El Paisa, a North Texas restaurant that has been serving authentic Mexican cuisine since 1998, is planning a grand opening for its tenth location and a move for its location on Forest Ln. in Dallas.
El Paisa CEO and owner Jose Velasquez told What Now Dallas the brand’s tenth location is set to open on October 28 at 3315 North President Bush Hwy., Ste. 100 in Garland. The new restaurant will feature a serving line for guests to select Mexican fare. “You can order on the spot, and they’ll make fresh tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos,” Velasquez said. It will also feature beer and wine.
The El Paisa location at 3617 Forest Ln. in Dallas is making a move about a mile down the road because of new development in the area. Velasquez said they decided on a spot near the current Forest Ln. location because of their loyal customer base. The move to a space inside the Exxon Service Station at 3082 Forest Ln. will happen sometime in the spring of 2023.
“We’re taking a little bit more than half of the building,” he said. The 2,100-square-foot space will be remodeled into a restaurant and will offer counter-service with seating available.
El Paisa started serving customers in DFW during the “taco revolution” of the late 1990s. “It’s when everybody put a taco stand everywhere and anywhere, and we started that way,” Velasquez said.
“Our food makes that connection, especially with the Hispanic people, they make that connection with the typical food that grandma makes, the typical food that mama made when we were kids,” he said. “It makes that connection, and we are trying to have other ethnicities understand what the foods are and let them know what a good taco is. We have all different kinds of tacos.”
Everything is made from scratch with fresh ingredients from the beans and rice to the tacos and sauces. “We take the time to explain the foods. We explain the tradition that’s behind what we make, and everything is made in-house.”
