Casino Rene's Rosarito

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It’s baaaack! There was much celebration this Semana Santa (Easter Week for you Gringos) as the door was finally opened at the new Rene’s Sports Pub with a grand opening three-day celebration this weekend.

For all you newbies, Rene’s Restaurant and Bar was a Rosarito institution, opened in 1924, and the first operational business in the Rosarito area (yes, even before the Rosarito Beach Hotel). The original Rene’s closed its doors several years ago and was later reborn as a casino.

Casino rene

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Rene’s was my first Baja bar. After purchasing a house there (right behind the bar) I returned nearly a year later and the bartender remembered me and my drink of choice. I lived in the campo at Rene’s for many years (no drinking and driving for this lady!) That was one brilliant bartender!

Rene “Chato” Ortiz is now continuing the legacy with Rene’s Sports Pub now on Rosarito’s main boulevard, across the street from the Rosarito Beach Hotel, between Banorte and the ice cream parlor. I asked Rene why he decided to open at this location and he replied that he wanted to be in “the historical zone of Rosarito.” Smaller and more intimate than the original, there is comfortable indoor seating for 25 – 30, but all seats have an excellent view of the many televisions, all tuned to a variety of sports (Judge Judy available upon request). Hence the “three-day” grand opening… there simply was not enough room to allow everyone who wanted to participate in this important event to be accommodated in just one day. Outdoor seating will also be available for diners/drinkers.

Speaking of dining, Rene’s opens at 8:00 am (until 9 pm) with a variety of Mexican favorites including soups, birria, beef, and fish tacos, chiles rellenos, and chicken and pork tamales. The bar opens at noon for your imbibing pleasure.

Joining Chato at the bar is Rene Jr and cousin, Oscar Ortiz. And some old familiar faces will be joining in the fun, but you have to stop in and see who they might be. Specialty drinks and Happy Hour times are being determined now (hey, did I mention this is a brand new bar?)

Drop in. Reunite with old friends. I’ve visited several times already (researching this article of course), and always run into an old timer like myself.

Rene explained he is “coming back to the brand” of Rene’s by opening here, close to the original location. But look for a second locale in the future. Rene is contemplating another (bigger) bar with a craft brewery theme, partnering with local craft breweries.

Casino rene

Parking isn’t great, so grab what you can. But don’t grab the blue handicap space unless you have an official placard, and stay out of the designated spaces of nearby businesses. Cops are cracking down on unlawful parking.

On October 7, the Directorate of Inspection, Verification, and Ordination of Public Roads implemented an operation in the four casinos in Rosarito to verify whether they had municipal permits to operate.

Casino rene

Casino Renes Rosarito

During the operation in Rene’s Casino, those in charge assured they had the documentation in order, but they never presented it, so the city inspectors proceeded to close it.

Later, federal inspectors from the Department of Justice (PGR), trough the Federal Public Ministry, proceeded to place seals on the doors corresponding to the closure because they didn’t even have the operating permits granted by the Federal Government through the “Secretaría de Governacion” or Office for Domestic Affairs.

Casino Rene

More than a month after the closure, the owners have not shown the required documentation, so the establishment has remained closed.

Casino Rene's Rosarito Hotel

City Hall Secretary, Manuel González Araujo, explained that if a business of this type does not have the proper permit issued by the Federal Government through the Office for Domestic Affairs, it cannot access other municipal permits, including the sale of alcoholic beverages. He also mentioned that during the operation, this turned out to be the only casino without the corresponding federal permits.

Casino Rene's Rosarito Resort

The big question here is how could they operate for years without having the proper permits.

Casino Rene's Rosarito Restaurant

Casino Rene

Casino Rene's Rosarito Restaurants

SOURCE:Ecos de Rosarito
Photo: Gringo Gazette
Rewritten in English by Alondra Arce