(Photo: SunnysidePost)
April 20, 2014 By Christian Murray
Chips, the well-known Mexican restaurant located at 42-15 Queens Blvd, was recently sold.
Janet and Audiel Acantar, who are related to the outgoing owner Miguel Hernandez, bought the restaurant and are making some slight changes to the menu and decor.
The biggest change, however, will be to the name. The husband-and-wife duo are renaming the restaurant El Norteno, which they say denotes their northern Mexican heritage.
Janet Acantar said the restaurant’s interior will continue to have most of the same features, such as the sombreros that hang from the ceiling and the paintings on the walls. The menu will be the same, although they will be adding some dishes that traditionally come from the Northern states of Mexico, such as shredded beef and chicken and special types of sauces.
Janet Acantar said that Hernandez sold Chips so he could go back to Mexico where his parents own a number of restaurants. She said that he will be in and out of the US so people will see him in the restaurant from time to time.
Acantar said the restaurant is ready to open. The couple is just waiting on getting their health department permit.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
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18 Comments
I love Mexican food, but wifey doesn’t want me to eat it.
The old Chips once gave me food poisoning and I hope that these new owners raise the standard of this place.
I used to love Chips (esp. the chimichangas) but their water always tasted really gamey like they first bathed a dirty sheep with it.
CHiPS was a great show, Ponch and John!! RIP!!!
Well, they won’t have any of my business unless they start sourcing their tortillas from the Lil’ Brooklyn Taco Co. in Park Slope. The only quesadillas I eat are 20 bucks a plate.
Hoof hearted- it was your turn to write the op-ed yesterday. What happened?
I’m gonna miss Chips, I did love that place. But looking forward to something new! Good luck!
@armours63 haha “ultramodern, hippy & trendy” – as if that would EVER happen in Sunnyside. If you read “anonymous” comment again, maybe you’ll understand that it’s pure sarcasm.
As long as they keep the Chimichanga and the margaritas!!! Please keep the chimichangas!!! Can’t find anywhere elae that makes them like chips did anywhere in NY!
Hope they keep the same sangria!!!!
Good luck to the new owners! I look forward to eating there.
What happened to today’s op-ed?
@Anonymous
The new owners are keeping the place the same. So what do hipsters have to do with this? They’re not making ultramodern, hippy, trendy changes. Be lucky the place was spared.
Thank god the new business is keeping the place the way it is. I don’t mind the name change, because “Chips” didn’t really sound nice for a place like this. I wish them the best in resurrecting the restaurant under the new name.
Best of luck to the new owners!
Nice to see Norteño Style coming to Sunnyside.
Another place for spare engines
excited!
Damn you hipsters… oh wait