Hacienda Real: Aurora Curiel’s Dream

When Aurora Curiel was a little girl she pictured herself one day owning a Mexican style restaurant,
showcasing recipes from her mother. Turns out that dreams do come true, and there are no limits to what
an entrepreneur woman can achieve.
On October 13, 2014, Hacienda Real opened its doors in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was the perfect location to
shape Aurora’s dreams, who was ready to work in the food service industry.
This activity was not new to her since she had learned the craft from a young age by learning from one of
her best teachers: her mother. However, her marriage and children made her focus on her family first.
After a while of living in Lincoln, and with her two children already of an older age – which meant they
didn’t need her constant supervision – she got started with her new project.
She got in touch with two of her ten brothers so that they could help her out with the restaurant. First up
was Fernando Curiel, who was living in Utah. Then Daniel Curiel joined them since they had to convince
him so that he would temporally leave his home in Colorado.
The choice was made to operate from an older restaurant called Carlos O’Kelly. Aurora knew about it
since she and her husband arrived to Lincoln back in 2009, and they then heard about the restaurant.
Once they obtained all the pertinent permits, they got started with remodeling the location to what has
now become the best Mexican food restaurant in Lincoln, according to local food critics.
On top of that, the quality of the service and of the facilities is top-notch.
It all starts with a warm welcome, followed by a hefty dose of chips with salsa and refried beans to get
things going. The menu is quite impressive, with a wide variety of meat, fish, pork and seafood dishes, as
well as of antojitos.
It is great to know that the restaurant has a friendly staff that is ready to help you make the best choice
since they perfectly dominate all information for the many delicious dishes they offer.
And their margaritas are delightful. They use freshly squeezed lemon and no artificial juices.
Prices are very reasonable when you take into consideration the large portions you receive.
At first the Curiel feared that their dinners would leave after becoming used to the food and the overall
feed of Carlos O’kelly. Turns out this didn’t happen. Instead, more and more people showed up,
positioning them as a great option for their many recurring clients.
Their location is very colorful, joyful and clean. And, playing along with their Mexican style, the restaurant
even has a bar right in the middle of the room.
And to make things even better, they offer a wide variety of options for special diets or for those who are
vegetarian.
According to specialized critics, Hacienda Real is a place you have to visit when you step into Lincoln. It
is proudly managed and operated by Mexican hands, and it showcases the culinary talent of a family that
has managed to showcase Mexican cuisine in a unique way, right in the capital of the State of Nebraska.
Hacienda Real
3130 Pine Lake Rd Lincoln NE
(402) 423-0525