Frisco is the latest city to net its own location of Anaya's Seafood, a wonderful family-owned DFW seafood restaurant chain, opening what will be its fourth location in the Legacy Crossing center at 4350 Main St. in Frisco, where it's set to debut in late 2023.

Anaya's was founded in 2020 by four brothers — Miguel, Bobby, Alfredo, and Serafín Anaya — who make up the backbone of the company. Originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, they've been in Dallas for more than 20 years, learning the ropes by working at other restaurants such as Fish City Frill and Rockfish.

"But we always wanted a restaurant of our own," says Alfredo.

They finally pulled the trigger in the middle of the pandemic when they opened their first restaurant in Richardson in December 2020. They've since opened locations in Addison (in 2021), and Plano (in 2022).

"We are opening a location in Frisco in response to customer requests," Alfredo says. "We had patrons who were coming over to our restaurants in Plano and Richardson, asking us to open in their area so they would not have to make the drive."

The menu stars seafood, with a Tex-Mex Cajun theme that seems tailor-made for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Entrees include:

• Lightly blackened trout with artichokes and capers
• Cedar plank salmon with mango salsa
• Flounder with lump crab and tomato basil cream sauce
• Fish & chips, with beer-battered cod and house-made colesalaw

Seafood dishes come with sides such as garlic whipped potatoes and seasonal veggies, and are priced from $15 to $23. Thy also offer tacos, sandwiches, and appetizers including coconut shrimp and a unique hybrid item called Crab Mac N Cheese Cakes. They make everything themselves, including the beer batter for the fish and chips. (They use Shiner bock.)

A chalkboard fesatures daily specials. "We offer a Tex-Mex Cajun menu that is fresh and changes daily," Alfredo says.

A full bar features crafty cocktails such as a jalapeno mezcal margarita, a jalapeno-cucumber martini, and a rosemary grapefruit mule. An extended Happy Hour runs from 12-7 pm on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday, and features $8 bites including oysters, shrimp nachos, and dynamite shrimp. Monday and Tuesday, they offer half-price bottles of wine all day.

And their weekend brunch on Saturday-Sunday is a bargain, with chilaquiles, chicken & waffles, Benedicts, and seafood omelets ranging from $11 to $17.

The fun part of the story about Anaya's is the Anaya family themselves. It's rare to find a family business like this where pretty much every family member is involved.

In the kitchen are Miguel and Bobby: Miguel is the oldest brother, with 25 years of experience working at seafood restaurants, both running kitchens and as general manager. Bobby, the second-oldest, has 21 years of experience, starting as a cook, then lead cook, then kitchen manager.

Alfredo is Brother #3, with 16 years of experience, mostly front of the house. He's the brains behind the cocktail program and runs the bar. Youngest brother Serafin oversees the service.

"Our sisters work in the restaurants, too," Alfredo says. "Even my mom, she is walking around and bussing tables. Everyone chips in."