Mex-Mex News

Fort Worth favorite chef to open Maria's Mexican Kitchen in Irving

Maria's Mexican Kitchen enchiladas

Maria's

A favorite Fort Worth Mexican restaurant is expanding east. Maria’s Mexican Kitchen, the highly personal concept founded by chef Felipe Armenta, will open a location in Irving, at 5240 N. O’Connor Blvd. #160, taking over the space previously occupied by Hugo's Invitados, which closed in May.

According to a representative from the restaurant, the Irving location is slated to open in December 2025.

Maria's is named for Armenta’s mother, at whose side he grew up cooking in his hometown San Angelo. He opened the first location in Fort Worth near TCU in May 2021 — combining authentic Mexican food with sophisticated presentation and the comforting atmosphere of a neighborhood restaurant.

He opened a second Maria's in Odessa in June 2025, which makes Las Colinas the third.

The menu marries authentic flavors with modern presentation that go beyond your usual cheese enchiladas, with entrees such as grilled mahi-mahi with almond sauce, and tamales with roast chicken. Entree prices range from $20 to $30.

There are fajitas, crudos such as tuna tostadas and shrimp ceviche, and tacos with carne asada and baja shrimp. They also make their own tortillas.

They do a weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday that extends until 3 pm with Mexican breakfast favorites plus classic brunch staples, and a weekday happy hour Monday-Thursday from 3-5:30 pm.

A full bar features cocktails that range from a frozen margarita to a maple old fashioned with vanilla bitters. There's also a small but well-conceived wine list with labels from Italy, Spain, California, Argentina, and Mexico including Casa Madero 3V Red Blend from Parras de la Fuente in Coahuila. Nearly all are available by the glass as well as bottle.

The Far Out Hospitality family of restaurants includes Maria's, Pacific Seafood, Press Cafe, and Tavern, a Southwest fusion spot. Armenta joined forces with chefs Graham Elliot and Vernon Erickson to launch 11 concepts under Far Out Hospitality’s brand.

tex-mex chefs openings

Chick-fil-A News

New Chick fil-A will open on far east side of Fort Worth

Chick-Fil-A/Facebook

undefined

The massively popular Chick-fil-A chain is opening a new restaurant in Fort Worth: According to a release, it'll be located at 1700 Eastchase Pkwy. at the intersection of I-30, practically clear to Arlington, where it will open on December 10.

The new location is from franchisee Carmenza Moreno, who owns one other Chick-fil-A location at North Collins Street. She first began working at Chick-fil-A in 1993 at the first freestanding Chick-fil-A west of the Mississippi, in Texas.

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the U.S. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy, who opened a small restaurant in Atlanta in 1946, before going on to open the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center in 1967.

Texas has more than 460 locations, with approximately 140 in the DFW area.

They're known for their original fried Chicken Sandwich and iced tea. Other menu items include a grilled sandwich, nuggets, strips, a spicy chicken sandwich, nuggets, strips, chicken wraps, waffle fries, mac & cheese, kale, and chicken soup.

At breakfast, there's a Chicken Biscuit sandwich, hash brown scramble burrito, plus various bacon & egg or sausage & egg combos on biscuits or English muffins.

They're equally well known for their overflowing drive-thru lanes and their customers' intense loyalty. They also have a unique franchise model with local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

From a typography standpoint, they're a challenge, as the logo calls for a capital C, then a small f, then a capital A. Chick-fil-A.

The new location will open at 6 am on December 10 with a trademark dress-up: Guests who dress in cow attire can get one free entrée or kid’s meal inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru, limited to one per person in cow attire, per day, while supplies last.

openings