The Full Story
About
Brenda Rodriguez and Alejandro Castro met in 2019 and became friends, instantly. Señor Tequila was born with the idea of combining their experience in restaurant ownership as well as their passion for Mexican cuisine, tequila and superior customer service. In the process, the excitement reached six local investors who joined the company inspired by the capacities and talents of “Chef Brenda” and “Mimoso Castro”.
The main concept behind Señor Tequila lies in the perfect blend between modern and authentic. The food menu has a balanced mix between modern cuisine found in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico and the traditional American Tex-Mex menu. The tequila and draft beer menu has been carefully selected to offer only the highest quality available and keeps evolving over time.
Our vision is to grow Señor Tequila to become the pride of Des Moines and the destination for visitors in search for the most modern, entertaining, and authentic experience.
Chef Brenda
Originally from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Brenda was adopted when she was 1 year old by Aurelio & Yolanda Rodriguez. While working in a restaurant to pay for her university studies, Brenda was moved to general manager at age 17, making her a pioneer in the food industry and business. Ever since Brenda was 12 years old, she began as the assistant chef in a supermarket’s kitchen cooking in high quantities from an early age.
She studied and graduated as a CPA Accountant in 1988 from the PITMAN Commercial Academy in Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Due to domestic abuse from the father of her daughters she was forced to flee and escape her beloved Mazatlan. Brenda crossed the Arizona desert with her older daughter Monica when she was only 3 years old. Brenda immigrated to Long Beach, California in June 1994 with both of her older daughters. In 1997, Brenda moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, attracted by a newspaper ad and the demand of labor in various industries.
Brenda has lived in Iowa ever since, always keeping busy in the food industry.
In 2003, Brenda moved to New Hampton, Iowa to open the first Mexican restaurant and supermarket of the town named “Mi Pueblo”. The business was well-received by the locals due to her involvement in the local Catholic Church and serving as a volunteer in the local police department, hospital and court as an interpreter. And of course her distinctive flavorful dishes are impossible to resist. In 2008, Brenda had to close the business due to separation from the father of her only son Daniel and moved to Waterloo, Iowa. There she went from owning a restaurant to starting over as a server and quickly moved up through the ranks to become general manager of Chilito’s Mexican Restaurant, a position she had already conquered at age 17 back in her hometown.
Brenda has been a dishwasher, hostess, waitress, assistant manager, assistant chef, chef and general manager, basically mastering her trade in the hospitality and restaurant business. In 2017, Brenda moved to Des Moines, Iowa to assist her older daughter and son-in-law in their businesses and events with Catering Services and searching for a better education which involves karate, dance, soccer, languages and math for her youngest daughter Kiara. In 2021, Brenda began a new business venture with the remodeling and construction of Señor Tequila * Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Bar.
“Mimoso” Castro
Alejandro is a pioneer and inventor in the restaurant business. Instead of using vodka, Alejandro uses Mezcal to create his famous Mimoso Castro cocktail mixed to perfection for the best brunch experience. In 1951, Aurelio made the leap to California, harvesting tomatoes. His son, Alejandro, was born in California and began working at restaurants at the age of nine, learning every aspect of the trade.
By 1998, Alejandro and his wife Lizzie moved to Wisconsin. And in 2000 started their first restaurant, El Patio, in Eau Claire. Now with children of their own - Alejandro, Anahi, Isabela, and Isaac - the Castro family lives in Eau Claire and carry on their traditions with successful Mexican restaurant concepts in Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Twenty years later Alejandro has led the creation of Señor Tequila with the fortune of bringing the best practices and concepts of all his restaurants to the city of Des Moines and to partner with local investors who include Iowa's greatest restaurateur Jeff Bruning of Full Court Press, Inc.