Family is the first ingredient
The Story Behind Mijo's
A mother’s cooking, a son’s belief and one grill grew into a Fox Lake restaurant made for bringing people together.
Mijo means “my son”
A family name with a family story.
Ivan “Zo” Gomez kept encouraging his mother, Martina, to sell the food their family already loved. Her third-place finish in a 2018 Lake County tamale competition made the idea feel real.
Mijo's started simply: one grill, honest food and conversations across the counter at the Kenosha Public Market. Every market, festival and catering job added another chair to the table.
The name carries the relationship at the center of it all. “Mijo” is an affectionate way to say “my son”—a reminder that this restaurant grew from family and still serves guests that way.
The Mijo's journey
One grill to one hometown dining room.
- 2018
A tamale takes the podium
Martina placed third in a Lake County tamale competition—and gave the family the spark to share her cooking more widely.
- First grill
Kenosha Public Market
Mijo's began with one grill at the market, cooking for neighbors and learning what guests came back to order.
- 2022
A growing Lake County table
Festivals, catering and brewery pop-ups—including Harbor Brewing and 9th Hour—helped Mijo's find a wider community.
- 2023
Six Flags Great America
The team brought its food and family hospitality to even more guests at Six Flags Great America.
- Today
Home in Fox Lake
Mijo's now welcomes families, friends and taco regulars at 33 US-12, rooted in the same recipes that started it all.
Cook it with care.
Welcome people warmly.
Stay close to home.
Proudly Fox Lake
The next chapter is happening here.
Mijo's family ties run through Lindenhurst and Fox Lake. Today, the restaurant brings the market-day energy, familiar faces and family recipes into a permanent neighborhood home.
Come as you are.
Bring the family, meet friends for a margarita or call in tacos for home. Mijo's is built for the kind of meal that turns into a memory.
Plan your visit