Looking for a mezcal bar near me that stays open past the usual last call is harder than it should be. Most agave-focused spots close by midnight, leaving late-shift workers, night owls and anyone finishing a long Friday with nowhere to go. El Cortez at 17 Ingraham Street in Bushwick solves that problem with a 4 PM to 4 AM schedule seven days a week, two bar levels, an upstairs deck and a frozen-cocktail menu that runs until the lights come up.
The Karpo app shows you real-time opening status for El Cortez and other late-night agave bars in Bushwick, plus routing that strings together mezcal spots, taco counters and dive bars in one walkable loop.
Thursday Through Saturday After Ten
The upstairs DJ space starts around 10 PM Thursday through Saturday, with laser lights and enough room for dancing in the second-floor area. Downstairs stays quieter if you want to sit in a booth and work through the frozen mojito or the house piña colada with an amaretto float, called The Commodore after the team's Williamsburg bar. The kitchen keeps pace with the bar, so burritos and nachos stay available past midnight when most Tex-Mex kitchens have closed.
Capacity sits just under 200 people across both floors, so weekends after 11 PM mean standing room near the bars and a wait for booth seating. The upstairs deck offers a third drinking zone when weather permits, though the bar up there operates on a more limited schedule than the two indoor bars.
Sunday and Monday Before Eight
Early-week evenings before 8 PM put you in an empty room with immediate bar access and your pick of booths. The tiki-style frozen cocktails and the full Tex-Mex menu—burritos for eleven to thirteen dollars, tacos for nine to ten dollars, nachos for twelve dollars—are all available, but the energy level stays low and the DJ booth stays dark. If you need a quiet hour to meet someone or read through a menu without shouting, Sunday and Monday between 4 PM and 7 PM deliver that.
The same window works for an early dinner before a show or a movie. The cheeseburger and fries run twelve dollars, enchiladas are thirteen dollars, and everything uses free-range chicken and organic meats. The quirky retro setting—paper umbrellas, colorful decor, neon accents—reads louder when the room is empty, so the aesthetic makes more sense once you see it without a crowd.
Tuesday and Wednesday Late Shift
Midweek after midnight is the sweet spot for people finishing late shifts or anyone who wants the full menu and both bars without the weekend crush. The upstairs area stays open but the DJ schedule is lighter, so you get the deck access and the second bar without the bass. Nachos, which Punch Drink describes as destination-worthy, arrive hot and loaded, and the frozen drinks hold their texture even when the bartender is working alone.
The 4 AM closing time matters most on Tuesday and Wednesday, when other Bushwick bars start shutting down by 2 AM. If you're looking for a second or third stop after a concert or a dinner that ran long, El Cortez stays lit and staffed. The price range stays under thirty dollars per person even with multiple rounds, so it's a functional late-night anchor rather than a special-occasion splurge.
What the Menu Actually Covers
The kitchen describes its approach as three styles: hot plate style, gringo and Mexican-Mexican. That translates to Mission-style burritos, All-American tacos and a handful of Tex-Mex standards like enchiladas and nachos. The drinks lean tiki—frozen mojitos, piña coladas with variations—but the bar also stocks agave spirits for straight pours and simple highballs. The Commodore cocktail, a piña colada with an amaretto float, bridges the tropical and the boozy without tipping into novelty-drink territory.
The menu updates as of February 2022 list all prices in the eleven-to-thirteen-dollar range for entrees, with tacos slightly cheaper at nine to ten dollars. The portions are large enough that one burrito or a plate of nachos and a taco covers dinner. Free-range and organic sourcing raises the ingredient quality above typical dive-bar Tex-Mex, though the cooking style stays straightforward and the plating is minimal.
Practical notes
El Cortez sits at 17 Ingraham Street between Bogart and Morgan in Bushwick, open daily from 4 PM to 4 AM. The venue does not accept OpenTable reservations; call (347) 599-2976 or email elcortezteam@gmail.com for large groups or booth holds. Most items cost under thirty dollars per person including drinks and food. The bi-level layout includes a bar on each floor and an upstairs deck, with booth seating and standing room near the bars. Noise levels are rated energetic, especially Thursday through Saturday after 10 PM when the upstairs DJ starts. The space holds just under 200 people, so peak weekend hours mean waits for seating.
- Address: 17 Ingraham Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206 (between Bogart and Morgan)
- Hours: Daily 4:00 PM – 4:00 AM
- Price: Under $30 per person; burritos $11–$13, tacos $9–$10, nachos $12
- Booking: No OpenTable; call (347) 599-2976 or email elcortezteam@gmail.com
- Getting there: Ingraham Street in Bushwick, walkable from Morgan Avenue L train
Tags: #MezcalBarNearMe #ElCortezBushwick #BushwickBars #LateNightNYC #TexMexBrooklyn #FrozenCocktails #AgaveSpirits #BushwickNightlife #NYCHiddenGems #IngrahamStreet #LateNightEats #TikiBarNYC #BrooklynDives #4AMBars #BushwickFood
Sources consulted: elcortezbushwick.com · opentable.com · punchdrink.com · nymag.com
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
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Ask Karpo first
Before you head to El Cortez, ask Karpo if the upstairs deck is open tonight and whether the DJ schedule is running. The app will confirm live hours, show you which other agave bars are open late in Bushwick and build a route that loops in taco spots and dive bars along Bogart and Morgan. Open Karpo to check real-time status and map your night.
