In 1920, when Fort Worth was still young, a colorful and free-spirited man named Tiffin Hall came to the city. Only 20 years old, he was already a skilled gambler. Soon, Tiffin had established gambling halls throughout his new hometown. He was a quiet man even then-dignified, well-dressed and soft spoken.

Tiffin Hall and Helen Hall.jpg
In 1936, Tiffin the gambler entered the world of legitimate business when his first Mexican Inn Café opened its doors at 5th and Commerce Streets in a downtown building already 50 years old. From the beginning, he insisted upon courteous service and fresh, home-cooked food. On a good day in the 1930's, restaurant receipts might total only $25.00, but rumor spoke of much greater amounts accumulated each night when gamblers gathered in the second floor rooms above the Mexican Inn.