Sinking ‘a lot of money’ into year-round patio, a new Boise restaurant is coming
Jair Rocha has developed solid instincts about what Treasure Valley diners love.
As a member of the family that owns the local Casa Mexico chain, he’s watched his father helped guide a brand that’s fed Idahoans for more than three decades.
So now that he’s co-owner of a planned new sister concept, Mateo’s Mexican Restaurant, the focus won’t be just on tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Along with his dad, Victor, and Eduardo Fernandez, manager of Casa Mexico in Eagle, Jair Rocha intends to harness another culinary secret. One that fills Boiseans with instant joy. One that gives any restaurant an extra-special, well, outside shot.
Patio dining.
On pace to open this fall at 3176 E. Barber Valley Drive, Mateo’s Mexican Restaurant will include a heated, four-season patio. At 1,300 square feet, it will nearly double the seating capacity of the restaurant’s 2,192-square-foot interior, Rocha said.
“It’s going to be a cool patio,” he said.
“We’re going to put a lot of money into it to make it a year-round patio. We’re putting like 50 grand into that.”
Ever dine at popular Barbacoa restaurant in Boise? Mateo’s patio will aim for a similar vibe “with a really nice enclosure material,” Rocha said.
Another bonus? The restaurant is just moments away from the Boise Greenbelt. “It’s super nice over there,” he says. “People can eat and take a walk on the Greenbelt.”
A full-service, family-friendly destination, Mateo’s will offer many of the same menu selections as Casa Mexico, Rocha says. That includes popular dishes such as golden-brown birria tacos and steaming molcajete.
But the restaurant’s atmosphere and decor will be different. Mateo’s interior will be filled with nods to classic movie culture, both Mexican and American. “Eduardo,” Rocha says, “his great-grandpa was one of the first owners of movie theaters in Mexico City.”
The restaurant also will feature a small banquet room, which is a consistent money maker for Casa Mexico.
Founded in 1992, the Casa Mexico chain features four restaurants: the original at 10332 Fairview Ave. in Boise; 1605 N. 13th St. in Boise; 393 W. State St. in Eagle; and 517 S. Middleton Road in Middleton.
Mateo’s is taking over a shell space in a building that houses exercise-oriented businesses KidStrong, Bodybar Pilates and Leap Years. Opening a restaurant in Southeast Boise right now isn’t entirely different, Rocha says, from opening in Eagle decades ago. Or even in Middleton.
“We see the growth coming,” he explains. “My dad has always been the type of person to get in before it gets super-popular. Like in Eagle, 29 years ago there was nothing there. When we opened in Middleton in 2005, there would be people telling him that this is not going to do good. They said, ‘Who you going to sell to, the cows?’ And Middleton is one of the strongest ones out of all of them. It’s super busy.”
So launching Mateo’s in the Barber Valley area? With Micron expanding nearby? And homes being built?
Oh, and that year-round patio?
“The whole Treasure Valley,” Rocha said, “is growing.”
This story was originally published March 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM.