dinner-Theater: The Two Faces of CDMX’s Salón Las Tertulias

Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighborhood is widely celebrated for its Third Wave espresso bars, minimalist contemporary art galleries, and sleek speakeasies. Yet, hidden in plain sight on Avenida Cuauhtémoc 19, a hybrid nightlife destination is actively reviving a classic Mexican tradition: the tertulia. Historically a bohemian social gathering dedicated to intense art, poetry, and philosophy debates, the modern Salón Las Tertulias translates this heritage into high-energy culinary cabaret.

To fully capture both the casual midday diner and the high-volume event planner, the brand operates via two distinct la tertulia restaurante personalities across the capital: the flagship nightlife and entertainment hub in Roma Norte, and a massive, dedicated feast space known as El Paraíso de las Tertulias in the historic Santa María La Ribera sector.

Venue Operational Focus

Roma Norte Flagship: Open from 2:00 PM to 3:00 AM. It serves as the primary cabaret, live show, and a la carte pub eats venue.
El Paraíso Hub: Open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. It is specifically designed for massive group buffets and fixed-price feasts.

The Roma Norte Flagship: Cabaret, Cocktails, and Late-Night Antojitos

The primary location functions as a structural shapeshifter. During its afternoon hours, it welcomes local remote workers and friend groups looking for a spacious, traditional lunch layout. However, as darkness hits the city, the venue sheds its relaxed skin to become a lively dinner-theater backdrop.

Unlike modern clubs that prioritize high-volume EDM and standing room only, Salón Las Tertulias retains complete table service throughout the night. Guests can enjoy hot, authentic Mexican pub grub and street-style antojitos while positioned just feet away from a central stage.

Activation Timeline

Early Week Activations: Mondays and Tuesdays from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM feature day-drinking, karaoke afternoons, and deep bottle discounts.
Weekend Show Rotation: Wednesdays through Sundays feature high-energy live theater, traveling salsa orchestras, stand-up comedy, and live mariachi.

The Late-Night Canteen Menu

The kitchen avoids standard, uninspired bar food, relying instead on traditional comal-cooked items. Notable menu choices available through the late-night 3:00 AM closing time include:

Orden de Quesadillas ($89 MXN): Three fresh corn tortillas stuffed with melty Oaxaca cheese, wild mushrooms, or savory chicharrón prensado.
Orden de Sopecitos ($89 MXN): Crispy, thick masa bases layered with refried beans, shredded chicken or spicy chorizo, crema, and crumbled cheese.
Plato de Chicharrón Seco ($94 MXN): Crisp, dry pork rinds paired with fresh house guacamole—the universal Mexican table starter.

The Stage Rotation: Live Entertainment and Event Hosting

The venue’s entertainment matrix makes it an ideal spot for organizing milestones like graduation parties, retirement blowouts, or group birthday events. The space heavily features its in-house musical ensemble, the Orquesta Las Tertulias, alongside specialty curated performance events.

Stand-Up Comedy: Laugh-out-loud sets by touring local comics.
Local Folklore: Sweeping mariachi ballads and regional Mexican groups.
Divas de la Noche: High-glamour drag and performance theatre pop-ups.

For groups who want to take over the microphone themselves, the venue runs specialized Karaoke and DJ afternoons every Monday and Tuesday from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. These early-week time slots function as casual day-drinking events, heavily incentivized by the bar with rotational discounts on selected international spirit and liquor bottles.

Santa María La Ribera: The All-You-Can-Eat Paradise

When the focus shifts from live theater to pure culinary volume, the operations move to their secondary location: El Paraíso de las Tertulias. Situated near Metro Normal, this venue removes the a la carte stress for large events, converting entirely into a massive, traditional Mexican buffet palace.

Buffet Pricing Tiers

Weekday Tier (Tuesday–Thursday): Costs $199 MXN, featuring traditional home-style guisados, classic salsas, fresh rice, and aguas frescas.
Weekend Tier (Friday–Sunday): Costs $349 MXN, adding a live charcoal grill, premium meat cuts, and extended dessert bars.

The weekday tier provides budget-friendly access to home-style guisados (stews), mole varieties, and standard Mexican essentials. The weekend tier transforms the space, activating live-fire grills and carving stations that serve premium meats, charcuterie, and artisanal desserts. This setup easily accommodates graduation parties of over fifty guests with a fixed, predictable per-head cost.