Charras and Tequila’s success leads to new Bismarck restaurant

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Driving on State Street, you may have noticed the new “Sazón” billboard and wondered what could be coming to Bismarck next.

The Mendoza family moved to Bismarck in 2018 and soon after, opened their family business, Charras and Tequila.

“The community has always been so welcoming,” said Derayanii Mendoza, daughter of Charras owner.

David Mendoza, owner of Charras, built the business from the ground up. Upon opening, the restaurant quickly became a favorite of many Bismarck residents for drinks, authentic Mexican cuisine and more.

“It’s more than what we expect, it’s very good for us. Business is phenomenal,” said David Mendoza, owner of Charras and Tequila and Sazón.

While Charras has been successful, many restaurants in Bismarck and throughout the country have struggled to stay open because of the 2020 pandemic and the current economy. So, what is this family’s secret? It’s just that: family.

“I’d love to continue my dad’s legacy. He started off from scratch and it would be a dream for me to give back to my dad,” said Desiree Mendoza, daughter of Charras owner.

Mendoza says that when making decisions on the restaurant — renovating, expanding, and more — he always thinks of family first. He sees his employees, from dishwashers to general managers, as a team and family. Everyone works together to bring the restaurant success.

“Business has been great, it’s such a blessing for us, we love our community and we have had a very warm welcoming to us,” said Alicia Sandoval, owner of Charras and Tequila and Sazón.

Because of the strong team formed at Charras, the family has decided to expand to a second restaurant, Sazón. Sazón is currently being renovated from the old MacKenzie River building, and Mendoza says they expect to open in early spring of 2023.

“The ambiance here, it’s a nice community, we are very happy. Very blessed to be here,” said David.

The family credit their success to not only their team, but to the community’s strong support and warm welcoming as well.

“I just want to thank you, all the community for the support,” said Sandoval.

Mendoza says that he thought about opening restaurants in Bozeman, Montana, but because of the strong sense of community in Bismarck, they’ve decided to stay.

Sazón will offer drinks and American cuisine, including burgers, salad, ribs, wings, and more.

Copyright 2023 KFYR. All rights reserved.