The family-owned Don Juan Mexican Cocina restaurant recently opened at Five Points in Davenport. The family members, from left, are: Emilio Ramirez, Guadalupe Bernal, Araceli Gonzalez, Ignacio Bernal and Carolina Bernal. PHOTOS BY DAVE THOMPSON
Guadalupe Bernal says that her new patrons are pleased that a new restaurant has set up shop on the west side of Davenport. “We’ve had a lot of people excited we’re here. They’re excited that somebody has filled this space. They tell us ‘We’ve heard a lot of good things about you,’” said Ms. Bernal, […]
Guadalupe Bernal says that her new patrons are pleased that a new restaurant has set up shop on the west side of Davenport.“We’ve had a lot of people excited we’re here. They’re excited that somebody has filled this space. They tell us ‘We’ve heard a lot of good things about you,’” said Ms. Bernal, one of the family members who own and operate Don Juan Mexican Cocina restaurant at 1902 N. Division St. (That’s at the busy intersection commonly known as Davenport’s Five Points.)The business site has been a restaurant for many years. The Azteca Express Mexican restaurant operated there for years until closing a few months ago. Don Juan opened for business on Friday, May 20.Ms. Bernal said her family loves the site because it’s a busy section of town, many people have already noticed the new business and it’s close enough to many homes and businesses to attract a good lunch crowd. For example, Don Juan has been getting a healthy lunch-time crowd from workers at the nearby Eaton-Cobham Mission Systems, she added.“We like all the traffic around here. … We want to do a fast food service for people,” she said.Some of the most popular menu items in the restaurant’s opening days included street tacos and enchiladas. But Don Juan offers many other items including:
The macho burrito, which is filled with steak, whole beans, pico de gallo and queso fresco.
Alambre, which includes a choice of grilled chicken or steak, bacon, grilled onions and poblano peppers, topped with cheese, served with rice, beans and tortillas.
The pollo jalisco – a grilled chicken breast topped with mushrooms, grilled onions, cheese dip
The steak burrito dinner, which includes two seven-inch burritos filled with steak, grilled onions, with cheese dip and ranchero sauce.
The dessert menu includes tres leches cake, churros and cheesecake chimichangas.
But Don Juan is more than a business with a vast menu. It’s really all about family at the new restaurant. In fact, the restaurant is named after Ms. Bernal’s paternal grandfather.Six members of the family work in the business including: Ms. Bernal; her father, Ignacio Bernal; her mother, Araceli Gonzalez; her sister, Carolina Bernal; and brothers, Emilio Ramirez and Juan Bernal.And while the eatery might be new to the local restaurant scene, the family members behind the business are not. Ms. Bernal said her father has 30 years of experience working for Azteca, and other family members also have many years with the Azteca restaurants.That vast experience will be extremely valuable in the new business at Five Points, she said.“It has shown us how to improve our customer service and how to be more efficient,” she added.Don Juan Mexican Cocina is open seven days a week. Its current hours are: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursdays and on Sundays; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, according to the restaurant website. Ms. Bernal said that the family plans to expand its hours in the future. At some point, the restaurant will remain open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.The restaurant can be reached at (563) 551-6341. Its website is: donjuanmexicancocina.com.
