If you remember and were ever a fan,

May 30th, 1871 -- El Chico's founder born in Mexico
On this day in 1871, Adelaida Cuellar, founder of the tamale stand that grew into the El Chico restaurant chain, was born in Nuevo León, Mexico. In 1892 she and Macario Cuellar crossed into Texas and were married in Laredo. At the time they spoke no English. They worked on ranches in small Texas towns before settling as sharecroppers in Kaufman. In 1926, with twelve children to support, Mrs. Cuellar decided to supplement the family income by selling homemade tamales at the Kaufman County Fair. The tamale stand was a success, and the venture was repeated the following year. Soon after, sons Frank and Amos opened a Mexican cafe in Kaufman with Mama Cuellar, as she was called, doing the cooking. The cafe closed after two years, as the Great Depression tightened its grip on the community. Eventually, using her recipes, several of the sons opened Mexican restaurants in East Texas towns, as well as in Oklahoma City and Shreveport. All of these ventures closed by the end of the 1930s. In 1940 Mrs. Cuellar's sons Macario and Gilbert moved to Dallas and opened a restaurant, El Charro, in the Oak Lawn neighborhood. The menu featured Mama's tastiest recipes, and eventually most of the family moved to Dallas to help with the popular business. Within three years the restaurant was profitable, and the business began to expand. By this time, the restaurants had become known as El Chico and the Cuellar sons as "Mama's boys." By the time Mama Cuellar died in 1969, the El Chico Corporation was involved in twenty separate business enterprises, from restaurant franchising to canning.

We never ate at one, but I always wanted to run the little Mexico flag up for more food! Am I remembering this right?

Pancho's

Yep. Flautas and sopapillas please!

When I was a boy, growing up near Dallas, there was El Fenix and there was El Chico. That was about it for mexican food.
There was not a Mexican food joint on every corner, far from it.
Both restaurants had their following back then. My folks liked El Fenix so that's where we went.

Both are still in Arlington.

Ate at El Chico's many times, but it was usually on the road. My go to in the Dallas area was Tino's -- our family knew his well. Wonder who else might be in the same boat

I grew up on El Fenix with some El Chico sprinkled in. El Fenix was sold by the Martinez family to Firebird Restaurant Group. They ran it into the ground.

The El Chico in Sherman closed up. La Mesa's put them under here.

The El Chico's in Wichita Falls are no bueno.

I grew up in Marshall Tx and we had to drive to Longview to get Mexican food at El Chico's with mom and dad. We finally got one in Marshall and for the time period it was pretty good. My favorite dish was the Chickaritos. Both of them are gone now, the one in Longview burned to the ground.

There is El Chico's and then there is real Mexican food.

If I'm rembering better than Creek...…..
There was one on Camp Bowie

I was engaged to this ol' gal from late 1998 to early 2000. Her parents lived out of town and whenever they were here, we had to go to El Chico, El Fenix, or Cracker Barrel. Only one I will still eat at is El Fenix, and that's only the one in Winstar...they do have great chips, though.

Never liked El Chico, but I think it's a great history.

Thanks a bunch for the update.

Never been there, but if it can be confused with Panchos, then I’d have to agree.

I heard recently that it is once again up for sale.

Agree, it was several years ago when I went there.

El Chico is owned by Consolidated Restaurant Operations. They also own Cantina Laredo, Silver Fox and several other brands.
I don't think there are any Pancho's left. Pancho's =

You picked the wrong end for it to come out of jetdad

Thats what i thought. I wasnt sure they still owned them. Didnt they buy them in the late 90s? I used to work for one of the principals of that group when he was doing his own thing.

Fortunately we don't have an emoji for that end TLew but you're right. Yes freerange a couple of attorneys controlled CRO and I think bought El Chico in the late 90's early 2000's. I believe they split up around 2006 or 07 if I remember correctly. One of the attorneys is still involved with CRO.

Grew up eating at El Chico Rockwall. Don't remember if it's good or bad.

There are still Pancho's in business.

Last time buddy and I ate there in Lubbock we both got food poisoning! Omg felt like death!! Are they still around??

If havent kept up but that CRO split makes since. My guy wasnt an attorney, a restaurant guy, but he would of been able to have big money in it as well. I never saw El Chico fitting with them and assumed it was more of a real estate opportunity that they would turn into something different.