Hey! If you're around and want an easy way to meet people, practice a language, and get a feel for local life without the awkwardness of a "class," we run a casual language exchange every week. No lessons, no pressure just people talking, laughing, and helping each other out with English/Spanish or ayuuk . Great if you're new here, traveling through, or just want to build a local circle of friends. There are usually some solid drink deals too, so it doubles as a chill evening out. Come by whenever, stay as long as you want — happy to answer questions in the comments if you're curious about times/locations.

Wednesdays 6:00 PM 📍 Oceano Show and Drinks (Mariano Matamoros 201)
Thursdays 6:00 PM 📍 Wombat (Martires de tacubaya 517 ) You can find this and other events around the city in "que onda Oaxaca"

My girlfriend and I (27) are staying in Jalatlaco in mid-August. We are looking for bars with a good atmosphere that are more focused on a cool vibe than an expensive cocktail menu.

We don't mind a short journey but the main thing is a crowd around a similar age, also we can speak a good level of Spanish so it doesn't need to be "gringo-friendly".

So far I've found Txalaparta and Wombat.

Thanks, and let me know any questions.

Hello, I'm visiting Oaxaca for 6 days (Wednesday - Monday). I've read many threads on here but I'd like to go into more depth on certain topics.

Me:

-I am a foraging expert, mycologist, ethnobotanist, and archaeologist. My spanish skills are low but I'm a good communicator.

Goals:

-I'm looking for pre-spanish traditional foods, especially wild foraged foods and experiences, including edible mushrooms and insects (chapulines, jumiles, chicatanas) I'd like to try pulque, sopa de guías con chochoyotes, huitlacoche, huaje, as many quelites as possible, tyaluda con chepiche, tejate, etc. Please let me know a deep cut ancient food that I may be missing.

-Guilá Naquitz cave, San José Mogote, Monte Alban, and Mitla are a must but I would like other pre-Columbian archaeological site suggestions.

-Hongos silvestre, ideally foraging them with a local expert, not the magic kind. ideally porcini, chanterelles, and other gourmet species

Thank you!

Yesterday, I heard this song playing in the streets of San José del Pacífico, Oaxaca. I recorded a short clip, but I haven’t been able to find the artist or the song anywhere.
Does anyone recognize it? Could it be a local band or musician from the area?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Going to Oaxaca for Day of the Dead. Any recommendations for some third wave/specialty coffee shops?? If none, no worries 😌

Siempre he pensado en vivir en un pueblo de la sierra sur como Santiago Textitlán por su tipo de clima tan peculiar, pues me gusta el clima muy frio y es algo que en donde vivo solo existe 1 mes al anio. Dejando de lado los temas de acceso a servicios básicos, financieros, legales, climatológicos, geográficos, etc ¿es seguro hacerlo con la mínima posibilidad de ser acosado por criminales? es decir robos, extorciones, etc. Soy de Baja California y nunca he estado en Oaxaca ni tengo alguna conexion con dicho estado.

Quiero aprovechar este espacio para responder dudas sobre lo mejor que puede ofrecer la ciudad de Oaxaca en cada ámbito, al menos hasta donde yo sepa :^

Soy de ahí

July in Oaxaca is more than two Mondays at the Auditorio. There's a full month of activity — including six community Guelaguetzas across the region, most of them free — that most tourists completely miss.

What's new this year (beyond the official July 21 & 28 shows):

Desfiles de Delegaciones — July 18 & 25, 6pm, starting at the Fuente de las Ocho Regiones. Around 28 delegations from all 8 regions parade through the city. Free, no ticket needed, genuinely one of the best things to watch.

Community Guelaguetzas:

• San Jacinto Amilpas — July 19, 5pm (9th edition)
• Reyes Etla — July 20, 10am, Paraje Las Peñitas
• San Antonino Castillo Velasco — July 20 & 27, 4pm, Rotonda de las Azucenas
• Guelaguetza Mágica Mitla — July 26, noon, Mercado de Artesanías
• Laanii Roo · Zaachila — July 27, 1pm (64th edition — "La Fiesta Grande del Cerrito")
• Guelaguetza Serrana — Capulálpam de Méndez, Sierra Juárez (dates posted locally)

Plus: The official cultural program runs all of July — gastronomy fairs, art exhibitions, folk dance workshops, craft markets.

The village celebrations are smaller, more intimate, no ticket lines. If you're already in Oaxaca for the main event, they're worth building your schedule around.

For ticket prices, logistics, and what to expect: full guide here

The Feria Internacional del Mezcal runs July 17–28 at the CCO (Centro Cultural y de Convenciones), Santa Lucía del Camino. $80 MXN entrance, open 11am–10pm daily.

What makes it worth going:

This isn't a curated tasting room — it's a proper regional fair with producers from across Oaxaca's 8 regions. Mezcal from communities you've never heard of, at prices that don't have the Oaxaca City markup.

The official artwork this edition is by Shinzaburo Takeda, titled Diosa del Mezcal — inspired by Yaa Nduva, the Zapotec deity of mezcal. Worth knowing for context: mezcal in Zapotec cosmology isn't just a drink, and the art reflects that. The proceeds go toward social housing programs in Oaxaca.

Live music runs daily in the mezcal pavilion and there's a separate outdoor craft beer stage if you need a break from agave spirits.

Tips:

• Go on a weekday afternoon if you actually want to talk to producers — weekends get crowded fast
• Bring cash for the smaller producers (card readers are unreliable)
• The CCO is not walkable from the historic center — take a taxi or the bus on the Periférico

Full guide with logistics and tips: https://queondaoaxaca.com/guias/feria-mezcal-oaxaca-guia-2026?lang=en

En qué fecha tienen pensado ir?

Buenas tardes, voy a estar en Oaxaca un par de semanas y quisiera saber si conocen un buen sastre cerca del centro. Alguien que sabe hacer tareas difíciles con trajes y sacos formales y de buena reputación. Gracias.

Me súper mama el quesillo y me estoy haciendo vegana pero no quiero dejarlo, saben de alternativas? Y si saben, son caras?

Hello!

I've searched around the sub for a bit, but couldn't find super updated info.

My Mexican husband and I are coming to Oaxaca for the first time tomorrow and staying the weekend. Our only plans are visiting Monte Albán, and trying out the best restaurants/dishes Oaxaca has to offer.

With regards to the Monte Albán tour, I've seen people mention both guided tours from Oaxaca City or just taking a taxi/bus to the site and either paying for a guide there or walking around on our own.

What do you recommend? We kinda just want to chill and have time, and not be super fixed by the tours from the city, so I think a guide we can hire at the site would fit us better, but how does that work and what does it cost? I'm really into history, so I think I'd prefer the guided tour.

The weather looks like rain after midday, so we're thinking to go Sunday morning.

Anything else you can recommend? We initially wanted to go to the waterfalls too, but heard that the hike is a bit steep and not recommended if you have back problems (which unfortunately I have).

Any recommendations on restaurants or dishes, local food stands or food tastings in the city would be super welcomed as well!

¿Cuál es la colonia o vecindad ideal para ver las celebraciones de día de los muertos? Gracias en adelante.

Hola a todos! Soy Cory. Mi esposa y yo nos mudamos a Oaxaca el mes pasado. Hemos participado en algunos grupos de intercambio lingüístico y de convivencia, y hemos conocido a gente chida.

Pero sigo sin tener con quién jugar a Magic: The Gathering or un lugar para jugar. Encontré unas tiendas que venden cartas pero sus eventos están Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon o One Piece.

Me gustaría encontrar un grupo para jugar o tienda con eventos MTG. Juego mas a Commander (B3-4), pero quiero comenzar formatos de 60 cartas otra vez.

Todavía estoy aprendiendo español, pero estaría encantado de jugar. Mándeme un DM!

--

Hey y'all! I'm Cory. My wife and I moved to Oaxaca about a month ago. We've been to some language exchanges and other community events, and met some cool people.

But, I still don't have anyone to play Magic the Gathering with, or a store to play at. I've found some stores that sell cards, but all their events are for YGO, Pokemon or One Piece.

I'd love to find a playgroup or store that hosts MTG events. I mostly play Commander (B3-4) but I'd like to start in 60 card formats again.

I'm still learning Spanish but I'd be happy to play in it or English. Send me a DM!

Hi my fiancé and I are getting married in Mexico this year (in a different state) and we’re planning on going to Oaxaca for our mini honeymoon. This will be the last week of September / first weekend of October.

We are going to stay for either four or five nights (still deciding) - what are some recommendations for what area to stay? Should we get a hotel or a rental like Airbnb or VRBO?

We probably will be tired from the wedding so I think we will want to focus on going out to try food and doing relaxing activities. Any recommendations on restaurants and activities are welcome :)

Hola! I’m looking for nightclubs in Oaxaca, specifically with hookah. This will be my fourth time in Mexico, but first in Oaxaca. I understand that Oaxaca isn’t big in nightlife compared to Mexico City, Cancun, Jalisco, etc. but I’d still like to spend my 35th bday getting dressed up and hitting the town with my companions. I would prefer to book a section as well. Any and all recommendations welcome! If it’s more of a bar hop situation, that’s fine too, but keep in mind we enjoy hookah (and don’t mind karaoke).

Not a typical restaurant rec. Casa Barroso is a family from Chilpancingo, Guerrero that relocated to Oaxaca and cooks once a week in Pueblo Nuevo. Thursday afternoons, 3–8 PM.
The green pozole is the main event — guerrerense style, dark green broth built on toasted pumpkin seeds, tomatillo, epazote and serrano. Very different from what you'll find in the centro. Wood fire, recipe unchanged from the family in Guerrero.
What I didn't expect: the tuna-stuffed chile relleno. It sounds simple, it isn't. It's a coastal preparation specific to Guerrero's Pacific coast with no real equivalent in Oaxacan cuisine.
They already have regulars who show up every single week. That kind of loyalty in a once-a-week setup says a lot.
Álvaro Obregón 133, Pueblo Nuevo.
Full piece including the history behind Guerrero's Thursday pozole tradition (goes back to the 19th century): https://queondaoaxaca.com/blog/pozole-verde-guerrerense-casa-barroso-oaxaca?lang=en

Hello friends,

For anyone living in Oaxaca, or moving to Oaxaca, I am trying to find a new home for this loving kitty. His name is Tigro and he is the sweetest little boy. Tigro has feline leukemia so he needs a home with no other cats or cats with leukemia. Dogs are fine since the leukemia cannot be transferred to dogs. I wish more than anything I could keep him but I have 3 other cats so it is not possible. Please help me find a home for Tigro. He truly is one of the sweetest, most loving cats I have ever had the pleasure to be around.

Hola, amigos:

Para quienes vivan en Oaxaca o se vayan a mudar ahí, estoy tratando de encontrarle un nuevo hogar a este gatito tan cariñoso. Se llama Tigro y es un gatito muy tierno. Tigro tiene leucemia felina, así que necesita un hogar donde no haya otros gatos o donde los gatos que haya también tengan leucemia. Los perros no son un problema, ya que la leucemia no se les puede contagiar. Ojalá pudiera quedármelo, pero ya tengo otros tres gatos, así que no es posible. Por favor, ayúdenme a encontrarle un hogar a Tigro. De verdad es uno de los gatos más dulces y cariñosos con los que he tenido el placer de convivir.

I'm coming up on the end of a one-month trip to Oaxaca, and I'm excited to start the process of relocating down here! I've spent the last week looking at potential rental properties, and I've pretty much narrowed it down to a house in Huayapam and a house in Tlilaxtic. The Huayapam house came along first, and I'd pretty much made up my mind to rent that one, but since I saw the other one in Tlilaxtic on Friday, I'm torn.

I've been staying in Huayapam for the last week, and I've really been enjoying its energy - the trees, the narrow, twisty streets, the street dogs barking, the random loudspeakers, the near-constant music wafting in. In the brief time I've spent in Tlilaxtic, it just seems...more subdued, I guess? Much quieter, wide, flat streets on a grid, less energy, fewer trees, less green.

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of being able to spend a week in Tlilaxtic now to get a better feel for the vibe before making this decision, so I thought I'd ask here - does anyone have any thoughts on this? The house in Tlilaxtic does suit my needs better than the one in Huayapam - if it didn't, this would be an easy call. I'm mainly looking for input on what living in Tlilaxtic is like, and how you think it compares to Huayapam.

I’m planning my solo trip to Oaxaca and I’m currently in the planning excursions phase. I’m a huge foodie so I love food tours and was interested in booking a chocolate tasting tour. Are any of the TripAdvisor tours worth it? Or are there some alternatives that would be better?

Thanks!