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Friday, March 29, 2024

Locos Grill & Pub hoping to reverse fortune at revolving-door Ocala location

Locos Grill & Pub is hoping to have a reversal of fortune at an Ocala restaurant location that has been a revolving door for businesses in the past.

The new restaurant, which is located along East State Road 40 (3105 E Silver Springs Boulevard), took over the location after Open Haus, a restaurant that specialized in chicken and over-the-top desserts, closed its doors earlier this summer amidst a failed health inspection.

After a complete renovation of the interior dining room, which included the addition of another section adjacent to the bar, the restaurant has an entirely different vibe a result of the makeover.

Welcome to Ocala mural at Locos Grill & Pub
This “Welcome to Ocala” mural helps provide for a colorful, friendly environment at Locos Grill & Pub.

Whereas Open Haus may have struggled to find its identity between satisfying young families, professionals, and retirees that comprise Ocala, Locos seems know exactly what it is: A modern American restaurant that provides food options for people of all ages and creates an atmosphere that is welcoming to all.

In addition to the design and layout of the restaurant, the simple one-page menu offers a variety of American fare options. The restaurant features around a dozen different appetizers that one might find at a traditional bar or pub, including nachos, fried pickles, mozzarella sticks, and a moose mix up platter, which features potato skins and onion rings.

Queso with chorizo and chips at Locos Grill & Pub
Queso with chorizo and chips at Locos Grill & Pub

The restaurant offers an extensive variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads and tacos, as well as a few specialty plates, including glazed salmon.

Glazed salmon with bread, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese at Locos Grill & Pub
Glazed salmon with bread, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese at Locos Grill & Pub

The portions at Locos are generous and even if your meal doesn’t include a side, the restaurant offers an extensive set of options that can be purchased a la carte.

The restaurant is most known perhaps for its sandwiches, wings and tacos, which feature pork, shrimp, chicken, steak, and vegetarian options. The Honey Sriacha Shrimp tacos come in an order of three and are loaded with toppings. The Crazy Carne Tacos are the restaurant’s take on the popular Carne Asada tacos that residents can find at Mexican restaurants across Ocala.

Crazy Carne Tacos at Locos Grill & Pub
Crazy Carne Tacos are part of the many taco options available at Locos Grill & Pub in Ocala, Florida.
Honey Sriacha Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Honey Sriacha Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Locos Philly Cheese at Locos Grill & Pub in Ocala, Florida
Locos Philly Cheese at Locos Grill & Pub

The restaurant features a few homemade desserts, as well as a full service bar. The dessert menu is short and to the point, but features a couple of classic favorites like cheesecake, a bundt cake similar to a lava cake, and a salted caramel brownie that is topped with a scoop if ice cream.

Salted caramel brownie with whipped cream at Locos Grill & Pub
Salted caramel brownie with whipped cream at Locos Grill & Pub

The new restaurant is one in a long list of tenants that has occupied the building. It joins an impressive slate of additional restaurants and downtown hot spots that have opened in the past six months, as well as a few others that are looking to open in the first half of 2020.

In October, both Bank Street Patio Bar and The Black Sheep Bar on Broadway opened their doors. In August, multiple restaurants closed their doors amidst health inspection failures and low sales, including Open Haus, whose final straw came in the form of a failed health inspection.

Later this year, Mellow Mushroom has plans to open its doors in downtown Ocala at a location formerly housed by Brothers Keeper Thrift Store. And The Tipsy Skipper, a new tiki-themed lounge located next to the Marion Theatre, is still hoping to open its doors in “early 2020” despite experiencing a few setbacks, according to a post on their Facebook page.

Locos Grill & Pub opens every day at 11 a.m. and closes every day at 10 p.m., except Friday and Saturday when it closes at 11 p.m.

To read more about the restaurant or to review its menu, visit the Locos Grill & Pub website.