BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Foodies in search of chimichangas, enchiladas and other Mexican specialties will soon have a new spot to frequent in Northampton County.
Don Carlos Fine Mexican Food & Tequila Bar, a full-service restaurant offering authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine, is nearing completion at 1406 Center St. in Bethlehem.
Don Carlos Fine Mexican Food & Tequila Bar, a full-service restaurant offering authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine, is coming soon to 1406 Center St. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The space previously housed other dining establishments, including Collins Restaurant, Star City Restaurant and, most recently, Rudy’s Diner Bar & Grill.
The nearly decade-old Rudy’s closed in fall 2024 as husband and wife owners Olvin and Carla Buezo decided to focus their attention on their other restaurant, Frank’s Italian Restaurant, on Route 248 in Lower Nazareth Township, Carla said.
Don Carlos owner Carlos Morales purchased the property and has been renovating it over the past several months.
Individuals traveling past the property have likely already noticed exterior updates in the form of vibrant murals.
Artists have painted a variety of colorful Mexican motifs, including cacti, Frida Kahlo and Day of the Dead designs, on the building’s facade.
Ryan Kneller
Morales was originally hoping to open Don Carlos in 2025, but renovations have become more extensive than originally planned.
He now expects to open the Mexican restaurant in early 2026.
“We decided to knock down everything and do a lot more work inside,” Morales told 69 News on Monday.
“So, it’s taking longer to finish than we originally planned, but it’s coming soon – hopefully in January. We can’t wait! It’s going to look really beautiful.”
Don Carlos will be Morales’ third Mexican dining establishment, supplementing two El Patron Mexican restaurants that he operates in Glen Gardner, New Jersey and Port Jervis, New York.
He also owns five pizzerias in New Jersey and New York.
A resident of Middletown, New York, Morales became familiar with and was attracted to the Lehigh Valley dining scene as he has several restaurant industry friends who live in the area.
He decided on the name, Don Carlos, because he didn’t want any confusion with another Lehigh Valley El Patron Mexican restaurant, which operates on North Seventh Street in Allentown.
“I’m excited to open this restaurant because I really love Bethlehem – the people, the energy, everything about it,” Morales said.
“The community is really great, and even though there are other Mexican restaurants in the area, I think there is room for everyone. Also, I like to bring new dishes that other restaurants don’t offer. So, it’ll be a fresh and new restaurant, both with its look and its menu.”
Don Carlos Fine Mexican Food & Tequila Bar, a full-service restaurant offering authentic, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine, is coming soon to 1406 Center St. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
Don Carlos’ food offerings will differ slightly than those offered at Morales’ El Patron restaurants, but several popular dishes will be carried over to Don Carlos’ menu, Morales said.
Individuals can expect a wide array of Mexican specialties, including burritos, tacos, fajitas, flautas, enchiladas, chimichangas and nachos, available with proteins such as chicken, steak and shrimp, Morales said.
Everything will be homemade, including the salsa, guacamole and desserts such as flan, churros and tres leches cake.
Lunch and dinner will be served daily.
“I am sometimes asked why I don’t close my restaurants on Mondays, and I always say because people also eat on Mondays,” Morales said with a laugh.
At Don Carlos, Morales envisions more of an open-concept dining area, with bright colors and furniture imported from Mexico.
He and a team of workers are adding new kitchen equipment, updating the bathrooms and constructing a new bar, with the latter featuring a large selection of tequilas along with cocktails such as margaritas and mojitos.
“We want this to be a fresh and fun place to gather, where people can celebrate special occasions or just enjoy great food and drinks any day of the week,” Morales said.