This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

a family-owned, authentic Mexican restaurant on Brookside Plaza in Kansas City, MO, owned by the Hernandez family since 1995 and now run by second-generation operator Justin Hernandez; Tier 1 as a locally grown, owner-operated neighborhood institution.

Description

Jalapeños is a family-owned Mexican restaurant located at 6318 Brookside Plaza in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri.12 The restaurant serves authentic Mexican food made fresh on-site with “fresh, local quality ingredients,” and is known for its house dip, burritos, fajitas, and margaritas.34

The Brookside restaurant opened in 1995 as the second location of a Jalapeños that first “served its first table in 1991.”356 It operates Monday through Saturday 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. and Sunday noon–9:00 p.m.12

Signature items frequently cited by the restaurant and by reviewers include the “addicting” Jalapeños dip, the jalapeño-dip burrito, the verde burrito with its tangy green sauce, the fajitas, and margaritas served by the pitcher.13 The business describes itself as “locally grown, locally owned and operated.”3

Ownership and history

The Jalapeños brand was founded in 1991 by partners Pat and Benny Hernandez, who opened their first location in the Stanley area (Overland Park / Stanley, Kansas).356 In 1995, Benny Hernandez opened the Brookside location at 6318 Brookside Plaza.56

In 2013 the two original partners parted ways, each taking a well-established location: Pat Hernandez retained the Stanley/Overland Park restaurant, and Benny Hernandez became sole owner of the Brookside restaurant.35 Benny has since stepped back, and his son, Justin Hernandez, now serves as the general manager and operator of the Brookside location, making Jalapeños a second-generation, family-run business.35

In 2023–2024 the restaurant drew attention when an unrelated establishment, “Jalapeños Mexican Grill,” opened downtown at 1501 Grand Boulevard. Justin Hernandez publicly clarified that the longtime family restaurant was not relocating downtown and remains in its original Brookside Plaza home — “It has created quite the stir.”5

Sources

Disputes

(None active.)

Footnotes

  1. Jalapenos Brookside official site (home) — https://jalapenosbrookside.com/ — asserts: address 6318 Brookside Plaza KC MO 64113; phone (816) 523-5462; hours Mon–Sat 11a–9p, Sun 12p–9p; signature dip, burritos, fajitas, margaritas; authentic Mexican, fresh local ingredients; currently operating. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Yelp — Jalapenos Mexican Restaurant (Updated June 2026) — https://www.yelp.com/biz/jalapenos-mexican-restaurant-kansas-city — asserts: 6318 Brookside Plz, KC MO; phone (816) 523-5462; 113 photos, 254 reviews; listing active as of June 2026. ↩ ↩2

  3. Jalapenos Brookside official site (About) — https://jalapenosbrookside.com/kansas-city-jalapenos-mexican-restaurant-about — asserts: first table 1991; founded by Pat and Benny; 2013 Benny became sole Brookside owner / Pat took Stanley; son Justin Hernandez now manages Brookside; locally grown/owned/operated; fresh on-site. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Order.online — Jalapenos Mexican Restaurant 6318 Brookside Plaza — https://order.online/store/jalapenos-mexican-restaurant-kansas-city-186542 — asserts: active online ordering/delivery; address; authentic Mexican menu. ↩

  5. “No, this longtime Kansas City Mexican restaurant isn’t moving downtown — despite the name” (Kansas City Star / Yahoo News) — https://www.yahoo.com/news/no-longtime-kansas-city-mexican-154002361.html — asserts: owner Justin Hernandez; Benny is Justin’s father; Brookside opened 1995; 6318 Brookside Plaza; not relocating; unrelated downtown “Jalapenos Mexican Grill” at 1501 Grand Blvd. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  6. Jalapenos Brookside Facebook post — https://www.facebook.com/JalapenosBrookside/posts/ — asserts: “Ben Hernandez opened Jalapeno’s Brookside in 1995.” ↩ ↩2 ↩3

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Mexican
  • Brookside