Loco's Closes, Angie's Pancake House Takes Focus

JOLIET, IL — More than one year after long-time Joliet restaurant owner Mario De La Torre did something unique for the area — operating two completely different sit down restaurants out of the same location — only one remains.

Last week, De La Torre closed his Loco's Mexican Restaurant after nine years of being open at 1119 Essington Road. Now, De La Torre said he can devote his full attention to running Angie's Pancake House, which he opened May 10, 2021.

During an interview last July, De La Torre told Joliet Patch "It was the best thing I ever done. I'm very happy with what I did because I'm getting more clientele. I've got people coming two to three times a week now once Angie's opened. It's working perfectly."

On Wednesday, De La Torre said he will move the Angie's Pancake House sign to a more prominent center spot.

"The Loco's sign is coming down this week," he said Wednesday. "The Angie's sign will be going in the middle."

Why did he shut Loco's down?

De La Torre said he's now in his 60s, and is thinking about his eventual retirement.

"I'm getting toward the end of retiring. For 22 years, I've worked seven days a week, open to close," he said. "Every time you come here, you see me.

"My daughter will take care of the business. Running a breakfast and lunch (restaurant) is a lot easier."

Angie's Pancake House stays open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. The number for carryout is 815-725-9210.

"It's doing good, and we can use a little more business," he said. "Loco's helped Angie's and Angie's helped Locos."

De La Torre stressed the breakfast and lunch menu for Angie's is American food.

It is not a Mexican restaurant.

De La Torre said that some of his regular Angie's Pancake House customers have told him that his biscuits and gravy are better than any other restaurant in the Joliet area.

He said the skillets and omelettes are also top sellers.

His signature special is the Angie's Pancake House 1/2 lb cheeseburger with fries and soup for $6.

"I'm glad that I opened (last year) for breakfast," he said. "All the Mexican pictures on the walls will be coming down. It's going to look completely like a breakfast (restaurant).

"We're not going to be another breakfast place. We're going to be the best breakfast place in Joliet."

De La Torre said he always contemplated the idea of closing Loco's after he got Angie's Pancake House up and running smoothly.

"In my mind this was going to happen," he said. "I was just waiting for the right time to do the switch."