New restaurant featuring authentic Mexican food to host soft opening

Mariscos Cinco de Mayo will be hosting a soft opening all day Tuesday.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 1236 Upper Valley Pike in Springfield.

“We will be serving everything food-wise, just no liquor till we get our license,” said Sandra Casillas, co-owner of the restaurant.

Menu items will include fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, and other Mexican food favorites. There will be seafood options featured, as the first part of the restaurant name, Mariscos translates to seafood in English.

Sandra Casillas and her husband, Francisco Casillas, chose to open the restaurant amid COVID-19. When their current jobs looked uncertain, they decided to try opening their own business.

The Casillas have both worked in the restaurant business for most of their lives, and Francisco Casillas has been a head cook since 2010.

Sandra Casillas had previously lived in Springfield for 15 years. She is a graduate of Northwestern High School. Despite living most of their lives in the U.S., the couple has strong ties with their families’ origins in Mexico.

The owners have been preparing for the new Mexican restaurant’s grand opening for several months.

“We are planning a grand opening on June 17; we will have a band playing and, hopefully, we have our liquor license by then,” said Sandra Casillas.

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