Newest Snuffer’s, El Fenix and Taqueria La Ventana scheduled to arrive in summer
Greenville is about to get a whole lot tastier.
Three popular restaurant concepts will officially break ground this Thursday, Jan. 14, in the northwest quadrant of Interstate 30 and Highway 34, on Wesley St. A groundbreaking ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the site, with free chips, salsa and swag bags provided to attendees.
Dallas-based Firebird Restaurant Group is bringing a pair of North Texas institutions – Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar and El Fenix Mexican Restaurant – along with a relatively new concept, Taqueria La Ventana – to Greenville, with plans to open all three restaurants next summer.
El Fenix is renowned as the originator of “Tex-Mex cuisine,” dating to its founding in 1918 by Mike Martinez, a Mexican immigrant. Since then, it has become a staple on the North Texas dining landscape, renowned for its perennial “Best Margarita in Dallas” awards and its Wednesday “Enchilada Dinner Special,” which features two cheese enchiladas, refried beans, and rice. In 2010 Nation’s Restaurant News named El Fenix one of its 50 All-American Icons, “restaurants that stole our hearts and stood the test of time.”
The iconic Snuffer’s brand has served up its legendary burgers and famous Cheddar Fries since 1978. It is known as the perfect place for guests to catch up with friends and family, watch a game or enjoy a casual happy hour after work.
Snuffer’s will share space under one roof with its sister concept, Taqueria La Ventana, an authentic Mexico City taqueria designed with eclectic, funky interiors and fused with a modern Texas sensibility. The menu features everyday Mexican street food, including handmade tacos, elotes, churros, beers and margaritas.
“Greenville is such an exciting, vibrant city with significant growth potential, and we think it’s the perfect destination for all three of these crowd-pleasing concepts,” said Darius Gilanfar, Chief Operating Officer of Firebird Restaurant Group. “We see this as a great opportunity for us to expand our footprint to the east and introduce our brands to the good people of Hunt County.”
The new El Fenix will be nearly 5,800 square feet with inside seating for 224 diners and patio seating for 50 more. Snuffer’s will accommodate 143 guests inside and 28 outside, in its 4,825 square-foot dining area. Taqueria La Ventana will comprise nearly 3,000 square feet, with 118 interior seats and 31 outside on the patio.
Firebird Restaurant Group, LLC is owned by its CEO, Mike Karns. Firebird currently has four popular, award-winning restaurant concepts with 34 locations in two states: El Fenix, Meso Maya, Taqueria La Ventana and Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar. In addition to Firebird Restaurant Group, Karns owns Sunrise Mexican Foods, which produces high-quality Mexican food products including fresh made chips, tortillas, flautas and tamales for retail and food service operations coast-to-coast.
Taqueria La Ventana is an authentic Mexico City taqueria designed with eclectic, funky interiors and fused with a modern Texas sensibility, the menu features both every day, handmade Mexican street tacos and chef-driven gourmet tacos along with burritos, salads, churros, beers and margaritas. Taqueria La Ventana currently has two locations, one in downtown Dallas adjacent to the award-winning Meso Maya and the other in Addison conveniently located at 4180 Beltline Road. The concept will expand to The Market at the Dallas Farmers Market in late Fall 2015. The downtown location is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Addison restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. TaqueriaLaVentana.com
The iconic Snuffer’s Restaurant & Bar brand has been a North Texas institution since 1978, serving its signature menu of legendary Burgers and famous Cheddar Fries. Snuffer’s is the perfect place for guests to catch up with friends and family, watch a game or enjoy a casual happy hour after work. Open seven days a week, there are currently nine Snuffer’s restaurants, including eight locations throughout North Texas and one in Victoria, TX, with a new South Arlington location coming in early 2016. For more information, visit Snuffers.com.
El Fenix was founded in 1918 by Mike Martinez, a Mexican immigrant who opened a small restaurant on the corner of Griffin Street and McKinney Avenue in Dallas. Often, at its main location in downtown Dallas, the lunchtime line of patrons spills out the front door and down Alamo Street. El Fenix is renowned as the originator of “Tex-Mex cuisine” and the restaurant’s Wednesday “Enchilada Dinner Special,” which features two cheese enchiladas, refried beans, and rice. Acquired by Firebird Restaurant Group in 2008, El Fenix was refurbished with freshened interiors and a revamped menu, while maintaining its signature core menu and products. In 2010 Nation’s Restaurant News named El Fenix one of its 50 All-American Icons, “restaurants that stole our hearts and stood the test of time.” For more information and locations, visit ElFenix.com.
