A Mexican restaurant with locations in Buena Vista, Leadville and Fairplay has expanded to Main Street in Frisco to serve up carnitas plates, tacos, margaritas and much more.

After moving from Jalisco, Mexico, to Colorado about 20 years ago, Roger Sanchez — the owner of Casa Sanchez Restaurants — got his start in the restaurant industry working as a dishwasher, cook, busser and server.

Now, Sanchez owns five restaurants throughout the state, with the restaurant at 121 E. Main St. in Frisco being the latest, which opened on March 14.

“The community here in Frisco is really amazing,” Sanchez said. “I always dreamed of opening something here in Summit County, especially Frisco. I used to live here a long time ago, so I always wanted to come back.”

Around lunch time on Tuesday, March 28, more than a half-dozen customers chattered amongst themselves — many of them munching on $1.25 tacos, a weekly special — as the smell of fresh-cooked food filled the restaurant.

Casa Sanchez’s menu includes some of the most popular styles of Mexican foods — from tacos and burritos to enchiladas, taquitos, fajitas and carnitas de puerco, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. All the dishes, including the salsas, are made fresh daily, Sanchez said. Many of the platters, he said, are inspired by his years growing up in Mexico.

“Everyday we are picking up a little bit, a little bit, a little bit, getting busy and busy and busy,” Sanchez said. “And I believe everybody is so excited.”

Over the past 10 years in business, Sanchez said he has paid attention to what local residents are looking for in order to make his restaurants successful. He also claims to have some of the cheapest — but most flavorful and high-quality — meals in the area.

“I just open restaurants where the people tell me they need good Mexican food,” Sanchez said. “When people tell me they need good food is when I start looking to open a new restaurant.”

The manager of the new Frisco location, Manuel Sanchez, who is not related to Roger Sanchez, said that is exactly what happened here. The former manager of the Casa Sanchez in Leadville, Manuel Sanchez said he heard from regulars at that location of the need for Mexican food in Frisco.

“Some people in Leadville told me we need a Casa Sanchez in Frisco — and we make your wish a reality,” Manuel Sanchez said. “People were driving a half hour to eat in our restaurant. But no more!”

Manuel Sanchez said his goal is to make Casa Sanchez the best Mexican restaurant in Summit County.  Casa Sanchez plans to be open year round including every holiday except for Thanksgiving, he said, noting that the restaurant serves a variety of margaritas, offers a “Mexican dessert” — a tequila shot — with every drink ordered, and has a weekly “Taco Tuesday” special with tacos for just $1.25 a piece.

With his latest business venture now up and running, Roger Sanchez said, “I love this job” — and pointed to his employees, customers and the community as the reason why. That’s part of why he has continued the Taco Tuesday tradition.

“We don’t make money on Tuesdays,” Roger Sanchez said. “But we make people happy.”