Downtown's Casa Don Juan Expands to the Westside

It takes a surprise expansion to knock off a visit by the Vice President as the biggest news in a restaurant's year. Downtown's Casa Don Juan Mexican restaurant is expanding from their Main Street roots and will be opening in the former Mi Tierra and Fiesta Chips & Salsa location at 1780 N. Buffalo Drive.

Fiesta lasted less than seven months in this spot, but their upgrades to the space will give the family-owned Casa Don Juan a head start on any remodeling.

Already touting a "coming soon" arrival and their "authentic" bona fides on banners they mounted less than 48 hours after their predecessor shuttered, the temporary billboards also give a shout-out to DTLV and "Tequila Casa Don Juan," which appears to be another new upgrade for the restaurant.

Downtown, Casa Don Juan prides itself on their welcoming atmosphere, their tequila and margarita selections and a full menu that begins at 7 a.m. with "Juanitos" and stretches to the late evening. During First Friday festivities, the restaurant has proved to be an extremely popular destination.

Casa Don Juan is also well known for their seafood creations, including the "grill parrillada" for two or four people, which features "shrimp, grilled beef or mojarra, clam, fish fillet, octopus, with salad, guacamole, rice and beans y tortillas."

In October, Vice President Joe Biden spent a morning meeting with business owners at the restaurant to debate plans to raise the minimum wage. A White House press spokesperson did not reveal what dishes the Vice President might have tasted during the private event.