After a delay due to extensive renovations, Don Jose’s Grill has finally opened at 3154 College Drive in the Village Square Shopping Center, near Wal-Mart.
Owner Edgar Plascencia says the restaurant is in the middle of a soft opening that began about three weeks ago.
A grand opening is planned for sometime in April, but an exact date has yet to be set, he says.
“I want to get both my kitchen and serving staff up to par before we have the grand opening in a few weeks,” Plascencia says, adding that he’s still exploring incorporating live music at the restaurant during the weekdays and deciding on drink specials for the grand opening.
In the meantime, business has been good so far, he says. The restaurant is attracting walk-ins from passers-by and visitors who learned about the it through word of mouth. Plascencia says he has even seen some repeat customers as well.
The new Baton Rouge location is the second for the Kenner-based Don Jose’s Grill. The restaurant mainly serves Mexican cuisine, though it does offer some Tex-Mex and non-Mexican menu items. “We want to try to cater to everybody,” Plascencia says.
Don Jose’s Grill was originally slated to open in November. However, major renovations were needed to outfit the building—formerly the location of Asian restaurants—for a Mexican restaurant. The renovations took longer than expected, Plascencia says.
—Alexandria Burris
