"When you’re planning a big birthday dinner for some friends, a good move is the modern Mexican restaurant La Condesa with its attractive space, shareable dishes, and strong mezcal cocktails. The prices can add up quickly, so order a few heavier things like the cochinita pibil and esquites so no one leaves hungry (or too drunk). And if you want an excuse to use the word “spelunking,” ask about their secret subterranean dining room that seats 20." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion