Written by: Roscoe |  Print this post and share it with your buddies!

A Mexican Holiday

Buenos Dias, Amigos!

Picture this…

You’re on vacation in one of those special resorts in Mexico that all your friends keep telling you about – Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Las Hadas (the movie “10″ was filmed there, remember Bo Derek running on the beach?), gorgeous places where the sun shines all the time, and there’s not a care in the world. You’re a little thirsty, so you step into a quaint little restaurant favored by the natives (and everyone knows if the natives go there, it’s good).

You’re immediately taken by the music coming from somewhere in the back, perhaps a Mariachi strumming a soulful guitar. You sit down in a green leather booth and a friendly waitress wearing the colorful native dress we’ve all come to associate with authentic Mexico brings you chips and salsa made from fresh tomatoes and peppers and spices that make you wonder “How do they make this so good?”

You order a Margarita, because, after all, that’s why you came in. You want the real thing, not some green mix out of a bottle that you get in the big city back home that always makes you wish you could come to a place like this. And then the waitress, Esmeralda – you’re on a first name basis already because she was smiling so brightly and seemed so happy – brings your Margaritas. And you take that first sip. And then the second. And maybe even a third.

And then you sigh.

It was worth it to come here after all. Halfway around the world to get the real thing, but worth every penny, worth every mile. Now you’ve got the stories to tell back at work.

BUT WAIT!

SNAP OUT OF IT!

You say you can’t get to Mexico till the summer? Or maybe even next year?!

What about that Margarita? You can’t wait a whole year for a good Margarita!

Well, you don’t have to. Not if you live in Los Angeles.

Roscoe in L.A.

It’s rumored he used to live there. Legend has it he’s been seen in El Coyote. More than once. You see…

They’re Famous For Their Margaritas

And you can get two Margaritas for the price of one. Every day of the week, any time. (It’s not on the menu, it’s not advertised, but they’re happy to do it. Roscoe reveals how, just read on.)

Step Into El Coyote

Right away, you have a choice. Would you like to sit inside, in an authentic green leather booth (the same one from your daydream), or outside on the patio, under an umbrella?

You’ll hear the Mariachi music – is it coming from a speaker, or is there really a guitarist playing somewhere in the back? You can’t tell. And after that third sip of that delicious Margarita – Roscoe found out the secret ingredient – you won’t care where the music is coming from. It’ll just be a part of you. A part of the EL COYOTE experience.

And That Experience Has Been Going On For A Long Time

Since March 5, 1931, to be exact. That’s when Blanche March and her husband, George, opened the doors for the very first time. The original location was a tiny spot on First Street and LaBrea, practically the heart of the city at that time. They just wanted to feed their friends, give them a place to relax and enjoy the same food they had back home in Mexico.

But all of a sudden they had so many “friends” that the place they opened wasn’t big enough. So they moved to a bigger place, where it is now, 7312 Beverly Boulevard.

And now there’s room for 375 “friends.” And it seems like they all come to EL COYOTE every day, and every night, because the place is packed all the time! (Mrs. March is still known to come in every once in a while. She sits quietly at a table in the front and watches all her “friends” having a good time.)

The Customers Are Devoted

So don’t have any illusions. You won’t be the first customer. You won’t even be the millionth! But that should tell you something. People have been coming to EL COYOTE for years. And coming. And coming. Everyone comes back to EL COYOTE.

It’s Not Just A Restaurant

It’s an experience. It’s that experience you travel thousands of miles for when you go on vacation. The smells, the colors, the fun. It’s been there for over 75 years!

And all you have to do is get in your car and drive over. Unless you live in another state, in which case you’re about to crack up for lack of a good Mexican restaurant, a good Margarita, and the thought of leaving your wife, your family, your job, and getting on a plane without any luggage and making the run of a lifetime just to regain your sanity is sounding better and better. And you really NEED a Margarita, maybe more than you’ve ever needed anything before (hey it can happen, it’s why they invented the stuff).

Now, About That Margarita

Roscoe. Sitting at the bar one night talking with the bartender, Hector: somehow the Margaritas come up (imagine that), and how good they are. Hector just smiles, because everybody in the place loves the Margaritas, and the place is packed all the time (how he even has time to talk is a mystery). Asked about the recipe, about that unique taste that’s never been in a Margarita anywhere else, Hector smiles again. This isn’t the first time anyone has ever asked. Roscoe slides a “fiver” over to Hector. Hector whispers across the bar… “a touch of pineapple.” Hector suddenly has customers to serve, and he disappears. So does that “fiver.”

Now Roscoe Knows The Secret

But looking around the restaurant, smug in the knowledge that he now knows something no one else does, Roscoe suddenly realizes… people are still smiling, still eating, still drinking, still having fun, and they don’t even know the secret ingredient!

They don’t have to. They’re in EL COYOTE.

But when you’re Hangin With Roscoe, you come for more than the Margaritas. After all, it’s a restaurant.

Delicious Authentic Food

Tacos, enchiladas, tamales, guacamole. It’s what you go to Mexico for, right? Well, it’s all right there at EL COYOTE. They’ve had different chefs over the years, but the food has remained deliciously consistent. And EL COYOTE puts their own signature on every dish, their own little special touch, which is what keeps everyone coming back.

Their “wet” burrito: a huge tortilla stuffed with vegetables or beef or chicken, covered in EL COYOTE’S own delicious Ranchero sauce (that’s the “wet”).

Tacos: Sure, they’ve got the usual – beef and chicken, hard shell or soft. But how about something a little exotic? How about an Ostrich taco? That’s right, Ostrich! And it’s good, too. Leaner than beef, with a flavor all it’s own. An EL COYOTE specialty, you won’t find Ostrich tacos anywhere else.

Green corn tamales: Leave EL COYOTE without trying their famous green corn tamales, and your friends that have been there will just shake their heads. But then they’ll laugh, because they know what you’re thinking: you’ll be back. You don’t even have to say it.

Chips and salsa, quesadillas, nachos, and of course, the EL COYOTE pizza (Roscoe’s personal favorite) – tortilla chips topped and baked with beans, cheese, and that delicious salsa Ranchera.

All of it’s delicious, and the service is great. Smiling waiters and waitresses wearing authentic Mexican outfits, just like you’d get in Mexico. Donna (she’s breen there about 15 years) might give you a hug if she’s waited on you before, and she’ll remember your favorite drink. She might even sit with you for a moment, and you’ll wish it could last, but she’s too busy, and you won’t mind.

So here’s the thing. You won’t be the first customer, or the millionth, but that’s got to tell you something. The Margaritas, the music, the authentic outfits, the food, the people. The whole darn place takes you right to that vacation in Mexico that you can’t get to any time soon.

It’s right on Beverly and LaBrea, you can’t miss it, the big red sign – EL COYOTE CAFE’ — lights up the street. Not too many reasons to feel you’re lucky to be living in L.A. El Coyote is one of them. And if you don’t live there, stop in during that Hollywood vacation you’re dying to take, right after you see the stars on Hollywood Boulevard.

Two Margaritas For The Price of One – Roscoe Tells You How

When you order a double Margarita (either blended or on the rocks) it comes in a tumbler. (It’s a great Margarita, and if you have more than one you might want to give the car keys to someone else.) But if you order it UP (no ice), it comes in a cocktail flute, which is a tall glass that holds a lot of liquid.

So here’s what you do: order your Margarita UP, and ask for a glass with ice on the side. You’ll get the same tumbler full of ice that you’d get if you order a regular double. Pour the Margarita from the UP glass into the tumbler with the ice in it. You’ll have a double Margarita on the rocks, and you’ll see that your UP glass is still half full! That’s right, you’ve got another Margarita sitting there, ready to pour into your tumbler for your second Margarita. And it’s not like you’re getting away with anything, the management knows what’s going on, and they keep serving Margaritas like that for any customer who orders it that way. Happily. Why? It’s one of those house secrets that regulars know about. (And management loves regulars.)

The Most Popular Place In Town

So you might have to wait a few minutes for a table, especially on the weekend, but it’s worth it. And certainly, the prices have gone up a little in 75 years, but they’re still so reasonable that the crowds have only gotten bigger.

And even if you don’t like crowds, don’t worry about it, everyone’s having fun. The Margaritas are worth it.

It’s Roscoe’s kind of place.

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-Roscoe