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Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grill, a restaurant with roots at Indianapolis City Market, is reestablishing its downtown presence with a Salesforce Tower location.
Mambo’s hosted a soft opening Monday at a spot previously occupied by Fast Burrito Mexican Grill, which opened near the intersection of Ohio and Pennsylvania streets in 2011 but became a business casualty of the pandemic.
Tuesday will be the official opening day for Mambo’s, a concept founded by restaurateur Carla McDaniel.
A native of Peru who moved to the United States as a teenager, McDaniel launched Mauricio’s Pizzeria at Indianapolis City Market in 2011 and followed with Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grill in 2015.
Although Indianapolis City Market, 222 E. Market St., closed earlier this year to make way for a multiyear redevelopment project, McDaniel owns eateries at Garage Food Hall in the Bottleworks District and at AMP food hall in the 16 Tech innovation district.
She opened Abbiocco Pizzeria at Garage Food Hall in 2020. A Mambo’s location opened at AMP in 2021.
Meanwhile, Mambo’s sells its cheesesteak sandwiches and loaded fries at the Monument Circle farmers’ market each Wednesday through October. The restaurant’s menu items are available at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during Pacers and Fever games, and Mambo’s plans to operate a food stand at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during Brickyard 400 weekend July 19-21.
Before Fast Burrito Mexican Grill served customers at 111 Monument Circle, Suite 120, the space was occupied by Cafe O, a restaurant that specialized in Asian cuisine.
Chicago-based breakfast chain Yolk closed a Salesforce Tower location in May.
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Guacala!!
No one is asking you to leave your lazy boy and dine downtown, Murray…
Not sure why Murray uses a Spanish interjection to scoff at a cheesesteak sandwich. Afterall, the sandwich originated in the Philadelphia area in the 1930s. Maybe he objects to brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, sons of Italian immigrants who are credited with creating it.
Murray she must be doing something right if she’s been in business since 2015 and has locations at 16 amp and the food Hall at bottleworks.
As someone who lives and works downtown, the service industry is practically begging for anyone, especially those within walking distance, to patronize their businesses. Especially low hanging fruit dining establishments.
Ahh, our favorite geriatric, out of state Brent either learned how to translate on good or picked up some Spanish on the beach. All while unwittingly admitting he’s never been to this place. Comparing this to an authentic Philly cheesesteak is atrocious.
You’re right Rhea. Number of locations is all that matters to you Hoosiers. That’s why you all love your chains and lost your collective minds when Taco Bell cantina opened up. I’d laugh at the embracing of substandard quality, but I guess you don’t know what you don’t know. And it’s like Forrest Gump said….
Gee Murray if you’re such an expert on dining and cheesesteaks maybe you should open your own restaurant downtown. Show us how it’s done
Cool! Feed the people while making money!
What a sad chain! Why not just wish hard working people well when they risk their money and sweat to open a business??
Exactly, instead of being happy that someone has been successful and is opening another location you’ve got a few people on here that want to drag them down.