The Macho Nacho celebrated its grand opening in Chevy Chase on Monday, bringing a new Tex-Mex dining option to the city’s rising Euclid Avenue corridor.
CEO and owner Aaron Rothke said the restaurant, located on the busy corner of Euclid and High streets, is aimed at raising the bar for Tex-Mex and improving the Tex-Mex dining experience in Lexington.
“Good Tex-Mex shouldn’t just be slopped on your plate,” Rothke said. “It needs to excite you. Not only does it need to be delicious, but it also needs to be artfully presented, and it doesn’t cost any more money to do so.”
The Macho Nacho’s menu features the classic Tex-Mex entrees, including tacos, burritos and quesadillas, along with menu selections such as wings and shareable appetizers for bar patrons and those who come to watch sports on the restaurant’s 26 televisions. Specialties such as bourbon ancho barbecued chicken and tequila lime shrimp and grits offer an artful Kentucky spin on classic Tex-Mex flavors as well. The restaurant also has plans to offer a Tex-Mex brunch on weekends, Rothke said.
The renovated restaurant features a warm and modern Tex-Mex interior, with a large bar area and booth seating in the dining room. The Macho Nacho has seating for up to 190, Rothke said, including a semi-private dining room for up to 40, which will be available for groups and events.
The restaurant will also offer Tex-Mex delivery to downtown and the Chevy Chase neighborhood, along with the University of Kentucky campus and many nearby hospitals. Rothke, a UK graduate whose professional experience includes a blend of restaurant management and accounting, expects The Macho Nacho’s delivery service will fill a formerly unaddressed gap in local food delivery.
“Tex Mex is the No. 1 ethnic food in America, and it has been for years, and no one delivers it,” Rothke said.
The Macho Nacho will also provide a more extensive selection of beer and liquor than diners find in most Tex-Mex restaurants, Rothke said. The Macho Nacho features more than 20 beers on tap, including eight local beers and an exclusive beer offering from Rooster Brewing. In addition, roughly 50 tequilas and 20 different bourbons will be available at the bar, along with fresh-squeezed lime margaritas, Rothke said.
For more on The Macho Nacho, check the restaurant’s website at www.eatmachonacho.com.