A family-owned Mexican restaurant chain that built its name in small-town Michigan is setting up shop in downtown Middleville, marking its first foray into West Michigan. Hacienda Don Felipe #2 is renovating a storefront at 116 E. Main St., bringing scratch-made dishes rooted in Guadalajara, Jalisco, to a brand-new part of the state.
Middleville is officially scoring the very first Don Felipe location on this side of Michigan, according to wgrd.com, which reported that the chain is setting up shop in downtown Middleville at 116 E. Main St. Don Felipe is a family-owned chain founded by Juan Vizcarra along with Javier Bernal Sr. and Jr., and it has built its identity on traditional, scratch-made recipes straight from the founders' roots in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
From Clio to the East Side, Now Heading West
The chain's story started small. Don Felipe launched its very first location in Clio around 2020, a report first noted by Mix 95.7. Since then, the brand has built a passionate following on the east side of the state, with four locations currently open.
The station's report notes the chain has expanded into small-town hubs like Chesaning, Millington, and Sandusky, with more spots already planned in Fenton and Birch Run. That steady, small-town growth pattern has now crossed the state to Middleville, its first West Michigan location.
A Menu Built Around Street Tacos and Stone-Bowl Seafood
Don Felipe's menu leans heavily on street-food staples and shareable showpieces. Diners can expect street tacos loaded with carne asada, al pastor, or birria served with rich consomé, per the same report. The lineup also includes a sizzling seafood molcajete served in a heated stone bowl and the Piña Loca, a grilled pineapple half overflowing with steak, chicken, bacon, and melted cheese.
The chain's growth elsewhere in Michigan offers a preview of what Middleville might expect. When Don Felipe opened its fourth location in Millington in February 2024, mlive.com reported the restaurant's menu offered authentic street tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. That Millington opening was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to midmichigannow.com, which described it as the fourth Don Felipe restaurant to open in Mid-Michigan over the previous five years.
No Opening Date Yet for Middleville
A grand opening date for the new Middleville restaurant has not been revealed yet, wgrd.com reported. The storefront renovation at 116 E. Main St. is underway, but there's no confirmed timeline for when diners in Barry County can start ordering tacos and molcajetes downtown.
The reports name different locations, but both put the chain at four. A February 2024 report from mlive.com listed Don Felipe locations in Clio, Chesaning, and New Lothrop and called Millington its fourth location, while the more recent account of the Middleville expansion lists Chesaning, Millington, and Sandusky among the chain's current spots and says four are currently open. For now, West Michigan diners will have to wait and watch for updates on the new location's progress.
