Guzman y Gomez, an Australian-based authentic Mexican fast-food restaurant, is getting ready to open a new location in Crystal Lake at 5459 Northwest Highway.
The company opened its second Illinois site in Schaumburg earlier this year, which resulted in two-hour wait times, according to the Daily Herald. The multinational casual-dining restaurant chain is now preparing to open its third corporate-owned Illinois location along Route 14. A representative from the company tells What Now Chicago the new restaurant will open around mid-May 2023. Guzman y Gomez, led by CEO Steven Marks, has one other U.S. location in Naperville.
Guzman y Gomez plans to roll out a complete menu, including cocktails and margaritas, in the following days. Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblian tells the Daily Herald the restaurant was attracted to the area because of its “vibrant local economy.”
“Crystal Lake staff and City Council has worked tirelessly to continue to be the leading community in the Northwest suburbs not only in retail offerings, but also recreation and lifestyle offerings,” Haleblian said.
While this will only be the company’s third U.S. location, Guzman y Gomez has more than 170 locations worldwide, including in Australia, Singapore, and Japan. The restaurant has made a name for itself through its classic Mexican cuisine, including quesadillas, burritos, bowls, nachos, tacos, and nachos fries. The new Crystal Lake location will be open from 10 am to 10 pm and likely have a drive-thru, similar to the company’s other two U.S. locations.
