Hooters

Hooters might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you strike up a conversation about restaurants in Mexico, but the behemoth chain of Florida based restaurants has earned a spot in our list of the top gastropubs in Mexico City, and here’s why.

Although the wings at Hooters may not conform strictly to the original classic from upstate New York, I personally prefer the crisp battered wings to the original classic and nobody does those better than Hooters.

Just as beauty is in the eye of beholder, so it is with “ambiance” in this category. Men may score it a six on scale of five while women would likely rank it considerably lower. Feminists will give it a negative six. That’s because the waitresses in the Hooters are all scantily clad in skin-tight orange shorts and low-cut midriffs designed to leave as little to the imagination as possible. The double entendre in restaurant’s name says it all.

This marketing ploy has proven successful. The chain of men’s restaurants has somewhere around 460 stores worldwide.

Ambiance is strictly sports bar. Nothing fancy. The service has always been acceptable (although not stellar when the restaurant is packed, which it usually is) and better than friendly. It’s the only place in town where the wait staff will wink at you. (Well, at least the only place I’ve been to where that happens.) And being a red-blooded member of the male gender, I personally prefer the wait staff attire to the gray vests those stuffy male waiters are wearing at the rest of the restaurants in the city.

No matter what your stance on the appropriateness of the waitresses, most wings aficionados agree that Hooters is a good choice for food. In fact, the fried-chicken sandwich at Hooters in Mexico City has also made it onto the ComaBeba.com top-picks for sandwiches in Mexico’s capital city. Crisp and hot French fries too.

Now don’t get me wrong. Unless you’re an ultra-conservative female or perhaps, practice the Muslim religion, you won’t likely be offended by the ambiance. It’s busy and fun. And a good place to watch sports if you happen to be one of those types.

So, in the final analysis we’re putting any Victorian morality limitations on the shelf. We’re giving good marks to Hooters and adding it to our list of favorite gastropubs in Mexico City.