The local restaurant serves New York-style comfort food, pizza, wings and burgers inspired by owner Mike Brandel’s time living in Buffalo, co-owner Chet Bigon said. Additionally, Mag’s Cedar Park offers a full bar serving a variety of beers, wines and cocktails.
Mag’s Cedar Park offers two unique experiences at one location, Bigon said. Next door to the restaurant lies Mag’s BackRoom—a separate cocktail lounge for adults ages 21 and up.
“I bring my kids for lunch, but at night, I want to come back and have a drink [and] have a pizza with the guys, so we created this space here for those types of people,” Bigon said.
The backstory
In 2004, Brandel founded the business as Maggiore’s in Hutto and expanded to Cedar Park with Bigon in 2009. While Maggiore’s closed in Hutto in 2010, Brandel and Bigon have seen the Cedar Park community embrace their business over the last 15 years, Bigon said.
“When we first moved here, it was an instant success,” Bigon said. “People supported us wholeheartedly. It was awesome, and it's been that way forever.”
In April, Brandel and Bigon, alongside new owner Jason Carrier, renamed the business to Mag’s Cedar Park—a nickname community members coined for the restaurant since its opening, Bigon said.
Mag’s Cedar Park is now working to refresh its menu to reach new customers. It also received a new audio-visual system and interior paint as well as design upgrades, Carrier said.
“I've always loved coming to Maggiore's,” Carrier said. “I've always loved the Mag’s Burger, and their cold Miller Lite, and it's surreal to be a part of that now.”
The bottom line
Bigon said he hopes Mag’s Cedar Park serves as a second home for customers where they can enjoy fairly-priced meals throughout the week. The restaurant hosts trivia nights, happy hours, and parties for weddings, anniversaries and businesses.
Over the next 20 years, the business aims to continue its legacy of bringing people together, he said. The restaurant's owners have watched customers get married, start families and have hired their children to work for them, Brandel and Bigon said.
“This is something that could last forever as generations grow up,” Bigon said. “I don't see any reason why this couldn't continue to evolve and just continue to be a part of the fabric of Cedar Park.”
