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arguing that it had a bad flavor and was overpriced. In 2012 Shilcutt said that "Maggie Rita's served none of the old Ninfa's recipes, but served its own ham-fisted versions of Tex-Mex food that somehow cost even more than the already overpriced Ninfa's that came before." She also said that "he takeover of three Ninfa's locations in
Houston by Maggie Rita's represents the latest and possibly saddest chapter in the Tex-Mex chain's history, and certainly the nadir of Ninfa's existence" because the chain "itself may well represent a nadir unto itself in the world of Houston Tex-Mex."
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sort of put me off about Maggie Rita’s was that they served the food on disposable plates" since those are often used at barbecues and picnics but not at fine restaurants. Elder reasoned that "I did think the prices were extremely reasonable" and that "perhaps their plate delivery hadn't yet arrived and I was making a rash assessment." Elder did not have the margaritas, and she said they "probably would have lightened up my view of the eatery."
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said that after the 2012 conversion of some Ninfa's locations in
Houston, some internet users reacted negatively to the new restaurant, while one argued that the food was "better than expected." Shilcutt reviewed the restaurant on Shepherd Drive in Houston and gave a very negative review of the food,
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The Kirby location closed in
November 2012. The Galleria location closed the following month. In January 2013, due to rising rents, the Heights location closed. The closures led to 60 employees losing their jobs. Tony Shannard operates the Maggie Rita's in Downtown under a licensing agreement. As of
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criticized Moreno's statements, arguing that by "catering to the lowest common denominator", the chain is allowing the food quality to suffer, and furthermore by "underestimating a market like
Houston, which is saturated with excellent Tex-Mex restaurants, and a consumer base possessed of a smart,
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said that while she "visited only once when the restaurant still was working out the kinks" she felt "I thought the food was ok" and "I’ve had better, especially on the island, where the Tex-Mex trade is pretty competitive and some local families are very good at what they do. She added that "What
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clients who grew up with Taco Bell as
Mexican food" and that "heir palates don't appreciate what we grew up with as Mexican food." Moreno said that Ninfa's served a "heavy product" which a "strong" person would be able to eat on two occasions in a week, while with Maggie Rita's offers a "lighter"
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rated the food at the new restaurants negatively and said that "t represents a new nadir for a once-respected and beloved
Houston Tex-Mex institution." Shilcutt further added that the takeover caused an "uproar" in Houston and that "to many longtime Houstonians (me included), the deal with
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had an interest in food, and his friends suggested that he make a business out of it. Mencia met
Santiago Moreno, a restaurateur, who suggested that the two of them start a restaurant chain. Mencia partnered with Moreno, who along with David Quintanilla, was one of the two principals of the
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product that can easily be consumed on two or three occasions in a week. Moreno added that "consumer decisions are made by women" and he concluded that "what makes a woman decide where to eat
Mexican food has to do with margaritas has nothing to do with food."
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that month, he planned to open another
Downtown Maggie Rita's within 30 days, but as of January 2019 the Maggie Rita's website lists only one location. The former Kirby location became the new location of the Houston-area Tex-Mex restaurant Pico's.
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and
Santiago Moreno of Suave Restaurant. In January 2013, Moreno closed the last two locations they owned. Tony Shannard owns the only remaining Maggie Rita's restaurant, which is situated in Houston's
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called the restaurant "a new upscale Mexican food concept." In 2009 Syd Kearney of 29-95 said that Maggie Rita's was an "upscale Tex-Mex sports bar." The Maggie Rita's in
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experienced palate that will only suffer through a bowl of garlic-and-tomato salsa once, never to return again", the chain's restaurants would not succeed in the
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characterized the opening as a "test run" and Mencia said that "We learned a lot from that experience. We tweaked a lot of things from what we learned there."
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and cocktails. She said that Maggie Rita's was not well received in Houston because Mencia was not a Texan or a Mexican and because it had taken over
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recovery and welcome investment in the island’s downtown." By January 2012 the restaurant in Galveston had closed.
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At the Shepherd Drive location in Houston, patrons parking on the premises were required to use a valet service.
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Restaurant Resource Management Group, to open Maggie Rita's. The first Maggie Rita's opened was located in the
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730:) Maggie Rita's (Downtown Houston). Retrieved on August 28, 2012. "600 Travis St Houston. TX 77002-3009"
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district. The Galveston location was the number three Maggie Rita's. Maggie Rita's had replaced a
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Gulf Freeway area, were converted into Maggie Rita's. Katharine Shilcutt of the
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Restaurants Behaving Badly: Maggie Rita's Calls Houston Woman "Fat" on Facebook
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Shilcutt characterized the menu as "a jumbled, pan-Latin menu" which includes
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Commenting on the opening of the Galveston location in 2010, Laura Elder of
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location in Houston was replaced with Maggie Rita's. Allison Wollam of the
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Shilcutt, Katharine. "Rest(aurants) in Peace: Notable Closings of 2012."
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As of April 2013 only one Maggie Rita's restaurant remains in operation.
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interloper Maggie Rita's may as well have been a pact with the devil."
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How the Mighty Have Fallen: Ninfa's Finds Its Nadir with Maggie Rita's
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locations owned by Santiago Moreno, in the Kirby Drive area, the
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EXCLUSIVE: Maggie Rita's closes Galleria, Shepherd locations
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opened on July 29, 2010 in the Armour & Co. building in
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Spotlight on Downtown Galveston - Profile on Maggie Rita's
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691:. Wednesday August 11, 2010. Retrieved on August 22, 2012.
647:. Wednesday August 15, 2012. Retrieved on August 22, 2012.
174:, Maggie Rita's opened in that city. Around 2007 a former
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Shilcitt, Katharine. "Maggie Rita's Takes Over Ninfa's."
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Shilcutt, Katharine. "Maggie Rita's Takes Over Ninfa's."
536:. Sunday September 2, 2007. Retrieved on August 23, 2012.
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Santiago Moreno said that the chain differs heavily from
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889:Maggie Rita's Downtown Houston
876:. Retrieved on March 27, 2013.
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360:) and "deconstructed salmon
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430:List of Tex-Mex restaurants
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1194:Categories
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351:Ecuadorian
190:The Strand
176:Houlihan's
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1158:Two Pesos
1097:One Fifth
896:(Archive)
325:Reception
301:Taco Bell
245:Galveston
235:Locations
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780:Heights
728:Archive
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370:Ninfa's
362:tamales
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297:Ninfa's
291:Concept
279:), and
275:, near
263:, near
241:Houston
211:Ninfa's
155:Houston
141:History
126:Houston
122:Tex-Mex
100:Website
45:Founded
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962:Agora
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