Meet Ron and Sheila Cemer of Santa Fe Flats New Mex Grille in Northwest

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron and Sheila Cemer.

Santa Fe Flats began as the special endeavor of a transplanted New Mexico family with fond memories and a desire for this unique Southwestern cuisine to be available in the Houston area. The restaurant’s fare is based on the recipes of the family matriarch, movie and television actress, Angela Calderon Torres (most commonly credited as “Angelina Torres”), for whom the restaurant’s “Bar Angelina” was named. Photographs displayed in the bar chronicle the family’s history from the early 1900s when they emigrated from Spain.

Since its opening in May 2004, Santa Fe Flats has become a local fixture for great Southwestern cuisine and live music.

In April 2017, long-time customers Ron and Sheila purchased Santa Fe Flats from the Torres family with the goal of continuing the legacy of great food and drinks, friendly and competent service, live local music, and a cozy sports bar — all served up in a fun and family-friendly environment.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Santa Fe Flats originally opened as a self-service restaurant. Customers ordered their food at the counter, picked up their food and took it to their table to eat. This concept did not go over well, and within six months, it became apparent that Santa Fe Flats should be a full-service restaurant.

Since purchasing Santa Fe Flats in April, 2017, owners Ron and Sheila Cemer have been working with the managers to optimize and improve various aspects of the restaurant while improving the quality of food and service, as well as the visibility within the community. The owners and managers often hear customers say things like, “I drive by there all the time, and never noticed it was there.” Or, “I go to that area all the time, and I’ve known Santa Fe Flats was there, but I’ve just never tried it until now.”

For those who enjoy the spicy, earthy Southwestern flavor palette, Santa Fe Flats is a unique and wonderful place to dine. For everyone else, Santa Fe Flats also serves the usual Tex-Mex standards.

Santa Fe Flats New Mex Grille – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Santa Fe Flats specializes in New Mexican cuisine, also referred to as Southwestern cuisine. We call it “New Mex” for short. We use Anaheim and Hatch chilies straight from New Mexico. During Hatch Chile season, we use Hatch chilies almost exclusively. We challenge our guests to ask themselves the official question of New Mexico: “Red or Green?”, referring to the color of sauce you prefer on your enchiladas and other dishes. Can’t make up your mind? Just ask for “Christmas”, which has half red, half green. For a really authentic experience, have us add a fried egg on top of any entree.

Santa Fe Flats features unique New Mexican decor, a cozy Sports Bar for enjoying drinks and snacks while watching the game, a sandbox for the kids, and live local musicians on the patio on Wednesday and Saturday nights (weather permitting).

Santa Fe Flats is Houston’s only authentic New Mexican restaurant.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
As relatively new owners, we are blessed to see how popular Santa Fe Flats is among its regular customer base. So many of our customers have been coming to Santa Fe Flats regularly for years. We really enjoy seeing our wonderful customers sitting out on the patio, relaxing, enjoying great food and drinks while listening to great live music performances.

Pricing:

• Kids eat free on Mondays, up to a $5.99 value with the purchase of an adult entree at full price.
• $2 House Margaritas Monday through Wednesday, every week.

Contact Info:

• Address: 21542 Hwy 249, Suite 5
  Houston, TX 77070
• Website: https://SantaFeFlats.com
• Phone: 281-655-1400
• Email: reservations@santafeflats.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SantaFeFlatsGrille
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/santa-fe-flats-houston-2
• Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Santa+Fe+Flats+New+Mex+Grille

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.