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Los Vaqueros Has Moved to Rodeo Plaza
On December 26, Los Vaqueros opened in its new location in Rodeo Plaza.
“This year has brought unexpected challenges, but also incredible opportunities,” said Cisneros Restaurants Inc. President Vicki Cisneros. “We are grateful to be able to celebrate one last Christmas season with our friends here before starting a new chapter two blocks down the road at Rodeo Plaza.”
While the Cisneros family initially planned to open the new location over the summer, they extended the timeline to ensure the space reflects the authentic essence of Los Vaqueros. Collaborating closely with Bennett Partners Architecture and Design and IMGC, LLC, the family worked tirelessly to preserve the rich history of the Stockyards while incorporating modern restaurant amenities.
“We wanted to get it just right,” Cisneros explained. “This is likely the last restaurant my husband Johnny and I will personally oversee, so every detail mattered. From incorporating historic wood and barn doors from the original building to designing custom chairs, plates, and glassware, the space truly embodies the spirit of Los Vaqueros: it’s about cowboys, ranchers, and Tex-Mex cuisine.”
When the family realized that they wouldn’t be able to open the restaurant in the new location by Thanksgiving, they decided to remain open in the original location a little longer, celebrating one final holiday season in the building that has been home to Los Vaqueros for nearly 30 years.
“Moving before Christmas would have disrupted so many of our patrons’ family traditions,” said Cisneros. “We’re grateful to the building’s new owners for allowing us to stay through the season. This has been one of the most challenging times in my 40-plus years in the business, but it’s been worth it to share these moments with our friends.”
The new location — the 1910–12 Stockyards Exhibits Building — is also a historic site, drenched in history and Western atmosphere. Neighbors in the building will include the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the John Wayne: An American Experience Museum. Rodeo Plaza, where the building is located, also hosts the famous Billy Bob’s Texas honky-tonk, and was the site of the first indoor rodeo, an exciting piece of Stockyards history that Los Vaqueros will be honoring with a commemorative plaque.
Amenities in the new location include a banquet room that seats 100, with an adjacent patio that seats 20 and a Fiesta Room that seats 50. The restaurant is launching “Los Vaqueros After Dark” on the weekends, an extended service that features a menu of enchiladas, tacos, nachos, and specialty breakfast items until 12:30 a.m. and bar service until 1 a.m.
“This late-night menu for Stockyards’ nightlife patrons carries so much nostalgia for Johnny and me,” said Cisneros. “The first Los Vaqueros location was also across the street from Billy Bob’s. My husband and I were so young back then. We’d finish the dinner service, head to Billy Bob’s to dance all night, and then come back and serve a traditional Mexican breakfast to all our friends.”
Cisneros assures guests concerned about parking at the new location that Los Vaqueros is taking steps to make the transition as smooth and convenient as possible. The Stockyards has become a bustling entertainment district, offering plenty of attractions and activities — but also new challenges with parking.
According to Los Vaqueros:
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Parking at the nearby Billy Bob’s lot (131 Stockyards Boulevard) is free Sunday through Thursday, excluding special events. On weekends, parking fees apply, but patrons are free to explore the entire Stockyards area, and vehicles can remain until 2 a.m., with keys available at Billy Bob’s desk. For a map and more detailed information on parking, please visit the Billy Bob’s website FAQ page.
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Additional free parking options are available around the perimeter of the Stockyards, as well as separately managed parking lots that offer different rates and occasional coupons.
Cisneros encourages customers with mobility issues to park in the Billy Bob’s lot and call the restaurant front desk at 817-625-1511 to arrange for a golf cart pickup. She also mentioned that the family is working to get approval for their own valet parking location and for a drop-off location close to the restaurant’s entrance on Main Street.
“The Stockyards district is evolving into an even more vibrant destination,” said Cisneros. “We are committed to ensuring our guests feel welcome and cared for as we embark on this exciting new chapter.”
Dedicated to quality, family recipes, and the freshest ingredients, Los Vaqueros Restaurant has brought comforting and delicious Tex-Mex cuisine — including heart-healthy, vegan-friendly, and gluten-free options — to the historic Stockyards neighborhood since 1982 and to Willow Park since 2008. For the Cisneros family behind the restaurant, the preparation of Tex-Mex food is an art that has been passed down for three generations. It began many years ago when Kiki (Amelia Yvonne Cisneros) met a man named Johnny Valentine Cisneros Jr. as they worked together at the famous El Chico Restaurant. Many decades and wonderful meals later, the restaurant that Kiki and Johnny Jr. founded and named after their sons, Johnny and Michael, the two “vaqueros” — Los Vaqueros — continues to welcome guests for brunch, lunch, dinner, cocktails, and special events, and the two “vaqueros” continue to work to see their parents’ dream continue to evolve.
Visit losvaqueros.com for more information.
