Mama Maria's taco bar opens in Orland

Mama Maria's opened earlier this summer in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

Owner Patrick Concannon says the idea for his latest restaurant, Mama Maria's Taco and Tequila Bar, is "sports bar meets cantina meets Orland Park."

Mama Maria's opened earlier this summer at 16117 S. LaGrange Road right next to Concannon's Ottimo Ristorante Italiano, which he opened in 2008.

Mama Maria's features Mexico City-style tacos, tortas and quesadillas.

"We specialize in hand food," he said. "Basically, we can put anything into a tortilla."
 

Specialties include Baja Fish Tacos, Pescado tacos, Roasted Vegetable Tacos along with appetizers and entrees such as enchiladas and fajitas. 

Concannon has had a long career in the restaurant business starting in 1984 at Gordon restaurant in Chicago's River North neighborhood. His travels have led him to Hawaii, Europe, San Francisco and back to Chicago in 1990 when he joined Charlie Trotter's crew.

From there he moved on to Don Juan and eventually opened his first restaurant Fahrenheit in Chicago.

Along the way his path crossed with Laco Seeber, who is the chef at Mama Maria's and has a distinguished culinary resume as well.

As the name implies, Mama Maria's is not just about the food. The restaurant specializes in drinks made with tequila -- there are 17 different kind available -- ranging from margaritas to mojitos. There's a variety of beers available including craft brews as well as sangria and other wines.

Mama Maria's can seat about 120 people with room for more than two dozen people at its bar.

"We have a really long bar," he said along with a banquette of seats that runs parallel to the bar.

Concannon hopes to add outdoor seating next summer.

Sports fans will feel right at home, Concannon said. There are five big screen TVs tuned to favorite sports games and teams.

Concannon is also a neighbor, he said, as he lives a block away from both restaurants.

Concannon said the restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For information, call 708-403-3346 or visit the website Mama Maria's. 

Tinley Culver’s gets a new look

The Culver’s at 18248 Sayre Ave. in Tinley Park is expected to reopen Friday after being closed since Monday for remodeling, said district manager Jack Rush.

The restaurant, which is one of five in the Southland owned by Justin Obriecht, will sport a new look inside and outside, he said.

The restaurant will hold its official grand reopening celebration on Aug. 28 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. 

Countryside rejects new swimming school 

Aldermen in Countryside took the unusual step last week of voting against a Plan Commission recommended  special-use ordinance that would have allowed a new swimming school to open at 9930 W. 55th St.

Aldermen rejected the proposed School of Fish Swim School not because they don't like swimming, but because the site didn't have nearly enough parking spots.

Plans called for a four- or five-lane pool inside the 14,000-square-foot building. City rules require a space that size to have 72 parking spots, but the property has only 20 parking spaces in front of the building with another dozen spaces behind the building, which belong to a separate business.

Ald. Sean McDermott said the school didn't belong at that location and added he would be open to a better-suited location.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.