New Mexican restaurant to fill former Husk Barbecue location in West End. What to know.

A.J. Jackson, Greenville News
·2 min read

The former location of Husk Barbecue at 722 S. Main St. in the West End will soon become a new Mexican restaurant and Tequila bar as The Matador has submitted exterior renderings to the City of Greenville Design Review Board for approval.

Exterior appropriateness plans for the building will be reviewed by the city of Greenville's Design Review Board on April 18 as the upcoming project, owned by Opper Melang — a Seattle-based restaurant and bar operations group, is anticipating a mid-August opening date, according to owner Zak Melang.

"Greenville stood out as the perfect location for our upcoming restaurant because it holds a special place in my heart," Melang said, who has family from the Carolinas. "The vibrant community, coupled with the charm of the town made it an ideal spot to reintroduce The Matador experience. The opportunity to renovate the former iconic Husk location further solidified our decision."

Renderings for "The Matador", an upcoming Mexican-style bar and restaurant slated to open at 722 S. Main St. in downtown Greenville, S.C.
Renderings for "The Matador", an upcoming Mexican-style bar and restaurant slated to open at 722 S. Main St. in downtown Greenville, S.C.

More Downtown Eats: Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery opens 'mart' in downtown Greenville with menu favorites

With nine restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, the restaurant will be The Matador's second dining space in South Carolina as Charleston first opened a location in 2023 at 235 Meeting St.

According to a certificate of appropriateness application, The Matador has plans to accommodate a new dining space and bar on the first and second floors with an outdoor patio on the rooftop.

The second level will feature a fire table, umbrellas, and hanging string lights and The Matador's blade-style sign will be showcased near the main entry, which has already been approved. Melang said the interior will be filled with candles, handcrafted metal, and woodwork to keep much of the original building intact.

The Matador is most known for Mexican-style appetizers, entreés, soups, salads and sandwiches while specializing in agave-based drinks. Melang hopes to have one of the largest collections of tequila and Mezcals in the Southeast and to rotate a certain part of the menu that promotes seasonal ingredients and encourages innovation nearly twice a year.

Simpsonville Rebrand: Vaughn's Food Hall to include revamped menus for existing restaurants, new food concepts.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: The Matador submits design renderings for new restaurant in West End