After pounding back a few beers or drinks on a Friday night out in one of Downtown Tijuana's many dive bars or cantinas, you can start to crave something delicious, greasy and crunchy, which will stop that stomach growl at the bar you're at.
And even though Tijuana is considered to have a thriving night life, most restaurants and fast-food places close well before the stroke of midnight.
So then, where CAN you go to satisfy your midnight cravings with the money left over after a night of binge drinking?
San Diego Red made a list especially for you hungry night owls out there who would like to tour Tijuana's best-kept after-hours culinary secrets or at least remember a spot where you can grab a bite to eat before heading home.
Let's start with El Centro, or Downtown Tijuana:
1 Kentucky Fried Buches
The original since 1963, where you can stuff your face with chicken gullets (yeah, the neck ), with salsa, while enjoying some of the upbeat "gentlemen clubs" music mixed with the relaxed tunes coming from the infamous Zacazonapan bar.
What time do they close? Sometimes at 2 a.m., it depends if it's a busy night or not, according to the buche deep-fryer.
"Where it be tho?" Just a few steps away from Zacazonapan, close to Tijuana's red-light district.
What can I buy for less than $3 dollars? A buche order, complete with tortillas and an agua fresca, leaving 10 pesos to spare, maybe to pay for parking?
2 Tortas Cubanas 24 hrs
If you're not feeling the Calle Coahuila vibe, then you can head to the Cuban tortas joint that has been on the same spot for who-knows how many years. We've never ordered take-out but they do offer the service.
What time do they close? It's open 24 hours!
Where is it located at? Close to Downtown's Smart & Final, on Calle 2da.
What can I buy for under $3 dollars? A Cuban torta with everything, including chipotle sauce and jalapeños.
3 Pizzas Al Volo
Now if you're feeling lazy or just too drunk to drive around and find yourself in one of the Sexta bars, one of the go-to places is a small pizza joint that is drowning with drunk customers after midnight.
What time do they close? At 2 a.m.
Where is it located at? Right on Calle 6ta, next to Juan Bar.
What can I buy for $3 dollars? Two slices from their delicious pizzas.
4 Don Varios
This taco spot is really popular among Calle Sexta goers, since they have multiple casseroles, or guisados, and salsas to choose from that will make a sober person out of anyone.
What time do they close? It depends, sometimes they have a lot of clients so they close before 1 a.m.
Where is it located at? Calle Sexta, between Madero and Negrete avenues.
What can I buy for under $3 dollars? Two tacos of your choosing and an agua fresca.
5 Calditos Don Tony
You won't find Don Tony working until after 2 a.m., prepping those big Styrofoam cups with some delicious vegetables and shrimps for those tasty seafood broths he sells.
What time do they close? Open until 6 a.m.
Where is it located at? On Calle 10, right next to the seminary building and right in front of the Instituto Cuautlatohuac.
What can I buy for under $3 dollars? Nothing, at least $60 pesos per broth.
Friday is over and now it's Saturday and your friends are now peer-pressuring you to go to Plaza Fiesta to spend the other half of your salary and get wasted on craft beer. A few beers later you start feeling that buzz but you wanna do the responsible thing and put something other than alcohol in your belly before driving or hopping inside the taxi or Uber consciously, but surprise! It's too late now and the bar's kitchen is now closed, so What now?!
Well, luckily there a few nearby tasty options to choose from:
6 Las Ahumaderas
This is basically taco mecca in TJ, since there's like four or five taco spots to choose from like El Paisano, Los Paisas, El Paisa and that one place all the way to the end named Las 15 letras (there's a pun in that name, but it's in Spanish).
You can never go wrong with any of these taquerias.
What time do they close? That word doesn't exist in the taco dimension, they're open all day.
Where are they located at? Avenida Guillermo Prieto 9770, next to Sanatorio San Francisco.
What can I buy for under $3 dollars? Two tacos with everything, either carne asada, adobada, cabeza or if you have another $20 pesos to spare you could get a tasty burrito.
7 Mexican restaurant 24 horas
Just a few yards from Las Ahumaderas, you'll find this Mexican home-style food restaurant that's open 24 hours, it has a pretty large menu, ranging from some good ol' enchiladas or Zacatecas-style menudo.
What time do they close? I think it's pretty obvious
Where are they located at? Gobernador Balarezo 9750, near Hotel Palacio Azteca.
What can I buy for less than $3 dollars? A soda, this is a restaurant not a taco shop, so expect heftier prices.
8 El Truck Nuestro
This is one of the most popular food trucks in the area, but keep in mind that whenever local soccer team Xolos are playing in town, this place will be swimming with red jerseys, so expect your food to take a little longer than usual, not that you're keeping track of it at these hours.
What time do they close? 5 am.
Where are they located at? In front of Club Campestre, inside the Plaza Campestre parking lot and no you don't have to pay for parking.
What can I buy for under $3 dollars? A chilaquil torta with any salsa of your choosing or if you have $25 pesos more, you can get one of their tasty "heavy" potatoes with chilaquiles.
And if you're not near any of these places, It's safe to say that you'll find a least one taco shop or hot dog cart open in the city.
What other place would you recommend?
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miranda.garcia@sandiegored.com
Translated by: edgar.martinez@sandiegored.com
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