May 26, 2021 3 min read

Nate Mass and the Washington Pa. Food group on Facebook plan to take over restaurants again, and they’re starting where they left off at Plaza Azteca.

The group had planned the sixth Restaurant Takeover event for late March 2020, but when COVID-19 struck and everything was shut down, the event was canceled. It’s been rescheduled for 12 to 3 p.m., June 26, which will be after many restrictions are lifted at the end of this month.

“We got canceled because of COVID-19, but we’ve been trying to get back to normal,” said Plaza Azteca owner and general manager Antonio Olivares. “Hopefully nothing will interrupt it this year.”

Olivares said the majority of his employees have been vaccinated and are ready to start working like “normal” again, with wearing masks for 10 to 12 hours.

“Sometimes we have long waits on the weekend because we have had to skip tables,” he said. “Hopefully this takeover is coming at a good time with the regulations being lifted at the end of this month. I think people are tired of staying at home. It’s like I’ve said before, ‘we can’t hide forever.'”

Mass, creator of the Facebook group, said he’s hopeful starting up Restaurant Takeover events will bring in much needed business for restaurants that struggled through the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, they were a good boost for business, Mass said, likening the event to “a car cruise, but with food.”

“We would go as a group into the restaurant during a time when business is a little slower, so we can support them as a group and have a fun group event,” Mass said.

Mass said the restaurants will typically put out a sampler platter special for the Restaurant Takeover, so folks can enjoy a taste of every menu item for which the place is known.

The sampler platter offered at Plaza Azteca’s event will include a quesadilla, taco, empanada, taquito, a side of guacamole, a side of cheese dip and either soda or beer, Olivares said. The entire menu will also be available to diners. The Maestros’ Sauce Co. will also be on hand to let diners sample it hot sauce variety.

“Pre-COVID, there were a bunch of places that wanted to be on the list to host these Takeovers,” Mass said. “I think a lot of places want to see how these first events will go. I can’t promise anything to these restaurants, like how many people will show up.”

Mass said over the course of the pandemic the group grew in membership. He’s hoping to see some new faces at these takeovers.

“I think this is going to be a good event because people are dying to do something like this again,” Mass said. “They want to get back to being together again. When you put a bunch of foodies together in one area, you’re going to have a good time with good food.”