Richard W. Rodriguez
In late October of 2023, the Fort Worth dining scene was buzzing with good news. Mary Perez — the self-styled “Fort Worth Queen of Sauces” — had announced the opening of a third Enchiladas Olé, this one at 6473 Camp Bowie Boulevard, in the old Boozie’s Brewery space. The Nicolas Cage mural stayed on the wall, margaritas flowed, and for a while, it felt like Perez had pulled off another successful move.
But fast forward just over a year, and the dream has soured. That Camp Bowie location is now shuttered, she verified via text.
The culprit? Not the food — Perez’s enchiladas are as reliable as ever — but the slow grind of Texas bureaucracy. On social media, Perez laid out the paper trail with equal parts frustration and heartbreak: “In 2023 we applied for our liquor license through Harris Permits, in 2024 we paid over 31k for temporary permits, in 2025 we gave away free beer and free margaritas, we cannot continue to do business at this location without a liquor license, still no license; even with our wonderful food, customers want a choice of their favorite beer, etc.”
That gap — the missing liquor license — proved fatal. “In the past months, tables of customers get up and walk out,” she wrote. “Today we are moving... we just cannot continue to lose money.”
For west-side fans, the news isn’t all bad. Perez is keeping the enchiladas coming, though now as takeout only, served out of Holy Cue, her barbecue joint just down the road at 4307 Camp Bowie. She’s also still offering Family Meals and catering out of both of her concepts — a stopgap solution until her next move is finalized.
And that move is already in motion. “Enchiladas Olé Dine In will be back in early 2026,” Perez promised. “We are negotiating a lease in a phenomenal location.”
If there’s anyone you’d bet on making good on that promise, it’s Perez. After all, her story has always been one of persistence. She spent 25 years working in nonprofits before turning her mother’s enchilada sauces into a side hustle in 2012. A year later, she opened her first Enchiladas Olé on Sylvania Avenue and never looked back. The restaurant bounced from one location to another — Forest Park, North Tarrant Parkway, Camp Bowie — but the food, rooted in Perez’s family recipes, never faltered.
“After growing up and living in the kitchen, the last thing I ever wanted to do was this,” Perez admitted in 2023. “Believe it or not, I wanted to be a writer. But this was the skill and opportunity I was given, and I feel super blessed that I’ve made it this far just following my mother’s recipes.”
Now, with the Camp Bowie experiment behind her, Perez is returning to her roots — scrappy, adaptable, and unshakably loyal to her customers. “Thank you to all of our wonderful customers who have become friends and part of the Olé Family,” she wrote. “We love all of you.”
For call-in orders starting next Wednesday (September 17), text Perez at 817-751-5556
