Story and Photos By Helena Tavares Kennedy
Remember the “Cheers” TV show bar “Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came”? Did you ever think such a place existed? Apparently, it does exist, and it’s in our back yard in Nokesville.
Hector’s of Nokesville is a Mexican restaurant and bar that greets customers with a smile and a “Hola amigo/amiga” like you are family. It’s a place where strangers become friends. It’s a place where a hug is given, especially on days when you need it. It is a place where people keep coming back, some even several times a week. Several recent customers shared why they frequent Hector’s.
Originally from Arizona and highly familiar with real Mexican food, Adriel Cota said, “This is the closest thing to home. The servers are super nice. They are very accommodating to customers’ dietary requests or customizations for their meals. They make you feel like family and are super kid-friendly too.”
Pam Levine from Bristow said, “I love it, love it, love it, love Balta. The prices are great, the portions are great, and the service is great. It is real authentic Mexican food, not like the big chains.”
Heartfelt History at Hector’s
Hector and Balta Placencia are co-founders and brothers— two of 11 children who were born in Mexico and grew up in California. With more than 18 years in family-restaurant experience, the two brothers wanted to venture out on their own where they live in Prince William County. Their mother’s cooking was amazing, they said, and she used to joke about opening up a restaurant since she had to cook for 11 kids anyway.
From the beginning, Hector and Balta knew what they wanted to do, but the location was the big question mark. The restaurant building’s beautiful stonework exterior and the great location in Nokesville ultimately led them to open up Hector’s in 2017, making it convenient for people from all over the Prince William region to visit the restaurant.
“We have people coming from Woodbridge, Bristow, Haymarket, Manassas—all over the area—just to eat our food, and that makes us so happy,” said Balta. “Since the day we opened back in April 2017, we have never had a slow day or an empty restaurant.”
That is quite a feat for any restaurant. A visit to Hector’s on a Monday at lunchtime, when you might expect no or little crowd, will surprise you, though the busiest hours are during dinnertime and on weekends. Reservations are recommended for dinner or weekends because there is often a line out the door to get a table.
Authentic Food at Hector’s in Nokesville
The most popular items on the menu include any of the fajitas, homemade tamales and enchiladas poblanos. Chile Verde pork in a savory, not spicy, green sauce is Balta’s favorite, and the burrito grande is Hector’s favorite. Hector said that chimichangas are also popular because the cheese they use is so delicious.
“The best is their chorizo queso and the mixed dip—the mixed dip is an appetizer on the menu, but it’s enough for a whole meal,” said Levine, a recent customer.
Hector’s Mexican rice is made twice a day from scratch. All the restaurant’s salsas, sauces and guacamole are also made fresh every day. “Nothing is frozen; everything is made fresh that day with fresh ingredients,” said Hector, and it shows in the tastiness of the food.
Balta said his brother, Hector, is the chef and has been using the family recipes for years. If you are hoping to steal their secrets, no luck, as Hector doesn’t measure or use a written recipe—it’s all from experience. “If the salsa color is off, he’ll know right away and know what is missing,” said Balta. Hector treats cooking like an art form, experimenting with different things to learn what works and what doesn’t, resulting in food that most everyone enjoys.
Visitors enjoy another kind of art at Hector’s, too—the abstract paintings on the restaurant’s walls. While Hector is an artist in the kitchen, Balta is an artist with a canvas, and his paintings are displayed, complementing the ambiance of the restaurant.
Kathy Brown said that “the ambiance is so welcoming, the food is so good, the prices are not expensive, and my favorite part is they have great vegetarian options since I’m vegetarian. It’s not like the typical Mexican restaurants that only have refried beans—they have black beans, whole beans and an amazing taco salad that is great for vegetarians.”
Beyond a Restaurant
While two brothers run the restaurant, everyone there becomes family. From the servers who treat you with kindness to Balta’s contagious positive energy and the delightful food to fill your belly, customers leave feeling happier than when they came in, according to the Placencias and their fans.
The best part of creating Hector’s for Hector and Balta is seeing a full house and happy, smiling people. “A customer came in looking pretty down one time, and we talked with him, found out he liked chicken, so we prepared one of the chicken dishes for him that he loved,” said Hector. “He left with a smile on his face, and the next day he came back with his daughter and ordered the same thing. That’s what it’s all about for us. It makes me feel good that I can make them smile and be happy.”
The brothers seem to have a great balance and make a skilled team—one excels in the kitchen, and the other with restaurant management. The dynamic duo has created a restaurant that goes above and beyond offering food, making Hector’s unique.
Check it out for yourself by visiting them at 12846 Fitzwater Drive in Nokesville. Call ahead for seating or order takeout. While Hector’s doesn’t cater and deliver food, the restaurant is accustomed to large takeout orders if you give enough advance notice. Look Hector’s up on Yelp, or call 703-594-2031.
Helena Tavares Kennedy (hkennedy@princewilliamliving.com), a longtime Prince William County resident is a freelance writer, editor, and communications consultant.
