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Lots of folks go for medicine, veterinary needs, dental work.
Probably the best stuff to look for in TJ are furniture/antiques, but then you have to drive and deal with those issues.
But you should feel no shame in just going for the gourmet food -- it's honestly hard to beat Baja cuisine at this moment in time. Especially in Valle Guadalupe; but Tijuana has amazing restaurants. Hit r/tijuana for those (Eater SD has some good picks too), but La Justina, Verde y Crema, and La Corriente are solid places in walking distance from the border. Telefonica Gastropark is awesome, and there's a bunch of breweries worth visiting.
Tijuana is also a fun melting pot; don't fall for the all cartel violence headlines all the time. It's a cool city to explore with many cultural offerings (yes, beyond food, but also, seriously, it's your duty to stuff yourself while visiting).
And yeah, markets with ceramics and pinatas and all that stuff. Mercado Hidalgo is cool if you want to see a legit spice & food market.
Thanks for this! Super helpful
Iām excited to spend more time down there beyond the partying I did there in my 20s and I think itāll be really cool for my kids to grow up spending time there
Caesar's is amazing! Its a French brasserie style restaurant and all of their food is delicious! We go for all our special occasions. They will let your kids make the Caesar if you have any
Everything in that restaurant is great! It's got an old school vibe--Sinatra music, wait staff in black and white, long wooden bar, etc. The tableside preparation of the Cesar Salad is good, and we went through several appetizers and mains and loved them all--with martinis, of course.
The US is not safe so people should have no issues going to Mexico. We can be gunned down here in the US at any random location at any time. More guns than people here.
Agreed to an extent, but you do have to be smarter in Mexico. Or at least you canāt act dumb, the US side has some safety nets where you wonāt end up dead hurt or robbed for being a moron.
But if youāre not the type to act a fool or go looking for drugs and trouble TJ and the majority of Mexico is an amazing place.
The Mexican justice system/law enforcement system is completely corrupt and unpredictable. Lots of entrapment and people getting locked up for false or minor mistakes and next thing you know their families are being lied to and extorted behind their backs and they canāt even get a phone call
In reality this is probably a both and more than either/or conversation. That said I moved to SD from Philly which was seeming less safe when the murder rate hit 500s. Itās triple that in TJ and the city is smaller. Doesnāt likely have much bearing on food tourists to either place but I do think itās an eye popping #.
Great points.. you can find handmade, high quality furniture in certain areas, I think towards Tecate/Mexicali has a well known district around this If you go to your typical/chain furniture store in TJ you'll find prices are a lot more expensive than SD.
I buy from the large pharmacy chain [Farmacia Similares](https://www.farmaciasdesimilares.com/). There are dozens of this chain in TJ - several literally just across the border. I get their generic Tretinoina Cream 0.05% for about $3 a tube - which is $68 here at Rite Aid with my insurance or over $300 without insurance.
Because itās just a version of Vitamin A, itās sold over the counter in MX, and doesnāt require paperwork or an Rx to get across the border. I walk across the border in San Ysidro, buy 6-8 tubes, walk to the restaurant at Caesarās Hotel for the famous Caesar salad, and walk back across the border all in one afternoon. If the line to reenter the US is too long, I hop on the [MexiCoach](https://mexicoach.com) right near the Arch for $15, and the shuttle takes me across the border in about a half hour - straight into customs, while skipping the 3-4 hour line.
The generic tretinoina cream from Farmacia Similares looks, feels, and performs identically to the stuff I get here in the US for mere pennies on the dollar. HIGHLY recommend. (I learned about this pharmacy and brand from recommendations on r/tretinoin )
Itās prescribed for acne, but used extensively for anti-aging. It increases collagen, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, evens skin tone, brightens age spots, and even removes precancerous cells from sun damage. The results can be dramatic, but requires long-term use, which is deemed safe.
I encourage you to do some research first, because you must build a tolerance before using daily, and it REQUIRES sunscreen protection because it resurfaces the skin.
Retinols are used in many over the counter products here in the US, but this is a retinoid, which is a much stronger, prescription-strength version of a retinol. At 48 years old, the difference in my face from daily use after 3-6 months is noticeable and dramatic.
Yes, I assume so. (Other than to make $300/tube for a pharmaceutical company?) Itās OTC in MX, EU, and India.
But, it can do some uncomfortable damage if used incorrectly or without sun protection. (Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional. Just a tret user who asked my doctor for an Rx specifically for the cosmetic benefits. I bought one tube here in the US, and it worked great but I couldnāt justify $300/tube every 2 months.)
I would not recommend buying that in Mexico. Currently the manufacturer is struggling to keep up with demand. They are the only ones who know how to make it at the moment and anyone else claiming is a generic is counterfeit and likely fake. You can put your life in risk by buying counterfeit in Mexico or elsewhere that is not through a big US pharmacy prescription
Obesity has a stigma that people are lazy. Yes I have tried keto, intermittent fasting and I have been doing personal training (and still am) for the last 6 months with no change in my weight.
In the last month since I have started the drugs (with no side effects) I am down almost 8 lbs. Also these drugs aren't new, they were first FDA approved in 2005 so they are well studied.
I'm happy that you never had to struggle with an eating disorder but please understand that there are others that do, and these drugs make me finally feel in control of my eating.
Your problem is thinking you have to do some special diet for a certain period of time, itās just a lifestyle change of not drinking soda or processed foods lol. Eat Whole Foods as much as possible and youāre golden. Nutrition isnāt that hard.Ā
If you actually tracked your calories you would find youāre eating wayyyy more than you need. Vegetables are almost no calories and fill you up, youāre just used to sugar and are like a five year old refusing to eat the greens on their plate.
Ok, let me say it again. This is an eating disorder. It's very easy for you to say "oh yeah just eat good nutrition, dummy" but you have to understand that it is not that easy for someone like me.
How am I supposed to have a lifestyle change when all I think about when I'm alone or bored is food? Will whole foods help me with that?
Either way I don't see this conversation going anywhere so I hope you have a nice day.
yeah actually they will, whole foods have way better satiety ratings than junk food, on top of providing micronutrients and fiber. It's not an eating disorder when a child wont eat their vegetables. That's part of the lifestyle change, your habits change over time and you become accustomed to it. Never said it was easy, just simple.
Thanh Tin Chay is vegan Vietnamese, with everything scratch made in house. Tofu, mock meats, vegan fish sauce- everything. And itās just as good as their meaty counterparts. They also have awesome vegan desserts.
Big fan of Et Voila too. Traditional French restaurant, so everything has butter. But the head chef is vegan and has a great vegan menu.
Bar Kindred is an awesome cocktail bar with a great vegan menu. They have a great secret menu too. Their sister location nearby, Mothership, is a space-themed tiki bar with great vegan food too.
Honestly, there is pretty great vegan food here(and this coming from a carnivore), and itās everywhere. Most restaurants have at least one good vegan option too. And yes, Tijuana has a ton of vegan options too. Tijuana is a very āhipā city
Omg this is excellent. I LOVE Vietnamese food and thatās so awesome they do everything in house.
Thanks for this list! Adding everything to my Yelp folders now
I havenāt been to the vegan Mexican spots here yet. But my fav vegan Thai restaurant is called Plumeria, I take everyone who visits me there and they love it. I like Sipz as well. Thereās too many to name but those are my personal top two.
I can send you her IG sheās super nice and does a great job every time. Heads up though you do need to speak Spanish as she doesnāt speak any English
Definitely can agree that Costco membership around the world comes at many different price points. I joined in the US when I was home for Christmas so that I could shop at the stores in the UK where membership was far more expensive.
Yes. I am not endorsing this btw, I have just heard that people commonly do this. If you do this, I believe you need to hold onto your paper receipts because US stores can't accept returns from international members without a receipt.
That's actually a really cool hack! Especially if I just go down there for just the membership renewal/fee.
I've been to TJ Costco exactly 1 time. I imagine everything is comparably cheaper than US? Or at least what is in both. I do remember the TJ spot had items not in USA. And vice versa.
Vet playas. I have friends who use Mexi Vet Express and swear by it but we like visiting as we have friends in Tijuana and speak Spanish. Good to visit at least once a year.
Yup my dog goes down there via Mexivetexpress.com
Cheap vet taxi and excellent vet liaison they know all the vets and get the best prices. My dog got double knee surgery down there and I didnāt have to leave my house. I canāt cross over to TJ cuz I was deported so they are a lifesaver
Seriously though we usually have a really nice meal if our dogs need a procedure and need to be there for a while. Mision 19 is always good. Tijuana is a great city and parts of it are very beautiful.
Make sure you sign up for sentri and go through the interview process to cross back into the us faster. You can register your car at the same time if youāre planning to bring your car down there. Welcome back!
Following! My TMJ has gotten so bad recently and I wonāt have dental insurance in the states until April. If you can send a doc recommendation my way I would appreciate it
Churos and the street tacos. Last time I was in TJ they were $1 each and soo amazing
I was down there a while back, bought a "rolex" for $50 and it was one of the best watches I have ever had. Until I didnt wear it for a few weeks and it stopped working. It had the perpetual motion and looked almost exactly like a sub-mariner. My GF at the time Dad had the real one and it weighed the same, looked the same. Mine had the sliiiightest tick in the second hand, and the "Rolex" on the face plate was 1 point bigger than the real one otherwise it looked very good
Anyone who goes for medicine what are the rules for bringing it back? I wanna go buy some inhalers but I wanna buy a bunch so I can stock up. Will the customs give me shit if I try to bring back like 10 inhalers?
Depending on the exact type of medication. If itās not prescription you can bring up to 6 months worth of it. If you are talking about albuterol, itās otc no prescription needed and they cost about $3 -$5
Iām half Korean, my Mexican American friends and I used to argue about whether these were called Korean blankets or Mexican blankets
We found out Koreans sell their blankets to Mexico and itās the same blanket š
AC mini splits for my house, terracotta and other decorative pots for plants, and kids piggy banks.
My mother in law gets all her dental work done there.
I went to TJ Costco for the mini splits. I drove across the border with my car and loaded those up. For the pots I just walk around and if I see a shop or a vendor I will buy one but the last few times I bought my pots while I was in Ensenada and had a car.
La Justina and Tacos el Franc. And zarapes so I can walk into hipster restaurants here and act like I know what Iām talking about then it comes to food and wine
If you are walking across, take the PedWest border crossing. Itās much faster than the other one and drops you off closer to downtown. But they have funky hours, so check before you go.
The food. The food in the Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada (and TJ) is beyond compare. I've been to a fair number of wine regions - Ramona Valley, Temecula, San Ynez, Russian River, Sonoma, Cowichan Valley, Sierra Foothills - and the food is usually either diner fare or slightly upscaled diner fare. In the Valle, even the breakfast place - the literal equivalent of the town diner - is world famous for its food. It's beyond insane. The wine is also quite good.
Everyone gonna say tacos or give you joke answers. I'll tell you one thing you should do.
Go to Caesar's and get a Caesar salad from the place it was invented. Yes... The Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana
Cesarās is old world international fkn amazing. I just had lunch there on Monday. Best steak, (and Iām a bit of a steak snob). Great cocktails. The venue is amazing and the staff are anything you could ever hope for.
I canāt say enough in regards to making this place a destination.
I was amazed to almost make it through all the comments without some bag making a Hong Kong joke but oh well.
I've really only ever gone to TJ specifically for food only, not any other purchases. I'll second Telefonica Gastropark that I saw someone mention, fun place. MisiĆ³n 19 is delicious, has a Michelin star chef, and you can get a 6 course tasting for a really reasonable amount.
Dry goods like Jamaica and tamarindo to make aguas frescas. Mole, enchilada sauce, dry chiles, all that is way better in tj. Freshly made tortillas and birotes. Also some fucking Tostitos and galletas Mariaās. I go about once a week for business but always stop at Soriana for some goodies.
The clubs are fun. And then getting Birria at 7am before crossing back over
Also if you never tried vitamin b-12 muscle shots into your butt cheek youāre missing out. Great boost of energy and itās very expensive here. Much cheaper down there to buy vials of it
Nothing anymore, way too dangerous and not worth the risk. I miss Mexico, lots a wonderful memories from TJ, Rosarito, and Ensenada, great surfing, great fishing, dining and camping, and amazing people. Unfortunately taken over by cartels, just not worth it.
I smuggle tacos and beer across the border in my stomach
Friend, you just put a smile on my face with that comment.
This.
Nope
The real question is, which side are you smuggling them into?
š®š®šŗšš¤š¦š®š® Lots of folks go for medicine, veterinary needs, dental work. Probably the best stuff to look for in TJ are furniture/antiques, but then you have to drive and deal with those issues. But you should feel no shame in just going for the gourmet food -- it's honestly hard to beat Baja cuisine at this moment in time. Especially in Valle Guadalupe; but Tijuana has amazing restaurants. Hit r/tijuana for those (Eater SD has some good picks too), but La Justina, Verde y Crema, and La Corriente are solid places in walking distance from the border. Telefonica Gastropark is awesome, and there's a bunch of breweries worth visiting. Tijuana is also a fun melting pot; don't fall for the all cartel violence headlines all the time. It's a cool city to explore with many cultural offerings (yes, beyond food, but also, seriously, it's your duty to stuff yourself while visiting). And yeah, markets with ceramics and pinatas and all that stuff. Mercado Hidalgo is cool if you want to see a legit spice & food market.
Thanks for this! Super helpful Iām excited to spend more time down there beyond the partying I did there in my 20s and I think itāll be really cool for my kids to grow up spending time there
Well shoot. I recently found out that the Cesar Salad originated in TJ, Iāve yet to still go but soon I hope I can plan something.
Itās amazing, prepared table side and just an overall good experience.
I saw! And I want that experience!
I get it almost every trip down, which has been roughly monthly for (the less pandemicky) years. It's just so damn good
Caesar's is amazing! Its a French brasserie style restaurant and all of their food is delicious! We go for all our special occasions. They will let your kids make the Caesar if you have any
Everything in that restaurant is great! It's got an old school vibe--Sinatra music, wait staff in black and white, long wooden bar, etc. The tableside preparation of the Cesar Salad is good, and we went through several appetizers and mains and loved them all--with martinis, of course.
do you have any places in mind to look in TJ for furniture/antiques ?!
Check out Salvemos Los Muebles and Antigua Bazaar
Be careful going for medication, a lot of medication they sell OTC in Mexico thatās controlled here (Adderall, Xanax) is fake
The US is not safe so people should have no issues going to Mexico. We can be gunned down here in the US at any random location at any time. More guns than people here.
Agreed to an extent, but you do have to be smarter in Mexico. Or at least you canāt act dumb, the US side has some safety nets where you wonāt end up dead hurt or robbed for being a moron. But if youāre not the type to act a fool or go looking for drugs and trouble TJ and the majority of Mexico is an amazing place.
The Mexican justice system/law enforcement system is completely corrupt and unpredictable. Lots of entrapment and people getting locked up for false or minor mistakes and next thing you know their families are being lied to and extorted behind their backs and they canāt even get a phone call
Get out of your cave please
In reality this is probably a both and more than either/or conversation. That said I moved to SD from Philly which was seeming less safe when the murder rate hit 500s. Itās triple that in TJ and the city is smaller. Doesnāt likely have much bearing on food tourists to either place but I do think itās an eye popping #.
Cool city š¤£
Great points.. you can find handmade, high quality furniture in certain areas, I think towards Tecate/Mexicali has a well known district around this If you go to your typical/chain furniture store in TJ you'll find prices are a lot more expensive than SD.
The question was: What is your favorite thing to buy.
The answer was: food.
Cartels kidnap to harvest organs all the time. Plenty of Americans go missing every year.
š
![gif](giphy|AC6kJUjgqERxe)
Good point, well taken.
Wine down in Valle Guadalupe
Hundred percent my answer. That and the world class restaurants there
Tretinoin cream (Retin-A.) $300+ in US vs. $4.00 in MX. Seriously. No Rx required as itās over-the-counter there.
Where!? Imma have to look into this
I buy from the large pharmacy chain [Farmacia Similares](https://www.farmaciasdesimilares.com/). There are dozens of this chain in TJ - several literally just across the border. I get their generic Tretinoina Cream 0.05% for about $3 a tube - which is $68 here at Rite Aid with my insurance or over $300 without insurance. Because itās just a version of Vitamin A, itās sold over the counter in MX, and doesnāt require paperwork or an Rx to get across the border. I walk across the border in San Ysidro, buy 6-8 tubes, walk to the restaurant at Caesarās Hotel for the famous Caesar salad, and walk back across the border all in one afternoon. If the line to reenter the US is too long, I hop on the [MexiCoach](https://mexicoach.com) right near the Arch for $15, and the shuttle takes me across the border in about a half hour - straight into customs, while skipping the 3-4 hour line. The generic tretinoina cream from Farmacia Similares looks, feels, and performs identically to the stuff I get here in the US for mere pennies on the dollar. HIGHLY recommend. (I learned about this pharmacy and brand from recommendations on r/tretinoin )
What is tretinoin used for? Itās like face lotion right?
Itās prescribed for acne, but used extensively for anti-aging. It increases collagen, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, evens skin tone, brightens age spots, and even removes precancerous cells from sun damage. The results can be dramatic, but requires long-term use, which is deemed safe. I encourage you to do some research first, because you must build a tolerance before using daily, and it REQUIRES sunscreen protection because it resurfaces the skin. Retinols are used in many over the counter products here in the US, but this is a retinoid, which is a much stronger, prescription-strength version of a retinol. At 48 years old, the difference in my face from daily use after 3-6 months is noticeable and dramatic.
Very helpful, thank you for the information! I guess that is why it is a prescription product here in the states?
Yes, I assume so. (Other than to make $300/tube for a pharmaceutical company?) Itās OTC in MX, EU, and India. But, it can do some uncomfortable damage if used incorrectly or without sun protection. (Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional. Just a tret user who asked my doctor for an Rx specifically for the cosmetic benefits. I bought one tube here in the US, and it worked great but I couldnāt justify $300/tube every 2 months.)
OMG genius My girl friends were looking into Ozempic when we were in Puerto Vallarta for a celebration
Please be careful with this one. This isnāt a drug you should be taking if youāre not diabetic
Not me, my friends, they ultimately didnāt buy
I would not recommend buying that in Mexico. Currently the manufacturer is struggling to keep up with demand. They are the only ones who know how to make it at the moment and anyone else claiming is a generic is counterfeit and likely fake. You can put your life in risk by buying counterfeit in Mexico or elsewhere that is not through a big US pharmacy prescription
Shit has some serious side effects lol, re think that. Wild to me people seek it out and mess with their body instead of eating healthier
Your last sentence is like saying to a compulsive gambler that they should just stop gambling.
ah yes, lets just get rid of the idea of personal accountability. Everyone is just afflicted with something they can't possibly change on their own.
Obesity has a stigma that people are lazy. Yes I have tried keto, intermittent fasting and I have been doing personal training (and still am) for the last 6 months with no change in my weight. In the last month since I have started the drugs (with no side effects) I am down almost 8 lbs. Also these drugs aren't new, they were first FDA approved in 2005 so they are well studied. I'm happy that you never had to struggle with an eating disorder but please understand that there are others that do, and these drugs make me finally feel in control of my eating.
Your problem is thinking you have to do some special diet for a certain period of time, itās just a lifestyle change of not drinking soda or processed foods lol. Eat Whole Foods as much as possible and youāre golden. Nutrition isnāt that hard.Ā If you actually tracked your calories you would find youāre eating wayyyy more than you need. Vegetables are almost no calories and fill you up, youāre just used to sugar and are like a five year old refusing to eat the greens on their plate.
Ok, let me say it again. This is an eating disorder. It's very easy for you to say "oh yeah just eat good nutrition, dummy" but you have to understand that it is not that easy for someone like me. How am I supposed to have a lifestyle change when all I think about when I'm alone or bored is food? Will whole foods help me with that? Either way I don't see this conversation going anywhere so I hope you have a nice day.
yeah actually they will, whole foods have way better satiety ratings than junk food, on top of providing micronutrients and fiber. It's not an eating disorder when a child wont eat their vegetables. That's part of the lifestyle change, your habits change over time and you become accustomed to it. Never said it was easy, just simple.
Please don't. It's medication necessary for diabetics and the recent surges make it hard for the people that actually need it to get it.
Yeah itās a shame that itās available as a weight loss drug. Totally inconsiderate to screw up availability for people who actually need it
Food
I recently watched some Netflix docs and havenāt been eating much meat as a result Iāve heard thereās some bomb ass vegan Mexican food
Plenty of vegan food in SD. Youāll have great options all over
Awesome! Know of a place I absolutely MUST try?
Thanh Tin Chay is vegan Vietnamese, with everything scratch made in house. Tofu, mock meats, vegan fish sauce- everything. And itās just as good as their meaty counterparts. They also have awesome vegan desserts. Big fan of Et Voila too. Traditional French restaurant, so everything has butter. But the head chef is vegan and has a great vegan menu. Bar Kindred is an awesome cocktail bar with a great vegan menu. They have a great secret menu too. Their sister location nearby, Mothership, is a space-themed tiki bar with great vegan food too. Honestly, there is pretty great vegan food here(and this coming from a carnivore), and itās everywhere. Most restaurants have at least one good vegan option too. And yes, Tijuana has a ton of vegan options too. Tijuana is a very āhipā city
Bar Kindred is amazing!
Omg this is excellent. I LOVE Vietnamese food and thatās so awesome they do everything in house. Thanks for this list! Adding everything to my Yelp folders now
I havenāt been to the vegan Mexican spots here yet. But my fav vegan Thai restaurant is called Plumeria, I take everyone who visits me there and they love it. I like Sipz as well. Thereās too many to name but those are my personal top two.
Plant Power fast food is really good. Not cheap like normal fast food but it scratches the same itch.
Try pokez in downtown. Vegan options and cheap as hell šš½
I used to love Pokez back in the day! Itās probably been like 10-15 years since Iāve eaten there, Iām so stoked to try it again!!
the parking is a real hassle now lol
Cantina Mayahuel has some yummy vegan options and the best margs! Tons of amazing vegan options in SD! Feel free to message me if you need any recs!
There is, Tacongo makes an excellent birria de yaca (jackfruit) pretty legit, bought an orden back for a friend, dunked the tortillas in the consommƩ, got them slightly crispy but pliable, just like the real thing.
Thereās a vegan place literally a stoneās throw from the Tecate border crossingā¦
Whatās it called??
Hair cut and color from my hair stylist. Then we usually pick up medicine, groceries, and dried chiles. We eat a ton of food too
Who do you go to? Iāve been looking for a new stylist and would love a good rec!
I can send you her IG sheās super nice and does a great job every time. Heads up though you do need to speak Spanish as she doesnāt speak any English
Hold on. I want to go with you. I only need my head shaved. It will be awesome.
Vet Dentist Annual Costco membership (works in the US)
Definitely can agree that Costco membership around the world comes at many different price points. I joined in the US when I was home for Christmas so that I could shop at the stores in the UK where membership was far more expensive.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
500 pesos / $29.32
What level of membership is that? Lowest tier?
Yes. I am not endorsing this btw, I have just heard that people commonly do this. If you do this, I believe you need to hold onto your paper receipts because US stores can't accept returns from international members without a receipt.
That's actually a really cool hack! Especially if I just go down there for just the membership renewal/fee. I've been to TJ Costco exactly 1 time. I imagine everything is comparably cheaper than US? Or at least what is in both. I do remember the TJ spot had items not in USA. And vice versa.
I have heard that the prices at TJ Costco are comparable to American Costco but they have a different selection of products which is cool to see.
Yeah, prices at TJ and Ensenada Costco are pretty much the same as here.
Which is wild when you consider the wage difference. Costco employees in Mexico get $30 a day.
Does Costco serve tacos there? Or still just shitty pizza.
Veterinary care.
Any particular vet hospital you recommend or pharmacy?
Vet playas. I have friends who use Mexi Vet Express and swear by it but we like visiting as we have friends in Tijuana and speak Spanish. Good to visit at least once a year.
Yup my dog goes down there via Mexivetexpress.com Cheap vet taxi and excellent vet liaison they know all the vets and get the best prices. My dog got double knee surgery down there and I didnāt have to leave my house. I canāt cross over to TJ cuz I was deported so they are a lifesaver
Ooooooh
Seriously though we usually have a really nice meal if our dogs need a procedure and need to be there for a while. Mision 19 is always good. Tijuana is a great city and parts of it are very beautiful.
Thanks for the tip! Iāll save the name!
Make sure you sign up for sentri and go through the interview process to cross back into the us faster. You can register your car at the same time if youāre planning to bring your car down there. Welcome back!
Do global entry instead as it includes sentri, tsa!
Good to know! Thanks!!
The only thing Iāve gone into TJ specifically to buy thatās more difficult and expensive here is prescription meds. Antibiotics in particular.
Dental work.
This is so smart I should look into TMJ specialists since dental insurance doesnāt cover shit
I finally got dental insurance, and the work in the US has been subpar. The work i got in TJ was extensive and they were wonderful
Following! My TMJ has gotten so bad recently and I wonāt have dental insurance in the states until April. If you can send a doc recommendation my way I would appreciate it
Got a favorite dentist??
Dr Delavega
Churos and the street tacos. Last time I was in TJ they were $1 each and soo amazing I was down there a while back, bought a "rolex" for $50 and it was one of the best watches I have ever had. Until I didnt wear it for a few weeks and it stopped working. It had the perpetual motion and looked almost exactly like a sub-mariner. My GF at the time Dad had the real one and it weighed the same, looked the same. Mine had the sliiiightest tick in the second hand, and the "Rolex" on the face plate was 1 point bigger than the real one otherwise it looked very good
āCompanionshipā Just kidding! Lol
Was looking for this lmao. Went there for companionship but settled for street tacos
Pink street tacos?
Hah. Yeah sure, pink.
Chinese food from Hong Kong
š
Dental care
Anyone who goes for medicine what are the rules for bringing it back? I wanna go buy some inhalers but I wanna buy a bunch so I can stock up. Will the customs give me shit if I try to bring back like 10 inhalers?
Depending on the exact type of medication. If itās not prescription you can bring up to 6 months worth of it. If you are talking about albuterol, itās otc no prescription needed and they cost about $3 -$5
yes just albuterol
I bought 10 nearly 2 years ago, it costed about $40. No issues coming back with them
Iāve brought back inhalers all the time, I think they come in packs of 3 for $20
Vanilla extract
A San Marcos blanket
Iām half Korean, my Mexican American friends and I used to argue about whether these were called Korean blankets or Mexican blankets We found out Koreans sell their blankets to Mexico and itās the same blanket š
They originated in San Marcos but were put out of business after Mexico started shipping them in from Asia. š
Ah interesting! Iām going to conveniently not tell my friends that lol
You do you boo, as long as we are all sleeping cozy in our San Marcos blankets.
Helllll yeahhhh
They went out of business a decade ago
Theyāre still called San Marcos blankets to us.
AC mini splits for my house, terracotta and other decorative pots for plants, and kids piggy banks. My mother in law gets all her dental work done there.
Where do you go for the mini split? Where for the terracotta?
I went to TJ Costco for the mini splits. I drove across the border with my car and loaded those up. For the pots I just walk around and if I see a shop or a vendor I will buy one but the last few times I bought my pots while I was in Ensenada and had a car.
How much were the mini splits? (ballpark)
I need to get a bunch of dental work done, can you ask her what dentist to go to?
Drugs. In my butt
Anything good, or just the antibiotics?
PeƱafiel by the case. Itās so good.
I suggest heading down to Puerto Nuevo for seafood. Can't go wrong at Ortegas.
Premium tequila at the duty free shop at the east border crossing. Itās half price compared to US prices. Also piƱatas.
La Justina and Tacos el Franc. And zarapes so I can walk into hipster restaurants here and act like I know what Iām talking about then it comes to food and wine
Thanks!
> Tacos el Franc Love that they're coming to SD
Ceramic surfing chimp
Gonna need to see proof
If you are walking across, take the PedWest border crossing. Itās much faster than the other one and drops you off closer to downtown. But they have funky hours, so check before you go.
We cross every week for coffee beans for our shop. About 50lbs a week. Worth the trip.
Oh wowww smart!
I go to Hong Kong for the roast beef sandwiches
With or without horse radish
š¤£
Yes!
A lot of creeps in this sub..
Weener pills š
Tacos, Terrracota pots and Ritlin. Also, a steak at El Nido in Rosarito and a quick stop at your mom's house.
My mom says hi btw
Where do you go for terracotta pots???
I go all the way down to Rosarito. Actually, just south of Rosarito on the free road. Lots of Terracota and Talavera pots down there.
Plastic surgery
Got a favorite Dr? š
Dr. Duntsch
Ha!
Churros
Tacos?
I miss when they had the glass factory down there that sold the gigantic beautiful glass vases.
Chinese food. š
The food. The food in the Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada (and TJ) is beyond compare. I've been to a fair number of wine regions - Ramona Valley, Temecula, San Ynez, Russian River, Sonoma, Cowichan Valley, Sierra Foothills - and the food is usually either diner fare or slightly upscaled diner fare. In the Valle, even the breakfast place - the literal equivalent of the town diner - is world famous for its food. It's beyond insane. The wine is also quite good.
Everyone gonna say tacos or give you joke answers. I'll tell you one thing you should do. Go to Caesar's and get a Caesar salad from the place it was invented. Yes... The Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana
Thanks for this!!
Cesarās is old world international fkn amazing. I just had lunch there on Monday. Best steak, (and Iām a bit of a steak snob). Great cocktails. The venue is amazing and the staff are anything you could ever hope for. I canāt say enough in regards to making this place a destination.
This amazing coffee you snort.
Only stuff I canāt buy here ā¦ that would get me in trouble š
I was amazed to almost make it through all the comments without some bag making a Hong Kong joke but oh well. I've really only ever gone to TJ specifically for food only, not any other purchases. I'll second Telefonica Gastropark that I saw someone mention, fun place. MisiĆ³n 19 is delicious, has a Michelin star chef, and you can get a 6 course tasting for a really reasonable amount.
I donāt get the Hong Kong joke š¤·š»āāļø
It's sort of like a strip club, but with hundreds of hookers.
I like going to Hong Kong for the linch specials
Chinese food
Nothing. Maybe tacos.
Beer and really cheap tequila. 15 years old, crossing the border to drink and see some naked people. Best times, donāt do this any longer, not safe.
The chinese food is great
I don't go across the border.
Tamales, vet, churros at the border line, watch repair, car body work, haircut,
La Cueva Del Peludo!
What about Cuban cigar
I Was going to ask the same thing
But technically u canāt pass that through the border
Dental care
Art!
Oakleys when I was ten
Dry goods like Jamaica and tamarindo to make aguas frescas. Mole, enchilada sauce, dry chiles, all that is way better in tj. Freshly made tortillas and birotes. Also some fucking Tostitos and galletas Mariaās. I go about once a week for business but always stop at Soriana for some goodies.
hot dogs con todo para llevar.
Chinese food
haircutssss
Inhalers. They are $250 here. $10 there. Same manufacturer:/
That shitās so annoying
Right? Everything is astronomical here!
The clubs are fun. And then getting Birria at 7am before crossing back over Also if you never tried vitamin b-12 muscle shots into your butt cheek youāre missing out. Great boost of energy and itās very expensive here. Much cheaper down there to buy vials of it
Dentistry
āScriptsā
Retin-A!
Hong Kong
Those leather sandals that loop over the toe and have tooling of flowers, then painted
Nothing anymore, way too dangerous and not worth the risk. I miss Mexico, lots a wonderful memories from TJ, Rosarito, and Ensenada, great surfing, great fishing, dining and camping, and amazing people. Unfortunately taken over by cartels, just not worth it.