How did Casa Mexicana originate?

Casa Mexicana was introduced to Oxford by our family, the Munozs, in the mid-1990s and has been located at its current location on Jackson Avenue since 2002. Before being reinvented as Casa Mexicana, the restaurant was originally El Charro (established in 1995). It has been the one-stop shop for margaritas and tequila for the Oxford community, specifically those students of the University of Mississippi since we opened our doors! Generations later, parents of current Ole Miss students remember where they, too, sipped on margaritas down the hill at the current Casa Mexicana. We look forward to these generational memories for years to come!

What should we expect to be different about Casa Mexicana’s new location?

Within the past three years, we have reinvented the image of El Charro as the First Mexican Restaurant in Oxford, and we are anxiously awaiting to do the same for Casa Mexicana.

We aim to bring a fun transitional environment that is inviting to all. Our current location is more traditional with a Tex-Mex flare. The new location will display clean, refined lines with perfect touches of color throughout. Think of it as an eclectic-meets-transitional style!

Will there be new additions to the menu?

There will be new additions, some more authentic Mexican dishes and others with a “street-style” feel. We look forward to having fun with the menu by introducing unexpected culinary approaches. Think big-city ideas meeting small-town comfort food!

What makes this place special?

The unwavering loyalty and support we receive from our guests set us apart from other establishments and fuel our inspiration to bring the most authentic Mexican Gastronomy to the Oxford community.

We often receive feedback from our patrons expressing their devotion to our restaurant and its home-like atmosphere. We look forward to the continuance of familial support at the new location!

What were your inspirations for this bar?

We are most excited about the bar at our new location and the rooftop bar, which will be perfect for events! We cannot wait to reveal to the community the collaboration of many styles that will reinvent Casa Mexicana. We may be biased, but we have the greatest mixologists in town with seemingly infinite new ideas. Expect to see many new delicious cocktails on the menu!

What are some of your bartender’s special drinks?

Our bar manager, Daniel Angel, has gained abundant knowledge about what the Oxford community enjoys while at El Charro. He will work alongside his talented bar team to bring a fun and trendy approach to the Casa Cocktails!

What businesses did you own, manage, or work for before opening this?

We will bring general background knowledge from El Charro Cocina & Cantina on Sisk Avenue. This was the first venture we took as a family to reinvent the idea of Mexican food in the south, and we are very grateful to have learned the ins and outs of running a successful business alongside our parents. We have learned to work as a family, each with a tailored set of responsibilities. The knowledge we have gained during these years will provide the foundation for our exciting new Casa Mexicana venture!

Who helped you plan this?

We have had unparalleled community support in bringing our new building to life. However, our biggest supporters are our parents, who gave us this grand opportunity to continue their legacy.

For the building, we collaborated with Jennifer Russell’s Interior Design, Master Craft Builders out of Booneville, Mississippi, and Matt Parham of Bank of Commerce.

What words would you use to describe your group of employees?

We are grateful to have such a hardworking, dedicated team of individuals, from our back-of-house employees whose hands prepare your favorite meals and keep clean dishes flowing to the servers, bartenders, and hostesses whose friendly faces greet you during every visit. Their strong work ethic and teamwork-based mentality keep our establishments running seamlessly.

The base of our management team is made up of family: Ramiro Muñoz, Cristal Muñoz-Reyes, Esmeralda Muñoz-Angel (myself), Daniel Angel, and Fernando Jaimes (who is like family and an integral part of our current Casa Mexicana team).

Follow our social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram @CasaMexicanaOxford to get sneak peeks as our opening date approaches!