El Jordan Cafe owner ‘finally back home’ after car crash in Mexico

The owner of El Jordan is recovering from a car accident and will reopen her restaurant soon.

Photo by Lisa Petty

On Thursday, July 23, El Jordan owner Lorena Félix González was involved in a serious car crash while traveling in Mexico. She sustained extensive injuries that required a prolonged hospitalization, delaying her return to Dallas and requiring the temporary closure of her Oak Cliff cafe. 

Established in 1996 by González and her husband, José, El Jordan represents a true “mom and pop” shop and an Oak Cliff original. Long before Bishop Arts was a thing, the pair were serving big breakfasts, Mexican favorites and weekend menudo in a warm, colorful space on Bishop Avenue. González kept doing just that, even as the neighborhood boomed, and even after José’s death from cancer in 2019. 

After her accident, El Jordan staffers established a GoFundMe to help with bills for the woman who “has served our community with love for so many years, never wavering with her hard work and dedication.” 

Earlier this week, a Facebook post provided an update and some good news:

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Update: Once again we want to thank everyone that has been praying, calling, messaging & supporting Lorena in this journey. She is recovering well & is finally back home. She will have her stitches removed from her last two surgeries in about two weeks. Soon after we hope to be able to open the restaurant back up at latest first week of October. Thank you!

This situation underscores the very real tightrope restaurant owners walk every day. As we await El Jordan’s reopening date, here’s how we can show up for an OC original and a treasure worth preserving:

Check out the GoFundMe page and consider a donation.
This week’s Bishop Arts Wine Walk (Thursday, September 24) will also contribute $5 from each ticket sold to the GoFundMe fundraiser.
Follow El Jordan on Facebook for updates.
Go get yourself some huevos rancheros when they reopen in October.