NINFA’S JUST MEANS RESTAURANT Legacy Restaurants, the owners of Ninfa’s on Navigation, is starting up another chain using the Ninfa’s name. The first Ninfa’s Mexican Kitchen, “inspired by the original Ninfa’s but with an upscale twist,” will open on NASA Road 1 across from the Johnson Space Center early next year. “Adding to the confusion is the fact that all the other Ninfa’s Mexican restaurants are individually owned and are not related to Legacy Restaurants. Investor Neil Morgan, who also owns the rights to Antone’s restaurants, purchased Ninfa’s on Navigation in 2006, and he and [CEO Chris] Harter formed Legacy Restaurants to manage it as a wholly owned subsidiary.” [Houston Business Journal]
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Reality is that without Mama Ninfa herself none of the Ninfa’s are anything but a memory at this point. A pleasant memory but still just a memory. Ninfa didn’t believe in putting profit over pleasing her customers -all of whom through the years became friends and family to her.
Oh, boy… more places to get mediocre Tex-Mex. I’ll pass.
The only Ninfa’s I’ll go to is the one on Navigation because even though it is owned by Legacy it still retains a lot of the charm.
I’ve never had a bad experience at original location.
Also one big question:
Why can’t a great restaurant (or business) be highly profitable and provide good service?
Ninfa’s was doing quite well before they sold. That was the reason they sold it. They had money rolling in from franchise rights and original restaurant was still popular. Legacy new it was a great place and had a loyal following. Keep the service and the much of the original staff and not much has changed there. Legacy is actually investing in the original location without destroying it.
While I don’t like the fact that the franchises didn’t keep the same feel and food of the original, you can’t blame the family for make the deals. If it wasn’t for the crappy franchises, I would have never know about the original restaurant on Navigation.
Like Ninfa’s but more upscale…isn’t that El Tiempo?
After eating at Ninfa’s for over twenty years, we finally quit about 3-4 years ago. It’s not the same–lousy food, nothing special.
There is way too much good Tex-Mex in this city to settle for Ninfa’s.