Wayne and Sons

New Tex-Mex Restaurant Wayne & Sons Opens in New York City | Eater NY

"Opened in early December 2024 at 221 Second Avenue (between 13th and 14th streets), this quick-service Tex‑Mex bar was launched by co-owners Justin Seitzler, chef Oscar Hernandez, and Tiffany Collings after they took over a space that had previously been fried chicken shop Chicken & the Egg. The casual, not-too-long menu’s star is the crunchy taco: the namesake Crunch Taco comes with beef picadillo with a smoky sauce, tomatoes, and onions. "We thought, what if someone made the crunchy taco the staple instead of an afterthought?" Seitzler says. Elsewhere, the chips are a take on Mexican totopos called Textopos — thicker and served with the restaurant’s made-to-order queso. On Sundays the breakfast menu offers breakfast tacos (bacon-potato-egg-cheese and bean-potato-egg-cheese), chilaquiles, and Micheladas; there are plans to start making kolaches eventually, and migas will be added on Sunday, February 9. Tortillas aren’t made in-house: the corn and flour flatbreads are sourced from Mexico-based wholesaler Mi Familia, though the team plans to make their own tortillas after they secure a bigger space. Cocktails are classic Tex‑Mex options, including citrusy frozen margaritas made with Lalo tequila, and Ranch Water — tequila, lime juice, and Topo Chico — served in a soda bottle. The three founders drew on Texas influences after traveling throughout the state to visit places from Seitzler’s youth (Ojeda’s and El Fenix in Dallas, Joe T’s in Fort Worth, and Cisco’s in Austin); "We all come from the taco world," he says. "As a Texan, I wanted to see more representations of Tex-Mex food in New York. It’s a big state." Seitzler adds a naming anecdote: "We all have a Wayne in our lives, everybody has a Wayne." He describes the vibe as "super fun, hospitable, like being able to eat in someone’s kitchen back home." The space fits about 20 people on the patio and eight to ten at the indoor bar. The team has expansion goals — including a hot sauce brand, soda line, the Textopos, and a breakfast restaurant — and aims to "scal[ing] for the future," per Seitzler. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 4 to 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m." - Nadia Chaudhury