Less than three weeks ago, La Sirena opened as a drive-thru restaurant at the old Dairy Queen at 501 S. Excelsior Ave. Since that time, business has been brisk for its owners, Zachariah and Cristina Valenzuela and her sister, Lissa Salazar.
“We could have never anticipated the volume,” said Zachariah, spokesperson for the group.
Zachariah Valenzuela, one of the owners of La Sirena, holds a crate of avocados, limes and tomatoes as he and his team prepare for a busy week. La Sirena opened in early April at the location of the old Dairy Queen on South Excelsior. “I really wanted this location,” says Valenzuela. “We are trying to capture the local community rather than the out-of-towners and traffic along Harrison.”
The three-person operation opened with the promise of providing restaurant-quality food through the drive-thru.
If the reviews are anything to go by, the trio has kept that promise. “All over yummy experience,” wrote one customer. Another wanted to let others know that “the food is always fantastic.”
The reviews are music to Zachariah’s ears. The three have poured their hearts and souls into this venture and getting positive feedback validates what they are doing.
He believes one of the biggest reasons for the positive reviews is the fact that everything is made from scratch. That’s all thanks to his wife, who he explained has developed, over the past 20 years, many of the menu items’ unique flavors.
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Currently on the menu are a variety of tacos and burritos and other Mexican appetizers, along with nachos, empanadas, and a wide assortment of cheesecakes.
“We just call it real Mexican food,” laughed Zachariah. “We are Mexicans cooking Mexican food.”
Even the name, La Sirena, celebrates their Mexican heritage. Sirena, in Mexican folklore, is a mermaid who captivated her sailors with her voice. A bit superstitious perhaps, but the restaurant was so named in the hopes that the mythological siren will help to lure customers in.
The Valenzuela family, originally from Billings, has lived in Butte for the past seven years. A four-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Zachariah graduated from Montana Tech in 2020, with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
“I fell in love with Butte and Cristina did too,” said Zachariah. “We have never felt so much at home.”
Through the college years and beyond, Butte had become home to the couple, parents of a 12-year-old daughter, and the decision was made to stay in Butte.
“It swept us off our feet,” Zachariah said of Butte. “We wanted to stay here.”
The decision apparently was not too hard to make, as the family loves to camp, fish and hunt. They’re also avid rock hounds and head for the hills when they have a chance.
The dream of serving up real Mexican food began inside a food truck, which the three ran for just a few months. The food became so popular that they knew a bigger place was in their future.
Lissa Salazar preps food for a busy week on April 19 at La Sirena in Butte. The family-owned establishment opened with the goal to serve locals in early April at the location of the old Dairy Queen on Excelsior Avenue on Butte’s lower west side.
Excited to expand, their current location has enabled them to capture a larger local audience.
Mission accomplished. Nowadays, it’s not unusual to ring up at least 100 tickets a day, with many having five, six, or seven orders on one ticket.
Zachariah, along with his wife and sister-in-law, hope they will be able to keep up with the demand. Currently, they’re looking to hire additional help but until then, the business will be opened from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday by calling 406-565-5214.
Future plans include expanding the existing menu.
“We offer something completely different,” said Zachariah, “and have a ton more tricks up our sleeves.”