A plate of tacos is served at Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar & Grill on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — At the age of 17, Emanuel Munoz immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico to Virginia, where he began working in the restaurant industry alongside one of his eight brothers.

Two years later, he and his brother opened their first restaurant together in Hagerstown, Md. They worked hard to make that business a success and, a few years later, began expanding and opening more restaurants in the D.C. metropolitan area. Today, around nine authentic Mexican restaurants are owned by him and his brothers, all of whom have since immigrated to the area.

The most recent addition to that number of restaurants is the first one located in the Eastern Panhandle. Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar & Grill held a soft opening in April at 201 East German Street in Shepherdstown.

“This restaurant has the largest bar and an extensive wine and drinks menu,” Munoz said, pointing out a bottle of Chilean wine, as he sat in a booth near the bar on Saturday. “We have the most refreshing margaritas in town, made fresh with quality ingredients and an expert touch. And for tequila lovers? We have an exclusive selection of the finest tequilas, for an authentic and delicious experience.”

According to Munoz, each restaurant his family owns has its own unique menu. A great amount of effort has been dedicated to perfecting Gran Ranchero’s menu — so much so that it has yet to be completed. He said it will likely be finished in a week and will then be unveiled at a grand opening celebration near the end of July.

Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar & Grill opened at 201 East German Street in April, in Jefferson Security Bank’s former location, which was built in 1906. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

“We want to make sure we have everything in order, before we hold our grand opening,” Munoz said, mentioning he regularly goes back to his home country to visit his parents, who still live in Jalisco, and checks out developments in the local food scene while there. “We see what’s the new big thing and bring it here. We try to offer the best of Mexican cuisine to our customers.”

Already, the restaurant has proven to be a hit. Munoz said they have seen a number of repeat customers, both from the Shepherd University student body and from the greater Shepherdstown area. He attributes this to the fresh, quality ingredients that they insist upon using.

While many restaurants incorporate factory-produced shortcuts into their menu items, such as through using premade margarita mixes, cakes and tortillas, Munoz said his family’s Altos de Jalisco Mexican Grills and El Ranchero Mexican Restaurants hold themselves to a higher standard.

“A lot of people say that they can taste how fresh our food is,” Munoz said. “We do our best to offer quality food and drinks to our customers.”

Along with its menu, the restaurant reflects the beauty of Mexican culture through its decor. A mural of Mexican mythological creatures and artwork depicting downtown Shepherdstown and the late owner of the building, Ken Lowe, are prominently displayed in the restaurant. The paintings were all created by Gran Ranchero’s manager, Carlos Costro, who grew up in Mexico, about 40 minutes away from Munoz’s home. Many of the furnishings are also from Mexico, including the lamps, leather-and-wood booths and wooden chairs with embroidered cloth backing.

Emanuel Munoz holds the temporary menu for Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar & Grill, in front of the restaurant bar, on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

Music lovers can anticipate live performances at the restaurant, which will be featured there on a monthly basis. One of the musical groups Munoz plans to highlight will be the eight-person band, Mariachi Rey Azteca, which will also be performing at Gran Ranchero’s grand opening.

Information about the grand opening will be published on the Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar and Grill Facebook page.

Gran Ranchero is open: Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Mondays through Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. To learn more, visit https://www.granrancherosheperdstown.com/ or call 304-870-4092.

A family walks into Gran Ranchero Mexican Bar & Grill on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Tabitha Johnston