During the roaring twenties, Tijuana became non-stop action. Americans flooded the tiny border town during probation to gamble and drink. By the 50s and 60s its reputation was known all over for it strip joints, floor shows and cheap bars and beer. It became folklore of wide reputations and spawned many wild stories of bars like Sans Souci, Redd Fox (the place where the comedian Redd Fox started) Clubs Unicorn, Aloha and Bambi. The Donkey Show was born in TJ … and yes, it is true. However, drinks were outrageous in these places. A 6-ounce bottled ‘unknown’ beer cost $1 and it always came open. Gee … could it be they kept refilling the empties?
But TJ was also known for, the famed Long Bar. Oh yes!!!
The bar was the full length of the place. It was the width of a football field if not more and elbow room only. The noise level was always high of slamming shooters down and Mexican music. At the end was a 12 foot surfboard that hung high on the back wall, whoever could power down 24 shots of Tequila and climb up the wall and untie the ropes could have it.
Since the drinking age of Mexico was 18, it became the spot for kids that were not 21. If you looked 18, you could cross the border. However, TJ cops hated the pot smoking long hairs, so one had to pin their hair up and stuff it under a baseball cap to enter even if it only touched your ears. Brilcream, (A Little Dab Will Do You), was used to slick the hair back, which was still cool, since it had not quite gone out of style yet.
Walking down the main drag on a Friday or Saturday night, Revolucion was like old west, street fights were common, people were trying to sell you everything from a fake silver ring – to their sister, and almost all the cops were on the take. A $5 bribe was the common price for getting out of going to jail if you were caught being drunk and disorderly.
A pitcher of beer and a shot of cheap tequila was $1. Sawdust packed the corners, and very sticky wooden booths and tables were gouged with initials of those that had to leave a remembrance they were there. It was not a place for women unless you were of the social type. And even that, most were to scared to enter. A carnie hacker was always outside, shoving people inside.
For a buck, one could get a picture like you see above.
The restroom, all I can say, the smell gagged you walking in. A long tile trough with a few rusty pipes dripped a dark-brown water to flush the gallons of urine that was being discharged every second. An old man sat in the corner (restroom valet) that always had a toothless smile with flies buzzing around his head sold gum by the piece, scented colored water and paper towels by the 1/2 piece. Yes he would take a paper towel, rip it in half (that cost 2 cents) and that was what you dried your hands off with or the pants were just as good. A nickel got you a piece of gum and a splash of scented water before you headed back across the border.
Yeah … like the US Immigrations officials didn’t know where you had been when they asked you, “Got anything to declare?”
“Surrrre officerrrr, a gallon of watered down peeeee” Chuckle, puke, chuckle chuckled, puke…
Obviously, the Long Bar was a favorite of Mac Meda’s second decade of Meda Eaters.
I am looking for any old photos of TJ during the early and mid 1960s. I was one of the ‘crazies’ from CV that frequented TJ mostly in 1963, 1964, and 1965. My hunts were the Long Bar, El Patio, Hotel Nelson, Jungle Club, Aloha Club, Mikes A Go Go, well, everywhere. My CV friends and I did literately everything in TJ. TJ was one BIG ‘fun house’ for us. Please contact me if you have any old photos from TJ. Thanks!
Same thing happened to a friend, except they made him watch the entire movie before he could leave.
Went to Orange Coast Collage in “67 – “68. Lived on the beach in Newport (Sept to June} then back to Joliet, IL to work construction so we could go back in Sept. But every 2-3 weeks it was back to TJ on Friday night starting out at the Long Bar, then maybe on to the Chicago Club or the Black Cat (saw some strange stuff in there!). Back across the border usually to sleep it off in the back of Joe’s van. Memories are bit foggy but I’ll never forget crazy times in TJ!
To those that responded to my original post. Thanks! Now in my 70’s I probably would fall asleep by 9pm and miss the action. But that was a special time in all of our lives back in the 60’s. Later years I used to go to the Unicorn club in the 90’s before Jai Li at the Fronton. Everything that was “special” is now gone but then again that probably is the best. But please post your memories as for us old OC guys it keeps us young.
Peace
1977- we hailed out if Huntington Beach, CA and we enjoyed stuffing as many drinks into our cars and driving to Tijuana. Spent many nights at the Long Bar with my questionable friends. 5 shots of tequila and 5 glasses of beer for $5.00- guess I was lucky my friends liked me as they always carried me back across the boarder to go home.
We were down there one time with Nicky Rodriguez. After drinking copious amounts, the crowd sort of moved outside onto Revolución, at which point we found ourselves surrounded by Federales. After Nicky introduced himself and explained that we were just peace-loving beach folk from La Jolla, and just having a good time, the circle of Federales suddenly widened., and we went on our way…
Great article yes yes yes my memories of the Long Bar and especially of the blue fox the analogy of it being like the old Wild West is so true. I used to sneak across the border in the trunk of older guys cars and when I get there add mascara my peach fuzz mustache it was a real growing up experience back then and every time after that period first time my first initiation the guys said that that I could come with them whenever they came to Tijuana but I had to eat pussy at the Blue Fox turned out to be a fun experience for sure. So I guess that was about 1960 Tijuana was kind of addictive for me back in the old days like that. I remember the accuracy of the guys saying $5 would get you out of any trouble you were in this was quite true. Over the early years of my life the first 40 anyway I was a regular and Tijuana even was a part-time interpreter assistant manager at the California Club and hung out with a gang of roving peacekeepers in the bars they was a bunch of badasses for sure I’m mostly Middleman weed deals back then. That was down in the neighborhood they call her la coahuila where we did the dealing. True about the donkey show where we did the dealing with a few blocks from there and man distinct from that place was terrible. I’m talking more about when I was like 18 and 19 I guess 17 when I was 15 and green and a pretty boy Tijuana was so much fun
Reliving memories from the Long Bar, 1967, used to hang out there. My initials of PJ are carved in the wooden top of the bar. I believe I was walking into this bar when this picture was taken, I believe I’m the guy in the striped shirt in the background. Never the less, the good times still linger of underage drinking, consuming gallons of Mexicali and Supremo.
Next to the funny mirror in the Long Bar in ’62 was a window where you could order tamales. Learned the hard way that the pits were not removed from the olive inside the tamale. Outside one of the bars was the infamous Johnny Hot Nuts in a zoot suit calling out to the roving sailors. “Hey sailor come on inside. Take a look, take a leak, take a peek. Look don’t touch. You want to see the pussy clap your hands!”