about-us

Local Favorite® Restaurants owns and operates a distinctive collection of popular restaurant concepts - that you have chosen as your local favorite. From legendary brands El Fenix® Mexican Restaurants and Snuffer's™ Restaurant & Bar® to original creations Wok Star® Chinese, Del Toro BBQ®, MesoMaya®, Taqueria La Ventana® and Tulum™. Local Favorite has also acquired neighborhood originals Village Burger Bar®, Jalisco Norte Mex Kitchen and Bar® and Twisted Root Burger Co®. In addition to over 50 locations, Local Favorite Restaurants likewise owns and manages Sunrise Mexican Foods™, which produces high-quality Mexican food products including fresh-made chips, tortillas, flautas and tamales for retail and food service operators coast-to-coast.

Local Favorite’s culture motivates team members to achieve their full potential. We are a happy, strength based organization built on the principles of Strengths Finder and Kolbe Ststem™. Our belief is that when people feel empowered to bring their whole selves into their career, creativity is maximized and excellence is achieved. This happens when we have cohesive teams all working within their strengths.

Our team is an award-winning team committed to high standards which are achieved through organization and great communication with a common goal to be our guests' local favorite restaurant of choice. Through devoted leadership and a creative team we create endless possibilities.

Mike Karns, a Dallas native, is an accomplished businessman and leader in the real estate & hospitality industries. He is the sole owner of Local Favorite™ Restaurants and has extensive expertise in real estate in which he also directs the operations of sister companies, Triton Commercial Properties, LTD and Karns Commercial Real Estate, Inc. 

His real estate and hospitality experience began with his time as Director of Real Estate for CiCi’s Pizza. Beginning with 12 local restaurants, Karns expanded CiCi’s Pizza into a national brand with close to 400 locations. Through his companies Karns owns more than 55 restaurants with the purpose of being the #1 Restaurant Career Opportunity in the nation.