Do you know the story behind one of Las Vegas’ most popular restaurants?
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Lindo Michoacan, is one of the most well-known and beloved restaurants in southern Nevada. The Mexican food favorite continues to expand its footprint, now with a new location inside Palace Station.
The decades-old hot spot thrives because the family puts its heart and soul into it. Lindo Michoacan started with just 12 tables at its first location off Desert Inn Road and Eastern Avenue. Now, owner Javier Barajas has four Lindo Michoacan restaurants in Las Vegas. He’s also the creator of Il Toro E La Capra, a Mexican and Italian food fusion restaurant, and started Viva Zapatas in North Las Vegas, which his brother now owns. Bonito Michoacan is also a family-owned restaurant.
We caught up with Barajas on a busy Monday at lunchtime. The restaurant was bustling. Barajas said it’s a sign of success.
“We take our cooking seriously, he said.” The menu is crafted with recipes and flavors straight from his hometown in Mexico. “Michoacan is a state in the center of Mexico,” Barajas explained. “Where I’m from is a small town.”
Barajas arrived in 1978 looking for a better life. He opened his first restaurant in 1990.
“My dream was to bring the real Mexican food to Las Vegas and the art from Michoacan,” he said.
The key to his success, he said, is good food and family. “Everything that, all the food that you make, we make, we make with love. “With eight children and eight grandchildren, he joked. “Now you know why I need to sell a lot of tacos.”
Funny enough, Barajas learned to cook in the seminary. He said, “The nuns teach me how to cook.” His daughter Celeste; his second oldest; laughed and explained, “He thought he was going to be a priest. My grandpa, his dad, was like, you’re not going to be a priest. You like the ladies too much.”
Celeste followed Leo. Stephanie and her twin Javier, who recently passed away, came next. Then Erica, Rebecca, Jimena and Javier. He’s just nine and also happens to be around the same age as two of Barajas’ grandchildren. Barajas joked, “The bad thing is that they call me grandpa and then they start calling me grandpa too. I’m not your grandpa and I say, hey, I’m not your grandpa. I’m your dad.”
No matter their age though, at Lindo Michoacan, everyone has a part to play. From administrative duties to food prep and recipe creation, the Barajas family works hard and plays hard.
“He’s always including everybody. He’s always making sure that we spend time together,” Celeste said.
Barajas is just as passionate about his food as he is about his family. He said, “We still eat here two times a day,” and added, “Family is the most important.”
“People always say, ‘my dad is the best dad in the world.’ But, it’s my dad,” Celeste said.
Javier said Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are some of the busiest in the restaurant, so it’s all hands on deck for their customers and they celebrate afterward.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.