El Chico Restaurant is a 100% minority owned business. El Chico’s is a locally owned authentic Mexican restaurant who’s focus for many years has been cleanliness, good food, good service and friendly staff. They specialize in Mexican and American authentic dishes.

El Chico’s story begins nearly ninety years ago, in 1926, when Adelaida Cuellar’s homemade tamales drew crowds at a county fair outside Dallas, Texas. In 1940, five of her sons moved Mama’s kitchen to Oak Lawn in Dallas, Texas. They named the restaurant El Chico, and it quickly became a Dallas tradition. It was not long before restaurants were built throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and eventually, the entire state. El Chico Restaurant # 2 opened in 1946, #3 opened in 1947, after World War II El Chico Canning Facility opened in 1949. Many openings throughout the years including #54 in Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 where then Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter was presented with a commemorative sombrero. El Chico also catered the White House Congressional Barbeque in 1985 alongside then President and Nancy Reagan and Vice President and Mr. Bush.

El Chico Restaurant made its opening debut in Abilene, Texas in 1979 in the Mall of Abilene. The young and rebellious 14-year-old, Cesar Rangel dropped out of high school and joined the El Chico’s working staff and unknowingly would begin to build his future.

Cesar is the third of six children. He was brought to America at a tender age of 6 years old in 1968 along with his family. His father was his inspiration and passed in 2016. Cesar held many job titles at El Chico’s throughout his work career including dishwasher, chip maker and head cook. In the mid-1980’s he began working in management for El Chico’s. In 1997 he became general manager and owner in 2018.