Ojos Locos

Last updated
Ojos Locos
Company typePrivate
Industry Restaurant
Number of locations
33
Area served
Texas and Southwestern United States
ProductsMexican food, Southwest food, alcohol, beer
ServicesFood and beverage
Website ojoslocos.com

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is a chain of Mexican-themed sports bars and restaurants based in Dallas, Texas, and having locations throughout the American Southwest. The chain is known for its waitresses (called "chicas") who wear cleavage- and midriff-revealing uniforms, leading to its colloquial designation as a breastaurant. It is often nicknamed the “Mexican Hooters”.

Contents

History and concept

Ojos Locos waitress with "balone" pitcher in foreground (2016) Ojos Locos waitress.jpg
Ojos Locos waitress with "balone" pitcher in foreground (2016)
Ojos Locos waitress wearing official uniform (2016) Ojos Locos waitress pouring drink (cropped).jpg
Ojos Locos waitress wearing official uniform (2016)

Ojos Locos (pronounced [ˈo.xosˈlo.kos] , Spanish for "Crazy Eyes") was founded in 2010 by restaurateurs Randy DeWitt, Jack Gibbons, Rich Hicks, and Todd East. [1] DeWitt, the owner of parent company Front Burner Restaurants, had previously founded Twin Peaks, a chain of wilderness lodge-themed breastaurants, in 2005. [2] The 2010 opening of the first Ojos Locos restaurant in Dallas coincided closely with the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the chain has consistently emphasized soccer as a principal sport to watch at its locations. [3] [4] [5]

Ojos Locos has been called a "Mexican Hooters" [3] or "Twin Peaks for a Hispanic customer base" [2] [4] and markets itself to working class Hispanic men. [3] Workers at the chain frequently speak both Spanish and English [3] and The New York Times has singled out the restaurant as an example of an establishment that has thrived even during an anti-Spanish-language political environment. [6] D Magazine cited it as being the best sports bar in Dallas in 2013. [5]

The servers at Ojos Locos are known as "chicas" [3] [7] and wear short skirts along with cleavage and midriff-baring outfits, leading the chain to colloquially be referred to as a "breastaurant". [8] [9] The food served is a mix of Mexican and Southwestern American food developed by chef John Franke, [10] with tacos being a particular specialty. [8] They are also known for their tall beer pitchers called "balones" that contain 100 US fluid ounces (3.0 L). [3] [7] As of 2020, there were thirteen locations across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. [11] As with their sister chain, Twin Peaks, they promote the 29 °F (−2 °C) temperature of their beer, which is the coldest temperature possible before ice crystals begin to form in the beer they serve. [12] [13] Ojos Locos restaurants feature numerous large screen televisions (including one in each booth) [14] showing Spanish-language sports broadcasts (especially soccer, boxing, and UFC matches). [1] [3]

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References

  1. 1 2 Hiller, Mike (January 11, 2010). "New Restaurant Concept, Ojos Locos, to Debut in March". Escape Hatch Dallas. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Heid, Jason (September 2010). "Breakfast with D CEO: Randy Dewitt". D Magazine. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Berry, Monica (August 29, 2011). "Ojos Locos Sports Cantina: Believe Your Crazy Eyes; Those Happy Hours Prices Are Real". Dallas Observer. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Felps, Bruce (November 11, 2010). "Looking All Crazy". NBCDFW.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Best of Big D: Nightlife 2013". D Magazine. August 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  6. ↑ Romero, Simon (August 23, 2017). "Spanish Thrives in the U.S. Despite an English-Only Drive". New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Saldaña, Hector (February 14, 2013). "Pub Crawl: Ojos Locos Sports Cantina". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Braun Davison, Candace (July 29, 2016). "11 'Breastaurants' That Make Hooters Seem PG". Delish. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  9. ↑ Kwarteng, Tesia (March 31, 2011). "Ojos Locos brings some crazy to Fort Worth". The Shorthorn. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  10. ↑ "John Franke". Chefs for Farmers. 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Locations". Ojos Locos Sports Cantina. 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ Strauss, Karsten (June 17, 2015). "Twin Peaks Founder Randy Dewitt Talks Cold Beer, Hot Food, Biker Brawls And How He's Beating Hooters". Forbes. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "About Us". Ojos Locos Sports Cantina. 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Ojos Locos Sports Cantina – Dallas, TX". Thrillist. June 12, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
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