Mexican Villa in Springfield, MO

​First Time Visit

I've traveled to Springfield, Missouri about a million times, since I was a kid in the 1960s.

But I never had a chance to eat at Mexican Villa, until 2023.

Quick Lunch

​​It was on Labor Day when Don and I visited, along with our son. We'd spent a busy few days celebrating my dad's 95th birthday. We stopped in for lunch before taking Scott to the airport.

Dad was off having lunch with my sister, or he would have been with us. I wish he had been, since Dad might have shared some memories of this place. 

​From the 1940s

This house-like building, has been at this South National location, since long before I was born. It was a bbq place when it first opened. I read that it got a lot of business from Drury College students... My parents maybe?

Since 1951, the property has been owned by the Ferguson family. There have been name changes over the years and the most recent one was around 1961. The word "Italian" was replaced with the word "Mexican", on the red sign! 
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Murals

I love some good neon and I love some kitschy murals. 

Mexican Villa has quite a few. 

​I snapped a few photos as we walked from the parking lot. 

The kid in me loved the bullfighter.

The adult in me paused a little, when I saw the smiling figure with his sombrero and taco. I would prefer a donkey "mascot". 

I don't know the history of the animated fellow, but he has probably been smiling at customers since the fifties, when the Ferguson's opened the first Mexican food restaurant in Springfield.  

Fullhouse

The restaurant was doing good business when we arrived on the holiday weekend.

A back room was packed with large parties. I had to wait until later to get up close to see some of the old photos. 

This cozy booth was empty, so I could snap a pic without being rude. Knotty pine, sombreros... The words "Top plate is hot!" written above the window, made me wonder. 

Booth Time

A friendly woman greeted and seated us at a booth in the old section of the building. Maybe Mom and Dad had bbq here, in 1949.

The dining room was lively. There was a jukebox behind Don and a table-side-jukebox that we didn't get a chance to try.

Tabletop Entertainment

Instead we enjoyed the tabletop entertainment.

I'm glad we got a good look at the fun food images, before the real food covered things up.
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Ferguson Family

I read some history in the menu, about the family that started the business. Garin "Hargrave" Ferguson and his wife Betty, were originally from Springfield. Like my dad, they left Springfield and returned. After Hargrave's service in San Antonio during WWII, they returned to Springfield with an appreciation for Mexican food. 

The couple purchased the homey little Springfield property in 1951 and eventually opened more locations. The restaurant has been operated by the family for over 65 years. Garin Ferguson, (Hargrave and Betty's grandson) runs the business today. 

Old Photos

I found these photos in another room. One image shows a new location opening. 

I don't recall seeing any Mexican Villas as a kid, but I believe the sign with the smiling figure was located at the Glenstone Avenue property.

Funny, I thought I remembered every colorful sign on that wildly entertaining Springfield street.

​Signs on South Glenstone

My sibs and I were always giddy when we arrived in Springfield to visit relatives. The drive down Glenstone was like Times Square to us. Colorful neon signs, moving and flashing! The Cat and the Fiddle sign was our favorite. That cat actually fiddled!

Evidently the Ferguson's restaurant on Glenstone, was right across the street from Cat & Fiddle. I guess I never noticed the waving figure in the sombrero, because I was staring at the fiddling cat! 
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More to See Inside

There was a lot to look at while we waited for our orders.

There was  Hargrave and his wife Betty. Who knows, maybe my dad knew them. 

Nostalgia

​I spotted decor that brought back memories of visiting my grandmother in Springfield. I never ate Mexican food as a kid, but I recall Foremost Milk in "Daw's" refrigerator, on Weller Street.

I obviously didn't know  Mr. Ferguson when I visited Springfield in 1967...

...but the soda bottles surrounding his 1967 photo brought back more memories of Daw's fridge. She often stocked up on these bubbly bottled drinks, when we visited in the summer.

Eating

Don and I didn't grow up with Mexican food, but we learned to love it. Especially after moving to Texas decades ago.

Scott did grow up with Mexican food and was excited to dig into his double plated feast.

We laughed with our server about the double plating. Just like the words on wall, the top plate was indeed hot! Both our platters and Don's basket of tacos were decent. They were just what we expected. An Ozark style of Mexican meal. Not authentic Mexican or Tex Mex, but just fine. We came for some Springfield history!

A Quick Look

By the time we finished up, the back room had emptied. 

We wandered back to check out the photos, near the wall above the fireplace.

There was Hargrave and Betty again, at their Glenstone location. Called Old Mexico, at the time.

We absorbed a few more images displayed on the knotty pine, before heading out the front door.
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One last sign with the pointing fella, before we headed to the car.

We never found the Fiesta Room. We were off to the airport.

Wondering
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As we drove to the airport we talked about how well the birthday weekend gathering had gone. I was eager to give Dad a call later and ask if he'd ever gone to Mexican Villa. 

Did Dad eat bbq here as a teen? Did he bring Mom here, when they started dating at Drury? Did he know the Fergusons? 

Dining With Dad

I got distracted and I forgot to ask and then it was too late. Just a few months after Dad's birthday celebration he passed away. It's sad that I'll never know if he and Mom dined inside the cozy "house" on S. National. 

In recent years, I've been lucky to collect lots of other dining memories with Dad in Springfield. 

Cheers to sharing meals with those we love. Cheers to the iconic eateries of Springfield. 

Cheers to finally eating at Mexican Villa for the first time!
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