Our niece and BF were in town last week visiting from VA. Since we took her to Baja last year she's been wanting a return trip. We thought a stop at
Hussongs is almost a rite of passage for visitors to Baja, since its been around since 1892. On a Thursday afternoon we were the only tourists, and a
few locals sampling the cold beer. Didn't stop the band from staying for a few songs...............
bajadogs - 8-26-2014 at 08:56 PM
Thanks Ken. It's good to know familiar places are still waiting for me. Hussong's is always a great time. Great Pix.bajabuddha - 8-26-2014 at 09:41 PM
Which Hussongs though? Last I stopped and visited, there were about 14 different stores, bars, shoppes, clothing outlets, trinket sales (with logo on
everything) and that was several years before. Yes, have had 2 - 3 visits to the original bar, a few Sangre De Maria's, but never in the late
hours... my loss I admit. Saw the T-chirts in the early '80s before I visited Baja, glad to have trod the ol' warped floor.
Cruise Shippers still love it, if they remember that is. Last time there we got followed half a block by a less-than-reputable character asking if
we wanted to 'score' sumpin'.... even the ''NO, gracias w/ finger-wave didn't deter: he promised if i'd front him, he'd return with the goods. Now,
fellow story-followers, this is irrefutable proof I'M NOT AS DUMB AS I APPARENTLY LOOK!!
Anyway, that's my Hussong's story. Neat place, and if walls could talk, you'd need a whole library.watizname - 8-26-2014 at 10:41 PM
Gotta admit. I killed a few braincells there when I was young. I'm pretty sure I had some great times there. chuckie - 8-27-2014 at 06:49 AM
I loved Hussongs!!!! First visit in 1956, aint the same,but have returned many times..... amazing article in Playboy, long time back..by Dan? somebody
who summed it up....Hussongs is in a force field of sorts, which once entered, causes insanity ( Paraphrased) AH YES....them wuz the days....tripledigitken - 8-27-2014 at 09:45 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajadogs
Thanks Ken. It's good to know familiar places are still waiting for me. Hussong's is always a great time. Great Pix.
Thanks dogs! We all had fun.willardguy - 8-27-2014 at 09:58 AM
interesting contrast don't you think, hussongs that's remained the same for decades and that stainless steel euro-trash looking disco nightclub right
next door! a little history, hussongs was originally on the corner that was always the old papas n beer thats now moved across the street. progress
I suppose TMW - 8-27-2014 at 10:10 AM
We were asked to leave once for being to routy. Oh well.StuckSucks - 8-27-2014 at 10:15 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by TW
We were asked to leave once for being to routy. Oh well.
At Houssong's, that's saying something.Cliffy - 8-27-2014 at 10:46 AM
Worked for a guy many years ago (he died many years ago also) who got married at Hussongs and the old man was his Best Man at the wedding. This guy
also owned all of Searchlight, Nevada at one time.willardguy - 8-27-2014 at 11:06 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Cliffy
Worked for a guy many years ago (he died many years ago also) who got married at Hussongs and the old man was his Best Man at the wedding. This guy
also owned all of Searchlight, Nevada at one time.
is that where the bridesmaids came from? bet he died with a smile on his face?DanO - 8-27-2014 at 11:14 AM
A number of years ago on a bar hopping tour of Ensenada with friends, we hit Hussongs late in the evening. Everybody was already pretty fueled up,
and my buddy Jack had one too many shots and staggered out for some fresh air. We walked out about half an hour later to find Jack sitting on the
curb outside, head in hands, puking the last of his guts out. Seated right next to him was a woman in exactly the same situation. One of my friends
remarked, "Hey, looks like Jack's got himself a new girlfriend!" Ah, good times.sancho - 8-27-2014 at 11:14 AM
Quote:
Thanks dogs! We all had fun.
There's truth in that, 1st time for me in Hussongs was '70 or so,
walked in one Sat. in july, a while back 6 people inside, while Papas
and Beer, or whatever is across the st./next door was filled with
Cruise Shippers. The place looked a lot smaller that I rememberbajacalifornian - 8-27-2014 at 11:34 AM
I sat with an old actor, in Hussong's, that lived on a sailboat. He'd entertain a guy like me for drinks. About 1976.
He taught me a limerick that is totally unsuitable for this particular spot. Perhaps with changes, it can slide without my decapitation. It went:
"On the bridge stood the bishop of buckingham, thinking of sits and of tucking them. Watching the stunts of the what do you call 'ems in the punts,
and the tricks of the fricks that were pucking them".
He was a real Baja character . . .Bob H - 8-28-2014 at 07:19 AM
My first time at Hussongs was in 1985. I remember that the walls were completely covered with business cards back then. Have been back many, many
times since! Gonna be back there this weekend !!!!!
Phil C - 8-28-2014 at 08:24 AM
Used to go into Hussongs when we were camping and surfing at 3 m's back in the early seventys. Where the fish plant is now. When an attractive young
lady would go into the restroom,they would rig up a platter of glasses and attach it to the door somehow, so that it would fall and make a huge noise
when the door opened and the gal came out. Always got a good laugh. Always remember the smell of the cleaner mixed with sawdust on the floor, and
characters. I still go in when I'm kicking around Ensanada.Vince - 8-28-2014 at 08:42 AM
During the early 1950's the Newport to Ensenada race sailed on the same weekend as Cinco de Mayo. The sailors were ready to party that weekend every
year. Hussongs was the place to meet. The 1954 weekend was no exception, many of us were in the bar celebrating when two Mexican cowboys rode into
the bar on their horses and joined us. Man, that was chaos! Tables and chairs with pitchers of beer were being tossed around by the horses. All in
good nature, no one got kicked out, the vaqueros left on their own and we continued. Thanks for the photos and memories.David K - 8-28-2014 at 09:10 AM
Great stories!
The bar dates back to the gold mining days. I met Walt Hussong (great-grandson of the first Walt?) in 2003 at my Viva Baja #4 party. Very nice man,
and invited me to have future parties at his hot springs ranch in San Carlos Canyon.chuckie - 8-28-2014 at 10:34 AM
Hussongs was actually founded by John (Johann) Hussong, born in Germany in1863. Immigrated to the US in 1888, Mexico in 1889. He ran Meiigs Bar for
about a year, then bought the Southern Lane Stage Stop building and opened John Hussongs Bar in 1892. The bar has remained in that location since it
opened. It has liquor licence 002. Richard (Ricardo) Hussong is the present owner..Don Carlos Orozco is credited for creating the Margarita there,
named after the Daughter of the German Ambassador or such...sancho - 8-28-2014 at 11:44 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Phil C
Used to go into Hussongs when we were camping and surfing at 3 m's back in the early seventys
3 m's, that is going back a ways, used to be a guy weaving baskets at the entrance, then the nitely firework fights, not a
smart thing to do. Anybody remember an Old Gringo Coot in Hussongs, early '80's, called himself Ensenada Papa?, kinda
played a guitar to the amusement of bar goersvandenberg - 8-28-2014 at 12:24 PM
Hussong's was the "in" place to go for gringos in the 70's and 80's.
Spend a few hours there getting blitzed.
Big margies with cheap booze.
You guys do know that there is one in Vegas also.
In the shopping area of the Mandalay Bay resort.
Not quite the same, but not bad.BajaBlanca - 8-28-2014 at 01:16 PM
Is it owned by the same Hussong family of Ensenada? Did they license out the name?chuckie - 8-28-2014 at 01:23 PM
It is in fact owned by the same group..There have been others....They are easy to tell from the originals....Close your eyes, take a deep breath..They
don't smell the same....You notice I said "group"=corporation....Quintas Papagallo? Dunno if that's still part of it all.
[Edited on 8-28-2014 by chuckie]bajabuddha - 8-28-2014 at 01:34 PM
I think they're almost as franchised-out as Elvis (the REAL one). bajacalifornian - 8-28-2014 at 01:36 PM
My Suegro's mom was a cook for the Hussong family. His stories included trips to
Ensenada from San Diego in a Chrysler Airflow. Great stuff. His father, my wife's
grandfather, waited on the front porch Hussong's for his dad.DanO - 8-28-2014 at 01:38 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Close your eyes, take a deep breath..They don't smell the same....
Their bathrooms sure as hell don't smell the same. I made the mistake of going into the Ensenada Hussong's bathroom late on a busy night. That was
the fastest u-turn I have ever made. chuckie - 8-28-2014 at 01:47 PM
There ya go! When were you in the one in Vegas?vandenberg - 8-28-2014 at 02:21 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
There ya go! When were you in the one in Vegas?
About 4 to 5 years ago.chuckie - 8-28-2014 at 02:34 PM
Well, it opened in 2010, give it a chance...perhaps the bathrooms will reach the quality level of the original....one can only hope...DanO - 8-28-2014 at 04:22 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
Well, it opened in 2010, give it a chance...perhaps the bathrooms will reach the quality level of the original....one can only hope...
I'm fairly certain that if that ever occurs, the Southern Nevada Health District will shut them down.chuckie - 8-28-2014 at 05:17 PM
Really? For an upgrade?LancairDriver - 8-29-2014 at 10:12 PM
Recognize anyone in this hazy photo? Gotta be a Nomad or two there somewhere.
LancairDriver - 8-29-2014 at 10:25 PM
Here's another one. Guy at the card table with his back in the picture kinda resembles Skeet.
JAG - 8-30-2014 at 07:12 AM
Hussongs Cantina: Does anyone remember back in the 60's An old man that had a wooden box about the size of 2 cigar boxes that had a battery inside
with two wires coming out attached to 2 metal bars. You paid him a couple of Pesos and he would turn the knob up on the box until you couldn't take
anymore pain.DENNIS - 8-30-2014 at 07:18 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by JAG
Hussongs Cantina: Does anyone remember back in the 60's An old man that had a wooden box about the size of 2 cigar boxes that had a battery inside
with two wires coming out attached to 2 metal bars. You paid him a couple of Pesos and he would turn the knob up on the box until you couldn't take
anymore pain.
There was more than one. Macho Masochism was a popular bar activity in those days.
Are they gone?chuckie - 8-30-2014 at 07:30 AM
I think so, they are gone...One was a hand crank telephone with a hot and a ground What a kicker! Now a days, someone would pay to try it and then
sue....Tioloco - 8-30-2014 at 07:55 AM
Was an old jewel in San Felipe with the crank up shocker a few years ago downtown. Fun stuff.monoloco - 8-30-2014 at 09:12 AM
Nice photos Ken, the b&w really works for the series.tripledigitken - 8-30-2014 at 04:32 PM
Thanks monoloco!
Harry Reid?
neilm81301 - 8-30-2014 at 07:15 PM
??
Quote:
Originally posted by Cliffy
Worked for a guy many years ago (he died many years ago also) who got married at Hussongs and the old man was his Best Man at the wedding. This guy
also owned all of Searchlight, Nevada at one time.
