SANATOGA PA – Maria Leticia Gonzalez (above), whose family-owned businesses already include a bridal boutique and a banquet hall, both in Norristown, was looking to expand. She searched for something “not too far from home,” a structure to accommodate events of up to 350 people, and an enterprise in which the mother of three could again involve her family members.
“Not too far” turned out to be in Sanatoga.
The family on Feb. 23 (2024, Friday), after months of hard work and plenty of help, opened El Tequila Sports Bar & Grill at 2688 E. High St.
The location may sound familiar to long-time area residents. It’s the site of the former Cutillo’s Restaurant (above) and before that, The Sanatoga Inn. The restaurant closed its doors in January 2022, as owners John and Mary Cutillo retired.
Pottstown as a ‘great opportunity’
Gonzalez sees Pottstown and its surrounding market as “a great opportunity.”
Her goal, she said in a Wednesday (Feb. 28) interview, “is to build a good environment” in everything from food, to the service, to the facility. The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. “We want to make sure no one leaves unhappy,” a pledge to which her staff of 16 is committed, she added.
It starts with El Tequila’s menu, featuring an abundance of items available for dining in, take out, and delivery. On its list of house specials are molcajete, brimming with grilled chicken, steak, chorizo, shrimp, cactus, grilled jalapeño, and chambray onions; and mar y tierra, a skewer combination of steak and shrimp.
El Tequila also boasts an assortment of chicken, steak, and seafood dishes, and a variety of fajitas and tacos meals. It offers a selection of appetizers and salads, a varied lunch menu, and desserts.
Because Gonzalez acknowledges diners occasionally want a different culinary experience, the restaurant also presents a menu of Italian entrées, specialty items, and pizzas.
The facility’s liquor license has been approved, but its receipt is still being awaited. Until then, El Tequila operates as a BYOB, but the wait for full bar service shouldn’t be much longer, the family has been told.
About the name … that too was a family decision. “We struggled a lot to find a good name,” Gonzalez admitted with a smile, but ultimately the group determined that “everyone knew tequila!” It also was decided that the ability to offer sports lovers a place to come in, watch their favorite games, and enjoy a beverage and a meal was a way to help build traffic and make patrons feel comfortable.
So far, those decisions have been spot on, Gonzalez said appreciatively.
A better than expected response
The restaurant’s soft opening “has been far better than what we expected,” she reported, and a few of her first-time patrons have returned for more. Its Facebook page has already attracted 550 followers, and videos and photos posted Friday (March 1) show diners celebrating and sampling their choices.
As for the banquet space (above and below) which prompted Gonzalez’s initial look at Pottstown, that’s already borne fruit. The restaurant’s first catered event, a baby shower, was held Feb. 24 (Saturday) … only its second day of business.
Photos by Travels With The Post
Food photo from the El Tequila Sports Bar & Grill Facebook page
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