El Salto builds independent restaurant legacy across Northwest Indiana

In 1999, Rosendo Mendoza opened the doors to a modest Mexican restaurant in a former burger house in Valparaiso. He named the establishment El Salto, a tribute to a waterfall near his hometown of La Piedad, Michoacán, Mexico. Today, the single location has grown into a six-restaurant regional cuisine chain with a deep-rooted commitment to family-run operations and a legacy of serving the Northwest Indiana community for over 25 years. 

“I grew up in the restaurants with my dad; even as a little kid, I was bussing tables,” said Jose Mendoza, Chief Operations Officer of El Salto. “It feels nice to be seen by a community that we are in and being really active in it.” 

Jose Mendoza, son of Rosendo Mendoza, steers the family business alongside his father and uncle, Robert Mendoza. The El Salto brand now spans six Northwest Indiana locations, including Valparaiso, Chesterton, Munster, Merrillville, Schereville and its newest site in Cedar Lake. The Mendoza family maintains a hands-on approach to daily operations to ensure the business remains independent as it expands. 

“My dad and my uncle put in a lot of hard work to get the restaurants to run pretty smoothly,” Jose Mendoza said. “The work-life balance has gotten a lot easier for us, but that comes with the industry. I would not have it any other way.”

El Salto has built its reputation on quality ingredients, sourcing beef from a local purveyor and using original family recipes for favorites like queso and carnitas. These dishes rely on a signature seasoning blend that has been a staple since the restaurant’s 1999 debut. While the menu offers naturally vegan and vegetarian-friendly options, the brand has expanded its reach through a private-label tequila, a custom lager brewed with Soundgrowler Brewing Co. in Tinley Park, Illinois and a modern line of branded margaritas-to-go. 

“We are trying to make sure that we are staying relevant within the communities because Northwest Indiana is growing substantially,” Jose Mendoza said. “We want to make sure we are staying in front of all the new faces that are moving in here.”  

The Mendoza family takes pride in its workforce of more than 100 employees and maintains a family-first culture that fosters a remarkable, high retention rate, with many staff members remaining for 10 to 20 years. This independent approach also strengthens its community ties by providing catering services for major life events, from high school graduations to weddings. 

“There are so many really nice core memories that we have within the community,” Jose Mendoza said. “I’ve worked weddings and graduations, and when their kids graduated high school, we also did their catering. It all means the world to me.”  

The Mendoza family favors strategic growth for El Salto over rapid expansion to maintain the brand’s independent, family-run style across its locations. As Northwest Indiana continues to evolve, the Mendozas remain committed to providing a community gathering space where staff members build long-term careers and original family recipes can continue to bring smiles to generations to come. 

“Since we’ve been around for so long, people think we’re like a franchise or a big corporation,” Jose Mendoza said. “I want people to be aware that we are still a family-run business. We are family-owned and operated.”

Pick up your authentic El Salto “Margarita To Go” today, or view the menu and catering options available at elsaltorestaurant.com.