The restaurant-bar Amanecer Tapatío in Mexico City was where iconic singer Vicente Fernández took his first steps as a mariachi, starting out as a waiter. Though the venue changed its name to Atardecer Ranchero after an earthquake, it remains open and hosts local artists. Fernández fondly recalled those early years in his posts.
Vicente Fernández arrived in Mexico City at age 21, seeking music opportunities after jobs like shoe shiner and bricklayer. At Amanecer Tapatío, he started as a waiter but soon sang with the Mariachi de José Luis Aguilar, earning tips from female customers who requested ear-whispered serenades. “My days at the El Amanecer Tapatío restaurant were happy years, I lived between Mexico City and Guadalajara,” he wrote on Instagram.
The singer shared stories with journalist Mara Patricia Castañeda: “I did very well there at Amanecer Tapatío (...) I had a lot of clientele of young ladies on Saturdays, women who worked in banks came, and I earned very good tips.” However, not everything was ideal; he rejected advances from the owner, causing tensions. “The restaurant owner didn't like it much that I didn't go with her,” he recounted.
The venue, demolished by the 1985 earthquake, reopened in Benito Juárez borough as Amanecer Tapatío and later renamed Atardecer Ranchero. It features stained-glass windows honoring mariachis, a stage for live performances, and a bar with drinks like tequila and cognac, from 66 to 330 pesos per glass. The menu includes dishes like cabrito, arrachera, and devil's shrimp. Located at Calle Casa del Obrero Mundial 714, it opens from 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and continues providing space for emerging talents, evoking Fernández's legacy.
