Two Wichita restaurants are finally ready to open. Only one can find the staff to do it.
Wichita’s been waiting for two new Mexican restaurants to open for months and months.
Now, one of them is ready, but the other is still on hold because it can’t find enough employees to open the doors.
The one that’s opening is Los Cabos Cantina & Grill, which owner Chris Martinez first hung up a sign for in September. It’s taking over the old Los Compadres Mexican Grill space at 3827 W. 13th St.
Though he’s faced a number of delays, Martinez said, he’s finally ready to open and will do so on Wednesday.
Martinez is not the same person who opened the Los Cabos at 7011 W. Central, which lasted for only four months in late 2019. He’s managed La Hacienda at 5905 W. Kellogg, owned El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant at 1320 E. Central, which closed last November, and co-owns El Azteka in Haysville.
Los Cabos will serve authentic Mexican food at both lunch and dinner and will have a full bar. The hours at Los Cabos starting Wednesday will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.
Meanwhile, Los Cunados Mexican Restaurant is completed and ready to go in the former Bob & Luigi’s space at 4559 N. Woodlawn, but owner Fernando Aguirre says he can’t open the doors until he’s able to find enough staff for the front of the house and the kitchen, and that’s something he’s been struggling with. In fact, finding employees is something restaurants in Wichita and across the country say they’re having trouble doing.
He’s hoping to have the problem solved in time to open for Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day in a couple of weeks, he said.
Aguirre first announced his plans back in January and has been trying to open ever since. His restaurant will serve standard Mexican-American fare, including steak, chicken, fajitas and more, he said.
If anyone is looking for a restaurant job, he said, they can call him at 620-287-1298.
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 1:01 PM.
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