Free Tacos At El Primo No. 3 Grand Opening Party

JOLIET, IL — If you have a great restaurant model, why not expand it? Two years ago, downtown Joliet's Chicken-N-Spice restaurant opened another restaurant, at Route 59 and Route 52 in Shorewood. Now, El Primo Mexican Restaurant is starting to become a household name around the Joliet area.

El Primo No. 1 is at the corner of Hickory and Ruby Streets. El Primo No. 2 is up the street on Ruby Street near the Thayer Bros. Deli. Now, Joliet, brace yourself, El Primo No. 3 has opened in downtown Joliet at the former Stefanich's Restaurant & Lounge.

For the past two years, the old Stefanich's property served as Mama's restaurant.

To celebrate its grand opening Friday night, 457 North Scott St., guests at the El Primo No. 3 can get free tacos from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be half-price drink specials for margaritas and cantaritos from 6 to 10 p.m. Mariachi bands will be playing throughout the evening. The El Primo No. 3 features a large patio for guests and plenty of parking space.

El Primo No. 3 had planned to be open several months earlier, but the pandemic hit and the owners opted to wait until September to finally open.

On Tuesday, when Joliet Patch visited to interview the staff, there were several guests eating inside the restaurant. As most people know, El Primo is not a fast-food restaurant. It's sit-down dining, and now there's three of them in Joliet!

"It's really nice, and there's enough business for everyone," remarked Martin Ramirez, whose father owns the El Primo restaurants in Joliet.

Martin Ramirez was busy Tuesday running between the kitchen and the bar at the new El Primo No. 3.

He is bracing for a large turnout for Friday night's grand opening celebration. Most of the fun is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m.

Ramirez wanted Joliet area residents to know that El Primo No. 3 offers daily specials plus there's the $5.50 lunch special that is served with rice and beans and a free fountain drink.

The new downtown restaurant is not serving breakfast at this time.

Ramirez said that Tuesdays and Thursdays feature half-price margarita drink specials.

If you've never eaten at one of the Joliet El Primos, you're missing out.

Last December, I reviewed the El Primo No. 2 on Ruby Street, offering the following critique: "At first glance, my burrito seemed as long as one of those Canadian National trains rolling through Joliet. This burrito hit the spot. The rice was nice. My beans were warm. Everything tasted real good.

"That said, my entire plate, which included the can of pop, plus complimentary chips and salsa, cost me a grand total of $7.13. That's not bad for Joliet, especially for this food."