Mexican Bar Company Will Open New Allen Location
The restaurant operator will expand its footprint with a second site featuring a large patio and private dining space.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Mexican Bar Company plans to open its second location in Allen by December 2026. The expansion comes after eight years of operations at the original Plano site located at The Shops at Willow Bend.
Why it matters
The new site at Sloan Corners represents a strategic growth move facilitated by a direct invitation from the developer. This expansion allows the operator to replicate its established model in a new market while diversifying its portfolio beyond the existing Plano location.
The restaurant serves street tacos priced between $17.50 and $19.50, with entrees ranging from $23 to $54. The new Allen site will feature a 220-square-foot private dining room, known as the Miami Cabana, with capacity for 12 guests.
The players
Brian Dunne
Owner of Mexican Bar Company and co-owner of Centro on the Square.
Billingsley Company
Commercial real estate developer responsible for the Sloan Corners project.
The details
The Allen expansion at Sloan Corners incorporates design elements tailored for group and outdoor dining, including a 1,700-square-foot patio and a play area. The restaurant maintains operational consistency by utilizing beef tallow and extra virgin olive oil for food preparation. This site marks the owner's second expansion into a new city following the 2025 opening of Centro on the Square in McKinney.
Timeline
December 2026 is the goal for the opening of the Allen location.
2018 marked the opening of the original Plano restaurant.
2025 was the year Centro on the Square opened in McKinney.
Market Landscape
The expansion reflects a growing trend of established operators leveraging long-term success at regional malls to secure tenancies in master-planned mixed-use developments. This move follows the pattern of restaurant operators seeking anchor spots in projects like the transformation of The Shops at Willow Bend.
Operators should evaluate how design features like dedicated private dining rooms and outdoor play areas influence customer throughput and average check size. Expanding into new master-planned developments requires assessing if the local demographics support the premium pricing tiers established in prior locations.
The takeaway
Replicating a restaurant concept requires careful consideration of which operational assets, such as specific cooking inputs or floor plan configurations, can be scaled across markets. Operators should track the success of new outdoor-focused dining layouts against traditional indoor-only models.
Further reading
For more on local restaurant developments, visit Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CultureMap Dallas.
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