with fond memories.
La Caverna The Cave was about a mile inside the border in Nogales, Sonora.
It was one of my favorite places for a dinner date in the early 80s. From the outside all you could see was a small Cantina that was built in at the edge of a mountain with other businesses all along the street. I was not all that impressive from the outside but once you were inside there was a small bar with about 8 tables against the street windows all deck out with hand painted spanish tiles of red, blue and yellow on the green walls. I swear they made the best Margaritas in the World. There was always a Mariachi band even at mid day playing for tips and when you tipped them, they would stay and play song after song for you. Patons would be singing their tunes in Spanish and the best Tequila in the World could be bought for about a buck fifty a shot. After spending an hour or so in the Cantina it would be time for dinner and they would take you down a hallway to the cave.
La Caverna was an actual cave the went back into the mountain with several branches and chambers with candle lit tables. The walls of the cave were painted gold with sparkle glitter that was lit with small light fixtures attached to the walls pointed toward the top of the cave. The cave had once been a jail and you could see where the 1.5 inch bars had been cut off with a torch at some point in history. The floor in the cave was beautiful preserved hard wood that made a great sound when you walked on it and the atmosphere was awesome.
I always ordered the same thing when I went there. Turtle Soup and Oysters on the half shell followed by Crab Legs with drawn butter. They would bring you a huge platter of Crab Legs and the Turtle Soup was out of this world. Dinner was about $25 or so.

There was a fire that gutted La Caverna sometime in the 80s and they never rebuilt it. I did not go back to Nogales as much after that. I still miss the place too. Some great memories from your ashtray thanks!