Gwinnett Daily Post

Open since: December 2001

Location: Antigua is in a shopping center off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard

Hours: Antigua is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays, noon to 2 a.m. Saturdays and noon to 10 p.m. Sundays

n Owners: Buford residents Gale and Ronnie Elrod bought into Antigua as silent partners in 2004 and after selling their family home health care business, they are now running the place.

"We're here every day," said Ronnie Elrod, who manages the restaurant while Gale Elrod takes care of the books.

Atmosphere: Antigua offers a dining room with both booth and table seating, a bar room - smoking is permitted - with booths, high-top tables and seating at the bar with a good view of a small stage and dance floor. A spacious deck provides an outdoor dining option, and the restaurant also has what the owners call a "kids' area," with arcade games and candy machines.

Antigua hosts Texas Hold 'Em and team trivia nights, as well as musicians and bands in the bar area on Thursdays and Fridays. Sports fans can watch games on the 25 TVs set up around the bar room.

Menu: Ronnie Elrod said his fajitas "fly out the door," along with wings and the monstrous California burrito. In addition to Tex Mex options - and in keeping with its motto, "nacho ordinary taco stand" - Antigua offers hamburgers and grilled chicken sandwiches with a side of fries. A list of vegetarian selections is also on the menu.

For dessert, Antigua offers the traditional fried ice cream - vanilla ice cream rolled in cinnamon tortilla chips topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry - but has an interesting take on a candy bar - a Snickers bar is wrapped in a flour tortilla then deep fried, drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauces and served with vanilla ice cream.

Things you might not know: E-mail savvy customers can sign up at the restaurant or on its Web site to receive updates on the monthly specials as well as coupons to use when dining.