The Drive Inn Restaurant & Bar Menu Matamoros, Mexico

 From a 2013 Newspaper Article,


The Drive Inn, the oldest and most famous local restaurant, will
be back -- at least within three months.
Founded in 1916, the restaurant closed its doors last month, brought down,many say, by a family dispute over its ownership after long-time owner JesusGarza Ruiz died in 1991.
In its early decades, The Drive Inn's clientele included the local upperclass, gangster bosses, and tourists from all over the world. Its dance floorand crystal chandeliers resounded with live music from some of the hottestbands in Latin America.
"It's the oldest and probably the most famous restaurant in Matamoros," saidJose Cruz Gonzalez, a cab driver who still awaits customers at a taxi stand infront of the building between Sixth and Hidalgo streets. "It will be good forus if they open this place again. A lot of people come down from the UnitedStates and can't believe it when they see that it's closed. The place is atradition.""It seems four or five years ago the place began to erode its quality andprestige," said Armando Vazquez, another cab driver who was taking a nap on abench across from the building. "This place has been recognized as aninternational restaurant. The cuisine was international -- not only gringosused to come but also people from far away places such as Italy, China, andother countries."
Vazquez said the restaurant had been like an institution because it was aplace where all the social classes mingled.
"It was a place to meet," he said. "Mayors, famous singers, gangsters, andthe regular folks also gathered to celebrate there."
The Drive Inn gained notoriety in the 1950s when Matamoros Mayor ErnestoElizondo was gunned down outside its parking lot.
Juan Garcia Abrego, a regional drug kingpin now serving a life sentence in theUnited States for cocaine trafficking, used to be a regular visitor to therestaurant.
"He (Abrego) would usually come here with many of his associates," said aman who didn't want to be identified. "Some people say that it was one of hisfavorite places."
Juan Gonzalez, a foreman who was overseeing a crew working on the roof andyard Thursday, said The Drive Inn is due to open its doors again within threemonths.
Manuel Santana Castellanos, head of the local Union of Hotel, Restaurant andBar Employees, said he hopes to reach an agreement with the new owners to givehiring priority to 44 employees who lost their jobs when the place closed.Although some of the laid off employees never received the severance benefitsthey were entitled to, Santana said the union is willing to reach a compromisewith the new owners.
"We're willing to deal with whoever owns the place," he said. "We wantsomeone who can invest in the property and keep it running. We just want towork."
Santana agreed the feud among the heirs probably led to the restaurant'sdecline. But the peso devaluation in late 1994 didn't help either, he added."The quality and the service were the same but the cost was probably too highfor a lot of people after the devaluation," he said. "There wasn't muchadvertising to provide bargains such as happy hours or discounts. With theremodeling going on now and more advertising it can again regain its prestigeinternationally."
Pedro Vargas, Agustin Lara, a Cuban band called "La Sonora Santanera," andmany other famous musicians played at The Drive Inn in its heyday, Santanasaid.
Filemon Garza Gutierrez, the last survivor of four brothers who ran The DriveInn for many years, spoke Thursday about what he could recall of years past."My brother, Jesus, bought the restaurant when I was 23 years old from a mannamed Jimmy -- I don't remember whether he was American or not," Garza said."The building used to be of a different style."
Garza said he retired from the business five years ago.Asked whether the infighting among his brother's heirs killed the business,Garza said he wouldn't comment to avoid trouble with other family members."I don't want to get involved in the affairs of my relatives," he said. "Ijust don't want to say anything."
Santana said the restaurant should keep the same name to preserve its legacy."It's a business with a long tradition," he said. "I don't see a bettername than the one people already recognize."

A four page dinner menu with wine list with specials cards inserted in a colorful menu cover from  The Drive Inn Restaurant & Bar in Matamoros Mexico. In English and priced in Dollars. Measures about 9 7/8" x 13 1/4" when closed.  Due to the size limitations of my scanner, the entire menu may not show in some of the scans.  

[Info and images borrowed off Ebay 01/11/2017]