get in line for the mambo taxi

Dallas Tex-Mex staple makes big Houston return near River Oaks District

Mambo taxis are coming to Houston.

Courtesy of Mi Cocina

One of Dallas’s most popular Tex-Mex restaurants is returning to the Houston area. Mi Cocina has claimed the former Seasons 52 location near River Oaks District (4410 Westheimer Rd.) for a new restaurant that will open this fall.

A Dallas staple for more than 30 years, Mi Cocina is known for its upscale Tex-Mex fare and the Mambo Taxi, a frozen margarita with a swirl of sangria. Signature items include the brisket tacos, Mama’s tacos, and the Rico salad that’s topped with sliced chicken fajitas. The Houston location will be the company’s 24th outpost, joining locations across Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma.

“I’m a very conservative guy when it comes to real estate,” Edgar Guevara, president and CEO of Mi Cocina parent company M Crowd Restaurant Group, tells CultureMap. “We’ll put our best foot forward. We’re working with Droese Raney to create a space that’s consistent with our contemporary Mexican approach and building it to fit the neighborhood.”

The Houston location will feature an expansive dining room and a dedicated, adults-only bar area. Mi Cocina has commissioned artist Luis Sottil to create a large, custom painting for the restaurant.

Mi Cocina Houston rendering A rendering previews the new Mi Cocina.Courtesy of Mi Cocina

“We’ve started building upscale bars in these restaurants that are adults-only areas where people can enjoy Mambo Taxis. We started that with our Monkey Bar,” Guevara says. “River Oaks will have a big dining space for families. We’ll also have this upscale bar where adults can enjoy some light bites and premium drinks.”

Open for lunch and dinner daily, the restaurant expects to employ between 80 and 100 people. If all goes according to plan, Houstonians will be sipping Mambo Taxis by October.

Mi Cocina’s new location marks the company’s return to the Houston market. The company opened a location at Woodway and Voss in 2004 that’s now home to Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen. A location at the Woodlands Mall that closed in 2017 is now occupied by South African restaurant Mozambik.

Guevara, who joined the company almost six years ago, expresses optimism that this time Mi Cocina will stick in the Bayou City. He sees similarities between the River Oaks area the company selected and the restaurant’s successful restaurant in Dallas’s Highland Park neighborhood.

“I don’t know what happened with the past openings we had in Houston. I think when you’re going into a market you want to pick someplace that’s similar to where you operate,” Guevara says. “I happen to like the location we’re in. That’s why we landed there. It was data driven and then there were similarities to what we do in Dallas.”

Stay trill, owls

Bun B serves up smash hit smash burgers at Houston's Rice University

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Bun B is bringing Trill Burgers to Rice University.

Faculty, students, and staff at Rice University will have a fresh new dining option when classes resume for the fall semester. Trill Burgers will open its fourth Houston-area location on campus beginning Monday, August 17.

Located at the Rice Memorial Center, the new Trill Burgers will serve the restaurant’s signature smash burgers, which are available in either beef or vegan versions. That starts with the OG Trill Burger, made with two smashed beef patties, pickles, caramelized onions, Trill Sauce, and American cheese on a Martin’s potato roll. A vegan version uses plant-based smashed patties, vegan sauce, and vegan cheese. Burgers will be sold individually or as a combo with fries and a drink. Students will be able to use their campus dining dollars (Tetra) to purchase their meals.

Bun B, a Houston hip-hop legend and co-founder of Trill Burgers, has long had ties to Rice University. In 2011, 2013, and 2015, he served as a distinguished lecturer, co-teaching Religion and Hip-Hop Culture with Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Distinguished Professor of the Humanities.

“This is truly full circle for me,” Bun B said in a statement. “To bring this brand to Rice University where I once taught is a major moment for Trill Burgers and for myself.”

In addition to Trill Burgers, Rice is also home to locations of breakfast favorite Dandelion Cafe and salad and sandwich concept Local Foods Market.

“We are excited to build upon this long-standing relationship while giving the Rice community an authentic taste of Houston,” Beth Leaver, Rice’s assistant vice president of housing, dining, and hospitality, added. “Trill Burgers brings a distinctive and celebrated part of Houston’s culinary culture to the Rice campus. I am often asked about adding a great burger option, and this partnership fills an important gap in our dining portfolio.”

While the restaurant is open to the general public, its proximity to the original Trill Burgers location (3607 S. Shepherd Dr.) means it will likely appeal primarily to people who are already on campus. Initially, the restaurant will be open from 11 am-5 pm.

Opening at Rice comes at a time of continued growth for Trill Burgers. In December, the restaurant opened in Missouri City. It is expected to open a new location at Westheimer and Hillcroft (7616 Westheimer Rd.) as soon as this month.

burgers rice university openings bun b trill burgers

get in line for the mambo taxi

Dallas Tex-Mex staple makes big Houston return near River Oaks District

Stay trill, owls

Bun B serves up smash hit smash burgers at Houston's Rice University

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