ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Chef Jorge Romero works the grill at new Market Street Mexican restaurant Trio’s. Co-owner Nilson Garcia says the restaurant has been met with great response in the neighborhood.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN—Trio’s Mexican Grill is sizzling on Market Street.
The new restaurant opened at the end of October, and is already bringing music, entertainment, private events, and spirited margaritas to the active area.
“We have had some great feedback,” said Nilson Garcia, co-owner of the restaurant. “We’re happy that people have responded so well. We’re happy that people like the place.”
Garcia said she has never owned a restaurant before but when the opportunity presented itself, she knew it was something she wanted.
“To me, in the beginning, it was more of an investment,” said Garcia. “I used to come here all the time when it was Tatiana’s. The owner was a friend of my family. She was selling it and it caught my eye.”
Meanwhile, Manager Richard Herrera has the restaurant experience the pair needed to make this a reality, she said. He also owns Tekila’s Mexican Restaurant in Methuen.
“(Herrera) and I got excited,” she said. “There’s a vision we have for this place. There is so much potential.”
The space underwent what Garcia said were major renovations and now features a bar, restaurant area, lounge seating area, and a space with pub tables. It is also equipped with a stage for musicians and bands to perform, which they do multiple nights a week, she said.
The Trio’s Band, which Herrera sings for, plays on Friday nights. On Thursday nights there is jazz music, and on Saturdays and Sundays bilingual bands perform who Garcia said sing just as well in English as they do in Spanish.
“We wanted it to have an ambience where everyone feels comfortable,” she said. “We want to serve everyone. We’re open for everyone.”
The menu offers Mexican food but also a variety of other options including steaks, burgers, and salads.
“We wanted to have a few things in there in case someone doesn’t like Mexican food or so that people can change it up,” Garcia said. “Everything on the menu has sold well so far,” she said. “We’ve gotten a lot of different crowds.”
The drink menu also offers unique options, which were created by Trio’s main bartender, Garcia said.
“The margaritas seem to be what people go for,” she said. “We have a really good bartender, Julie Espinal, who is always coming up with different ideas.”
The menu includes the traditional fruit-flavored margaritas but also more unique flavors including an avocado margarita, jalapeno margarita, and habanera margarita.
“(The jalapeno margarita) has a kick to it but the tequila and mix kind of balance it out,” Garcia said. “People see it and get curious. Many are curious to see if they’re going to like it and then that’s what they end up drinking all night.”
Trio’s currently has a staff of about 11 people but Garcia is hoping to find some new experienced waitresses and bartenders to hire, she said.
“Next week, we will start getting into some more different things,” she said.
New promotions are in the works, she said, including Taco Tuesday, which would offer a special on tacos each Tuesday.
Private events are also already booked, including Christmas parties for this holiday season. A number of class reunions were also held at the restaurant last week, she said.
“We wanted to bring something different and bring life to the city,” she said. “It’s something different for people who want to go out and enjoy themselves.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]
