Owner Joaquin Montiel Brings 32 Years of Restaurant Experience and a Menu Full of Regional Mexican Dishes Rarely Found in Northeast Ohio
Sagamore Hills is getting a new dining experience this summer. La Mesa, an authentic Mexican buffet restaurant seating 116, will open once owner Joaquin Montiel receives his food service license.
Montiel is no stranger to the local restaurant scene. He came to the United States from Mexico and began his career as a dishwasher, working his way up through bussing, grilling, and cooking before becoming general manager of Dos Coronas. He went on to open Tacos Mexicanos in Macedonia and is a part owner of Cantina en la Ocho on Northfield Road in Northfield Village.
La Mesa is his most ambitious concept yet.
A Menu Built Around Authenticity
The buffet will go well beyond the Tex-Mex staples found at most local Mexican restaurants. Montiel plans to offer birria tacos, pozole, mole, ceviche, empanadas, charro beans, and fajitas alongside freshly made tortillas. Proteins will include steak, chicken, shrimp, and salmon. Multiple sauce options including green, red, and mole will be available throughout the line.
Soups will include birria and chicken varieties. Desserts will feature fried ice cream, churros, and flan.
Something for Everyone
Diners will be able to work through the buffet traditionally or build their own bowl. Weekend breakfast service is planned for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with mimosas available. The restaurant will be open seven days a week, with the bar staying open past buffet hours.
Montiel welcomes input from the community, particularly from diners who have traveled to Mexico and want to see dishes they cannot find locally. La Mesa will open once the food service license is approved.
