From the street, it might just look like a revitalized storefront in a St. Charles shopping center off of Route 38 and Randall Road. 

But step inside, and Carlos Aréchiga is building something that feels more like an exotic destination.

His newest concept, Playa, is a restaurant and music lounge inspired by the feeling of stepping into a warm coastal night — the kind where the air hums with music, buzzes with conversation, and feels like you’ve departed the dreary Midwest for a tropical coast in Mexico. It’s expected to open in December 2025.

The space features a massive wall-screen (designed to mimic an endless beach horizon), a carefully engineered sound system, and lighting controlled down to the last detail. But for Carlos, a member of the family-owned Arechiga Restaurant Group, it’s not about opening just a restaurant or a bar or a lounge.

It’s about creating an escape close to home — a place for late dinners, private events, live performances, drinks with friends, and spontaneous nights out without the long drive into Chicago.

He describes it as a hybrid: part lounge, part restaurant, part event space. Some nights might feature mellow live music or a jazz band. Others could lean more high-energy with DJs and curated performances. 

And the food will be an experience all its own.

“For far too long, Mexican restaurants in the U.S. have been placed in a box,” Carlos said. “Over the past decade, my mission has been to open our doors and invite guests to experience something different — our food, our energy, our atmosphere — and in doing so, expand their expectations of what a Mexican restaurant, or any restaurant, can truly be.”

Aesthetically, there’s nothing in the area quite like Playa. Much of the décor and visual detail is being sourced directly from Mexico, as Carlos is working with artisans, metalworkers, wood craftsmen, and sculptors to bring in custom pieces and design elements for the space.

“We are from a coastal state in Mexico,” Carlos said. “To us, that’s home. How do I bring a little bit of who I am to my business? That’s why we’re bringing that natural and coastal element to the space.”

What won’t change, he says, is the intention: flexibility, comfort, and an atmosphere where people can linger, move around, and get lost in the experience for a few hours.

Playa is just the latest chapter in what’s become one of the Tri-Cities’ most recognizable family-run restaurant stories.

The Aréchiga family’s journey started with Salsa Verde, which opened its first location in 2013 on Route 38 in St. Charles and grew into the group’s fast-casual foundation. What looks from the outside like a modest taco spot has become a high-capacity operation serving hundreds of people daily — including large catering orders across Chicagoland. 

Carlos still calls it their bread and butter, the concept they’ve truly mastered.

From there, the family began expanding — not by cloning the same restaurant, but by deliberately creating distinct personalities for each concept:

Outside of Illinois, they also recently opened Piedra, their first steakhouse, in downtown Indianapolis — a concept blending Mexican culinary roots with contemporary global influences. In the Indianapolis area, they also operate restaurants Casa Santa, Mexican con Folklor, Verde Flavors of Mexico, and Quesatacos.

The group now operates more than a dozen locations across Illinois and Indiana under the Aréchiga Restaurant Group name — a family operation run by Carlos, his parents, and his three brothers. 

Each brother plays a different role: culinary leadership, financial operations, real estate and growth, and experiential design, with Carlos driving vision, atmosphere, and guest experience. What ties it all together isn’t just food — it’s their approach to storytelling through space. 

“Not everything has to be elevated and sophisticated,” Aréchiga said. “Sometimes it’s about casual neighborhood comfort. Other times, it’s about transporting people into another world for a night.”

The Playa concept grew directly out of what Carlos and his family kept hearing from guests at Hacienda Real.

People loved the vibe, the music, the ambiance — but they wanted more room to stay, socialize, celebrate, and linger without the constraints of a traditional dining setup.

Rather than overloading Hacienda Real, the family decided to build something similar, but with key differences. Playa aims to be a flexible space for private parties, birthdays, corporate events, and late-night hangs.

“The moment you start being rigid, you ruin the experience for people,” Carlos said. “I want people to be comfortable hanging out and eating, dancing on the dance floor, or sitting at the bar and meeting other people.”

It’s intentionally located near their existing Geneva locations, reinforcing their belief that their restaurants shouldn’t compete with each other — they should complement one another. Carlos sees the Tri-Cities as a place where people shouldn’t feel like they have to leave town to experience something memorable.

His broader philosophy is simple: Why should an unforgettable night out require a trip into Chicago?

He’s also been intentional about how Playa fits into the community. For him, being embraced by (and accountable to) this community isn’t just nice to have, it’s part of the business model.

For Aréchiga, restaurants aren’t just about food. They’re about moments — date nights, celebrations, family gatherings, first impressions, and the places where guests create memories with the people they care about.

Playa, when it opens, won’t just be another new spot populating the local dining scene. It’s the evolution of a family story with roots all the way down in Mexico, shaped by years of experimentation, and driven by a genuine desire to give the Tri-Cities something that feels distinct and immersive. 

And for a community that loves new restaurants as much as this one does — that story is just getting started.

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

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