On the Border Cafe

Company History
On the Border South Texas Cafe, as it was initially known, opened in 1982 in the Knox Park suburb of Dallas. To give some context, this area was not the trendiest part of town, but it was beginning to turn around. It was very popular with young single professionals. At the time, many Mexican restaurants were dark, dreary places stuck in the 60s. Applying a “yuppie” vibe to Tex-Mex was a new idea. This simple change would help On the Border grow to three locations within the DFW area by 1987. The same year, On the Border would expand into a new city. As with other Dallas-based restaurants, Houston was the target of choice.

The inter-city expansion would prove very fruitful, with On the Border growing to 21 locations by 1994. With other chains taking notice of the growth, OTB would be approached by Dallas-based Brinker, which had acquired multiple other restaurant chains at this point. Famously starting with Chili’s, which they had turned from a regional burger chain into a national success using a franchise model. This model was quickly applied to On the Border stores, whose numbers grew into the hundreds by the late 90s. Brinker would often sell restaurants in groups, aiming to place On the Border near existing Chili’s locations. On the Border consistently ranked among the top dine-in Tex-Mex chains throughout the years. For Brinker, it has always been a strong second. However, it was ultimately sold in 2010 as Brinker faced further financial challenges. At the time of sale, On the Border was a relatively healthy company. Independently, they have maintained this momentum for the most part, showing growth since closing the Houston stores.

Local History
In 1987, On the Border opened its first location outside of DFW, its fourth overall. Just as their first Dallas location was experiencing a rebirth, this part of town was seeing a rebirth—the corner of Westcreek Lane and Westheimer. The area had been known throughout the 60s and 70s as “Acid Lane” and featured a variety of smoke shops, among other less savory outlets, but was reimagined in the 1980s as trendy bars and restaurants, such as Le Peep. This first location was received relatively well by Houstonians, although On the Border was far from having Ninfa’s shaking in their boots. At the time, Tex-Mex food was split into two distinct categories. American-style chains, such as El Torito, focused on providing a simulated “immersive” experience. The flip side of the coin was independently run authentic restaurants. On the Border helped bridge a gap in providing more authentic Tex-Mex in a chain environment.

By 1990, Houston was in the process of opening its second On the Border location at the corner of Gessner and Westheimer. The new location took over another Tex-Mex restaurant named Caliente, which had operated there since 1988. Caliente was a rebranding initiative undertaken by El Torrito, which had built the large restaurant (318 seats) in 1980. With new towers rising just a bit closer to Beltway 8, this area was seen as a potential second Galleria centered on Carillon.

The first location would be converted into Sullivan’s Steakhouse a year later. A very upmarket chain that completely remodeled the building. This lasted until 2017, when the building was abandoned and later demolished to make way for future development. The second location, which had already undergone a remodel to become an On The Border, fared a brighter fate. It was quickly converted into Churrascos, which serves South American cuisine. As of 2020, it is still open and was recently renovated. After the Brinker sale, On the Border would share a similar fate to Chili’s. The menu would be simplified and somewhat dulled for mass appeal. They would also focus on towns where they were the “only game” for Tex-Mex. This idea eventually brought On the Border back into the Houston area. About 10 years later, with most locations opening in 2006.

Upon their return, On the Border was accused of serving generic, bland Mexican food. When comparing our local options, this is undeniably true. These locations operated until about 2011, after which Brinker sold On the Border to a Private Equity Firm. Again, likely victims of underperformance, the restaurants were shuttered and sold to competitors. While not a culinary treasure by any stretch of the imagination, it creates a curious comparison to the adage. If at first you fail, try again.