Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park runs Thursday live jazz sessions from 19:00 to 21:00, pairing performances with the bar's 1,100-plus agave spirits collection in a downtown room.
Order: Mezcal cocktail or a glass from the agave spirit wall
Tip: No cover charge but reservation for a table is needed on Thursdays; bar walk-ins are accepted until seating fills.
Rooftop bar$$DowntownWed-Thu 17:00-01:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-02:00; Sun 14:00-00:00
INTL on West Mills Avenue is El Paso's go-to rooftop bar, with clear views of the Franklin Mountains and the border cityscape, serving margaritas and cocktails from an outdoor terrace in the downtown core.
Order: House margarita with El Paso skyline view
Tip: The sunset hour of 19:00 to 20:00 in summer is the best time; the terrace closes when it hits capacity so arrive early on Fridays.
Agave spirits bar$$$DowntownMon-Thu 14:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-18:00
EP Tasting Room is El Paso's closest thing to a speakeasy: located behind the Lucchese boot store with no street signage, offering guided agave spirits flights in a dim, intimate tasting chamber.
Order: Tequila or mezcal flight guided by the in-house spirits specialist
Tip: Walk through the boot store and ask at the back; first-time visitors always miss the entrance.