BajaNomad

What's good in Rosarito?

apple - 3-3-2014 at 07:26 PM

We're here for a month or more after a year in La Paz and boy, what a change.
What should we check out while here?
So far it looks like everything is just on the main strip, Highway 1, and it's mostly tourist oriented stuff. Obviously the beach is close but it definitely hasn't been beach weather since we got here.
Is there a local market with fish, meat, fruits and vegetables like we've visited in other Mexican cities? Is there a permanent Gringo community with perhaps an email group or something?
Is Spring Break going to be nuts?
Also need a suggestion for a mechanic for some suspension work on our Jeep.

DENNIS - 3-3-2014 at 07:34 PM

The Red Cross in Rosarito is more than an aid station. It's the hub of a lot of expat activities. [used to be anyway]
Maybe someone here will tell us all about it.

bc4me - 3-3-2014 at 08:03 PM

Be careful. Per capita Rosarito has turned into one of Mexico's violent crime hotspots.

Also, late in 2013 the Mayor of Rosarito Beach was caught trying to smuggle 1 million dollars into the US, which clearly speaks to the level of corruption that has overtaken this city.

http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldetijuana/notas/n3181953.htm

Ateo - 3-3-2014 at 08:23 PM

Go to El Nido on the main drag. Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Ateo - 3-3-2014 at 08:26 PM

bajacalifornian - 3-3-2014 at 09:05 PM

Hey apple,


Answer to your question is, a bunch.


First, get your Jeep fixed at AutoServicio JOHNNY in Rosarito. Local, dial 612-10-33. Father & son both named Johnny. The younger speaks English and will give you directions.


Food & drink, try Bistro Le Costeau in Rosarito. c-cktails in the bar at Rosarito Beach Hotel. Paradise Cove Tiki Bar, Charly's Place, Taco Stand and Terasitas at K38, Olle's Brick Oven Pizza, food anytime at Fiesta at El Pescador, and food prepared by Johnny at the Half Way House.


Stop by the Point restaurant at Calafia.


Google tripadvisor for your own decisions and directions.


Music at Paradise Cove, Charly's & Fiesta. Johnny cooks his magic also at La Mission, and sings with some groups there.


Take the toll road (without toll) bypassing the center of Rosarito to quickly find groceries, movie theater etc. beginning with Commercial Mexicana, Wal-mart, Smart & Final. Home Depot is across from the movie theaters.


Get to know the beach north of La Mission, turn directly off the toll road. If it stays cool add some layers. With the toll road closed, they will pass you. Tell them you're going to La Salinas, or the beach.


With you Jeep fixed, do the back country. Guadalupe Valley and points north.


Cannot help much with Gringo community info. You'll find them at all the food & music places above. Subscribe to the Rosarito Town Crier at rosaritotowncrier.com


Stroll the beach & visit the fisherman at Popotla.


Loreto in the South is our primary home. Learned Rosarito last summer, with it's English language and American dollars when we stepped away from Loreto's heat. Liked the find here well enough to pick a spot. I'm into horses & mules. Lots of rodeos later on. Can help if you're interested.

DENNIS - 3-3-2014 at 09:14 PM

Hey Jeff......Does Rene's still allow the old expats at the end of the bar to pee in their pants without getting off the barstool, saving them an embarrassing walk to the men's room? That may be a fun group to hang with. :biggrin:

Ateo - 3-3-2014 at 09:49 PM

I would listen to bajacalifornian.

Totally.

That will enable an epic experience in the region.

DocRey - 3-3-2014 at 09:51 PM

Tacos Yaqui. Best in town (IMHO). Calle Del Mar Norte. 1 blk east of Hotel Fiesta. Off the the main drag.

;D

Bob H - 3-3-2014 at 09:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bc4me
Be careful. Per capita Rosarito has turned into one of Mexico's violent crime hotspots.

Also, late in 2013 the Mayor of Rosarito Beach was caught trying to smuggle 1 million dollars into the US, which clearly speaks to the level of corruption that has overtaken this city.

http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldetijuana/notas/n3181953.htm


Run, run, run away, as fast as you can!! LOL :lol:

willardguy - 3-3-2014 at 09:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DocRey
Tacos Yaqui. Best in town (IMHO). Calle Del Mar Norte. 1 blk east of Hotel Fiesta. Off the the main drag.

;D
( make that hotel festival ):yes:

Bob H - 3-3-2014 at 10:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DocRey
Tacos Yaqui. Best in town (IMHO). Calle Del Mar Norte. 1 blk east of Hotel Fiesta. Off the the main drag.

;D


Absolutely!! Love this place. Not touristy at all, but very tasty, indeed. Must have a Tacos Perrones !

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150774-d107495...

willardguy - 3-3-2014 at 11:21 PM

Is there a local market with fish, meat, fruits and vegetables like we've visited in other Mexican cities? Is there a permanent Gringo community with perhaps an email group or something?
Is Spring Break going to be nuts?


both the mercado hidalgo and the 6th steet fish market are just a chip shot up the free road to tijuana, and spring break is mostly mexicans these days, glory daze are long gone!:yes:

grace59 - 3-4-2014 at 07:10 AM

Be sure to check out the Rosarito Beach Hotel...go inside, look around, have a drink. There are also some shops near there that sell artwork, leather etc. Go check out the shops on Artist Row. For breakfast I like Los Pelicanos. It has outdoor seating overlooking the beach, but is sheltered from the wind. Good food and friendly service.
http://www.lospelicanosrosarito.com/rosarito-beach/

And, yes, I like El Nido for dinner.

bc4me - 3-4-2014 at 09:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H

Run, run, run away, as fast as you can!! LOL :lol:



Bob, way to exaggerate. Keep that noggin of yours firmly buried in the sand.

David K - 3-4-2014 at 09:41 AM

Jeep? There is a road that crosses over to Hwy. 3 and passes some history... see my web page from April 2005 when we went from Hwy. 3 Valle las Palmas west to Hwy. 1 at Puerto Nuevo/Cantamar: http://vivabaja.com/305/

SFandH - 3-4-2014 at 09:42 AM

Paradise Cove, south of town overlooking the ocean is a good gringo bar with a nice pool table.

bajacalifornian - 3-4-2014 at 11:34 AM

Hey apple,


Learn the lay of the land: Take every Rosarito Exit and get back on. The toll road is Rosarito's rapid transit system.



Follow this treasure hunt:


Go find All the Pretty Horses of Baja.


Go find Cerro del Coronal i.e., http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=68343#pid8310...


Go find Rincon Tropical hotel Rosarito.


Go find Huahuatay. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=68308#pid8302...



Go find Plaza Monumental. See the Mexican group Zoe there, upcoming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h2ryr_uUEs


Find the birds, El Nido & Rosarito Beach Hotel.


From the patio at Fiesta, you can see The Boob House. Go find it.

dpwahoo - 3-4-2014 at 11:39 AM

Doc, Yes, tacos yaqui, and los cabos tacos for the fishy variety.:cool:

bajacalifornian - 3-4-2014 at 01:31 PM

Farmers Market (here once a month)

Saturday March 15, 12 - 5 p.m. Rosarito Beach Hotel


The Mariachi Divas (not to be missed), same day, same place, doors open at 6 p.m., $10 dollars.

BajaGeoff - 3-4-2014 at 02:33 PM

Check out Splash for live music and good Mexican/American food that is very reasonably priced....it's half a mile north of the Half Way House at the Cuenca Lechera exit off of the toll road and right on the water. For a nice dinner, Tapanco is a great option for steak and traditional Mexican food....it's about a mile south of the Rosarito Beach Hotel on the west side of the street.

From a Long Time Resident

Gypsy Jan - 3-4-2014 at 03:53 PM

For what it is worth.

For groceries, the Mega Comercial or the Walmart have the best selection and prices.

In town for Mexican style food ocean views there is Los Pelicanos on the beach near the Corona Hotel.

For excellent steaks and seafood, La Estancia a few blocks south, beautiful interior, but no ocean view.

El Pandita on Benito Juarez boulevard in mid-town serves pretty good Japanese food - just rolls and teriyaki chicken rice bowls (hubby lived in Japan and is picky about rice) - no sushi. It's literally a cart that has been backed into a mini-mall space. Only stools on the sidewalk.

And if you turn towards the ocean on the corner of the Banamex, there is a very small, mostly take-out restaurant serving Argentinian empanadas..

For seafood, Vince's Seafood Market and Restaurant, a very large, two-storu space with live lobster tanks a few blocks north of the Rosarito Beach Hotel on Benito Juarez Blvd, near the Festival Hotel on the same side of the street. The have full bar service.

Tacos Gerente, a couple of blocks north of Tacos Yacqui on the same side of the street, is run by Hugo, the original chef at Tacos Yacqui and we like it better.

There are two very good fish taco places named JR's (different ownership) down the free road about two miles.

A little bit farther south is Tapanco restaurant (same ownership as El Nido, but a bit less pricy) for ranch-raised, grass-fed steaks, lamb and quail cooked over a wood-burning fire.

Or go venture down to the Popotla fishing village next to the Fox Studios where "Titanic", "Master amd Commander" and "All is Lost" with Robert Redford was filmed.

Stay away from Cantamar/Primo Tapia - I want to keep those places for myself. :bounce:

[Edited on 3-5-2014 by Gypsy Jan]

sancho - 3-4-2014 at 04:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Does Rene's still allow the old expats at the end of the bar to pee in their pants without getting off the barstool






I've logged some time there, and that scenario is highly
possible, probably more so back in the day, the last
couple times I was in Rene's, it seems to lost the Old
Drunk Geezer crowd, I don't think anyone replaced
them, it did have it's days

DocRey - 3-4-2014 at 10:05 PM

Right, Festival. Thanks. How could I forget that? Last time I parked out front of it, my new Dodge Ram Hemi was kissed by a cement truck. Hit-&-bye-bye!:fire: I do believe in Karma;D

Russians??

bajaguy - 3-5-2014 at 06:50 AM

Don't we have a Nomad who lives at Las Olas????
************************
From ensenada.net

Article posted March 4, 2014
by Elizabeth Vargas

Two criminal suspects of Russian nationality belonging to a Eurasian criminal organization and who were wanted by international justice for trafficking in methamphetamine and stolen vehicle were arrested for the coordination of the International Liaison of the State Preventive Police (PEP) after deploying an operating a housing complex in Rosarito Beach.

The coordinator of the International Liaison of the PEP, Alfredo Arenas Moreno said they had information about the presence of the now detained in Baja California since the U.S. Department of New York Marshall had alerted the corporations border.

The first information released was that subjects were of Russian origin and belonged to a Eurasian international network dedicated to traffic methamphetamine and stolen vehicle who were in the United States, but being issued an arrest warrant fled to the border and crossed to Mexico to seek refuge.

"By having the data of criminals we conducted an analysis of intelligence about his possible escape route, which could be detected that would have been established on the coast of the body area," said Arenas Moreno.

He mentioned that in carrying out the exchange of information with U.S. authorities suspected name Shogenov Tlostanbi, 27 and Azat Oganessian, 41 years old, were it located in the residential complex "Las Olas y Sol" in Rosarito .

Arenas Moreno explained that once the suspects were located intervened corroborating their identity, so were immediately arrested and brought before the immigration authorities for deportation.

"The Eurasian criminal organizations conducted Illegal money laundering, arms and drug trafficking in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, although these subjects had already extended their criminal work of the American Union," he concluded.

TBcountry - 3-5-2014 at 08:30 AM

I am at Las Olas Grand....looks like they were at Las Olas Mar Y Sol. I was down this past weekend and this is the first I have heard of this