BajaNomad

Hussong's Cantina

turtlegrl61 - 1-20-2022 at 07:06 PM

Can anyone tell me if Hussong's Cantina is open these days with COVID? The best margs i've ever had were at Hussong's and the Serenidad Hotel. Hoping to bring back some old memories.

westafricancaptain - 1-21-2022 at 08:24 AM

Memories of Hussongs. Hmmm... OK, how bout in 69 when I was 16/17 yrs old and you could cross with a permit to drive. We would camp and surf San Miguel. Go to Hussongs. A guy in the bar would give you 2 steel rods to hold on to that were wired onto a battery on his back. Being smashed on tequila and beer you got the nerve to try. He then starts to crank it up and you can't let go. Your arms uncontrollable contort to your chest till you cry uncle. Raucous as hell crowd. Guy with a new Norton Commando doing burn outs out front. Crowd jeering, packed house. Remember also when the bombaros came in the back door with a firehose on Cinco de Mayo. We didn't know it but they closed down the town, and forced us all out into the street. Found myself in the middle of a "mosh pit" out front. Lost my friends. Next thing I see this dude next to me throw a bottle at a cop on a horse, and he got clubbed. Made it out to the chicken restaurant that had all the chickens on the spickets turning in the window, and caught a ride back to San Miguel.

larryC - 1-21-2022 at 08:34 AM

Good times at Hussongs. Yes they are open now.

mtgoat666 - 1-21-2022 at 08:41 AM

Buy a t-shirt. Take a selfie for Instagram. Tell your story on Snapchat.

westafricancaptain - 1-21-2022 at 08:44 AM

Goat, thanks! I needed that to feel better. Jeez what a sourpuss.
I just took Nomad off my bookmark list.
Hate being pounced on for nothing.
Bye

[Edited on 1-21-2022 by westafricancaptain]

Don Pisto - 1-21-2022 at 09:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by westafricancaptain  
Memories of Hussongs. Hmmm... OK, how bout in 69 when I was 16/17 yrs old and you could cross with a permit to drive. We would camp and surf San Miguel. Go to Hussongs. A guy in the bar would give you 2 steel rods to hold on to that were wired onto a battery on his back. Being smashed on tequila and beer you got the nerve to try. He then starts to crank it up and you can't let go. Your arms uncontrollable contort to your chest till you cry uncle. Raucous as hell crowd. Guy with a new Norton Commando doing burn outs out front. Crowd jeering, packed house. Remember also when the bombaros came in the back door with a firehose on Cinco de Mayo. We didn't know it but they closed down the town, and forced us all out into the street. Found myself in the middle of a "mosh pit" out front. Lost my friends. Next thing I see this dude next to me throw a bottle at a cop on a horse, and he got clubbed. Made it out to the chicken restaurant that had all the chickens on the spickets turning in the window, and caught a ride back to San Miguel.


yeah back then the shock boxes were everywhere and a trip into town wasn't the same without a chicken dinner at El Charo! only change to Hussongs now is they spruced up the bano's!

100X - 1-21-2022 at 09:24 AM

WAC, he was not directing that at you, it was at the OP (still not cool though, especially to a new Nomad). He is trying and has been more helpful lately. Lets send him warm thoughts.

My brother was involved in a pretty big mess at Hussongs in the late 60's or early 70's. I don't really have the details but I don't think he got arrested.

mtgoat666 - 1-21-2022 at 10:05 AM

Quote: Originally posted by westafricancaptain  
Goat, thanks! I needed that to feel better. Jeez what a sourpuss.
I just took Nomad off my bookmark list.
Hate being pounced on for nothing.
Bye

[Edited on 1-21-2022 by westafricancaptain]


Huh?

I was obscurely pointing out that the bar is today a tourist attraction, crowded with cruise ship visitors and other tourists.

Don Pisto - 1-21-2022 at 10:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by westafricancaptain  
Goat, thanks! I needed that to feel better. Jeez what a sourpuss.
I just took Nomad off my bookmark list.
Hate being pounced on for nothing.
Bye

[Edited on 1-21-2022 by westafricancaptain]


Huh?

I was obscurely pointing out that the bar is today a tourist attraction, crowded with cruise ship visitors and other tourists.


actually Hussongs is wildly popular with the locals, tourist flock to Papas and Beer next door.

A selfie at Hussong's "then"

Don Jorge - 1-21-2022 at 10:20 AM

was a pencil and charcoal portrait drawn by Valdez. If your girlfriend was pretty her likeness went on the wall.

Anyone remember the nest door taco stand and their "beano conos"?

El Charro was great and remained great for many, many years.

Cinco de mayo back "then" was wild and usually ended out on the streets in full on party mode and eventually getting chased out of town by fire hoses at full blast. A trip later back into town to bail out jailed friends was usually on the itinerary also.

And yes, they are open for business, same sawdust and diesel smell but much, much cleaner bathrooms. Also, "Chorty" is no longer shining shoes there. He retired a few years back.

Larry C said it well, "Good times!"

[Edited on 1-21-2022 by Don Jorge]

El Charo Ensenada

John M - 1-21-2022 at 10:25 AM

The restaurant with the chicken on spits is still operating. The original burned about 10 years ago - they reopened across Lopez Mateos - new place is much larger, still great chicken!



John M

BajaTed - 1-21-2022 at 12:23 PM

Circa 1970- A Hussong's baptism was the best, get so drunk you roll on the floor and then your friends cover you in sawdust and pour beer on you for a good coating. :bounce:
End of the night go eat fish tacos cooked on the top of a hydraulic oil barrel. :biggrin:
Sleep by the net dry tower in the fish market parking lot and go fishing in the morning on the boat named the "DD", The captain had the best hangover cure (another story):coolup:

TMW - 1-21-2022 at 04:10 PM

In the mid-80s we took a friend to Baja for his bachelor party. We stopped in at Hussong's and were so rowdy they asked us to leave. As to their margaritas I've had good ones and bad ones there, not the best.

TMW - 1-21-2022 at 04:16 PM

In my opinion if you want a good margarita go to the Corona hotel bar in Ensenada, Pete's camp in San Felipe (ask for a bit of brandy on top) or the bar at Cielito Lindo. Cielito Lindo has the strongest.

sancho - 1-21-2022 at 05:50 PM

Anyone remember an old coot, (now I am one), named
Ensenada Papa, straw hat, would attempt to sing with his
guitar standing in front of the fireplace in Hussongs?
Stopped by there a couple yrs. back, hadn't been there
in 20+ yrs., was surprised how small the place looked

Don Jorge - 1-22-2022 at 02:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John M  
The restaurant with the chicken on spits is still operating. The original burned about 10 years ago - they reopened across Lopez Mateos - new place is much larger, still great chicken!

John M


Yes they are still open and good as ever. One of the reasons for the quality of El Charro is they still use poultry raised and processed in Mexico. It would be cheaper for them to import poultry from the USA but it is not the same quality.

They buy their poultry from the Mexican company Bachoco. Bachoco still adds marigold flowers to the poultry feed ration which the USA does not use. The marigold petals provide the deep orange color seen in the photo John M posted and they are also act as a strong antioxidant which helps keep the flock healthy.

As the final difference between good and great tasting poultry Bachoco also raises their poultry to 8-9 weeks of age before harvest. This is several weeks longer than is customary in the USA. This longer grow out time allows more flavor, ie fat, to develop. The kicker is they still use wood as the flame source too. End result, great rotisserie poultry.

And yes I remember Pappy and yes we are mostly old coots here now too.

turtlegrl61 - 1-23-2022 at 11:21 AM

Yes time has changed so many things...and Hussong's may be a tourist attraction now but gotta say I was there for New Years 2019 and it was packed with locals dressed to the 9's! Such a raging party! My first visit to Hussong's was 1981 and I enjoy going back tourists and all. I'm a tourist....your (likely)a tourist....I personally loved the story shared and pictures too. Plan is some time north of La Paz and south of Guerrero Negro. Thanks nomads, oldtourtisegrl


dravnx - 1-26-2022 at 08:18 AM

I was in Hussongs for a beer 2 nights ago. There were only a few tourists, including me and my buddy, inside. Most of the patrons appeared to be Mexican citizens. While they could have been tourists, they didn't look like they came off a cruise ship. This has been my experience every time I've ever been there.

Alan - 1-26-2022 at 09:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Buy a t-shirt. Take a selfie for Instagram. Tell your story on Snapchat.
Oh My??? Hussongs has become a tourist bar??? There was never any gringos in there back in the late 60's and 70's!!! ROFLMAO

Thank you to all of you who shared your stories. They brought back so many great memories

StuckSucks - 1-26-2022 at 10:18 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Jorge  

They buy their poultry from the Mexican company Bachoco. Bachoco still adds marigold flowers to the poultry feed ration which the USA does not use. The marigold petals provide the deep orange color seen in the photo John M posted and they are also act as a strong antioxidant which helps keep the flock healthy.

As the final difference between good and great tasting poultry Bachoco also raises their poultry to 8-9 weeks of age before harvest. This is several weeks longer than is customary in the USA. This longer grow out time allows more flavor, ie fat, to develop. The kicker is they still use wood as the flame source too. End result, great rotisserie poultry.

And yes I remember Pappy and yes we are mostly old coots here now too.


Great info, thanks! Yep, El Charro makes some great chicken dinners -- have been there many times.

David K - 1-26-2022 at 11:17 AM

I never stepped foot in Hussong's (or most any other cantina), in cities. I do my drinking mostly at my own camp around the campfire.

Ya, I am weird! LOL

Salsa - 1-31-2022 at 12:50 PM

In the early 70's, a friend of mine got a ticket late one night for watering the bushes across the street from Hussongs.

Don