Originally from Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, Miguel Jaurigui said his ambition in the restaurant industry began when he was just 13 years old working at family members’ and friends' restaurants.

After successfully opening his first restaurant, Patron, in Livingston in 2015, Jaurigui said he decided to take a risk and move to the Houston area to open his second restaurant, Loco Cantina, in Kingwood in November 2023.

What’s in a name

Jaurigui said the name of the restaurant reflects the risk he took by selling his first restaurant to move to Houston and open a second Tex-Mex restaurant.

“I named it Loco Cantina because my previous restaurant in Polk County had been the No. 1 restaurant in the county for eight years in a row,” Jaurigui said. “It was a very successful restaurant that I started, and nobody would leave something very stable to go try something new. I wanted that challenge and that feeling of taking another huge risk.”After operating for a year, Jaurigui said the response to his restaurant from the Kingwood community has exceeded his expectations.

“I chose this location because I know it's not the best location in Kingwood, and I wanted something where other restaurants have failed, and I wanted to go in there and be the one to succeed,” Jaurigui said.

Prior to opening, Jaurigui said he expanded the space from 1,500 square feet to 3,300 square feet to add space to the dining area and kitchen.

Craving Tex-Mex?

At Loco Cantina customers can enjoy authentic Tex-Mex with fajitas, enchiladas, carnitas and drinks, including skinny margaritas and palomas.“Our fajitas are so tender you can literally grab a fork and cut it, and our enchiladas are so cheesy and the profile of the gravy is just a good complement to a Tex-Mex enchilada,” Jaurigui said. “Our carnitas are very unique too because we slow cook them for over six hours and we marinate them 12 hours before cooking them to enhance that flavor. And then our birria quesadillas are cooked for 12 hours straight.”

The restaurant cuisine is prepared by the restaurant's chef and owner's sister, Ana Gabriela Jaurigui, as well as the owner himself. Produce is imported from regions of Mexico that offer the highest quality avocados, dried peppers and tomatoes, Jaurigui said.“I'm very proud of saying that I'm 100% Tex-Mex, and I use authentic ingredients from Mexico, and I combine them with Texas because I live in both worlds,” Jaurigui said. “We really choose what a lot of Texans like and what Mexicans like, and then we just infuse both of them to get one of those meals that is for everyone.”

• 1660 W. Lake Houston Parkway, Ste. 107, Kingwood
• www.lococantinakingwood.com