Tres Hermanas
Family approach to delicious Mexican food.
“ I always let my customers know that it was my mom who taught me how to make the food this way."
Who would have thought that a chance meeting at a wedding in Mexico would result in a Mexican restaurant opening in Davis? Well, that is exactly how Reyna and Sergio Saenz came to open Tres Hermanas in downtown Davis.
The “plan” for opening a restaurant in Davis was set in motion when Sergio and Reyna met while attending a wedding in Mexico in 2000. In 2004, they married, and the newlyweds returned to Sergio’s hometown of Sacramento.
Returning to Sacramento, Sergio resumed working in the family restaurant, Tres Hermanas in Sacramento.
The History of Tres Hermanas
When the Tres Hermanas Sacramento location opened in 1996, Sergio was still young. “I was just out of high school when the original restaurant opened, and I think maybe that’s why I wasn’t included in the title.”
Sergio has three sisters, the source of the “Tres Hermanas” brand. He, his sisters, and his mother all worked in the restaurant industry prior to opening the original Tres Hermanas, located on K Street in Sacramento.
Reyna started working at a state job but soon found herself working at one of the family’s restaurants on Folsom Blvd. Working with the Saenz family, she learned how to run a restaurant. She also had the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people and found it to be an extremely rewarding experience.
“We came to Davis to visit a friend who had moved from Sacramento. Our friend mentioned that she loves Davis, but there was not a sit-down Mexican restaurant in town,” shared Sergio.
The plan to open Tres Hermanas in Davis continued to move forward.
Shortly thereafter, a real estate broker was in the bar at the Tres Hermanas in Sacramento location and told Sergio about a possible restaurant location available in Davis. Sergio was a bit hesitant about the idea of opening a restaurant in Davis, “I don’t know. Right now, I’m comfortable with the hours I work. I actually have some days off. Not sure if I want to open a restaurant.”
A few days later, Reyna and Sergio were back in Davis for an event at Woodstock’s. During the event, Sergio mentioned to Reyna, “I think the restaurant that the guy was telling me about is around the corner. Let’s go check it out.”
They loved the location and started thinking seriously about opening their own restaurant. After scouting the location a few more times and doing some research, they made an offer on the location. The offer was accepted, and Tres Hermanas in Davis was open for business in September 2010.
Tres Hermanas in Davis, CA
Davis welcomed Tres Hermanas to the downtown and the restaurant was an instant success. “We didn’t make any formal announcements about the new restaurant,” shared Reyna. “But people kept asking when we would be open. We had our soft opening, and we were busy from the get-go.”
“It was great to be busy, but it was a little bit challenging,” added Sergio. “Davis comes out in force when a new restaurant opens. We had very little time to work out the problems that surface when you open a new restaurant.”
Reyna loves being in downtown Davis. “It’s an interesting town. To me, it’s very rewarding. I meet a lot of interesting people. Customers who come in all the time, our regulars, have become some of our dear friends.”
“It’s nice when people come in with their families,” she continued. “They come in when their kids are tiny and you get to watch them grow. Then, the kids start meeting friends here. They go on dates here. You see them getting married. It’s such a beautiful thing to see, to see people grow, to have a meal together and enjoy it. That is what makes owning a restaurant so worthwhile.”
Sergio is a big fan of the vibe downtown. “It’s such a cool little downtown area. It’s got like a chill, hip vibe. Visitors to Davis love it.”
Building a Family
Being in a great downtown environment allowed them to build the Tres Hermanas Davis family. Many of their 30 staff members are local high school and UC Davis students who are likely the children of friends and customers.
“They work here while they are in school,” shared Sergio. “Then they are off to college or their new after-college careers. It is nice to see them grow so much over the years. They become part of the family.”
Reyna added, “It is like building a family here at the restaurant. People may work here for several years, become part of the family, and then they leave. It is sad for us to see them leave. Sometimes they come back to visit. They may be married, and they come back with their families. And that is when it’s good. It’s very rewarding for us.”
Family plays an important role in the success of Tres Hermanas as many of the recipes are based upon Sergio’s mom’s recipes. He is extremely proud when customers enjoy the food. “My mom is no longer with us. When people are enjoying my mom’s recipes, it brings her back to life for me. I always let my customers know that it was my mom who taught me how to make the food this way.”
“When my mom was still alive, she was very particular about her food,” he continued. “She would come in with my sisters and with Reyna to make sure the recipes were ‘right on.’ Especially with the mole. That was her favorite. So, it is nice to see people enjoying the regional foods she helped create.”
In addition to sharing the foods of Mexico with the community, Reyna also enjoys sharing the Mexican culture. You can see it when you visit Tres Hermanas. From the brightly painted walls and wall murals to the piñatas and papel picado (paper flags) that hang from the ceiling to the amazing artwork on display. The rich and colorful environment, combined with the regional food and drink, transports you to Mexico while you enjoy your meal.
The Tres Hermanas Family invites you to downtown Davis to enjoy the fine cuisine of Mexico. They are located at 805 2nd St, Davis, CA 95616