Armando Ortiz and his family are selling Real Hacienda to Oralis Radilla, an Owensboro native who owns Don Mario with her family. Ortiz and Radilla both stressed the restaurant name, staff, and menu will remain the same and are hopeful the community will continue to support both restaurants.
Ortiz came to the United States on May 29, 1995, when he went to Fayetteville, Tennessee, to work at his dad’s restaurant. Shortly after, Ortiz moved to Somerset, Kentucky, to open a new restaurant alongside his brother and cousin. A few months later Ortiz and his brother opened another restaurant in Middleton, Ohio, but they shut it down due to lack of business.
“Things happened for a reason, because in May 1996 I moved to Owensboro to start the remodeling process on the restaurant La Fiesta, which opened on September 26, 1996,” Ortiz said.
La Fiesta closed in 2003 and Ortiz re-opened the restaurant as Real Hacienda. In a Facebook post Thursday afternoon, Ortiz said his family has met many customers through the years who became lifelong friends and family.
“It has been a journey that we will always be grateful for,” Ortiz said in the post. “Our children have grown up in the restaurant and we have so many memories.”
He said that after 27 years, the family decided it was time to slow down and enjoy their lives outside of work.
“This has been an emotional decision, but after prayer and a lot of thought we have sold our two restaurants,” he wrote in the Facebook post. “We want to say thank you to the customers and staff from the bottom of our hearts for your support and love throughout all of these years. As this chapter in our lives comes to an end, we ask that you continue to support Oralis, her family and pray Real Hacienda will be a blessing to them as it was to us.”
Radilla said she and Ortiz talk often, and the idea of transitioning ownership came up during one of their conversations.
“Basically, he said, ‘you and your family have a lot of arms and lots of bodies that can kind of help move armies.’ We do because it’s a family business,” she said. “… We can kind of be in different places at once, knowing that we can take care of business and help each other out. He said, ‘I’m ready to retire and if you’re ready to take over then let’s do this.’ And we said OK.”
Both Ortiz and Radilla stressed Real Hacienda will keep the same name, recipe, and service.
“I want everyone to know that we are very happy with the restaurants in themselves,” Radilla said. “(People) love Real Hacienda for what it is and we don’t plan to change any of that.”
Radilla went to Apollo High School and Brescia University and has remained in Owensboro ever since. Her family opened Don Mario in 2020, but less than a month after they opened they had to shut down because of COVID.
“We had just poured all our money and our souls into the business and we had to shut down,” she said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t re-open until May once we were able to have outdoor seating, but what’s beautiful is that the whole community came out. I’ve been blessed by everyone around us who has supported us. I couldn’t ask for more from Owensboro.”
Looking to the future, Radilla said, “We’re excited to keep going and keep growing as much as possible.”
Real Hacienda has locations at 4820 Frederica Street and 3023 Highland Pointe Drive off KY 54. Don Mario is located at 122 West 2nd Street.
