Inca Mexican Restaurant turns 35

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake restaurant celebrated 35 years of serving up Hispanic deliciousness Thursday. Incan Mexican Restaurant, a hard-to-miss business at the corner of East Third Avenue and S. Pioneer Way in Moses Lake has been serving giant plates of nachos, quesadillas and tacos to diners since 1990. 

Rafael Aguilar of La Pera Radio TV in East Wenatchee made live broadcasts and served as master of ceremonies and Mariachi Noroeste strode through Inca Mexican Restaurant on East Third Avenue in Moses Lake playing traditional Mexican music. 

Inca’s owner, Jose Rodriguez said that when he opened Inca Mexican Restaurant in 1990, there were a few small Mexican eateries, but not a lot of full-service Mexican dining available. 

“This is why I decided to come here, because we needed it,” he said. 

Rodriguez already had one restaurant in Kennewick, also called Inca, which is still going strong, he said. In the 35 years since coming to Moses Lake, he’s also opened Hacienda Del Sol in Pasco, Fuego in Kennewick and two more Inca Restaurants, in Fort Collins, Colo., and Sioux Falls, S.D. 

Inca has an average rating of 4.0 on the travel website Tripadvisor, which also rated it No. 11 out of 97 restaurants in Moses Lake. Reviewers cited its authentic, plentiful Mexican food, and pleasant atmosphere.  

The name is a bit of a mystery, since the Inca Empire existed in Peru, thousands of miles from Mexico. The answer isn’t rooted in history but in public relations, Rodriguez said. 

“(It’s) because there’s only four letters in Inca, and people memorize it very quickly,” he said. “It’s easy to remember, to put on a sign (or) to make into a logo.” 

Overall, Rodriguez’ restaurants employ about 450 people, he said, about 35 of them in Moses Lake. His brother Martin Rodriguez is the manager of the Moses Lake restaurant. 

“I think everything's doing OK,” Jose Rodriguez said. “The town is pretty good, and people are so nice and friendly.” 

    From left: Inca Mexican Restaurant Owner Jose Rodriguez, Manager Martin Rodriguez and Radio La Pera broadcaster Rafael Aguilar stop for a photo at Inca’s 35th birthday celebration Thursday.