John Rexer is the man behind the bar-restaurant known in La Antigua Guatemala as Café No Sé (I don’t know cafe), Y tu piña también Café, Dislexia Bookstore, La Cuadra Magazine, among others.
John Rexer, New Yorker by birth, Mexican by heart and Antigüeño by choice, came to La Antigua Guatemala a few years ago and after surfing the local scene, he realized a joint was needed for backpackers, hippies, ex-pats and others looking for the other side, the flip side, of LAG. A sort of bohemian atmosphere where people were free to express their artistic vein, or simply to relax while eating the local variant of Tex-Mex food or drinking cheap beers or his own Ilegal Mezcal brand (the generic name for Tequila-like agave distills).
Now, after several years in this colonial town, his plans to take over the whole block of 1a avenida sur are actually working and working very well, I may add. It takes a ‘real’ hippie to make the best entrepreneur; at least in La Antigua Guatemala. 😉
© 2008 – 2020, Rudy Giron. All rights reserved.
Gosh. Another gorgeous man. Great shot.
Is he single? — j/k.
but he is hot.
After spending an afternon with John and Jeremy, I can honestly say he is a genuine, nice guy. Caution: He likes to pour his Ilegal Mescal, be careful.
Nice pic of John. I missed visiting with him in Nov. because he was out of town. See if you can convince him to put his magazine online!
Necessity or not, we N.Am. could learn a LOT from the ingenious folks in your town & country! I know that every time I return from there, I examine a bit more of my life and change a few more of my ways to be less extravagent/wasteful, and challenge myself to ‘do with less.’ “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without” – it’s inspiring to be around people who live this every day, and usually WITHOUT complaint!
Lessie, you bad girl!
Sandra, come on, you know better! 😉
Steve, yes indeed, John is such a good fella.
Donald, he was probably smuggling his ilegal mezcal.
MaggieD, thanks for you wonderful feedback. I am glad to to know that you think this way.
how do i get there? a lot of people here in the city talks about the “Cafe Nose” but no one can tell how to get there =\
When you take over the block, I’m throwing the block party! Well done Juan! Nothing is better than Cafe No Se, except maybe the owner. The best man in the whole world owns the joint, next to my dad and husband!
Juan is the greatest guy ever!!! I will join in also with the block party celebration! Cheers to John and Cafe No Se!
JPR- you are too cool, love the pic. Can’t wait to come back. xoxo Ronan’s mom
Congrats, Juan Pistolas ! You’re you. love always, Ann
Add me to the list for the block party.
Cafe No Se and all ventures on the block are uniquely special because of your vision, energy and spirit.
Congratulations John!
what’s with all the family shouting out? where are Johnny’s friends saying what a great guy he is? well he is.
well done, sir, and many kisses.
John sort of took me in when I was despondent over having to return to the U.S. to be a lawyer again in 2003. I just visited him with my boyfriend this past week, and the place is better than ever (what happened to Petra and the nutella crepes though?) Suggestion: put those awesome shirts on Cafe Press http://www.cafepress.com/
I am leaving San Diego for Antigua next month. I would like to take a gift to John for No Sé but I don’t have his E-mail address to ask him what he needs. Can You help? mbwilson@cox.net
I can’t…isn’t that funny? I left him my contact, but I didn’t ask for his.
WOW !!! Chillin in New Mexico suckin on some Ilegal Mezcal I got at No Se’. Good Stuff!! I’ll be getting some more for sure. Good Fun! We loved Willie Murphy!
Met John 2 years back on a trip for a screen printer I was working for.
Now, out of nowhere, I’m going down for a 72-hour whirlwind, for the same printer.
The mezcal is on display at the printer’s VA facility and No Se was the spot when i got lost in the city ‘tween the volcanos’ that I recognized and all was well until I got drunk and realized I still didn’t know how to find my friend’s place again.
oh well, was a grand time.
Can’t wait to do it again in a couple days.
hey guys since there is none i started a facebook group for Nose here http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?sid=0b2548e542a70b8776b85ea33b77dbd5&refurl=http://www.new.facebook.com/s.php%3Fref%3Dsearch%26init%3Dq%26q%3Dcafe%2Bnose%26sid%3D0b2548e542a70b8776b85ea33b77dbd5&gid=27474547113
feel free to join
I am going to La Antigua this summer and I can’t wait! I am going to check out Cafe No Se for sure, this place looks great.
I visited the Cafe No Se in July/August and found it quite entertaining! Best of all was having a drink w/ Jeremiah and touring the Tequila Bar! I am a woos and had the Mezcal watered down in a Margarita as well as mixing it with Poma. He was a great tour guide! He also ‘handed’ me my first (and probably only) marlin on a fishing trip while there. Great city, great bar and a great nephew! Love to do it again!!! Hugs Jeremiah!!!
Cant wait to visit your sorry a Timotae