Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant's owner is aiming to win Wausau over

Maria Alcantor has been working hard to build trust in building her new restaurant in the former Jalapenos location

Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant owner Maria Alcantor says she is aiming to change people’s minds about the location with her new restaurant.

Maria Alcantor found out she had her work cut out for her.

As the new owner of Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant, she found out the previous owners left a rather difficult situation.

Alcantor is looking to change that reputation with Los Compadres, focusing on food all made from scratch and eliminating the late-night bar scene that brought the restaurant some trouble.

But Alcantor, who works in finance for her day job, believes she and her fiance can turn the place around.

Alcantor said she dreamed of owning a restaurant since she was a young girl. She had been thinking of a food truck, and had considered a restaurant at the former Fuzzy Tacos location in Weston (but that apparently is only available for franchises, she says).

So it was fortuitous that just as she was looking around for a restaurant, she learned the Jalapenos spot would be coming open. A short time later, the owners announced they would be leaving.

Building a reputation for Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant

The Alcantors got into the restaurant in early April and have been working nights and weekends to turn the place around. That meant a lot of cleaning, repairing a hole in the wall that was covered in plastic and getting the restaurant back up to an acceptable level.

Repairing the damage inside is one thing; but repairing the reputation of the restaurant, even with a new name, is another.

That started with the liquor license, Alcantor told The Wausonian. Some of the city leaders were concerned at first given how things were handled at the restaurant previously. But once she said they wouldn’t be keeping late bar hours and focusing on the restaurant side, demeanors changed.

Alcantor said she had a really hard time convincing vendors to work with her because of their relations with the past owners.

She also met with all the business owners in the Third Street Lifestyle Center, where some were a bit skeptical until she mentioned she wouldn’t be holding bar hours. She was then greeted by a much warmer welcome, she told The Wausonian.

The Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant menu

But what about the public? Alcantor hopes to win over the community with the quality of the food and service. No one from the old Jalapenos is involved in the new restaurant, she confirms, and she wants to rebuild the reputation by providing a good experience.

That includes more traditional Mexican dishes that aren’t often found in Wausau, such as mole, sopa or pupusa. She even serves a Mexican cheese curd, something Wisconsinites ought to be able to appreciate.

Alcantor showed me the menu, and prices are pretty reasonable, including $9 lunch items and dinner items in the $12-14 range.

I asked Alcantor if she had a message for readers of The Wausonian. “Give us a chance,” Alcantor says. “I think the different foods will bring people in.”

Alcantor says they don’t have an exact open date yet but are aiming to be open by Father’s Day weekend.

Where is Los Compadres located?

Los Compadres can be found at 300 N. Third Street in Suite L01, Wausau. The restaurant is located in the basement of the Third Street Lifestyle Center building.

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