InTucker Magazine

Business of the Month – Monterrey

Celebrating 40 years of quality food and service, Monterrey Mexican Restaurant was once on the verge of closing its doors. With grit, ingenuity and community support, this Tucker staple has overcome much and earned its seat as one of the areas longest running restaurants.

Juan Alexandro Onate now manages the restaurant that his father, Juan Mannuel, opened and poured his life and passion into,

“We’re the originators,” Alexandro who helps manages the restaurant said. “We are the first [Mexican restaurant] in Tucker for sure. I would say that is what makes us stand out.”

Mannuel grew up in Mexico and at the age of nine he moved with his family to California. He made his way to Georgia in his late teens to join his wife’s uncle in the restaurant business. When he took a leap of faith and opened his own restaurant, he had his eyes set on Tucker. Mannuel initially opened his restaurant in Northlake Plaza in April of 1985. Alexandro shared that the location was desirable due to its location near the mall and several manufacturing businesses off Montreal Road, which his father figured would bring many patrons from near and far.

Monterrey struggled in the beginning, as many new restaurants do. Business was slow and Mannuel feared he would have to close the doors for good before the end of his first year. In a last-ditch effort, Mannuel bought advertising space to promote the restaurant and offer deeply discounted specials.

“My dad used the last money he had,” Alexandro said. “There was billboard truck going around town and he put a billboard up. He said all food is half off on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in early March. Come that Friday it snows and no result. This happened in 1986. Saturday rolls around supper busy and it’s packed. They called my aunts, my uncles and everybody to come help!”

The weekend of specials worked and got the word out about Monterrey. Slowly, business picked up and Mannuel was able to save the restaurant and even move to a stand-alone location where it still serves the community today.

“We have a very loyal following. We’ve seen generations of family come here,” Alexandro said. One couple have been regulars since they started dating in high school. Monterrey has remained a part of their family history. Alexandro said he loves that they can see families grow and be part of the Monterrey family. The staff at Monterrey know a lot of their customers by name and know some of their usual orders. Alexandro says that a lot of their customers keep coming back, even dignitaries.

In 2014, a United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, returned to Monterrey for a taste from her high school years.

“Out of everything she could have ordered she ordered the taco salad,” Alexandro said. “She comes up to pay and she looked at me and says hey you look familiar. She asks does Juan still works here. I told her that’s my dad, he still owns it but he is not here as much as he used to be. She said I remember this place so much when I was in high school…We would go to the movies and come eat here.”

Alexandro appreciates moments like that and the Tucker community for supporting his family’s business for 40 years. While he, his father and the Monterrey staff have done their part to secure the success of the restaurant, he also believes the Tucker community is what allowed Monterrey’s longevity,

“I always say good food brings customers in and good service brings customers in more frequently,” Alexandro said.
Monterrey Mexican Restaurant is located at 3865 Lavista Rd, Tucker, GA 30084 and can be found online at monterreyslavista.com