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El Patio Mexican Restaurant celebrates 65 years of service, salsa and saltines

The City of Austin proclaimed January 5 as "El Patio Restaurant Day."

Tucked away on Guadalupe Street, El Patio Mexican Restaurant has been serving up Tex-Mex since 1954.

Saturday, hundreds gathered outside of the restaurant to celebrate its 65th anniversary.

The City of Austin proclaimed January 5 as "El Patio Restaurant Day."

Maryann, founder and owner, holding proclamation. Her son, David Joseph, holding microphone.

"Oh my god, phenomenal. From opening the doors, we had a line and it's wonderful. I'm absolutely speechless," David Joseph, a part-owner of the restaurant, said.

His mother, Maryann, opened El Patio with her husband all those years ago.

Since then, she said they've had thousands of regulars walk through the doors.

"These people have been wonderful. They've been wonderful not only customers but friends," Maryann Joseph said.

2018 was a rough year for restaurants in the area, with family-owned restaurants closing weekly.

David said it's not always easy.

"I pray for all of them – I pray for all of us - because being a small business like us, it's tough. I mean, you got the big money coming in and to hang in there, you know, we're doing it," David said.

Customers told KVUE part of the success of the restaurant is simply because it hasn't changed.

"Austin's changed plenty, but El Patio is still originally what it's meant to be: a family-run business by a great family in Austin," Zack Morris, who's eaten there for 30 years, said.

For more information on El Patio, click here.

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