About us
About Us
Meet the Owners
Los Pepe’s Restaurant was founded in 1987 by Jose and Herminia Mancha, who left their home in Monterrey, Mexico to pursue the American Dream.
At the age of 19 Jose went to America to forge a better life for his family. Having a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed, Jose quickly found a job as a busboy in a restaurant in Longview, Texas. He was then able to earn enough to bring his wife Herminia and his family to the United States.
From there, Jose and Herminia worked hard to take care of their family and also follow their American dream. Jose was promoted to assistant cook in the restaurant's longview location while Herminia began working as a cook in another restaurant. Not long after, Jose got offered an assistant managers position in a soon to be opened location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
With their future goals in mind, in 1973 Jose accepted a position with his previous employer while also negotiating positions for his wife, brother and cousin. Jose continued to work hard and a few years later had been promoted to manager in the restaurant’s Austin location and then promoted again in 1980 to a higher paying management position in Waco, where he worked until 1987.
After 20 years of hard work and saving what they could, Jose and Herminia accomplished their American Dream: they had saved enough money to open their own restaurant, Los Pepe's. Los Pepe’s Restaurant opened its doors in 1987, bringing the authentic Mexican food of Jose and Herminia’s childhood and traditions to their new Groesbeck family.
Erick Mancha
Meet Erick Mancha, Manager
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Erick Mancha took over the family restaurant in 99' and continued Jose and Herminia's legacy.
Los Pepe's was great in 1999 but Erick knew that there were some changes that could be made. After taking over, he worked around the clock to upgrade and promote Los Pepe's. He upgraded the kitchen and expanded the restaurant by adding a bar in 2007. Along with the bar, he also redesigned the interior of Los Pepe's. He added Talavera Mexican tiles to the walls and redecorated with Mexican artwork and ceramics for a more authentic vibe.
Recently, Erick worked with some artists and designed a mural that was painted on the side of the restaurant. He also helped design the mosaic of the Los Pepe's guy right in front of the restaurant. Come by and check it out!
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Los Pepe's may be flourishing, but Erick still has some ideas in the works! We are so glad that Erick has put the time and effort to bring you the Los Pepe's that our Groesbeck Family knows and loves!
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Carlos Zamora
Meet Carlos Zamora, Manager
In 2015, Los Pepe’s welcomed seasoned manager Carlos Zamora to the family and community. Carlos brings 20 years of experience and passion for the restaurant industry with him-starting in 1997 after coming to the United States from Saltillo, Mexico. He started his career as a busboy in a high-end Asian fusion restaurant in Boston, MA and worked his way through the company to a management position in Boston, and then as management in their new location in Tampa, FL. Carlos worked for a variety of fast casual and high-end dining establishments, but his heart was calling him closer to Mexico. In 2015, Carlos took the leap and moved from the Tampa Bay area to join the Los Pepe’s family.
Carlos has a contagious positive personality that will brighten your day. When you walk into Los Pepe's and get greeted with a big smile and a genuine "Hello my friend", you know that it will be a great day at Los Pepe's. We are thrilled to have Carlos not only as part of our Los Pepe’s family, but as part of the Groesbeck community.