Ojos Locos
{{Short description|American restaurant chain}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ojos Locos
| logo = File:OjosLocosLogo.png
| type = Private
| foundation =
| location =
| locations = 33
| key_people =
| area_served = Texas and Southwestern United States
| industry = Restaurant
| products = Mexican food, Southwest food, alcohol, beer
| services = Food and beverage
| revenue =
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| net_income =
| num_employees =
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| subsid =
| slogan =
| homepage = [https://ojoslocos.com ojoslocos.com]
| dissolved =
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}}
Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is a chain of Mexican-themed sports bars and restaurants based in Dallas, Texas, and having locations throughout the American Southwest. The chain is known for its waitresses (called "chicas") who wear cleavage- and midriff-revealing uniforms, leading to its colloquial designation as a breastaurant. It is often nicknamed the “Mexican Hooters”.
History and concept
File:Ojos Locos waitress pouring drink (cropped).jpg
Ojos Locos ({{IPA|es|ˈo.xos ˈlo.kos|pron}}, Spanish for "Crazy Eyes") was founded in 2010 by restaurateurs Randy DeWitt, Jack Gibbons, Rich Hicks, and Todd East.{{cite news |last=Hiller |first=Mike |date=January 11, 2010 |title=New Restaurant Concept, Ojos Locos, to Debut in March |url=https://escapehatchdallas.com/2010/01/new-restaurant-concept-ojos-locos-to-debut-in-march/ |work=Escape Hatch Dallas |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} DeWitt, the owner of parent company Front Burner Restaurants, had previously founded Twin Peaks, a chain of wilderness lodge-themed breastaurants, in 2005.{{cite news |last=Heid |first=Jason |date=September 2010 |title=Breakfast with D CEO: Randy Dewitt |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-ceo/2010/september/breakfast-with-d-ceo-randy-dewitt-of-front-burner-restaurants/ |work=D Magazine |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} The 2010 opening of the first Ojos Locos restaurant in Dallas coincided closely with the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the chain has consistently emphasized soccer as a principal sport to watch at its locations.{{cite news |last=Berry |first=Monica |date=August 29, 2011 |title=Ojos Locos Sports Cantina: Believe Your Crazy Eyes; Those Happy Hours Prices Are Real |url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/restaurants/ojos-locos-sports-cantina-believe-your-crazy-eyes-those-happy-hours-prices-are-real-7026379 |work=Dallas Observer |access-date=May 29, 2018 }}{{cite news |last=Felps |first=Bruce |date=November 11, 2010 |title=Looking All Crazy |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/the-scene/food-drink/Looking-All-Crazy-107296048.html |work=NBCDFW.com |access-date=May 29, 2018 }}{{cite news |author= |title=Best of Big D: Nightlife 2013 |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2013/august/best-of-big-d-nightlife-2013/ |work=D Magazine |date=August 2013 |access-date=May 29, 2018 }}
Ojos Locos has been called a "Mexican Hooters" or "Twin Peaks for a Hispanic customer base" and markets itself to working class Hispanic men. Workers at the chain frequently speak both Spanish and English and The New York Times has singled out the restaurant as an example of an establishment that has thrived even during an anti-Spanish-language political environment.{{cite news |last=Romero |first=Simon |date=August 23, 2017 |title=Spanish Thrives in the U.S. Despite an English-Only Drive |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/23/us/spanish-language-united-states.html |work=New York Times |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} D Magazine cited it as being the best sports bar in Dallas in 2013.
The servers at Ojos Locos are known as "chicas"{{cite news |last=Saldaña |first=Hector |date=February 14, 2013 |title=Pub Crawl: Ojos Locos Sports Cantina |url=https://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/Pub-Crawl-Ojos-Locos-Sports-Cantina-4275174.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} and wear short skirts along with cleavage and midriff-baring outfits, leading the chain to colloquially be referred to as a "breastaurant".{{cite news |last=Braun Davison |first=Candace |date=July 29, 2016 |title=11 'Breastaurants' That Make Hooters Seem PG |url=https://www.delish.com/restaurants/g3533/best-breastaurants-in-the-us/ |work=Delish |access-date=May 29, 2018 }}{{cite news |last=Kwarteng |first=Tesia |date=March 31, 2011 |title=Ojos Locos brings some crazy to Fort Worth |url=http://www.theshorthorn.com/life_and_entertainment/plan_your_weekend/ojos-locos-brings-some-crazy-to-fort-worth/article_f1b03ddb-abb0-501a-a804-477b3c9e6377.html |work=The Shorthorn |access-date=June 2, 2018 }} The food served is a mix of Mexican and Southwestern American food developed by chef John Franke,{{cite web |url=http://chefsforfarmers.com/bio/john-franke/ |title=John Franke |author= |date=2018 |website=Chefs for Farmers |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} with tacos being a particular specialty. They are also known for their tall beer pitchers called "balones" that contain {{convert|100|USoz|L}}. As of 2020, there were thirteen locations across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.{{cite web |url=https://ojoslocos.com/Locations.aspx |title=Locations |author= |date=2020 |website=Ojos Locos Sports Cantina |access-date=August 11, 2020 }} As with their sister chain, Twin Peaks, they promote the {{convert|29|F|C}} temperature of their beer, which is the coldest temperature possible before ice crystals begin to form in the beer they serve.{{cite news |last=Strauss |first=Karsten |date=June 17, 2015 |title=Twin Peaks Founder Randy Dewitt Talks Cold Beer, Hot Food, Biker Brawls And How He's Beating Hooters |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestreptalks/2015/06/17/twin-peaks-founder-randy-dewitt-talks-cold-beer-hot-food-biker-brawls-and-how-hes-beating-hooters/ |work=Forbes |access-date=June 2, 2018 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ojoslocos.com/AboutUs.aspx |title=About Us |author= |date=2018 |website=Ojos Locos Sports Cantina |access-date=June 2, 2018 }} Ojos Locos restaurants feature numerous large screen televisions (including one in each booth){{cite news |author= |title=Ojos Locos Sports Cantina – Dallas, TX |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hArZnGBnZ8w |work=Thrillist |date=June 12, 2011 |access-date=May 29, 2018 }} showing Spanish-language sports broadcasts (especially soccer, boxing, and UFC matches).
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Ojos Locos}}
- [http://ojoslocos.com/ Official website]
Category:Regional restaurant chains in the United States
Category:Companies based in Dallas
Category:2010 establishments in Texas