ROME — El Chico’s Bar & Grill, an area restaurant started in the 1940s, will formally reopen in Rome on Friday.
The grand-opening ceremony for El Chico’s will take place at 3 p.m. at its 1,800-square-foot location at 6611 Martin St. The Rome Area Chamber of Commerce will honor new restaurant owners John and Ann Lawson, and general manager Penny Genovese, with the First Dollar of Profit Award during the ribbon-cutting event.
The Uvanni family opened El Chico’s in 1946 and operated it for more than 50 years, before closing several years ago due to family issues, says John Lawson. He says he began the process of buying the building from the Uvanni family estate last May and completed the purchase in October.
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Lawson says his plan is to continue the restaurant’s tradition of “excellent food, great service and great atmosphere.” The El Chico’s menu includes pizza, chicken, wings, burgers, and sandwiches, including its signature M&M sandwich (a cube steak with mozzarella).
Since its soft reopening on Dec. 6, many previous patrons have returned to El Chico’s along with a steady steam of new customers, Lawson notes.
El Chico’s is open Monday through Saturday. The restaurant currently employs six people, a mix of full time and part time, plus Lawson, he says.
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