Victor Cervantes always wanted to give back to the Hispanic community, so opening Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill in Northside Fort Worth seemed like the right move.
Born in Mexico, Cervantes and his family moved to the U.S. during childhood, and he remembers how poor his family was.
“My mom and dad worked in the fields,” Cervantes recalled.
“When I was in elementary school, I only had three pairs of pants. I remember the kids laughing because one of them was green. I would tell my mom about it, and she’d just tell me to ignore them. She would wash my clothes every other day. That’s how we grew up—living as Mexican Americans,” he added.
From an early age, Cervantes was interested in entrepreneurship. He worked for Trinity Rail for 19 years and ran a metal cage business in Mexico for 30 years before deciding to open Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill.
“Hugo’s has been open for almost two years—about a year and 10 months now,” Cervantes explained. “The name comes from my mom and my uncle. They once had a dance hall called Cinco de Mayo, and I’m from Coahuila, Mexico.”
Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill is located in the heart of Northside, just before you drive into the Stockyards. Despite its central location, Cervantes faced skepticism from some in his community who questioned why he didn’t open the restaurant elsewhere.
“I was told, ‘Why don’t you leave the community and better yourself?’ But I’m here for this. The community is tough, but I’m proud to be here,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes also opened the restaurant to honor three friends who passed away and significantly impacted his life.
“I opened Hugo’s for them. I promised myself I wouldn’t forget them, but as time passes, sometimes you do,” Cervantes said. “It’s been 23 years since they passed, and I felt like I was going to forget them, too. But I put a memorial on the wall for them—three of my closest friends, one of my best friends, and two others who were extremely important to me.”
Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill hosts a weekly Lotería game every Wednesday, where families in the community come together to play the popular Mexican game. For Cervantes, seeing the smiles on people’s faces and providing service to his community makes it all worthwhile.
Cervantes explained that it took hard work to be in this position and that the restaurant business is not for everybody.
As a restaurant owner, Cervantes has also become more outspoken in his community. Recently, Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill hosted a Trump and Cruz rally that included several Republican leaders, such as Sen. Ted Cruz and his father, Rafael Cruz. Despite facing backlash from some Latino-leaning Democrats, Cervantes believes the event made a difference.
“I’m happy with the results of the election,” Cervantes said. “It doesn’t mean you agree with everything, but sometimes, to lower gas prices and improve things, you have to take a stand. You’re never going to reach my level, but I’m just trying to make a difference in the way I can.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Latino voters’ support for Trump grew this election cycle.
Nationwide, 45% of Latino voters supported Trump in 2020, up from just 29% in 2016. Notably, Trump won the majority of Latino men, securing 54% of their vote, per the New York Post.
Cervantes also credits his Catholic faith with being an important guide in his personal life and in the creation of Hugo’s 5 de Mayo Bar & Grill.
“Religion is the root of everything for me,” Cervantes said. “It’s the foundation of how I live and run this business.”