Cozumel Bar & Grill, Mezcalito's, Cozumel Island

After a long night at the local “La Piñata” disco as well as the once famous Hippopotamus disco, he and some friends arrived to see the sunrise on the east side of the Island. They took the transversal road (a dirt road then) and came to a desolated beach where an enormous mahogany tree had been washed up by the sea. They lit a fire and contemplated….. this was the moment when Manuel made his commitment to build into the future a place of his own: Mezcalito’s, the last frontier.

It still took the adventurer going through med school and a few more years to complete his dream. One day his professor, with whom he worked in one of the fancy hospitals of Mexico City, proposed a partnership in his practice. Manuel came home to his wife Carmen and told her that night…….”Carmen, these are roots, no way Jose”…….and next morning he took off for Cozumel, his dream place, where he wished to become a fisherman’s village doctor. One month later the family arrived with their basic belongings and with an enormous faith in the future, and in what they wanted for themselves and their children. This was early 1979.

When Dr. Lewis opened his practice on the island, barely a fly came into his office, but stubbornness and determination paid off. Because he came to the island with only a bicycle and his black bag, he borrowed a truck from a patient, and one day at a time started taking a few rocks and cement to start the construction of Mezcalito´s. Every other day Manuel and Carmen took building material to the other side and after some months the dream was completed. There was a small construction 12 by 12 feet with 15 stools surrounding it, a bar and a grill inside.

At this point with no knowledge of the future, they contracted Gregorio, a Mexican Nahuatlaca Indian from the state of Guerrero (no English spoken), whom they taught the most elementary facts of being a bartender and a grill cook ……how to open an ice cold Corona and as a token, a shot of “Mezcal” (an extract form of agave which is slightly different from Tequila) …. it is called the Mexican Valium, because after one shot you chill out in 4-5 minutes and enjoy the Cozumel simple life, 2 or 3 will head you to the hammocks and a trip in itself.

Years went by and people started dropping by Mezcalito’s for a relaxed day and to have some conch ceviche, a hamburger and a cold Corona.............but the inevitable came in 1987 when the largest and most powerful hurricane that we have ever seen hit the island. “Gilbert” with winds of 320 KPH and waves up to 15 meters destroyed Mezcalito´s and seriously damaged the island’s infrastructure. Mezcalito’s had vanished.

Unfortunately, the first visitors to Cozumel next day after Gilbert were 19 American journalists who charted a jet and reported to the American viewers that Cozumel was totally destroyed ............ of course, they never came back although Cozumel reemerged in a month, as did Mezcalito's. But the damage was done, tourists did not come to the island for four years, a catastrophe in itself.

Years have gone by, three other hurricanes have swept Mezcalito’s but thanks to the determination of Manuel, Carmen and of course their unbelievable staff, things have gone on their way, business is as usual and faithful customers always drop by to help.

Throughout the years, the kitchen and bar have evolved to offer a mouth watering experience with the now world famous “Mezcalito’s Super Shrimp” platter and the “Mother of all Margaritas”, not to mention the over half pound “Gilligan’s Burger” and the superb fajitas that hungry customers always enjoy.

Loyal and fun loving customers return to Mezcalito´s year after year (many several times a year). They have contributed and molded the essence of it, like the “NEKED BEACH”, the “Show Me Your Boobs” sign, the T-shirt collection, the family albums, the “Mother of all Margaritas” and of the music of Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet.