I am continuing on with the in club experiences. In HK, most prices are set in US dollars and the house dictates an exchange rate for products on the menu. The house exchange rate when we visited was 16 Pesos to the dollar. You will not save that much money on beer, liquor, VIP, cigars, appetizers, or other onsite services. For the rates to go arriba, that's set by the girls. You can save plenty when paying in Pesos. Pay in Pesos.
Once you start hitting up other venues in Zona Norte (or non-monger related activities in the surrounding areas) the savings are even greater. Many of the other bar/clubs have USD/Peso rates set years ago that have never been revised. 4 of us TUSCLers were in one club and each got 2 beers (they are sold in pairs), for a total of 8 beers. We were told that the 8 beers were either $8 USD, or 50 Pesos. Pay in Pesos.
Many of the clubs in the surrounding areas are worth a peek. The talent on average will be subpar when compared to HK. But the hottest girls in each of the alternate locations could give the best HK girls a run for their Pesos. While HK largely ships in girls from all over Mexico for temporary stints (possibly to prevent soft unions from forming) most of the girls in nearby clubs are locals. They choose to work in bar with less foot traffic because of the stability or flexibility.
Some local girls are not a fan of the pressure to sell, or HK's heavy drug culture. People were dealing weed, and doing lines of coke and meth right at their tables at HK. After seeing someone else doing that, one of my fellow TUSCLer insisted on doing the same at our table. Frankly, that sort of made me uncomfortable. Just because you are free to be a jackass doesn't mean that you should subject others to your jackassery. Just my take. Regardless, even the drugs are cheaper in Pesos. Pay in Pesos.
Whether your mastery of Spanish is questionable or if you don't know who in HK to approach for coke, the maseros are there to make sure you have what you need. They are eager to please and incredibly knowledgeable. Just remember that yours is a symbiotic relationship. They are not your friends. They need your money, and you need their services. Just because they are articulate and friendly, does not mean that they have your best interests in mind. We TUSCLers fear the ROB. Fear the masero upsell in TJ. One person in our group got spun into a VIP room (tried to warn him against it) and ended up with a $500 bill and nothing to show for it. He probably could have just taken 8 girls upstairs. And if you're going to get clipped, might as well get clipped in Pesos.
HK is akin to a butcher. They sell meat, and they are quite adept at serving all cuts. If your Spanish is decent [or even rudimentary], you may find a more personable experience in the other neighborhood clubs. The Mexican and Asian members of our group were constantly offered OTC and even dates by girls in other clubs. One girl wanted a guy to go to Rosarito (towards the beach from TJ) on her day off. If nothing else, you could probably hire one as a cheap guide around town for the day as a break from drinking and whoring. You can buy a girl's time. In TJ, you are far more flexible in how that time can be used. If you are not a pendejo, you might not even have to pay for that time.
