A New Restaurant is Moving Into the Old Happy Joe’s on Collins Road

The guys behind Chophouse Downtown in Cedar Rapids are at it again! Just yesterday (May 16th), owners Joe & Ryan Avila-Burillo announced that they are preparing to open another restaurant in the city of Cedar Rapids, but this one won't be a steakhouse. It will be a totally new concept!

When it comes to Downtown Cedar Rapids restaurants, Chophouse Downtown is one of the best. With a 5-star rating on Facebook, the eatery has proved itself to be a great lunch and dinner destination for the almost two years its been open. It makes sense that the owners want to expand their business!

According to the most recent post on the Chophouse Downtown Facebook page, Ryan and Joe are excited to welcome customers to a new restaurant called Mezcal Tequila Cocina. And, it's located in a familiar place... the former home of Happy Joe's on Collins Road! Mezcal Tequila Cocina will take over the space at  5070 Lindale Drive, which has been empty since late 2021. The official post reads:

"This well-known location has been a family spot for many years, and it feels so surreal for us to be given the opportunity to carry on the torch! The Happy Joe’s building on Collins Road is rich in history and has offered many great past experiences to the Cedar Rapids community. This space offers a unique intimacy that gives us a chance to be even more vulnerable with our approach to service and food and we can't wait to write the next chapter of this incredible book that's already been started!" 

As of right now, there's no details on the menu or when the restaurant is expected to open, but there is a rendering on what the new restaurant will look like. The patio looks great! For the latest updates, you can follow the Chophouse Downtown Facebook page HERE.