116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Casa de Ojos Locos brings new Mexican, American mix to southeast Cedar Rapids
New brand plans second Marion location
Dec. 3, 2025 6:00 am
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A sport-themed bar and grill is throwing a curve ball to Mount Vernon Road with its latest moves.
Pregame Brew and Chew, opened in August 2024 with the legacy of the old Cork ‘n Fork, has made a pivot to make room for a new hybrid option from Cedar Rapids restaurateur Jade Luter.
Casa de Ojos Locos, her first venture into Mexican restaurants, hopes to offer a little bit for everyone with a menu split into Mexican classics and tried-and-true American favorites served by the space’s previous occupant at 3025 Mount Vernon Rd. SE.
“I’m hoping we’ll be able to draw essentially the whole family to dinner,” Luter said. “Hopefully, that will be our niche.”
If you go:
Address: 3025 Mount Vernon Rd. SE, Suite 2
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Phone: (319) 200-4394
Website: casadeojoslocos.com
Details: Find a full menu of Mexican classics including tacos, chimichangas, fajitas and burritos alongside American sandwiches and favorites from the legendary Cork ‘n Fork served with a full bar.
New moves
The space that held Mamacita’s Taco Pub before Luter’s takeover is once again being repurposed for one of Cedar Rapids’ most popular types of food.
Pregame Brew & Chew, opened at the location last year, moved to 588 Boyson Rd. NE — the spot that used to be Mas Margaritas — in October. Its larger location accommodates the brand’s growth while folding in some legendary drinks held over from Mas Margaritas, a brand Luter purchased early this year.
Mas Margaritas has closed to make room for Casa de Ojos Locos, a newcomer to the scene for which Luter is already planning two locations.
Next year, Casa de Ojos Locos’ second location will be built out in Marion at 6155 Carlson Way next to Daisy’s Garage, another local staple in Luter’s growing portfolio.
The menu
The new menu features a full menu of tacos, chimichangas, fajitas, burritos and nachos.
Some of the bestsellers include the quesabirria tacos and a version of arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) smothered in queso.
Favorites from Pregame remain under the “Coaches Favoritos” and “Hall of Fame Sandwiches” sections.
The Cork ‘n Fork, a namesake sandwich from the legendary restaurant still held in the memories of many Cedar Rapidians, remains on the menu with its bacon, avocado, sprouts, tomato, onion, Swiss cheese and mayo on marbled rye. The “Sweets” Garden sandwich features another smoked turkey configuration on rye.
Luter’s uncle, Gary Sweet, was the original owner of the Cork ’n Fork Deli. The popular restaurant, which had its heyday in the 1980s and ’90s, closed in 2014 after more than 30 years in business.
The menu also retains several options for pork tenderloins, burgers and a French dip.
House margaritas, with a base recipe from the former Mas Margaritas, remain at both Casa de Ojos Locos and Pregame’s new location. They can be blended or customized with a variety of standard margarita flavors.
Other themed cocktails include the Halftime Paloma, the Ojos Colada and the Locos Daiquiri.
Why another Mexican restaurant?
Though the popularity of Mexican food in Cedar Rapids continues to elude some, Luter thinks the explanation is pretty simple: chips, salsa and margaritas.
“It’s a fun energy,” she said.
The new Mexican restaurant brings an option to an area of town secluded from Cedar Rapids and Marion’s other Mexican options. During Pregame’s first phase in southeast Cedar Rapids, she noticed a taco truck that sat in the Mount Vernon Road SE parking lot for about a year.
“Obviously, there’s a longing on this side of town for tacos,” Luter said.
Casa de Ojos Locos, whose name is inspired by loving commentary on Luter’s bright blue eyes, keeps a lot of what Pregame did well.
The restaurant’s decor now reflects a hybrid of sports memorabilia warmed with themes from south of the border. The bar’s centerpiece has traded its Wrigley Field and Chicago Cubs sign for a flare of Mexican architecture, lit by a touch of feminine mystique in the restaurant’s new logo.
“I wanted to make it kind of feminine, since most restaurants are owned by males,” Luter said.
Programming remains with plenty of TVs to watch the latest games across various sports.
The replacement of Mas Margaritas with Casa de Ojos Locos gives Luter the chance to build a brand from the ground up and make it her own. The second Marion location, sharing a building with Cruz’s Cafe Encore, will bring Mexican and breakfast food together in another underdeveloped corner of Linn County for Mexican food.
“People tend to love breakfast as well, so breakfast and tacos is going to be great,” Luter said.
The duo also will complement demand from the clientele in that neighborhood of Marion, she said.
Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.
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