The ribbon's cut at Senor Frog's

By Palm Beach Business.com Staff

DELRAY BEACH —Senor Frog’s, the Mexican restaurant on Federal Highway in Delray Beach, is officially open for business with some ribbon-cutting help from city officials and the chamber of commerce.

The restaurant actually opened its doors three months ago and has done well, attracting largely an older clientele, according to partner Angel Soto. Those on hand for the grand opening Monday evening included Mayor Woody McDuffie, commissioners Mackenson Bernard and Fred Fetzer, Chamber President Bill Wood, Chamber Executive Vice President Beth Johnston and the chamber’s membership services Director Suzy Sims.

Senor Frog’s is part of 30-year-old chain of Mexican restaurants headquartered in Cancun. According to the company’s website, the Delray location is the company’s 15th restaurant and one of three in the U.S.

Most of the locations are in Mexico and the Caribbean. The other U.S. locations are Myrtle Beach and Hawaii.

The Delray restaurant has a direct connection to the company’s founding. Store owner Joe Calderon’s late father-in-law, Antonio San Roman, starteed the company and opened the first Senor Frog’s 30 years ago in Mexico and the second, in Miami 28 years ago. The family has retained franchise rights to Florida.

Senor Frog's partners, from left, Angel Soto, Joe Calderon and Diego San Roman. The restaurant is located at 2275 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. Phone: 561-222-8558. Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

There were two Senor Frog’s in Miami, including one in Coconut Grove, but both have closed. Partner Angel Soto said the diverse Latin culture in Miami makes it difficult for a restaurant with a focus on a single ethnic cuisine to succeed. The restaurant patrons expect a more diverse menu.

That’s not the case in Delray Beach. And there are a few Mexican restaurants in the city, including Senor Burrito’s on Federal Highway and La Bamba on West Atlantic that prove Soto’s point.

“I don’t know how good they are but they are successful,” Soto said. “That’s why we came here.”

Soto said the company might open a second restaurant in the area by the end of the year, and could return to Miami-Dade — perhaps in Doral — also by the end of the year. That restaurant, if it happens, would have more of a party atmosphere as a means of attracting a diverse clientele.

What makes Senor Frog’s work: food bought fresh daily and made fresh daily, Soto said.

Its signature: the Margarita, also made with fresh ingredients, Soto said.