Phoenix has many Mexican restaurants and it seems like everyone has an all time favorite. In this picture is Macayo’s which was opened in 1952 after the owner Woody Johnson successfully tried his hand at his first tiny café in 1946. When I first moved to Arizona, I worked across the street from this restaurant and could smell the onions cooking when I walked to work in the morning. Sometime in the late 70’s or early 80’s, the restaurant was expanded and this “Aztec temple” façade was added the front. Woody’s restaurant venture has been highly successful for him. He has many locations in Arizona and Nevada as well as a thriving catering business. Oh yes.....the food is very good!
13 comments:
I love Mexican food. After my first visit i brought home a huge box of dried chillies to experiment with. Am now totally hooked on Mexican cuisine.
Sharon,
I agree with your comments about Macayo's. It is a great Mexican restaurant. It is a tribute to the restaurant that it has remained popular for decades and decades, with so many other restaurants coming and going.
I have taught classes at the law school that is a couple of blocks from Macayo's, When teaching a course that began right after lunch or an evening class right after dinner, the law students would often have finished a lunch or dinner with friends and classmates at Macayo's. I (and they) were grateful for not only Macayo's good food, but also for Macayo's reliable service. My students often arrived for class happy and content, but never late.
I do believe what we have here is a fairly good example of 'Roadside Kitsch'.
Sharon, speaking for myself, I'm very relieved that yesterday's motorcycle isn't in this shot. I think I might have had an 'episode'.
Well if it's still going all these years on I guess the food must be good. We have a few Tex-Mex style restaurants here but they're not authentic. I'd like to try the real thing.
Wayne, after getting a good laugh from your comments, I remembered that when I worked across the street and they were putting that front on the building, my boss was beside himself. The building I worked in was architecturally beautiful and has since been torn down. Go figure.
Heard about your storm on the news, although very little news from the outside is getting into New ORleans -- It is non-stop Gustav. They didn't even air the national news here tonight.
Sunday it looks like will be the big evacuation -- all the lanes on the major highway will be used to head out of New Orleans (don't even dream about getting in).
We had hoped to leave early but my wife got called into work at the bank (we were supposed to have the weekend off), because of the crush of people needing cash. Looking like we may be among the last to leave the city.
Now THAT is a restaurant!
Love Mexican food. Grew up on TexMex in Austin, been enjoying all varieties of Mexican cuisine in Los Angeles for the last 20 years. Sometimes, you just gotta have a tamale or the world is just not as it should be.
Steve, stay safe!
"Louis" thanks you for your visit to San Francisco Bay Daily Photo. In answer to your question, it's just the marine layer! ;-)
"Louis" is adding a link to your blog at his. ;-)
Glad it has longevity. Many fine restaurants here close down. i really enjoy authentic ethnic foods. not the Americanized version we find at so many chain"restaurants" here.
Hi Sharon, Macayos is good but for the best Mexican food in Phoenix La Pinata at 19th and Osborn always gets my vote. I miss going there.
Very unusual facade. It looks like bleachers if you're unfamiliar.
creative building:) I like mexican food a lot, too
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