Mexican Restaurant Opening In Owings Mills

OWINGS MILLS, MD — A new Mexican restaurant will be opening soon in Owings Mills. It will be the first for the restaurant chain in Maryland, which the owners say will fill a gap in the market.

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina will open in September in Owings Mills Square. The shopping center at the intersection of Owings Mills Boulevard and Reisterstown Road, anchored by Best Buy, also includes Noodles & Co., among other establishments.

“We have been scouting locations throughout Maryland for several years and believe this site in Owings Mills...represents the perfect landing spot," Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina General Manager Frankie Ledezma said in a statement, citing the population in the area and the relative lack of competition.

The 6,700-square-foot restaurant will be in a freestanding building where Famous Dave's used to be on Owings Mills Boulevard. More than 30,000 vehicles pass the location each day, according to the landlord.

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina, founded in 1994, cooks up street tacos filled with mahi-mahi, made-to-order guacamole, enchiladas, quesadillas, “go-light” options such as margarita-grilled chicken and more.

“Our concept gives people something different, including a fun atmosphere and over-sized portions," Ledezma said. "Our restaurant is particularly attractive to families looking for an informal place to eat and unwind."

Happy Hour — including margaritas, sangria and specialty beers —will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

The average Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina restaurant employs approximately 25 people.

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina has locations in Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, Virginia.

“We always had ambitions to grow, but expansion in southern Virginia has been difficult due to the saturation of similar concepts,” said Ledezma, whose father founded the business. "...we view Baltimore County as a hub location in which we can continue to expand."

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina is run by "extremely seasoned operators,” said Ken Bernstein of David S. Brown Enterprises, the real estate company leasing the space. "...we believe the Mexican food category remains underserved in the northwest Baltimore County corridor."

Stevenson University, neighborhoods off Owings Mills Boulevard and Reisterstown Road as well as businesses along those corridors will provide lots of opportunities for business, Bernstein said.

Jose Tequilas Mexican Grill and Cantina will be located at 10490 Owings Mills Boulevard when it opens in the fall 2018

Submitted photo.