Jean’s All American Hamburgers in Puerto Vallarta Serves Up Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Fries and even Melt in Your Mouth Brisket

Satisfy your Need For Something More Than a Taco in Vallarta with Jean’s All American Hamburgers

Owner of Jean’s All American Hamburgers, Hal Hilton Talks about Running a Hamburger Stand in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler, and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.

That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and

The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.

This week we are having a burger in paradise. We head to Plaza Marina on the main drag, Av. Francisco Medina Ascencio, near the airport, to Jean’s All American Hamburgers. We’ll meet the owner Hal Hilton who will fill us in on his smash style burgers and amazing brisket, and what it’s like to run a business on the main drag in Vallarta.

But before we get to Hal and his burger biz, we have news, emails, and even a planned meet and greet coming up if you’re going to be in town so before we get to those announcements, let’s see what’s happening this week in Puerto Vallarta, the 19^th of June, 2023.

Contact Information For Jean’s All American Hamburgers Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

• Address: Plaza Marina Loc. 17 48450 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
• Phone: +52 322 221 0427
• Website: https://www.jeansallamericanhamburgers.com/?fbclid=IwAR32bk-hgFhtOKIV8uowK74MK18WY4z_hHkvXXixkBoeIM688aALxIOzAmw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeansallamericanhamburgers

 

Puerto Vallarta has finally made it to the big time. They are finally getting their own Passport office.

From The Banderas News…

Puerto Vallarta Passport Office Scheduled to Open Soon

May 30, 2023

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – After last week’s meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Puerto Vallarta Mayor, Professor Luis Alberto Michel Rodríguez, announced that the long-awaited passport office, where citizens can complete the paperwork and receive their travel document on the same day, will soon open at Puerto Mágico.

Last August, the director of Strategic Projects, José Martínez Gil, met in this city with the national director of SRE offices, Carlos Candelaria, who pointed out the feasibility of the project.

Since then, the people of Puerto Vallarta have been anticipating the opening of the passport office, which will significantly reduce wait times and eliminate altogether the need to travel to other cities for processing.

Last week, SRE personnel came to this city with the objective of fine-tuning details for the opening of the new passport office at Puerto Mágico, whose development is well under way, so that in a few months they can begin serving the people of Puerto Vallarta.

According to what the director of Strategic Projects, José Francisco Martínez Gil, previously revealed, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón, is expected to attend the opening of this new office, which will be able to process up to 400 passports a day.

Puerto Vallarta Passport Office Scheduled to Open Soon

and I have a link to that Banderas News article in the show notes.

Mariachi Festival Vallarta 2023, June 27^th to July 1^st

There’s a Mariachi Festival coming right up beginning tomorrow, Mariachi Festival June 27^th to July 1^st 

and I have another article from the Banderas News talking about it….

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – From June 27 to July 1 Puerto Vallarta will host ‘Al calor del mariachi’, a festival that celebrates Mexican Mariachi music, culture and tradition through performances, dance events, and cultural displays.

The festival is dedicated to the Mariachi culture and the education and professionalization of the new generations of musicians. To accomplish this, the Al calor del Mariachi Summer Festival program includes workshops, conferences and shows based at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center and the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center.

The educational program will include 3 consecutive days of professional workshops and master classes for Mariachi (intermediate and advanced levels) led by Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán (NT) and its General Director, Maestro Ángel Martínez.

In addition to workshops, contests, conferences and training there will also be an artistic program with events that are open to the general public, including:

• An outdoor concert at the Los Arcos Amphitheater on Thursday, June 29 (free event)
• A commercial exhibition Sheraton Buganvilias Exhibition Hall (free access) June 28, 29 and 30
• A Mariachi-themed painting and photography exhibition (free event) June 25-28 at Casa de Cultura
• A Nuevo Tecalitlán Mariachi concert at the Convention Center (event with cost) June 30
• A Thanksgiving Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe in downtown Puerto Vallarta July 1

Most of the funds raised by the festival will be used to support the professional education of outstanding musicians. More information and ticket prices can be found at AlCalorDelMariachi.com.

Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Mariachi is a timeless Mexican tradition that goes beyond influential music – it is the sum of a cultural revolution, encompassing the essence of Mexico with elaborate costumes, rhythmic dancing and patriotic values. Discover its complex origins, its distinctive musical elements, and above all its deep-rooted significance to the people of Mexico – right here in Puerto Vallarta!

And I have a link to that article from the Banderas News in the show notes.

Puerto Vallarta to Host Mariachi Festival June 27-July 1

I hope to catch some of those Mariachi festivities when the wife and I head down to Vallarta this coming Friday the 23^rd of June. Just 3 days from today. We plan to fly down via Alaska Airlines non-stop LAX to Puerto Vallarta for around $350 each round trip. We’ll be staying in Pitillal thanks to Ray and Debbie from Canadia. They’ll be up visiting their kids in the homeland, and we’ll just slip in to their casa for a couple of weeks. I mean,

someone has to water their plants, right? Thanks so much Ray and Deb. I love their casa, their neighborhood, just 2 blocks from the main square in Pitillal, and I love their neighbors. There’s a taco stand right on the corner as well as about a half dozen more on the way to the Plaza and the church. The particular street they live on is

lined with lingerie shops. Lady’s underwear on either side of the street. But there are streets in Pitillal like that.

For instance, there’s a busy street corner with multi floored stores with display windows towards the street, where they display these lovely over the top dresses and gowns for quinceneras, weddings and special events.

It’s very cool. I have pictures I’ll put in the show notes. There’s a couple of streets lined with party supply stores and cake decorating supply shops. Cellphone and electronic supply shops. It’s a bustling place Pitillal.

So, yes, we will be landing in Vallarta about one in the afternoon, and then we have sort of a mission to perform.

I got a Facebook Message from my buddy Salvador Estrada, the dulcero on The Malecon. Salvador sits in a wheelchair selling candy, cigarettes and trinkets to tourists and partygoers, and he sits near the three loud clubs in the downtown section of the world famous walkway, the Malecon with an amazing view of the bahia de Banderas.

Salvador was recently widowed. His wife passed away from cancer the end of March, and he depended on her to drive him from their house in Paso Ancho, to the Malecon where he works of course. She would drive him and his stuff down to a parking place near the Hotel Rosita. Then unpack him and his chair along with his big

tray of candy, and display stuff for the jewelry he sells too. Then, wheel him down to his spot just south of Club La Vaquita. He sets up around 11 or 12, and he finishes up around 2 in the morning. Sometimes later, sometimes earlier. Then she would wheel him and their stuff back up to the van near the Rosita, and load him in for the night. Then help him unload and wheel him back the next day and so on.

Well, when Dolores died, he needed to find a replacement for her and all the work she did for him. And he had a guy, but on the 12^th I received this message that said his guy had left for Mexico City, and he was stuck at home. Then, today is his birthday, so I asked him if he had found a replacement for his helper, and he said no, but that he’s asked a woman who never got back to him, but that he was going to try to get to the Malecon either Thursday or Friday to sell candies only, and then that he would look for someone to help him while he was down there. His biggest fear is handing the keys to his van over to someone he doesn’t know very well. Which is totally understandable.

Anyway, I reminded him we’d be there on Friday afternoon, and that I’d help him….so, we arrive at 1 ish. We’ll go through immigration and customs, walk across the bridge and sit and have a burrito at Tacon de Marlin, then catch a cab to Ray and Debbie’s casa in Pitillal. Drop off our things, pack up a daypack and call an Uber to take us to Salvador’s casa up in Paso Ancho which is straight up the street from The El Rio BBq, where he’ll hand me his keys to his van, and we’ll do what he and Delores did. And I guess we’ll work out a schedule so he can get back to work again. I’ll let you know how that all goes.

Now, Debbie and I will be celebrating our 35^th wedding anniversary in Paradise this year. In fact, our oldest son and his fiancé are flying down to help us celebrate and to see where their mom and dad will be moving away to. They both fly in on our anniversary day, and we’ll find an appropriate place to take them to dinner for their first night ever in Puerto Vallarta. Well, the oldest child was there when he was 2 months old, and then again when he was 3 years, but he doesn’t remember that of course. At any rate we found them a nice Airbnb in Cinco de Diciembre with a killer view, so we’ll give them a quick primer, then send them off on their merry way. They’ll have to beg us if they want to spend time with us I’ll tell you. Not really.

Actually, it was 37 years ago that I asked Debbie, my wife to marry me just a couple of blocks from where they are going to be staying. It was at a restaurant called La Casita, and it was on Calle Panama 387 in Cinco de

Diciembre. I’ll have to take them by the spot and point it out to them as long as we are going to be up there. The two of them are very healthy and love to hike, so the hills will  be perfect for them. I’ll send them up to the cross for sure.

Maybe we will see some rain. Vallarta is still waiting for the rainy season to begin. June 15^th is usually the start date, but still waiting for the first gully washer.

In fact, looking at the 10-day forecast, I don’t see rain till the last of the month. Let’s hope we see some of that wet stuff real soon.

Thank you For Your Emails

Speaking of wet stuff, oh that sounds kinda nasty….so I’ve been in search of the illusive big, strong, kick-ass honest margarita in Vallarta. You know…the kind you used to get in one of those fishbowl style glasses. The kind that you don’t see anymore? Now they come in shot glasses, right? So, I received another email with some great suggestions. This one’s from Jeff and Jo from Minni-so-cold….it reads…

Hey Barry,

Per your podcast request for a few good margarita places (a few of our favorites):

We have tried many margaritas in PV and most are too tart for our taste (maybe not enough, or crappy, tequila?)

1. La Playita,Lindo Mar (couple of miles south of Romantic Zone) – believe you have mentioned before on your podcast. They have the midsized fishbowl glasses and are very good – believe they have a happy hour.
2. Red Onion– on the beach between Sea Monkey & the park. Not fishbowl glasses but great drinks.
3. Qulture– on Carranza a few blocks up from the beach. Again, not fishbowl glasses but great drinks.

(I know you are aware of where all of the above are located but added just in case.)

 

You already mentioned Pipis & Bar La Playa as being good & we agree.  Compared to a couple of years ago prices seem to be up in most places so drinking margaritas is definitely not like drinking $35-$50 peso beers but I guess that’s the price, as you may have said, of being in paradise.

 

We enjoy listening to your podcasts.

Take care and good luck with your house hunting in PV.

 

Jeff & Jo Weber from Minnesota

Well thank you Jeff and Jo. I’d love to have some margaritas with you guys, I really like your pics. La Playita is a great choice, and yes, they do have brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and the view is spectacular without having to go too far out of town. I’ve never been to the Red Onion. I’ve got to give it a try. I usually do the Burros Bar when I’m in that area. That reminds me that Jim DeMetro just had an unveiling of his newest bronze sculpture in front of the Burros Bar just last week. It’s a cute interactive sculpture with a tipsy mule who you can sit down with and take a picture. I’ll have to get Jim back on the show to talk about it….and Jeff, I need to try the one at Qulture, just because you said so.

Again, all great suggestions that we can all add to our list of great margaritas in paradise. Thanks for the email and for listening to the show! It means a lot to me amigo.

I also received another email from listener Julia who writes…

Hello Barry,

Thank you for your great podcast!!!  It’s been an excellent tool for allowing my husband and me to get to know PV better since we spend 5 – 6 months per year (off and on) in PV.

It was so nice to be introduced to Edgar (Rambo) through your podcast.   He is such a nice man and has a wonderful soul.  My husband and I see him often during our daily walks and he is always kind and hugs each of us each time we see him.  We have purchased  breakfast and groceries for him several times and inquire about if he needs anything.  Sometimes if we can’t find him we drop off items to Starbucks on Basilio Badillo and they give it to him.  Evidently they call him Tio Rambo.

Anyway, great job with your podcast and highlighting the people of PV.

Good luck with your home search and move to PV.  If you need a place to stay when you visit, let me know.  You can find our property on Airbnb as Casa Sarah.

 

I’ve attached a link of our recommendations we give to our renters of things we like to do and restaurants we like  in PV.

Guide Book From Julia & Tom

Thank you.

Julia & Tom

Thank you Julia and Tom. Thanks for looking after our friend Edgar, better known as Rambo. He spends a lot of time across from the Margarita Grill and yes, I’ve also left items for him at that Starbucks across from the Margarita Grill.

If you don’t know who Rambo is, he’s a kind soul who just turned 70 back in the end of October. Rambo was severely injured when he was electrocuted doing work out in Ixtapa years back. He’s homeless and survives on doing odd jobs, dancing for tips and on the kindness of others.

Buying Swimsuits in Puerto Vallarta at La Sirena Reina, an Interview with Owner Robina Oliver

I’ll put a link to the interview I did with him and his picture in the show notes.

Open Microphone Meet and Greet July 4th 2023 at Nacho Daddy, Puerto Vallarta

I’m having a meet and greet for any of you who are in town. I’ll be crashing JR’s regular Meet and Greet at Nacho Daddy. This particular meet and greet will be falling on the 4^th of July, and seeing as that’s not celebrated in Mexico, and JR, from London England, so he’s certainly not celebrating the holiday, so what better time to have an open microphone podcast Meet and Greet. If you’re in town it’ll be the place to be. July 4^th, 6:30 till 8ish. Spill the beans, share your Puerto Vallarta Story. Let us know what you are doing in paradise. Maybe you have a Vallarta business you want to tell people about. Maybe your favorite Puerto Vallarta charity, volunteer opportunity, group or organization. Your favorite taco stands. Your favorite zipline adventure, private driver, daytrip destination. Let us know. Share your knowledge with our listeners. Listeners to the show make the best podcast interviewees, I’m telling you. So come celebrate the 4^th of July with someone who could care less, a real live Brit, and an American, me, longing to become a Mexican. We’ll be at Nacho Daddy, Basillio Badillo 287, Tuesday July 4^th at 6:30. We’ll go till at least 8. Bring your good humor and the best Puerto Vallarta stories. I’ll be posting reminders to the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Facebook Page as well as to JR’s page the Vallarta Advisor as the date approaches. The date is easy to remember, the 4^th of July, Nacho Daddy, 6:30. If you’re going to be in town, get it on your calendar and we’ll see you there!

The upcoming move from California to Puerto Vallarta has got my wife taking Spanish lessons. She uses Dual-lingo, the online, free version, and it’s working well for her. Now, she studies a minimum of 30 minutes a day, so she’s no slouch. We practice together and I’m pretty impressed with her progress. She tells me she understands much more of the conversations I have with other Spanish speakers now. Like Uber and taxi drivers.

She was listening to me carrying on a conversation with a taxista for example and when we got out of the cab she said, you need to change the way you talk with these drivers. She said remember when he asked you if you had any children, and you told him about our two boys. But you didn’t ask him about his children. You really have to do that Barry. Did you see how excited he got when he offered you the information about his kids? It was really sweet. So I told her I’d work that question into the routine.

Later that night we’re looking for a cab at the Malecon and ask the driver how much for a ride to Pitillal Central. It was about 11 at night, and this young, sort of round chunky guy says 130 pesos, and I say, let’s go.

So, I asked this young guy how long he’d been driving a taxi, and he says, it’s my first night. So, I was immediately impressed that he got the price from the Malecon to Pitillal right on the nose, but then he says it’s not his cab, it’s his friends cab, but he let him drive it for the night. You following me?

So, not really knowing what to ask him next, I asked him if he had any kids. And this guy, who looked like he was three says si. I have two children. Then he whips out his cellphone and with his thumb, starts scrolling through hundreds of pictures, and he’s turning in his seat to show Debbie, who’s in the back seat the pictures. At the same time he’s swerving through traffic, coming within inches of the car stopped in front of him. Then he starts showing pictures of his wife, who was really pretty and all but with the same results. And by the time we pulled up in front of Deb and Ray’s Pitillal hideaway, my wife couldn’t wait to jump out of that cab. And after he pulled away, she said, don’t you ever ask a cab driver about his family again, you hear me?

Okay, let’s get to our interview, shall we? I’m getting hungry. And it’s not for tacos…

Jean’s All American Hamburgers in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Contact Information For Jean’s All American Hamburgers Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

• Address: Plaza Marina Loc. 17 48450 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
• Phone: +52 322 221 0427
• Website: https://www.jeansallamericanhamburgers.com/?fbclid=IwAR32bk-hgFhtOKIV8uowK74MK18WY4z_hHkvXXixkBoeIM688aALxIOzAmw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeansallamericanhamburgers

 

I know what some of you are going to say before I get started…you’re in Mexico and you’re going to be talking about hamburgers? Well, yes I am, because there comes a time in every trip to Mexico, especially if you’re staying for a week or more when your body will say to you hey, enough with the tacos, the queso, the

quesadillas and the frijoles and burritos already, I need a break from tortillas! I need a burger. It happens to me like, every trip down. And when you arrive in Puerto Vallarta Via the airport, and if you’re saying anywhere

south of the airport towards downtown Vallarta, you’ve most likely seen the landmark, marking exactly where this hamburger stand is, and that’s one of the two tall obelisk like buildings on either end the Plaza Marina as

you look to your right, on the ocean side of the Highway 200, like I said, heading into town. And the first obelisk is where we’re heading today to Jean’s All American Hamburgers. And why not it’s almost the 4^th of July…right JR?

That’s right. So now, lets meet the owner of that All American Hamburger Stand, his name is Hal Hilton, and let’s see what’s cooking in our Mexican Paradise. It’s burgers and fries and a couple surprises at Plaza Marina, Isla 17, it’s Hal Hilton at Jean’s All American Hamburgers, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico…

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Thank you so much Hal. The hamburgers and the brisket were awesome. I have all the links and even a map for Jean’s All American Hamburgers in the show notes along with a picture of Hal’s happy employees and Hal’s

smiling face as well. And now you know about the hamburger stand that looks like the Washington monument, when you are headed into town. It’s Jean’s All American Hamburger stand, right in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

 

Okay, that should do it for this week, next week, stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more.  Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.

And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange

for your making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others

what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and I have links to all of those in the show notes.

 

And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and follow share with a lover of Puerto Vallarta or give me a good review wherever or however you happen to be listening. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I

made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there.  I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.

Thank you to Hal Hilton from Jean’s All American Hamburgers in Puerto Vallarta. Check out his delicious burgers, fries and fall apart tender brisket…oh my goodness. I have links and to their social media information as well as a google map that will take you to their landmark obelisk protruding skyward in Plaza Marina. You can’t miss it when you are heading south from the Vallarta Airport. You really can’t. So don’t.

Make sure to check their Facebook page for their hours, you can find in in the show notes at www.puertovallartatravelshow.com under the Jeans All American Hamburger episode.

 

And remember if you are planning to be in town the 4^{th of July}, Try to hit JR’s meet and Greet at Nacho Daddy at 6:30, and we’ll get you on microphone to spill the beans about your Vallarta story.

And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos.

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