Big News (and Small Move) for Stockyards Stalwart

“We’re not leaving the Stockyards!” Cisneros Restaurants Inc. President Vicki Cisneros proclaimed of her family’s Los Vaqueros Restaurant. “We’re staying right here in the community we love. We’re just moving down the street to another historic building, right across the plaza from Billy Bob’s.”

With rumors swirling about institutions and locations in the rapidly developing Stockyards district, Cisneros wanted fans of Los Vaqueros Restaurant to get the full story of the move directly from her — and to provide reassurance that the restaurant will remain an integral part of the Stockyards and greater Fort Worth communities well into the future.

Cisneros explained that a location change was inevitable, as the current Los Vaqueros building was no longer the right option for her family and devoted staff:

“While we’ve loved the challenge of a 34,000-square-foot building, it is time for the building to have an opportunity to grow further, and our vision for Los Vaqueros’ future does not coincide with expansion,” Cisneros said. “Our vision is to continue to operate in a way that allows us to adhere to our core values of family, food, grace, community service and hospitality — which means a smaller footprint. It will also allow us to spend more time enjoying our grandchildren, family and friends.”

Photo courtesy of Los Vaqueros

Johnny Cisneros, the Los Vaqueros chef, has reasons of his own to look forward to change. Under his guidance, Los Vaqueros has become a Blue Zone-approved restaurant, providing vegan-friendly and gluten-free options alongside traditional Tex-Mex favorites and family recipes. Johnny told his wife, Vicki, that a smaller restaurant footprint would allow his kitchen the flexibility to bring new dishes and fresh, seasonal specialties to their well-loved menu.

On April 22, through the negotiations of son-in-law Davidson Liland, an associate with Altera Development Company, Cisneros Restaurants Inc. signed a long-term lease on a new Los Vaqueros location in the 1911 Stockyards Exhibits building at 2501-2519 Rodeo Plaza. The Cisneros family is currently renovating the space and plans to close the original location on June 30 and open the new location after July 4, 2024. New neighbors in the building will include the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the John Wayne: An American Experience Museum, and restaurant patrons will find themselves steps from the Cowtown Coliseum and across the plaza from iconic Billy Bob’s Texas.

Photo courtesy of Los Vaqueros

For long-time Los Vaqueros fans worried about losing one of the few locations in Fort Worth that easily seats large parties on short notice, please be aware that “smaller” is a relative term in the Cisneros family. The new Los Vaqueros will occupy a massive 8,000 square feet, still twice the size of an average restaurant. The location will also feature an adjacent patio that seats an additional 85 guests.

“And not to worry if you have an event booked — the new location’s banquet rooms are very similar to the current banquet spaces,” she said reassuringly. “Not to mention, we’ll still have the Los Vaqueros West location in Willow Park, where we just added a banquet hall that seats 250 people.”

As for the long-occupied original Los Vaqueros location at 2629 North Main Street, Cisneros reveals that her family has sold the building, and looks forward to witnessing decades of careful stewardship from the new owners:

“It’s going to a unique, family-owned and -operated business, deeply rooted in America’s history and excited to be part of the Stockyards community. That building has been here for over 100 years and has had many different owners. We were the longest stewards of the space so far, but it’s time for the building to evolve as well. The Cisneros family has received many offers for the building over the years, but this is the only offer that seemed to represent the building’s integrity. I’m looking forward to witnessing its next chapter.”

Photo courtesy of Los Vaqueros

Cisneros concluded with a message to everyone who has visited the original location over the years, and who she hopes will join them at the new location:

“I’m one of the most fortunate people in the world because I love my work. Our guests are more than guests, they are our friends! Many have been dining with us since the 80s. We have customers that first came in as babies and are now celebrating marriages, births, and other special events; we feel as if we have come full circle. The message I want to get out to our faithful patrons, and to the schools, churches, and non-profit organizations we’ve worked with for 40 years is that their patronage makes all the difference to us — and we’re still here for them, just a few doors down the road.”