First Look: Casa Juárez Mexican Town in Maryland Heights

Casa Juárez Mexican Town, a sprawling new concept from the folks behind Chihuahua’s Mexican Restaurant, opens its doors for dinner tonight, Jan. 22, at 12710 Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights.

The Casa Juárez menu has plenty of south-of-the-border favorites, from gourmet tacos to enchiladas to nachos, along with items not usually associated with a Mexican restaurant, including a variety of hand-cut steaks and seafood dishes like Juarez salmon topped with chipotle sauce. Everything is prepared in the open kitchen including the tortillas, which are made daily.

The appellation “town” for the restaurant is more than apt. The space, some 11,000 square feet, seats 250 inside with an additional 120 on the front patio. The colorful exterior, painted to resemble adobe and with two Aztec warriors guarding the entrance, gives a hint of what awaits inside.

The interior is a riot of color and patterns – multicolored tiles, Aztec suns and elaborate light fixtures abound. Other amenities include a full bar and a gift shop. Keep an eye out for Rico’s Street Tacos, a dedicated street taco bar inside the restaurant, and a tequila tasting room, opening in the coming weeks.

The kitchen at Casa Juárez will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday (the bar will be open until midnight) and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.