I miss El Nacho Grande on Austin Hiway.

- BUmma

BID.

Go Bears!

Crash Davis said:

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trey3216 said:

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CorsicanaBear said:

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This is a hole-in-the-wall thread so this is off topic but, why can't we have an El Tiempo or Mi Cocina type restaurant in Waco? I thought/hoped Hecho En Waco would be that place, but the only part we got was the $14 margaritas. We've finally got some quality Italian food here with Morososo and Di Campli's, maybe there is hope.

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Because Waco is finicky and cheap on the whole, and scoff at paying $$ for better Mexican food. That, and there is a bit of a dearth in quality service workers rt now.

I do know about one project in the works that I will elaborate on a little further down the road that will for the bill to some extent. It's just too early in the process to put it out there.

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We batted 2 out of 7....and one of the 2 was lousy, in a bad location, and is long gone.

CorsicanaBear said:

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This is a hole-in-the-wall thread so this is off topic but, why can't we have an El Tiempo or Mi Cocina type restaurant in Waco? I thought/hoped Hecho En Waco would be that place, but the only part we got was the $14 margaritas. We've finally got some quality Italian food here with Morososo and Di Campli's, maybe there is hope.

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The brunch menu at Hecho En Waco is the best part. They have some slow cooked barbacoa that the wife gets and the steak and eggs are really solid for me.

I'm disappointed with the execution of their dinner menu though too.

Pot Belly done came and gone...

Anyone here had this Dos Mundos beef empanadas? So good.

The answer likely boils down to demographics and psychographics. Waco does not have enough population density to justify the investment.

For example, several posters comment wanting pappadeaux or pappasitos in Waco. These are high ticket casual restaurants and Waco likely doesn't fit their model. If you think about Houston Galleria office market ( which has Pappas steakhouse, pappadesux, 'Sitos, and until Covid Yia Yia Marys) the daytime population alone In a 2 mi radius likely exceeds entire Waco Population. Post Covid I imagine the hurdles will be higher for mi Cocina or ET type Mexican concept to come to Waco. Hope I'm wrong!

FranchiseBear said:

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The answer likely boils down to demographics and psychographics. Waco does not have enough population density to justify the investment.

For example, several posters comment wanting pappadeaux or pappasitos in Waco. These are high ticket casual restaurants and Waco likely doesn't fit their model. If you think about Houston Galleria office market ( which has Pappas steakhouse, pappadesux, 'Sitos, and until Covid Yia Yia Marys) the daytime population alone In a 2 mi radius likely exceeds entire Waco Population. Post Covid I imagine the hurdles will be higher for mi Cocina or ET type Mexican concept to come to Waco. Hope I'm wrong!

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"Post Covid" is a real factor...maybe THE factor in this industry. You're spot on, in my opinion. I can recall years ago when everyone wanted a Steak N Ale to come to Waco to validate our status as a "population center." They finally came..and went. As a community, we've come light years since those days, and I congratulate all those forward thinking and energetic souls that have moved Waco forward..but Covid has made its ugly mark on the restaurant and indoor entertainment sector. It will recover, but in some altered form. I hope the recovery moves quicker than many suspect.

the original teka molino on n. st mary's BITD was also great.

- BUmma

CTbruin said:

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I ate at La Fiesta thanks to this thread. It wasn't that good. Not a do over.

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La Fiesta is almost as bad as El Chico.