Hong Kong Club Reports

[Captain Solo]

Most food carts in Tijuana are owner operated, but a few popular ones, like the HK tacos stand, employ many workers.

I can usually eat only 1 20-peso taco al pastor or 1 cup of birria soup, but I would put all my left over coins into the apron of worker serving me, most times about 2 x or 3 x the taco's price. That usually results in a taco with 2 x or 3 x the normal amount of the seared meat, delicious, not that I can eat that much.

The tacos stand would give a few soup refills free. But occasionally propinas would bring you extra birria in the soup.

[Phordphan]

Perhaps I've been lucky with the bartender each time, but Tropical might be an exception. When I receive two beers for 72 pesos, I tip 8 pesos. The bartenders don't jump for joy over it, but they're appreciative. A few have even given off a vibe that had a faint feeling of respect kind of akin to they know that I know. I'll explain. A Mexican national buddy of mine who has lived in CDMX and Monterrey once scolded me when I tipped 20% at a restaurant. He told me locals tip in the range of 10-15% and the higher end of that only if the service is amazing. Another Mexican national buddy who has lived in Guadalajara, Tijuana and CDMX said the same thing. In fact, we went to a nice restaurant me, him and another dude and when the bill came it was around 4400. After my buddy meticulously checked the bill, I gave the mesero my card and when he handed the credit card machine back to me, there was a prompt to enter tip amount so I asked my buddy what he would tip to which he replied 550. I entered the amount and handed the machine back to the mesero who had a very normal reaction. He printed a copy for me and we left. Coming back full circle to Tropical, an 8 peso tip on 72 is in line with 550 on 4400, especially when you consider the latter was at a high end restaurant. I get that many of us live in parts of America where 20% is the norm, 25% is a good tip, and 15% is being a Cheap Charlie, but check that shit at Pedwest before importing that insanity to a country not our own.

Yes, 10% - 15% is about right for most places. I always ask my GF about it and that's the amount she usually specifies. Small mom and pop places you don't tip anything, or just the coins left over from the change. Now I know I overtip in nice places in Tijuana, mainly because I want to encourage the good waiters. Traditionally good wait staff is very difficult to find in Mexico because it's long been looked down upon as a menial occupation. I was once asked why I wanted to tip so much. They guy brings a plate of food to the table. How hard can that be? But a good waiter is far more than that and I think they should be encouraged. But that's my idiosyncrasy and I know that when I tip 20% it's definitely on the high side.

In bars and clubs I tip 10 pesos per round. Period. Unless the guy does something extra special or I don't have change. Then it might be 20 pesos. I do find that bartenders seem to appreciate tips more than pinche zona norte meseros.

[Jinxx]

Standard tip in all Zona putas bars is $1 dls per round.

And your tip about setting a tone with your mesero, how can that work? Seems like you'd have to set the tone with all 50 meseros that are working because they are not assigned specific tables or areas to work. They all roam freely so setting the tone with 1 mesero will basically do nothing.

Let me say one thing. If you're a regular in the Zona, you'd been ripped off. There may be a vets on here claiming that they've never been ripped off. They're dead wrong. They've been ripped off but never realized it. If you've paid in pesos in CC while the x-rate was 19:1, you've been ripped off. And if you've ficha'd a chica in HK and paid in pesos, you've been ripped off. Allow me to explain El Arte de la Estafa:

This fine art has been passed down from generation to generation of meseros in Zona Norte. The meseros trade tips on how to rip off mongers. Here's how they do it at HK. Meseros realize that gringo mongers are accustomed to paying and receiving change in dollars. Along with the fact that HK's prices are based in dollars and not pesos, this makes meseros hesitant to perpetrate scams in dollars. For example, you buy a beer and a ficha. $4 + $9 = $13. You pay with a $20 and your change is $7. The math is too easy and even most drunk mongers can figure it out.

When gringos start paying in pesos, that is when meseros start licking their chops. The math gets much more complicated. You buy a beer and ficha and pay in pesos. $72 + $162 = $234. You pay with a $500 note and your change is $266. Many mongers won't be able to convert the prices to pesos, add them in their head, then calculate their change. This becomes dramatically more challenging once you've had a few drinks. And becomes near impossible when you add a topless puta grinding on top of you. The meseros know this, and this is when they strike. When you're ficha'ing a puta and paying in pesos, your chance of getting ripped off increases dramatically. The meseros are counting on you not being able to do the math in your head and getting distracted by the puta and not caring or counting your change. You will also notice the meseros will include in your change an exorbitant amount of coins, much more than usual. This is because they know that many mongers, when seated with a chica, don't want to appear like a cheapskate and grab and count every coin. After all, you must count all your change in order to realize you've been ripped off. And the harder / longer they make it for you to count your change, the higher the likelihood of a successful rip-off. I've been a well-known presence in HK for almost 10 years and meseros still try to pull this scam on me on the rare occasions that I actually buy fichas.

This is why I advise newbies to just use dollars when paying for drinks. Yes, if there were no scamming you will save money by paying in pesos. But those savings will easily be negated and then some by all the times you'll get ripped off.

It depends how busy they are if you have the same mesero or not. I've had times in Chicago's where my mesero stayed camped out right by my table anticipating my every move waiting on me hand and foot. At first I found it annoying like this guy's trying to milk me for everything he can get out of me, but then I figured hell I'm a VIP I got my own personal attendant at my beckon call LOL. Actually one night that happened I ended up having one of the most mind-blowing arribas I've ever had with this chica from Rosarito who I forget her name but HOLY SH#T we fucked like wild beasts. Whoo that was a profound experience I'll never forget, man! Not that the mesero had anything to do with that but just saying LOL.

Or if you actually WANT to only deal with that same mesero you can just wait until he comes back around, which totally depends on the situation. I'm usually riding solo so I'm not a big spender compared to say a group of four gringos from out of town celebrating a birthday or bachelor party. Obviously the mesero's going to focus on whoever's putting more money in his pocket. It might depend on the chica too, some times they have their preferred meseros who they scratch each other's backs.

And yes the nickel and diming happens when you pay in pesos. Unless you're rain man or you don't mind looking like an asshole pulling out your phone calculator each time you order a round you'll probably never realize it.

[AmorPorFavor]

Perhaps I've been lucky with the bartender each time, but Tropical might be an exception. When I receive two beers for 72 pesos, I tip 8 pesos. The bartenders don't jump for joy over it, but they're appreciative. A few have even given off a vibe that had a faint feeling of respect kind of akin to they know that I know. I'll explain. A Mexican national buddy of mine who has lived in CDMX and Monterrey once scolded me when I tipped 20% at a restaurant. He told me locals tip in the range of 10-15% and the higher end of that only if the service is amazing. Another Mexican national buddy who has lived in Guadalajara, Tijuana and CDMX said the same thing. In fact, we went to a nice restaurant me, him and another dude and when the bill came it was around 4400. After my buddy meticulously checked the bill, I gave the mesero my card and when he handed the credit card machine back to me, there was a prompt to enter tip amount so I asked my buddy what he would tip to which he replied 550. I entered the amount and handed the machine back to the mesero who had a very normal reaction. He printed a copy for me and we left. Coming back full circle to Tropical, an 8 peso tip on 72 is in line with 550 on 4400, especially when you consider the latter was at a high end restaurant. I get that many of us live in parts of America where 20% is the norm, 25% is a good tip, and 15% is being a Cheap Charlie, but check that shit at Pedwest before importing that insanity to a country not our own.

Can anybody tell me: are all the beers in HK priced at $4? I think I was paying more for Bohemia's but with all the pussy and drinks going down can't remember. I always tip the meseros $1 for my beer or a ficha. Also $1 for the guy who puts the robe on the chica. When I was in Cartagena almost all the restaurants added on a 10% service charge. I asked the chicas I was with if that was enough to leave and they said yes. I always put in a little more cash to make it 15% because the service was always good and I was eating and drinking great stuff for half the price of San Diego.

[Duncan216]

Standard tip in all Zona putas bars is $1 dls per round.

And your tip about setting a tone with your mesero, how can that work? Seems like you'd have to set the tone with all 50 meseros that are working because they are not assigned specific tables or areas to work. They all roam freely so setting the tone with 1 mesero will basically do nothing.

Let me say one thing. If you're a regular in the Zona, you'd been ripped off. There may be a vets on here claiming that they've never been ripped off. They're dead wrong. They've been ripped off but never realized it. If you've paid in pesos in CC while the x-rate was 19:1, you've been ripped off. And if you've ficha'd a chica in HK and paid in pesos, you've been ripped off. Allow me to explain El Arte de la Estafa:

This fine art has been passed down from generation to generation of meseros in Zona Norte. The meseros trade tips on how to rip off mongers. Here's how they do it at HK. Meseros realize that gringo mongers are accustomed to paying and receiving change in dollars. Along with the fact that HK's prices are based in dollars and not pesos, this makes meseros hesitant to perpetrate scams in dollars. For example, you buy a beer and a ficha. $4 + $9 = $13. You pay with a $20 and your change is $7. The math is too easy and even most drunk mongers can figure it out..

I use to get drinks a lot at HK. It would seem the "meseros tax" would go higher and higher every time I went (I always paid in pesos). I just stopped getting drinks there and avoiding the meseros. Maybe if you don't complain, they just keep increasing the tax until you do?

I'll try with dollars next time.

[LivingFossil]

Alright, let make bets. When will HK reopen? I want to arrive to Tijuana a day early, haha.

Imma say May 1st?

[LuvMexicanas]

You will find that in smaller towns, and in Tijuana outside of the gringo-centric areas, service is much better and smaller tips are far more appreciated. The overall service in the ZN and other gringo-fied areas is piss-poor. There are exceptions, but they tend to be just that.

Perhaps I've been lucky with the bartender each time, but Tropical might be an exception. When I receive two beers for 72 pesos, I tip 8 pesos. The bartenders don't jump for joy over it, but they're appreciative. A few have even given off a vibe that had a faint feeling of respect kind of akin to they know that I know. I'll explain. A Mexican national buddy of mine who has lived in CDMX and Monterrey once scolded me when I tipped 20% at a restaurant. He told me locals tip in the range of 10-15% and the higher end of that only if the service is amazing. Another Mexican national buddy who has lived in Guadalajara, Tijuana and CDMX said the same thing. In fact, we went to a nice restaurant me, him and another dude and when the bill came it was around 4400. After my buddy meticulously checked the bill, I gave the mesero my card and when he handed the credit card machine back to me, there was a prompt to enter tip amount so I asked my buddy what he would tip to which he replied 550. I entered the amount and handed the machine back to the mesero who had a very normal reaction. He printed a copy for me and we left. Coming back full circle to Tropical, an 8 peso tip on 72 is in line with 550 on 4400, especially when you consider the latter was at a high end restaurant. I get that many of us live in parts of America where 20% is the norm, 25% is a good tip, and 15% is being a Cheap Charlie, but check that shit at Pedwest before importing that insanity to a country not our own.

[Dcrist0527]

I think if you set a tone early with your mesero so he sees that you're not a dummy overtipper but at the same time you're not a cheapass nontipper you'll be just fine. I see a lot of guys show up and greet their mesero like he's a great friend.

Very true. One benefit, depending on how long you plan on staying, if you have 1 mesero, the others respect that and you won't have 15 different meseros at your table all night. At least that's been my experience. Your point about setting the tone is well said. I understand the respect SMD talks of and he has a great point. But you can set the tone with the first drink and they will respect that. I would say that, especially in HK, there are two or maybe three meseros I deal with. We do greet each other as good friends. They have helped me have some unreal nights, helped me out of a couple pickles, shown me great respect and never cheated me a peso. I have even shared a few drinks with them in the wee hours at HK or la maquerida afterwards. I have had bad meseros elsewhere and am generally skeptical at first. But there are good meseros out there. As for how much I tip, it's $1. So overtipping is not my game. To Jinxx's point, that mutual respect is earned quickly and you'll reap rewards.

My one disclaimer, which probably affects the equation. When I go to HK, I'm usually there many hours. I've closed it down at 6 AM more times than I want to count. So those $1 tips do add up.

[ClamSlammer]

What do you guys usually tip?

I think if you set a tone early with your mesero so he sees that you're not a dummy overtipper but at the same time you're not a cheapass nontipper you'll be just fine.

Standard tip in all Zona putas bars is $1 dls per round.

And your tip about setting a tone with your mesero, how can that work? Seems like you'd have to set the tone with all 50 meseros that are working because they are not assigned specific tables or areas to work. They all roam freely so setting the tone with 1 mesero will basically do nothing.

Let me say one thing. If you're a regular in the Zona, you'd been ripped off. There may be a vets on here claiming that they've never been ripped off. They're dead wrong. They've been ripped off but never realized it. If you've paid in pesos in CC while the x-rate was 19:1, you've been ripped off. And if you've ficha'd a chica in HK and paid in pesos, you've been ripped off. Allow me to explain El Arte de la Estafa:

This fine art has been passed down from generation to generation of meseros in Zona Norte. The meseros trade tips on how to rip off mongers. Here's how they do it at HK. Meseros realize that gringo mongers are accustomed to paying and receiving change in dollars. Along with the fact that HK's prices are based in dollars and not pesos, this makes meseros hesitant to perpetrate scams in dollars. For example, you buy a beer and a ficha. $4 + $9 = $13. You pay with a $20 and your change is $7. The math is too easy and even most drunk mongers can figure it out.

When gringos start paying in pesos, that is when meseros start licking their chops. The math gets much more complicated. You buy a beer and ficha and pay in pesos. $72 + $162 = $234. You pay with a $500 note and your change is $266. Many mongers won't be able to convert the prices to pesos, add them in their head, then calculate their change. This becomes dramatically more challenging once you've had a few drinks. And becomes near impossible when you add a topless puta grinding on top of you. The meseros know this, and this is when they strike. When you're ficha'ing a puta and paying in pesos, your chance of getting ripped off increases dramatically. The meseros are counting on you not being able to do the math in your head and getting distracted by the puta and not caring or counting your change. You will also notice the meseros will include in your change an exorbitant amount of coins, much more than usual. This is because they know that many mongers, when seated with a chica, don't want to appear like a cheapskate and grab and count every coin. After all, you must count all your change in order to realize you've been ripped off. And the harder / longer they make it for you to count your change, the higher the likelihood of a successful rip-off. I've been a well-known presence in HK for almost 10 years and meseros still try to pull this scam on me on the rare occasions that I actually buy fichas.

This is why I advise newbies to just use dollars when paying for drinks. Yes, if there were no scamming you will save money by paying in pesos. But those savings will easily be negated and then some by all the times you'll get ripped off.

[Jinxx]

What do you guys usually tip? I usually tip $1 or 20 pesos each time they bring me something and they always seem happy with that. I don't think I've been cheated as far as I know. If I was cheated I was too drunk or busy having a good time to notice.

The most annoying thing for me is when I'm trying to chill and scope out the scene and the mesero keeps bringing chicas to me, but even then I'll just politely decline which sometimes causes the chica to get pissed at the mesero which is funny to see happen.

Meseros can be a big help like when I'm looking for a certain chica or a certain type of chica. For instance I HATE fake butts, so I might tell the mesero bring me a big booty chica but only all natural, or bring me a nice young fresh chica, or if the chica I want is busy he might let her know I'm waiting on her so when she becomes available she comes straight to me. Usually they'll search high and low to find me what I requested which I always appreciate.

I like the female meseras in la gloria or Chicago's. For some reason it turns me on knowing I can bang my waitress if I want to. Female meseras are available for arribas and fichas in case you didn't know.

I think if you set a tone early with your mesero so he sees that you're not a dummy overtipper but at the same time you're not a cheapass nontipper you'll be just fine. I see a lot of guys show up and greet their mesero like he's a great friend. I never do a that just because I think that's just the mesero putting on a show but hey more power to them.

Oh one time in la malquerida my mesero didn't bring me back like 20 pesos change. I waved him down and asked why he didn't bring back my change he said "it's only 20 pesos that's nothing". I haven't been back to la malquerida since.

[Phordphan]

If you're referring to me saying I might not ever visit Tijuana, I understand your sentiment. That does not make your post any less unfriendly and gatekeepy.

I have been visiting a different, much smaller town in northern Mexico and I've just noticed that slightly higher tips meant I got way better service.

Another poster mentioned that some meseros upsell and skim on beers and I can see why that would piss him off, but I haven't seen that happen yet. Maybe if I do ever make it over to Tijuana I'll change my mind after dealing with a much more crowded and fast paced atmosphere, and perhaps less honest actors.

In any case, if I have an opinion on something, I'll post it if I feel the impulse. I paid my subscription and haven't broke any sitewide rules.

You will find that in smaller towns, and in Tijuana outside of the gringo-centric areas, service is much better and smaller tips are far more appreciated. The overall service in the ZN and other gringo-fied areas is piss-poor. There are exceptions, but they tend to be just that.

[Member #4722]

I can't stand meseros. And I hate fichas because of the meseros. I prefer to chat with chicas while tipping them.

I hate it most when they bring girls to you. Embarrassing for all parties involved. I can pick my own chicas thank you.

[SenorTJ]

I had to fight with two dickhead meseros to stop the shake a chica drink scam. That is 2 more reasons totaling 7 reasons I avoid tipping the meseros.

I can't stand meseros. And I hate fichas because of the meseros. I prefer to chat with chicas while tipping them.

[BodyAnybody]

I noticed this was your 11th post in this forum.

Please read this Tijuana forum as much as you want.

But as long as you feel this way, you have no business making a 12th post here.

If you're referring to me saying I might not ever visit Tijuana, I understand your sentiment. That does not make your post any less unfriendly and gatekeepy.

I have been visiting a different, much smaller town in northern Mexico and I've just noticed that slightly higher tips meant I got way better service.

Another poster mentioned that some meseros upsell and skim on beers and I can see why that would piss him off, but I haven't seen that happen yet. Maybe if I do ever make it over to Tijuana I'll change my mind after dealing with a much more crowded and fast paced atmosphere, and perhaps less honest actors.

In any case, if I have an opinion on something, I'll post it if I feel the impulse. I paid my subscription and haven't broke any sitewide rules.

[Captain Solo]

I have never been cheated in HK. Tropical meseros have the habit of taking $20 for a beer then conveniently forget to bring back $16 change.

Chicago's prices are 55 pesos for local beers and 70 pesos for premiums. I have not been cheated in Chicago, usually tip them well for good service. I understand how a guy would get pissed off when meseros think they are smarter then him and hold off 5 or 10 pesos. Meseros are lowly street urchins. It's hard to expect honesty from them. Even a few respectable, church-going, bible-thumping figures in Tijuana I have dealt with, were stealing from employers, squeezing employees and vendors every chance they get for grafts and bribes.

Good meseros deserve good tips for their services and honesty. Dishonest meseros should be reported to their bosses so they can be reamed.