Thunderstorm low 77°F high 87°F
Chance of Storm low 75°F high 89°FBar, Cerveza, Place For a Beer, Margarita, Happy Hour, Karaoke, Hangover Remedy
BEST BAR
LA TERTULIA
Whether you know it as the “Bull Bar,” the “Bullfighter Bar” or by its full and proper name, La Tertulia, there’s no place like it, and for good reason. Let’s start with the prices: cheap, cheap and cheap. Beers are $10, all the time; shots of good tequilas and well-made, strong cocktails are well below the $50 mark. Then there’s the ambiance: stuffed bull heads loom above the tables crowded into the lower level, and upstairs it could be New Orleans, with high ceilings and a narrow (kinda scary) balcony that winds around the corner of Constitucion & Belisario. The walls are packed full of photos and posters of past bullfights, many featuring the handsome, funny and deservedly cocky Forcados Mazatlecos, several of whom work here, and whose debonair and hard-working cabo (captain) René Tirado keeps watch over the entire operation. Go on a slow afternoon, have a beer and Patas – the big guy – will be happy to explain the bullfights and give you a tour.
BEST HAPPY HOUR
HOTEL LAS FLORES
Legends are born, not made, and the Happy Hour every Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Hotel Las Flores in the Golden Zone continues to live a long and fruitful life, wooing and then satisfying thousands of us through the years. And the rumors are true: drinks are BIG and strong, they’re two-for-one (no fine print) – and chances are you don’t need very many to, umm, get your groove on. Just about the time you’ve finished a round or two, the band starts playing and before you know it you’ll be up there on the dance floor doin’ the Macarena or YMCA with 50 or so equally happy compadres. The bar opens onto the beach, with las tres islas seemingly just an arm’s length away, and there are tables indoors and out. It’s beautiful, it’s fun and hey, it’s only once a week, so why not?
BEST MARGARITA
LA CUEVA DEL LEÓN
Listen up, my friends. Manolo Cardona - aka Mané - at La Cueva del Leon in Olas Altas has old-school sensibilities when it comes to making the perfect margarita: simple, classic and timeless. Being from the land of tequila - the town of Amatitan in the state of Jalisco - he says you only need three ingredients: great tequila, fresh lime juice and Cointreau. Nada mas. Refreshing, delicious and, ahem, potent. Mané says if you ask him or his guapo bartender, Alejandro, they’ll tell you the recipe - or better yet, have ‘em make you a margarita and just observe closely. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched tables of folks order one round, then another, then another. There I sat, sipping my wine and wondering what the hubbub was all about. Well, now I know - and you should too.
BEST CERVEZA
PACÍFICO
Was this really even a contest? Could there be any other answer? Of course Pacifico is your favorite beer! Born, bred and brewed right here in Mazatlán, this lager’s smooth finish and honey-tone hops aroma is justly admired around the world. The brewery, a local icon, towers above the Mazatlán landscape, pumping out a daily sea of cerveza to slake the thirst of the masses. We’re more fortunate than most; we pay unimaginable rock-bottom prices all the time, and even have special sizes to assist us in our beer-drinking, um, habits. We’ve got bigger (“ballenas”), smaller (“cuartitos”) and more-per-package (Three cheers for ochitos, those handy 8-packs!) Pacifico’s got German roots and Mexican charm, the label a colorful collage that embodies the essence of Mazatlán itself. And the classic Mexican michelada – fresh lime juice, salted rim, ice cubes – tastes best when Pacifico’s the beer involved. I could go on and on, but you know, that feels like too much work. I think it’s time to relax and have a beer, don’t you? –BK,ML,BH
BEST PLACE FOR A BEER
PUERTO VIEJO
There are a handful of places in Mazatlán where crowds of ex-pats congregate, and apparently Puerto Viejo in Olas Altas is the most popular, especially when you’re ready for a cold one. Votes poured in naming PV as the “Best Place to Have a Beer,” many with comments written in as well. Having lived near enough to PV to observe said phenomenon, I have to concur: during the gringo season, we can be found there – lots and lots of us. Maybe it’s the ocean view (especially at sunset when the “green flash” causes first a momentary silence and then a collective exclamation); maybe it’s the friendly service (check out the “Best Waiter” on page 15), maybe it’s the cheap & plentiful cervezas, or maybe it’s the combination of all of the above, combined with the laid-back beach vibe of Olas Altas. Whatever the case, PV is THE happening spot. -TD
BEST KARAOKE
MR. ED’S KARAOKE
On Tuesday and Thursday evenings the voices of the locals, both gringo and Mexican, ring out from the open-air atmosphere of Puerto Viejo in Olas Altas. Mr. Ed’s Karaoke can be melodious and harmonious or off-key and comedic, but either way it’s always entertaining and well worth the time. Mr. Ed is the perfect host, treating all comers with an equal graciousness regardless of their vocal abilities. By about 9 p.m., after perusing the extensive song books and consuming enough liquid courage, brave (or foolhardy) patrons begin to give it a try. Both Ed and his wife Alison have good voices and fill in the spaces between the, ahem, enthusiastic participants. The combination of a well-organized presentation, a welcoming venue and the good-natured folks that come out to play have all contributed to make Mr. Ed’s Karaoke your favorite. -BK
BEST HANGOVER REMEDY
MENUDO
We’ve all been there (ahem): the morning after. Not pleasant, and often not pretty either. Whether there’s a trail of clothing strewn between your bedroom and the front door (oops), or you wake up on the couch still dressed from your big night out, sometimes the next day calls loudly for something to soothe the aching head, the torn-up stomach, that pressure behind your eyes, ugh. The standard remedy: a Bloody Mary, or, as many of you pointed out (rather gaily, I might add) more beer. But we’re in Mexico, folks, where drinking to the point of oblivion, (especially on Saturday nights after a six-day workweek) seems to be an art form, and thankfully what to do the morning after has its own special remedies as well. Ever wonder why menudo – that steaming hot, flavorful and pig-part-filled soup – is traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings, and is available 24 hours a day during Carnaval week? Duh! Personally, the snouts, ears and feet are a little much for me, so I request “no carne” and just have the broth. Your second favorite hangover remedy might be a little more palatable to our NOB stomachs: a good ol’ greasy hamburger with fries. You decide.
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