Blue Habanero to open new Brecksville location

by Dan Holland

Less than a year after Rafael Ayala opened Blue Habanero Street Tacos & Tequila on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland’s Gordon Square, the eatery earned the title of “Best Mexican Restaurant 2019” by Cleveland.com.

The entrepreneur now has plans to open a second location this summer at 8934 Brecksville Road that will employ approximately a dozen workers.

Ayala, who lives in Akron, had in mind a locale closer to home when his realtor suggested Brecksville.

“I was looking to open a new location for over a year because I wanted to drive less,” he explained. “I’m more into small towns and I found this location in Brecksville through my real estate agent. I really fell in love with the Brecksville area. It’s a beautiful town.”

Ayala’s family, who emigrated from Guadalajara, Mexico when he was 14 years old, owns and operates a chain of local Mexican restaurants – Tres Potrillos – with locations in Beachwood, Fairlawn and Medina.

Street tacos and margaritas are what his original location in Cleveland is best known for, Ayala said.

“Those two things are our forte, but we offer a little bit of everything,” he added.

Blue Habanero uses all fresh ingredients in its entrees as well as its margaritas, according to Ayala.

“We make and cook everything in-house,” he explained. “It’s all fresh – we don’t use anything that is pre-cooked. We have the classic margaritas that you find in every Mexican restaurant, but we also do signature margaritas, which are all made with fresh-squeezed juices. We don’t use any kind of mixes.”

Once open, Blue Habanero will adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols and dividers will be set up between the bar area and dining sections to keep patrons safe. Additionally, a new bar countertop, new front windows and an outdoor dining patio are also being installed at the site.

“There is space on the back of the building for a patio,” he added. “Our architect is making some drawings and we’re hoping to have it done by the time we open. Hopefully we’ll have the permits from the city soon for the patio, as well as for the new windows out front.”

The interior décor at the new location will mirror the original Blue Habanero location, featuring Dia de Muerto (Day of the Dead), a national holiday observed in Mexico and other countries on Nov. 1 and 2.

“It’s a celebration of life actually; not a celebration of death,” he said of the holiday. “It’s a celebration of the lives of the people that you had in your life who are no longer with you.”

Ayala hopes to have the same type of success in Brecksville that he’s experienced at his original location.

“My thing is to always make things fun in life and offer good food,” said Ayala, who will manage the new location. “We specialize in fresh, good food and drinks that we know people will enjoy. It’s been really great at our Cleveland location and we hope to bring a little of that joy to Brecksville.”∞