Thirty years ago, a North Carolina native with a serious burrito obsession brought a taste of fresh, California-style Mexican fare to Atlanta, and he has spiced up the city’s food scene ever since. On May 20, Willy’s Mexicana Grill celebrated three decades in business, and to commemorate the occasion, all 27 restaurant locations invite guests to celebrate all summer with discounts, surprise giveaways, and a fundraiser for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
Founder Willy Bitter opened the first Willy’s in 1995 on Roswell Road in Buckhead after falling in love with West Coast burritos in San Francisco. With just a handful of employees (including his mom and sister), Bitter took a leap, and Atlanta ate it up.
“Opening day was crazy. Everything was so new, and it felt like the longest day of my life in the most exciting way,” recalls Bitter. “I just knew we were finally making it happen.”
When it arrived on the scene, Willy’s wasn’t like the Tex-Mex restaurants that Atlantans were used to. Instead, meats were grilled fresh, burritos were made to order, and rice and beans were included. Toppings like cilantro, spicy salsas and authentically made guacamole were new to many Southern guests at the time. “You couldn’t even get cilantro at the grocery store back then,” Bitter laughs. “And most guacamole had sour cream in it.”
But Atlanta quickly caught on. One unexpected turning point for Willy’s came five months in, when Hurricane Opal knocked out power across the city, except for the shopping center that housed Willy’s. For a week, lines wrapped around the building as new guests discovered Willy’s.
Over the years, the menu has evolved, but the heart of the business hasn’t changed. Willy’s still prides itself on high-quality ingredients, a playful and welcoming vibe, and an unshakable connection to the community.
As for the future? The company’s motto for the next 30 years is simple: “Improve what we already have.” “We’re not chasing a quota or trying to be everywhere,” says Bitter. “We just want to be better at what we do and how we serve and grow. If the right location opens up, we’ll go for it, but it’s not about numbers. It’s about operating at a higher level and making Willy’s the best it can be.”
As the brand evolves, Bitter created a fiery spinoff Howlin’ Willy’s Hot Chicken, which stays true to the original brand mission at its four Atlanta locations.
Reflecting on his 30-year journey, Bitter says what he’s most proud of is simple: “We survived. It’s an incredibly tough business, but we’re still here, still relevant and still serving fresh food, with great teams, to a community we love.” And yes, Bitter still eats at Willy’s three to four times a week.
