A Mexican restaurant that opened in 2014 on Anna Maria Island and then added a second location in downtown Sarasota, in 2017, is coming to St. Petersburg’s west side in January.

Wicked Cantina will take over a building at 3650 Tyrone Boulevard North that was previously occupied by a Sonny’s BBQ franchise. Janice Dolan, who co-owns the business with her husband, Mike, told St. Pete Rising that they expect to open in mid-January.

“It will be ready by the first of the year,” she said. “We have musicians scheduled to start January 15th.” 

Live music, she added, is a big part of Wicked Cantina’s original Anna Maria Island location and they plan to make it a daily feature in St. Pete. The Dolans are working on developing outdoor patio space, as well, that can accommodate musicians and seating.

“We believe our new location offers the perfect spot for daily happy hour and live music. With the addition of a new patio to catch sunsets and sip a margarita, we are confident that we will be a welcome addition to the dining landscape in St. Petersburg,” Wicked Cantina Vice President Jake Baker stated in a news release.

The menu of Wicked Cantina’s St. Pete location will be familiar to fans of the Anna Maria Island and Sarasota restaurants.

Diners will enjoy complimentary warm chips and salsa before choosing from a wide range of Tex-Mex staples — tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, etc. — in addition to burgers and seafood.

Some of the restaurant’s unique culinary creations include Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Shrimp, Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas, Mexican Caesar Salad, Cowboy Brisket Tacos, and Tex Mex Burger.

The menu also features a full complement of vegetarian and vegan options, including Butternut Squash Tacos, Fajita Portobello Tacos, and Roasted Cauliflower Tacos. Tex Mex Cannoli and Key Lime Pie are available for dessert.

Janice Dolan’s favorite Wicked Cantina menu item is Carnitas Street Tacos, a dish that consists of slow-roasted pork shoulder in three soft corn tortillas, topped with onions and cilantro. The tacos are drizzled with the restaurant’s spicy Wicked Sauce.

“I can’t tell you what’s in it,” she said, referring to the Wicked Sauce. “It’s something we developed that’s based on a sauce we loved in Austin, Texas. It’s hot!”

Wicked Cantina will be open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, with happy hour from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and all day on Sundays.

The beverage menu, as one might expect, is chock full of margaritas – more than a dozen, in fact. The restaurant is known for their signature House Margarita, which is naturally “skinny” (i.e. low calorie) and has no mixers and fillers. During Happy Hour, customers can enjoy the House Margarita for $7.

The selection of cocktails is also robust and includes daiquiris, mules, run runners, piña coladas, and mojitos, just to name a few. White and red wines are also available, as is a selection of custom martinis. Draft, canned, and bottled beers — craft, domestic, and bottled — are also available.

At about 6,000 square feet, the former Sonny’s BBQ restaurant was a great fit for Wicked Cantina. “That’s the size of our Sarasota restaurant, as well,” Janice Dolan said. “The kitchen takes up quite a bit of it.”

After relocating to Florida, “We were like, ‘How are we going to survive here without this food?’,” Janice Dolan said, referring to the cuisine that sustained them in California and Texas. “There are only so many grouper sandwiches a person can eat! In Austin, our kids almost every day would stop for breakfast tacos before school. You couldn’t finish your day without tacos for at least one meal. It was such a part of the culture.”

The Dolans wound up buying a Greek restaurant called Maria’s that was located at 101 7th Street North on Bradenton Beach and turning it into the first Wicked Cantina. 

Wicked Cantina’s third location is expected to open mid-January at 3650 Tyrone Boulevard North in west St. Pete.

For more information and updates, follow Wicked Cantina on Instagram.