Themed restaurants tend to come and go over the years as trends shift ( Magic Restroom Cafe , we ’re looking at you , kid ) , but gratefully one Mexican eating place in Venice has proven to be the exception to that rule . Decked out from floor - to - roof with memorabilia from the classic 1942 film star Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman , Lincoln Blvd’sCasablancahas earned generations of patriotic customers since give in 1980 . And while the mushy decor is certainly a big part of the eating house ’s charm , what keeps crowds number back are the freshly made flour tortillas , a roving margarita pushcart with a huge tequila collection , and a favorable crew of employees that have worked there for decennium .
If you have n’t yet been to Casablanca , chances are you ’ve probably been to at least one of the half dozen other restaurants around LA own by the same family . The roll admit Paco ’s Tacos , Gilbert ’s El Indio , La Choza , and La Cabaña , which opened in 1963 across the street from where Casablanca now stand . Carlos Haro , Sr . , the late patriarch behind the family - run operation , moved to the US from Mexico in 1959 to open up a restaurant . Originally from Guadalajara , he was a popular radio set DJ in Nogales , Sonora , and later operated eatery , a nightclub , and a movie theatre in northern Mexico . A immense moving picture fan , Haro especially loved Bogart ’s celluloid andCasablancawas a favorite . The film stayed with him , and years after set up shop in LA , he decided to dedicate one of his restaurant to the classic . Here ’s what happened :
Bringing seafood and tortillas to the people
When Casablanca ab initio opened , Haro wanted to introduce a seafood - focused style of Mexican cuisine to LA distinct from most restaurants at the time that offered enchiladas , burritos , and tacos . Taking pool stick from the coastal city of Ensenada , where he once had a restaurant , the Casablanca menu offer a range of saucy seafood , as well as land - faring options .
“ In the early years , the style was much more okay - dining sharpen , ” explain Carlos Haro , Jr. who now own and operates Casablanca after taking over when his father retired in 1982 . “ waiter wore whitened dinner jackets and fez hat , and you saw fewer children at night because the menu was more aimed at grownup . ” The other menu – present on Moroccan - mode fans – was fair scant and featured oyster , lettuce , lobster , escargot , steak , and other upscale options . “ Customers would get baffled and say ‘ This is n’t Mexican food ’ , but little by niggling people began to appreciate what we extend , which had a more subtle Mexican touch , ” say Haro , Jr.
His father also want to supply ear-shell to the carte du jour , a popular dish in Ensenada , but much more expensive here in LA . Haro , Jr. suggested large calamary as a more inexpensive choice that was readily usable at Santa Monica Seafood . The suggestion stuck and calamari , prepared in a variety of ways , stay a staggeringly popular part of the Casablanca carte to this day .
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Another huge draw to Casablanca is the pertly made flour tortillas , which are pounded out , flatten and cooked on a griddle in the middle of the eating place . Haro , Sr . wanted to focus on flour tortillas , more typically found in northerly Mexico , instead of the corn I often come up around LA . And we ’re glad he did – these luscious , pillowy - soft piece of work of art are pure conjuring trick . He also refused to swear out tortilla chips , though these day they keep some on hand in subject someone asks .
The tortillas arrive at your table steaming hot , keep company by butter and a tremendously addictive salsa verde . hump assalsa de abañilor bricklayer ’ salsa – as it ’s traditionally a democratic lunch option for building actor in Mexico – the blend includes tomatillos , calx juice , onion plant , garlic , and typically serrano chile . Though here the Chile were veto after enough customers kick about the passion . Haro , Sr . was inspired to bestow the salsa to the menu after insure worker chowing down on it , and also brightly supply cubes of high mallow , in this case tar instead of the usual queso fresco used by the workers .
Seriously , you could live on the tortillas and salsa alone .
Danny Jensen/Thrillist
“Of all the gin joints in all the world”
While some customers were initially confused by the restaurant ’s theme as they were expecting Moroccan cuisine , eventually Scripture spread about Casablanca ’s upscale Mexican fare and the booths were packed nightly . It also presently became a popular fleck for celebrities , admit moving-picture show , tv set , and sports sensation . Some of the other guests even included cast and crew fromCasablanca , including Leonid Kinskey who toy the mixologist Sascha , Dan Seymour ( the bouncer , Abdul the Arab ) and Paul Henreid ( the suave , Nazi - battling resistance loss leader ) .
With the help of those that exploit on the film and in the industry , as well as other Casablanca fans and customers , Haro , Jr. took his father ’s film composition even further , adding to the exist white-hot - stucco archways and Moroccan brandish . He gradually accumulated and covered the wall with bill poster and pic memorabilia , props from the set , and a immense collection of autographs from the roll , include Bogart and Bergman . You ’ll also encounter a lowly piano selfsame to Sam ’s in the film , which was paint by Seymour ’s married woman , and there ’s a time space capsule by the front door lade with artifacts from the celluloid .
At one spot , Haro , Jr. tracked down an artist to make a life story - size statue of Bogart from fiberglass , after postulation for one made by the Hollywood Wax Museum were decline .
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He also hosted special ceremonies over the twelvemonth at the restaurant where Kinskey , Seymour , and Henreid were invited to range their handprint in cement by the front room access . “ Those are two of the most especial parts of the restaurant to me , ” Haro says of the statue and handprints . “ I have a very strong personal connection with them . ”
You ’ll also find enceinte murals and picture throughout the dining room that depict fit from the film , painted by various creative person , employees , and Haro , Jr. ’s wife . “ I wanted to do something for Casablanca after several years , but I did n’t want to change the atmosphere because the great unwashed care the way it is and say ‘ Oh , it ’s the same restaurant as when I was a nestling , ” Haro says . “ But I wanted to brush up things a fleck , so I invited an artist to create a wall painting about the characters inCasablanca . And he storm me by adding me and my married woman into the mural . At first I was n’t sure about it , but then I figured down the route it would be nice for my grandchildren to see us up there . ” The solicitation of murals and painting have since grow , covering many of the walls with one even hanging from the ceiling .
From fine dining to enchiladas
While Casablanca remained successful through the ‘ 80s as a amercement - dining destination , the recess of the early ‘ XC begin to take a toll . While the more casual , family - oriented restaurants operated by his sib , including La Cabaña and Gilberto ’s El Indio , maintained regular business , Haro , Jr. base that not as many client were willing to splurge on oyster , lobsters and steak as much as they once did .
“ Everyone was shit a lot of money – except for me , because the concept was so expensive , ” he take . “ The nutrient toll was in high spirits and you needed more waiter for the type of service we offered . It was also more of a romantic experience with live performances each night , including jazz , flamenco terpsichorean , Maroc euphony , Hawaiian professional dancer , orchestral music and dinner party theater . ”
Rather than let the eatery suffer , Haro , Jr. decided to shift the focusing to a more bustling , family - favorable approach shot and give behind the quieter mulct - dining style . You ’ll still determine live medicine on weekend nights , though do n’t carry any Gallic - German sing - offs as in the film . He also tot stunner that were crowd - pleasers like enchilada and burritos , while also retain some of the seafood dishes like the calamari and hulk brasero .
Danny Jensen/Thrillist
All aboard the tequila express
The crapulence habits of customer also began to shift with the changing menu . “ I used to betray much more wine , vodka , and Greco-Roman cocktail , ” Haro , Jr. explains . “ And now it ’s really only tequila , mezcal and beer . ” But rather than just simply add tequila to the menu , he swallow himself in studying the subject .
When he was farm up , Haro Jr. had always want to be a writer , but his parents were not in particular supporting of the endeavor and or else he studied law . So , later in living with more exemption to explore his interest , he published his first novelCoculain 1998 , which featured stories about musicians in the townspeople of Jalisco that is consider the rocker of mariachi . He then follow up with the novelTequilain 2000 , which focuses on the townspeople in Jalisco and tequila output . The book also integrate story of his family , as well as mass of elaborate descriptions of intellectual nourishment and even recipes . Many of the recipes in the book , many of which involve tequila , were later added to the Casablanca computer menu .
To promote the book Haro Jr. resolve to impart a margarita cart to Casablanca . Dubbed the “ Tequila Express , ” the handcart was stocked with a variety of tequilas and wheeled around the dining way for margarita to be made table side . Not surprisingly , it was a big collision .
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Initially one of the waiter worked the cart , but after he left to visit kinsperson in Mexico and did n’t seem to be returning , Haro , Jr. began to look for a replacement . Fortunately for all of us , Chip Minot was up for the undertaking , a military personnel who has since become a legend behind the “ Tequila Express ” cart .
Chip grew up in Santa Monica and had been one of the early employees at Casablanca . He began working the threshold in 1982 and continued on as one of the tarboosh - wearing waiters until completing his degree in report at Loyola Marymount in 1989 . He would often bring his customer to Casablanca for lunch , but eventually grew weary of some of the suspect dealings he meet in the business . That ’s when Haro Jr. invited Chip to bartend a few catered company and eventually to man the cart at the restaurant . Chip found the gig to be a welcome and sport fracture from the tenseness of his employment . It was presuppose to last three calendar month – he ’s now perish on five years .
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”
With a laid - back demeanor , upbeat banter , and the most awesome white handlebar mustache you ’ve in all likelihood seen , Chip has realize a devoted fanbase . Some even consider him synonymous with the eatery , while others walk in knowing his name even if they ’ve never been there before .
“ Now I have a cult follow , so I figure if I quit , everyone will probably just end up at my business firm , which is fine with me as long as you pick up after yourself , ” fleck admits . “ I also do n’t have 450 unlike tequilas to prefer from . ”
That massive solicitation is due in large part to Haro , Jr. ’s cacoethes for look for out the best tequila , often securing rarefied cases and bottles that are no longer available thanks to friends in the industry . “ Carlos surprises me all the metre , he ’ll come up with a tequila that most people have never seen before , ” scrap says . “ And that ’s the beauty of the cart : he ’ll put thing on here you ’ve never assure before and some that you ’ll plausibly never see again . ” Some of Haro , Jr. ’s favorites admit El Tesoro De Don Felipe and Fortaleza , while Chip is a sports fan of La Familia Extra Anejo and Maestro Dobel . But Haro , Jr. adds , “ The best advice I give to people is to not look for a special name or price or because it ’s very popular , but or else to look for the single that are made the right way . ”
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But much like Bogart ’s Rick inCasablanca– at least in the first half of the film – Haro , Jr. does n’t pledge , mostly just out of preference . alternatively he smell the tequilas for their caliber and reportedly has a great nose . “ I ’ve screw him since ' 82 , ” Chip say , “ And since then I ’ve find out him cumulatively drink probably one drink . ”
On the cart you ’ll obtain a cooking stove of tequilas varieties , as well as mezcals , and Chip will take the air customer through the oblation and tailor-make the drink just for them . “ I give people enough info so they can determine what they want to tope because I do n’t really know their taste , ” Chip explains . “ I know what the regulars want of course , but otherwise , I ’ll go through description of what I have on the go-cart to help them find what they need . ”
“ We always have two silver , two reposados , and an añejo , and every once in for a while we ’ll have an extra añejo in there . We also have a duet mezcals , and we ’ll have a mezcal and a tequila with chiles in them for people who like a little spicery , ” splintering says . “ The people who make one of the mezcals actually subsist in Santa Monica and when they follow in , they always have the one with the chile in it because they ca n’t bottle it with chile themselves or it would just be on fervidness . On the weekends , I ’ll go two to three bottles of the spicy Lophophora williamsii a night . ”
Danny Jensen/Thrillist
The citrus blend used for the margarita is made refreshful day by day and remains a house mystery . The margaritas from the handcart go for $ 12 for what might be a $ 20 + drunkenness elsewhere given the quality of booze that goes into each . And Chip always sticks around to verify he ’s found the correct balance for your drink . “ I wo n’t impart the table until they ’re happy , ” he says . “ I have them taste it first and if there ’s something about it they do n’t like I ’ll change it . I tell them , ‘ We ’ll get it right or I ’ll go get you a beer and try next clip . ' ”
“As time goes by”
Besides the habit-forming tortilla , the movie memorabilia and Chip with his marg go-cart , one of the other sorcerous fixtures of Casablanca is the team of employees that have been with the eating house for years . In a town where restaurant chore are often impermanent gig for thespian and musician await for a recess , Casablanca is one of the few remaining LA spots ( along with far - more notorious chophouse staples , like Musso & Frank and Dan Tana ’s ) where the same people have waited on multiplication of customers . The employee with the longest uninterrupted least sandpiper at Casablanca has been working there for 32 years , and like many others capture his start while in high school day . Many credit the longevity and loyalty to Haro , Jr. ’s father - alike direction and support . “ It ’s like a second family , ” Chip says .
“ wreak in a eating place has always been a place where multitude who do n’t have a specific skill can get a start , ” Haro , Jr. explains . “ Everybody can wash a dish , which is really the most significant part of the restaurant . From there you could go to the kitchen , or the dining way or the bar . And this is my melodic theme , to give opportunity to everyone to try something that they want to do and get begin somewhere . ” Those that have move on , often go on to another career or business chance , and in many case Haro , Jr. has help them out with advice .
“ One time I heard my father teaching my old brother , ' There ’s no such matter as speculative employee , just bad owners . Each employee can be the best if you are doing your best as an possessor . ' ” Before moving to the US , Haro , Jr. had train basketball at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara , and he says many of the lessons he used on the motor lodge employ to run a restaurant . “ We work as a squad , it ’s not just about one soul – everybody loses and everybody advance together . ”
Danny Jensen/Thrillist
And while Haro , Jr. encourage his own children to quest for other calling , they now work alongside him . His daughter works at Casablanca , while one son helps manage their monolithic catering concern and another son is graduating culinary school day and plan to join the family business as well . He ’s conceive about recede , but aver his son keep get in more and more catering business to keep him busy .
enquire about his favoriteCasablancamemorabilia in the restaurant , Haro , Jr. says , “ For me , the better decoration for a eating place is the customer . You may have a eatery that ’s very pretty , but it can be so cold . People like people . And the best part of this for me is that this eatery is a part of my life-time – everything from the motion picture history , my crime syndicate , the experience , the customers . For me it ’s more than a restaurant , it ’s my life , it ’s a part of me . And I think it ’s the same for the other eatery in the house and why they ’ve all been in line of work for so many years . ”
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Danny Jensen/Thrillist
Danny Jensen/Thrillist
