It’s hard to miss the new restaurant that opened at the busy corner of State Route 82 and State Route 44 in Mantua in December. You may not have known that the location is the third Los Venados location that’s popped up in Northeast Ohio in as many years. The first location in Orwell opened in September 2021. The next location in Zoar opened in August of 2023, followed by this newest location. Los Venados is owned by Armando Martinez, Juan Aquirre, and Ulysses Orosce. Martinez handles the day-to-day operations of the three locations. His goal is to provide a welcoming place – a family atmosphere for both diners and his staff.
Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Martinez has been in the United States for 24 years. His first job as a small boy was helping his father at the family’s mini market in Tijuana. His mother and siblings reside in the US as well. The close-knit family gathers frequently, despite living in different states. Family is paramount to Martinez. He and his wife, Irene live in Chardon with their three children – Gianna (12), Vanessa (10), and Armando Junior (4). “I want to set a good example, to show my kids the importance of hard work,” he noted, “because life is not easy.”
Martinez rises early each day, taking the breakfast shift at home and dropping his kids at school each day. Then he travels to one of Los Venados locations to begin his workday. His wife, Irene, handles the afterschool shift when her workday ends. While Saturday is full of kids’ activities, Sunday is reserved for church services and family time. And while Martinez seems to thrive on the hectic pace of his work, the greater purpose of bringing families together (along with lots of coffee!) fuels his days.
His busy schedule, in fact, is how he happened to find Los Venados newest Mantua location. He had noticed the distinct building on his commute to his other locations. After driving by for six months, he noticed immediately when the former business closed its doors. Within three days, an offer was in the works. And thanks to friends in construction, renovations and updated furnishings transformed the space, equipping it as a family-friendly restaurant which opened the doors in mid-December.
The menu includes a variety of dishes diners have come to expect from a Mexican restaurant, including chips & salsa, guacamole, enchiladas, fajitas, and tacos. Staff on site three hours before lunch or dinner service, busily cleaning and sanitizing the front of house while back-of-house staff prepare for lunch or dinner service. “Nothing is frozen,” Martinez noted. “Everything is made fresh all day, every day.”
They also offer some special recipes from Martinez birthplace, including Guacamole Mexica, a more traditional version of the popular avocado dip. Their Birria Taco is the most popular item at their other locations. And diners marvel at the Monster Burrito– a whopping 36” entrée. It was first offered at the Orwell location, where Martinez was amazed that a skinny 14-year-old kid was able to polish it off in one sitting. It’s on the menu in Mantua, too, if you’re think you can manage it. They also offer salads, burgers, and wings for those whose tastes don’t venture far from home.
The only thing missing since they opened in December has been margheritas. But that is scheduled to change within the next two weeks – just in time for Valentine’s Day. Martinez is pleased to be offering their top-shelf, made-to-order margheritas. Like their menu items, their margheritas will be homemade with fresh ingredients. Be sure and give Martinez’s favorite Venados Perfect Margherita a try. It’s sweetened with agave nectar and is the best seller at their other locations.
According to local feedback, the team has successfully transformed the space from a bar that served food to an inviting restaurant where friends and families can gather. One recent diner shared, “The updated building in Mantua is now warm and cozy!”
And just as the building on a busy corner in Mantua has been altered on the inside,
Martinez shared plans to paint the exterior of the building this summer. He hopes to transform the traditional-looking wooden exterior to “something different,” since the building’s façade has looked the same for several years. He’s also looking forward to Los Venados embracing the community of Mantua in the same manner he and his employees have been welcomed.
He’s pleased with the warm reception he and his team have received thus far from the folks in Mantua. A recent Mantua diner extolled Los Venados for their, “wonderful food, great waiters and attentive staff.” Another extolled, “authentic Mexican cuisine, wonderfully prepared,” and “fabulous service.”
Future plans at Los Venados include a grand re-opening event to celebrate receipt of their liquor license, which is expected withing the next two weeks. If you’d like to bring your family or special someone in for Valentine’s Day, be sure to call or message on Facebook to reserve your space. They’ll offer a special Birria Pizza, a riff of one of their most popular tacos.
And stay tuned for more special events at Los Venados, including Mardi Gras, Easter, and of course, Cinco De Mayo. And just like their other two locations, Los Venados will host family-friendly events at Halloween and Christmas, bringing families together for fun and fabulous food.
Los Venados also offers catering. He and the team are looking forward to the glorious summer months, when they’ll have their taco cart or food truck to bring their traditional Mexican mobile kitchen to your location. For more information, call (234) 755-0158.
