Explore Hussong’s Storied History
Did you know that Hussong’s in Ensenada is the oldest cantina in all of Mexico still operating today? And, it’s the birthplace of the margarita! It opened in 1892 with the second liquor license ever issued in Mexico.
Johan Hussong, a European immigrant, began serving nickel beer and dime whiskey in the sleepy little fishing village of Ensenada, Mexico where he settled. Originally called “John Hussong’s Agency and Diligence,” Johan would regularly welcome the Sutherland Stage Company, which fed and watered customers and horses alike. Horseshoeing was done out back as Hussong’s became a popular stop for people on their way and passing by. By 1974, “John” was removed from the façade and the name was officially changed to “Hussong’s Cantina.”
Hussong’s is renowned as “The Bar that Built a Town.” The name evokes images of gunfights and back-room poker, political maneuvering, and even revolutions. Through the years, Hussong’s has been host to tourists, outlaws, politicians, the Baja 1000 and Hollywood’s elite.
However, Hussong’s was forever immortalized one evening in 1941 when bartender Don Carlos Orozco concocted a drink for the daughter of the foreign ambassador to Mexico. He mixed some tequila, Damiana, sugar and some lemon juice together, shook it up and poured it into a short glass. The guest was so excited with the drink that Don Carlos named it after her, Margarita. From that point on, the margarita became a world-wide hit.
The famous story continues in Las Vegas… READ ON.
