What was Felix Mexican Restaurant?
Felix Mexican Restaurant was a Tex-Mex restaurant chain in Houston. Its flagship stood at 904 Westheimer Road at Grant Street in Montrose. The flagship closed in 2008.
The first Felix location opened in 1937. The local chain became a Houston landmark, according to the Texas Historical Commission marker for its founder.
Who founded Felix?
Felix Tijerina founded the restaurant. He was born on April 29, 1905, in General Escobedo, Nuevo León, Mexico. His family moved to Texas in 1915 and to Houston in 1922.
Tijerina worked as a busboy and took night English classes. He opened his own restaurant in 1929. His wife, Janie Tijerina, helped fund the restaurant that became Felix, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Bayou City History blog.
Tijerina was national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) from 1956 to 1960. During his term he started the “Little Schools of the 400.” The program taught Spanish-speaking children 400 English words before first grade.
He died on September 4, 1965. Janie Tijerina then ran the business.
How many locations did Felix have?
The chain grew beyond Westheimer. A location at 719 Telephone Road opened on July 30, 1961, as the fifth Felix restaurant. Another stood at 5829 Kirby Drive. By 1971 the chain had six restaurants in Houston and one in Beaumont.
What was Felix known for?
Felix was known for its queso. A version of it is now served at El Patio, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Bayou City History blog.
What happened to the Westheimer building?
The restaurant Uchi now occupies the renovated building, according to the Harris County Historical Commission’s marker record.
A Texas Historical Commission marker for Felix Tijerina stands at the site. It was placed in 2009 and rededicated on February 18, 2012.