Guillermo Fuentes, the 36-year-old owner and manager of Hacienda el Patron, is a busy man. “I’m sorry,” he says, getting up from our interview to address a waiting delivery man. He pokes his head back into the kitchen and chats with the cook before returning to our table. It’s not for lack of help — three servers stand around the newly redesigned bar here —  but Fuentes just seems like the sort of guy who likes to do things himself.

Fuentes, who grew up working at his parents’ restaurants in Georgia, is now running four Mexican-style restaurants in Maine. Four years ago, after visiting the state on vacation, he decided to open Fajita Grill in Westbrook. Two years later came Cancun in Waterville. In May, he opened another Cancun in Biddeford. And in September he opened Hacienda el Patron, at the former site of Margarita’s in Lewiston. Hacienda, he says, has the potential to be the biggest of these culinary enterprises.

 “It’s not like a franchise,” he says, “but more like a family business.” His staff comes almost entirely from Georgia, cousins and close friends, he tells me. “You have to know the people you work with.”

 The menu is Mexican and Tex-Mex, handed down from his father, Miguel, a chef with 35  years of experience. In the 1970s, Fuentes’ parents moved from La Piedad, a city in Michoacan state in Mexico, to Georgia. They now own and operate 12 restaurants there. Fuentes cut his teeth in these establishments, starting as a dishwasher at 16. And before coming to Maine, he spent 10 years working as a chef.

 Those Margaritas fans who remember the old location will find some refreshing similarities, and some changes, at Hacienda. The restaurant still has a full bar, but Fuentes has reduced its size and prominence. “I don’t like bar bars,” he says, “This is more family style. We want people to come in and sit down.” This also means that the new location can seat roughly 220 people (Fajita Grill in Westbrook maxes out at 135).

 The decor is what you might expect: hanging Corona flags, colorful tiling, stucco walls. But Fuentes spent three months renovating to achieve the look he wanted; repainting, reflooring, and adding some saloon-style double doors to separate the dining rooms. The place is both foreign and familiar. When I arrive, a Mexican soccer match is playing on one of the restaurant’s two giant flat-screen TVs.

 By noon, more than a dozen patrons are already chowing down. I note how quick the service is. “Oh I forgot to tell you,” Fuentes says, “for lunch, if you don’t get your meal within 10 minutes of ordering, you get it free.” That explains both the prompt service and the smiling customers.

 “I have two or three favorite dishes,” Fuentes says, “Carnitas, fajitas patron, and pollo loco.” He has prepared these today. The carnitas is a flavorful pork dish, the meat, marinated in beer, tequila, orange juice and lime, then cooked over a low flame for six hours. The pollo loco is chicken marinated with onions, garlic, beer and orange juice for at least a day, then grilled and served with onions, tomatoes, squash and peppers in a cheese sauce. The chicken is tender and the vegetables mash into a delicious stew. The fajitas patron are made with grilled steak and chicken, as well as shrimp, sausage and carnitas. The combination is hearty and delicious. The meals come served with rice and beans, sour cream, guacamole and tortillas.

 By the end of the meal we’re stuffed, though we’ve only made a small dent. “We’ll wrap it up for you to bring to the office,” William says. It’s an offer I’m sure my colleagues will appreciate.

Fuentes shows himself to be a friendly, welcoming host. His staff is equally prompt and friendly. And the food served to us is excellent, as you would expect after more than 30 years of tweaking.

 Hacienda el Patron is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch is served between 11 and 3 p.m. Lunches are priced between $5 and $7.75, while dinner dishes run between $7 and $13. Stop in at Hacienda for the generous portions, the delicious dishes, a welcoming and festive atmosphere, or just to catch the latest Pumas soccer match.

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