At only 16 years old Esaul Rodriguez came to the United States from Mexico in 1986 undocumented with no money and plans to work for two years, save and return to Mexico.
But then he fell in love with the hospitality business and eventually opened a Mexican restaurant that has become an empire in Connecticut and while he was at it, helped in a grand ways to raise money for all kinds of good causes, from youth to individuals with cancer.
Now, nearly 40 years after arriving Rodriguez, owner of eight Puerto Vallarta restaurants, has been named 2025 Restaurateur of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association.
Scott Dolch, president and CEO of the CRA said there is so much that makes Rodriguez perfect for the title, as he works to grow the industry in general, has that “pay it forward” side, has elevated Mexican cuisine and always showcases how proud he is of Mexican culture, such as with the Vida events he holds in Stamford featuring the best Mexican chefs from around the country and Mexico, along with live music.
Dolch said there are many who could have received the award, but the vote for Rodriguez was unanimous.
“He is someone I call on a lot,” Dolch said. “He epitomizes what a true restaurateur is. He is still pushing the envelope every day,” and helping others in the industry.
Rodriguez is CEO of the company, which is partly owned by his brother, Juan Rodriguez, and son Jacob, 23, is president.
The eight Mexican restaurants, located between Stamford and West Hartford are , one of the largest full service Mexican restaurant concepts in Connecticut, Dolch said.
Jacob Rodriguez, left and his father Esul Rodriguez at Puerto Vallarta in Avon on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
Rodriguez, now a U.S. citizen, began his American Dream journey working at his uncle’s restaurant in Seattle, first as a dishwasher, a cook, a chef, a waiter.
In 1991 at age 21 he opened his first small restaurant in Coos Bay Oregon and later sold it to his brother because he wanted to go bigger. That restaurant is still going strong all these years later, he said.
In search of another state where there was more opportunity, he did research and landed in Connecticut.
He opened his first Puerto Vallarta in West Hartford center in 2000 and added every couple of years, now also open in Newington, Middletown, Southington, Avon, Orange, Danbury, Fairfield and most recently, Stamford.
Times are tough in the restaurant business, Rodriguez said, and part of their continued success is changing as customer palates have since the pandemic.
He said customers used to want big plates of typical Mexican food with leftovers to take home. Now their tastes are “elevated” so Puerto Vallarta has elevated the menu to include prime steaks, and more seafood selections.
Rodriguez said he works to keep the atmosphere “celebratory” with bright colors, music, attentive staff and tableside touches such as a flaming tomahawk steak and dry ice with oysters. He said they even have a pastry chef for the restaurant group and believes they are the only Mexican restaurant to do so.
“We’re always working on improving presentation and making things visually appealing,” Esaul Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said it’s a “great honor’ to receive the award, and son Jacob Rodriguez said it’s nice to see all of dad’s “hard work pay off.”
Esaul Rodriguez didn’t go to culinary school, but he came here with recipes he watched his father make back in the agricultural community in Mexico where he grew up, one of 10 children.
There were no cell phones in those days and company would drop by unexpectedly, sometimes as many as a family of 15. His dad would put on a spread in 45 minutes. The family lived in a big house, had cattle and grew corn, garbanzo beans, fruit and more. They owned a lot of land.
Not only did dad’s spirit of hospitality shine, but so did his generosity, Esaul said.
“There was a lot of food around family festivities. Dad didn’t do it for profit, but he loved it,” Esaul Rodriguez said. “He was a great host. He made it feel celebratory.”
He said the family, “believed in being generous and helping each other.”
“When we’d sacrifice a cow, we would give free beef to the neighbors,” he said.
Esaul Rodriguez said he fell in love with the restaurant business because of “the people, the smell of food, seeing their happy faces. I love to make people feel good.”
The dining area at Puerto Vallarta in Avon on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
“Our goal is to make everything fresh,” the elder Rodriguez said. “I hope our food can transport you to Mexico in some way. At the center is hospitality with a genuine approach, being taken care of even better than at home.”
Jacob, 23, and one of four children, said he’s been at the restaurant since birth and working there since age 10.
Jacob said when he was young he wanted nothing to do with the restaurant as a career, but then he caught the restaurant love because he enjoyed working with “diverse groups of people,” hearing their stories, as well as making people happy through hospitality.
“Hospitality is in our DNA,” the elder Rodriguez said.
He said they were the first in the state to do table side guacamole, the first of its style to carry prime cuts of meat such as tomahawk, rib eye, and porterhouse steaks and became seafood oriented, serving a popular seafood tower.
“We’re more more of a steak and seafood restaurant,” Esaul said. “It’s a tough environment – you have to change. You have to become better and better.”
Esaul Rodriguez said he tastes every new type of food the restaurant offers for texture, taste, smell.
“He has a discerning palate,” Jacob said of his dad.
