El Pico

El Pico is a Mexican restaurant at 106 W Maple Ave on Independence Square in Independence, MO, operated by McClain Restaurant Group (Ken & Cindy McClain).¹² Opened in 2012, El Pico serves traditional Mexican plates — tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas — made with fresh produce and an innovative twist, within walking distance of the other McClain Group properties on the Square.¹³

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Description

El Pico offers traditional Mexican cuisine in a casual setting on Independence Square, specializing in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tamales, and sizzling fajitas, all prepared with fresh produce and perfectly cooked meats.¹ Signature offerings include street tacos served on corn tortillas with onions and cilantro, fish tacos on flour tortillas with cabbage slaw and chipotle crème, and lighter options like grilled fish with mango salsa and grilled guacamole chicken.³ Traditional Mexican beverages — horchata and margaritas — complement the menu.¹ The restaurant is known for affordable pricing, including a Taco Tuesday special.¹

El Pico opened in 2012 as one of the McClain group’s expanding portfolio of Independence Square concepts.³ It has become a popular fixture on the Square, drawing both neighborhood regulars and visitors to the historic district.

As part of the McClain Restaurant Group, El Pico is one of the group’s nine food concepts built around revitalizing Independence Square. The McClains have operated on the Square since 1998–1999 and have grown to 18+ local businesses, transforming what was a blighted district into a regional dining destination.⁴

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Ownership and history

Ownership

Period	Owner / Operator	Notes
2012 → present	McClain Restaurant Group (Ken & Cindy McClain)	Opened 2012; confirmed McClain Enterprises property.23

McClain Restaurant Group context

Ken and Cindy McClain began their Independence Square revitalization in 1998–1999 with Ophelia’s Restaurant & Inn. El Pico joined the portfolio in 2012 as their seventh or eighth concept. Cindy McClain serves as president of McClain Restaurant Group; Ken maintains an Independence law practice alongside the restaurant operations.⁴ Cindy grew up in Boulder, CO, but both she and Ken have deep family ties to Independence (grandparents on both sides lived there) and chose Independence as a deliberate community investment.⁴

Other McClain Restaurant Group properties on Independence Square include clintons-soda-fountain, cafe-verona, square-pizza, and main-street-coffee-house.

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Links

• Official site: https://el-pico.com/
• Yelp listing: https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-pico-mexican-restaurant-independence

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Sources

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Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

1. El Pico official website. https://el-pico.com/ — Asserts: 106 W Maple Ave, Independence, MO 64050; traditional Mexican cuisine; street tacos, enchiladas, burritos, horchata, margaritas; Mon–Sat 11am–9pm; online ordering via DoorDash and Toast; McClain Enterprises affiliation in footer. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. El Pico official website — Contact. https://el-pico.com/contact/ — Asserts: 106 W Maple Ave, Independence, MO 64050; McClain Enterprises branding. ↩ ↩²

3. KC Foodie Blog — “El Pico” (June 27, 2018). https://kcfoodieblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/27/el-pico/ — Asserts: El Pico opened in 2012; “one of the many excellent restaurant concepts from McClain Restaurant Group”; street tacos, fish tacos, grilled guacamole chicken. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. The Independent — “Palatable Pursuits: Trailblazer Cindy McClain.” https://kcindependent.com/palatable-pursuits-trailblazer-cindy-mcclain/ — Asserts: Cindy grew up in Boulder, CO; family ties to Independence via grandparents; nine food concepts under McClain Restaurant Group; group founded 1998–1999; 18+ businesses on Independence Square. ↩ ↩² ↩³